<VV> Consumer Reports bias, was: Politics on Virtual Vairs

[airvair at earthlink.net]

Consumer Reports has had a 50+year history of bias against American cars. I
was reading them during the time the Corvair was being built. CU would
habitually buy a 500 model, on the pretense that "consumers would favor the
bench seat." Then they'd complain that the Corvair was noisy. Well, yea,
the 500 didn't have the sound deadening that the more popular Monza had. It
was, after all, meant only to be a price leader. And in the REAL Corvair
market, people favored the Monza's higher trim appointments. Still do. CU
was clueless about the car market then and they are clueless still today.

-Mark

> [Original Message]
> From: Pete Hoekema <Pete.Hoekema at muskegoncc.edu>
> Subject: Re: <VV> Politics on Virtual Vairs
>
> In regards to the Toyota accelleration problem, I have long thought
Consumer Reports showed a favorable bias toward any automobiles made in
Japan but a few weeks ago it was proven to me.
>  
> One of their editors was interviewed on Fox News and asked whether or not
he would drive his Toyota, with kids aboard, in view of the problems
recently experienced with unintended accelleration. He said he would drive
a Toyota without hesitation, even with his children in the car. The next
day a man narrowly avoided death when his Toyota ended up in a ditch,
partially underwater.
>  
> Do you think this editor would have given such a resounding vote of
confidence to any American automobile manufacturer? I don't. If I had any
respect for the opinions expressed in Consumer Reports before, it is gone
now.
>