
Originally Posted by
happya$$
I do not have an issue of shooting over a sneak peek either but do have an issue If manufactures start changing wording or try to manipulate changes, which I can not say is happening or not. To me it is essential when a test occurs the units tested are blindly purchased. In your tests they were and in a couple of other forum members tests they are too. I can not understand why that on "professional reviewers tests" they are not. This is why I hold high value to tests like yours. They are as pure as they come and represent what consumers are driving with. Speaking of RD tests when is your next one? I am a huge fan of your guy's work.
I agree that in tests like those run by GOL, where specific data is recorded, the units under test should be retail and not factory supplied for that specific purpose.
Even then there is some gray area, for instance, personal units that are sent in for a tune up prior to testing. These units might get tweaked to ensure they meet the high end of the spec as opposed to just verifying that they fall within the "normal" parameters. However, buying brand new units (especially in multiples) for every test is flat out not affordable. Even Valentine indicated that Car & Driver no longer runs these tests due to the expense of aquiring all the equipment.
In the end you just do the best you can and avoid introducing any units you suspect to be above or below average performance for that model. The real litmus test is how our results match up with what other folks have personally experienced. If test results don't align with 1st hand experience in the field then either the test was flawed or the units under test were not average performers for that particular model type.
The days are getting longer and warming up. I'd like to see what Escort has in this new QKL95I and give Valentine just a little more time to introduce something new!

Maybe sometime in May I can get the boys together again and put something on. Meanwhile, we are all lining up for the the next GOL showing!

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