Club vehicle reviews
I find that the club vehicle reviews and for that other leisure magazines lack real information and are predominantly subjective, whilst these opinions can be useful there is a lack of nitty gritty objectivity. I for one would like the technical information to include confirmation of MRO weight or kerb weight and any impact on real life load margins, what is actually included in the MRO how many gas bottles full water tanks etc. And maybe current draw of fitted electrical appliances both AC and DC and ability to run on various amperage hook ups. Maybe ramp over angles like you get with 4x4 vehicles, this determines the vehicles ability to cope with a rough field or sloping pitch this would aid comparison of vehicles and suitability for intended use.
Didn't the club used to do useful surveys on vehicles where real life mpg and faults/ breakdowns were reported?
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Mmmmm, wishful thinking V, C&MC are paid to do these things, why bite the hand that feeds?🤔. If it was ‘warts & all’ the revenue stream would soon stop. Best seek out a fully independent revue for in depth stuff. Honesty & sales are rare bedfellows😕
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I didn't realise that CMC were paid to review, if true that puts it in a different context, who pays the most gets the best review eh?
The facts I have suggested are useful to prospective buyers' dont think I have asked for anything controversial? ok you can unravel them for yourself but this involves trawling the small print to actually find what is included in MRO for each manufacturer, tanks full, empty or partially filled, one gas bottle or two. If your club magazine is going to do a review at least make it useful for the membership.
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Are you willing to share with us how the Club is paid for doing such reviews and how you have come across that information?
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Or better yet you could produce concrete checkable proof it doesn’t happen👍🏻. I have a family member who works for a newspaper who works in the advertising section, it is industry standard to print paid reviews. The best practice is NOT to print-‘this review is totally unbiased & no money changed hands’ it’s not so much what is said but what is omitted. If you can produce irrefutable proof I am happy to apologise unreservedly.
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Rocky, Lesley Harris, who wrote the latest car review in the club magazine writes cars reviews and no doubt gets paid for her efforts. At the end of the review the club thanks the business who loaned the car. There are a lot of articles in the magazine, the writers probably all get remuneration unless they are doing it out of love and devotion for CAMC.
There's no evidence to suggest the club receives a payment too. It promotes itself freely throughout the pages.
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What you are saying JV is that there are no HONEST reviewers ? JD Power is well thought of ,(dont know if thats still true ?) and their opinion carried a lot of weight.
We just need the unpolished facts, can it or cant it ? Even MORE important now that some cars EVs cannot tow at all. We need informed advice.
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If the reviews on LVs were warts and all, how come so many moan that their vehicle cannot have been designed by people who use them,with the poor user experiances, and i have seen the long term tests being used for freeby holidays with a "press free pass"by other than the reveiwers,
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Irrespective of what's being reviewed, if a writer were to tell the full story - ie not omit less favourable things - is it likely that reviewer would get repeat work from the manufacturer?
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+1
I think if you want a vehicle review that the club magazine wouldn’t be the best place to find it. It will probably give you a flavour and then if you like what you read go and do some more research?
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Some folk wear blinkers, some folk don’t, some folk understand how the corporate world ticks, some don’t, some folk even think money grows on trees, some of us even know money makes the world go round-it talks all languages👍🏻😊
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I couldn’t have put it better. A healthy dose of scepticism should be taken with each review.
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+1
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It's not up to me to offer proof one way or the other as I have none to offer but then I don't go around making accusations that the staff at the Club magazine are being dishonest by avoiding being completely candid in the reviews they write, you are. I think it is up to you to provide that evidence as you are making the accusation.
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I don’t think it’s the staff who write the reviews…
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Hi everyone,
I would just like to assure you all that all tests – towcar, caravan and motorhome – are totally independent and unbiased, and can absolutely confirm that no money changes hands. That would be no way to operate and we would refuse any test under such circumstances.
Our towcar tester Lesley Harris, caravan tester Rob McCabe and motorhome tester Nick Harding have more than 80 years’ experience between them in their particular fields, so all praise and criticism is objective, founded on knowledge and experience and, in terms of any criticism, is constructive. Indeed, we know that our reviews, together with Towcar and Caravan and Motorhome Design awards as well as member surveys, drive improvements in the product that lands on dealers’ forecourts.
We hope this information is helpful and thank you for your feedback which has been sent on to the magazine team.
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