Re: Automotive Consultant comments about AWD

[Andrew Duane USG/PE <duane@zk3.dec.com>]

Hairy green toads from Mars made Robert Myers say:

> >And CR does not rate AWD and 4WD high in their opinions.
> 
> A large part of the problem is that CR regards an automobile merely as an
> appliance.  The purpose of that appliance is to get you and 1.3 passengers
> from point a to point b safely and economically.
> 
> Well, duh.  What happened to considerations of performance and handling and
> emergency response, etc.?  It doesn't figure into their equation.
> 
> If you just want a cheap car which is reasonably safe under mild driving
> conditions then their recommendation is probably pretty decent.  If, on the
> other hand, you tend to drive a bit spiritedly then stay away from CR's
> recommendation.

Agreed wholeheartedly.

Case in point: A1 (FWD) VW's.

When they initially came out in the mid-70's, CR said they were the
best thing since sliced bread. They brought a host of innovations to
the car market. Then, others started imitating them (not very well, IMO),
and CR rated the VW's less and less well.

Eventually, they got poor grades, since "insurance statistics show
that they cost 20% more to repair from parking lot fender-benders."

Big deal. That's what insurance is for. When my trusty A2 Golf and
I got into a 40-45 MPH head-on collision with a 5000 pound wagon,
I walked away without a scratch. Let one of the japanese yawn-mobiles
do that.  But they do have flashy electronics and nice doors. :-|

Even my mother knows the difference between good engineering and
gizmos. She started our family driving German cars 20+ years ago.
She still drives a Jetta, and is thinking about a Quattro (YEAH!).
Once, she looked at a Toyota Camry, and said "it's comfy, but who
wants to drive it?"


-- 

Andrew L. Duane (JOT-7)			duane@zk3.dec.com
Digital Equipment Corporation		(603)-881-1294
110 Spit Brook Road			http://www.zk3.dec.com/~duane
M/S ZKO3-3/U14
Nashua, NH    03062-2698

Only my cat shares my opinions, and she puts the "toy" in Toyota.