Is BMW still a 'luxury car manufacturer'?

[Dan B]

Well, they make Rolls Royces, so I suppose that yes, they could be considered as a 'luxury car manufacturer'

I read that as "laxative car manufacturer" ... cue "full of shoot" jokes

 

[marzjennings]

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.

Funny, it's precisely the differences in how different engines use fuel to produce power and apply that power through the gear box that drives my choice in cars. I couldn't care less how the door handles work or how the car really looks. I drove an STI for years and to be honest it's an ugly car built with a lot of cheap plastic parts.

 

[dodgy]

I think Norm underestimates how important the mechanicals of a car are, it pretty much defines the reliability of a car.

I still say there are hardly any differences between an Audi and Skoda (say for instance an A4 versus an Octavia vRS). Same engine, same lots of things, same steering wheel etc etc etc. I've been reading lately that build quality is considered to be better on Skoda than Audi and the overall boss of VAG has been keen to bring Skoda back into line. So perhaps we'll see poorer materials allowed on Skoda in future, but I doubt it.

 

[Norm]

I think Norm underestimates how important the mechanicals of a car are, it pretty much defines the reliability of a car.

Are we now discussing reliability? I thought we were talking about "luxury".

However, whilst we are on this branch-line, if more people considered the reliability, then, for example, I think that Top Gear magazine would still be printing the JD Power survey each year.

Mechanical reliability is also affected by far more than the badge on the bonnet. A current Skoda Fabia 1.2 TSi might share a lot of mechanicals with a current VW Polo 1.2 TSi, but it will share considerably fewer with the Skoda Fabia RS or even the 1.6 TDI. The reliability surveys, however, do not (in my experience) look at the detailed engine or spec levels, they just lump all of the Fabias in together.

I think (but I'm not certain) that the different bits of VAG also use different suspension settings for their vehicles. Whilst the floor pan is the same, different spring rates and damper settings will make the cars feel different.

Funny, it's precisely the differences in how different engines use fuel to produce power and apply that power through the gear box that drives my choice in cars. I couldn't care less how the door handles work or how the car really looks. I drove an STI for years and to be honest it's an ugly car built with a lot of cheap plastic parts.

Yeah, fantastic cars, weren't they, although I wasn't so keen after about MY'00.

I always preferred the hatch to the saloon, although I know that always sets me apart in Scooby circles.

 

[marzjennings]

I always preferred the hatch to the saloon, although I know that always sets me apart in Scooby circles.

No, I'm with you on the hatch over the saloon. Always been a fan of the hot hatch, 205gti, vw gti, r32, etc.

 

[Norm]

No, I'm with you on the hatch over the saloon. Always been a fan of the hot hatch, 205gti, vw gti, r32, etc.

VR32 was lovely, but I preferred the 309GTi to the 205... unless it had the 1.9 engine. That was a bundle of fun. A very small and poorly protected bundle, but a bundle it was.

 

[Rebel Ian]

This thread is an interesting read for someone with a Merc awaiting delivery of a BMW!!

I think if you look past the badge there are some really good vehicles out there but I still feel that the build quality is better on Merc and BMW than most. What BMW have managed to do with a diesel engine is staggering in terms of performance versus economy versus emissions.

 

[Black Sheep]

Mercedes have gone well down in my estimation of build quality - so many older (6 years plus) ones going RUSTY...... what's that about.... See loads.................. the Jap stuff is far superior.............

the issue is, that someone at Merc decided to save costs by not doing any anti corrosion treatment to the car but still offer the same guarantees on it - as such, you get am 80's ford problem of possibly being rusty from new - except most of the cars are built in south africa instead of essex, so a little less rain.

Nissan, I note, have been making some very nice looking cars these last few years. They're Japanese aint they?

see below!

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.

The Nissan Z sports car is indeed nice, but is now 4 years old and so previous style, they are about to stop production / have stopped.

I'm not a big BMW fan but i have driven the 330d and the new 535d and i have to say that they are both a superb drive and build quality is right up there at the top

One of the nicest (non German) cars i've driven is the Volvo S60 diesel

Simon

ah, good old peugeot diesel engines fitted by BMW.

 

[CopperBrompton]

I drove an STI for years and to be honest it's an ugly car

Understatement of the year! Scoobies didn't just get hit with the ugly stick, they were given a sound thrashing with it.

But yes, great cars to drive, and the most flattering car I've ever driven: even when you completely cocked-up the entry to the bend, the car would just sort it all out for you. (And yes I am talking about track driving before the usual suspects start.)

 

[Archie_tect]

Amazes me how Skoda could take a car like the VW Passat and ruin the exterior appearance creating the new Superb [do they secretly appreciate irony?]....

 

[Black Sheep]

Understatement of the year! Scoobies didn't just get hit with the ugly stick, they were given a sound thrashing with it.

But yes, great cars to drive, and the most flattering car I've ever driven: even when you completely cocked-up the entry to the bend, the car would just sort it all out for you. (And yes I am talking about track driving before the usual suspects start.)

the original ones looked good, its when they started putting curves and puppy dog eye headlights on that it went downhill.