AMG
06-05-2004, 02:49 AM
Cayenne gives Porsche black eye in latest J.D. Power survey
By DIANA T. KURYLKO | Automotive News
NEW YORK -- The Porsche Cayenne has been on the market barely a year, but it has dragged the company to the bottom rungs of the industry's most important quality survey.
The high-priced German brand showed 159 problems per 100 vehicles, according to the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study. That compares with 117 problems in 2003.
The marque's decline is almost entirely due to initial bugs in the Cayenne, a luxury SUV that sells for $41,865 to $90,065. Power places Porsche third from the bottom, above only Volkswagen and Hummer.
The ratings were no surprise to Porsche. "We're disappointed with the results…" said a spokesman for Porsche Cars North America. "But if you look at the fine detail, the majority of problems were related to features and controls."
According to J.D. Power, the most frequently cited problem with the Cayenne had to do with a keyless entry system. Using a radio frequency, the system unlocks the car when it detects the key in an owner's pocket. Some owners complain that the doors unlock when the driver checks the handle immediately after locking them.
Fogging of headlamp lenses was another problem frequently cited. Porsche is aware of both problems and is trying to remedy them, the spokesman said.
Other Porsche nameplates outperformed the Cayenne. The Boxster was in the top 10 among all cars with 52.4 problems per 100 vehicles. And the survey rated the 911 best in the premium sports car class with 74.53 problems per 100.
But strong ratings for the Boxter and 911 were not enough to counterbalance the Cayenne. Dealers were surprised at Porsche's dramatic fall in the ratings. "I am astounded," says Robert Snodgrass, owner of Brumos Motor Cars in Jacksonville, Fla.
At his dealership, complaints about the Cayenne "are a number of small, niggling things - I can't specify any one big thing," says Snodgrass.
"The Cayenne is a bridge vehicle for Porsche," he says. "People who buy these cars (the Cayenne) have expectations of Porsche that are a bit unrealistic."
The major issue upsetting dealers is the lack of a spare tire. But that apparently was not an issue in the J.D. Power ranking, says Snodgrass.
Jerry Nelson, co-owner of Schneider-Nelson Porsche in West Long Branch, N.J., says because Cayenne owners use the SUV as a daily car, "The bar is set at 110 percent compared to a sports car which isn't driven every day."
By DIANA T. KURYLKO | Automotive News
NEW YORK -- The Porsche Cayenne has been on the market barely a year, but it has dragged the company to the bottom rungs of the industry's most important quality survey.
The high-priced German brand showed 159 problems per 100 vehicles, according to the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study. That compares with 117 problems in 2003.
The marque's decline is almost entirely due to initial bugs in the Cayenne, a luxury SUV that sells for $41,865 to $90,065. Power places Porsche third from the bottom, above only Volkswagen and Hummer.
The ratings were no surprise to Porsche. "We're disappointed with the results…" said a spokesman for Porsche Cars North America. "But if you look at the fine detail, the majority of problems were related to features and controls."
According to J.D. Power, the most frequently cited problem with the Cayenne had to do with a keyless entry system. Using a radio frequency, the system unlocks the car when it detects the key in an owner's pocket. Some owners complain that the doors unlock when the driver checks the handle immediately after locking them.
Fogging of headlamp lenses was another problem frequently cited. Porsche is aware of both problems and is trying to remedy them, the spokesman said.
Other Porsche nameplates outperformed the Cayenne. The Boxster was in the top 10 among all cars with 52.4 problems per 100 vehicles. And the survey rated the 911 best in the premium sports car class with 74.53 problems per 100.
But strong ratings for the Boxter and 911 were not enough to counterbalance the Cayenne. Dealers were surprised at Porsche's dramatic fall in the ratings. "I am astounded," says Robert Snodgrass, owner of Brumos Motor Cars in Jacksonville, Fla.
At his dealership, complaints about the Cayenne "are a number of small, niggling things - I can't specify any one big thing," says Snodgrass.
"The Cayenne is a bridge vehicle for Porsche," he says. "People who buy these cars (the Cayenne) have expectations of Porsche that are a bit unrealistic."
The major issue upsetting dealers is the lack of a spare tire. But that apparently was not an issue in the J.D. Power ranking, says Snodgrass.
Jerry Nelson, co-owner of Schneider-Nelson Porsche in West Long Branch, N.J., says because Cayenne owners use the SUV as a daily car, "The bar is set at 110 percent compared to a sports car which isn't driven every day."