by "Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
Published 03/05/2017 at 22:40
by "Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
Published 03/05/2017 at 22:40
Tags: Questions
STARS: 0
With so many people grabbing cameras and talking about cars they have driven between 3 miles and a full tank of gas it’s difficult to claim credibility. Most reviewers cover this up by mentioning vehicles they have owned. Since we do make inferences about people by what they drive how does a reviewer’s past and present fleet impact their credibility? Should vehicle ownership be mentioned in a footnote of every review or avoided as much as possible?
Also, does amount of time or mileage under ownership matter? Someone has owned an air-cooled 911 but never mentions it was for 9 months and they drove a total of 1,200 miles. Says they loved it and it was completely trouble free. Still count?
"E90M3" (e90m3)
03/05/2017 at 22:45, STARS: 1
Their fleet is important because it’s where they derive their baseline from. The reviewer still needs to put miles on the car to actually tell you about it, and owning something is not an excuse, unless it’s an older version of said car and you’re telling me in which ways the newer one is better or worse than your older car.
"DipodomysDeserti" (dipodomysdeserti)
03/05/2017 at 22:48, STARS: 2
As someone who has owned a car from pretty much every brand and works on and builds up my own cars/motos, I completely ignore every car review I ever read. Most people who review cars know very little about the machines they’re reviewing.
"Birddog" (maintmgt)
03/05/2017 at 22:49, STARS: 3
Yes.
Next question?
"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
03/05/2017 at 22:50, STARS: 0
What if they have reviewed a different vehicle every week for the last 4 years but have only owned one vehicle, does that list of 1 week/300 miles of experience equate to credibility?
"Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro)
03/05/2017 at 22:52, STARS: 1
I just go ahead and assume that everybody is biased and has their own set of expectations. Reviews can be fun to read, but if you’re trying to make an informed purchase, you’d be better served taking the car(s) for a test drive yourself.
That doesn’t mean that reviews are worthless, though. Maybe they’ll point out something that is a dealbreaker for you, or give you something to look forward to trying out.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
03/05/2017 at 22:53, STARS: 0
It depends, because I feel most people compare the unknown, the car they’re reviewing, to the know their personal car. Put 1000 miles on a car in a couple days and you’ve got a really good picture of a car.
"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
03/05/2017 at 22:57, STARS: 1
How much time or mileage does someone need to spend with a vehicle in order to give an accurate review? Does it matter how many different vehicles they have “tested.”
"itranthelasttimeiparkedit" (itranthelasttimeiparkedit)
03/05/2017 at 22:59, STARS: 0
You really sound like you have an agenda. And have your mind made up.
"OPPOsaurus WRX" (opposaurus)
03/05/2017 at 23:02, STARS: 0
I’ve driven a half dozen rally cars.
disclaimer: it was once and we never broke 30 mph or so. (dont want to smash up race cars when you get a fun little opportunity like that)
"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
03/05/2017 at 23:11, STARS: 0
Nope! My only agenda, as always, is getting people to look a little deeper into their own thoughts on subjects. I’m not here to change minds, I just like people to find and pick perspectives. Whether Chris Harris and someone on Oppo happen to review the same car doesnt change the validity of either opinion to me personally.
"Birddog" (maintmgt)
03/05/2017 at 23:20, STARS: 1
Car reviewers are shit. It’s a career built on how much free crap the manufacturers are willing to give.
Oh my god that felt good.
I’m going to take Lloyd for a quick walk and mull that question over.
"Land_Yacht_225" (nadenator)
03/05/2017 at 23:44, STARS: 0
If you’re asking if Doug Demuro gets credit for any car he has owned other than his Range Rover, the answer is no. Because he owns his cars for approximately 39 hours before selling them. And that isn’t ownership. That’s a rental car while you’re at the annual sales meeting in Omaha.
It’s different if you work for Motor Trend or Car and Driver and you have test courses at your disposal for comparison tests and what not. But if you just buy a car to own it and write about it then drop kick it when viewership declines...I don’t know if I would ever use that information for my own decision making.
As for giving an exact time period, depends on the car. In my little corner of hell, you do not get to call yourself an S600 owner unless you stick it out for 18-months, and have at least three $1,500+ repairs. I’m at 18 months right now and about $11,000 in repairs on on top of purchase price, and I still hesitate to “review” the car.
"V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches" (jbv12)
03/06/2017 at 01:00, STARS: 0
That means I’m in !
"Land_Yacht_225" (nadenator)
03/06/2017 at 01:37, STARS: 0
By just about the closest margin possible, if you went through with trading it in on that...um...*ahem*...”short”...wheelbase LS460.
"V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches" (jbv12)
03/06/2017 at 09:01, STARS: 0
I test drove it on Saturday. Holy crap is it wonderful. Lots more body roll on account of non active shocks, but the ride is unreal. I’d go so far as to say that it rides better than a new Maybach. Having an infotainment system designed after 2003 is also a perk, and the Mark Levinson stereo is ridiculously good.
"Land_Yacht_225" (nadenator)
03/06/2017 at 11:03, STARS: 0
The active air suspension still isn’t standard equipment!?!?
WTF Lexus!?!?
"V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches" (jbv12)
03/06/2017 at 11:14, STARS: 0
It’s a un needed extra. I also drove a 460 with the air suspension and the ride was nearly indistinguishable.
"Land_Yacht_225" (nadenator)
03/06/2017 at 11:19, STARS: 0
Because when buying a flagship luxury sedan, there are such things as unneeded extras...
"V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches" (jbv12)
03/06/2017 at 12:00, STARS: 0
This is very true. I drove my S600 today for the first time in a week. God I’m going to miss this car...
"Land_Yacht_225" (nadenator)
03/06/2017 at 14:20, STARS: 1
Ah, you will truly be an ex-S600 owner then. Its beaten you down, and yet you will look back on selling it and count the sale among the biggest mistakes you ever made.
Also I took my mother to the bank today on the way to get some new suits tailored, there was another S600 in the Wells Fargo parking lot. Sitting on factory rims, your designo interior, my shade of metallic black, Distronic, keyless go, no rear seat luxury package though. I was disappointed the owner never showed while I was waiting.
"V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches" (jbv12)
03/06/2017 at 14:46, STARS: 0
I really like the mocha black that my car has. Like I said, after the lease in the LS460 is up I’ll be picking up a W222 S65, or if they depreciate nicely, an S600 Maybach.