When a new model car hits the showroom the designers cross their fingers and hope that the " look " finds favour with buyers. Different people have different reasons for making a buying decision, but the actual physical design must be pleasing.
To cater for the wide world of customers a lot of other factors come into the equation. Price is equally important, but the selling points salespeople hammer are safety, performance and the various gizmos that manufacturers build into the design to make their vehicle " different " !
To a " Greenie " a reduction in exhaust emissions might be the factor that results in a buying decision. To a young mother needing a car to transport her children a five star safety rating might be the compelling factor. To a hard nosed businessman, perhaps fuel economy would swing the deal.
Recent revelations have soured some new car buyers on the accuracy of claims made by the car industry. Volkswagen has been caught out using a clever software programme to disguise the true engine emissions of their diesel vehicles. Their CEO has stepped down and it is likely that they will face billion dollar fines for this deception.
Now it has been revealed that the fuel efficiency claims for many models fall far short of reality. Most vehicles are not road tested to substantiate the claim made, but tested in a laboratory under ideal conditions, and yet these tests suggest the expected fuel economy in both city traffic and open road driving. The discrepancy is often thirty-five percent higher and can cost the average owner an extra $ 600 a year in price at the bowser over a year's motoring.
The latest round of car sales warfare embraces the manufacturers warranty. Kia now offers a seven year unlimited kilometre warranty on all it's models and a host of other manufacturers offer five years, but - strangely - cars in the upper price brackets are stubbornly sticking with a three year warranty - and even that comes with a odometer limit.
The kitting out of new cars seems to run in cycles. A few years back navigational aids were a feature in the higher priced cars, but now that has been extended to even the base models. Rear view cameras became all the rage and there is talk of requiring them in future design rules, particularly in SUV's because of a spate of reversing causing death and injuries to children.
The latest buzz word seems to be " automatic braking ". Sensors are constantly measuring the distance to the car in front and if that gap closes dangerously because of driver inattention, the onboard computer applies the brakes and avoids a tailender !
Many manufacturers are including the cost of servicing in the selling price and one manufacturer promises a free courtesy car while the owner's vehicle is undergoing all regular periodic servicing. The driverless car is undergoing tests in some countries and it seems that what was once considered a Utopian dream is likely to become a reality.
Each new innovation first appears in the top of the range models,but globalization and mass production quickly brings them into play as inclusions in the entire product range. Recent revelations may cause new car buyers to consider all claims with that proverbial grain of salt.
Very little has changed since the days when people traded horses - before the advent of cars. And the same rules that applied to horses are applicable in this modern age !
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