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Welcome to the Produce Aisle...Jul 26 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
Popular Products in Cars
The Bottom Line It's very simple: *You get what you pay for*
The analogy I'm going to employ to explore this complex topic is this: Let's say you're on a diet (budget). One that allows, say, 1,800 calories per day (a reasonably low budget). You're at the supermarket. You look to one side, see the frozen treats section with all the Haagen-Dazs and fudgy treats known to man (monster SUVs, "luxury" cars, sports cars) and immediately eliminate that possibility. You look to the nasty PowerBar section (overly economic, unappealing cars, Pinto-from-the-70's-like), and decide you're not willing to go to that extreme. So, you go to the sensible, practical, but still appealing produce aisle. (consisting mostly of Passenger Cars!) Just as fruits and veggies have always been a main staple in most diets, passenger cars have always been a lively market, and for good reason! As the name indicates, they can accommodate more than just the driver and a medium-sized dog. Nor do they haul around those 90 seats few of us require. In fact, if you choose carefully, you can comfortably fit 5 people (or even more if you're creative!) And that, coupled with a decent-sized trunk, is all you really need. Passenger cars are the perfect solution for those who don't need to drag around excessive amounts of people, or other material that would require a truck or an SUV that can barely fit in the lane, much less a reasonable budget. Since this is the type of car that most people choose, there are, naturally, many, many choices. The final choice has many factors, which include, but are not limited to: 1) Appeal 2) Resale Value 3) Reliability 4) Performance 5) Fit & Finish 6) Miles Per Gallon 7) Your Specific Wants/Needs (Features) 8) Good Warranty 9) *Safety* 10) COST!!! Obviously this list isn't in the right order, because Cost and Safety are at the bottom, and they are, or should be, the two most important factors in this decision. Buying car that isn't safe is just like rolling the dice on all those other factors, and your life, since all of those would be gone if the car ever in a serious wreck. Where would the good looks be then?? Would you still be alive to see it?? You'd better cross your fingers on that one, unless you invest in a car with these features, at least: 1) Driver and Passenger Airbags 2) Side-Impact Airbags (if at all possible) 3) Anti-Lock Brakes 4) Front and Rear Crush Zones to absorb impact 5) Side-Impact Beams I realize this may appear "off the topic," but I think that these considerations need to addressed, because it will affect the cost of buying any passenger car, and the long-term repair costs as well. A huge, no *ENORMOUS* cost consideration that should be high on your list is MPG. As gas prices are getting to record levels (as much as $2/gal) this is, no doubt, a factor that will affect how much money you spend on your car, for now and however long you own your car. Think about it, if one possible car costs $2,000 less than another, but gets marginal/poor gas mileage, and the other gets exceptional mileage, wouldn't it make more sense to invest in the more expensive one? In time, it will pay for itself. So, you find a passenger car that fits your needs, and your budget, with however much safety features you can cram into your choice, and good MPG, you could end up paying anywhere between $10,000 clear up to $40,000 or more. (Though you'd be lucky to be able to go that high!) Now the real test begins. How much you'll put into your car as soon as you drive it off the lot... First off, depending on how much research you put into your decision, you should have a pretty good idea of how reputable the maker is. From sites like Epinions, and many other sources, you can pretty much eliminate certain makers, and seriously consider others, just by taking in others' experiences, or maybe your own. So, a huge factor in how much you're going to spend on your car is the reliability of the make and model you selected. Let's hope you chose wisely, because this will make or break your budget. I'll use my own experience to illustrate this point. I researched forever, very thoroughly (which is how I was introduced to Epinions,) to come to my decision. I read and took into account every experience, good or bad, with the cars I was considering. Based on my research, needs/wants, budget and all that, I bought a new Honda Civic. (See that review for more info.) I knew with a fair degree of certainty that this would be a sensible buy, at the very least, because it has excellent resale value and an excellent reputation for reliability and safety. Any other features would be great and much improve my experience, but I knew that at the very least, this car wouldn't be a perpetually devastating expense. I'm not trying to push my particular choice on you, it's just an example of a very wise decision, which it certainly has been. So, what does it cost to own a passenger car? This question can only be answered by how much you're able/willing to invest in a car that won't present financial problems to you. If you buy a model with an excellent reputation, in all likelihood, you'll pay very little, if anything. But if you buy a car with a shady reputation, prepare to pay dearly, and maybe not just in money. If you don't believe me on this one, you can pay $0 on maintenance, with excellent gas mileage, like I have for a whole year of exceptional performance with a car like my Civic, or you can go on a hunch and get a car you didn't really look into, and pay later. Welcome to the produce aisle... If you buy a fruit with mold on it, prepare to pay. Only instead of Pepto Bismol... you're gonna need a new transmission!  |
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