Consumer Report now lists the FR-S and BRZ as "Unreliable Vehicles"!

[Bg8780]

I'm in the process of getting the girlfriend's dad away from CR. She is looking at a new car this summer and he's been iffy about my suggestions. Respectfully of course. He's a smart guy and we really get along very well, so this isn't a I hate my girlfriend's dad sort of thing. Anyway, I've brought up the Kia Optima (meh) and the new Mazda 6 or 3. Consumer reports of course gives them shit because they're not a Camry. I'm gonna have hell trying to get her into the 2015 WRX, I'm sure CR will complain about the ride and interior.


I've hated CR since I worked with technology in retail. So many customers came in looking for a specific computer (or related tech) because CR gave it a good review. After working there for years I finally resorted to literally taking the CR magazine out of the customer's hand throwing it in the trash in front of them. I never got in trouble because they were always satisfied with the machine I recommended. They never came back with issues either.


Tl;DR; CR is absolute garbage in almost any industry they dabble in and it's hard not to get frustrated and call my girlfriend's dad an idiot for holding CR in such a high regard.

[Ninetyfivetil]

To be honest, anyone can talk down on the gt86. Still going to be my favorite at the end of the day.

[LBC Por Siempre]

Originally Posted by WyreNut

In this month's issue (December 2013, the "Best Gifts" issue) of Consumer Reports, they have a taken some severe shots at both the FR-S and BRZ, changing their opinion from one of "Better than average reliability" to a horrible -40% than average for the FR-S, and -108% (!!!) for the BRZ!

Thanks a lot CR. One of the major reasons I purchased the FR-S (after doing research about the car) was CR's glowing recommendation for the vehicles!

They dropped both Scion's and Subaru's reliability reputation as a WHOLE due to the "torpedoing of the twin cars to their respective makers".

CR shows a red FR-S in last month's issue as a test car for tires!

My only complaint so far has been the HPFP squeak. One attempt at getting it fixed resulted in a piss-poor experience from my local Scion dealer. I'll be taking it to another dealer with the latest TSB the next time I head to Fresno, CA.

Other than that, I enjoy the heck out of it!

Looking at the "Reliability" ratings for both cars, here's what CR finds as faulty for both (out of 17 different areas):

FR-S:

Overall: Worse than Average
Engine Minor: Average
Transmission Minor: Average
Fuel System: Worse Than Average
Squeaks & Rattles: Worse than Average

Everything else is either Much Better than Average, or Above Average!

BRZ

Overall: Much Worse than Average
Squeaks & Rattles: Much Worse than Average
Audio System: Much Worse than Average

Everything else is Much Better than Average, with only one Above Average!!!
WTF? This rates a minus 108% rating?!?

Comments, anyone?

WyreNut

The only thing I agree with are the tires that come with that car. They are at least one inch too thin on the width.

[Adam Anthony]

Originally Posted by Ninetyfivetil

To be honest, anyone can talk down on the gt86. Still going to be my favorite at the end of the day.

This I agree with as well. Pretty much any car at this price range can be talked down to for various reasons. Get what you want, and if you end up not wanting it, get something else.

I will always enjoy driving the FR-S. I recently drove my brothers 2011 Shelby GT500 with the SVT package. Though you can tell everything about the car was significantly stepped up in terms of quality, I didn't have as much fun driving that as I do the FR-S. Now my brother takes the opposite approach and loves his Mustang, and that's ok. He talks down about the FR-S and tried to get me to get the v6 Mustang instead when I was looking for a new car.

Not taking that advice has made me very happy.

[CatDaddysBBQ]

One year in.
Crickets? Yes.
Condensation? No, actually.
Squeaks and rattles? Yeah, kinda annoying coming from a German car.
Torque dip? Annoying.

Do I give two shits? Absolutely not. I adore this car. If it were totaled or stolen id go right back and buy it over again.

Screw consumer reports, nobody who likes cars should use them to decide.

[SirBrass]

Originally Posted by LBC Por Siempre

The only thing I agree with are the tires that come with that car. They are at least one inch too thin on the width.

It's less about tire width & more about the tires themselves.

I'm on my phone so if I make mistakes, blame Sportsguy83

[ClifraJones]

I read the Op and some of the replies and I'm glad this community doesn't take CR seriously.

Interesting CR story in my career. In the mid 80s CR wrote a glowing review if a Korean personal computer named Leading Edge. The thing was complete junk. The company I worked for sold buckets of them in the 9 months after that report. Then we discontinued them because the warranty $ was not enough to cover the labor of the multiple failures customers had in the first 3 months. Thanks to CR many consumers got screwed.

I love my car, no matter what the CR hacks say!

[V_86]

Necro thread reviver: CR does it again, both twins listed as not recommended (with BRZ listed as worse than FRS).

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by V_86

Necro thread reviver: CR does it again, both twins listed as not recommended (with BRZ listed as worse than FRS).

Way fewer BRZ owners so each one that puts down crickets on the survey has a bigger impact on the "reliability" rating.

[Canibalistik]

I'd just like to add my two sense because it looks like everyone else and their mother did...I agree with the many times aforementioned "Who cares about CR?" Do you like your 86? Yes? Then STFU and enjoy it! lol

Secondly...whoever said they missed theirs but it was a lemon...it's a new model...not a lemon. They're bound to have problems...IT'S A NEW MODEL! I'm sure CR rates the Camry as the dopest shit you can own...you think the original Camry came out amazing? The fact that you've got Subaru engines interfacing with Toyota sensors and computers and it actually RUNS was a feat in itself...lol. So you're fuel pump squeaks a little, go get the recall done...that's why you have warranty. So what if you beat the crap out of it, the VVT may learn variables it can't unlearn...requiring a new ECM to fix the CEL. So what if you beat the crap out of it and your check engine light flashes at idle because you snapped your valve compression springs on cylinder four...that's why you have warranty. Toyota is paying for all of this...that's why they sold you warranty! 5/60 will cover almost all of your concerns when it comes to squeaks and engine.

You're enthusiasts...buy speaker upgrades...and turn that shit up so you can't hear the rattles! lol

[Chimera]

Originally Posted by Canibalistik

You're enthusiasts...buy speaker upgrades...and turn that shit up so you can't hear the rattles! lol

exactly

[Tcoat]

To me:
"Reliability" = Did it start? Yes. Did it keep running 'till I got where I wanted? Yep. OK it is reliable.
Noises, windows freezing, paint chipping, etc., etc. may be a nuisance but does not mean it is "unreliable".

[tennisfreak]

Could the twins be plagued by more problems than typical Toyotas because they are built and assembled by Subaru?

In fact a majority of the parts are Subaru.

I've owned several Toyotas and everyone has been rock solid. This is my first product sold by Toyota to have so many small issues. There has not been anything major yet but there are far more little things with this car than any of my previous Toyotas.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by tennisfreak

Could the twins be plagued by more problems than typical Toyotas because they are built and assembled by Subaru?

In fact a majority of the parts are Subaru.

I've owned several Toyotas and everyone has been rock solid. This is my first product sold by Toyota to have so many small issues. There has not been anything major yet but there are far more little things with this car than any of my previous Toyotas.

Ahhhh but how many of those Toyotas were a first gen model? Not at all abnormal for any new model to have some hiccups for the first year or two.