How much research is too much?
Discussion
How much research do you actually do when choosing your next car?
Probably will be changing the car next year and have drilled down the final choice to one or two cars.
Do you just read a few reviews, watch your favourite YouTube channels and maybe ask on here for owners opinions before hitting the dealer forecourt? Or do you go further? Or do you simply go “I want that one” in Little Britain stylee without much consideration at all?
Think I’ve gone a bit mental as I found myself reading a pdf of the owners manual and watching reviews on YouTube from foreign reviewers with subtitles on to try and see it from a ‘foreign’ perspective. Haven’t even got as far as a test drive yet! (Bit early for that tbf).
What’s the sweet spot for you when researching your next car?
Probably will be changing the car next year and have drilled down the final choice to one or two cars.
Do you just read a few reviews, watch your favourite YouTube channels and maybe ask on here for owners opinions before hitting the dealer forecourt? Or do you go further? Or do you simply go “I want that one” in Little Britain stylee without much consideration at all?
Think I’ve gone a bit mental as I found myself reading a pdf of the owners manual and watching reviews on YouTube from foreign reviewers with subtitles on to try and see it from a ‘foreign’ perspective. Haven’t even got as far as a test drive yet! (Bit early for that tbf).
What’s the sweet spot for you when researching your next car?
I do loads of research and usually take months to make a decision if it’s an expensive car I intend to be driving daily for the next 4 or 5 years.
I watch and read all the reviews, trawl the owner forums etc and then test drive everything on my shortlist. Finally an extended test drive in the car I like best.
I actually quite enjoy the whole process, especially showroom visits and test drives.
I watch and read all the reviews, trawl the owner forums etc and then test drive everything on my shortlist. Finally an extended test drive in the car I like best.
I actually quite enjoy the whole process, especially showroom visits and test drives.
I think there are 2 types of research, internet based which is someone else's subjective but probably incomplete opinion on a vehicle and the second is getting out on the forecourt and trying them for real.
With internet research it is so easy to miss things which turn out to be really important because reviewers, etc just don't mention them e.g. intrusive electronics or safety systems. Can't recall a reviewer saying the car beeped and bonged too much.
The other aspect at play is how long you have had the current vehicle, buying a car that is much younger will provide a completely difference user experience. The reviewers aren't comparing something new with a 10 year old car as they are reviewing new ones and comparing them to each other.
There is a lot more to think about these days than there used to be and the 10 minute test drive is no longer enough to get a real feel for the modern car.
With internet research it is so easy to miss things which turn out to be really important because reviewers, etc just don't mention them e.g. intrusive electronics or safety systems. Can't recall a reviewer saying the car beeped and bonged too much.
The other aspect at play is how long you have had the current vehicle, buying a car that is much younger will provide a completely difference user experience. The reviewers aren't comparing something new with a 10 year old car as they are reviewing new ones and comparing them to each other.
There is a lot more to think about these days than there used to be and the 10 minute test drive is no longer enough to get a real feel for the modern car.
paul_c123 said:
3-20 mins per car, if it goes on longer it just becomes a situation where you procrastinate so much you never actually buy anything.
I need to buy your book when you author it! 
I am trapped in an infinite loop of decision non-making. Here in Poole in Dorset I find there are often a lack of local cars to speed up my laborious process.
In 2026 I endeavour to buy either a:
2019 Leon ST 4Drive
2019 BMW X3 30d MSport
I will do this.
I follow lots of car news without specifically researching a particular car but when it comes to a decision I check the reviews and build out a spec sheet. Email to my dealer (same person for years) . Drop by and she’ll check if there is anything she thinks I have missed ( not all upsell,sometimes might suggest I drop something). Order the car and out of there,maybe 15 mins tops.
valiant said:
How much research do you actually do when choosing your next car?
Probably will be changing the car next year and have drilled down the final choice to one or two cars.
