AUTOM

OTIVE ——

‘ke the driving challenge

Difference in car tastes will become crystal clear

OVERDRIVE

; {EVER T 'AKEN the Pensi
Challenge? *

To many peopie, the simple
side-by-side comparison test
seems to be nothing more than a

- marketing gimmick.
~» When you actually take the
., challenge test: though, something
: funny happens. The difference in
"taste between the two seemingly
‘similar products becomes crystal
clear when the two soft drinks are
~ tasted at the same time, under the
same conditions. You know im-
. “mediately which pop is the real
winner... -.

“Try the test agai ly but this- time .
‘drink the Coke and the Pepsi one
‘week apart. Now the winner isn’t
so clear anymore; you have -

.. forgotten what the previous soft
drink. tasted like.’.”-

: There i is something to be learned. .

heres
- In the automobile industry, car
ompanies perform. a’similar:
challenge test”? all, the, time —

except that-the products ‘are now

cars instead of soft:drinks.
“Vehicle evaluation engineers

: know that the only truly eff fective

“way of checking out a car. out is;
“to, compare ‘ther side-by-side, at”
_ the'same time, under the same
‘conditions. *.

Often called the comparative

: assessment, or back-to-back
testing, it is really the only method

“which allows you to clearly see,

- feel, and hear the differences
among the many cars being
evaluated.

«The concept is simple. You
drive one particular car for some
tirae, then immediately switch over
to another car, and continue

switching to other cars being com-

Pared.-

Tino time, ‘the pros and cons of
_ each car, become bluntly. obvious.
Even slight differences in seat *

comfort or wind noise become
... quite clear when you drive one car
“right after the other.:

44 You drive one particular car for
some time, then irnmediately switch

over to another car ... 99

During the Automobile Jour-
nalists’ Asscciation of Canada’s
Car of the Year event in Shan-
nonville, Ontario (described in
detail in Greg Wilson’s Automa-
tion columa), we used the same
idea.

Luxury cars were parked in one
area, 4X-s in another, and high
performance cars by the racetrack.

Each of the cars in the same
category were evaluated over the
same racetrack, off-road course,
or whatever, allowing the journal-

- ists to give an unbiased, accurate

evaluation of the eligible vehicles.

How could you — a potential
car buyer — apply the same prin-
ciple?

While you probably won’t have |

an opportunity to drive many new
cars over racetracks at the same
time, you can still perform this
back-to-back evaluation infor-
mally.

Once you’ve narrowed down

_ your choices of vehicles you’re

considering buying to five or six
cars, it’s time to do a proper Car

_Challenge Test Drive.

” Instead of test driving one car
on Saturday afternoon, another
on Wednesday night, and another
a week later, try to take all five or
six cats out on a test drive on the
same day.

You'll have to set aside perhaps
several hours to drive all of them
in one afternoon, but believe me,

“this is the.only way to check cars
‘out properly.

You may wish to call the dealers
ahead of time to Ict them know
the approximate time you plan to
arrive to drive the demonstration
vehicle. If possible, try to pick
dealers in the same area so that
you don’t have to drive an hour to

~. check the next vehicle on the list.

All this may seem like a Jot of '
work, but I personally think it’s
worth the effort because you'll be
able to pick the final ‘‘winner’’
from th several cars driven.

If-you Jon’t drive the cars on
the same day, chances are you'll
forget what the previous car felt
like and you'll just end up being
confused. -

At the Car of the Year Event in
Ontario, we evaluated each vehicle
on twenty different characteristics.

. Each category was given a score ©

END OF
SEASON SALE

Over 26 vehicles
in stock

Buy now

while prices

& interest rates
are both low!

out of 10,

While this method was very ap-
propriate for thorough evaluation,
it’s unnecessarily detailed for an
average consumer looking to buy
a car.

My suggestion is that you pick
up the five most important factors
out of the following parameters,
then write them down on a piece
of paper. As you test drive each
of the cars, give a score out of 10
in those five categories. Add up
the five scores to give a final
grade out of 50.

Select five factors from the fol-
lowing:

@ styling

@ interior space/cargo space

® ergonomics (how easy it is to
manipulate the controls)

© comfort

@ overall quietness/smoothness
@ acceleration

® engine smoothness/perfor-
mance :

@ transmission feel

@ fucl economy

@ ride comfort.

@ handling characteristics

@ braking feel

® traction on wet, snow etc,

@ safety features

® value for dollar

@ quality

This method will allow.you to
evaluate the vehicle only on fac-
tors thai are important to you.

For example, sports car buyers
most likely won’t be interested in
fuel economy or quietness, while’
luxury vehicle buyers won’t care
too much about value for dollar
or handling characteristics.

If you wish, you can pick up
more than five parameters, but
don’t pick up too many to com-
plicate your evaluation process.

Take your time, relax, and zn-
joy the Challenge Test Drive!

INTRODUCING THE
ALL NEW 1994
SAAB 800:

Redesigned from the!
ground up, Road &
Track has described it as »
the most exciting export 9 2$
from Sweden. since &
Stefan Edberg. We think.
you'll agree. Available
now for your inspection. ©
Substantial savings on
remaining 900’x:&
9000's. Special lease

rates available now!

Use non-gasoline powered garden tools

e Ait Conditioning

© AM/FM Casserte

© Power Windows

© Power Locks

© Power Mirrors

© Tilt Sceering

® 190 HP, DOHC Vé

© 5,000 LB Towing Capacity

_» Power Sreering

© Rear Anti-lock Brakes
© Tu-tone Paint
© Integrated Foplights
© Privacy Glass
® Height Adjustable Seat
© Anti-theft System
© 245/70 R16 Tires
© Power Retractable Mirrors
* $4,500 down, 36 months, $11,800
residual, plus taxes, O.A.C.

3rd Annual Saturn
Company Car
Chan: eover.

© 7 Vehicles Available . :

© Many Include Automatic |...
® All Models Including Wagon :
¢ All as New, LowKm. .

.®© Best Value in Canada

* #1 in Quality Survey

Greater-
Vancouver.

An efficient gas- powered mower can produce Bectonal

more emissions than a new fuetefficient car. .

istrict

CUSTOM LEASE ALLOWS YOU TO SELECT ANY MAKE OR MODEL
OF NEW OR USED VEHICLE
CUSTOM LEASE HAS NO EARLY SETTLEMENT PENALTIES OR
MILEAGE RESTRICTIONS, PERIOD

CUSTOM LEASE’S STRAIGHTFORWARD, LOW OVERHEAD
APPROACH SAVES YOU MONEY!

5 speed, 4 door, A/C,
AM/FM cassette

§ speed, 4 door, V6,

AM/FM cassette

1348 MARINE | DR.

CUSTOM

LEASE PRICE $24,549°

MON. “THURS. BAM 7PM
FRIDAY SAM-GPM

_ NOK VANCOUVER: saruapar rosmaro °°