DVD-Audio is an important optional extra when buying a new car, reveals a Yahoo! Autos survey, as are leather seats, a GPS system and voice activated controls. However, most consumers consider cup holders and mirrored visors more influential factors in those ‘make or break’ decisions.
More than 50% of the 2,137 U.S. adult consumers poll, conducted by Harris Interactive between May 14th and 16th 2003, said that they wouldn’t even consider buying a new car that didn’t have cup holders. 33% of people considered a mirrored visor a ‘must have’ (35% of women).
When it came to optional features, GPS navigation systems were the top choice with 20% of those polled saying that they would spend beyond their allocated budget on such a system. Leather seats were the most desirable option with 18% of people while a DVD-Audio installation would be the choice of 12% and voice activated controls the selection of 11%. Not unsurprisingly, it was the male participants who saw the most value in the above, 70% of women over the age of fifty-five who were polled said none of them were worth the extra cost.
Ramy Mora, senior marketing manager for Yahoo! Autos: “The Yahoo! Autos survey results supports the thinking that commuting with a cup of coffee in the morning is the standard American driving experience today. We also found it interesting that consumers are willing to go over budget to have the coolest car gadgets on the block.”
Yahoo! Autos recently enhanced its site with sophisticated content and research capabilities critical to the overall new vehicle researching and buying process. The new features include some of the most advanced photo and video capabilities available online, including up to nineteen photos and three hundred and sixty degree virtual tours for each vehicle. In addition, more detailed information is now provided for each vehicle, including standard and optional features, interior and exterior colour combinations, exterior colour swatches, gas mileage and headroom, among other detailed technical specifications.
Yahoo! Autos is an informative and objective automotive site for people looking to buy, sell or research automobiles. Offering a complete set of tools and services for new car shoppers, Yahoo! Autos helps consumers with every step of the car buying process. New car shoppers can read consumer and expert reviews, get car quotes from local dealers, research models and pricing, compare features, and get access to content from Consumer Reports, Consumer Guide, Kelley Blue Book and NewCarTestDrive.com – all in one location. Yahoo! Autos offers used car buyers access to listings with detailed descriptions and multiple photos; and provides a platform for used cars sellers to post listings easily and sell cars quickly – all in a very cost-effective manner.