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Originally Posted by bruce.augenstein@comcast.
No road test done by someone else can substitute for one of your own, but if the authors are any good, then you can get something of a feel for a car (especially in a comparison test) by the verbiage, and a feel for the numbers from the test results panel. However, for me, the best part of those comparision tests in either Car & Driver or Road & Track is the comparison panel that rates the cars in multiple categories. It doesn't matter a bit what the total scores are. Just look at the various categories that are important to you and see who wins. Don't care about trunk space? Fine. Throw it out. Don't care about ergonomics? Okeydoke. It's gone. Fun to drive is tops with you? Fine, it's right there.
There's real value in these kinds of rating schemes.
Bruce
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This is why I said
Quote:
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Just give me the numbers, and *I'll* declare the winner.
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I did say that numbers are half the story - there is some useful information, but don't care overall. I can care less about what the editor likes in terms of feel, so having a winner is pointless to me. Verbiage? You can get a WRONG feel perhaps by verbiage, since feel/preference is subjective. For instance, I completely disagree in this review regarding the steering on the 911. I don't think he's lying, I just don't agree. That's his impression/feel.
Let's be honest. The tests are done because these guys have nothing to write about every month (that's "sexy" and sells, like "M3 vs. 911"), the winner thing sounds good all the time, and they need to sell magazines. A better comparison test would be M3 vs. RS4 (maybe the've done that - don't know). M3 vs. 911 is apples to oranges. Some like both, some hate apples, and some hate oranges. Yet both have nutritional value.