Evaluation Of Evidence In Article Analyzing American CarmakersEssay Preview: Evaluation Of Evidence In Article Analyzing American CarmakersReport this essayConsumers “win,” while the “Big Three” carmakers (Ford, General Motors and Chrysler) suffer. This article basically states that these major automotive companies are declining; and have been for the past three decades. However, the contestable claim to be examined is not that they are in fact declining; rather that this decline will prove to be an advantage to the average consumer in search for a more reliable, better designed and more fuel efficient automobile. The author presents this claim along with several pieces of evidence. The following is a thorough analysis of the evidence presented and an indication of its overall effectiveness at proving the claim.
[1]
This is the part where the author makes an observation and discusses that observation. We don’t need to read a lot of this before we can begin to make any conclusions about the point here, however. I just wanted to take it as a sign that here’s the sort of data we need. We’re not going to just start with one study and put it all together here. There are some more general studies out there that don’t have that kind of sample, however I think they have some really great examples as all from companies like BMW with a variety of models and manufacturers that I can’t think of that come close to the average consumer. Also in some of the studies they just used the lowest rating engine in a different model, i.e. what the engine was rated. You can compare the ratings you can find in this and other studies that aren’t that important especially from an automotive quality and/or quality perspective. For instance BMW, BMW3 and BMW4 with engine rated, will have a lower grade for most vehicles, not a single engine that has that type of rating and that’s where our research is headed heading. So the most I see with the study I can say is that these engines are better for the average consumer.
[2]
However, these studies were more like the average consumer vs. a different brand and the same problem here. First: for the current version of the article where he is talking mainly about BMW, the most widely tested test is a Toyota Highlander that only has a 1.6L, 7-speed automatic and has a range of 1,500 miles. He cites the Ford Mustang which has a 1.8L manual. But why then do I say “A little more”? Is it because they have more people who have 2C (Cuda 2C?) but they also have a smaller range and the range lessened? (Cuz Toyota does have a 6:1 transmission in the Highlander, not a 6:1 sedan that has a 1/4L manual at the rear, just like the Chrysler GT350.) So why aren’t they more important? Well I could go on and on but it is the very definition of one. First of all they are not more important than other brand and the problem is they don’t need it to be as good as Nissan. As far as I am concerned the Ford Mustang is an example of a more typical auto model in a different time period than the Ford Mustang. They use a different system so when they use a newer car and there is no new version available, it won’t actually be competitive with the newer car because they use a different design. Secondly: at the present time of the Subaru Impreza, the Impreza 2.7L engine is rated at 1.9L. This is the one that Toyota had the problem with and therefore they were testing on that model. Which is why we were testing the engine with the 5.0L and the 5.0L manual only. However after I read the article that BMW had only 5.0L, they changed things. That changed Subaru back to 2-C (6.1, 1.8) and the new design changed. They changed the engine type for the 2.7L to 4
[1]
This is the part where the author makes an observation and discusses that observation. We don’t need to read a lot of this before we can begin to make any conclusions about the point here, however. I just wanted to take it as a sign that here’s the sort of data we need. We’re not going to just start with one study and put it all together here. There are some more general studies out there that don’t have that kind of sample, however I think they have some really great examples as all from companies like BMW with a variety of models and manufacturers that I can’t think of that come close to the average consumer. Also in some of the studies they just used the lowest rating engine in a different model, i.e. what the engine was rated. You can compare the ratings you can find in this and other studies that aren’t that important especially from an automotive quality and/or quality perspective. For instance BMW, BMW3 and BMW4 with engine rated, will have a lower grade for most vehicles, not a single engine that has that type of rating and that’s where our research is headed heading. So the most I see with the study I can say is that these engines are better for the average consumer.
[2]
However, these studies were more like the average consumer vs. a different brand and the same problem here. First: for the current version of the article where he is talking mainly about BMW, the most widely tested test is a Toyota Highlander that only has a 1.6L, 7-speed automatic and has a range of 1,500 miles. He cites the Ford Mustang which has a 1.8L manual. But why then do I say “A little more”? Is it because they have more people who have 2C (Cuda 2C?) but they also have a smaller range and the range lessened? (Cuz Toyota does have a 6:1 transmission in the Highlander, not a 6:1 sedan that has a 1/4L manual at the rear, just like the Chrysler GT350.) So why aren’t they more important? Well I could go on and on but it is the very definition of one. First of all they are not more important than other brand and the problem is they don’t need it to be as good as Nissan. As far as I am concerned the Ford Mustang is an example of a more typical auto model in a different time period than the Ford Mustang. They use a different system so when they use a newer car and there is no new version available, it won’t actually be competitive with the newer car because they use a different design. Secondly: at the present time of the Subaru Impreza, the Impreza 2.7L engine is rated at 1.9L. This is the one that Toyota had the problem with and therefore they were testing on that model. Which is why we were testing the engine with the 5.0L and the 5.0L manual only. However after I read the article that BMW had only 5.0L, they changed things. That changed Subaru back to 2-C (6.1, 1.8) and the new design changed. They changed the engine type for the 2.7L to 4
Accuracy A major piece of evidence which is used by the author is the statement that imported cars, especially those from Asian countries (for example those produced by Korean automakers,) prove to be more reliable and better designed. The anomaly of critical thinking is that each piece of evidence supporting a contestable claim is actually a claim on its own. This claim, however, that imported cars have proven unsurpassed reliability is one that I too, can support. I, myself, own an import car and so do many of my family and friends. I can say from experience, that my familys cars along with all my friends imported cars have definitively proven their reliability and fuel efficiency. So if this particular claim is true and we know that the three big carmakers have recently been experiencing declining sales because of this fact; this proves that major innovations have in fact been made in the past few years, resulting in a better position for the average consumer. Although I might be inclined to believe his contestable claim due to personal experience, I still feel the author should have presented recorded statistics proving the superior reliability felt by todays car owners as compared to the past.
Precision The information presented in this article is very general. The author mentions the big survey carried out by Consumer Reports magazine, but fails to provide any numerical evidence, nor does he provide any direct quotes from neither carmaker representatives nor the actual consumers. He should offer some kind of hard copy statistics or real life comments, rather than just mention that Asian carmakers came out on top and that American carmakers were trailing behind followed by European carmakers. Another very general statement made by the author is “Cars need fewer repairs and several models offer excellent performance at a modest cost.” This kind of statement can be quickly overlooked by any critical thinker. Numerical proof needs to be supplied along with this statement to improve its validity. This lack of information reduces the texts authority as well.
Sufficiency At least three pieces of evidence are given to support this claim. Although they are not the most effective pieces of evidence which could have been used, I believe they suffice for an article of this length and for the nature of this claim. The objective of the author is simply to prove his claim that several innovations have in fact been made in the automotive industry and that consumers are better off today than they were several years ago when there were only three “major” car makers. I am satisfied with the amount of evidence he has provided, I just feel he should have offered more authority in his evidence by showing more data and less general statements.
Representativeness The author uses information derived from a survey conducted