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AutoGuide.com Best under $30K Performance Shoot Out

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384
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135
Location
Calgary
#4
Follow up... I read the review, but I finally saw the video.

Wow, Pratte is such a twat. I can't believe they are even letting him do this review with his obvious bias. I noticed it in the review as he panned the hell out of the "high" seating position and other things about the cars which really isn't a big deal... it started to click that he was guiding the viewer to the FRS, sure enough when it came up... guess who was driving, and low and behold he proclaimed it to have the best seating position ever! Threw in a few "This is a real sports car" comments... made sure the exhaust clip sounded better than the rest.

So what happens when we google David Pratte....

Result #1: Facebook page with link to this Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8-5GGNdiSc#t=13
Racing around in his own personal FRS, gee what a surprise

and his comment from that youtube video:

David Pratte
1 year ago

Thanks Mike. The FR-S is such a special little car, the handling is just unreal! Your Tooth Power Z is no slouch either, but if you ever get a chance to try a FR-S, you'll be amazed by its ability to carry speed through the corners. It honestly defies logic, especially when you consider it's doing this without any of the electronic trickery being used by machines like the GT-R and even the new 911. The driving experience in the FR-S is so pure and so much fun, words really can't describe it.
Are you kidding me... he is panning the GT-R and 911 against a FRS and this guy is expected to give a fair and objective view?

 


Messages
384
Likes
135
Location
Calgary
#7
I cheated and skipped to the last page lol.

Booyah - First Place
Not yet.... that was only part 1, part 2 will come today (?) when they test track performance

Given Pratte's heavy bias, I expect the FR-S to win


Here is a good example of his heavy Bias throwing results:
http://www.autoguide.com/car-comparisons/2014-ford-fiesta-st-vs-subaru-brz-3720.html

If you look at the track data, the ST is faster than the BRZ sections 1 and 2. This is more or less consistant with other track battles between the two cars. Then suddenly in section 3 it loses nearly a second... so WTF? Then look at the braking G-force... BRZ = 0.92g, ST = 0.71g!? Um no... that isn't right. The BRZ is even known for brake fad.

Basically what the data says is he coasted it down the straight into the corner instead of braking hard like he did with the BRZ to try and throw the results into the favor of the BRZ. He skewed the results on purpose.

Not surprising given the fact that he is very outspoken about the FR-S/BRZ to the point of being absurd.
 


Messages
384
Likes
135
Location
Calgary
#8
Part 2 is up... still withholding the top 3 though

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2014/08/autoguide-30000-performance-car-shootout-part-two.html

Fiesta is in the Top 3 with the FR-S and WRX



....so anybody want to bet that Pratte flogs the BRZ for a good track time, then oversells it on the subjective fun to drive catagory because it is RWD and has a low seating position?

My guess is the track portion rolls out like this:

3) Fiesta ST
2) WRX
1) THE AMAZING FR-S!!!!! ffs
 


Messages
113
Likes
0
Location
Houston
#9
Follow up... I read the review, but I finally saw the video.

Wow, Pratte is such a twat. I can't believe they are even letting him do this review with his obvious bias. I noticed it in the review as he panned the hell out of the "high" seating position and other things about the cars which really isn't a big deal... it started to click that he was guiding the viewer to the FRS, sure enough when it came up... guess who was driving, and low and behold he proclaimed it to have the best seating position ever! Threw in a few "This is a real sports car" comments... made sure the exhaust clip sounded better than the rest.
lol to be fair, the seating position in the Fiesta isn't exactly a sports inspired seating position. Even with the base seat, pushed all the way down, its still a tad high for my taste. The Recaro's put you up even higher. That said, I don't expect the ST to have the super low down seating position, seems how its not a true sports car.
 


Messages
384
Likes
135
Location
Calgary
#10
lol to be fair, the seating position in the Fiesta isn't exactly a sports inspired seating position. Even with the base seat, pushed all the way down, its still a tad high for my taste. The Recaro's put you up even higher. That said, I don't expect the ST to have the super low down seating position, seems how its not a true sports car.
I agree with you actually, but he was complaining about the Civic Si seating position as well which is why it stood out. The Civic Si has a really nice seating position IMO.
 


