I thought this was amusing.
http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/aut...xNDkEc2VjA2ZwLXRvZGF5BHNsawNwb29yLXBlcmZvcm0-
"Whether it's the tried-and-true Butterball, the more enigmatic Tofurkey, or pricey "pastured" birds, turkey is simply what we eat for Thanksgiving.
But we've come to know another type of turkey--vehicles that, for some reason or another, have been problematic or simply haven't found their place in the market. Most have make-or-break issues with shoppers: recalls, reliability, resale value and safety.
In compiling our fourth annual list of "Automotive Turkeys," we looked at four factors, all pertaining to 2007 model-year vehicles: number of recalls to date, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database; reliability ratings from Consumer Reports; depreciation, in the form of Automotive Leasing Guide's (ALG) star ratings; and safety, from NHTSA and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash-test ratings.
Besides a standout number of recalls, we looked specifically for below-average reliability, high depreciation and NHTSA ratings below four stars and/or IIHS results of "Marginal" or "Poor." Of the vehicles that met at least two of these qualifications, we also looked subjectively at other factors, such as fuel efficiency and cost.
Topping the list: The Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Nitro, Jeep Liberty, Dodge Caliber and Dodge Magnum.
All Recalls Are Not Alike
Safety recalls, which can be initiated either by automakers or by the federal government, are overseen by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In either case, NHTSA monitors the recall process and maintains a database of pertinent recalls, accessible through its SaferCar.gov Web site.
Some of these recalls, says Jeff Bartlett, deputy editor of ConsumerReports.org, are more urgent, with safety or mechanical consequences, requiring an immediate trip to the dealership, while others may be non-urgent or only related to particular trim or configurations.
Bartlett says looking at the number of recalls that could affect a particular model can provide "an interesting road sign" into what vehicle ownership might be like. Frequent recalls should be a warning to shoppers, he says. They're not necessarily a sign of reliability, but more about inconvenience, which, of course, "has its price."
Indeed, recalls can be a lasting negative experience for the owner.
"How negatively depends on how badly or how well the manufacturer handles it," says Stephanie Brinley, senior analyst for the automotive-industry consulting firm AutoPacific. The amount of owner inconvenience often relies on the dealer body, she says, and how well dealerships address the issues. If it "breaks on the six o'clock news," Brinley says, referring to the widely publicized recalls that automakers occasionally face, that's an especially big negative in perception.
In looking purely at the number of recalls by model for 2007, several Chrysler (including Dodge and Jeep) models stood out for having more than just a recall or two. CR's Bartlett wasn't willing to speculate about Chrysler having more recalls, but he said that automakers have been increasingly sharing powertrain and interior components across much of their vehicle lines, and if there are problems it can bring down the entire brand.
That looks to be the case for Chrysler, at least in two instances. A massive recall involving anti-lock braking system control modules affected 11 different Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep models, including the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Caliber, Dodge Magnum, Dodge Nitro and Jeep Liberty, which were all on our turkeys list, while another recall concerning automatic-transmission control modules potentially affected eight different vehicles, including the Magnum, Nitro and Liberty."
http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/aut...xNDkEc2VjA2ZwLXRvZGF5BHNsawNwb29yLXBlcmZvcm0-
"Whether it's the tried-and-true Butterball, the more enigmatic Tofurkey, or pricey "pastured" birds, turkey is simply what we eat for Thanksgiving.
But we've come to know another type of turkey--vehicles that, for some reason or another, have been problematic or simply haven't found their place in the market. Most have make-or-break issues with shoppers: recalls, reliability, resale value and safety.
In compiling our fourth annual list of "Automotive Turkeys," we looked at four factors, all pertaining to 2007 model-year vehicles: number of recalls to date, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database; reliability ratings from Consumer Reports; depreciation, in the form of Automotive Leasing Guide's (ALG) star ratings; and safety, from NHTSA and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash-test ratings.
Besides a standout number of recalls, we looked specifically for below-average reliability, high depreciation and NHTSA ratings below four stars and/or IIHS results of "Marginal" or "Poor." Of the vehicles that met at least two of these qualifications, we also looked subjectively at other factors, such as fuel efficiency and cost.
Topping the list: The Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Nitro, Jeep Liberty, Dodge Caliber and Dodge Magnum.
All Recalls Are Not Alike
Safety recalls, which can be initiated either by automakers or by the federal government, are overseen by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In either case, NHTSA monitors the recall process and maintains a database of pertinent recalls, accessible through its SaferCar.gov Web site.
Some of these recalls, says Jeff Bartlett, deputy editor of ConsumerReports.org, are more urgent, with safety or mechanical consequences, requiring an immediate trip to the dealership, while others may be non-urgent or only related to particular trim or configurations.
Bartlett says looking at the number of recalls that could affect a particular model can provide "an interesting road sign" into what vehicle ownership might be like. Frequent recalls should be a warning to shoppers, he says. They're not necessarily a sign of reliability, but more about inconvenience, which, of course, "has its price."
Indeed, recalls can be a lasting negative experience for the owner.
"How negatively depends on how badly or how well the manufacturer handles it," says Stephanie Brinley, senior analyst for the automotive-industry consulting firm AutoPacific. The amount of owner inconvenience often relies on the dealer body, she says, and how well dealerships address the issues. If it "breaks on the six o'clock news," Brinley says, referring to the widely publicized recalls that automakers occasionally face, that's an especially big negative in perception.
In looking purely at the number of recalls by model for 2007, several Chrysler (including Dodge and Jeep) models stood out for having more than just a recall or two. CR's Bartlett wasn't willing to speculate about Chrysler having more recalls, but he said that automakers have been increasingly sharing powertrain and interior components across much of their vehicle lines, and if there are problems it can bring down the entire brand.
That looks to be the case for Chrysler, at least in two instances. A massive recall involving anti-lock braking system control modules affected 11 different Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep models, including the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Caliber, Dodge Magnum, Dodge Nitro and Jeep Liberty, which were all on our turkeys list, while another recall concerning automatic-transmission control modules potentially affected eight different vehicles, including the Magnum, Nitro and Liberty."
