Is there really a Wrong Choice?

[ifcar]

What I'm saying is that it isn't the most comfortable, by a noticeable margin. The Camry is living off its name. It offers nothing too great compared to the competition.

Just because you didn't notice it as a passenger compared a handful of competitors doesn't mean meaningful distinctions do not exist.

[Raza]

And yet again, the point is bing missed. Compered to cars of 10 or even 20 years ago, even teh Camry is a top quality, excellent ability car. There is no BAD car these days, only ones that dont' quite compare to others in their class. Coming from an older car, there are no bad choices.

Since words like "bad" and "good" are largely derived comparatively, it's easy to see where people can have misunderstandings due to different bases of comparison. 

[ChrisV]

Since words like "bad" and "good" are largely derived comparatively, it's easy to see where people can have misunderstandings due to different bases of comparison. 

Yeah. But I would forward an analogy that schoolkids should be able to understand: Even the worst A student is an A student, and generally going to be smarter/better off than a D student. The arguing going on here is like calling one A student a great student and another A student a failure.

[ifcar]

Yeah. But I would forward an analogy that schoolkids should be able to understand: Even the worst A student is an A student, and generally going to be smarter/better off than a D student. The arguing going on here is like calling one A student a great student and another A student a failure.

I thought your argument wast that there are no D students.

[SVT666]

I thought your argument wast that there are no D students.

I would say that there are definitely B and C students in the automotive world, but I can't think of any D students.

[Byteme]

Yeah. But I would forward an analogy that schoolkids should be able to understand: Even the worst A student is an A student, and generally going to be smarter/better off than a D student. The arguing going on here is like calling one A student a great student and another A student a failure.

All car's aren't A students.  By definition the majority will be C students and some will fail in comparison to the rest.  

I agree with you in that there are no really bad cars today, when compared to those of say 10-15 years ago.  But to say there are no bad cars period is misleading.  When comparing all the current offerings there are a few bad ones (F's)  just as there are a great ones (A's).  

[ifcar]

I would say that there are definitely B and C students in the automotive world, but I can't think of any D students.

Then you're a poor grader. "C" is average.

[SVT666]

Then you're a poor grader. "C" is average.

The point I'm trying to make is that IMHO opinion I don't think you can buy a bad car these days.  Even the dreaded Sebring is still a reliable car that won't leave the owner stranded.  15 years ago, that wasn't the case.

[NomisR]

The point I'm trying to make is that IMHO opinion I don't think you can buy a bad car these days.  Even the dreaded Sebring is still a reliable car that won't leave the owner stranded.  15 years ago, that wasn't the case.

You should still have a bell curve though,

higher the bar is, higher the curve is. 

[ChrisV]

All car's aren't A students.  By definition the majority will be C students and some will fail in comparison to the rest.  

I agree with you in that there are no really bad cars today, when compared to those of say 10-15 years ago.  But to say there are no bad cars period is misleading.  When comparing all the current offerings there are a few bad ones (F's)  just as there are a great ones (A's).  

The point was that the cars that rate an F in comparison to others in their class today are still A students compared to cars over the decades, meaning that if we are coming from cars of the '70s, '80s and '90s, there are no F choices in comparison.

Again, we are now calling cars BAD when they are merely the worst of a very good group. I'm surprised this is still flying over people's heads.

[Byteme]

I think some of you guys are looking at this like a kiddie t-ball baseball league where everyone get a trophy everyone's a star and no score is kept.  Liek it or not in any competition someone will be last.

No one's bothered to define "bad"

When I say there are bad new cars, I'm saying that in comparison to the best and the average offerings there are some cars that are the worst in comparison to other current offerings.

[ChrisV]

You should still have a bell curve though,

higher the bar is, higher the curve is. 

No, the higher the bar, the smaller the bell curve. the total class is fery good, so the differences between best and worst are much smaller than they ever were. Compare teh bell curve of all students A-F vs the bell curve of all A students (A- to A+) Using the same graph, the latter will be smaller bell curve.

