Next time you’ve got a CAR Magazine in hand, flip over to the back, you’ll most likely stumble on the tail end of the CAR buyers guide. The buyer’s guide is a large collection of data spanning dozens of manufacturers. From Japanese SUVs to French runabouts, the buyer’s guide has it all.
The buyer’s guide has always been an integral part of the CAR Magazine DNA and has appeared in the magazine since 1957. Taking a step back into the September 1957 issue we see a cherry wine red Opel Rekord on the cover. At the back of the issue one finds one of the first iterations of the CAR buyers guide. First, an assortment of advertisements ranging from car radios to twin-carburetor fitments. A bit further on we come across a page with a handful of manufacturers, some of which have become relics of the past. Underneath a bold title, we see cars ranging from the charming Austin A35 to the boisterous Willys CJ5.
Fast forward 65 years, the latest issue of CAR Magazine features a buyer’s guide that is leagues ahead of the one found in 1957. Chocked full of varying pieces, specs, and additional information, it’s a goldmine for those wanting to stay informed on what’s new in the market. A useful tool for those in need of some reliable and easily accessible information, the buyer’s guide is quite literally one of the pillars upon which we have built our reputation as South Africa’s motoring authority.
Former Fiat Chrysler Group CEO, Graham Eagle, commented that throughout his years in the automotive industry, the tangibility and efficacy of these little pricing compilations became an indispensable resource. He went on to say that over the years it has proved to be a great asset in the hands of eager buyers. According to Eagle, a significant addition to the buyer’s guide in recent years has been the categorized sequential pricing section found just before the buyer’s guide, lumping cars together by their manufacturer.
A quick anecdote that Eagle shared with CAR was the recent purchase of a car for his son. He revealed that with his set budget, the buyer’s guide offered him the ability to not only look at cars within his budget but also gave him a pool of alternatives that made it easier to nail down some final picks. In the end, he decided on a Suzuki Swift.
