[Bowling Green Performance Press] J.D. Power Score Improves Drastically

[Rob]

The J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS) tracking data was released on Monday, and Corvette came in at 61 problems per hundred (PPH)! This means that for every 100 customers surveyed, there were 61 problems reported. This data, which is for vehicles built in October 2005, decreased by 34 PPH from the September score of 95 PPH. This is the lowest score the plant has ever received! The lowest score before this was 89 PPH received in September 2003. Vehicle Assembly Engineering Manager Tom Hill said, “We’re extremely pleased with these results. They’re reflective of the hard work that’s been done since the beginning of the C6.” Tom added that our Welcome Call Center employees receive positive feedback from satisfied Corvette customers everyday.

The Top 10 J.D. Power Problems in the study were:

Paint imperfection-blemish/dirt in paint------------------ 2.9 PPH
Paint imperfection-uneven/runs------------------------- 2.9 PPH
Paint imperfection-chip/scratch at delivery---------------2.9 PPH
Excessive brake dust----------------------------------- 2.9 PPH
Manual-difficult to get in gear--------------------------- 2.5 PPH
Door panels-squeak/rattle------------------------------- 2.5 PPH
Interior materials soils/scuffs too easily------------------- 2.1 PPH
NAV system-map info miss/wrong directions/poor location- 1.7 PPH
Trunk/hatch/tailgate hard to open/close------------------ 1.7 PPH
Brakes are noisy----------------------------------------- 1.7 PPH

The IQS is a model-level study. It measures 212 symptoms across nine categories, including driving experience, engine and transmission, and a broad range of quality problems reported by vehicle owners.

The 2006 IQS is based on responses from more than 62,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2006 model-year cars and trucks, who are surveyed after 90 days of ownership. These results are important to the plant because they give us an idea of what our customers are not satisfied with so that we can continuously improve our products to meet their level of satisfaction. The annual J.D. Power IQS results will be released in June.

 

[Jack]

From my mobility supplier experience ... GM, Ford, DC etc become indignant when failure/bad/non-conforming part rate reaches 25 PPM (twenty five parts per MILLION) ... they expect much less. Looks like the completed cars have an "improved" failure rate (61 PPH) exceeding supplier rate ... by a factor of at least 10,000. I know about stack-up ... but me still thinks suppliers perform better than assemblers. Then again, such customer surveys' results are notoriously unreliable. I hope GM's doing a better job & that buyers act on it.
JACK:gap

 

[elints]

Judging by the orange peel I have witnessed, the new owners aren't aware of it or just gave up trying to get GM's attention. Some day.

This "feature" still wouldn't keep me from buying another one but I'm sure its correction would be in my buyers agreement.