laman@sdcsvax.UUCP (11/24/83)
I'm looking for good and bad comments on "Consumer Reports". Is it worth
the money? They seem to be on a subscription campaign, and the magazine
sounds like it could be good. Please reply to me via mail. If I get
enough interest, I'll post the replies.
Mike Laman
UUCP: {ucbvax,philabs,sdccsu3,sdcsla}!sdcsvax!lamanbrian@sdccsu3.UUCP (11/26/83)
I've been a subscriber for years; in general I find their tests on major
appliances to be well worth it. Their orientation is strictly New York
in that they don't consider the climate of the west coast and its effect
on items, and they lean heavily towards items that would be of interest
to easterners more than us in the West.
Their auto reviews are well done, as long as you aren't looking for a
California-style sports car - they prefer small compact boxes that save
lots on gas and survive for a couple of years until the snowsalt rusts
them through - none of this "off-road" trucks, 280-Z, or the like for
them. And the thought of buying a used card that's about 5 years old
seems to be completely absent from their minds, even though cars last
about 10 years or more in California, Arizona, and other drier states.
I'm not fully in agreement with their editorial positions on safety -
they seem to me to be much too concerned with protecting their readers
from themselves - with a tone of "papa knows what's best for you".
Their subscription service is among the worst there is in the world, as
far as my experience goes. Once they have you set up and are delivering
issues to you, fine, but should something go wrong you will miss about
six months of issues until they get their sh*t together. I receive my
subscription as a Christmas present, up until two years ago, when they
lost the renewal application and payment for 5 months, and now my
subscription expires in May --- and they don't seem to be able to cope
with a renewal sent in December. Oh yes, if your subscription expires
in December (as mine used to) they will apparently try to save some
money by not sending you their December issue - which is their Annual
Buying Guide (a very useful publication) - until you renew. For three
years running I didn't get mine until my renewal had cleared, sometimes
as late as the end of February. Suggestion: wait until January to send
in your subscription so that it will expire after they have mailed their
buying guide to you.
Other than that, I like it and look forward to each month's issue.
--
-Brian Kantor, UC San Diego
{decvax,ucbvax} !sdcsvax!sdccsu3!brian
Kantor@Noscrfg@hound.UUCP (R.GRANTGES) (11/29/83)
I agree with these comments and would add that whenever "CR" gets onto a subject you know something about, you will find yourself disagreeing with what they say. Nevertheless, they are far and away the best advice available...sort of the only show in town. hound!rfg