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Car owners getting more irritated with their repair experiences, study says

The J.D. Power U.S. Customer Service Index Study (CSI) is a barometer of a vehicle owner's happiness with the service experience. While it wasn't all bad in the 2023 study, the overall owner satisfaction score dropped. This year's tally of 846 out of 1,000 is two points down from 2022, the 43-year-old study's first decline in more than 28 years, and one point down from 2021. However, the overall score remains well up from the pre-pandemic scores of 821 in 2018 and 837 in 2020. The study claims the stumbling block is the horde of BEV launches. The flood into the new energy space has created a recall rate among EVs that's more than double the rate for ICE vehicles. Furthermore, dealership service department knowledge of EVs isn't on par with internal combustion engine expertise, leaving EV owners less satisfied with service advisors compared to ICE owners. Chris Sutton, VP of automotive retail at J.D. Power, said, "As training programs for service advisors and technicians evolve, EV service quality and customer experience must address both the vehicle and the unique customer needs. The EV segment has the potential to spur massive convenience improvements in how customers service their vehicles — but weÂ’re not seeing the benefits yet." Matters are slightly worse for all owners, though, with labor and parts shortages contributing to longer wait times for service appointments. The CSI study surveys owners and lessees of one- to three-year-old vehicles to gauge their happiness with service at franchised dealer or aftermarket service facilities for maintenance or repair work. The criteria in order of importance are service quality (32%); service advisor (19%); vehicle pick-up (19%); service facility (15%); and service initiation (15%). Lexus retains the top spot for luxury brands, giving it three wins in four years. The Japanese automaker won in 2020 as well, its run interrupted by Porsche in 2021. Cadillac, Infiniti and Acura complete the luxury top 5.  For mass-market cars, Mitsubishi wins again after a victory in 2021 and falling to fourth last year. It's followed by Mazda, Buick, Subaru and Mini.  Considering the different service needs and service experience of different body styles, the study has broken results out by segment for the first time. Lexus earned a second victory thanks to winning the premium SUV segment, and Mitsubishi earned a second victory by winning the mass-market SUV/minivan category.

Modded budget Mazda Miata takes on new Porsche Boxster in more challenges

Earlier this month, our friends across the pond at Auto Express released the first in a two-video series that would see them try and build up a second-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata that could best a standard Porsche Boxster around the track. While that first video detailed the mods to the MX-5 - a supercharger, some suspension upgrades and a new set of super-sticky rubber being chief among them - and set baseline lap times for the stock car, today, we have the results of the 5,000-pound ($8,200) upgrade job.
Of course, we aren't going to spoil those for you. You'll need to watch the full video, which recaps the upgrades before digging into a comparison of both straight-line-speed differences between the 2.7-liter Porsche Boxster and blown Miata, as well as their behavior and lap times on the track.
Take a look and let us know what you think in Comments.

2016 Porsche 911 GT3 RS prowls into Geneva with biggest NA engine in the 911 range [w/video]

We've been waiting for the debut of this road-going and race-ready Porsche 911 GT3 RS for quite some time now. As is typical for high-profile sports machines, the new 911 has been foreshadowed with spy shots and information leaks aplenty, all pointing to this grand day at Geneva. Here she is. Just a glance at the duct-sliced bodywork and massive rear wing will tell you that this Porsche means business, but let's look at its bona fides. The heart of the matter, under that short rear deck, is the largest-displacement and most powerful naturally aspirated engine in the 911 family, with 500 horsepower and 338 pound-feet of torque developed by the 4.0-liter flat-six. That hoss of an engine is mated to a newly developed version of Porsche's PDK dual-clutch gearbox – with functions such as "paddle neutral" that effectively works like depressing the clutch on a standard manual, and a Pit Speed button for on the track. Working in concert, engine and trans allow the GT3 RS to sprint to 60 miles per hour in 3.1 seconds, hit a quarter mile in 11.2, and lap the Nurburgring Nordschleife in just seven minutes, 20 seconds. (That 'Ring time makes it the fastest current 911 around the benchmark course, and five seconds faster than the current 911 GT3 – so quick.) Weight has been saved via exotic materials; the car sports a magnesium roof and carbon fiber for the trunk and engine lids. Overall the RS is 22 pounds lighter than the GT3, but also boasts a lower center of gravity. As we said at the top, there's a wide, low and aggressive body kit on the GT3 RS, all engineered with racing performance in mind. That huge rear wing is balanced in the front by a deep chin spoiler, and the front wheel arches have been punctuated with vents that help to increase downforce on the front axle. The roll cage is the most obvious interior modification to let one know that this is a racing tool, but Porsche has also slathered the space in Alcantara and installed carbon-fiber bucket seats (based on those found in the 918 Spyder) to drive the point home. The cost of such racing glory will be steep at $175,900 plus a $995 destination charge, but not out of the scope of the current ask for the 911 range, when you consider that a Turbo S runs over $180k. Look for 911 GT3 RS deliveries to start in July of this year in the US, and for track days to be more competitive for the addition. Porsche 911 GT3 RS: the Ultimate 911 for High-Performance Drivers Atlanta.