Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragoneye
This is to all you guys saying you buy the best product for you. That's a fine, sensible philosophy, but...lemme pose a question to you:
Given extremely similar cars in terms of price, features, perceived quality, etc...
Would you prefer to buy Domestic? I mean, are you the person who wished so badly for the past two decades that GM/Ford/Chrysler turned out better vehicles?
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That's what I've been saying to people for a long time. Even if the Toyota tows more or the Lexus has 3" more shoulder room, are you going to use it? I've heard some crazy explanations for why their car is better, and every single time they are quoting the ad or pamphlet they got at the dealership. "My Corolla has the best in-class rating for" something that doesn't matter, and it is so important because you need that rating for what reason?
If I get a 97% on a test and you get a 95% on that same test, I'm the better in-class student. We both get a 4.0 GPA for the class. In a higher class, someone getting the same numbers is a better student. Now, let's compare this same thing among just 2 classes of cars. A Sky competes with a Miata. One is better than the other on paper for cargo room. The buyer will say that they have more cargo room, but I can show up in an old Impreza and say that I have more room than both combined, and my wagon can fit taller stuff. You didn't buy it for the cargo room! You bought it for the style! People do this everyday. They go home delighted because they feel that they made the right decision. That is good, but it would be great if they actually did make the decision that serves them best.
People need to shop for cars like they shop for groceries. They need to see how much it costs per unit of measure, and they should prioritize what unit of measure is most important for their lives: horsepower for enthusiasts; cargo room for those who travel a lot; tow capacity for work vehicles. It is simple. After considering the best deal, they need to decide what is the better cost. Allow me to explain. A better deal for an enthusiast may be available for a Corvette right now, but an enthusiast with only enough to buy a Cobalt SS should be considering the car that better suits the situation, even if it isn't as much under MSRP. People need to consider when buying a work truck whether they need the Colorado or the Silverado because one is going to be smaller, but they're better off in the smaller truck if their work only requires them to transport laundry as opposed to heavy equipment. Another grocery example—I was at the store today. I could have gotten the enormous bag of tortilla chips to go with the huge salsa container I got, but I got the ordinary bag because the chips will go stale before I get to the bottom of the bag. Think of the truck that way. A lot of power for carrying laundry is fun, but the smaller truck is more functional for work expenses. All of that extra power is going stale and unused, and the buyer will have paid for substantially more power than was necessary for the job. Cost is an important factor when it comes to the needs of the consumer. I can't afford to spend $15 on chips when I'll only eat $7.50 before the bag goes bad. If I can only eat $7.50 in chips, should I spend $8 on it or should I spend $15?
When grocery shopping, we all look at items and think, "Why is this so costly?" before putting it back on the shelf. If you don't know why you're paying more, then don't pay more. If the reason is good, then pay it. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Ferrari over a Civic if I had the cash. The reason is good for me. I'm a car enthusiast, and I therefore like fast, pretty cars. People who spend more because it sounds exotic or they believe that the local, cheaper stuff is worse need to try that stuff before making the decision.
That begs another point. When someone had a bad Dodge 15 years ago, they still seem to blame Dodge for all of their problems. No one feels sorry for you anymore. We don't care that your ugly Shadow broke down and cost you that 4¢ raise. If everyone did things the same way we did them 15 years ago, then we'd still be watching
Boy Meets World every Friday on ABC. Things change. Get used to it. There was a time when Nissans were Datsuns. In the same time since that has happened and their popularity rose, GM, Ford, and Chrysler have all worked to improve their brands. Why are these imports so much more forgivable than the companies that saved democracy in the Second World War, build planes that fly to this day in 1944, provided the groundwork for a network of highways that has led to the modern America, and employed millions for now for generations? We'll forgive them, but we can't forgive the products that have righteously been built to serve our local police departments, deliver commodities across the country, and been shipped abroad to aid our noble armed men and women. What is wrong with us?
I've clearly ranted what has seemed like an eternity to whoever has the misfortune of reading my post. I'm sure that I'm preaching to the choir here, but some people really make me sick, and too many of them live all around me. It's Kansas and the roads look like the heart of Tokyo sometimes.