My brand new 2021 escalade had a piece of black trim in between the rear tail light and side glass just fly off two months after buying it when i stepped out of the driver side and walked behind it and saw nothing. So the stealer had to order a new one and paint it and glue it back on. They took the other off and re glued it since it was already a little loose on the bottom. The speaker trim piece in the driver side rear door also just fell off but I glued it back on myself. The leather seats aren't as well stitched in the corners like the leather seats in my old trucks or even the cheap Mitsubishi either. And the interior has its little creeks when I corner hard or press my arm door panel not hard but with some force. But I chalk it up to modern GM + covid quality inconsistency.
The Quality of New Cars Today
- Thread starter Shel_B
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2020
- Messages
- 217
I don't think most people are actually understanding the question being asked here. It's not "are cars of today better build than those 20 years ago", it's "have the supply shortages and supply chain issues impacted quality".
Working in a somewhat parallel industry and dealing first-hand with supply chain issues related to microchips and hard parts, my own thought is "yes, there is going to be a decline". When the supply chain gets squeezed to the extent to which it has, things get loosened on the QC end, at every step of the way (from the foundries to the assembly line, and everywhere in between). Would it prevent me from buying a new car if I were in the market? Probably not. But I do think it's the reality of the situation.
Working in a somewhat parallel industry and dealing first-hand with supply chain issues related to microchips and hard parts, my own thought is "yes, there is going to be a decline". When the supply chain gets squeezed to the extent to which it has, things get loosened on the QC end, at every step of the way (from the foundries to the assembly line, and everywhere in between). Would it prevent me from buying a new car if I were in the market? Probably not. But I do think it's the reality of the situation.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
I haven't noted any quality issues with the truck built in April 2021 due to supply quality or shortages. I've bought a number of new trucks and cars over the years and this one is as good or better than any of them. Can only speak from personal experience but my sample size is 1 Covid era vehicle. Are there vehicles with issues? Yes. Are there always vehicles with issues? Yes. The infotainment system in our new 2014 RAV4 locked up and died on the way home from the dealer. Had a loaner base Camry for the first 2 weeks of ownership. So far the Covid GMC has been more trouble free than the Toyota.
LOL A red Honda is sort of like a yellow Model T. There ain't too many of them!
Maybe more red Civics than the other models.
With social media, it seems to make it look like quality has dropped on new vehicles from everyone posting about their problems. I feel with all the electronics that control things the issues seem to be more prevalent. The way the media center, ie radio is incorporated into the vehicle, it isn't like days of old. So much more is connected to that.
Our 2016 Suburban's transmission going out at 81k. I thought I did everything I could to prevent it from happening by keeping up with fluid changes and quality fluid but it still happened. It seems from all the research it is a design flaw so to speak, all in the name of saving fuel.
There is law suite out now against GM for the 8sp transmission that has had issues for over ten years. One would think GM would fix it with every new refresh vehicle but it still continues today. Why?
Sell, sell, sell, people will continue to buy so why fix things it seems to be the way of the manufacture.
I know it is a very small portion of the population, but from all the groups I'm in on Facebook, it amazes me the amount of people that trade up yearly to a new vehicle. I again, I know this is just a small portion of indiviuals. But it seems people have to have the latest and greatest as it comes out, Kind of the the Apple followers. LOL
Our 2016 Suburban's transmission going out at 81k. I thought I did everything I could to prevent it from happening by keeping up with fluid changes and quality fluid but it still happened. It seems from all the research it is a design flaw so to speak, all in the name of saving fuel.
There is law suite out now against GM for the 8sp transmission that has had issues for over ten years. One would think GM would fix it with every new refresh vehicle but it still continues today. Why?
Sell, sell, sell, people will continue to buy so why fix things it seems to be the way of the manufacture.
I know it is a very small portion of the population, but from all the groups I'm in on Facebook, it amazes me the amount of people that trade up yearly to a new vehicle. I again, I know this is just a small portion of indiviuals. But it seems people have to have the latest and greatest as it comes out, Kind of the the Apple followers. LOL
Cars are more reliable than ever, but they are also more complex than they have ever been.
My Flint built 2021 Silverado was completed in early December 2020 and is equal quality wise to any of the many GM trucks I have owned.
I still believe though that company wide there are some duds due to supply chain quality issues and labor shortages. .
I still believe though that company wide there are some duds due to supply chain quality issues and labor shortages. .
delete
Jeez! Wait till Elon sees THIS!Remember this from 7 years ago?
Toyota Recalls 1993 Camry Due To Fact That Owners Really Should Have Bought Something New By Now
TOKYO—Saying it was simply time for drivers to move on, Toyota Motor Corp. issued a recall of its entire 1993 Camry model line Wednesday due to the fact that its owners really should have bought something new by now. “We understand that the 1993 Camry was tremendously dependable, but, honestly...www.theonion.com
I've purchased two brand new cars during the pandemic. In August 2020 I purchased a brand new BMW 5 Series M-Sport Touring and then replaced it in September 2021 as I needed something cheaper with a Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport (Buick Regal). No reliability issues with either and both cars were well specc'd.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
Was that the Swine Flu or MERS or SARS pandemic that caused that?
