Credit unions hit a record number of members last year, as a growing number of consumers grew fed up with the fees at the nation's biggest banks and took their money elsewhere.
New fees and poor customer service have sparked an exodus among big bank customers, many of whom switched to smaller institutions last year.
The dependability of cars is continuing to improve, according to a new survey by J.D. Power and Associates and domestic brands, in particular, are narrowing the gap in quality compared to the Japanese automakers.
After a grim couple of years, auto sales finally began to rev up a bit in 2011.
ACE Rent A Car may not be the best-known player in the car rental industry, but it's best in class for many travelers, a new survey finds.
For all the excitement generated by every new hybrid car introduction, there is one little problem. In case you haven't noticed, hardly anyone is buying them.
Just when automakers appeared to be gaining some much-needed momentum, they hit another wall. Weak economic conditions have prompted analysts to lower their vehicles sales forecasts for this year and next. Now, the hangover of bankruptcy, recession and the Japanese earthquake in March appears far from over.
Few people would say they actually enjoy contacting their wireless carrier for customer service. But if you have a contract for your cell phone, you'll probably get slightly better service, according to a new survey from J.D. Power and Associates.
Guests have rising expectations for hotels, but their overall satisfaction with their home away from home is dropping, a new survey finds.
Ford tumbled from a fifth place ranking in last year's J.D. Power Initial Quality ranking all the way down to 23rd this year.
Airline satisfaction might seem like an oxymoron these days, with fees and cramped cabins making flying miserable for many people, but fliers are giving the industry better marks, a new survey finds.
For the first time in more than three years, consumers say they are happier with their banks.
In its effort to put 1 million electric cars on the road by 2015, the Obama administration's proposed budget supports a plan to give $7,500 directly to electric car buyers rather than make them wait for a tax credit.
In an effort to put 1 million electric cars on the road by 2015, the Obama administration has proposed a plan that would put up to $7,500 directly in the hands of car buyers without having them jump through any tax hoops.
As the auto industry heads to the 2011 Detroit Auto Show next week, the home team may finally have something to cheer about.
New or used? Burdened by a weak economy, U.S. carbuyers are choosing the latter option more and more, helping to drive used-car prices to a record high while holding back new-vehicle sales that are sputtering at roughly two-thirds of the pre-recession level.
Unlike almost any other industry you can think of, the auto industry gushes public information. In any given month, an interested consumer can find out exactly how many units of his favorite car model have been sold, how much they sold for, and how that compared with competing makes in the same category.
If you thought electric cars were about to take over the world's highways, a new report by auto analysts at J.D. Power Associates says, "Not so fast."
Small business owners are less than pleased with their relationships with their banks, especially big banks, according to a study from consumer satisfaction research firm, J.D. Power and Associates.
Making a forecast for one month's car sales is like trying to predict the weather: It's extremely tricky, and nobody pays attention to it unless you are wrong.
American Express is the credit card issuer of choice for the fourth year in a row, a report released Thursday showed.
For a view as to where the world is heading, take a close look at automotive sales data coming out of the two largest markets, the U.S. and China. It is instructive -- and a bit frightening.
A tip to hotel owners: For happy customers, offer wireless internet and a free breakfast, be sure to have smoke-free rooms and keep the level of service consistently high across your properties.
Passenger satisfaction with domestic airlines continues to improve, according to one survey released Tuesday.
Air travelers seem to be constantly complaining about fees, the lack of service and cramped seats on flights, but surprisingly their level of satisfaction with airlines is on the rise, a new survey finds.
A new study gives high marks to more than two dozen vehicle brands for improving their quality in 2010 -- including second-ranked Lincoln and third-ranked Buick -- but said that many of these names suffer from lousy consumer perceptions.
Toyota's troubles are likely to get the most attention when automakers report February sales Tuesday. But the Japanese automaker's pain isn't likely to translate into big gains for its rivals.
updated: Wed Feb 24 2010 22:18:00
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta says he's been flooded with questions about the health risks of airport scanners.
Many air travelers know: Getting through the airport can make flying look easy.
You might think your bank would be rolling out the red carpet for you right now. Barely a year ago the biggest players nearly obliterated themselves and the economy with freewheeling lending practices and needed your tax dollars to bail them out. And with investment banking and commercial lending shaky for now, banks need your retail business more than ever.
Builders may not be putting up as many houses as they did during the boom, but what they are building, they're building better.
While Detroit has benefited from Cash for Clunkers, foreign automakers have gained even more.
After the mad rush of car sales sparked by Cash for Clunkers, dealers will now find they have plenty of downtime to count their money.
The $3 billion Cash for Clunkers program will shut down on Monday, the government said Thursday.
Auto sales will remain at 30-year lows in April, according to a report released Thursday, but an industry group sees signs the market is stabilizing.
