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The German people we know laugh at how BMWs are perceived here. There, they are just another brand of automobile. Just like we laugh at the way Buicks are percieved in China.
There's definitely truth to what you're saying, but BMWs and other German brands are not exactly "just another brand". Germany produces some of the best mainstream production cars in the world and has a pioneering history of innovation. There is a true and prestigious legacy. The difference truly is in the engineering. German cars are very well built, very well thought out, provide great longevity, performance, and overall satisfaction with ownership. Many older German cars were ahead of their time. Yes, one can get a Mercedes without the luxury options in Europe that are standard/mandatory here in America, but that doesn't make the quality of the product any lesser. It's a shame Americans are so obsessed with brand names and associations versus actually seeing a product for what it is. I think this is what the Germans are really laughing at, whether they realize it or not. Americans who are unfamiliar with German cars go "ew ah", while those of us who have become very familar with them see them for what they really are, just cars. Of course, that doesn't mean we don't appreciate their quality. The VW Phaeton is a great car, but because it was merely a VW, it wasn't well received in America. It had a price point of a high-end luxury car, which it was, like an S-class, A8, or 7-series, but didn't have the luxury name plate. Had it been badged an Audi, I think it would have been more successful. Another piece of evidence that Americans are obsessed with brands and the images they invoke is the fact the Lexus brand was created for the brand-obsessed American market, rather than just offering upmarket Toyota-branded vehicles. More evidence even is that the Daimer CEO or CFO (can't remember exactly who) said the reason Daimler dropped Chrysler is because the "brand was tarnished" and that in the American market, no matter how much Daimler invested into Chrysler and how great they made the cars, it wouldn't matter - because the brand was already tarnished.
Anyway, those who are voting overwhelmingly Mercedes, BMW, and to some extent Lexus - not being able to appreciate the quality of a car that commands a higher price doesn't mean those cars are "overrated".
There's definitely truth to what you're saying, but BMWs and other German brands are not exactly "just another brand".
Doesn't that contradict this?
Quote:
Americans who are unfamiliar with German cars go "ew ah", while those of us who have become very familar with them see them for what they really are, just cars
German vehicles are often problematic, expensive to repair, overpriced, overly-complicated, and lacking in reliability. The quality of the CURRENT American vehicles (for the most part) either eclipses or equals the quality of their German counterparts. For years the likes of BMW and Mercedes had no real competition from American manufacturers and became complacent in their positions...that came to bite them in the ass when Cadillac started producing the 2nd generation CTS and CTS-V that absolutely trounced the Germans in luxury, reliability, performance, and quality. With the introduction of the new ATS, I think BMW and to a less extent, Mercedes are going to be forced to step up their game.
Competition in the market forces automakers to produce better vehicles, the 3-Series has basically been selling on price and name recognition for many years now and finally they have a worthy competitor from America.
Like you said, German vehicles are just another segment of vehicles. Some love them, some hate them.
Our German family members and friends mostly drive Japanese cars. Maybe that is just what they can afford. Although one of them can afford it, but said "I am not going to pay THAT for a BMW, that is a joke." LIkewise I think an American woudl never buy a Buick in China. (Would you pay $70K for a Buick?)
It is interesting how cars actually come together. Although the overall plan may be orchestrated in a certian location the engineering is all over the place. I have a client in Germany who engineers and makes parts for German, US and Japanese automakers. (He designs and develops electric lock switches, hood and trunk releases, seat belt controls, airbag releases, and the switch that allows the headrest to pop forward in an accident in some cars, among other things. Guy is a genius and a really nice personable guy too, he personally has something like 80-90 intenational patents, his company has many more) However the same car may have wheels designed and made in Japan, an engine designed in the US and built in Mexico, electronics designed and built in China, etc. All of the manufacturers steal from each other all the time. If the guy I know makes a cool new thing for Chrysler, then Mercedes or Honda will hire him to make a similar thing for them.
In my opinion Honda seems to be the most overrated car today. I don't think they're the worst but the newer stuff comes across as oversized and pudgy to me. Granted, pretty much every car brand today is pudgy and oversized but Hondas seem to be even wierder looking than they used to be. The best Honda in my opinion was the CRX model; it had a lean modern look and was surprisingly fuel effecient for a semi-sports car and very utilitarian. The newest Honda Civic however comes across as being too big for a compact car. Also, I've seen some horror stories with Hondas flying apart at 100K miles. This is about what happens with the el-cheapo domestic models but it's sometimes more $$$$$$ to fix a Honda vs something like a Dodge Neon (and I thought my Taurus was bad).