Do you just read a few reviews, watch your favourite YouTube channels and maybe ask on here for owners opinions before hitting the dealer forecourt? Or do you go further? Or do you simply go I want that one in Little Britain stylee without much consideration at all?
Think I ve gone a bit mental as I found myself reading a pdf of the owners manual and watching reviews on YouTube from foreign reviewers with subtitles on to try and see it from a foreign perspective. Haven t even got as far as a test drive yet! (Bit early for that tbf).
What s the sweet spot for you when researching your next car?
As much as you want until you are satisfied with your choice Probably will be changing the car next year and have drilled down the final choice to one or two cars.
Do you just read a few reviews, watch your favourite YouTube channels and maybe ask on here for owners opinions before hitting the dealer forecourt? Or do you go further? Or do you simply go I want that one in Little Britain stylee without much consideration at all?
Think I ve gone a bit mental as I found myself reading a pdf of the owners manual and watching reviews on YouTube from foreign reviewers with subtitles on to try and see it from a foreign perspective. Haven t even got as far as a test drive yet! (Bit early for that tbf).
What s the sweet spot for you when researching your next car?
Caveat to that.
If it doesn’t make you happy geeking out like it does me then stop it isn’t worth it.
Inbox said:
Can't recall a reviewer saying the car beeped and bonged too much.
.
Really? You are obviously looking at different car reviews to me. It’s usually the first thing they mention. That and whinging about touchscreens..
What I find is that they tend to over-emphasise handling performance when reviewing cars designed to haul family and gear around. So you have to be mindful that they are often biased toward cars which are the most fun to hoon around in for half a hour, but not necessarily best for what you might want it for. But some reviewers are much better than others in regard to fhe bigger picture.
uktrailmonster said:
Inbox said:
Can't recall a reviewer saying the car beeped and bonged too much.
.
Really? You are obviously looking at different car reviews to me. It s usually the first thing they mention. That and whinging about touchscreens..
What I find is that they tend to over-emphasise handling performance when reviewing cars designed to haul family and gear around. So you have to be mindful that they are often biased toward cars which are the most fun to hoon around in for half a hour, but not necessarily best for what you might want it for. But some reviewers are much better than others in regard to fhe bigger picture.
I know that I do waaay too much research to the extent that my wife just rolls her eyes and lets me get on with it.
In my mind I have already bought, driven and sold many cars before actually (or more likely not) doing the deed in real life after reading reviews from magazines, YouTube, forums and wherever else I can find them.
My current 'obsession' is a M340i Touring which I want to replace the Audi A3 1.4 which my wife and I have owned for nearly 12 years, costs next to nothing to run and is risk-free due to cheap manufacturer's warranty.
I can't really justify the time spent other than to say that cars are the generally the second most expensive purchase on will make and getting it wrong is even more expensive and frustrating.
In my mind I have already bought, driven and sold many cars before actually (or more likely not) doing the deed in real life after reading reviews from magazines, YouTube, forums and wherever else I can find them.
My current 'obsession' is a M340i Touring which I want to replace the Audi A3 1.4 which my wife and I have owned for nearly 12 years, costs next to nothing to run and is risk-free due to cheap manufacturer's warranty.
I can't really justify the time spent other than to say that cars are the generally the second most expensive purchase on will make and getting it wrong is even more expensive and frustrating.
Don't go too mad, otherwise you'll end up finding some issue or other with every car you look at, and will end up buying nothing.
As said above, some reviewers make stupid comments, like complaining about the performance of 1 litre city car for example. Then don't buy a 1 litre city car then then.
Plus, you never really know if you think something is good until you buy it. And if it turns out you don't like it very much, sell it and buy something else.
As said above, some reviewers make stupid comments, like complaining about the performance of 1 litre city car for example. Then don't buy a 1 litre city car then then.
