Older Vehicle Buyers Are Less Likely to Consider Import Brands, Younger Buyers . . .
11-30-07, 08:41 AM
#1
Super Moderator
Thread Starter
Older Vehicle Buyers Are Less Likely to Consider Import Brands, Younger Buyers . . .
J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Older Vehicle Buyers Are Less Likely to Consider Import Brands, While Younger Buyers Are More Likely to Avoid Domestic Models
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA USA
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- While older buyers
who purchase domestic vehicles are more likely to avoid purchasing certain
models because they are imports, younger consumers who purchase import
vehicles are more likely to avoid models because they are of domestic
origin, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Avoider Study(SM)
released today.
The study, now in its fifth year, examines the reasons consumers fail
to consider particular models when shopping for a new vehicle, and finds
that pro-domestic and pro-import purchase sentiment is strongly tied to the
buyer's age. Among import buyers for example, the younger the person is,
the more likely they are to avoid models because they are of domestic
origin.
The study also finds that the North Central region of the United States
(as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau), contains the highest proportion
(41%) of domestic vehicle buyers who do not consider import brands during
the shopping process. Vehicle styling and cost are the two most frequently
reported reasons that consumers give for avoiding import brands.
Conversely, the Northeast and the West regions contain the highest
proportions of buyers of import vehicles who say they avoid specific models
because they are domestic in origin. The most frequently cited reasons
given for avoiding a domestic brand are concerns about reliability, poor
quality and depreciation. A greater proportion of these import buyers also
mention poor gas mileage as a reason for avoiding domestic models.
"Many buyers continue to have unfavorable impressions of domestic
models due to concerns about quality, reliability and depreciation issues,
even though the quality of many of these domestic products is on par with
or exceeds that of their import counterparts," said Jon Osborn, research
director at J.D. Power and Associates. "Domestic manufacturers need to get
this message out in front of younger buyers and convince them to put their
models on their shopping list."
The study finds that gas mileage is the most frequently mentioned
reason for purchasing a vehicle, while it remains the seventh most
frequently cited reason for avoiding a particular vehicle model. Buyers
tend to avoid non-premium brands more often due to poor gas mileage,
compared with premium makes. However, customer perceptions of poor gas
mileage, rather than actual data regarding fuel economy performance, may
influence these avoidance decisions.
"As an example, the HUMMER H3 is the most-avoided model in its segment,
with 21 percent of buyers saying that they would not consider buying this
model and many citing poor gas mileage as a reason," said Osborn. "However,
EPA fuel economy estimates for the HUMMER H3 are very similar to those of
other midsize utility vehicles, such as the Jeep Commander and Chrysler
Aspen, which have much lower rates of avoidance. The perception that the
HUMMER model gets worse gas mileage than other comparable models may be
strongly influencing consumer decisions to exclude it from consideration --
especially since gas prices have remained high. Changing customer
perceptions by
educating buyers about this model's fuel efficiency performance may
help to lower its avoidance rates."
The study results include the following key findings:
-- Buyers are making avoidance decisions based on consumer-generated
information found on the Internet, with consumer reviews most often
cited as a source leading to avoidance, followed by expert reviews and
manufacturer site information.
-- While gas mileage is a prominent reason for vehicle purchase decisions,
wanting an environmentally friendly vehicle is one of the least-cited
reasons for purchasing.
-- Younger buyers are more apt to indicate gas mileage as a reason for
purchasing, compared with their older counterparts.
The 2007 Avoider Study is based on responses from more than 35,000
owners who registered a new vehicle in May 2007.
About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is
an ISO 9001-registered global marketing information services firm operating
in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance
improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The firm's quality and
satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers
annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance,
health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com.
J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA USA
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- While older buyers
who purchase domestic vehicles are more likely to avoid purchasing certain
models because they are imports, younger consumers who purchase import
vehicles are more likely to avoid models because they are of domestic
origin, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Avoider Study(SM)
released today.
The study, now in its fifth year, examines the reasons consumers fail
to consider particular models when shopping for a new vehicle, and finds
that pro-domestic and pro-import purchase sentiment is strongly tied to the
buyer's age. Among import buyers for example, the younger the person is,
the more likely they are to avoid models because they are of domestic
origin.
The study also finds that the North Central region of the United States
(as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau), contains the highest proportion
(41%) of domestic vehicle buyers who do not consider import brands during
the shopping process. Vehicle styling and cost are the two most frequently
reported reasons that consumers give for avoiding import brands.
Conversely, the Northeast and the West regions contain the highest
proportions of buyers of import vehicles who say they avoid specific models
because they are domestic in origin. The most frequently cited reasons
given for avoiding a domestic brand are concerns about reliability, poor
quality and depreciation. A greater proportion of these import buyers also
mention poor gas mileage as a reason for avoiding domestic models.
"Many buyers continue to have unfavorable impressions of domestic
models due to concerns about quality, reliability and depreciation issues,
even though the quality of many of these domestic products is on par with
or exceeds that of their import counterparts," said Jon Osborn, research
director at J.D. Power and Associates. "Domestic manufacturers need to get
this message out in front of younger buyers and convince them to put their
models on their shopping list."
The study finds that gas mileage is the most frequently mentioned
reason for purchasing a vehicle, while it remains the seventh most
frequently cited reason for avoiding a particular vehicle model. Buyers
tend to avoid non-premium brands more often due to poor gas mileage,
compared with premium makes. However, customer perceptions of poor gas
mileage, rather than actual data regarding fuel economy performance, may
influence these avoidance decisions.
"As an example, the HUMMER H3 is the most-avoided model in its segment,
with 21 percent of buyers saying that they would not consider buying this
model and many citing poor gas mileage as a reason," said Osborn. "However,
EPA fuel economy estimates for the HUMMER H3 are very similar to those of
other midsize utility vehicles, such as the Jeep Commander and Chrysler
Aspen, which have much lower rates of avoidance. The perception that the
HUMMER model gets worse gas mileage than other comparable models may be
strongly influencing consumer decisions to exclude it from consideration --
especially since gas prices have remained high. Changing customer
perceptions by
educating buyers about this model's fuel efficiency performance may
help to lower its avoidance rates."
The study results include the following key findings:
-- Buyers are making avoidance decisions based on consumer-generated
information found on the Internet, with consumer reviews most often
cited as a source leading to avoidance, followed by expert reviews and
manufacturer site information.
-- While gas mileage is a prominent reason for vehicle purchase decisions,
wanting an environmentally friendly vehicle is one of the least-cited
reasons for purchasing.
-- Younger buyers are more apt to indicate gas mileage as a reason for
purchasing, compared with their older counterparts.
The 2007 Avoider Study is based on responses from more than 35,000
owners who registered a new vehicle in May 2007.
About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is
an ISO 9001-registered global marketing information services firm operating
in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance
improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The firm's quality and
satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers
annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance,
health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com.
J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.
11-30-07, 09:04 AM
#2
Lexus Fanatic
Duh... because a higher proportion of asians live in 'the northeast and the west regions'....
11-30-07, 10:58 AM
#3
Yeah it's usually the Asians that'll stick with "Import" brands mostly because that's what they buy back in Asia. Back there, the cars are smaller. They can't drive American cars cause some of them are too wide for the roads.
11-30-07, 11:05 AM
#4
Lexus Champion
J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Older Vehicle Buyers Are Less Likely to Consider Import Brands, While Younger Buyers Are More Likely to Avoid Domestic Models
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA USA
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- While older buyers
who purchase domestic vehicles are more likely to avoid purchasing certain
models because they are imports, younger consumers who purchase import
vehicles are more likely to avoid models because they are of domestic
origin, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Avoider Study(SM)
released today.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA USA
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- While older buyers
who purchase domestic vehicles are more likely to avoid purchasing certain
models because they are imports, younger consumers who purchase import
vehicles are more likely to avoid models because they are of domestic
origin, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Avoider Study(SM)
released today.
11-30-07, 12:08 PM
#5
lol...so racist here 
. No offense taken though. I generally ignore Domestics because I don't really feel for their styling. I prefer the looks of BMW and Lexus compared with Caddi and Olds. That and the prejudice that Domestic brands get, like major Old people driving them. I live by the retirement areas so I have a lot of hate for old ppl driving Vipers/Corvettes and going slow. Its what I expect from them anyway, much how you guys expect MOST Asian women to be bad driver(
). That of course is not true...I taught my sister how to drive(don't tailgate her or you buy a new back bumper or car for me 
) and my girlfriend(110 just to get to class???) O_O!!!
Its just the mind set that Domestics have lower resale value and reliability issues is the major factor for me. My dad(yes, Asian) has a 92 Dodge Caravan and we sank enough money into repairs over the years to buy a 2IS -.-"
. No offense taken though. I generally ignore Domestics because I don't really feel for their styling. I prefer the looks of BMW and Lexus compared with Caddi and Olds. That and the prejudice that Domestic brands get, like major Old people driving them. I live by the retirement areas so I have a lot of hate for old ppl driving Vipers/Corvettes and going slow. Its what I expect from them anyway, much how you guys expect MOST Asian women to be bad driver(). That of course is not true...I taught my sister how to drive(don't tailgate her or you buy a new back bumper or car for me ) and my girlfriend(110 just to get to class???) O_O!!!Its just the mind set that Domestics have lower resale value and reliability issues is the major factor for me. My dad(yes, Asian
) has a 92 Dodge Caravan and we sank enough money into repairs over the years to buy a 2IS -.-"
11-30-07, 12:18 PM
#6
Younger buyers have better resources (such as the internet, instead of word of mouth) to determine if a car (company or model) is good or not.
It's not about your age or region that determines what car you buy -- it's how knowledgable you are as a "well informed consumer"...
It's not about your age or region that determines what car you buy -- it's how knowledgable you are as a "well informed consumer"...
Just common sense most of the time.
Trending Topics
11-30-07, 12:47 PM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
...this Malibu interior?
11-30-07, 12:50 PM
#9
^In that specific case, I think so 
American cars have a reputation of poor quality and being unreliable. Whether their new cars hold up or not remains to be seen. Whether that is fair or not, it's just life in the automotive industry. If you make poor cars now, you will likely pay for it not now, but more 10 years from now. GM in the 1980's made bad cars, and they're still paying for that now because all of that plays into their public perception.
Back in the 80's GM was selling well and despite having already made bad cars before that, they still continued to sell. Then came the 90's and everything came about. People started looking back into the past and realized that these GM vehicles were subpar. Same could be said for other american car companies as well.
It is unfortunate that mistakes made 10-20 to even 30 years ago can affect a car company. But it's just how the industry is. If Toyota Camry all of a sudden became the next Ford Pinto, they will continue to sell for years to come. But once people start taking notice of it years and years down the line, that's when Toyota will see the fill effects of it.
My last american car was a Ford Tempo. Now, why should I get another Ford after dealing with that? Other family members had Ford Taurus', Chevrolet Celebrity's, Dodge Arie's. All died early. Now will the new Malibu be as horrendous? It may or may not, but anytime I'm looking at a new car, past ownership experiences will always be at the back of my mind, as well as word of mouth horror stories such as the cars that I just cited. I think that's why american car companies are struggling. There are many more stories like mine out there.
American cars have a reputation of poor quality and being unreliable. Whether their new cars hold up or not remains to be seen. Whether that is fair or not, it's just life in the automotive industry. If you make poor cars now, you will likely pay for it not now, but more 10 years from now. GM in the 1980's made bad cars, and they're still paying for that now because all of that plays into their public perception.
Back in the 80's GM was selling well and despite having already made bad cars before that, they still continued to sell. Then came the 90's and everything came about. People started looking back into the past and realized that these GM vehicles were subpar. Same could be said for other american car companies as well.
It is unfortunate that mistakes made 10-20 to even 30 years ago can affect a car company. But it's just how the industry is. If Toyota Camry all of a sudden became the next Ford Pinto, they will continue to sell for years to come. But once people start taking notice of it years and years down the line, that's when Toyota will see the fill effects of it.
My last american car was a Ford Tempo. Now, why should I get another Ford after dealing with that? Other family members had Ford Taurus', Chevrolet Celebrity's, Dodge Arie's. All died early. Now will the new Malibu be as horrendous? It may or may not, but anytime I'm looking at a new car, past ownership experiences will always be at the back of my mind, as well as word of mouth horror stories such as the cars that I just cited. I think that's why american car companies are struggling. There are many more stories like mine out there.
Last edited by GStateOM; 11-30-07 at 01:11 PM.
11-30-07, 03:08 PM
#10
I go for the most money can buy, with status and quailty and etc..
Euro cars and Japanese cars are better, IMO. Again, IMO.
The only American car/Truck I had was a 2000 Jeep Grand Chereokee Limited ( out of countless cars I have had ), I sold it after 1 month of ownership since everytime I got into the car, mentally it just gave me bad headache! The stupid seats (it is a sofa! not car seats! I want supprt! ), bad suspension ( Am I driving a boat? ), ugly interior ( despite the leather interior, I feel like it made out of trash can! ) and layout just pissed me off so bad. Sorry, but it was just NOT my car!!! I was celerating after I sold it!
Euro cars and Japanese cars are better, IMO. Again, IMO.
The only American car/Truck I had was a 2000 Jeep Grand Chereokee Limited ( out of countless cars I have had ), I sold it after 1 month of ownership since everytime I got into the car, mentally it just gave me bad headache! The stupid seats (it is a sofa! not car seats! I want supprt! ), bad suspension ( Am I driving a boat? ), ugly interior ( despite the leather interior, I feel like it made out of trash can! ) and layout just pissed me off so bad. Sorry, but it was just NOT my car!!! I was celerating after I sold it!
11-30-07, 03:52 PM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
The Camry's interior, in that picture, is NOT doctored up.....trust me. I did a full review on an SE a couple of months ago.
The new Camry is a classic example of a "import" (although it is built in Georgetown, KY) whose interior is as cheap....as not worse......than some domestics. As such, it is an exception to the rule.
Jewcano, however, in most cases, is is correct.........the material quality, if not the looks, of interiors, trim, hardware, and paint jobs is noticeably better in most import nameplates than in most American-designed Ford, GM, and Chrysler vehicles.
However, a few domestic-nameplate vehicles are showing real promise. The Cadillac CTS's new interior is, literally, an astounding improvement over the old one.....in both looks AND material quality (another car I just recently reviewed). Some other GM vehicles, unfortunately, have new interiors that LOOK better on the surface, but are still the same old cheap plastic underneath (just coated with a layer of glitz).
The new Camry is a classic example of a "import" (although it is built in Georgetown, KY) whose interior is as cheap....as not worse......than some domestics. As such, it is an exception to the rule.
Jewcano, however, in most cases, is is correct.........the material quality, if not the looks, of interiors, trim, hardware, and paint jobs is noticeably better in most import nameplates than in most American-designed Ford, GM, and Chrysler vehicles.
However, a few domestic-nameplate vehicles are showing real promise. The Cadillac CTS's new interior is, literally, an astounding improvement over the old one.....in both looks AND material quality (another car I just recently reviewed). Some other GM vehicles, unfortunately, have new interiors that LOOK better on the surface, but are still the same old cheap plastic underneath (just coated with a layer of glitz).
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-30-07 at 07:10 PM.
11-30-07, 05:34 PM
#13
Lexus Champion
Probably a minor point, but the interior of the XLE would compare more favorably with the Malibu than the Camry interior pictured here (SE?). The XLE has wood grain accents (including the shifter ****) as well as other more upscale looking interior trim pieces. The Malibu does look nice though.
