Consumer's Reports, widely presumed to be the leading authority on
automotive reliability data, has decided to change its rating categories.
CR says the change is to provide more meaningful descriptions of its
ratings.

The previous categories were much better than average, better than average,
average, worse than average, much worse than average.  The new categories
are maybe better than average, imperceptibly better than average, average,
imperceptibly worse than average, and maybe worse than average.  The
changes are due to criticism leveled at CR for reporting irrelevancies as
being significant.

"Variations in quality have become minimal over the years" said CR
Spokesman Justin Jest.  "Our data shows that the category previously called
'worse than average was populated by vehicles needing one repair more than
average every 40.2 to 77.3 years."

Industry observers say that while a move in the right direction, CRs
changes don't go far enough.  "They should completely eliminate the
categories 'imperceptibly better' and 'imperceptibly worse' and just call
those vehicles average", said Joseph Camel of the Brand Research Institute.
"And their data collection methods are still subject to gross errors."

Mr. Camel pointed out an instance where a Ford product was rated worse
average on electrical while a Toyota product was rated better than average
in that category.  The difference was traced to a single item: light bulbs
for the dome lamp.  Ford owners reported the light bulb burned out between
55,000 and 72,000 miles and called it an electrical defect.  Toyota owners
did not report this as a defect, as their light bulbs were replaced
automatically (at owner expense) as part of the 48,000 scheduled
maintenance.

Brand wide, only Honda and Hyundai vehicles are rated better than average,
while only Mitsubishi and Mercedes fall into the below average category.
Mercedes is very unhappy that competitor BMW is rated higher.  "BMWs don't
have time to make their defects apparent" said Mercedes Spokesman Heinreich
Tungensheek.  "On average, their owners wrap them around tress at 27,000
miles.  Our cars are being penalized because of the sensible driving habits
of our owners make them last longer."

In a semi related move, J D Powers will stop rating vehicles all together.
In a prepared statement, J D Powers said "We've decided the public is not
well served by our compilations of irrelevant anecdotes."