Transmissions have not been as good as they were. And cylinder shutoff is terrible for gm engine reliability. Look up the class action law suits
Just crappy work
I think most of the complaining I see about new vehicles is a function of recent history.
Cars are as mechanically reliable as ever right now, but they still have their issues. Cars up until the 1990s were total garbage. There was a "sweet spot" in 1990s until 2005ish when cars were still relatively simple without all the electronic issues and still mechanically reliable. My 1994 Toyota Tercel was not a great driving car but it was a beast that was beaten daily and it asked for more. My 2002 Toyota Echo and 2004 RAV4 were the same. This is when companies like Toyota and Honda forged their reputation for reliability but after 2005 all the electronic and fuel-saving BS starts to get added.
I've never been left on the side of the road by any vehicle but with one exception every visit I've made to the dealership in the past 20 years has been for something other than mechanical issues - ECU flashes, transmissions flashes, infotainment updates, power seats stopped working, HVAC blower replacement, a foam kit added to a front door to stop rattling, etc.
Cars are as mechanically reliable as ever right now, but they still have their issues. Cars up until the 1990s were total garbage. There was a "sweet spot" in 1990s until 2005ish when cars were still relatively simple without all the electronic issues and still mechanically reliable. My 1994 Toyota Tercel was not a great driving car but it was a beast that was beaten daily and it asked for more. My 2002 Toyota Echo and 2004 RAV4 were the same. This is when companies like Toyota and Honda forged their reputation for reliability but after 2005 all the electronic and fuel-saving BS starts to get added.
I've never been left on the side of the road by any vehicle but with one exception every visit I've made to the dealership in the past 20 years has been for something other than mechanical issues - ECU flashes, transmissions flashes, infotainment updates, power seats stopped working, HVAC blower replacement, a foam kit added to a front door to stop rattling, etc.
My 2001 superduty.
Clutch line failed 3 weeks after new purchase. Took 5 tries to get it fixed correctly.
Stupid ford fuel pump failed requiring a tow... as did my 2002 grand marquis. Both failed at 75 k miles.
My 95 bmw. Never serviced other than pm. No failures in 235 k miles.
My sequoia 224 k miles 2007 / never been on the side of the road ever. Only planned pm done
Clutch line failed 3 weeks after new purchase. Took 5 tries to get it fixed correctly.
Stupid ford fuel pump failed requiring a tow... as did my 2002 grand marquis. Both failed at 75 k miles.
My 95 bmw. Never serviced other than pm. No failures in 235 k miles.
My sequoia 224 k miles 2007 / never been on the side of the road ever. Only planned pm done
For fun. My new 91 and 92 jeep wranglers purchased new. Required tows every time the dealer tried to fix them. I had to buy a cell phone to keep calling tow trucks. Both lemon law after 4 months of more than a dozen service visits each. None that got success.
Door welds for full size doors all broke. When they re weld all of them they spray painted white paint all over my interior and steer wheel and windshield.
Mult exhaust failures
Engine crank pos sensors . Failed on both
Soft tops were terrible. Torn up windows and tracks all paint removed after putting top up 5 times. Looked like crap fast.
Ordered with wrong fuel tank size. Dealer hid this fact. When i picked up my ordered jeep. I ordered big tank and production just put in whatever they had laying around.
Could not align it to center the wheel. Passenger seat welds broke with only passenger being a 105 pound girl.
Door welds for full size doors all broke. When they re weld all of them they spray painted white paint all over my interior and steer wheel and windshield.
Mult exhaust failures
Engine crank pos sensors . Failed on both
Soft tops were terrible. Torn up windows and tracks all paint removed after putting top up 5 times. Looked like crap fast.
Ordered with wrong fuel tank size. Dealer hid this fact. When i picked up my ordered jeep. I ordered big tank and production just put in whatever they had laying around.
Could not align it to center the wheel. Passenger seat welds broke with only passenger being a 105 pound girl.
Ford's automated manual PowerShift was made and sold for ten years or so and they knew it was a POS. Nissan's CVTs. Hyundai's flaming engines. Chevy Bolt batteries.
Someone said earlier... "Suddenly it's 1977". I am not so sure if we're not in the midst of the 21st Century version. Rushed engine complexity to get that last mpg. Half-baked transmissions.... Add the supply chain problems...
Hmmm.
Seems all modern cars have paint issues.
I think there was a big switchover and companies had to go over to low VOC paints? All new paints seem to he soft same for clear coats.
The end result is more harm to the environment any way due to damage and cars being scrapped early or multiple repairs and repaints.
I think there was a big switchover and companies had to go over to low VOC paints? All new paints seem to he soft same for clear coats.
The end result is more harm to the environment any way due to damage and cars being scrapped early or multiple repairs and repaints.
