There is as an option, of course, the more powerful engine for every model, which allows us now to reach 100 km/h 2 seconds faster than the model that's less expensive in purchase price, in fuel, in speeding tickets... Are those 2 saved seconds so important, rationally? And what urges us to reach that famous 100 km/h, the automotive Holy Grail?
What's rational about having cars that are governed to 180 km/h and more when the authorized speed limit in this country is 110 km/h?
What's rational about buying a vehicle that has 18-, 19- or 20-inch wheels that cost much more to buy? (and what can we say when the time comes to replace those tires?)
What's rational about changing your car every 2 or 3 years when that's exactly the period when it loses the most value?
What's rational about buying a car that's too big for our needs? (the average number of people riding in a car to work in the morning is 1.1 per car)
What's rational about paying for power-adjustable seats? An outside temperature indicator? About paying more for body-coloured bumpers and mud guards? etc., etc. etc.
In short, choices are called rational in the automotive world are quite often not the case. They start from a personal judgement of what everyone considers important for their comfort, their image and their needs.
For example, I consider that, rationally, I don't need a big car. I'm single. I don't want to change my car often to avoid losing money. I don't need a guidance system, a sound system that will rip out my eardrums, leather seats, to get low-profile tires installed, a motor that will allow me to drive very fast; I don't work in a field where I need a truck; I don't consider, rationally, that I need a four-wheel-drive vehicle, I've managed well without until now; no sunroof either; and various other gadgets that I don't need.
I consider that I need a vehicle that is cheap to buy, cheap at the gas pump, and cheap to maintain. So, I have bought a little $23,000 hybrid. I could've bought an $18,000 subcompact that would've done the job well, but for ethical reasons and because I want to keep the car for a long time, I know that the higher fuel economy will compensate for the higher price. I got myself one single option: a CD player.
The reason why I'm writing this article is simple. The next time you'll think about buying a vehicle, dress an HONEST list of your really rational needs, your essentials, your tastes and your fears. You'll waste a lot less money and will serve you better than to rely on the "rational" choices of several journalists, because they will often confuse their rationality with yours.
Here is what you'll have to ask yourself if you want to be rational:
-How much money are you willing to spend on a vehicle?
-Is it really necessary to put so much money on a vehicle?
-How many people will be riding in this vehicle most of the time?
(If you're alone 90% of the time and once or twice a month you are 6, you're better off renting a bigger vehicle for those occasions)
-Did you verify which models are the most reliable in the category you're looking into?
-What's the resale value of the model you're looking for?
-How much does it cost to insure?
-Which options do you really need?
-No, seriously...
-What's the fuel consumption of the vehicle that interests you?
-What's the rating of its antipollution system? (for more info, see The Necessary Chronicle)
-How much do the parts cost on the vehicle that interests you?
-How much does the total of the inspections cost on the vehicle that interests you?
(A brand-new Mazda that I bought 15 years ago cost me $2,500 in inspections only, while my current vehicle only cost me $500. Ask the dealer's service department to add it up for you; you'll see, it's surprising...)
- What's its crash rating in the event of an accident?
- Crucial question: are you looking to get yourself a status symbol or only a method of locomotion?
That's rational questions.
What's rational about having cars that are governed to 180 km/h and more when the authorized speed limit in this country is 110 km/h?
What's rational about buying a vehicle that has 18-, 19- or 20-inch wheels that cost much more to buy? (and what can we say when the time comes to replace those tires?)
What's rational about changing your car every 2 or 3 years when that's exactly the period when it loses the most value?
What's rational about buying a car that's too big for our needs? (the average number of people riding in a car to work in the morning is 1.1 per car)
What's rational about paying for power-adjustable seats? An outside temperature indicator? About paying more for body-coloured bumpers and mud guards? etc., etc. etc.
In short, choices are called rational in the automotive world are quite often not the case. They start from a personal judgement of what everyone considers important for their comfort, their image and their needs.
For example, I consider that, rationally, I don't need a big car. I'm single. I don't want to change my car often to avoid losing money. I don't need a guidance system, a sound system that will rip out my eardrums, leather seats, to get low-profile tires installed, a motor that will allow me to drive very fast; I don't work in a field where I need a truck; I don't consider, rationally, that I need a four-wheel-drive vehicle, I've managed well without until now; no sunroof either; and various other gadgets that I don't need.
I consider that I need a vehicle that is cheap to buy, cheap at the gas pump, and cheap to maintain. So, I have bought a little $23,000 hybrid. I could've bought an $18,000 subcompact that would've done the job well, but for ethical reasons and because I want to keep the car for a long time, I know that the higher fuel economy will compensate for the higher price. I got myself one single option: a CD player.
The reason why I'm writing this article is simple. The next time you'll think about buying a vehicle, dress an HONEST list of your really rational needs, your essentials, your tastes and your fears. You'll waste a lot less money and will serve you better than to rely on the "rational" choices of several journalists, because they will often confuse their rationality with yours.
Here is what you'll have to ask yourself if you want to be rational:
-How much money are you willing to spend on a vehicle?
-Is it really necessary to put so much money on a vehicle?
-How many people will be riding in this vehicle most of the time?
(If you're alone 90% of the time and once or twice a month you are 6, you're better off renting a bigger vehicle for those occasions)
-Did you verify which models are the most reliable in the category you're looking into?
-What's the resale value of the model you're looking for?
-How much does it cost to insure?
-Which options do you really need?
-No, seriously...
-What's the fuel consumption of the vehicle that interests you?
-What's the rating of its antipollution system? (for more info, see The Necessary Chronicle)
-How much do the parts cost on the vehicle that interests you?
-How much does the total of the inspections cost on the vehicle that interests you?
(A brand-new Mazda that I bought 15 years ago cost me $2,500 in inspections only, while my current vehicle only cost me $500. Ask the dealer's service department to add it up for you; you'll see, it's surprising...)
- What's its crash rating in the event of an accident?
- Crucial question: are you looking to get yourself a status symbol or only a method of locomotion?
That's rational questions.