Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

What Keeps You Loyal To A Brand?

24567…13

Comments

  • ea1420ea1420 Member Posts: 22
    ICAM...for me it's all about the dealer. If I like the dealer and I feel comfortable that when push comes they aren't going to treat me like dirt.

    I don't have a brand loyalty really, but I refuse to buy any vechicle that has an automatic transmission. And there are some brands I won't buy any of their vechicles based on reputation, and others I might consider if I really liked the dealer.
  • atlvibeatlvibe Member Posts: 109
    I confess, I'm a new car junkie. Like 'em and I am gonna trade. However, what drives me away from a brand(domestic cars) is the incentive yo-yo game. One month it's $1000.00, the next $3000.00, or if you build houses in New Zealand and have 2 bird dogs you qualify for a sportsman's builder discount. The domestics anger me with the up and down incentives. There is no way to gage the market and know when to purchase. The yo-yo incentives also hurt resale. At least with my import purchases before it's been less of a concern and my re-sale has been better. The sad part is I want to buy domestic products but fear in the future will no longer be able to stand the huge depreciation contrast verses the imports. My best example on re-sale has been Toyota Tacoma Pre-runner. I can drive one of those for about 8,000 miles and get with in $1500.00 of cost back out of it on trade. When I buy domestics, I lose much more money every time. I don't mind some pain but not as it's harder with domestic brands.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Also a confessed new-car Junkie. The dealers who get to know me appreciate that, believe me. But I agree with you, the incentive game is a lousy way to do business. Imagine how I feel if I buy a new car and get $6,000 of the sticker on it. I feel the dealer has really bent over for me on that deal. But if next week, I see my same model in front of the store with a $12,000 discount pasted on the windshield, I know I still got hosed. And that makes me angry....

    No, I'd rather have a car company build on quality and reputation so that they don't have to sell on price, at least until the end of the model year. A clearance sale, I understand.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,293
    excluding any my wife drives on a regular basis, in the order i bought them.

    66 impala wagon
    74 plymouth duster
    80 vw scirocco
    76 mercury capri
    83 tbird turbo coupe
    86 mustang gt
    83 f150 pickup
    88 tbird sport coupe
    89 taurus sho
    91 mustang gt convertible(still have)
    92 taurus sho
    94 explorer
    97 explorer
    00 expedition
    02 explorer(still have)
    04 focus(still have)
    ?? looking around :)
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    I like the Capri, the Scirocco, and the '89 SHO. I always thought the Yamaha SHO was a great ride, 220 hp was about the limit for FWD then, and that thing was a hoot when it was lined up going the right way.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    So, you a confirmed Ford man then?! :-P

    ;-)

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    ...my Grandpop is a confirmed Chevrolet man. It was his great luck with Chevrolet cars that steered me in the direction of GM:

    1941 Chevrolet Special Deluxe
    1947 Hudson Commodore
    1953 Plymouth Cambridge
    1958 Chevrolet Impala
    1961 Plymouth Valiant
    1964 Chevrolet Biscayne
    1967 Chevrolet Bel Air
    1974 Chevrolet Impala
    1980 Chevrolet Impala
    1989 Chevrolet Caprice Classic Brougham
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yeah but the important question is does he say "BRO-mmm" or "bro-HAMM"? ;)

    -juice
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,673
    hmmm, now that I think about it, considering all the cars I've owned that tended towards the pimpy, I don't think I've ever had one that said "Brougham" on it. I've had two that were "Grand" though. Well, okay, one of them was actually "Gran". :P And I've had two that were pretentious enough to have "Edition" written on them.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    The "Cheap Wheels" section of the current edition of Collectible Automobile features the 1970s Valiant Brougham - sister of the Dodge Dart Special Edition.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    I don't know about Grandpop, but I have a 1989 Cadillac Brougham and I pronounce it "BRO-mmm."
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    I don't know about Grandpop, but I have a 1989 Cadillac Brougham and I pronounce it "BRO-mmm."

