[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by Kishen.padiyar

. All I can say is hold your emotions mate..

Buying stuff is always emotional, the more expensive the more emotional. Rationale has very little to do with it. People think up the rationale to validate the choice they have already made. If you don't believe me, look it up. Lots of research in all different parts of the world suggest the same. Not just consumers, same applies in B2B too. Better give in to your emotions and it becomes a lot more fun. Try it and you will see. Fill in the spreadsheet afterwards, it will tell you you made a great choice!

People are terrible at making rational decisions, especially ones with a (large) financial component to it. Try reading a little book such as Nudge by Thaler and Sunstein.


Jeroen

[caramit]

I was suggested a weighted scale method to arrive at my choice but the moment I set out out to decide the feature and its weight, I knew i could manipulate it the way I want to.

So, though I am still undecided for car replacements for both me and my wife, I think budget and then heart play the only part.

I will try to explain a little more:

My original shortlist for a perceived need of a 7 seater AT SUV: XUV, Aria and Innova. Current status - No Decision.
Reason for me: XUV has space, looks and build problem, Aria has chrome, looks, feature & Tata problem, Innova does not have bench middle seat in the AT Z avatar I want.

Next Step:
Option 1 Expand the shortlist by expanding the budget! Fortuner, Endy, Pajero, Kodiaq to come in.
Option 2: Expand the shortlist by derestricting the 7 seater need. 5 seaters come in - Creta, Compass.
Option 3: If at all I have to go 5 seater, why should I not buy a luxury sedan - Superb, Accord, or even a second hand 5 series beemer

I realized it is my heart that is playing tricks. Since I am not getting what I want in the original selection, I am just not sure anymore.

Same is for the replacement of Maruti SX4

What is needed: 5 seater entry level sedan or hatchback with good safety features, good ICE, looks. Afterall I was replacing a 10 year old SX4 which still drives well and ony thing missing is bells and whistles and of course model fatigue has set in.
Shortlist: Upcoming Amaze(no longer upcoming), Dzire, Swift, Figo Aspire, i20, Xcent Baleno

Realized that At models are not prioritised for features/price offering by most OEMS!! so what do I buy? Maybe I will have to look at City/Ciaz/Rapid/Verna segment.

I then realized it is again a heart problem :-). Once i got disappointed with Amaze and Xcent not having a large screen in AT model, the segment itself became irrelvant.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by caramit

I then realized it is again a heart problem :-). .

That's what I have been saying all along. I have looked away from certain cars, just because one or two simple details just did not appeal to me.

I am very fussy when it comes to the dashboard, how the dials look, how the various switches and stalks look and feel like. If it's not to my taste, it doesnt matter what the rest of the car is like, what it cost, how well it drivers, I know it's just not my car.

The other day I was looking at a Aston Martin DB7, only 150.000km on the clock, full maintenance history, drop dead gorgeous body, reasonalble asking price. BUT is has the switch gear straight out of Ford Mondeo.

(I know because I had a company Mondeo at the time).

I am also brand sensitive, in the sense there are certain brands I am very unlikely to ever own/drive. For no other reason I have something against them. It'is usually what I perceive these cars, or their respective ownesr, to stand for. Another completely irrational approach, I would be the first one to admit. I have noted that there is a country/cultural aspect to it. E.g. what people in general think of say a BMW or say a Toyota might be different in the USA compared to India or to say the Netherlands.

Jeroen

[gkveda]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

I am also brand sensitive, in the sense there are certain brands I am very unlikely to ever own/drive. For no other reason I have something against them.

Jeroen

You have just put my words which I was not able to describe to this extent of details.

Probably, you have dissected the heart and trying to describe more on how it works.

[dgoyle]

This is a chance stumble on this topic. Read it with much interest. I wonder if there is anyone out there who has an interest in mathematics. I can suggest a technique called Data Envelopment Analysis which when used can provide mathematical answers to many such vexing issues. This mathematical technique is under much exploration and being used by many industries to examine issues of performance (which is the best, most efficient, best suited..... type of questions) - for our present conversation we can replace this with 'best choice (s)'.

According to this technique we require a set of inputs and outputs. Inputs can be price, safety features (we can use categorical variables also!), cost of periodic maintenance and outputs can be 'kitna deti hai', resale value etc.

Ideally the number of choices (cars being compared) should be at least the product of number of input and output variables. that means if we consider two inputs and three outputs as variables than we should have minimum 6 cars to compare. There are techniques to overcome this too!
If some one is interested they can read more about the technique and apply it to this scenario!!

The resultant is that we get to know which care are most suited for our requirements and why. As the weights are decided mathematically and this takes care of 'subjectivity' mentioned in earlier posts.