Most Reliable Cars in 2008

Although I admit that professional surveys mean little when it’s YOUR car that breaks down, I’d like to share the list of most reliable cars based on the recently released J.D. Power & Associates list of the most reliable cars of 2008.

At the top of the list is, of course, a Toyota brand (Lexus). However, interesting to note are #2 and #3: American brands. Who would have though that a Ford and a Chevy brand would beat out Toyota in reliability results, but given Toyota’s massive amount of recalls in the last few years, I guess it’s understandable:

1. Lexus
2. Mercury
3. Cadillac
4. Toyota
5. Acura
6. Buick
7. BMW
8. Lincoln
9. Honda
10. Jaguar

And what’s going on with Honda? Oh how the mighty have fallen. Perhaps Toyota and Honda now see what it’s like to be a top producer, in high demand, and rushed to produce more cars than their process can handle. That’s one big reason you see their quality slipping.

Here’s a look at the top models by segment:

Small does not always mean Inexpensive

If you’re a technophile, or just happened to go shopping for a new laptop lately, you may have noticed that the smaller the laptop, the higher the price (with the exception of the Asus Eee). Why is that? Aren’t they using less silicone? Less liquid crystals for the screen? Less precious metals?

Well, for laptops, smaller sizes mean less room to put the parts. If you want a 12″ laptop with a 120Gb drive vs a 40 Gb drive, you’re going to pay more than someone buying a 15″ laptop because the factory has to be more creative to find room to put that part. In addition, they need to keep the parts cooled, which is harder when there’s less air-flow.

Why Small Cars aren’t Always Inexpensive

Now let’s compare laptops with cars. If you want a small car that provides decent elbow and hip room, plus 5-star crash ratings, a premium audio system, room for 4-5 passengers plus luggage, a high-powered engine, and luxury car-like quality, then you’re going to pay the price.