Dr. Smith wrung out enough water from his computer to send along this Wall Street Journal article about a new way to research new car purchases--by watching them on TV.
When I first started reading it I thought it sounded pretty goofy, but then I realized it's really a very serviceable way to shop. Mainly because of the way in which it's done, with a standardized format that shows the same thing for each car, allowing comparisons to be done in a much more objective way than by using things like a manufacturer's brochure. Sites like Edmunds and Kelley Blue Book rely on manufacturer's photos, which are intended to show the car in the most positive way--they are marketing tools to make you want to buy that brand, not necessarily useful for consumers trying to figure out which one might actually be better.
The only thing that does seem less than good are people who think this is all there is to it. One of the nice things about car magazines is they have commentary from people who drive a lot of cars. In a photo or video, it can be difficult to discern a difference in quality of finishes and parts and ease of service, and short of someone sitting down and actually observing these things firsthand, there is just no good way to tell if something is flimsy or comfortable.
Like anything else, it's not a do-all solution--it can help narrow down your choices and give you some bargaining power, but there is no substitute for actually driving what you think you want to buy.
Posted by Terry Oglesby at September 1, 2006 11:38 AM::smacks forehead:: NOW you tell me!
Posted by: skinnydan at September 1, 2006 12:39 PMWell, unless you're buying a Honda, in which case all of them are equally perfect.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at September 1, 2006 02:57 PM