The truth about automotive reviews,...

[Jun aka Pekto]

I got bored reading the Camry article by de los Reyes and instead read Dong Magsajo's much more entertaining Backseat Driver, "Counterflow, mutant powers and all that crap"....

Both articles are at the Philippine Star.

[slamtaz]

I haven't read any of their articles, so I'm in no position to gauge their writings one way or otherwise. Do they have any articles online we can glance at?

* Jun: are you prepared to be amazed?:pcwhack: oh well, you can check out the reviews of said "local motoring gurus" in the motoring section of major philippine dailies' website (i.e. www.inq7.net , www.philstar.com , www.mb.com.ph , www.manilatimes.net , etc.).

as they say, drive safely & happy motoring hehehe :puke::car:

edit: ooops... napuntahan mo na pala philippine star hehehe :boring: ba?

[mikmik316]

e mga pre papaano namang tong new breed of car shows like those in channel 9 and studio 23??? Sa tingin ko kasi hindi rin sila objective kasi puro chicks lang inaatupag nila... kumabaga gumawa sila ng show para maka-score sa mga chicks... hehehehe

[OTEP]

Para naman puro eye candy yun.

My standard for an automotive TV show is still MOTORWEEK by Maryland Public Television. They used to show it locally. My uncle in Canada sends me VHS copies of the show.

Sobrang simple lang ng format. Test the cars, show the strengths and weakness, ok na.

http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/

Sample video (Kia Optima Road Test): http://mpt.org/motorweek/video/roadt...0a_flash.shtml

Motorweek Isuzu Vehicross Road Test:


Hindi ba kaya ng local shows iyan? Wala namang ginamit na special effects, ha.

[alwayz_yummy]

basta, kung may gagawa ng ganyang motorshow locally, count me in... iba parin ang talagang may passion sa cars kaysa sa journalist lang.

[Driv3er]

did someone say Aida Sevilla? Yung mga "reviews" nya eh, parang CATALOG lang! I can write a better review!

[niky]

I think I did... blech... horrible writing. I could do better in my sleep, typing with one finger.

[mikmik316]

*OTEP

Oo nga maganda nga tong show na to... super objective to the point you are learning new things... like:

1) I guess this is the 1st to have a V6 engine for a cute-ute... akala ko Rav4 e...
2) That explains why madaming converted vehi-cross dito galing japan kasi pwede mo pala isalpak ang Trooper dashboard...

IMO, ok din na kapag nag review ng engine bay ng sasakyan, bigyan din ng opinion kung madali ba magpalit at magcheck ng engine oil, brake fluid, and the likes... meron kasi mga kotse ang hirap gawin ang basic car maintenance because of the arrangements of those that needs to be checked...

And Also, maganda rin kung may estimated cost sila ng mga replaceable items like tires, timing belt, tune-ups... kasi madami sa mga bumibili na... oo they can buy the vehicle... pero are they sure they can maintain it???

IMO, motorweek + engine bay critic + maintenance costs na show yun ang da best na auto review show!

[OTEP]

Motorweek has a maintenance segment called Goss' Garage where the host is a real auto tech (Pat Goss). Unlike in local shows na ang host ay yung mahilig lang makikain sa mga press launch.

Ito ang link sa Goss' Garage online version (madaming tips). http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/goss/

25 years and counting na ang Motorweek sa TV. A feat considering they are just coming from a small public TV station in Maryland and not some big network.

[cardo]

Topping my list of dumbos is this Ron delos Reyes and Rey Butch Gamboa. They even had the gall to put up a group, Society of Phil. Motoring Journalists (SPMJ), which they add to their names, ala graduate degree. It really pisses me off, kasi kung magsalita, daig pa si Jimmy Santos. They're really better read than seen or heard. I doubt if they even know what they're talking about when writing those so-called reviews

I dont like these guys too hehehe. parang patrick and spongbob mga yan.


