Based on what I see on other forums:

• Someone asks for thoughts on a car for a particular purpose.
• Most people recommend the car they currently own/brand they rave about. Which may or may not meet the needs of the OP.
• It turns into a popularity contest.
• People who own cars with dodgy reliability records maintain their car is still the best.
• The whole thing gets repeated a month or so later when the next person comes along for advice.

Why is this? Partly brand loyalty, and people don't like to think they may have made a bad choice - so try to persuade others to follow them, to gain some form of vindication.

Magazines may not help much, especially if you're interested in long-term ownership decisions.

I think there is also an element of local dealer quality. There are some dealers I would never, ever visit again. Indeed, I had new number plates made up for my current car to get their name off my vehicle. But the same marque has another local dealer who is excellent, and who I would buy from again.

The debates also reflect the fact that very few people have actually driven or owned a wide variety of cars. Most of us may drive a few every few years when we're selecting our next car, but that's about it. A few may hire cars on a regular basis, so get an idea of how each of them drives. I gained a lot of knowledge when I managed a medium-sized fleet as a small part of my job a while ago - but that doesn't really help me now.

I recommend joining owner forums and having a good look around at common faults before buying. It was through such a forum that I learned my mx-5 mk3 has a small inherent fault which allows water to drip through to the passenger footwell, where there are some important electrics. The fix takes 30 mins and costs about £5 as a preventative measure.

As for choosing cars, the best source of knowledge for choosing between cars comes from people in the trade. We're very fortunate to have a small group on here. They give excellent advice.

Edited by Will deBeast on 31/05/2020 at 08:05