On Sat, 14 Oct 2006 01:53:03 GMT, Tom Francis wrote:

On Sat, 14 Oct 2006 01:32:38 GMT, Don White
wrote:

Bert Robbins wrote:
Eisboch wrote:

"Don White" wrote in message
...

I suscribe to Consumer Reports and the main Toyota vehicles i would
be interested in are always at the top of the pack.
that is.. Sienna, Tundra, Corolla, Highlander, RAV4 and I expect the
new RAV6

Consumer Reports has a "thing" with Toyota and has for years.

Wasn't Consumer Reports involved in a little problem with selling
ratings or some other unethical practices a few years ago?

Bull****!

No, Bert's right, but I think it was related to their methodology in
some fashion.

I seem to remember that there was a issue with working with
"purchased" cars that had been "tweaked" by engineers rather than just
walking into a show room and saying "we'll take that one" kind of a
thing.

It was a while back when it happened - maybe ten/twelve years ago or
so?

It wasn't a major issue - a kind of kerfuffle really over what was a
minor detail.

I do know that they seem to have a bias towards certain types of cars
and manufacturers.

They now buy their test vehicles off the lot just as you or I would,
according to them anyway. I would imagine they get watched pretty closely.

They seem biased towards Toyota, Honda, VW (the Passat, anyway), and a few
others who always seem to have vehicles in the top ten. Lately a Buick made
the top ten, a first (for many years anyway) for an American sedan.

It could be they're biased towards cars that perform well and are reliable.