That should tell you a lot about surveys.  I have owned a hell of
a lot of different domestic and foreign vehicles in my time.  I
only ever had one that was problematic, yet I see surveys that
suggest one brand is supposedly 'better,' based on the ONE
somebody complained about, that they had owned.  Such surveys
never seem to quantify those that are serviced properly or not.
Surveys of older models do not distinguish between those
purchased new or used.  One who buys a used vehicle can never
know for sure how it was used or abused, or if it was maintained
properly or not.  Naturally if they have problem, they blame the
manufacture, never the previous owner(s)

In our business we service thousands of just about every brand of
vehicle, every week.  Vehicles that are driven to higher
mileage's, is shorter periods of time, than by the average new
car owner.  What we see is virtually little difference among
brands, other than style and price, when given proper preventive
maintenance.  Every manufacture today is building good vehicles.
Just as every manufacture today is building some of them that are
not so good, on occasion.  That is why they all have a warranty.
To chose a new vehicle of one brand over an other based on the
one that somebody else owed several years ago is a bit foolish in
my opinion.  

For me the most important thing I look for is good dealer
service.  The difference in the drive home price from dealer to
dealer of the same brand is generally similar.
The attitude of the dealership toward me as a customer was the
reason I switched from Lexus, to a domestic luxury brand, in 1999
after owning several Lexus'.  

mike hunt