Every year since 1983 I have bought the January issue of Consumer Guide. This issue includes the list and invoice prices for every option on just about every car and truck available. It also includes for each model what's new for the model year, most of the relevant stats, and the magazines own qualitative and quantitative ratings.
The December issue has similar content, but goes to publication before all of the prices for the new model year have been announced. As a result, for many models it has to give the pricing for the previous model year.
On the stats: these used to be much more extensive. Some that have been dropped include shoulder room, turning circles, and the bore and stroke of each engine. Of these, the first is the most missed: it is an important stat. I can understand why these have been dropped: Consumer Guide has tried to keep the issue about the same length, about 224 pages, while the number of models available on the market has exploded. While the number of photos has decreased and the print has gotten smaller, these relatively painless measures did not open up enough space. Something had to give, and it was the number of stats.
On the ratings: these are generally concise and accurate. They are probably easier for the average consumer to comprehend than the more idiosyncratic, less structured ones in the buff books. Also, since Consumer Guide doesn't carry advertisements, they're more likely to be objective.
I have continued to buy this issue year after year because no other buyers guide comes close in overall coverage and quality. Each of the car magazines puts out a buyers guide, but these tend to read like press releases from the manufacturers. They rarely if ever rank the different models, and tend to only say a few good things about each one. Also, they don't include all of the invoice price data. There are also some Consumer Guide knock-offs out there. These tend to be lower in quality.
Consumer Reports' auto issue is good, but also doesn't include invoice data on options and comes out very late in the model year, in April. To get the invoice prices on all the options, you have to pay $7 or so for each model you're interested in. I always found it ironic that a consumer rights magazine would engage in such a rip-off. Why charge for one model what other publications charge for every model on the market?
The internet is a very strong alternative. Edmund's comes to mind as a particularly thorough site. Sites like Edmund's do include reviews, and the basic stats (including shoulder room), but like buff book reviews they lack a uniform format from model to model. As a result, they may be harder for the average consumer to use when making a buying decision. The final advantage of Consumer Guide is that it is still quicker and easier to use than even the best internet sites due to its print format.
That said, I also use the web sites often. Consumer Guide was late to the web, but now puts everything in the auto book online for free. Edmunds has been doing this for years, and has taken advantage of its head start to put content on the web that is not even possible in print. Particularly useful is its "Town Hall," where hundreds of automotive forums are hosted. Because of these extras, I now find myself going to Edmund's more often than Consumer Guide. For a buyer looking for less involvement, however, Consumer Guide may still be the way to go.
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