the gap has really narrowed beween domestics and offshore manufacturing these days in the last 5 years there has been a noticeable increase in quality in gm cars.
Iknow and work in this industry as well, the jap cars biggest problems seem to be power windows, brake longevity and transmission troubles (honda toyota nissan mazda)as well as higher maintenance costs. the gm cars seem pretty solid with the exception of the odd crapcan same for ford, i am not a fan of chrysler but the are getting better as well(other than the mini-van)
No matter what you buy it is always a gamble there is good and bad, my parents have 2 equinox's no troubles happy with them, sister has saturns great car till 200k then started to have some minor probs, i have a hyundai (2003 tiburon) with 308k and no real problems to speak of.