This article is a reaction to an expression that I've heard too many times from traditional automotive writers in the last years.
"This is a rational purchase", or "This purchase is not rational", or "The most rational choice is...", etc., etc., etc. I've often read comments written by these people that were defending rational choices, like if their supposedly rationality was THE rationality. What does a rational purchase mean? Let's start by defining the word.
Here is the definition of the word rational, as defined by WordNet 2.0: Rational, adjective, (from Latin ratio, or reason): Consistent with or based on or using reason; having its source in or being guided by the intellect (distinguished from experience or emotion).
So, our scientific journalists would be explaining the highly subjective field of automobiles by rational or irrational choices? I've decided, in a serious state of mind just like the "real" scientific automotive journalists, to make up a list of rational automotive choices.
First off, let's start by examining the vehicle categories. There is:
Minis, subcompacts, compacts, mid-sizes, full-size cars; small, medium and large SUVs; small, medium and large wagons; small, medium and large minivans; low-priced, mid-priced, high-priced and ridiculously-high-priced sports cars; mid-priced, high-priced and ridiculously-high-priced luxury coupes and sedans.
Let's filter them out.
So, for starters, we can rationally say that sports cars do not constitute rational choices. They're costly to buy, to insure and to gas up, they pollute a lot, and cost a lot in speeding tickets. This way, we would eliminate sports cars of all prices from rational choices, so we can't recommend any... rationally.
The SUVs would also be eliminated from the category of vehicles that constitute rational choices. They are too expensive in fuel consumption and insurance, they are not the safest in the event of an accident because of their tendency to rollover, they pollute too much and are the targets of car thieves. There is of course a few rare people who need its higher ground clearance, but we're talking here of under 10% of actual buyers. As for space, wagons and minivans are a lot better, drink less fuel and are safer, are often less expensive, and let's not forget that a lot of these models offer all-wheel-drive.
All the luxury and high-luxury vehicles are also not rational choices. They cost too much, depreciate rapidly, are prone to theft, are expensive to fill up in gas and to insure, are often contain very sophisticated technology that make them more subject to spending time at the dealer then on the road because of all the problems that will arise.
As for the rationality of the other categories, it's more of a case by case situation that you can test with the questionnaire that you'll see below.
Let's get to the equipment now:
Is there anyone in this room that considers a DVD player as being rational in a vehicle? That leather seats are an option that offers, rationally, anything positive towards safety, space, fuel consumption, or purchase price? What can we say about power windows? Are we so handicapped now that we can't even crank a handle?
And that magnificent satellite guidance system! For as little as a few thousand dollars more! It's so much more rational than a $5 map! Or the sunroof that allows us to see all the objects that are falling from the sky and cause an accident!
How could we forget to mention the indispensable 300-watt hi-fi sound system that will allow us not to hear the others on the road, for improved tranquility and safety?
"This is a rational purchase", or "This purchase is not rational", or "The most rational choice is...", etc., etc., etc. I've often read comments written by these people that were defending rational choices, like if their supposedly rationality was THE rationality. What does a rational purchase mean? Let's start by defining the word.
Here is the definition of the word rational, as defined by WordNet 2.0: Rational, adjective, (from Latin ratio, or reason): Consistent with or based on or using reason; having its source in or being guided by the intellect (distinguished from experience or emotion).
So, our scientific journalists would be explaining the highly subjective field of automobiles by rational or irrational choices? I've decided, in a serious state of mind just like the "real" scientific automotive journalists, to make up a list of rational automotive choices.
First off, let's start by examining the vehicle categories. There is:
Minis, subcompacts, compacts, mid-sizes, full-size cars; small, medium and large SUVs; small, medium and large wagons; small, medium and large minivans; low-priced, mid-priced, high-priced and ridiculously-high-priced sports cars; mid-priced, high-priced and ridiculously-high-priced luxury coupes and sedans.
Let's filter them out.
So, for starters, we can rationally say that sports cars do not constitute rational choices. They're costly to buy, to insure and to gas up, they pollute a lot, and cost a lot in speeding tickets. This way, we would eliminate sports cars of all prices from rational choices, so we can't recommend any... rationally.
The SUVs would also be eliminated from the category of vehicles that constitute rational choices. They are too expensive in fuel consumption and insurance, they are not the safest in the event of an accident because of their tendency to rollover, they pollute too much and are the targets of car thieves. There is of course a few rare people who need its higher ground clearance, but we're talking here of under 10% of actual buyers. As for space, wagons and minivans are a lot better, drink less fuel and are safer, are often less expensive, and let's not forget that a lot of these models offer all-wheel-drive.
All the luxury and high-luxury vehicles are also not rational choices. They cost too much, depreciate rapidly, are prone to theft, are expensive to fill up in gas and to insure, are often contain very sophisticated technology that make them more subject to spending time at the dealer then on the road because of all the problems that will arise.
As for the rationality of the other categories, it's more of a case by case situation that you can test with the questionnaire that you'll see below.
Let's get to the equipment now:
Is there anyone in this room that considers a DVD player as being rational in a vehicle? That leather seats are an option that offers, rationally, anything positive towards safety, space, fuel consumption, or purchase price? What can we say about power windows? Are we so handicapped now that we can't even crank a handle?
And that magnificent satellite guidance system! For as little as a few thousand dollars more! It's so much more rational than a $5 map! Or the sunroof that allows us to see all the objects that are falling from the sky and cause an accident!
How could we forget to mention the indispensable 300-watt hi-fi sound system that will allow us not to hear the others on the road, for improved tranquility and safety?