Where can I find reviews for new and used cars?
Shopping for new and used cars is a process that requires careful attention to industry reviews, as well as the experience of customers who have recently driven the car off of a dealer lot. The potential for “lemon” vehicles and cars which fail to live up to their marketing hype is all too real, and all to common. The internet is rife with websites that review new and used cars from the perspective of both professional critics and the customers who have purchased the vehicle, and it’s a crucial asset during the buying process.
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Consumer Reports: Automobiles
It’s widely known as one of the most reputable product testing and review agencies in America, and Consumer Reports lends this credibility to its car review section, as well. The company maintains an active and free section of car reviews on its website; these reviews can be searched through according to make, model, and production year. And, because Consumer Reports tends toward the magazine format, there are several other ways to make a purchasing decision.
Consumer Reports is all about providing readers with the best information needed before making a major purchase. For this reason, the company often offers side-by-side comparison of vehicles in the same class, noting their real-world performance as compared to their marketing hype. They then pick the best car in each category, and explain their decision: it’s a conclusion that most internet car review sites allow readers to decide, and it saves the average car buyer lots of time.
In addition to side-by-side automobile comparisons, Consumer Reports typically has a number of features ranking cars by their fuel economy, safety during collisions, agility on the road, and other factors. For consumers who know exactly what their most-needed feature is, Consumer Reports is a solid and reputable resource.
Edmunds.com
The company now known as Edmunds.com was actually founded n 1966 as a small enterprise which produced pamphlet-based car reviews for customers on the go. The company dedicated each pamphlet to a different model, and consumers could pick up the information readily at car dealers and hobby shops. Their approach has long since been changed, but Edmunds.com is still one of the industry leaders in automobile information and reviews.
The company maintains a backlog of car reviews that dates back to the early 2000s, when it got its start in online publishing. Paired with its leading-edge reviews of new cars — and even concept cars shown at international auto shows — its a great resource for buyers of all stripes. Used car buyers will appreciate the company’s breakdown of each make, model, and build — especially because dealers typically only carry one or two of each used car model.
New car purchasers, on the other hand, will love that the company always compares the latest model year to those which came before it, and advises consumers as to whether a company’s offerings have improved or declined with the latest iteration. This is a great way to see if a new car is worth all of the hype and financing, or whether a slightly older used model might be preferable.
Motor Trend
One of the most seasoned automobile publications in the United States, Motor Trend was first published as an enthusiast magazine in 1949. Since then, the company has migrated many of its features to its website for users who prefer electronic reading to traditional magazine publishing. Its name can be heard in many car commercials, which advertise their vehicles as the “Motor Trend car of the year,” and the company does maintain a number of awards for car manufacturers based on vehicle quality.
Motor Trend maintains reviews for new cars, and keeps an archive of all the reviews it has done on previous model year vehicles. It includes a number of rich media elements, including a large number of photos for each vehicle reviewed by the company. These reviews are then paired with a number of helpful videos; the company shows readers the actual road test of the car, often gives them a tour of the interior and exterior, and talks up a vehicle’s pros and cons in these videos.
Don’t Forget the Car Insurance
All of the attention paid to the quality of a new or used car during the buying process can often serve to distract a customer form another important issue that will play into the price of their vehicle and the quality of their ride: the car insurance policy they’ll need to update or purchase. Any new vehicle, whether it be new altogether or merely new to the buyer, will require a phone call to an insurance company to alter coverage and make it street-legal.
This process should always be done intelligently; customers should go online and compare insurance quotes between all of the companies which serve their state in order to ensure that they’re getting the best deal on coverage. Remember that each company performs its risk assessment differently, and this subjective treatment of a new vehicle may result in lower coverage with a competitor rather than with a customer’s current insurer.
When vehicle review websites are paired with online insurance quote comparisons, customers are set to save big money on their purchase of a new or used vehicle. It’s a flawless combination of research and price comparison destined to benefit every type of consumer. Simply enter your ZIP code into the FREE auto insurance comparison tool to find great coverage for your car!
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