Small cars are more dangerous
12-20-2006 | 06:55 PM
#11
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From: Mish-she-gan
Originally Posted by Legal Bill,Dec 20 2006, 10:20 PM
I think most new car buyers don't really know what they want until they start shopping. Oh, they may know they want a certain category of vehicle, but then they look into the cars a bit and listen to the salesmen. I think many people buy on things like saftey and style.
I can't even figure out why my close friends buy what they do. One friend who usually buy Caddy's or SUV's bought that goofy truck GM makes - the one with the '30's look and the hard top retracks. When I asked him why, he said it reminded him of the truck his grandfather used to have and let him drive. Another who always bought big cars - usually Chevy's, suddenly bought a small truck. Who knows why? I don't think he does. All I could figure was everyone who lives in the country around him, drives a truck.
Funny, no one is surprised when I buy another sports car.
12-20-2006 | 07:01 PM
#12
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From: Canton, MA
Originally Posted by mikegarrison,Dec 20 2006, 10:44 PM
Maybe. But it goes against my experience. I have bought five cars in my life. The first one was whatever I could buy for $1000, an '81 Civic that I bought in June '88 after getting my SB degree. But all the others were cars I specifically wanted, in some cases for several years.
'89 CRX Si -- June '89. I bought it new when the Civic was totaled (rear-ended). I had wanted a CRX for a long time and didn't even think of looking at any other car than a CRX Si.
'91 CRX Si -- Early 2001. Replacement for the '89 when it was rear-ended and totalled. I did vaguely consider buying a pickup truck instead, but I searched long and hard looking for exactly an '89-91 CRX Si, unmodified.
'02 S2000 -- Sept 2001. I had wanted an S2000 since I first saw the SSX prototype. But my union was on strike for 40 days in 2000, so that ate into my savings and I had to wait a bit to buy one. I also was glad to have bought one with a glass window.
'05 Element EX AWD -- Jan 2006. I had been considering buying an Element for about a year and a half. I finally decided to buy an '06 LX AWD model, but the only other one I would consider was an '05 EX. When I found one available at the right price, I bought it.
The only time I have ever went into a dealer just shopping for a car without knowing what I wanted was when my CRX was stolen in the late '90s. But I didn't buy anything, and the CRX was recovered a few days later so I didn't have to.
'89 CRX Si -- June '89. I bought it new when the Civic was totaled (rear-ended). I had wanted a CRX for a long time and didn't even think of looking at any other car than a CRX Si.
'91 CRX Si -- Early 2001. Replacement for the '89 when it was rear-ended and totalled. I did vaguely consider buying a pickup truck instead, but I searched long and hard looking for exactly an '89-91 CRX Si, unmodified.
'02 S2000 -- Sept 2001. I had wanted an S2000 since I first saw the SSX prototype. But my union was on strike for 40 days in 2000, so that ate into my savings and I had to wait a bit to buy one. I also was glad to have bought one with a glass window.
'05 Element EX AWD -- Jan 2006. I had been considering buying an Element for about a year and a half. I finally decided to buy an '06 LX AWD model, but the only other one I would consider was an '05 EX. When I found one available at the right price, I bought it.
The only time I have ever went into a dealer just shopping for a car without knowing what I wanted was when my CRX was stolen in the late '90s. But I didn't buy anything, and the CRX was recovered a few days later so I didn't have to.
It all depends on what interests you. Take computers for example. I see all sorts of magazines about computers and I see folks buying the magazines and reading them like I read car magazines. I listen to folks talk about the latest computer developments and the capabilities. I don't know a thing about them and only look into them when I find my current machine can't seem to keep up anymore. Then I research enough to figure out what I want. Then I talk to two or three entusiasts and listen to all the stuff I could get to do all sorts of things I don't really do. Then when I go to buy, I remember all the features I was told about and I will tend to buy the most feature packed unit within my budget. This usually drives me to the top end of my price range. I justify it by telling myself that all those features mean that the unit will be relevant longer and be able to run new applications longer into the future than a lesser model. But then I don't buy many new applications. In short, I'm a computer idiot and learn just enough to over buy. I think there are folks who buy cars the same way.
12-20-2006 | 07:08 PM
#13
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From: Canton, MA
Originally Posted by dlq04,Dec 20 2006, 10:55 PM
Bill, if you can figure out why people buy what they do, please share it with Detroit - they need an edge.
