Car Consumers Are Being Watched

If you have ever bought a new car–or if you plan to in the future–you are being scrutinized. Car makers want to know how you think, where you live and, most of all, what you are likely to buy. They want to gauge the upcoming trends or at least catch the wave of current ones, and to do that they have to know what you’re thinking. There’s nothing really sinister about it, because all they really want is to learn what vehicles you’re going to want in future months so they can plan their production accordingly. Still some consumers might be uncomfortable with the extent that car manufacturers will go to learn about their lifestyles. Read more . . .

Getting The Most For Your Car Dollar

Peter Smith decided he was finally going to play it smart. The next time he bought a car, he told himself, he was going to buy the cheapest car he could find. That way he could trim his transportation costs to the bare minimum.

But a funny thing happened to Peter. He did buy the cheapest car he could stand to own, but four years later, when he decided he wanted a new vehicle, his old “cheap” car didn’t turn out to be such a bargain after all. Why? Well, there might have been a variety of contributing factors like Read more . . .

Sticker Price Fiction

When you buy a wheelbarrow or a table lamp or a half-gallon of milk, you probably don’t think twice about the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price, if, indeed, there is such a thing for those consumer products. The only price that has any meaning is the price you pay to purchase most items. Every car buyer, though, keeps a weather-eye on the MSRP. For the savvy buyer, it’s the place from which negotiations begin, and for the surprising number of less educated buyers, it’s the price they pay, no questions asked, without even considering the fact they could pay less. Read more . . .

Hi Ho Silver Is Safer

Silver rules the road. According to the DuPont Automotive Color Popularity Report, an annual compilation of data on vehicle color trends, silver retains its top spot as the most popular car color. Year after year, car buyers show their love of silver. But now there might be another reason, aside from esthetics, for choosing silver as the color for your next car. A team of New Zealand epidemiologists has recently published a two-year study of crash data compiled in their homeland, and the results say occupants of silver cars are less likely to be involved in injury accidents than those riding in cars of another color. And while they seem steadfast that the results of the study are accurate, the most vexing thing is they can’t figure out why. Read more . . .

The Battle For Interior Space

Since many commuters feel like they live in their cars these days, they are seeking home-like conveniences and entertainment options. And the consumer electronics companies are more than ready to accommodate them. There’s only one problem–space. In most cars and SUVs, there’s just not enough room for all the electronic gizmos that could be offered, so there is a silent battle going on, the battle for interior room, not for people, but for their electronics. Read more . . .