Car Buyers Not Sold on New Models
April 1, 2008
New car buyers have mixed feelings about new vehicle models when they first come on the market, according to a new survey by consumer automotive web site BuyingAdvice.com.
Over 3,000 participants in the study said that they were within 30 days of making a new car purchase. Sixty percent of those polled said they have considered buying a vehicle in its first model year, though 46 of the sample also said they considered vehicles less reliable in their debut year.
Twenty-eight percent of those questioned said they saw no difference in reliability between a vehicle in its first model year and one that had been on the market for several years, while 25 percent said they believed new models to be more reliable.
Also the majority of buyers, 53 percent, knew when the vehicle they were considering was first launched or significantly redesigned. An additional 13 percent indicated they intended to find out.
Despite the barrage of advertising and testing that surrounds a new model launch, experts say that there are problems that can only be detected once a model has gone into full production and a large number are out on the road. While these problems may not rise to the level of a recall, they may require more frequent warranty repairs and trips to the service department.
Regardless of the testing done in labs, computers and on test tracks, there is no match for thousands of new drivers taking a new product on the road in a wide variety of weather, road and driving conditions.
As experts, like executive Dan West, explain-usually even the best designs can be improved in subsequent years, after designers have the opportunity to analyze the feedback of service managers and customers in real world use of a new product.
This poll on new model buyer opinion was taken by 3377 users of BuyingAdvice.com’s online price quote service. BuyingAdvice.com is a consumer advice and Internet price quote site that features tips and advice for car buyers, new car reviews and the latest news and information from the automotive world.
