CONSUMER REPORTS TOP PICKS FOR 2002

Consumer Reports® (CR) released its “Top Picks for 2002” in its Annual April Auto Issue, selecting the luxurious BMW 530i as its top-rated car overall, and the sporty new Subaru Impreza WRX as the top-rated fun-to-drive vehicle. The Toyota Highlander out-scored its near—and more costly—relative, the Lexus RX300, to become CR’s Top Pick for midsized sport-utility vehicles.

Best finds in new cars for under $25,000: List of 2002 model-year vehicles includes most of CR's Top Picks for this year. There are many vehicles that retail for under $25,000, typically equipped. But being inexpensive doesn't make a car a good value. For the first time ever, CR’s automotive experts have put together a list of recommended vehicles under $25,000. The selected models aren’t bare-bones versions; each model’s price includes the suggested retail price as well as the destination charge and typical features such as air conditioning, antilock brakes, power accessories, automatic transmission, and cruise control. This list includes most of CR's Top Picks for 2002, including the best family car, the Volkswagen Passat, and CR's new choice for fun-to-drive, the Subaru Impreza WRX. To make the list, a recent version of the model must have performed well in our tests and the model's history must suggest that its reliability should be average or better.

These articles from Consumer Reports (CR) are free for the next month from the Home Page at www.ConsumerReports.org.

• 2002 Top Picks: How new vehicles compare based on our tests. • Recommended models for under $25,000. • Used Car good bets and reliability risks. • Tips for saving money on routine maintenance. • Dealers satisfaction survey: Our readers rate new-car dealers. • Load capacity comparison charts. • Virtual showroom tour: How to deal with tough issues at the dealer.

Best and worst used cars: Good bets and reliability risks

CR’s auto experts have selected many Good Bets representing the best of the best in used vehicles. These models have performed well in CR’s impartial road tests and have been consistently better than average in overall reliability, as indicated in CR’s unique surveys of its readers’ experiences. This report also includes an extensive list of reliable used cars in nine price ranges from less than $8,000 to $30,000 and up, which have proved to be above-average in reliability. At the other end of the spectrum, CR lists many Reliability Risks, which have exhibited several years of poor overall reliability, and an extensive listing of Used Cars to Avoid, which are models that have consistently had below-average reliability.

Dealer satisfaction survey You’ve checked out the car, now what about the dealer? According to CR’s reader survey, consumer satisfaction with the treatment they received at car dealerships ranged widely for those who bought or leased new 2000 or 2001 model-year vehicles. The results presented in April’s Frontlines report, “Does your dealer measure up?,” are based on a mail survey of CR readers’ experiences with more than 130,000 vehicles at dealers for 30 manufacturers. Among the vehicles topping the dealer satisfaction list are Saturn, Jaguar, Saab, Lexus, Cadillac, and Lincoln. Hyundai, Volkswagen, Toyota, Mazda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi were among the nameplates at the bottom of the list. CR advises shoppers to be prepared and not be surprised at the wide variation in treatment they might receive at different dealers. Buyers should exercise extra care in selecting a dealership if they are purchasing from a manufacturer whose dealerships rated near the bottom of the list.

Saving money on routine maintenance.

CR found that motorists can save hundreds of dollars on routine car maintenance just by comparing prices at dealerships and independent shops near their homes and offices. CR called 36 dealerships and auto-repair shops in Houston, San Francisco, and Syracuse, NY asking anonymously about the price of a 30,000-mile checkup for a 2000 Honda Accord or a 60,000-mile checkup for a 1998 Ford Explorer. Quotes for servicing the Accord ranged from $125 to $537; prices for the Explorer, $143 to $650. Even within the same city, the difference amounted to hundreds of dollars. The informal survey showed that, in each city, dealer quotes were generally higher than those from independent shops. Having your car serviced at an independent shop—or even doing it yourself—should not affect your warranty as long as you keep records of the work. But it may make it harder to make a claim against some extended warranties.