Infiniti vehicles are fairly attractive but blend into every other Japanese brand with their rounded styling while Cadillac is doing something original and creating vehicles with sharp, flowing lines. Stylistically, Cadillac is really gaining attention in the market; even very pro-Japanese and Pro-German car magazines are raving about the Arts and Sciences concept Cadillac is executing with their lineup. Very attractive and unique.
If you want an appliance that is bland, boring, uninspiring, and lackluster...go ahead and buy a Camry. Not unique, not interesting, and it's currently trumped by at least a 3 or 4 vehicles in its segment.
Yea and with that Infiniti still makes better looking cars, and your post shows irony.
You say the Camry is boring yet you people worship bmws and audis which every car in their brand looks identical to the other.
Muah ha ha!!! I'm incredibly jealous. I'm hankerin for some bland sheet metal. How did they step up their game? It's the same vehicle as before.
EDIT.....ha! I didn't even see SpeedyAZ's post.(busy at work..started post had to stop)
BORING
Yea nice one but isn't the same vehicle at all mainly interior wise. I don't pay people like you mind. Calling a car boring yet worshipping cars that are also boring in appearance.(BMW, audis etc)
Since when was it cool to worship car companies that create the same looking car for every platform? Yawwwwnnnn
People on this forum are going by badge titles over actual facts. Lmao do your telling me you people do not like Lexus because Toyota makes it? Despite having pretty much every luxurious feature in their vehicles? Hahaha so I suppose if Lexus separated from Toyota then that would make you posters like them?
Anywho I rather drive a Lexus LFA over any boring looking AmG or m series.
Also the Lexus is kills the BMW 3 series, Mercedes Benz c class, and Audi a4 in looks.
You insecure people need to really get of the badge claim.
Those cars are not even remotely in the same class. That's like saying I'd rather drive a Charger SRT8 instead of a Corolla
Well both are at the top of the chain of their carmakers. But since everyone is doing badge claims and believes that lexus is literally a Toyota I think the Toyota LFA fares up against the m and Amg perfectly. That's off coarse going by the arrogant criteria of these posters.
Toyota may own and build Lexus. but for Lexus to bashed all because Toyota makes it is retarded. In that case I won't spend money on a Bentley because it's a glorified VW, better yet I won't even look at the VW veyron also known as the Bugatti.
Yea nice one but isn't the same vehicle at all mainly interior wise. I don't pay people like you mind. Calling a car boring yet worshipping cars that are also boring in appearance.(BMW, audis etc)
Since when was it cool to worship car companies that create the same looking car for every platform? Yawwwwnnnn
Could ya quote my post where I was worshiping BMW's and such? Anyways my vehicle of choice is the Wrangler. It doesn't need to change, because it's an iconic image, that everyone on the planet knows.
Here's a snip or two on Car&Drivers opinion of your "all new" Corolla....Camry? Whatever.......
.....Considered in terms of the specifications, all-new is hard to see here. The body dimensions are identical to those of the gen-six car. So are the particulars of the 3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve V-6 that towed our SE test car—same bore, same stroke, same port fuel injection (no direct injection yet), same output: 268 hp, 248 lb-ft of torque........
......Although changes to the basic unibody are mostly cosmetic—the seventh-generation sheetmetal, although not exactly head turning, looks contemporary and continues to be commendably slick......
....Assessed as a device with which to satisfy your inner Sebastian Vettel, the new Camry is pretty similar to its predecessor, which is to say essentially bland. Our test car was an SE model, nominally sportier than the rest of the lineup, but the suspension tuning is still skewed strongly toward the comfort side of the chart. There’s considerable body roll in hard cornering, obstinate understeer progresses to absolute, and as is common nowadays, a new electric-assist power-steering system substitutes weight for tactile information.....
......This still isn’t the kind of car that raises pulse rates. But it is competent in everything, just right for a driver who doesn’t want to be involved any more than is absolutely necessary.....
That's all I need to know. They really only paid complement to the "new" interior.
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