    The old lady that lived next to my grandma (who I guess, would also be an old lady...albut a more pleasant one, eh I digress) had a Olds 98/Buick Park Ave type car from the mid-80s that said Brougham on it and we used to call it Broom, which at the time, I thought was very fitting for the woman to use for transportation.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    ?? looking around

    What are you looking for?

    Your car chronology looks similar to mine, except I have spent a lot more money on cars.... In order of appearance:

    62 Ford Galaxie 500
    66 Ford LTD Coupe
    74 Mustang II
    74 Mercury Comet (Married into it)
    76 Ford Pinto Station Wagon (kids happened)
    78 Ford LTD II
    81 Ford Fairmont Station Wagon (another kid happened)
    83 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham
    84 Ford Thunderbird
    85 Mercury Marquis
    86 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special
    87 Ford Aerostar
    87 Mercury Sable
    88 Ford Ranger
    89 Honda Civic
    90 Mercury Cougar
    90 Lincoln Continental Silver Anniversary Edition
    91 Jeep Cherokee
    92 Lincoln Continental
    93 Chevrolet Corsica
    93 Ford Tempo
    94 Mercury Cougar
    94 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer
    96 Dodge Caravan
    97 Mercury Mountaineer
    98 Mercury Mountaineer
    99 Lincoln Navigator
    00 Infiniti I-30
    01 Ford Mustang GT Convertible
    02 Lexus LS430
    02 Mercury Mountaineer
    03 Lincoln Navigator
    04 Mercury Mountaineer
    05 Lexus LS430
    06 Not looking right now, but will be in 07
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,673
    I thought you had a '56 DeSoto Firedome at one point, NV?
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Good memory, andre - I did, in high school. And man, it was HEAVY! Pink & White two tone, two speed automatic, and the firedome motor. slow as hell. It was an experimental car, so I didn't put it on the list as a serious car. But I had 'er, for sure.
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    Even almost 15 years ago Honda used a 4 speed auto.
    Bought at 166K miles at 3,500 + TTL = $3,900.

    Sold at 200K miles 3 years later for $2,700 cash. Granted, we put almost a grand into it to bring it into tip top selling condition, but still, thats good bang for the buck per mile.

    I loved the car.
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • anythngbutgmanythngbutgm Member Posts: 4,277
    nv, that's a heck of a lot of cars you've owned!!! :surprise:
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,673
    Even almost 15 years ago Honda used a 4 speed auto.

    Honda had a 4-speed out longer than that, actually. IIRC, the Accord first used a 4-speed automatic in either 1981 or 1982. I'm not sure when Toyota started using 4-speed automatics, but my 1985 Consumer Guide lists the Camry as offering a 4-speed automatic and the Corolla as offering a 3- or 4-speed automatic.

    I had a 1991 Civic rental with a 4-speed automatic. I dunno what year the Civic started using them, though.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    GM put a 4 speed Hydramatic into their Oldsmobile in 1940. That was 67 years ago. They had sold more than 1 million cars with the Hydramatic 4 speed by 1950.

    In the 1950s Rolls Royce, Lincoln, Nash, Willys, Kaiser, Hudson and other automakers used GM Hydramatic transmissions.

    My first car was a 1947 Pontiac Convertible and it had a 4 speed Hydramatic. Never any problem with it.
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    nv, WHOA !!!!! That is a heck of alot of cars buddy. :surprise:

    Rocky
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,673
    Oops, guess I should've specified 4-speed automatic OVERDRIVE transmission here. GM did invent the automatic transmission, launching the 4-speed Hydramatic in 1939 on Oldsmobiles and later spreading it to Cadillacs and Pontiacs. I don't remember if Buicks used them as well, or if they only had the Dynaslow tranny.

    The thing used a fluid coupling though, instead of a torque converter. I've never driven an old Hydramatic, so I don't know if that hampers it or not, but supposedly a 3-speed with a torque converter, like Chrysler's 1957 Torqueflite or GM's later THM400 and 350, is supposed to be a better setup than a 4-speed without a torque converter.

