Quote:
Originally Posted by oilyfan
1. CR buys cars off the lot, anonymously. They don't ask manufacturers to send cars to them for testing. This way they get the car that is publically availble.
2. CR data is self reported by members who own the cars, it is probably the single most reliable provider of data on reliability.
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That's a good point, and one I forgot to make. I think a CR review is probably the closest thing to an accurate, non-partisan review you can get when it comes to reliability and function. They'll give you a dispassionate clinical review of the car, but it's nice to have those to compare to the regurgitated press-releases you get in most car magazines.
Although in terms of the data from their readers, obviously the cars with the highest ownership numbers are more accurate than low-volume cars. For enthusiast models, there are plenty of dedicated online forums that will tell you everything you need to know and look out for.
I think JD Power is one of the biggest BS awards there is.