[SmartCat]

CNBC article:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/22/elon...n-listens.html

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has no reluctance in lashing out at journalists. Or Wall Street analysts. Or employees. But when Consumer Reports opened its mouth about Tesla's Model 3 sedan, Musk listened. He quickly went to work to resolve the issues the 82-year-old group raised with the latest Tesla model.

Much of its reputation hinges on it doing things no other reviewer does. Testers start by buying vehicles anonymously at full sticker price, ensuring they will get the same kind of car any consumer would end up with. Last year, Consumer Reports spent about $2.2 million on cars

The group puts cars through more than 50 tests, ranging from the strictly empirical to the more subjective. And the group stresses that it evaluates cars in ways that try to mimic how its members think ordinary owners will actually use them.

Securing a recommendation from the group can make a demonstrable difference in a brand's sales, industry watchers say. And a bad one can incur anger, and even lawsuits.

Has a history of eschewing any form of advertising or other entanglements that could appear to compromise its impartiality.

Website:
www.consumerreports.org

Youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/consumerreports

[alpha1]

Wow they have a huge list of gadgets / items / products listed on their website!
Thanks for this thread ... I wish there was something similar here in India.

By the way how does the CR get funded?
{Edit: They have membership / subscription that would pay for the expenses I believe}

[GTO]

Consumer Reports is the baap (big daddy) of car reviews in the USA. They can make or break a car's performance in the market. Trivia: The idea of never taking car ads on Team-BHP was influenced by Consumer Reports which has practiced the same since ages. I really, really respect it as an institution; just like you can trust a car review on Team-BHP blindly, it's the same for Consumer Reports. Other than us & Consumer Reports, I can't think of a single auto publication or website that has had the guts to stand out like this.

Originally Posted by alpha1

By the way how does the CR get funded?

I believe subscriptions, donations & some other forms of revenue (e.g. tie-ups to sell leads to dealers).

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by GTO

Consumer Reports is the baap (big daddy) of car reviews in the USA. They can make or break a car's performance in the market.

But their policy of buying cars with own money is a bit over the top right?

Originally Posted by alpha1

By the way how does the CR get funded?
{Edit: They have membership / subscription that would pay for the expenses I believe}

The numbers are quite impressive:

Digital subscription & newsstand sale revenues: $205 million
Donations: $31.8 million
Grants: $3.4 million

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...ials/index.htm

[GTO]

Originally Posted by smartcat

But their policy of buying cars with own money is a bit over the top right?

Not really. I'm also open to the idea of temporarily buying cars for reviews if & when any manufacturer tries to block us from its product.

It also ensures that the car you test is the one that customers buy. There have always been rumours of manufacturers 'tweaking' their press cars.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

Originally Posted by GTO

Not really. I'm also open to the idea of temporarily buying cars for reviews if & when any manufacturer tries to block us from its product.

It also ensures that the car you test is the one that customers buy. There have always been rumours of manufacturers 'tweaking' their press cars.

Honestly, you don't need to buy. I'm sure anyone who has bought the car in question and is a member here would happily lend one to you to review.

[pavanmadhini]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

Honestly, you don't need to buy. I'm sure anyone who has bought the car in question and is a member here would happily lend one to you to review.

As has been amply proved in the last couple of days! Within hours, that too.

Team-BHP.

[Nav-i-gator]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

Honestly, you don't need to buy. I'm sure anyone who has bought the car in question and is a member here would happily lend one to you to review.

Infact, it would be a great idea (and probably, of a kind never done before), to only publish reviews of cars owned by fellow teamBHPians only.

[shifu]

Originally Posted by GTO

Not really. I'm also open to the idea of temporarily buying cars for reviews if & when any manufacturer tries to block us from its product.

It also ensures that the car you test is the one that customers buy. There have always been rumours of manufacturers 'tweaking' their press cars.

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

Honestly, you don't need to buy. I'm sure anyone who has bought the car in question and is a member here would happily lend one to you to review.

The downside of this approach is that you won't have access to the vehicles unless the deliveries start for the public.



Also typically, a BHPian would not buy the car unless it is reviewed first here. So it'll be a catch 22.