Did anyone else get or bother to respond to the RDA Survey thing you get when you buy one of these cars? (Its the one with a dollar in it.) Just curious.

 

Took delivery on 9/11/07 & have yet to receive any surveys.

 

Be careful. Some of those "surveys" are really just a rouse to gather personal info. You can tell easily by the amount of personal info they ask.

For example, what would your income have to do with the quality of the vehicle? Think about it. Do the people on the assembly line run a credit check on you before deciding just how careful they will be when assembling your hybrid?

I even contacted Ford about one of the surveys I received, they checked, and came back that it was certainly not authorized by Ford. I think it was actually one with a dollar bill in it.

The only new car survey I do, are the ones from known surveyors like, say, JD Powers.

 

There CAN be a reason to ask for income... As a car company you might want to know if only upper middle class people are buying a particular car model and such.

That being said... I usually don't send them in because they ofter are too nosy and I'd never answer the income question anyway. Frankly let them find it out from someone other than me if they really need that info.

 

I filled out the two that I got, but I never include personal information. Just answered the questions about the vehicle.

 

I did the first one... but didn't answer any personal questions either. I figure I gave them more than $1 worth. They'll have to $tep up if they want more...

 

Actually, I work in the Market Research industry, and used to work at RDA Group. Please know that WaltPA is completely ignorant on how MR works. Research is conducted so that auto manufacturers can continue (or begin) to offer vehicles with features that consumers say they want/need. Income and other demographic information is asked, so that manufacturers can understand which groups of ppl (high income, women, young males, etc.) are interested in which features/vehicles. So please realize that by filling out surveys you are actually doing the world's consumers a favor by offering your opinions. Your opinions really do affect how manufacturers think about their product offers.

 

I will throw in a "ditto" on that. As I've previously posted here, surveys from reputable firms are legitimate. Maritz and JD Power are reputable, as is RDA group. These aren't random. They sent it to you because they know you are one of relatively few people who actually went out and bought an FEH, and they want to know what you think. The demographic questions are there for a reason.

Seriously, think about it. Imagine you saw data that said 90% of Prius buyers were female NASCAR fans earning over $100,000 per year. That would be interesting, right? Well, where do you think that data comes from? That's right, market research. From surveys of actual Prius buyers.

By all means, if a person doesn't want to participate they should toss it. But please don't sabotage it for the rest of us by posting unfounded implications that is a "ruse" or whatever unless you have experience and proof of that. This isn't like those "win a car" promotions at the mall that are just an attempt to get your name/number for solicitation. They already have your name and number, they just want your opinion as a real, actual owner.

I understand how many of us have become suspicious in these days of identity theft. But this is legitimate research.

I've been doing them for years on every new car I've bought. I think the first one was in '91. I've received follow-up surveys or phone calls a few times. Subaru sends them right after you buy, then at about one year, then again at the two year mark. The "worst" thing that's happened is that I have been invited several times to do compensated previews of future products and technologies. I enjoy that sort of thing and I believe (rightly or wrongly) that my opinion has value to them. So I choose to opt in. If you don't, then just opt out by not responding.

 

Unfortunately either lil5j just doesn't get it, or is completely ignorant of the underlying issue here.

Manufacturers don't use any "research" results for which they don't subscribe or are not a sponsor.

Since it is not the manufacturers, then who exactly is using this data? It is not unreasonable to question that, and that question is the underlying issue here.

Now, Powers does publish and report to the public, its results. So, for me, they are "OK". However, that doesn't, by itself, mean that all other survey companies should be automatically given an "OK" too. One really needs to seriously question their motives. Why are they collecting the data? Who will be using the data? Again, it is not Ford.

Also, as I mention already, what is the relationship between vehicle quality and the owner's income? If the quality survey is truly to gather such quality data, then I really need to question why are there so many questions about me (income, family, gender, etc), rather than focusing on the vehicle? That raising my suspicion level, and it should yours too.

If lil5j or anyone has no problem just handing out their own personal info to just anyone who offers them a dollar, then go right ahead.

However, I don't, and would never encourage anyone else to do it.

 

Please take another look at the letter. It says right on it that they are doing the survey for Ford.