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Originally Posted by CTinline-six
The E90 has been a tank so far.
Japanese cars aren't what they used to be. They are resting on their laurels. My parents have driven Hondas for 20+ years, and after my mom's 2011 Fit, they say it will be their last Honda. Poor quality issues all around including paint, suspension, squeaks and rattles, etc, especially for a car that has under 60k easy driven miles and is garaged.
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This post got me on a rant and I had around four paragraphs written but decided to scrap it and keep it simple. Yes, I agree with you. The Japanese manufacturers' quality is not what it used to be and the cars they're cranking out now, at least the SUVs and economy cars, don't seem as good as the ones from the 90s. I feel like they're riding on their brand reputation and aren't trying as hard to live up to it, cutting corners wherever they can. I wanted a new Fit or Civic but after driving them I changed my mind. I had an 03 Accord and a 16 Accord and both were excellent cars, significantly better build quality than any Fit or Civic over the past 18 years or so, and no major issues. I have a 2011 Pilot with 95K miles on it and while it's still a great car, it definitely feels cheaper than the Accord, especially the interior. The Pilot also has a bunch of issues that I never expected to experience with a Honda or any Japanese brand, and it turns out all the issues I'm experiencing are very common to almost all Pilots.
Honda introduced Direct Injection on their V6 that powers the 2016 Pilot. I follow some popular Honda forums, and surprise surprise they are starting to experience injector failure! See, BMW was just about 10 years ahead with the N54!
All brands have their issues, but unfortunately I don't know what other brand I would trust right now besides Honda or Toyota. I'd add BMW to that, at least the German-made cars (not the USA-made SUVs or Z3/Z4), not just because I'm posting here but because I have some ownership experience and I'm armed with diagnostics tools and not entirely dependent on a dealership for repair/service. After hearing all the troubles a friend of mine is going through with not one but TWO late model Audis (Q5 and Q7) I can confidently say I will NEVER own an Audi again. I had one in 2000 with numerous issues, and after hearing my friend's stories it seems that nothing changed. I would consider a modern Mazda, but all the quality and mechanical issues during their Ford partnership days really turned me off. I think I would have to lease and see what happens after a few years. Not surprisingly, all the major Mazda issues I've dealt with (helping family/friends with repairs) turned out to be major issues with their Ford-sourced engines. (Mazda 6 V6 with bad rod knock very early in its life, early model Mazda CX-9 with an oil pan full of coolant from a failed water pump seal).
Quote:
Originally Posted by tilua
I agree, Honda and Toyota paint are crap! the clear coat oxidize so fast if you dont wax it every 6 months. Lexus on the other hand, its paint is much better and thicker clear coat.
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I never had an issue with Honda or Toyota paint, but then again I have always clay/polished/waxed every three months. I bought my E90 used and the previous owner stored it outside under the intense CA sun, and despite that the paint is in good condition. There are some scratches and chips that can't be polished out, but overall I'm impressed with the paint quality.