    Ford came out with a 4-speed overdrive automatic in 1980, for use in their big cars. I dunno if they were the first to manufacture one or not, though. GM followed suit in 1981, but again, that 4-speed was only used in their big cars at first. I think Ford's first 4-speed overdrive for smaller applications was the tranny developed for the Taurus, while GM's was the one developed for the 1985 C-body.

    I'm not sure when the domestics started putting 4-speed automatics in their truly small cars, but the Japanese had beaten them to the punch. I know in the case of the Neon, it didn't get a 4-speed automatic until 2002!
  • sls002sls002 Member Posts: 2,788
    The hydramatic had a low gear of about 3.8:1, with a 1:1 high (4th) gear. The overdrive automatics have a 2.9:1 low gear with an overdrive of about 0.7:1. In terms of overall gearing (low gear divided by high gear) there is not much difference. However, the hydramatic had a fluid coupling, which did not have much torque conversion as a torque converter does. A torque converter has an effective gear ratio from a standing start of about 2:1. The hydramatic, at least in the later years, somehow routed the engines torque around the fluid coupling, so there was little slip in 3rd and 4th gears. The torque converters would not slip much if they were turning at 2000+ RPMs. However, during the 60's GM was making bigger engines and using economy axle ratios (2.5 to 2.75 :1) in hopes of increasing power and keeping fuel consumption reasonable. The torque converters were slipping more and more.

    Buick and chevy did not used the hydramatic. Buick experimented with the dynaflow (later called turbine drive) until the turbohydramatic was developed. Chevy converted from the early dynaflow to powerglide. The powerglide had the same gearbox, but used a simple torque converter and used low gear automatically. Buick wanted the dynaflow to be a shiftless transmission for smoothness.

    The torqueflite transmission was cheaper to build than the hydramatic because it was a simpson gear set, a simple planetary gearset. Basically it was about 1.5 full planetary gears. The hydramatic needed two full planetary gearsets, each one different.

    The first modern overdrives added another overdrive gearset to the simpson gear boxes. Now we get six speed transmissions from 3 gearsets I think.
  • sls002sls002 Member Posts: 2,788
    This topic is supposed to be why you always buy brand x.

    For me the reasons were in part happiness with the dealer and part the cars had the features I wanted. I have only owned GM products thus far, mostly Buicks.
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    #1 Well for me it's having several members of my family work for GM. I wanted to help support their jobs.

    #2 I've always have liked GM's car designs through out the years, the best of any company in my "realistic" price range.

    Next month I'll be 28 years old and my very first car was a
    2WD 1986 Chevy Pick-up. age 16. My grandfathers old truck. After I dinged that up I he and my grandmother, bought me a
    1992' Bonneville SSEi supercharged. It had a few after market parts on it. ;) Drove it until I graduated High School.

    My father for my graduation present gave me his 1994' 3.1 V-6 Chevy Lumina Van "The Space Shuttle" as my friends called it. :P
    I was sick and tired of getting ripped by my friends so I swapped it off for a 1988' Cadillac Eldorado that fall. It had a 4.5 V-8, and was pretty quick. It later had some electrical issues and a leaking sunroof I didn't know about when I bought it.

    I then got a better job, and thus bought a 1993' Oldsmobile Bravada that was in excellent shape at a car auction. I drove that for about a year or so and spotted a red 1995' Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Convertible with white leather. This car was pretty fast as it had a 3.4 DOHC, a K&N, along with a chip. I switched out the cassette player for a factory CD/Cassette combo player. I use to get whistles from the ladies in this ride. :shades: I drove the Cutlass for about a year and a half (I think) then put in a early order for a 2000 Monte Carlo SS. That summer I waited 4-months and was told by my dealer it wasn't going to arrive until Febuary, so I said screw it. I then bought a Black 2000' Chevy Silverado Z-71 "Sidestep" It was a nice truck. ;) However gas expenses were catching up with me and I got a great deal on a trade in and then bought a Black 2001' 75th Anniversary Pontiac Grand-AM. I drove that car for lil' over a year and then my new wife and I wanted something a lil' bigger thus I bought the 2002' Cadillac Seville STS. As y'all already know that car was demolished. I had some GM dealership problems and bought my first transplant car a 2005' Acura TL. That car is history (long story) and now I just have a 1998' Ford Mustang (Wifes Graduation present)and a 1996' Dodge 2500 4x4 Pick-up, I bought last summer. My future cars will likely be a 2000' Buick Century within the next month along with a 2002' Oldsmobile Aurora.
    I will probably sell the 96' Dodge

