I'm pretty sure that the black dots of CU are based on quantitative data
and not arbitrary opinions of their editors. Everything in this world
has a distribution associated with it. The black dots are averages as
compared to other vehicles. There are probably hundreds of anecdotes
about my mother's 1986 jetta running for 6 millon miles without a single
oil change or my boss' son's fiance's honda accord that couldn't go ten
miles without a breakdown.
Of course the one thing we know CU will never be able to assign a dot to
is whether the car is fun to drive. (thank god)
Matt
Florrie & Allen Bachelder wrote:
>
> Amen to that. CU bashed the poor little Mopar "Omnirizons" to death for
> years. Black dot city... No doubt that contributed to their continuing
> dirt-cheap prices on the used car market. Both of my kids owned 'em -
> purchased by their Dad - one for $1300, the expensive one with A/C for
> $1500. They both were approaching about 170,000 miles when sold several
> years ago, and both are still on the road in this area - no doubt pushing
> 200,000+ miles. They're responsive and fun to drive, got 34 mpg and
> although some of the trim was a bit sleazy, they stayed out of the repair
> shops. One of Detroit's best-kept secrets as far as I'm concerned. CU was
> dead wrong.
>
> Allen
>
> >From: "danray" <danray@bluegrass.net>
> >
> >I've always wondered about Consumer Reports' Objectivity. It's useful as one
> >source for making purchase decisions, but I take it with a grain of salt, as
> >any intelligent person should when reading or watching the media. They
> >happily give high marks to anything Toyota or Nissan, but talk to owners and
> >do your own survey of the Camry, and a different picture is formed. Same
> >with my '96 Chevy Tahoe (usually lots of black dots)-- it's been a lot more
> >reliable than my BMW, or my parents' Camry ever were!
> >
> >Dan
> >73B
> >
> >> But don't under-estimate the power this type of thing has, though.
> >> Consumer Reports single handedly destroyed the Suzuki Samurai a few
> >> years ago with the famous "tip over" picture. What's not widely known,
> >> however, is that they were testing several small SUVs that day, most of
> >> which had about 10 passes through the "tip-over" course. It took 44
> >> tries, 3 drivers and changing the course from what the other vehicles
> >> went through to successfully tip it. There is even a video, made by the
> >> testers, with shouts of "Yahoo!" when they finally tipped it.
> >>
> >> Then they printed the pic on their cover, it was their number one
> >> selling mag of all time, and the following year sales of this capable
> >> little vehicle were cut to 1/3 of what they had been.
> >
>
> ******************************************
> Allen H. Bachelder =iii=<
> Sinking Creek Home for Wayward MGs
> 49 YT, 57 ZB, 58 ZB, 65 B, 67 BGT, 73 B, 73BGT, 76 B, &...
> New Castle, VA 24127
> USA
> 540/544-7333
> ******************************************
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