Dear Tom and Ray:

I have a question about the difference between "twins." You know, like the Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable twins, and the Plymouth Voyager/Dodge Caravan duet. Are these twins exactly the same? If so, why the price difference? Tom

Ray: They ARE basically the same, Tom. The price difference is mostly a marketing tactic. For example, Mercury is positioned as more "upscale" than run-of-the-mill Ford.

Tom: The way they make the Sable more upscale is to include a bunch of options in the base model that the Taurus does not include in its base model. The most significant being air conditioning. But when you put the same options in both cars, and add up the costs, the Sable ends up costing about $400 more.

Ray: And for that $400, you get slightly different styling, you get the name "Mercury" on your car, and you get a tachometer.

Tom: Of course, your neighbors will also think you're very successful when they see you pull into the driveway in a Mercury, as opposed to a plain, old Ford.

Ray: Either that, or they'll think you're a knucklehead for spending an extra $400 for a tachometer.

Everybody wants a new car. But from a purely financial point of view, there is no question that buying a used car is always cheaper, even in the long run. To learn more, order Tom and Ray's pamphlet How to Buy a Used Car: Things That Detroit and Tokyo Don't Want You to Know. To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1995 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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