"New or Used Vehicle Shopping - Get Input From Current Owners in the Forums" Edmunds Daily

New or Used Vehicle Shopping - Get Input From Current Owners in the Forums

Cars are a big expense and commitment, no question. Making the decision to buy one should not be arrived at on a whim. Edmunds.com is a fantastic resource for analytical information such as pricing and specifications, along with the valuable insight and opinions of the editors' reviews. But as thorough and professional as those reviews are, their exposure to the various vehicles represent just a snap shot of what an owner will experience over the months and years of ownership. Owners can often point out both positive and negative aspects of a vehicle that can only be realized during the day-in and day-out experience of ownership. The best place to tap into those aspects is vehicle specific forums.

Edmunds has long been at the forefront of vehicle discussion groups with our CarSpace forums. There, you can read owner experiences of all makes and models, and ask specific questions you might have about any vehicle, new or used. Out on the web, there are literally hundreds of general, make specific and model specific forums that are also available.

While people tend to be most vocal when they are complaining and those complaints often have to be taken with a grain of salt, posts in the various forums can often help you determine common issues or factors regarding a vehicle that you might not be aware of. For example, when I was considering my Murano, I read many complaints from Murano owners with the beige interior that the lighter color reflected the dash onto the windshield during sunny weather. During my test drives, I made sure to look out for this in order to determine if it would be something that would bother me. In the end, it didn't, but I could certainly understand why for some it would.

So when you are doing your research for prices and specs, don't forget to research what owners have to say too. In the end, the key to making the best decision is in making an informed decision.