Biased Motoring journalists / authors

SA vehicle sales: Top 10 underdogs packing the numbers in May (https://www.wheels24.co.za/News/SA_vehicle_sales/sa-vehicle-sales-top-10-underdogs-packing-the-numbers-in-may-20180611

This author has a soft spot for Suzuki's.

Read the article, how she chose her words, to defend the poorly received sales of the Swift & even Jimney.

I actually contacted her once, and I could see she also really wanted the Ignis, another Suzuki, to win with the COTY competition.

There's clearly favouritism going on. That all translates into giving the public a positive image of a brand, even though sales figures shows otherwise.

I'm just saying, read closely how these journalist messes with one's mind and perception through their own opinion.
 
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AntiYoyta said:
SA vehicle sales: Top 10 underdogs packing the numbers in May (https://www.wheels24.co.za/News/SA_vehicle_sales/sa-vehicle-sales-top-10-underdogs-packing-the-numbers-in-may-20180611

This author has a soft spot for Suzuki's.

Read the article, how she chose her words, to defend the poorly received sales of the Swift & even Jimney.

I actually contacted her once, and I could see she also really wanted the Ignis, another Suzuki, to win with the COTY competition.

There's clearly favouritism going on. That all translates into giving the public a positive image of a brand, even though sales figures shows otherwise.

I'm just saying, read closely how these journalist messes with one's mind and perception through their own opinion.
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eY?

"So while the Suzuki Jimny isn't selling thousands of units compared to the VW Polo Vivo (1904 units), the Japanese automaker sold 117 units of its tiny 4x4 in May. Also worth mentioning is the 287 Swift models sold and 147 Ignis hatchbacks finding new homes"

That's defending the poorly received sales? Plus, are those sales poor? Seems decent enough to me.

In one breath you say just cos a car sells the most doesn't make it the best. Then you accuse this author of "giving the public a positive image of a brand, even though sales figures shows otherwise".

I'm honestly missing you here.
 
It's simply the way how she chooses her words. For example, she had to remind the public about the Datsun Go's bad safety rating. But had nothing bad to say about the Suzuki.
 
SykomantiS said:
http://www.leisurewheels.co.za/4x4-news/six-wheelers-6x6-best/


It seems you would be wrong.
I'm not seeing any [malevolent] bias in either articles. Maybe some poor writing at best (found a typo or two- words left out- which indicates poor proof reading at least). Most of what is contained in those articles (at least in the second one regarding sales figures) looks to me like facts- with some educated guesses based on previous valid information. I really don't see the problem here.

Regarding the specific mention in the op of the author still rattling off about the Hilux when clearly that segment is about the Ranger- again, I see [possible] reasons given as to why the Ranger is second to the Hilux. Again, maybe it's poor writing from the perspective of Toyota instead of Ford, but the outcome would still be the same.

I do agree that some bias exist and from memory, I've seen much worse examples than the two articles in the op.

Imo, it seems you might have a grudge with this specific author.
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F150 comes in at under 3500kg GVM. Code B license is fine. F250, on the other hand, is over 3500kg so you need a C1 (or preferably an EC1 since I'm sure you'd want to tow with it)
 
AntiYoyta said:
For those who might have read this post might think, so what? Who cares?

Problem is, hundreds, if not thousands trust what motoring authors publish. They take their word for it very seriously.

Thus, if the public reads he or she likes a car, it must probably be good. Same with the opposite.

In other words, if an author/journalist/writer writes how he, enjoyed a car, it'll be perceived as a great car.

What gets to me, is how after a while, one can see patterns in their preference. Things such as, if it's either German or Japanese, it's automatically better.

And if he sees a threat, he/she can be "creative" and bring a car down, if it's not Japanese, as an example.

These are the things which influence sales. We live in a world where, if it sells well, it must be better.

Coca Cola, as an example, sells extremely well the globe over. But that doesn't mean it's the best for you. In the same breath, you can say, if VW/Toyota sells very well, it's not necessarily the best product out there.

Guess it can come down to quantity vs quality. Sorry, going bit off topic here...

I only read local motoring news from Wheels24 & Motoring.co.za . When I read something which doesn't seem fair, I'll be posting it in this thread.

Please join me.
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Horse****, carmag has a thing for most alfas, the ugly Opel Astra and some Peugeot's as well, and those doesn't sell well at all. They also have a thing for station wagons, also doesn't sell. If a brand is crap it's crap, you give these authors way to much credit.
 
Point is, the author had to write a whole article about needing a licence for the vehicle. Same treatment wasn't given to the Merc as far as I know - reffering to a whole requirement (special license) to purchase the vehicle. A "catch" so to speak.
 
