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Sedans Luxury Performance Sedans
9978 messages, Last post on Nov 02, 2009 at 1:30 PM
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Replying to: lexusguy (Oct 17, 2006 9:32 pm) I doubt that we'll identify "the" car buying strategy that non-enthusiasts will employ unless an enthusiast takes them on a test-driving tour, or for that matter, even "the" decision-making process that "lot buyers" would eventually use if a more flexible and/or knowledgable friend took them around and they test-drove all the LPS cars. That's why I agree that CR, while unlikely to be the 100% deciding factor in any car purchase, probably plays a significant role in the decision-making process of one segment of car-buyers. |
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| Help! I have a 2005 Caddy STS4 (all wheel drive) with the luxury performance package. Here's my problem: I can't find any snow tires to fit because the car has different tire sizes front and back. Front is 255/45ZR18; back is 235/50ZR18. what can I do? The stock tires turn on a dime on dry pavement but are utterly useless in Minnesota snow. | |
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Replying to: mnjasper (Oct 20, 2006 7:14 am) Welcome to the Forums. |
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Replying to: pg48477 (Oct 19, 2006 3:49 pm) VW made many, many mistakes Toyota and Honda never ever make. As you said, pricing is wrong, VW can't make up its mind whether Passat should compete in the Camcord segment or ES/TL/A4 segment. Second, remember how long VW left the previous Passat on the market. Eight years, I believe, double the Camcord cycle. I think the current Passat's styling is terrible. It looks more Buick-like than Camry. Styling used to be VAG strength. A4 used to be the most stylish in its class, but not anymore. The Japanese automaker VW most resembles in NA is Mazda. Very good, quirky cars that find loyal fan base, but never a threat to the big boys! Blame VW, don't blame CR!!!
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Replying to: mariner7 (Oct 20, 2006 9:02 am) Looks are completely subjective. You're right though on Passat resembling Buick (Lucerne). But, the Lucerne came after the current Passat. |
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Hmmm ... I was wrong. I had posted something. Someone had mentioned the Passat in their response. I replied that the Passat was a good example. I was wrong about that. It's not turning out to be a good example to make the point I was originally trying to make. I don't believe CR makes or breaks any car. I do believe CR is an active ingredient in the decision-making process of a significant number of car buyers. The bigger point is that the "literature" on cars is not just entertainment. Nor does is it science, as in "just telling it like it is." It's opinion. It's slanted and it skews the collective consciousness about cars, in general, and increases or decreases the good/bad status of some cars in ways that might not be consistent with how many people would have ended up enjoying "the total ownership experience" of a certain car, if what they read about it hadn't led them to not seriously consider it. I think that what some people read in CR, or Car and Driver, or USA Today contributes to which cars they'll seriously consider and that it cannot be assumed people might avoid a certain car only if it really is a "bad buy."
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Replying to: mariner7 (Oct 20, 2006 9:02 am) The Japanese automaker VW most resembles in NA is Mazda. Very good, quirky cars that find loyal fan base, but never a threat to the big boys! Blame VW, don't blame CR!!! I don't think the Passat looks awful. There are certainly cars in that segment that look much worse. That enormous rear overhang is definitely a problem though, it makes the car look big and clumsy. VW needs to push the wheels to the corners. Mazda is pretty different from VW. With the exception of the Miata and the RX-7, Mazda made very bland, forgettable cars that had nothing to set them apart from the competition. They didnt have any kind of real focus as an automaker until 2003. Mazda's sales have been flat in this country for about 10 years, but now that they have a real product portfolio, they have a chance to finally break into the big leagues. VW had the cars, but they went on a buying spree, decided they wanted a piece of the S class, and left them on the market for a decade. |
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