Anyway, I think car reviews by anyone even journalists are as good as anyone's test drive from the dealer. there's no right or wrong opinion. The thing is, if you say something about something its always ideal to back it up with data and numbers. If we say its fast and has good acceleration, then back it up with numbers... and do it in a way that is accepted by all - like an industry standard. dyno it or do a lap time in BRC... not sure if there is a standard way testing acceleration like an ISO 9000 acceleration test ek ek


its like when NHTSA says a car is safe, then it is SAFE! they literally crash the car, they perform actual crash tests that comply to industry standards and laws. they put dummies and wire them thru a series of computers and simulation programs. they have engineers and analysts that interpret these data. so unlike car reviews in magazines and shows which are opinionated in nature, NHTSA does back up their **** with numbers and professional experience.

[Jun aka Pekto]

if you say something about something its always ideal to back it up with data and numbers. If we say its fast and has good acceleration, then back it up with numbers... and do it in a way that is accepted by all - like an industry standard. dyno it or do a lap time in BRC... not sure if there is a standard way testing acceleration like an ISO 9000 acceleration test ek ek

I do recall Car & Driver, Motor Trend, and Road & Track employing a measuring device on a boom that clipped to the rear sidequarters of a car. Back in the late 80's, the measuring device was a wheel of some sort. Then in the 90's, the wheel was replaced by a laser device. All three used to have a list of 0-60 mph, 1/4 mile, with C/D and R/T also including top speed (MT refused to include them). That's why I can remember the times of my 91 Laser (stock) from all three up to now:

C/D: 6.6 sec, 15.3 sec, 143 mph (the 90 Eagle Talon TSi AWD: 6.3, 14.7, 137)
R&T: 6.9 sec, 15.4 sec, 143 mph
MT: 7.1 sec, 15.0 sec (head to head article against a Ford Probe GT turbo-4 aka Mazda MX6)

[OTEP]

Jun,

That's called a 'fifth wheel'. Even when it lost its wheel, the name stuck. I have the issue where Car and Driver switched over from the traditional fifth wheel to the new one.

[Jun aka Pekto]

Jun,

That's called a 'fifth wheel'. Even when it lost its wheel, the name stuck. I have the issue where Car and Driver switched over from the traditional fifth wheel to the new one.

Yep. I knew that except there's a towed camper also called a fifth wheel. I had to sort which one's which..... If I recall, that issue of C/D should have a comparo of some sort..... Bang For The Buck, maybe?

I do know when Motor Trend did the Plymouth Laser RS Turbo vs Ford Probe GT faceoff (or Mitsu vs Mazda), it was still a wheel sensor.

[OTEP]

Bang-for-the-buck is Motor Trend's. Yup, there's a fifth wheel trailer, too. The better to confuse the motoring public with. hehehe.

[Jun aka Pekto]

Bang-for-the-buck is Motor Trend's. Yup, there's a fifth wheel trailer, too. The better to confuse the motoring public with. hehehe.

This is from a Mustang site. But this was one of the articles I read which convinced me to buy my Laser...... It came before the Laser vs Probe GT article....... I think.

http://www.stangbangers.com/89_LX5-0_vs_Competition.htm

Now, if Philippine journalists can pull of something like that.... That'd be awesome.

[OTEP]

Title pa lang hindi na kayang isipin ng typical local journalist iyan. hehehe.

Nung elementary ako dala ko pa yung Bang-for-the-buck issue ko ng M/T. Hiniram ng teacher, hindi na kami nag-klase, nagbasa na lang siya. Yahoo.

[eggman]

did someone say Aida Sevilla? Yung mga "reviews" nya eh, parang CATALOG lang! I can write a better review!

