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Thank you,
The Consumer Reports team

I'm subscribed and I always check it.

Their word is the gospel. I've bought my 2 mp3 players, headphones, earphones, blender, hdtv, wine, food (if available)...

CR is THE LORD.

@friendlynerd:

I guess you don't get CR much or the PR they spew about certain brands of cars, appliances, etc. The news outlets take their word verbatim, and spew it on the unsuspecting public. CR never reports on the Toyota truck frame rust or the sludge problems or the camshaft issues. CR never reports on the transmission problems on Honda Accords. They take statistics, which can be manipulated, and come up with their own conclusions. Sorry, when I want to find out about a certain car, I look for forums for that particular car.

And yes, if CR gets "caught" with flawed results it tends to permeate to their entire body of work.

Broadening those flawed results to encompass all the work that CR does is hardly scientific.

ConsumerReports.org provides updates on product availability, and adds new products to previously published test results. In addition, the online data includes coverage that is not published in the magazine; for example, vehicle reliability (frequency of repair) tables online extend over the full 10 model years reported in the Annual Questionnaires, whereas the magazine has only a six-year history of each model.

@friendlynerd:

Do you want two examples?

Consumer Reports adjusts after flawed car-seat tests

Consumer Reports Flawed Realtor Survey

IMO, I think they get a little "help" from certain manufacturers.

Here are a few of their "partners" that I still have evidence they "shared" my private information with:

1) Money Magazine
2) March of Dimes
3) AAA Motor Club
4) Time Magazine

Scummy organization, that was the last subscription they get from me. Ironically, I just wanted access to their website, but it turns out that's a completely different subscription anyway. I called and complained to them, and the representative was completely clueless as to why I would be upset about them renting/selling off my personal information. In the context of what they pretend to exist for (consumer protection), they have invalidated themselves by these actions.

Here's one of the most ironic press releases you'll ever read:

[www.consumersunion.org]

CR's reliability ratings come strictly from surveys sent out to subscribers (I've filled them out for years). In claiming that CR gave Toyota "a free pass for years" are you implying that they doctor the survey results to make Toyota look better? If so, what evidence do you have to back up that claim? Furthermore, since CR receives no money from manufacturers or advertising, what would they stand to gain by doing that?

If Toyota's reliability ratings have begun to slide, again - why would CR hesitate to report that?

It's the cocky customer that tries to one-up the employee with attitude is the one that is disliked.

@friendlynerd:

Where do you want me to start? They tried (and failed) to test motor oils in NY taxis. Problem is, taxis run almost all the time, so any statistical analysis of wear on a cold engine is thrown out the window. Most of their other ratings are weighted on old appliances that are end of life. They finally had to pony up and rate Toyota less than reliable even though they had given them a free pass for many years. I will stick with J.D. Power. And as the others said, if you do any business with them at all they come back in your mailbox like a stalker girlfriend.

And hey, no paper waste!

Getting a free trial from Consumer Reports is like getting a free STD.

/rant

When I worked at Best Buy, customers would come in with their magazines and ask us "Do you have THIS washer?!" of course it would be followed with a "Unfortunately, the manufacturer discontinued that model a little while ago, but we do have the newer model right over here" and then the customer would respond with the ":mumble: bait and switch :mumble:" and then leave.

But if it is used for products that you already have, then great, I guess.

Highly recommend this to all. I cancelled the magazine and go with the online subscription. Love it. Even my favorite CR feature, "Selling It" is available online.

Same here. Hope this works out better than the free code for CrossoverLinux. I never did end up receiving my free serial number from the Lame Duck challenge.

Let's see if my bad luck gets better ;)