Auto sales in the first two weeks of March were down 40% compared to the same period last year, according to industry analysts at J.D. Power and Associates.
There are lots of different ways to measure automotive quality. But for my money, the best single indicator is J.D. Power and Associates' three-year study of vehicle dependability. More than 46,000 original owners of 2006-model year vehicles weighed in with their opinions this year
General Motors' Buick brand tied with Jaguar in J.D. Power and Associates' latest vehicle dependability survey released Thursday.
Weak auto sales are likely to continue through the first quarter of 2009, according to a new forecast from respected industry consultant J.D. Power and Associates.
The Movicenter Automall in Santiago, Chile, looks like a global parking lot. In one corner car shoppers can find a complete range of Chevrolet-branded vehicles, from minicars to full-size pickups.
General Motors is not considering bankruptcy, the company said in a prepared statement Friday. The announcement was in response to the automaker's precipitous stock price decline the previous day, a spokesman said.
As the economic downturn continues to hit consumers' wallets, market analysis firm J.D. Power is predicting even bigger drops in U.S. and global auto sales than it had previously thought.
A massive pile-up in the credit markets is causing serious congestion for new car buyers who want financing, according to industry observers. But some dealers say they're still able to work out deals.
Deteriorating airline customer service has helped drive flier satisfaction to its lowest level in three years, according to a study released Tuesday, and for many it has become an even bigger concern than higher airfares and additional fees.
The life-span of auto loans is increasing, but customers who don't want to own a car for a long time are turning to a shorter alternative: leasing.
Toyota Motor Company does a better job than any car company in America of keeping its customers coming back, according to data from J.D. Power and Assoc. General Motors ranks second in customer retention.
updated: Sun Nov 18 2007 22:03:00
Australian nutritionist John Tickell urges airline fares based on weight.
Dealing with airport hassles is tough enough, but if you're renting a car, it's gotten worse, according to a new report.
For the first time in 12 years, Toyota's Lexus luxury brand has to share its top rank in J.D. Power and Associates' annual Vehicle Dependability Study.
The Toyota Prius remained America's most popular gasoline/electric vehicle even as sales of hybrids rose 35 percent in the first quarter of 2007 compared to last year, according to a new report from J.D. Power and Associates.
The percentage of car shoppers considering hybrid vehicles has declined in the past year, according to a survey released Tuesday by J.D. Power and Associates.
The August issue of Consumer Reports magazine contains a rare, happy surprise for Detroit - a rave review of a General Motors SUV.
People who pay more to buy an expensive luxury car really do like their cars better, according to a new ranking from J.D. Power and Associates.
Five vehicles from Ford Motor Co. placed at the top of their categories in initial quality, according to a survey released Wednesday by J.D. Power and Associates.
With the usual summer spike in gasoline prices coming sooner and moving faster than anyone expected, the subject of energy is on everyone's mind. Just this week, presidential candidate Barack Obama went to Detroit to bash the auto industry on mileage, and a Senate committee reported out a bill that would boost corporate fuel economy standards 40 percent in the next 13 years. CO2 emissions and dependence on foreign oil have replaced real estate and the stock market as the staples of online blogs and water cooler chats.
With gas prices still high, it's a great time to sell drivers on the only widely available alternative. Diesel cars are 20 to 30 percent more fuel-efficient than regular autos. Trouble is, they spe...
These 2003 model year cars ranked at the top of their respective vehicle classes in the 2006 J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study.
Perennial winner Lexus took the top spot again this year in the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability study, but U.S. brands Mercury, Buick and Cadillac filled out the top four.
Jet Blue, known for its swank seats and individual passenger televisions, ranks highest among low-cost carriers in customer satisfaction, says a survey being released Thursday.
The new 2006 Hyundai Azera ranked first among large cars in a J.D. Power survey that rates vehicles by how well new owners like them. The closely-related Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 tied for second place in the category.
Porsche rises to the top in a new J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Survey. The survey was revised this year to take into account inherent design issues as well as malfunctions and manufacturing defects.
Name a car, and there's at least one award that its maker can brag about winning from the Automotive Award-Giving Institute, or some such entity. Even respected vehicle-rating firms collectively bestow hundreds of honors each year, in categories ranging from the simple ("Car of the Year") to the inane ("Best Online Sales Experience").
Name a car, and there's at least one award that its maker can brag about winning from the Automotive Award-Giving Institute, or some such entity. Even respected vehicle-rating firms collectively be...
Homeowner premiums jumped by a third between 2001 and 2004, according to J.D. Power & Associates. So you'd think you could get more love, right? Wrong. You're paying not for service but to make up ...
Homeowner premiums jumped by a third between 2001 and 2004, according to J.D. Power & Associates. So you'd think you could get more love, right?
With all the bad news coming out of Detroit these days, many have a disarmingly simple suggestion: Ford and General Motors should simply build better cars.
