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Lets talk media - READ ONLY

60 messages,  Last post on Sep 16, 2007 at 11:59 AM

You are in the Automotive News & Views-Archives Forum.

What is this discussion about? Automotive News

Messages Page 5 of 6

#41 of 60 Stock Values by thegraduate

May 31, 2007 (9:22 pm)

Value is something the public determines based on perception. The public decides Toyota's stock is worth a lot more than GM. If they didn't, the price would drop.
 
The same holds true for cars.
 
If Toyota's weren't worth a premium over their competitors, people wouldn't pay the premium. We may have different values though, which is why we don't all drive Camrys.

#42 of 60 Re: Lets talk media [gagrice] by thegraduate

May 31, 2007 (9:28 pm)

Replying to: gagrice (May 24, 2007 1:07 pm)
I would say at one time in America this was true. Tune into CNN, Fox, MSN, CBS etc and you will get a different bias from each journalist. It would be good if we got the news without bias. That does not seem to be what people want these days.
 
I concur. People will hear what they want to hear. Some people think Consumer Reports is garbage until it reports something they agree with, then they change their minds.
 
Fickle Public!

#43 of 60 Re: Lets talk media [thegraduate] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Jun 01, 2007 (12:46 pm)

Replying to: thegraduate (May 31, 2007 9:28 pm)
But that only works to a point....I doubt whether Fox or NPR or 60 Minutes could have broadcast "Yugos and Fiats are great cars!" and get more than a smattering of believers out of that.
 
So it's "perception" but there's also reality, since people get to "test" their perception about a car, whereas they don't often get to "test" their perceptions about global warming or evolution or whether Politician X really is taking bribes or what is really happening in Mongolia.
 
I think it's harder to sway public opinion about things they have a reasonable chance of testing themselves.
 
This is why I believe that the Big Three is actually suffering from a consumer boycott, not a media conspiracy.
 
MrShiftright
Visiting Host
 

#44 of 60 Re: Lets talk media [Mr_Shiftright] by thegraduate

Jun 01, 2007 (7:16 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jun 01, 2007 12:46 pm)
You are correct sir! We are on the same page I believe.
 
Someone once questioned my purchase of my car (a Honda Accord). I explained that a big reason I bought my car because of the interior quality. The person questioning said "it is all perception."
 
If we can't "perceive" quality, what can we "do" to it to determine it exists in the produce we buy?
 
To a point, perception IS reality.

#45 of 60 Re: Lets talk media [thegraduate] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Jun 02, 2007 (8:03 am)

Replying to: thegraduate (Jun 01, 2007 7:16 pm)
I guess you could say that perception is the first step in forming reality. One's initial "perception" may turn out to be true or false, once one is in the driver's seat for a few months.
 
It's possible that American and foreign cars start out with similar "perceptions" but from then on, it might diverge into satisfaction and for some, disappointment.
 
So someone might legitimately say "Well, this Chevrolet has an interior just as nice as that Accord" and that perception would be correct...then later, it may be that the reality is that the nice interior means nothing if the car doesn't run right....so the "total" reality is a lot different than the "initial perception".
 
This is one reason why I like longterm ownership reports rather than those "initial quality" surveys.
 
People's perceptions are often incorrect.
 
MrShiftright
Visiting Host

#46 of 60 Re: Lets talk media [Mr_Shiftright] by thegraduate

Jun 02, 2007 (1:20 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jun 02, 2007 8:03 am)
Fair enough, but often times, it is only the intitial impression/perception from a test drive that people find fault with/argue with on these forums, which isn't really fair when people have different ideas of "good."
 
*steps off soapbox and closes subject.

#47 of 60 Helpful hints by elroy5

Jun 02, 2007 (2:00 pm)

The media should never be the decision maker for a car shopper, IMO. But a car reviewer, who has tested all of the sedans you are considering back-to-back can give you a lot of helpful hints on which car will most likely be what you are looking for. Things like equipment levels, safety ratings, reliability ratings, and high and low points of each model, give you an idea of what to look for during the test drive. Most test drives are less than 10 miles, so there is only so much you can determine from them. Personal experience is usually a big factor, with other factors added in, like word of mouth (friend, relatives, co-workers etc.) dealer location and service department. The more you know about a car, before the test drive, the better. I usually know more about the car I'm test driving than the salesperson does.

#49 of 60 This room fell flat on its face by scape2

Jun 11, 2007 (11:18 pm)

I guess, lets not talk media.. Time to close up shop here??

#50 of 60 Re: This room fell flat on its face [scape2] by thegraduate

Jun 12, 2007 (8:10 pm)

Replying to: scape2 (Jun 11, 2007 11:18 pm)
Nah, people just forget about new forums, especially when not enough people have visited it to "track" the discussion yet. I started the Midsize Pickups discussion, and it took awhile to get moving.

Messages Page 5 of 6

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