He is "average motorist”

Press, 19 October 1976, Page 24

He is "average motorist”

Television One’s new “Motor Show” host, David Hall, claims he has no qualification for the job other than the fact that he is an average motorist. “You don’t have to be an expert to know what you are looking for in a car,” he said. “I’m not especi a 11 y good at mechanics; I’m not even an expert driver, but I do drive an average mileage per year and I know what I want in a vehicle. I’m looking at the cars purely from the consumer’s point of view. “It’s important that the vehicle you plan to buy measures up to your requirements and that it does the job the manufacturers say it’s designed to do. So, when I run a road test I look at the manufacturer’s claims and see if the vehicle fits them.

“I keep in mind the different elements in motoring. For instance, am I looking at a family car or a sports job, is it capable of doing the required job and still give me easy comfortable motoring? Simply, does the car feel right?” David has been running road tests on vehicles for three years and a half (now. His criteria has always been based, on what he, as a consumer, requires from any particular vehicle, keeping in mind that most people do not have deep mechanical knowledge and their needs often change as they purchase a new car. Motor-cycles are another area in which David has an interest. Along with “Motorman” he publishes the “New Zealand

Motor-cycle News” and conducts similar tests on these vehicles. This has facilitated a new development in the “Motor Show,” the introduction of motor-cycle road tests. Motor-cycle sport is one of David’s hobbies and, like his predecessor, Murray Thompson, he is also associated with rallying. “I’ve been associated with the organisation of the Heatway since 1972 and I also compete in “trials’ and ‘enduro’ class motor-cycling,” he says. “I’ve always been interested in motoring, particularly in the ‘fun’ aspect, and I hope the tests I conduct help the consumer in assessing the vehicle they are interested in buying.” David Hall presents the “Motor Show” on Monday nights at 8.20 p.m. on TVI.