Quote Originally Posted by RGA
Well I still only hear hearsay no facts about the audio equipment.

As for cars - I may be out of date with my info but "All Mercedes, Audi, Jaguar and Land Rover" did poorly.

Now I though American car companies owned all of these except Mercedes which owns Chrysler. So Chrysler doing better than Mercedes is odd since they're one and the same company.

Consumer reports...Yes I bought my 1994 Grand Am because Consumer Reports said it was more reliable than most every car in its class - I should have read the Lemon Aid as it was rubbished...Consumer Reports LATER had it as the lemon it was and still is.

The Focus has an awful record in Lemon Aid and good one in Consumer reports...ahh stats from polls...and did I read correctly that we're believing the manufacturers and what they claim is a break down? 20 to 18 even if that is correct is negligable and probably rooted out with a larger poll...like all the people who don't subscribe to consumer reports. Far less people own German cars so I would like to see the actual break down...Ie;the sample size for European cars would be FAR smaller than that of the American cars.

Buyers have figured it out over ten years since Toyota has finally surpassed GM. Though the Americans have figured it out with all the numerous co-productions. The Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe(same car same plant - slightly alrtered body and interior) have gotten good reviews...perhaps mixing the Japanese know-how with the American styling I have said would be best for both entities.

Now if only Ford could somehow stop having their tires blow up because THEY can't design wheels and if they can stop their cars from blowing up on rear impact - Crown Victoria police cars - they might sit better with me. I mean they've been making them long enough and been sued enough time and they STILL have the exact same problems. Jaguar is owned by Ford...and the Jag is a POS. Blaming Europe? Now that I don't get...That's like Disney blaming Euro Disney for making no money...when it was stupid decsion by American owners not to investigate what their market was first.

I have heard various problems with Marantz here as well...one dealer dumped Marantz for repair and lousy customer service in the 1980s brought in Sony and Yammie and they sucked dumped them - then you see a decade later they bring them back and give em another try - Now they carry 3 or even 4 of those major players. Seems to me like it's a cycle - bad runs very possible. Denon marantz is funny because hey they don't care which you buy the moeny goes to the same pot. Sorta like the GM of receivers. I mean they brought out Saturn as a way to distance themselves from themselves - gee hopefully people won't think we're GM. Didn't work but it made a lot of sense.
What in the blue hell were you trying to say?
I've read it several times, most of it doesn't make any sense.

Incidentally, I work for Honda. If you think Japanese vehicles are built better, well, you don't realize that over 90% of our parts are found in our competitors vehicles as well. Cars aren't designed or built my the "manufacturers" anymore, they're assembled. By our own research, US manufactured vehicles hit the service department 2-3 times per 150 visits more than Japanese vehicles, hardly significant. Needless to say were concentrating on value, style, and performance now. Not sure how this made an audio forum, but whatever.
For what it's worth, I trust my Marantz and Yammie way more than a comparably priced Kenwood or Pioneer.