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126
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35
Location
...
#12
What struck me is the prices they got, I had no idea the Miata was so expensive now! But also, good luck finding an FRS, WRX, or GTi at any dealership for less than $30k. I know I have never seen one in my town, and the prices they quoted on those cars are base prices without delivery or a cent of markup. When similarly specced with options as the Fiesta which tops out at $26k, they are nearly $8k more.
 


greens

New Member
Messages
2
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0
Location
The Woodlands
#13
What struck me is the prices they got, I had no idea the Miata was so expensive now! But also, good luck finding an FRS, WRX, or GTi at any dealership for less than $30k. I know I have never seen one in my town, and the prices they quoted on those cars are base prices without delivery or a cent of markup. When similarly specced with options as the Fiesta which tops out at $26k, they are nearly $8k more.
I can buy a base model WRX here in Houston for $27k otd with all fees included all day long. [dunno]
 


Messages
148
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0
Location
Boucherville
#14
here in canada, the base price for the wrx is $31 760 CAD ($29 161 USD), all fees included.

+ subaru are hard to negociate here
 


razorlab

1000 Post Club
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127
Location
Bay Area
#15
What struck me is the prices they got, I had no idea the Miata was so expensive now! But also, good luck finding an FRS, WRX, or GTi at any dealership for less than $30k. I know I have never seen one in my town, and the prices they quoted on those cars are base prices without delivery or a cent of markup. When similarly specced with options as the Fiesta which tops out at $26k, they are nearly $8k more.
Nobody smart buys cars at MSRP. Who buys a loaded Fiesta for $26K? I know I didn't. I payed THOUSANDS less.

My partners father just picked up a base MK7 Base GTI for thousands under MSRP and WAY under $30k.

You do know a base 4 door MK7 GTI is $26,095 MSRP with destination, right? Pretty close to what a new base GTI has been for the last four years.
 


Messages
148
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0
Location
Boucherville
#16
Well you had a good deal cause here in Quebec, I couldnt get better than 27 800$ (25 500$ USD) even after visiting 3 dealerships, they all finished at that price, best offer.
I could negociate on other models but they couldnt get big deals on Fist, Fost and mustang cobra...
 


Messages
384
Likes
135
Location
Calgary
#17
Well you had a good deal cause here in Quebec, I couldnt get better than 27 800$ (25 500$ USD) even after visiting 3 dealerships, they all finished at that price, best offer.
I could negociate on other models but they couldnt get big deals on Fist, Fost and mustang cobra...
Keep in mind the Canadian model is fully loaded, even the Recaro's are standard... the only options are the Nav, painted wheels, and Moon roof.

Mine was 26K flat... and that was including a delivery allowance and 2000$ off for employee pricing.
 


Messages
384
Likes
135
Location
Calgary
#18
So in the end the FR-S lost to the WRX by less than a single point... which is silly given the WRX killed it in every category. It was all the arbitrary stuff propping up the FR-S

Part 3:
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/...rformance-car-shootout-part-three-winner.html

However a really good point from the comments section:
These numbers conflict with previous reviews by AutoGuide; For track time the Fiesta ST and FR-S are separated by 2.2 points in this article... which on your scale of 25 is nearly 9%. Yet, when you guys put the Fiesta ST against the BRZ; ( www.autoguide.com/car-comparis... ) it was only 3/10ths of a second behind the BR-Z... and in fact 2 out of 3 legs of the track, the Fiesta ST was faster. So... what gives?
In other words Pratte did one of two things;
1) Intentionally took it easy with the Fiesta ST so it wouldn't upset the entire scoring system
2) He stuck better tires on the FR-S to give it an advantage and make it score higher than it should have

I think the latter is true... as it might be Pratte's personal car they were testing
 




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