Consumer Reports Buying Survey

20 April 2000

Consumer Reports Buying Survey Shows Younger Car Buyers Make Price Their Top Priority; Styling Ranks Third in Survey--after Reliability

    YONKERS, N.Y.--April 19, 2000--Consumer Reports says that Younger car buyers say that they're looking for the best possible price on a car--and not necessarily the best-looking one--when they go shopping for a new vehicle, Consumer Reports' latest auto buying survey reveals.
    When asked what they look for in a vehicle, 56.9 percent of those surveyed under the age of 35 stated that "getting the best possible price" on a car was the top factor in their search--even more important than purchasing a reliable car, or the one with the best styling or appearance, the Consumer Reports survey found. Fifty-two percent of those under 35 told Consumer Reports that getting a reliable car was the most important issue, while 48.7 percent said that appearance/styling was the number one factor.
    The Consumer Reports survey also shows that younger buyers are more likely than others to research their purchases, both on and off the Web. More than 54 percent of those under age 35 consult friends, relatives, or associates before making a purchase. And, because they have the most access to the Internet, younger buyers are the most likely to use it to find auto test reports and other material. Young buyers are also more likely than others to consider different models and visit multiple dealers.
    Consumer Reports offers an array of products and services to help younger buyers find a reliable vehicle at a good price. These include the annually published Consumer Reports Used Car Buying Guide; the Consumer Reports Used Car Price Service; and Consumer Reports Online.
    The Consumer Reports Used Car Buying Guide 2000, by the Editors of Consumer Reports, includes reviews and reliability reports for 256 used cars, sport-utility vehicles, pick-up trucks, and minivans manufactured between 1992 and 1999. The book includes Consumer Reports' list of "Good Bets"--models that have performed well over the years and have a better-than-average reliability. The reviews include price guidelines, reliability histories, information about recalls, standard safety equipment, and trouble spots to watch for. The Used Car Buying Guide offers useful advice on where to shop; what questions to ask the seller, and how to inspect a car. It also gives tips on how to negotiate the right price.
    Consumer Reports Used Car Buying Guide 2000 is available at major bookstores and from book e-tailers, including Amazon.com, B&N.com, Borders.com, and Varsitybooks.com.
    Consumer Reports Used Car Price Service provides all the facts, surveys, reports and research a consumer needs to get the best deal. Buyers simply call the Used Car Price Service toll free at 1-800-395-4400 and provide the year, make, model, and trim line of the vehicle they want to buy. For just $10.00, charged to a credit card, they receive by fax or mail a complete report that includes price ranges and trade-in values for any vehicle produced between 1983 and 1999; a work sheet to help add or subtract value depending on the vehicle's mileage and options; and a 14-point reliability summary (available on most models). Each report includes advice on negotiating the best deal.
    Car buyers can also visit Consumer Reports Online at www.ConsumerReports.org. The Web site's free area contains extensive information on buying a car, checking a used car, warranties, and more. Site subscribers pay just $3.95 per month or $24 per year ($19 for Consumer Reports subscribers) to access additional features, including CR's Forums; unique reliability histories for 1,300 used cars; and ratings, recommendations and advice on hundreds of cars and trucks.
    The popular Annual Auto issue of Consumer Reports magazine, published in April and on newsstands now, also features a section on used cars.
    Survey results are based upon a questionnaire that was mailed in late 1999 to a nationally-representative group of consumers who had purchased or leased a new family vehicle--a car, light truck or sport utility vehicle--within the previous six months. A total of 984 people took part in the survey.
    Consumer Reports is one of the most trusted sources for information and advice on consumer products and services. Its editors have decades of experience in driving, testing, and reporting on cars. Their work is based on the testing and expertise of the Consumer Reports Auto Test Division, which has evaluated autos on the test track and on public roads for more than 50 years, and on the analysis of reliability data by Consumer Reports Survey Research Division, which gathers auto repair information from hundreds of thousands of Consumer Reports subscribers each year.

Consumers Union is an independent, nonprofit testing and information-gathering organization, serving only the consumer. We are a comprehensive source of unbiased advice about products and services, personal finance, health, nutrition, and other consumer concerns. Since 1936, our mission has been to test products, inform the public, and protect consumers.