Detailed car choosing website?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Fri 17 Jul 2020 19:32
Detailed car choosing website? - Graham567
Does anyone know of a website where you can enter what features you would like on a car and it would list the makes and models with those features.
I'm talking of things like power folding mirrors,heated seats,reversing camera,heated steering wheel etc.
I know that sites like autotrader can give you options of engine size,fuel type and gearbox etc but I am trying to find somewhere that lists all of the features on a car including optional extras and then lists all of the makes and models that have those features?
Hope someone can help?
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Fri 17 Jul 2020 19:59
Detailed car choosing website? - badbusdriver

Wouldn't it be a better idea to make a list of the cars you like and then find out which, if any, have the features you want?. If none do, make another list, and so on! (or maybe just do without?).

Parkers (www.parkers.co.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAjwmMX4BRAAEiwA-zM4J...E) website lists the equipment for each model, but the problem here is the info is not neccessarily going to be 100% accurate.

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Fri 17 Jul 2020 20:08
Detailed car choosing website? - Graham567
That's the problem.I am open to any make and model but would like certain features and without trawling through every makes and models brochure it will be hard to find out this info.Perhaps there's an opening in the market for such a website or does one already exist?
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Fri 17 Jul 2020 20:15
Detailed car choosing website? - badbusdriver

Surely you must have some idea of the price, size, fuel, transmission, performance etc of the car you wish to have all these gizmo's on?

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Fri 17 Jul 2020 20:25
Detailed car choosing website? - badbusdriver

For example, the (current shape) Kia Picanto X-Line S and GT-Line S both have power folding mirrors, reversing camera, heated seats and steering wheel. But for many folk, they would not have enough space or performance, for many others, they wouldn't convey the 'right' image!.

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Fri 17 Jul 2020 22:48
Detailed car choosing website? - Terry W

Making ever longer lists of attributes (cars and many other purchases) simply wastes a lot of time. You will be left with frankly stupid choices - eg: is a heated headrest more important than cupholders for rear seat passengers etc.

Far better to list the critical attributes (say 6) required - eg: size, performance, auto/manual, no. of doors, dealer network, price. This will start to create a short list. Go to the delaer and sit in them.

Then list the next half dozen attributes and apply it only to the short list. You will probably be left with only 2 or 3.

Then take a test drive. Absolutely no point in selecting car A because it has two extra ICE speakers if it is a pain to drive.

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Fri 17 Jul 2020 22:48
Detailed car choosing website? - Graham567
My question doesn't relate to any particular car i want to buy.The features i listed are examples.My question is does a website exist that can handle this type of information?
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Sat 18 Jul 2020 06:06
Detailed car choosing website? - badbusdriver
My question doesn't relate to any particular car i want to buy.The features i listed are examples.My question is does a website exist that can handle this type of information?

Simple answer, certainly in relation to a website, like Autotrader, which sells cars, is no. Far, far too much hassle, especially if, like you put in your first post, it included options!. How on earth would such a website find out if a particular car had an option pack fitted which included heated steering wheel?!.

I put it to you that if these features matter so much, then it is up to you to do the legwork and find out. Personally, the only feature i'd consider (almost) essential, is a/c. There are certainly other things i'd like, but not which matter enough to base my purchase on.

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Sat 18 Jul 2020 07:43
Detailed car choosing website? - catsdad

A good start is HJ reviews on the menu bar above. Then click on “pick your next car”. It doesn’t cover everything but will help you get a shortlist.

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Sat 18 Jul 2020 08:17
Detailed car choosing website? - _

When I chose the Sportage, (and I did look at others!)

Reliability, comfort, (wanted the 16" wheels option with sensible tyre sizes) Air con., DAB radio, ride height for seating position. "Feels" solid!

Got a pleasantly nice "extra" thrown in, rear centre console ventilation which the dog likes.

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Sat 18 Jul 2020 09:49
Detailed car choosing website? - thunderbird

I'm talking of things like power folding mirrors,heated seats,reversing camera,heated steering wheel etc.

Regarding those those I do not see them as essential.

Power folding mirrors. Our Pulsar has them and they are a nice thing but they can have issues. There is a warning in the manual to deactivate them during snowy and freezing weather since they can become jammed and this will damage the motor. Its not that hard to manually fold the mirrors after you leave the car if space is tight.

Never had them but since I have a heated bum never really thought about needing them. Back in the days of plastic seats they would have been a bonus but they did not exist back then. With nice warm cloth do you really need them?

Heated steering wheel, wear gloves if its that cold.

Reversing camera, have driven 2 cars recently with one fitted and have to say I did not like it. The screen is only 2D and although I could see what was behind I had no idea how far things were away from the car. The system in our Fabia is far better. Normal sensors with beeping but the radio screen displays a graphic in plan which displays each sensor and how far that is away from the obstacle. As with any reversing aid none are a replacement for looking round as you reverse and if you hit a non solid object i.e. a person saying they were not in the camera view would be no defence.

Features like height adjustable driver and passenger seat with lumbar are far more important, a comfortable driver ultimately has better control of the car. Would never buy another car without Climate Control (AC is better than nothing but once you have had climate you would not go back) and its the same with cruise control.

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Sat 18 Jul 2020 12:50
Detailed car choosing website? - Engineer Andy

When I chose the Sportage, (and I did look at others!)

Reliability, comfort, (wanted the 16" wheels option with sensible tyre sizes) Air con., DAB radio, ride height for seating position. "Feels" solid!

Got a pleasantly nice "extra" thrown in, rear centre console ventilation which the dog likes.

Presumably your dog now can operate the controls without reaching through to the driver's centre console or barking to ask that the vents be directed their way or turned up or down!

:-)

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Sat 18 Jul 2020 10:22
Detailed car choosing website? - Avant

It's easier than you think, Graham, although not quite in the way you imagine.

As Catsdad says, go to 'reviews' on this site, and 'pick your next car'. This gives you a list of priorities from which you can make a shortlist.

Then go to the websites of the manufacturers of the cars on the shortlist, and you should be able to 'configure' or 'build your own'. Most allow you to tick the extra that you want, although there are some that just offer an irritating list of 'packs' requiring you to pay more for items that you don't want as well as those that you do. Avoid those if you can.

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