Is BMW still a 'luxury car manufacturer'?

[stephec]

They are a luxury car manufacturer who also manufacture far greater numbers of mid-range cars which appeal to a certain type....

That said, I owned an old 3-series (1985 model) for a short while and it was quite a pleasant car to drive. It was unusual though that the steering wheel on mine did actually turn to the left and allow me not to sit in the middle lane for 300 miles, and the thottle would actually ease off if the right foot was lifted.

The previous owner must have fixed the faults that are well documented with BMWs

Did he also replace the magnetic front bumper, you know the one that automatically attracts itself to the rear of the car in front if said car is in the third lane of the motorway doing less than 85mph?

It seems to flash the headlights at the same time as well for some reason.

 

[snailracer]

Up until 2 months ago I have been a BMW owner for 7 years.

I have to say the BMW engine is fantastic as is the handling on every one I have had. The bit that pisses me off is that you have to pay for every little extra

i now have an new Audi that has tons of extras but the engine isnt a patch on the BM

You were lucky and bought just after the BMW Nikasil disaster.

 

[snailracer]

No pun intended?

I disagree, they're churning out some really nasty shitboxes, Quasquai, Juke, Murano and mucho-macho 4x4 nastiness. Couple of the small cars are acceptable, and the jury's out on the Prius' credentials as an eco-vehicle.
Nul points in my book.

The Prius is made by Toyota.

 

[Fab Foodie]

The Prius is made by Toyota.

Sorry, of course you're correct

 

[Elmer Fudd]

No pun intended?

I disagree, they're churning out some really nasty shitboxes, Quasquai, Juke, Murano and mucho-macho 4x4 nastiness. Couple of the small cars are acceptable, and the jury's out on the Prius' credentials as an eco-vehicle.
Nul points in my book.

I'm with you Foodie, for Quasquai read cashcow, as it is. Juke read puke. murano read.. oh, you get the picture. I still want my old TVR back though! un-reliable, expensive to run etc. but for the summer? Mmmmmm. Heaven.

 

[downfader]

When I said Nissan I said looks. I kind of meant things like this:

A bit porsche-clone

However this is what they plonk out on the streets, I agree:

There again it should be remembered that I'm not a driver, or a petrel-head (cheese!).

 

[dodgy]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/8058959/BMW-drivers-are-angriest-on-road.html

Motorists who own the flashy German built cars are more likely to tailgate, flick the finger and speed than anyone else on the road, a poll revealed

'flashy'? Really? Moribund more like!

 

[Kestevan]

As a 50,000 milesa year road warrior of the day I recall exactly what you describe... except I went for a Diesel 405 estate, still one of the best handling cars I've ever driven.

Ooo,oooo me too. I had a 405 turbo deisel estate back when I was doing silly silly mileage as a service engineer in the early 90's. Absolutely cracking car, much better than the Sierra that preceeded it, or the Mondeo that replaced it after 125K trouble free miles.

I've never been drawn to the mainstream luxury cars. BWMs are just another flavour of boring.

And as for Audis.... most are driven by utter cocks. The majority of the Audi range is basically a Skoda with a posher badge and a bigger price tag. The people buying them are paying purely for the badge, which wouldn't unduly bother me but everytime someone tries to kill me when I'm on the bike its in a bloody Audi.

 

[dodgy]

My personal enemy is drivers of Audi Q7 barges. They're always empty apart from the cock in the driving seat, and quite often the driver is female (so a hen, perhaps).

 

[Norm]

The majority of the Audi range is basically a Skoda with a posher badge and a bigger price tag.

Never been inside one, then, Kestevan?

It's a frankly silly notion, this one, I'm afraid. The 1995 A6 was quite simply the nicest car I've owned (and that is an extensive list), with some beautiful touches. For instance, the air con turned itself off when you applied full throttle, so that you got all of the power to the wheels at the expense of a few seconds without the fridge working.

I agree that a high proportion of near hits feature Audis, but the cars themselves are lovely and they are far, far more than a Skoda with a new badge.

 

[dodgy]

I'd disagree. All the electronics, ECUs, engines, gearboxes are not only similar - they are absolutely 100% precisely the same.

Audi is Skoda for the insecure.

Only reason to buy Audi is because there's a particular drivetrain, engine combination that isn't available on Skoda (they keep certain engines for exclusivity to Audi - 4wd with larger engines for instance).

 

[Kestevan]

I've driven both Audis, VWs and Skodas thanks.

I'll agree with the Audi you might get a nicer quality of velour seats, that the grab handles are nicely damped and that there is a more extensive list of electronic toys with which to insulate yourself from all the plebs, but for the majority of the range, they're mechanically identical to their much cheaper siblings.

By all means if you have the cash to splash feel free, it's just the level of snobbery attached to the Audi brand I don't "get".

 

[tyred]

BMW used to build great cars. The E30 3- series in particular was a truely wondeful machine, looked nice, drove like a go-kart on a back road yet was very refined and comfortable on a motorway and could rack up a few hundred thousand miles with ease. Apart from the needing a leg amputation to sit in the back seat, there was very little not to like about the E30. The E36 wasn't bad either but not quite as well screwed together.

They've lost the plot since then. Modern BMWs are ugly and although very well rounded and generally well engineered, they are nothing special to drive.

 

[Norm]

I'd disagree. All the electronics, ECUs, engines, gearboxes are not only similar - they are absolutely 100% precisely the same.

Audi is Skoda for the insecure.

Only reason to buy Audi is because there's a particular drivetrain, engine combination that isn't available on Skoda (they keep certain engines for exclusivity to Audi - 4wd with larger engines for instance).

Where differences between a Skoda and an Audi matter is the same as where the differences between a Kia and a Volkswagen matter, for example. In other words, the visuals and the touch points.

You are completely ignoring the differences by looking just at the bits that you can't look at. Who cares, for example, about the difference between a Kia and a Volkswagen ECU, engine, gearbox etc? Both use fuel to produce the power needed for forward motion, they are, in that respect, absolutely 100% precisely the same.

The bits that you touch and feel are different and, IMO, those are the reasons to buy a car.

I've driven both Audis, VWs and Skodas thanks.

I'll agree with the Audi you might get a nicer quality of velour seats, that the grab handles are nicely damped and that there is a more extensive list of electronic toys with which to insulate yourself from all the plebs, but for the majority of the range, they're mechanically identical to their much cheaper siblings.

No snobbery from me, the cars before and after the Audi had much higher levels of snobbery. But, to own over a period of 3 or 4 years, the Audi was the best, precisely because of the differences.

I suggest that the mechanicals are irrelevant to most people who drive.

 

[ThePainInSpain]

The Germans have never considered the "cooking" models such as the 3 series and the later 1 series as luxury cars. Even the 5 series were workaday models. I think the tag "luxury" is something peculiarly British. They do seem to be purchased by drivers of a certain mindset.

Usually tossers