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22nd
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In light of a blog I wrote a few weeks ago regarding the fact that I already know which car you own, I feel I should point out there's more to than knowing sales numbers and being generally observant. It also has a great deal to do with the fact that there are definite go-to cars out there; and the manufacturers know it as well as the consumers do.
What's a go-to car? Well, it's the vehicle you can buy without anyone questioning your purchase. There's no argument against it. You wanted an economical sedan and you bought a Honda Civic? Great choice! You wanted a pickup so you bought a base Ford F-150. You're the man. Finally reached a point in your life where you can afford the sports performance car you've always wanted and you chose a Porsche 911? No one is going to ask you, “Why the 911?” I guarantee you that.
Of course, car sales reflect these go-to car fixations, but they aren't the reason they exist. The Dodge Grand Caravan doesn't sell well because it's a big seller. That's the thing, these vehicles don't do well because they sell in droves, they do well because they are the originals; the models everyone else is trying to mimic to garner the same go-to status, and therefore the same sales.
This became glaringly true on a recent comparison drive. With three vehicles in the same segment, we realized that two of the three were just trying to be like the No. 1 seller, the one that everyone turns to in that segment. They were variations on the original, and they had a hard time matching up to it. The go-to car is a go-to for a reason.
The go-to car has history, and is often the first of its kind or the first in its segment. They are/were the trend-setters, the fad-starters, and so they became staples in driveways across the country. Because of this, go-to cars aren't often completely overhauled, they are kept as close to the original as possible, and despite that they continue to sell. Why? Because if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?
Manufacturers aren't dumb, they know what their consumer wants and so they continue to give it to them. Imagine the next F-150 suddenly came out with two doors, front-wheel drive, and only with a manual transmission. Can you imagine the response to such a sacrilege and how it could hurt the F-150's go-to status in the end?
I think go-to cars are a good thing. They are a constant in a constantly changing world of automotive choices consumers face every time they want to purchase a new car. It's nice to know there are certain makes and models we can always rely on, ones we know we can be satisfied with if we have specific needs.
All hail the go-to car.
What's a go-to car? Well, it's the vehicle you can buy without anyone questioning your purchase. There's no argument against it. You wanted an economical sedan and you bought a Honda Civic? Great choice! You wanted a pickup so you bought a base Ford F-150. You're the man. Finally reached a point in your life where you can afford the sports performance car you've always wanted and you chose a Porsche 911? No one is going to ask you, “Why the 911?” I guarantee you that.
Of course, car sales reflect these go-to car fixations, but they aren't the reason they exist. The Dodge Grand Caravan doesn't sell well because it's a big seller. That's the thing, these vehicles don't do well because they sell in droves, they do well because they are the originals; the models everyone else is trying to mimic to garner the same go-to status, and therefore the same sales.
This became glaringly true on a recent comparison drive. With three vehicles in the same segment, we realized that two of the three were just trying to be like the No. 1 seller, the one that everyone turns to in that segment. They were variations on the original, and they had a hard time matching up to it. The go-to car is a go-to for a reason.
The go-to car has history, and is often the first of its kind or the first in its segment. They are/were the trend-setters, the fad-starters, and so they became staples in driveways across the country. Because of this, go-to cars aren't often completely overhauled, they are kept as close to the original as possible, and despite that they continue to sell. Why? Because if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?
Manufacturers aren't dumb, they know what their consumer wants and so they continue to give it to them. Imagine the next F-150 suddenly came out with two doors, front-wheel drive, and only with a manual transmission. Can you imagine the response to such a sacrilege and how it could hurt the F-150's go-to status in the end?
I think go-to cars are a good thing. They are a constant in a constantly changing world of automotive choices consumers face every time they want to purchase a new car. It's nice to know there are certain makes and models we can always rely on, ones we know we can be satisfied with if we have specific needs.
All hail the go-to car.
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