AntiYoyta said:
It's simply the way how she chooses her words. For example, she had to remind the public about the Datsun Go's bad safety rating. But had nothing bad to say about the Suzuki.
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If I read an article about the Go, and it doesn't remind me of it's bad safety rating, I would never trust that author again.
 
Sinbad said:
F150 comes in at under 3500kg GVM. Code B license is fine. F250, on the other hand, is over 3500kg so you need a C1 (or preferably an EC1 since I'm sure you'd want to tow with it)
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From the first article in the op:
Ford’s own V8-powered Raptor was a 3380kg GVM bakkie. Shelby uses the F-150 Lariat as its platform which tallies a GVM certification of 3560kg when powered by a 5-litre naturally-aspirated V8. The normal wheelbase F-150 Lariat double isn’t much lighter at 3447kg.

Add all those trick Fox suspension bits, a supercharged V8 engine, additional cooling components and it is very unlikely that a Shelby F-150 will licence below the 3500kg threshold. And that would require you to go for some training and a new licence evaluation before you are allowed to drive your multi-million Rand Shelby bakkie. Unless of course you are a farmer of transport company owner, with a zen for speed, and possess a code C1 licence already.
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That's borderline, if it at all manages to come in under 3500kg. My comment was also more towards the fact that the G63 6x6 does need the C1 license, unlike what the op claimed.
 
Yes they are biased and bias is a demon they have to fight evertime they write an article about a car they don't like, same in politics, sports and any other form of journalism. I personally take ecerything that is being said with a pinch of salt, It's like reading too much into those Youtube drag races, not wise.
 
Cr419 said:
If I read an article about the Go, and it doesn't remind me of it's bad safety rating, I would never trust that author again.
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If you are going to remind the public of a negative thing of a car, make it fair by mentioning a negative point of each vehicle mention then too.
 
AntiYoyta said:
If you are going to remind the public of a negative thing of a car, make it fair by mentioning a negative point of each vehicle mention then too.
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The thing is that that is not just a negative thing of the car, it's one of the most important aspects of the car. Go look at the Datsun Go thread on here, there is a pic of a datsun driving into a shopping trolley (can't remember the brand of car), go check what happens to it.
 
Cr419 said:
Horse****, carmag has a thing for most alfas, the ugly Opel Astra and some Peugeot's as well, and those doesn't sell well at all. They also have a thing for station wagons, also doesn't sell. If a brand is crap it's crap, you give these authors way to much credit.
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You get many underrated products. Just because it doesn't sell well, doesn't make it crap.

Perceived better, is the problem IMO.
 
Cr419 said:
The thing is that that is not just a negative thing of the car, it's one of the most important aspects of the car. Go look at the Datsun Go thread on here, there is a pic of a datsun driving into a shopping trolley (can't remember the brand of car), go check what happens to it.
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I'm sure if I where to check acidents of any car mentioned, it won't be pretty.

The poor Datsun Go made a mistake, by cutting corners when it comes to safety. Now it has a stigma attached to it, which keeps on being mentioned.
 
AntiYoyta said:
If you are going to remind the public of a negative thing of a car, make it fair by mentioning a negative point of each vehicle mention then too.
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The only way of ensuring this would be to forget about the story and just put a table on each and every car article listing the pros and cons, it would be boring, some cars are just more interesting than others and there's just more to talk about. Taking a Datsun Go as an example what else can you say about such a barebones car? It would then feel to the reader that you only mention the bad about it. A Kwid for an example as unsafe as it is is more interesting to talk about than a Datsun.
 
AntiYoyta said:
I'm sure if I where to check acidents of any car mentioned, it won't be pretty.

The poor Datsun Go made a mistake, by cutting corners when it comes to safety. Now it has a stigma attached to it, which keeps on being mentioned.
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For good reason. That small mistake can unnecessarily cost a poor person his life. If other small cars can be safe, I'm sure Datsun/Nissan could have made the Go safe as well.
 
Cr419 said:
For good reason. That small mistake can unnecessarily cost a poor person his life. If other small cars can be safe, I'm sure Datsun/Nissan could have made the Go safe as well.
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And Datsun/Nissan is Japanese.

The all untouchable country of Japan, land of Honda's & Toyota's (to name a few), can also thus produce bad products, such as the Datsun Go, which, like you said, is a "POS" (to quote you).

Once again, if it's Japanese, it's perceived better.
 
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AntiYoyta said:
And Datsun/Nissan is Japanese.

The all untouchable country of Japan, land of Honda's & Toyota's (to name a few), can also thus produce bad products, such as the Datsun Go, which, like you said, is a "POS" (to quote you).

Once again, if it's Japanese, it's perceived better.
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What? :wtf:

No it's not. The Dutsan Go is perceived better because it's Japanese? Did you even read the previous comments about the GO? Also, better than what? Have you met the local market and it's fascination for small VW's?
 
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