Maybe you grinned a little more last summer knowing your car was diesel-powered after seeing other drivers scowling over rising gas prices.
Kia, sister-brand to Korea-based Hyundai, topped two categories in the latest J.D. Power and Associates APEAL survey.
For years cynics in the economics profession ... or perhaps, realists ... have said that high oil and gas prices would be one of the best things that could happen to this country because they would force us all to use less energy and make better, more efficient choices.
U.S.-based automakers could be headed to one of the their best sales months ever, as buyers flock to take advantage of the "employee discount" offers from the Big Three, according to a published report.
Throughout your driving life, choosing the right car always involves three competing factors: the need for a reliable set of wheels; the desire for a vehicle that reflects your evolving financial s...
These 2002 model-year vehicles ranked first in their categories in the most recent J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study.
General Motors and Ford earned a record number of awards while Lexus ranked highest in long-term dependability for the 11th consecutive year, according to J.D. Power and Associate's latest Vehicle Dependability Study.
For the second year in a row, the Lexus SC 430 ranked as the most reliable new car on the market, according to a study released Wednesday.
The Jetta is the American Volkswagen, designed for buyers who'd rather have a trunk in the back than a Euro-style hatch. Last year U.S. customers bought almost 92,000 Jettas, fewer than in previous...
Catherine Zeta-Jones wants you. So does the creepy Sprint spokesman. And Verizon's "Can you hear me now?" guy too. If you've watched 10 straight minutes of television lately or driven a stretch of ...
The Chrysler PT Cruiser is the favorite "premium compact car" and the Toyota Avalon is the favorite "premium midsized car" among women, according to a survey in the current issue of Good Housekeeping magazine.
J.D. Power & Associates, the influential car and consumer products research firm, has hired bankers and is looking into a possible sale, a newspaper report said.
These days, 60% of American households have cell phones, and they spend an average of $53 a month to use them. Turns out, that sum may be considerably more than necessary. According to J.D. Power &...
These days, 60 percent of American households have cell phones, and they spend an average of $53 a month to use them.
The rebate wasn't big enough.
AT&T Wireless scored below average in every region of the country in the latest J.D. Power and Associates Wireless Call Quality Performance Study.
U.S. auto buyers are more satisfied with their dealerships' service departments than in the past, and Lincoln dealers got top marks for the first time, according to a survey from J.D. Power & Associates.
In its Annual Car Issue, published last month, Consumer Reports stunned the auto world by ranking European luxury cars from Mercedes, BMW, and Jaguar among the worst for reliability, behind models ...
Anytime a member of your staff interacts with a customer, whether the employee is a salesperson, a call-center operator, or a technician on a house call, you can win--or lose--a lifetime of loyalty...
Ah, summer. It's time for the usual pleasures--sitting on the beach, hiking in the mountains, shopping for cars....
When their new-car warranties run out--usually after three years or 36,000 miles--most motorists steer clear of the dealer's service department. Instead, they take the majority of their business to...
If you plan to head into the next millennium behind the wheel of a new car, you've picked the best time in at least a decade to shop. Not only are new cars better made and more reliable than they w...
When it comes to grading quality, J.D. Power & Associates is to cars and trucks what government inspection is to meat. Customer surveys that the California market research firm conducts after the f...
IF BUYING a new car gives you about as much pleasure as scheduling a root canal, take heart. Computer technology, modern merchandising, and old-fashioned entrepreneurial spirit are about to put tra...
IT TOOK A LOT OF LATE-NIGHT pizzas at the office, but your career is hitting its stride and you've finally got the wherewithal to buy a new car. We're not talking Yugo here. We're talking about a n...
However marvelous a deal you might get on a new car, from the moment you drive it off the dealer's lot its value only goes down. That's the best reason not to buy the car of your dreams until it's ...
Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs as big sellers? Welcome to the 1960s . . . er, make that the 1990s. Sales of 1992 models demonstrate that the showiest wheels have lost their allure and consumers are buyi...
Don't be too surprised if the baby-boomers' next choice of cars is the Ford Escort. So says Christopher Cedergren, 35, soon to be named a partner at J.D. Power, the auto research firm best known fo...
WHILE the Japanese chewed up the competition in small cars in the 1980s, European and American manufacturers of big, expensive automobiles all but dozed. They thought the special qualities of their...
You might think that J. D. (for James David) Power, 58, the man who puts out the well-known surveys of car-buyer satisfaction, would be a real automobile lover -- the kind of guy who motors around ...
WEALTH/Cover Stories 44 THE BILLIONAIRES: DO THEY PAY THEIR WAY? For the most part, yes. Many are shrewd risk takers, creating new companies, even whole industries, and lots of jobs. But they also ...
THESE ARE tumultuous times in the U.S. market for upscale cars -- loosely defined to include autos priced at $15,000 or more. In the late Sixties and early Seventies, Detroit's automakers managed t...
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