[NomisR]

The point was that the cars that rate an F in comparison to others in their class today are still A students compared to cars over the decades, meaning that if we are coming from cars of the '70s, '80s and '90s, there are no F choices in comparison.

Again, we are now calling cars BAD when they are merely the worst of a very good group. I'm surprised this is still flying over people's heads.

Yeah, but then again, you have to see how the poll was worded, he said is there a wrong choice and even if nothing was a bad choice, it could still be wrong. 

[Byteme]

The point was that the cars that rate an F in comparison to others in their class today are still A students compared to cars over the decades, meaning that if we are coming from cars of the '70s, '80s and '90s, there are no F choices in comparison.
Why does this matter?  Who cross shops a 2009 Focus against a 1983 Escort?  

Again, we are now calling cars BAD when they are merely the worst of a very good group. I'm surprised this is still flying over people's heads.  Perhaps we should revive Sears Sawbuck and Co.'s standard of three grades in their catalogue.  "Good, Better,  Best".  Someone has to come in last and that someone (car) is bad in comparison to what else is out there.  

[ChrisV]

Why does this matter?  Who cross shops a 2009 Focus against a 1983 Escort?

Someone getting out of a 1983 fucking Escort. Compared to what they were driving, no new car is a bad fucking car. Is this not clear at ALL?

[ChrisV]

Again, the original post in the thread said IN COMPARISON TO CARS OF THE PAST NO NEW CAR IS BAD. This is the comparison criteria. Not "is a new Camry an F compared to a new Altima."

For those of us that have been driving for decades, and you are one of them, new cars are  vastly better than cars that came before, thus none of them are bad choices in comparison to what we have been driving before.

Jesus.

[Raza]

Oh crap, once we started talking about grades, I got lost.  I went to public school.

[ChrisV]

Yeah, but then again, you have to see how the poll was worded, he said is there a wrong choice and even if nothing was a bad choice, it could still be wrong. 

And using Bytme's analogy, coming out of an '83 Escort (say, trading it in) there is no wrong choice as everything out there is better. Considering that the worst car that people have been arguing about here is more competent and reliable than the average 10 year old car that real people tend to be driving, even that choice isn't a "wrong choice" if it does what they need it to do (that is, get them from point A to point B reliably and comfortably in comparison to what they had been driving)

[Eye of the Tiger]

Again, the original post in the thread said IN COMPARISON TO CARS OF THE PAST NO NEW CAR IS BAD. This is the comparison criteria. Not "is a new Camry an F compared to a new Altima."

For those of us that have been driving for decades, and you are one of them, new cars are  vastly better than cars that came before, thus none of them are bad choices in comparison to what we have been driving before.

Jesus.

Jesus!? 

[ChrisV]

Oh crap, once we started talking about grades, I got lost.  I went to public school.

lol!

[Byteme]

Jesus.

Yes, my son?

[Byteme]

Again, the original post in the thread said IN COMPARISON TO CARS OF THE PAST NO NEW CAR IS BAD. This is the comparison criteria. Not "is a new Camry an F compared to a new Altima."

Jesus.

Whoa hoss.

The original post was:

In todays comparos and sales and the new era of quality and competitiveness, is there really a wrong car buying choice? One may have better features and be quicker, faster, better MPG's ect, but in general (short of a chinese deathtrap) is there really a wrong choice in cars? No matter what you buy, new, it'll be comfortable, quick (compared to the cars of yesteryear) relatively good-on-gas, and technologically advanced.

You'll note the reference to "cars of yesteryear" was only in regard to "quick".  Reread the first sentence, which I conveniently put in bold type.

[SVT666]

I think some of you guys are looking at this like a kiddie t-ball baseball league where everyone get a trophy everyone's a star and no score is kept.  Liek it or not in any competition someone will be last.

Last does not equal bad.  I saw a recent comparo where the STi finished last.  It's still a very very good car.

[Byteme]

Last does not equal bad.  I saw a recent comparo where the STi finished last.  It's still a very very good car.

Note though that I've always tried at least to convey the notion of "bad in comparison", not bad in the absolute sense. 

[TheIntrepid]

Yes, my son?

My dad says that all the time, too! :lol :