Let me put my thoughts out there, as a GM employee, on surveys.
We read and keep up on ALL of them. JD POWER, CR, and others along with dealer warranty data. We use the data to make improvements via engineering changes or plant processes. So they do help us in ways to make better products.
However - CR is the lowest of the bunch and I really agree with others that they are extremely flawed and hard to prove truth. JD Power is only initial---but most problems are detected the first few months and few thousand miles anyhow. So, GM moving up the ladder with JDP proves some good things are happening.
My feelings are that these surveys are good for press releases and advertising and guiding improvements in the building of cars but they are not the holy grail.
The only thing that will change GM in the minds of people who had bad luck in the past with a GM model is WORD OF MOUTH. I have said over and over on here that GM has really made huge improvements all around (I see them daily and am responsible myself for some great progress on our fullsize SUV) but that it will take YEARS to remove a tarnished image.
My future forecast is that within the next 5-10 years the current great lineup of cars and trucks GM is making will prove long term reliability and quality and FINALLY allow GM to be excepted as a great auto maker and, dare I say, knock Toyota off it's undeserved "do no wrong" pedestal.
We read and keep up on ALL of them. JD POWER, CR, and others along with dealer warranty data. We use the data to make improvements via engineering changes or plant processes. So they do help us in ways to make better products.
However - CR is the lowest of the bunch and I really agree with others that they are extremely flawed and hard to prove truth. JD Power is only initial---but most problems are detected the first few months and few thousand miles anyhow. So, GM moving up the ladder with JDP proves some good things are happening.
My feelings are that these surveys are good for press releases and advertising and guiding improvements in the building of cars but they are not the holy grail.
The only thing that will change GM in the minds of people who had bad luck in the past with a GM model is WORD OF MOUTH. I have said over and over on here that GM has really made huge improvements all around (I see them daily and am responsible myself for some great progress on our fullsize SUV) but that it will take YEARS to remove a tarnished image.
My future forecast is that within the next 5-10 years the current great lineup of cars and trucks GM is making will prove long term reliability and quality and FINALLY allow GM to be excepted as a great auto maker and, dare I say, knock Toyota off it's undeserved "do no wrong" pedestal.
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