    My future new car short-list includes:

    2007-2008' GMT-900 GMC Sierra Denali Pick-Up w/ 2-stage hybrid.

    2008' Lincoln MKS turbocharged

    2008' Cadillac CTS Super-V w/ 500-600 hp. :shades:

    2008-2009' Buick Velite Roadster/Convertible :shades:

    Small possibility (depends if I could swing some sort of a lease deal) for a 2007' Volvo S80 V-8 loaded.

    Well that's my short-list for now and as y'all know I'm subject to change as often as the Panhandle of Texas's Weather. ;)

    Rocky
  • louisweilouiswei Member Posts: 3,715
    I am 24 so my list is kind of short...

    High school car:
    1990 Acura Legend/1992 Honda Accord LX (whichever one my dad's not driving)

    College/Grad School car:
    1997 Honda Accord LX (my baby, passed down to my sister)

    First car purchased by myself:
    2006 Lexus IS350

    As you can see I was (and still am) a Honda loyalist and the IS350 was suppose to be an Acura TL. However, the 306 HP and RWD ultimately changed my decision as I have gone to the dark side (that's what I call Toyota :P ). Hopefully I'll be able to go back to Honda when Acura introduces the next gen TL with 330+ HP and either AWD or RWD :blush: .
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Hopefully I'll be able to go back to Honda when Acura introduces the next gen TL with 330+ HP and either AWD or RWD .

    2009' could end up being a scarey year for me also when Acura does introduce the SH-AWD TL. :surprise: It could end up being my favorite car, thus I need to buy something before hand to not be tempted again to go back to my personal dark side. ;)

    Rocky
  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 13,665
    Never been loyal to any one brand, let alone to any one model.

    Car manufacturers' leapfrog each other every year with performance, safety, features.

    I guess if someone pinned me down, the things I look for, in this order...

    1. Performance
    2. Styling
    3. Build quality
    4. Functionality
    5. Price

    That said, my son, who is going to college, still lives with me. He's driving an '03 Hyundai Elantra....been a really good car.

    I'm the only other driver, but have 3 vehicles at my disposal.

    1. '06 BMW 330i
    2. '04 Toyota 4Runner
    3. '05 Caddy STS (belongs to my mother, but she couldn't get her license renewed since she can't see well enough, so it's sitting in my garage)

    The Caddy is on what seems to be a permanent loan.

    It might be easier to think of what I haven't owned.....

    Never owned a....

    -Plymouth
    -Oldsmobile
    -Porsche
    -Rolls
    -anything ever made by AMC (or anything that was ever associated with AMC)
    -Buick
    -Jag
    -Volvo
    -Jeep
    -Mercury
    -Lincoln
    -Lexus
    -Lotus
    -Infiniti
    -anything made in Italy, or Yugoslavia

    ...every other brand has been pretty much fair game, in one way, shape or form.
    2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,293
    since mazdas and the focus share some components, i was wondering about the clutch/tranny.
    thanks for answering that question.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,293
    i've been looking (not driving) at what i consider to be some 'orphans'. '06 lincoln ls and zephyr. also '06 fusion 4cyl with sport package.
    the logical side of my brain (the small part) says wait until next year.
    kid #1 headed to college, would like to pay down some debt, amt.
    otoh, bought the mustang with a less than 2 year old and another on the way. WE have never regretted that decision. :)
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    I really like the MKZ, better than the Zephyr. I guess it's because of the power difference. :)

    Rocky
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    MKZ is going to confuse a lot of poeple. Mark LT, MKX, MKZ ... they all sound the same. Bad idea.

