School work research

[98ciHemi]

I am researching for a paper I am writing for my schoolwork. I am looking for the editorial of a hot rodding magazine that talked about personal freedoms and how goverment regulation was maming people buy cars they don't want. I know it wasn't HRM, but I can't remember which magazine it was. Does anyone know about this? If anyone knew, I would appreciate any help.

[greenjunk]

Re: School work research

Check out the '07 hrms. there were some really good ones by the fry

[BOWTIE6872]

Re: School work research

why not go to the sema web site

[mlcraven]

Re: School work research

This undoubtedly is NOT what you read, but it is in the same vein (although a Canadian angle). Hope it's of use:

http://www.nationalpost.com/cars/story.html?id=e2cd4beb-e5c2-4b68-9e81-3617f4e401bd

[DanStokes]

Re: School work research

This is an interesting topic. Really, it's a matter of WHO is manipulating the market, not whether the market is being manipulated. For example, the downfall of the American station wagon was deliberately caused by the marketing of wagons as "housewife" cars, even though they were extraordinarily functional. They were replaced by minivans, which had a period of popularity and then were then marketed as "soccer mom" cars, and this eventually evolved to the SUVs we have today. Why did the marketing folks do this? Two things - planned obsolesce (your old car is out of style so you need to buy a new one) and mark up. The mark up on trucks, including SUVs, has traditionally been considerably higher than the mark up on passenger cars, so there is an obvious incentive for the manufacturers to move car buyers into trucks and truck-like vehicles.

No one screamed bloody murder as the manufacturers were manipulating the markets, but when the Government tries to push the market there is a general outcry. My point of view is that neither manipulation is acceptable but I really don't have a clue as to what system would be better. The manufacturers develop some new type of vehicle (minivan, SUV, "crossover" (which are really station wagons with a different name)), whatever, and they need to market them if they are going to make them. The Gov is charged with trying to figure better ways to move folks who demand mobility around a huge country in a way that uses less fuel (this is a national security issue) and makes less pollution. This is a nearly impossible issue to resolve, but it's important to realize that, in any case, SOMEBODY is pushing an agenda at us. We have to learn to be smart enough to back up and look at what we are being "sold" - because we are being "sold" by both sides. BTW - the same applies to toothpaste, frozen chicken wings, or just about any other product you can name.

Sorry I can't answer your original question, but this is one of those issues with more layers than we humans like to have to process.

Dan

[98ciHemi]

Re: School work research

Thanks for the replies. Dan Stokes, I wasn't thinking about it from that angle, thanks for the idea. I will post my paper if anyone is interested.

[DanStokes]

Re: School work research

Glad to pass this along. I think I'm old enough to be your grandpa (I have an 18 year old grand daughter) so a few things have fallen into this old head (and not ALL of it has fallen back out again). My oldest brother has a degree in advertising and believe me my position is mild compared to his - he knows exactly how and how much markets are manipulated. The real issue is that the Gov isn't very good at it and their manipulations are visible. The marketers are SO subtle.

Dan

Thanks for the replies. Dan Stokes, I wasn't thinking about it from that angle, thanks for the idea. I will post my paper if anyone is interested.

[BOWTIE6872]

Re: School work research

This is an interesting topic. Really, it's a matter of WHO is manipulating the market, not whether the market is being manipulated. For example, the downfall of the American station wagon was deliberately caused by the marketing of wagons as "housewife" cars, even though they were extraordinarily functional. They were replaced by minivans, which had a period of popularity and then were then marketed as "soccer mom" cars, and this eventually evolved to the SUVs we have today. Why did the marketing folks do this? Two things - planned obsolesce (your old car is out of style so you need to buy a new one) and mark up. The mark up on trucks, including SUVs, has traditionally been considerably higher than the mark up on passenger cars, so there is an obvious incentive for the manufacturers to move car buyers into trucks and truck-like vehicles.

No one screamed bloody murder as the manufacturers were manipulating the markets, but when the Government tries to push the market there is a general outcry. My point of view is that neither manipulation is acceptable but I really don't have a clue as to what system would be better. The manufacturers develop some new type of vehicle (minivan, SUV, "crossover" (which are really station wagons with a different name)), whatever, and they need to market them if they are going to make them. The Gov is charged with trying to figure better ways to move folks who demand mobility around a huge country in a way that uses less fuel (this is a national security issue) and makes less pollution. This is a nearly impossible issue to resolve, but it's important to realize that, in any case, SOMEBODY is pushing an agenda at us. We have to learn to be smart enough to back up and look at what we are being "sold" - because we are being "sold" by both sides. BTW - the same applies to toothpaste, frozen chicken wings, or just about any other product you can name.

Sorry I can't answer your original question, but this is one of those issues with more layers than we humans like to have to process.

Dan

well.. um sorry not buy'n that
wagons,where killed off. because of cafe ratings ,, and the mini van..
mini van ,still a big player.. lost it's pull when they started to cost the same money as a full sized blazer/bronco,etc
trucks took off. before the suv's all because of cost to repair..and needs,, full coverage insurance(needed on a new car with a loan) cost a lot of green..
so one car/truck has to do it all,
and is why ,we got excab, then 3door cabs,then four door excab then cabs with four fullsized doors..
and a tailgate..
also,anyone thats passed a crash on the side of the road.. knows . cars today fold.. and tho. are safer,as you pass by the wrecked car.. doesn't look it..
so the wife gets a big, honk'n suv
trucks/suv's are in anothe class for mpg/emissions.. and getting people out of wagons.. helped the factories.. with the GOVERNMENT(EPA) mandated cafe ratings..
yes, the marketin g of the cars(wagons) helped kill it.. the reasoning behing killing it was to meet government set cafe(epa) ratings.
volvo has no problem selling wagons..
also full sized wagons.. the last ford/mopar and the up to 1988ish g.m. where .quite the rattle boxes on wheels
and gas pigs..

[DanStokes]

Re: School work research

Sorry, Muffin Man - wrong on this one. The wagons were killed off before CAFE was law. If you think your "wants" aren't manipulated - well, you're wrong. There is a HUGE industry that makes lots of money and spends all of it's time figuring out how to make you want whatever they are selling. You personally may not be swayed by Madison Avenue but enough people are to keep them well fed. Manufacturers - whether cars, toilet tissue, or the afore-mentioned chicken wings - wouldn't spend the kind of money they spend if market manipulation wasn't effective.

My point was that the market is being manipulated either by the manufacturers and/or by the Gov. The point is to be aware and make your own decisions, ignoring the manipulation as much as possible.

Dan

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: School work research

I agree with Dan. As he said, good marketers are very subtle and very effective. And government is neither ;D :P

[JRoberts]

Re: School work research

I think Dan has a very good point here. Whether it be cars or clothes, the manufacturers and the needed advertising folks present us with what they want us to have. Is the vehicle you really would like to have available, for most of us the answer is no. Either the government or the manufacturers or both have made available something else. That's why most folks here like the old stuff more than the new stuff. We are, as Dan said, manipulated. Now some of us resist the manipulation better than others and hats off to them.

[milner351]

Re: School work research

as a pretty smart bunch on this board, we look at vehilce purchases from a much different state of mind than John Q Public.

For example - I'm a hot rodder to the core - but I've ALWAYS worried about fuel economy and tracked it - even in the late 80's when I first started to drive any kind of distance - and gas was cheap.

For me it was about the efficiency of the machine - and the fact that I'm cheap and would rather spend money on other things than gasoline, electricity, and natural gas.

For years I remember seeing neighbors buying whatever was in style - with absolutely no regard to fuel mileage or anything else -- following the joneses is a very powerful motivator in this country - the marketers know that, and make a good living at it.

The worst offender of this principle was a guy that jumped jobs for higher salaries like some people change socks - this guy was all about the money. He went out and got a rumble bee dodge pickup - he never used the bed of that truck for a damned thing - EVER! Didn't even have anything to tow with it. But it was cool!

'nuff said.

[98ciHemi]

Re: School work research

Oh great. Thanks Dan, now I want chicken wings.

I am sure this means something. ???

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: School work research

It means he read Dan Stokes' post above.

Brian

[98ciHemi]

Re: School work research

Oh great. Thanks Dan, now I want chicken wings.

I am sure this means something. ???

Wow..... Oops.