An earlier thread talks of a cheap Signum, which reminds me how silly some of the car reviews can be. A Vectra gets loads of stars, particularly the estate, yet the Signum is damned simply because UK 'execs' don't like hatchbacks', apparently. The build, engines etc are almost certainly identical. So, if I'm happy with a hatchback, does that give it an extra star or two?
Elsewhere, I've seen reviews (e.g. Subaru) saying the range lacks a diesel. Interesting fact, but irrelevant to a particular car you might be thinking of buying. Jaguar was praised for adding an estate to its range, but, again, that's only an issue for Jaguar salesmen, not to a car buyer. Why don't they simply review/rate the car for us consumers, rather than thinking of things from the producers' viewpoint? Rant over.
|
|
To be honest I don't think that the motoring press actually "get" the Signum......
|
>>I've seen reviews (e.g. Subaru) saying the range lacks a diesel. Interesting fact, but irrelevant to a particular car you might be thinking of buying. Jaguar was praised for adding an estate to its range,>>
Seems to me you've answered your own question with these two observations.
They are looking at matters that concern a large proportion of potential buyers and, in the latter case, Jaguar has addressed the fact. In the case of Subaru I'm sure that many intending buyers would been keen on a diesel option.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
fact. In the case of Subaru I'm sure that many intending buyers would been keen on a diesel option.
Indeed. Four years ago when we were looking to buy a new or nearly-new car we had the Legacy estate on our list, having used one quite a bit in the US. But no diesel meant no sale and we went in the end for a (much cheaper) Peugeot Partner Combi, which has been superb.
|
|
|
|
I don't really like reading car reviews and I think car makers are too easily influenced by them. In most magazines/web sites if a car cannot go side ways round a corner well then it's no good.
I'm sure alot of the cars we have on our roads are less comfortable because the magazines slate them for poor handling etc.
And when you look at the average age of the people writing the reviews it's hardly suprising.
I have stopped buying car mags now as well because most of them are pointless. Someone bought me a subscription to Car magazine and I have read the last 12 months worth and I can't remember reading about a normal car - I could tell you all about a Bugatti Veyron though and how much use is that.
I think it's another reason things like JD power surveys are good - becuase it covers most aspects of the car and it is the owners writing the review in effect. (Sorry Dox - I know you don't believe surveys).
|
I'm sure alot of the cars we have on our roads are less comfortable because the magazines slate them for poor handling etc.
I tend to agree, many cars handle perfectly well for what they are intended for, ie motorway cruising or dealing with the poor quality of many of our minor roads. As soon as the magazines start talking about 'handling' this rings alarm bells for me, meaning the car will probably be uncomfortable for both of the above aspects of driving. Motoring journalists would do well to remember that most people don't use their cars for tarck-days or drive at the edge of the envelope most of the time !
|
|
|
|
To be honest I don't think that the motoring press actually "get" the Signum......
Nor do I, I would have either a Vectra hatch or estate over a Signum every time, the former is better looking and the latter more practical.
|
I like reading car mags for entertainment, but nothing is a substitute for a thorough test drive and "play" with a car before purchasing. My priorities as a father, dog owner and long distance commuter are almost certainly different to a magazine tester's.
I would never discount a car because of a poor review or automatically choose a car because of a good one. I drive as many different cars as possible relevant to my budget and the type/size of car I want, and base my decision on my own experiences.
|
|
|
Agree with most of the above. Testers tend to be young and male, and although it's right that they test cars to the extreme, how a car behaves 'in extremis' should be only one factor in the test report.
To be fair, the tests in What Car are less guilty of this sort of thing than the others. Haymarket, publishing both What Car and Autocar, can reasonable claim that they cater for all tastes.
Best of all read HJ's tests: thank you HJ for telling it as it is and as most of us want to know. I suppose, as there's only one of you, it's difficult to do comparative tests. Mind you, there are plenty of us on here who would gladly give you a hand!
|
|
One thing that the testers never consider but which is very relevant to most of us is how easy is it to do normal maintenance. They could try changing head and tail light bulbs for a start. It would also be useful if they quoted the manufacturers labour times for changing a clutch or a timing belt and they could tell us how accessible the spark plugs are. All those things make a big difference to service costs.
|
>It would also be useful if they quoted the manufacturers labour times for changing a clutch or a timing belt and
>they could tell us how accessible the spark plugs are. All those things make a big difference to service costs.
Not really. I buy a new car, it will do 50k, 60k 70k miles before a clutch needs changing, probably more. I will have sold it by then. Same with cam belt. it will need one at say 46k miles, what difference does £100 pounds in labour matter over 46k miles? Spark plugs? most cars will do 30k on a set now. these things only matter to people who run on bangernomics, and they dont read or care about car reviews which will be years old anyway.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
|
What slightly irritates me is the editorial inconsistencies. You will have a model being eulogised over in a road test in one section and often the same model being criticised elsewhere for poor reliability. Land Rover being the example that springs to mind. What Car will heap praise on each new model (Discovery, Freelander, Range Rover) and then point out these models' poor record with JD Power and customers in general. Some joined up thinking please.
|
|
I think car reviews are like album reviews. You need to find someone who's taste / priorities seems to fit your own and then stick with them, you're unlikely to go wrong. It's a more expensive mistake to make than buying a dud CD but you've got a pointer in the right direction, you know that the tester is looking at the points which are important to you. You're not going to buy a particular car solely on that information but it helps. So I rely on HJ and the reviews in the Saturday Telegraph.
JH
|
|
|
