Blues Brothers. Panned by critics, loved by millions. So who is right? What makes the critics opinion more valid than the consumer? Veteran Canadian auto writer, new to auto blogging, Jil McIntosh warns consumers that it is good to be critical of the critics. In other words, trust your butt over theirs.
So what gives? Why is this warrior of the press fleets telling readers to take our writings with a grain of salt? Because unlike many of our counterparts in the industry, Jil is very accessible to the public and still remembers that consumers actually buy cars based on so called journalists recommendations. I’ll take this one step further and say that many of todays motoring writers are journalism school grads who have little or no expertise in the automotive world. In other words, they don’t have a clue in hell what they are talking about, nor do they have any business advising people on the 2nd most expensive item they will purchase in their lifetime. The problem is even worse in my domain, the online world, where anyone can claim to be an expert.
Fighting words those!
So I guess I should use an example. Recently, one of the major market auto blogs tested a Ford Taurus X at the same time as we had one here in The Garage. The 24 year old, New York based journalism grad berated the vehicle’s drivetrain (among other things) because the 6 speed transmission couldn’t decide what gear to be in. As a 20 year veteran of the auto industry with a motor racing background, I’m here to tell you that the 6 speed in that vehicle shifts flawlessly every time. The difference here is likely that the kid was likely driving it like a sports car and not like a family wagon.
So how does one find information that is relevant to one’s own purchasing situation? Actual seat time isn’t always practical and a 15 minute test drive isn’t really enough time to tell if you really like a vehicle. Of course, written reviews will always be part of the buying experience for most consumers. The key is then to find a reliable source. One that has a similar sensibility to you, the consumer. That can be a tough fit to find. Let’s use the Taurus X above as an example: if you are in the market for a wagon to haul the family around, whose opinion is more relevant to you, a father of 3 or a university student?
So how does one find a writer who fits their own profile? Well, I suppose it’s not all that easy. The traditional media is often populated by curmudgeonly old men, while new media seems to be the domain of the young or the young at heart. Perhaps the best advice here would be to read as much as possible about your intended purchase in both types of media. As you digest all of this information, it is likely that you will see a trend form in regards to each vehicle. If 1 writer says a car has uncomfortable seats, while 6 love them. Chances are that 6 butts are right and the seventh has hemorrhoids.
Its a candid post on her part, and very true. The Internet has spawned a myriad of pundits, experts, testers, opinions, many of them simply repeat “corporate kool aid” to the readers.
Best part, manufacturers are “all over the Internet” seeking exposure, and an advantage.
The “buff” publications are inexorably losing their relevance, being replaced by “online” publications, that competing to increase their readership and hopefully monetise their efforts. Most critics have to be “politically correct” if not they will be “black flagged” by the manufacturers. Which critic wants to give up the privilege of having “free rides” and the occasional “junket” paid by the manufacturers.
You Tube to give a variety of individuals a platform to express themselves in a positive as well as negative fashion. The videos of high performance cars drifting and smoking the tires are truly enlightening, and make a meaningful contribution in making a purchase decision based on a burn out.
Then there are the myriad of forums that get into the various details and foibles of the makes, and models.
Ah the critics. I have come across several conversations regarding the ability of a writer to criticize a vehicle without being removed from circulation.
I am a firm believer that one can give carefully chosen, constructive criticism without being “black flagged”. If you notice in my reviews, I usually point out the good and the bad. That doesn’t mean however that one needs to bash a manufacturer.
Some webbies bash away merrily and then wonder why they are kicked out of the sandbox. Perhaps they deserve to be.
One can be critical and yet remain in the good books, all it takes is a bit of tact and some experience to back up a well stated opinion.
The challenge is that with so many “pundits” writing about the same vehicles, it becomes more of the same “pablum” that is being fed.
Now they resort to breaking embargoes to gain an advantage, with the G8 being the latest squirmish of breaking the embargo.
That someone drives a vehicle in the GTA that has been all over You Tube for the past month, the novelty is worn out, especially when it comes to “leading edge” vehicles.
Hello, GREAT, GREAT! site I love the content and everything about the site.. I just found it and I plan on being a regular poster too. I too have a site and I’d like for you to check it out. I’m new the the crowd and I intend on being around for a long time so if you could check it out and let me know what you think. And if you could add me to your blogroll I’d be greatful and then I’d do the same of course. Talk to you soon!
Brandon
Hey Brandon,
Welcome to The Garage! Keep up the great work on your site. As for the blogroll, we’ll keep an eye on you and see how you grow over the coming months.
Great post – i hope a lot of people looking to the web for car advice come across this one. Actually, a lot of your words ring true in many situations – READ a lot and use your common sense.
z
I heartily agree with this train of thought. Last year I wrote a similar piece regarding motorcycle launches on OWD ( http://onewheeldrive.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=584&Itemid=137 ). It’s also important to remember the amount of time that each reviewer spends with each vehicle, a week in most cases. That’s a limited amount of time on which to base an opinion of a vehicle, especially once you factor in review drives, photo and video sessions, and life.
Periodically, I’m shocked at how few kilometers are on the Odometers of the test cars we receive, leading me to wonder how thoroughly they’ve been tested.
Having been in the business for many years, more as a photographer, but I also did a fair share of road/track tests. Recently I enjoyed working for a friend of mine who delivered high-end vehicles to dealerships in British Columbia. The went from Vipers to WRXs to anything that was too low to get on a truck. Most were new, but many were slightly broken in. How did I get this little charm of an assignment? It seems the regulars that worked for my chum were inclined to bend the iron or deliver the vehicle with less rubber than they started out with. Not that I didn’t toy with the sled as it was pointed down the highway, I never present one that was not in the shape I recieve it in. Back to the point of road tests on any vehicle, new or used. You can line up twenty Hondas exactly the same right down to the paint and you will get twenty different personalities from these vehicles. A dealer, or manufacturer that knows a car is going to be tested would, or should set the car up to display it’s best characteristics, but having said that, each car will still display it’s own personality at one time or the other. A personal case in point is a vehicle I picked up in Basel, Switzerland in the late seventies. I was to enjoy it for almost two months from the dry to the very damp in some valleys to high alpine snow. It was front wheel drive, which I had only enjoyed in my wife’s Civic. It was the first turbo version that this company had let anyone outside the firm use for an extended period. The turbo was to be introduced in the next model year. It was a wonderful car with one particular oddity. Twice the car nearly killed me! Both times the situation was the same. On high mountain roads with severe switchbacks the car just stopped running. This is at speed, just coming out of a lefthanded turn. It was totally unexpected. With power steering and power brakes the incidents were exciting to say the least. It was found that something in the turbo system went south when just the right load, in the right direction was put on the system to cause an interuption and the stalling of the engine. They said it was something that would never happen again and was particular to this individual vehicle. I believe them. Every vehicle is different, as is every driver and every one of us has a different opinion. We all drive differently. When I buy a car, new or used, I spend a fair amount of time in it. If it’s a demo of a new car, I arrange to have it overnight and dirve it most of the time I have it. I then insist I have the demo. It’s the car I will know. It will be the car I will trust.
I enjoy the ragging that goes on in some of the sites on the net that engage in motorsports and the car industry in general. There are some absolutly amazing statements made that people actually put their name to.
Best,
Allan de la Plante
Vancouver
Well put Allan & welcome to The Garage.
Fellow readers, be sure to follow the link attached to Allan’s name, as he has quite the incredible body of work!