BY THE NUMBERS - J.D. POWER'S 2009 DEPENDABILITY STUDY

With the perch knocked out from underneath long-time leader Lexus, 2009's J.D. Power & Associates Vehicle Dependability Study becomes a year to remember. Do rememeber, Lexus maintained its podium position with only 4 problems per 100 vehicles more than the two automakers tied at the top of the heap. Please take note of some more necessary information: this study is of '06 model year vehicles, not brand new cars.

Listening to other automotive media outlets, one would hear that asking thousands of vehicle owners about various potential problems with their automobiles is either the best or worst way to determine vehicle dependability. Here at GoodCarBadCar.net, J.D. Power's Numbers are appreciated. Think about what you read below in the context of what you hear from those in the know and learn from your friends' experience; and read at Consumer Reports. Also, to tinker with the words of The Good Car Guy last year in the '08 J.D. Power study, "That's not to say an automaker that out-performed its rivals in 2006 won't do it again in 2007, 2008, or 2009; only that we're talking about used cars that were sold some years ago; some of which aren't even built anymore."

122 - problems reported for every 100 Jaguar and Buick vehicles, the two vehicle manufacturers at the top of J.D. Power & Associates 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study

46,000 - total vehicle owners surveyed for the '09 study

263 - problems reported for every 100 Suzuki cars and SUVs in the '09 study, worst of any automaker mentioned

260 - problems reported for every 100 Volkswagen automobiles in the '09 study; second worst of all automakers

238 - problems reported for every 100 Land Rover SUVs; third worst in the '09 study

129 - problems reported for every 100 Toyota cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs in the '09 study

134 - problems reported for every 100 Mercury automobiles in the '09 study

170 - the industry average PP100 (problems per 100 vehicles)

206 - the industry average PP100 in last year's study - representing a beautiful change we can all enjoy

6 - total American-branded manufacturers with better-than-average PP100 figures

4 - total European-branded manufacturers with better-than-average PP100 figures

7 - total Asian-branded manufacturers with better-than-average PP100 figures

10 - total Toyota/Lexus/Scion vehicles to win their respective categories (Scion xA, Toyota Prius, Toyota Solara, Toyota Tundra, Toyota Highlander, Toyota Sequoia, Lexus SC430, Lexus LS430, Lexus GX470, Lexus ES330)

6 - total domestically-branded vehicles to win their respective categories (Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln Mark LT, Buick LaCrosse, Mercury Grand Marquis, Dodge Caravan, Ford Ranger)