Its obvious na si yan ang pinatatamaan ni VBS na akala mo eh perfect eh parehas lang naman silang sip-sip isama mo pa yung si Mr Al "SUPER SUCK UP" Mendoza(I LOVE ISUZU,PLEASE!!!).Yung TGP really sucks lalo na yung locally-made articles grabe naging Travel at Food magazine na siya kaya nakakatawa(panay kasi baboy ang editors dun...) kaya don't expect na magbabago pa yang TGP dahil pag yan pang mga yan lalo na si VBS ang nasa editorial staff eh wala na....

[cardo]

I do recall Car & Driver, Motor Trend, and Road & Track employing a measuring device on a boom that clipped to the rear sidequarters of a car. Back in the late 80's, the measuring device was a wheel of some sort. Then in the 90's, the wheel was replaced by a laser device. All three used to have a list of 0-60 mph, 1/4 mile, with C/D and R/T

I would guess the modern equivalent of this equipment is telemetry? such as those used in modern racing like f1, right? to calculate lap times, acceleration, handling, engine behavior, braking, etc. Atleast when you have a setup like this, a standard used at the highest level of competition(HW/SW, computer geeks to gather data, professional mechanics and engineers to analyze the numbers, and most of all a PROFESSIONAL (race)DRIVER to test the limits of the car) less people can contest what you say in your review hehehe. kaya when you hear me saying this "car sucks on the curves" dont quote me! I dont even have race experience, heck I dont even know how to tackle a sweeping corner in a race haha! Its just my own humble opinion

Kaya when I read a magazine or an autoshow or a review in general saying this car is the best 4x4 or if another one says my car sucks or he prefers this brand over the other or if a car lacks speed on the straight for example... well, its ok with me, thats his/her opinion hehe. It not right, nor is it wrong. I mean the words where one says "lacks speed" is very subjective. what were the enviromental parameters(type of tires, track surface material, track temp, weather, fuel load and octane rating, drag coef of the car etc) what are numbers? how long is the straight? what are number/results to show behavior when power/tourqe peaks and dips in relation to how the driver manages the car etc. baka naman di marunong sa acceleration yun driver or baka madumi yun daan or baka nagtesting sya sa edsa or whatever at least laying down these facts/variables removes user speculation kaya words dont matter without numbers and processes hehehe. do not criticize what you do not understand, i read from somewhere and it does make sense. its good to have an ACCEPTED/INDUSTRY STANDARD PROCESS to gather FACTS and numbers to back up your recommendation.

[Jun aka Pekto]

The articles I've read so far from the Pinoy dailies have been bland and boring except for that Backstreet Driver: Counterflow.... by Dong Magsajo at PhilStar.

But in fairness, many auto journalists in the internet can't do any better. Their's are just as boring.

That's why I feel it's best to stick with the established big guns if an actual eyeball or test drive of a particular vehicle isn't possible. These people didn't get on top by kissing up to car companies.

I too am a big fan of the various comparo articles from Car and Driver and Motor Trend (Bang For The Buck, Pocket Rockets, etc). They come apropriately enough, every once in a while. But, they are magazine issues that often become instant collectibles. I still have that Motor Trend 1989 Bang For The Buck (with the Plymouth Laser RS Turbo) issue somewhere along with the Japanese-American supercar faceoff from the early 90's by Car and Driver.

Add: Just interesting to note that mommy cars today can now match or exceed many of the the times back then and the sports cars of today have come a long way since the late 80's...... sweet.

[Helios]

its good to have an ACCEPTED/INDUSTRY STANDARD PROCESS to gather FACTS and numbers to back up your recommendation.

Supposedly that should be one of the responsibility covered by LTO, or is there another governing body existing whose sole purpose is to provide these kind of motoring services to the public? Obviously LTO's incapable for awhile now, they couldn't even perform well their basic function at the grassroot level much more give them this extra load. The gov't should initiate but it won't. Therefore the motoring public has no other alternative other than to rely on our local media men and celebrity puppets. Heck, it's alot safer to consult your neighbour's old driver or a good valet attendant (if you're desperate enough).