American cars: What's the problem?

I think practically everyone has heard about the latest auto quality rankings, which put Japanese cars at the top of the list. This is a trend that's been going for decades. The American press, public, and politicians complain, Detroit comes up with new models and a pledge to improve things (remember "Quality is Job 1"?) but not much changes.

Or does it?

I own two American cars, and I have to say I am quite satisfied with the overall quality of the vehicles. One is a Ford Escort station wagon. I bought it used after my '88 Toyota Corrolla gave up the ghost. The Escort has been a dependable vehicle for commuting and hauling stuff around, and to date has only required minor repairs. It gets between 25 mpg and 30 mpg, depending on various conditions. The other is a Nissan van built by a Ford factory in the midwest (that's what the sticker in the door says, at least). We also bought it used. I am not too happy with the gas mileage (15 mpg by my calculations) but it's a safe vehicle for my family, and can be used to haul around big items.

Are these cars exceptions? Maybe. The Escort was made in the late 90s, when it had been in the manufacturing cycle for 15 years or more and presumably most of the bugs had been ironed out. The van is Japanese engineered. The Consumer Reports ratings partially depend on user-submitted data, and the current crop of American models just couldn't measure up to Japanese cars.

However, I wonder if stereotypes come into play. Owners of American cars are more sensitive to problems, because they confirm the bad things people have heard about them, while owners of Japanese cars are more willing to overlook defects or won't admit them.

Do you own an American car? Has it been reliable? What about your Japanese car?

Read the other posts in this series:

American Cars, part II: Laying blame

American Cars III: What about the dealers?



You can also read this post on PFBlog.com/fidelityobserver -- Reader comments often appear there that won't show up on this page. You can leave comments on either page, I'll read 'em all!