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I remember not too long ago when GM and Ford were riding high on record sales and huge stock market gains. Now look at them. Did you see the report a day or two ago about Ford's debt offering? It was huge, and they got investors to take it. I think they probably could have restructured a lot better by using gains during the good years to re-tool rather than using debt today.
12-20-2006 | 07:11 PM
#14
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From: Sheridan
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety small car picks 2006
The four door 2006 Civic won their gold rating for safety.
The four door 2006 Civic won their gold rating for safety.
12-20-2006 | 07:19 PM
#15
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From: Canton, MA
Originally Posted by Barry in Wyoming,Dec 20 2006, 11:11 PM
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety small car picks 2006
The four door 2006 Civic won their gold rating for safety.
The four door 2006 Civic won their gold rating for safety.
12-20-2006 | 07:21 PM
#16
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From: Scottsdale
Originally Posted by Matt_in_VA,Dec 20 2006, 04:49 PM
Here is a statement that most non-Vintage people will not get:
Welcome to "Broken Record.com" I stated that because I realize that at times I must sound like a broken record. OK, how about a CD with a scratch? Not buying that one either, would you believe a VSA & PITA?
I still stand by my opinion that the best money that someone can spend on their safety is by taking an accident avoidance class or a car control clinic to stay out of harms way to begin with.
Anyone remember the old GM TV ad with the two guys throwing stuff off the back of a moving truck? That ad was sparked by a DOT study that the average driver (which according to a AAA survey 85% of the American driving public considers themselves an above average driver) that only uses about thirty percent of their vehicles handling, braking or acceleration before giving up and resolving to the fact that they are going to have an accident.
The money spent is a drop in the bucket compared to the rising cost of things like side impact curtains and medical expenses over the years.
Welcome to "Broken Record.com" I stated that because I realize that at times I must sound like a broken record. OK, how about a CD with a scratch? Not buying that one either, would you believe a VSA & PITA?
I still stand by my opinion that the best money that someone can spend on their safety is by taking an accident avoidance class or a car control clinic to stay out of harms way to begin with.
Anyone remember the old GM TV ad with the two guys throwing stuff off the back of a moving truck? That ad was sparked by a DOT study that the average driver (which according to a AAA survey 85% of the American driving public considers themselves an above average driver) that only uses about thirty percent of their vehicles handling, braking or acceleration before giving up and resolving to the fact that they are going to have an accident.
The money spent is a drop in the bucket compared to the rising cost of things like side impact curtains and medical expenses over the years.
TOTALLY
12-21-2006 | 07:56 AM
#17
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From: West Henrietta UPSTATE NY
Originally Posted by Legal Bill,Dec 20 2006, 11:08 PM
I can't teach them a thing Dave. Any industry that can convince a substantial percentage of the populace to buy a 5000 pound box on a ladder frame that gets 14 MPG just to drive themselves to work doesn't need my help. Imagine if they had appropriate products to sell.
Trust me, GM has had NOTHING to do with convincing me to buy a 4,500 pound box on a ladder frame that gets 16 MPG so I can transport myself to and from work almost every day. I love and drive my full-size truck because it is the vehicle that best suits my needs.
12-21-2006 | 08:07 AM
#18
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From: West Henrietta UPSTATE NY
Originally Posted by Matt_in_VA,Dec 20 2006, 07:49 PM
I still stand by my opinion that the best money that someone can spend on their safety is by taking an accident avoidance class or a car control clinic to stay out of harms way to begin with.
Ya know what might work better than a driving school? Put the driver on a motorcycle for a week. I guarantee they would become much more aware of
- the environment they are driving in
- the major changes to the level of grip the tires have when the temps change only a few degrees
- how they have to learn defensive driving on a whole new level
- the need to stay focused on driving, not the radio, not the phone, not the navi screen, just driving
- the absolute need to look at the road surface, not just vagely seeing the space between on coming cars on the left and the side of the road on the right
I could go on an on, but you get the point.
12-21-2006 | 08:34 AM
#19
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From: Covington WA, USA
Originally Posted by Triple-H,Dec 21 2006, 09:07 AM
Ya know what might work better than a driving school? Put the driver on a motorcycle for a week.
12-21-2006 | 09:38 AM
#20
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From: West Henrietta UPSTATE NY
Originally Posted by mikegarrison,Dec 21 2006, 12:34 PM
I used to be a bicycle commuter. You think motorcyclists are vulnerable and "invisible"? Try a bicycle....
Oh yea, I hear a lot about bicyclists crashing into trees at 70 mph and the rider dying...
