Writing Feedback / GRE (argument): Comparison of two cars [10]

"Of the two leading car brands in the market today -- Sloda and Cosmic, Sloda is far superior. Sloda has a fuel economy of 22 m/gallon compared to Cosmic, which has 18 m/gallon under test conditions. The spare parts for Sloda are easily available in the metros and the after sales service offered by the company although expensive, is excellent. Sloda also costs $800 cheaper than Cosmic and is by far the most economical car in the market. It has a great resale value; I was able to sell my Sloda at a higher price than my neighbor's Cosmic V2."

Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. (Time limit: 30 mins)

Many factors are taken into account before buying a car. Depending on the customer, these factors may range from cost and luxury to the resale value. These give rise to comparisons between the available models. But the comparison and the resulting assessment made by the author, that the model Sloda is a superior car than Cosmic in not justified. There are many flaws in the argument which must be resolved.

One of the premises that the author has considered is the mileage of the cars. Cars perform differently from test conditions when they run on different types of terrain. For example, a sedan is more economical in a city than on dirt roads and mountainous regions. In the latter conditions, an SUV is a better option. Therefore, the conclusion that Sloda has a better fuel economy is flawed as the author does not provide any information on the types of the cars and their intended terrain of usage.

Secondly, the author's attempt to highlight the availability of spare parts in metros is not very convincing. That is because it does not include small cities, villages and other remote areas. This cancels out the advantages of a reliable after-sales service in those areas.

Another flaw in the line of reasoning is in the statement of the resale value. The resale value of a car depends upon the usage and present condition of the car. So a new car usually has a higher resale value than an older one. Hence, the higher resale value of the author's Sloda than her neighbour's Cosmic V2 cannot be considered as a significant factor because the condition of the cars at the time of resale is unknown. In other words, there is no basis for such a comparison.

In conclusion, the author's argument seems a bit prejudiced to be taken seriously. Such an argument is only justifiable if the above mentioned loopholes are closed, and additional factors like luxury, customer satisfaction, etc are considered.