Are You Manipulated by Marketing?

[jabberwock]

A friend of mine has a Subaru Outback from the 90s I think. I asked her why she drives it. She says "Cause it Works!". So she's had good luck. And she's been driving it x20 years. I have to admit, I've believed that Toyota has some pretty honest marketing claims. I have three vehicles, a 2010 Tacoma, a 2013 Prius and a 2021 RAV4. I've found all three are what they were hyped up to be. Excellent products.

1990's Subaru was pre-CVT (Continuous Variable Transmission). The downfall of a legend. I have an 2003 Tundra with 270k miles on it... I told my mechanic I wanted to make it to 350K. He said, "No problem."

 

[PotatoPig]

I’m very cheap so am most heavily manipulated by the sales rack at the LFS…

 

[Johnd651]

Not as much marketing as curiosity.

I fell for one of the instant bacteria products coming back into the hobby. Not saying it didn't work, but not as expected, and I didn't really gain anything by using it. Still the same ugly stage in the end.

To some extent I think marketing is making it harder to discern between a true need and want. Do I really need an ATO, no, but what's the value in adding one.