Customer Reviews

Consumer Reports Used Car Buying Guide 2001

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As usual, Consumer Reports does an excellant job of providing information about used cars. Unlike the Consumer Guide on used cars, Consumer Reports accepts no funding from car manufacturers. Consumer Reports gives a non-biased, excellant source of information. We have already bought one car according to their suggestions and the car has been the best car we have ever had!

The new CR guide, like the CR's other releases, is a very useful car guide, aimed not only for car lovers - but to nearly anyone who has anything to do with cars.

When I look for a used car, the main issue for me is Reliability. Almost anything I need to know about it is in that guide. A great tool I had last year - when I bought a car - was the beautiful CR 1998 guide. This one is even better. With history about the car makers and a short review about each model - I have more than I need to know.

And there is more. As a car owner, I fully respect the CR's tips about maintaining the car. Words about tires, breaks, safety features etc. are completing the bargain.

A recommended magazine for car lovers, and a great tool for the rest.

Read my review of the 1999 book, it's the same opinion. I must add though, that it seems as though they contradict themselves when it comes to the "best bests" & "worse cars" lists. However, it does give you a basic idea of what may be good or bad out there.

I was disappointed in this report. In looking for a used car, my primary interests are safety, reliability, initial cost, maintenance cost, insurance cost and probability of theft. While this report provided good information on reliability and initial cost, the profiles contained no information about crash tests, insurance costs, or probability of theft. The report indicated that its own crash tests were conducted, but they were not presented. Safety information included only a section listing important safety items (such as air bags, anti-lock brakes) and a report of same in each car profile. The report gave two web sites that could be visited for crash test information and I visited those web sites. The result is that I've spent hours on the web and am compiling my own information from the web, this report and other sources in order to get all of the information I need. If you just want information about reliability and price, this is your book. If you want comprehensive information, maybe there is a better book somewhere. . . I haven't found it.