    -juice
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Yeah, I gotta agree with ya pal. ;)

    Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Mulally: 'Everyone loves a comeback story. Let's work together to write the best one ever.'

    http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061017/AUTO01/610170354/1148- - - /AUTO01

    Rocky

    P.S.

    If he wants people like me to believe him, he better sell his Lexus. :mad:
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Falling sales, profits could force closures

    http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061017/AUTO01/610170373/1148-

    Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061017/AUTO01/610170350/1148-

    Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Automaker credits new models in competitive market for jump in first three quarters of 2006.

    http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061017/AUTO01/610170419/1148- - /AUTO01

    Looks like the Chinese, are brand loyal to the GM brand. :surprise:

    Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Side airbags, other features standard

    http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061018/BUSINESS01/610180322/10- 14

    Not that he has a problem with that: Fields commended the team that developed the vehicle, saying he liked it from the moment he saw it.

    He will have more influence on later models, starting with the next-generation F-Series and the Lincoln MKS flagship sedan, both of which are expected to debut in 2008.

    So it is official one of my favoritest cars (MKS) will be here in 08' :D

    Rocky
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    He drives a Lexus? :D

    He should have traded it in the day he became CEO. Get a Lincoln LS or something.

    -juice
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    He drives a Lexus?

    Yeah, embarassingly Bill Ford, said jokingly the workers are right now out in the parking lot keying it. :surprise:

    He should have traded it in the day he became CEO. Get a Lincoln LS or something.

    Juice, he could of at least recieved a new 2007' Volvo S80 if he liked his LS that much. ;)

    Rocky
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    or a 2007 Town Car?! :confuse:

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    or a 2007 Town Car?!

    Ummm, not even I would drive that vehicle. The new concept that I saw a few days ago, I would drive happily. He luckily has a MKS coming out by next year to happily drive. :shades:

    Rocky
  • bumpybumpy Member Posts: 4,425
    If he wants people like me to believe him, he better sell his Lexus.

    He should keep the Lexus as a reminder of why the company he agreed to helm gets its butt kicked in on a daily basis.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    The discussion is about what keeps you loyal to a brand, not a discussion about the automotive news of the day.
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    bumpy, I'll respond to you in the Big 3 forum so this one can wither away. ;)

    Rocky
  • bumpybumpy Member Posts: 4,425
    What keeps me loyal to a brand? Building the kinds of cars I like. So, who did that? Nissan, about 15 years ago. B13 SE-R, S13 Silvia, G50 President, N13 Pulsar, R32 Skyline. My problem is that about half of them aren't legally saleable in the US, so I have to wait.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,293
    i did see a mkz also. it was quite a bit more expensive than the zephyr, about 3k, but it did have awd and the 3.5.
    looked pretty good. the same dealer has volvo's too. they were another step up in price.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    cool ;)

    Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,014
    Cadillac, probably is the brand that when most of us were kids/teens was highly respected. Well at least when I was growing up. ;)

    Cadillac, perhaps will be that once again to another generation of kids/teens since GM, has allowed this dinosaur of a brand to become "Life. Liberty. and the Pursuit." What that means to me is the Pursuit of driving "The Standard of the World" and Cadillac, is on the right track IMHO to regain it's crown from Lexus.

    GM, has been pumping million$ of dollars in R&D to insure this brand reaches that goal, and the future looks very bright in achieving that greatness once agin.

    IMHO if the Escalade, series is any reference of the future quality, and craftmenship, rolling down those GM, assembly lines that crown will be back here within a few years. :)

    Rocky :shades:
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,131
    Hehe are you sure you're not like 60? Maybe it's a regional thing.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Uh, I'm only 41 and I felt the same about Cadillac when I was a kid as did rocky. Well, it must've been true in my region as well as his. I'm from Philadelphia.
Sign In or Register to comment.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles