Tribune Staff Rider
“And they’ll get a call on Sunday, or their friend or neighbor will stop by on Sunday with a great big grin on their face and say, ‘Did you read the Trib? No? Well, I brought a copy with me in case you missed it’–and they’ll really rub it in.”
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And they are always men. The women Mateja hears from have a different agenda. “Women, as a rule, if they see something critical or hear something critical about a car will follow up on it to learn the specifics. The male goes by ego–and if his ego suffers, he’ll curl up and shy away from learning more. Women are always asking questions. The male doesn’t want to admit he doesn’t know.”
Mateja went on, “Probably half my mail is asking questions, seeking advice. Some of these people–my God! they write 15-page letters asking all sorts of questions, and these are always the ones who say, ‘I need a reply within two days.’”
But Consumer Reports consistently rates imports as the most reliable and trouble-free cars on the market, we reminded him. Mateja said those ratings are based on owners’ experiences, and the owners of imports take better care of their cars. “They have this thing–they’re very religious about maintenance.” Why? we asked. “All the buyer profiles will show there’s a higher percentage of college graduates among import buyers,” Mateja told us, “a lower age level, and a higher income level. They’re more concerned about protecting their investment.”
“‘If there’s a riot,’” said Kozloff, quoting management, “‘it’s the only place the police can come in.’ We just shook our heads and said, ‘Sorry, that just doesn’t wash with us.’ The last riot, I think, was disco demolition night.”
