Lexus and MINI rank highest in J.D. Power and Associates satisfaction survey

J.D Power and Associates recently reported the findings of its annual Sales Satisfaction Index, and Lexus and MINI are the top contenders for 2011. This is the second year in a row that MINI topped the list for the mass market segment.

Another interesting thing that the survey revealed was that the car-buiying process actually increased by about 11 minutes over last year, due in part to the ever-expanding world of vehicle technology.

"Although technology demonstrations add time to the delivery process, those explanations substantially improve satisfaction, as well as customer loyalty and advocacy," said Jim Gaz, the director of automotive research at J.D. Power and Associates. "It would intuitively seem that buyers are most satisfied when the sales process is completed in the shortest amount of time possible. However, buyers actually appreciate it when sales staff spends additional time with them, as long as that time provides them with additional value."

Overall, new car sales satisfaction improved by 13 points from 2010 to this year. Drivers may want to consider investing in extended car warranties so when the manufacturer warranties on their new vehicles expire, they will still be covered in the event of an unexpected breakdown.