Plus, you never really know if you think something is good until you buy it. And if it turns out you don't like it very much, sell it and buy something else.
valiant said:
Think I ve gone a bit mental as I found myself reading a pdf of the owners manual and watching reviews on YouTube from foreign reviewers with subtitles on to try and see it from a foreign perspective. Haven t even got as far as a test drive yet! (Bit early for that tbf).
I do exactly the same thing, as well as signup to any forums on the car. I also download all the brochures and look at every feature and option of the car.I will also do constant searches on CarWow to get the best price possible. I even try and find YouTube videos of the underside of the car to see what the rust protection is like.
I am currently interested in an MG3 Hybrid, there is a Zipcar one near me and I have hired it three times now for a total of four hours. I have driven it locally and an hour journey on the motorway (using up the daily mileage allowance and had to pay extra) to make sure I like it. Zipcar is closing down at the end of the month, so I plan on taking it out again before the end of the year.
I have worked out every possible way of buying one, a pre registed one outright for £15,995 cash, a new one for £16,700 with a £6700 deposit and £70 a month on a PCP.
This has been going on for six months now, but it took me four months of research to buy my gaming laptop. I hate buyers remourse, I have to be 100% sure, especially as I plan on keeping this car until it goes to the scrapyard.
stevemcs said:
After researching and reading reviews about Skoda Superb 280 s I found one, 18 months in I m looking to replace it with what i originally wanted which was a 3/5 series.
B58 or B57?I keep coming back to the fact I want a B57 (we have an M57) before I die. I don't want the overall size of a 5 series all the time, but I want the interior and a good size boot. So G01 X3 it is.
Buy what we want has to be the mantra!
SlowV6 said:
B58 or B57?
I keep coming back to the fact I want a B57 (we have an M57) before I die. I don't want the overall size of a 5 series all the time, but I want the interior and a good size boot. So G01 X3 it is.
Buy what we want has to be the mantra!
I think 530d, although I have started looking at the 3 series, a lot are 330e though but they have a thimble for a fuel tank.I keep coming back to the fact I want a B57 (we have an M57) before I die. I don't want the overall size of a 5 series all the time, but I want the interior and a good size boot. So G01 X3 it is.
Buy what we want has to be the mantra!
valiant said:
How much research do you actually do when choosing your next car?
Probably will be changing the car next year and have drilled down the final choice to one or two cars.
Do you just read a few reviews, watch your favourite YouTube channels and maybe ask on here for owners opinions before hitting the dealer forecourt? Or do you go further? Or do you simply go I want that one in Little Britain stylee without much consideration at all?
Think I ve gone a bit mental as I found myself reading a pdf of the owners manual and watching reviews on YouTube from foreign reviewers with subtitles on to try and see it from a foreign perspective. Haven t even got as far as a test drive yet! (Bit early for that tbf).
What s the sweet spot for you when researching your next car?
I read the on line manual, essentially to know how easy it is to switch nanny devices off.Probably will be changing the car next year and have drilled down the final choice to one or two cars.
Do you just read a few reviews, watch your favourite YouTube channels and maybe ask on here for owners opinions before hitting the dealer forecourt? Or do you go further? Or do you simply go I want that one in Little Britain stylee without much consideration at all?
Think I ve gone a bit mental as I found myself reading a pdf of the owners manual and watching reviews on YouTube from foreign reviewers with subtitles on to try and see it from a foreign perspective. Haven t even got as far as a test drive yet! (Bit early for that tbf).
What s the sweet spot for you when researching your next car?
Years ago I used to start looking for my next car as soon as I had bought one, so hardly ever had one for more than 18 months!
These days I buy older cars and find owners forum more useful than media reviews because they only test new cars, so you don't find out what goes wrong after the warranty has expired. But I've had both my cars sine 2019 which is a new record for length of ownership so I suppose I'm quite happy with them both.
These days I buy older cars and find owners forum more useful than media reviews because they only test new cars, so you don't find out what goes wrong after the warranty has expired. But I've had both my cars sine 2019 which is a new record for length of ownership so I suppose I'm quite happy with them both.
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