The new report was based on an annual survey of thousands of new car buyers and was conducted by independent research firm RDA Group on behalf of Ford. The latest study looked at 2008 model cars and trucks from all full-line manufacturers with respondents in the survey asked to list the number of problems they had encountered during the first 90 days of ownership of their new cars, reports The Detroit News.
RDA has been conducting the annual survey for Ford for close to a decade, with preceding years showing a narrowing gap between American and foreign makes. The research group also conducts a number of studies for rival automakers and its findings have traditionally matched those of rival research firm J.D. Power and Associates.