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Comments
We think alike.
A Lincoln Town car? Didn't Tony Soprano and his mob use those for body-dumping in the Jersey land-fills?
I walked away and retired 14 years before retiree medicare kicks in, so I guess I am not your typical retiree.
Before I retired, I drove a BMW to work, and since I retired-nothing but BMW's, except for a short Rabbit interlude.
Why on earth would I want to drive anything but a BMW?
You and I both agree about the 3 series, it is best in class. An argument can be made that the 5 is best in class. I do not feel that the 7, X5, and Z4 are definitively best in their classes.
BMW has proven over time that they do a few things better than any other company, I hope that they have not streched too far over the past number of years by introducing so many new products in other categories. Many great companies have gotten a little bit over their heads in similar situations. Given the current global economy which will weed out the weak players, this will be a good test to BMW, and others, as to how well they can delight the customers in the markets that they want to win in.
So... while your point is well-made and logical, I agree with hPowders. "Best" in class doesn't mean a car is necessarily the most preferred. Many people prefer the Z4, as an example, even though a Porsche might be best in class.
I really don't know what competes with the 135i, but it's more enjoyable to drive than most cars I've ever owned, regardless of price.
Frankly, if I only drive a BMW, I'd be just fine!
TM
My thought around classes doesn't consider your point of what car suits your style and mood. I was focusing on the class they compete in, I actually hope that BMW doesn't spread itself too thin with too many new cars - X1, X7, CS etc. I think that we have seen with the X3 and 6 series that they don't always produce the best cars in class if they try to do too much. It is easy for large companies to be good at many things, but it is hard to be great at them.
Now I am off to dinner with my wife (EW?), I look forward to continuing after a steak and possibly a rum cake finish to the evening - cheers
I have been posting here for years that BMW should get rid of the 7 Series. It just doesn't fit in with the brand's sporty image. They should leave the luxo-barge concept to Lexus and Mercedes Benz, who both do it better.
The X5 is one of the most impractical of SUVs. If you're going to offer an SUV, give us a competitive amount of cubic feet back there.
I have no opinion on the Z4. I have never driven one, or even sat in one.
I think BMW has over-stretched. Why the X6?
I look for BMW leases to get more friendly again pretty soon. Better to offer attractive leases than have sparse show-room traffic, with hardly any sales.
BMW must face the reality that most folks aren't going to buy BMW vehicles and hold them past the 4 year warranty. It doesn't matter if BMWFS offers 0.9% financing or even 0% financing. They want to lease.
Well, not the one that's upside down though
Well, you won't be getting 1 for free :P
They will probably change the damage parts,and sell it as new :surprise:
Way too high a price but it defies physics quite well and blends luxo/performance at a new level. Call it a sublime M-5.
How's this for thrust? The B7 ties the Audi R8, which is 1100 pounds lighter, at 12.8 seconds through the quarter-mile, at which point the gargantuan Alpina starts pulling away. The 551-hp Bentley Flying Spur can't keep up, and Audi's 450-hp S8 is so much slower it's hardly worth mentioning. To 60 mph and through the quarter, the B7 is within 0.2 second of the 510-hp, twin-turbo V-12 Mercedes S600, which means the Alpina will likely outrun the less torquey, naturally aspirated 518-hp 2008 Mercedes S63 AMG.
But the B7's immense capabilities go beyond its mondo acceleration, hauling its 4684 pounds around the skidpad at a planted 0.91 g. Mauling the throttle, however, can convince the rear tires to break loose, and the B7 will indulge your drifting fantasies until you tire of painting jet-black arcs on the pavement (we had to try). Brake-pedal feel is excellent, and the one-inch-larger brakes (from the Euro-spec 760i) resisted fading despite repeated 150-mph stops, although stopping distances didn't improve significantly.
Regards,
OW
I've done the power route already with the 545i.
I found the agility of the 545i disappointing compared to what I was accustomed to when driving a 325i. Wasted a lot on gas too.
Why indeed? The X6 is the answer to a question that no one is asking. It's ugly, expensive & inefficient. Why does it exist? What was BMW thinking?
Correct BMW is spreading themselves far too thin.
Why the onslaught of vehicles that are almost guaranteed to fail--BMW V5, BMW X6, BMW X1.?
Because they want to grow just for the sake of growing. BMW is acting as if wider model selections will make them a better company. More models based on single platforms means higher volumes which in return will produce both economies of scale and more bargaining leverage over their suppliers .
Unfortunately that's not going to happen. BMW's reputable core competence with sport sedans will lose its significance if they coninue pursuing their non-competences in a variety of crossovers with limited cargo space :confuse: , a BMW microcar with battery powered ooomph :sick: and a BMW boulevard cruisers like the 6 series is a bit too :lemon:
BMW does not need to produce a car for everyone because there already is a GM and a Toyota and a Honda and aVW that can do just that. What BMW needs to do is produce cars not for the many but for the few who want benchmark sport sedans. Toyota is like the person at a party who tries so hard to be like by everyone. Instead BMW should behave like the confident person who knows who he is and has no desire whatsoever to go out of his way to please everyone.
A BMW X1 is like the partygoer who puts a lampshade over his head. IMO that person looks just plain silly and embarassing.
.
BRACKNELL – UNITED KINGDOM – November 7, 2008: BMW’s biggest selling model range, the 3 Series, has been voted the most reliable car in a survey of Britain’s vehicle leasing companies. The poll, which covered the reliability history of nearly 900,000 vehicles in 2008, also revealed that BMW was the most reliable manufacturer overall.
In an historic win over the Japanese car manufacturers who traditionally dominate in reliability surveys, BMW topped the charts in this year’s annual FN50 reliability survey. The BMW 3 Series was the most rated model for reliability, with the MINI hatch and BMW 1 Series also making the top ten, sitting fifth and seventh most reliable respectively.
link title
Good to hear, since I bought the 328i and intend to keep it after the warranty is long gone.
Incidentally, the great car magazine, CR, states that the VW Rabbit is VW's most reliable vehicle.
With all the money I'll be saving on car repairs, I may just fly to Martinique and pick up some rum first hand..... every time I run out.
Redrum :surprise:
Audi boosts profits, keeps 2008 outlook
Automotive News Europe
October 30, 2008 10:45 CET
FRANKFURT (Reuters) -- The world's third largest premium automaker Audi reaffirmed its full-year forecast for a rise in revenue and earnings that reflects an increase in sales to a record 1 million vehicles, it said on Wednesday.
Turnover in the first nine months gained 2.1 percent to 25.80 billion euros ($32.88 billion), while operating profit grew by 13.6 percent to 2.06 billion, the company reported in its quarterly update.
The company stuck to its target of selling 1 million Audi brand vehicles this year, with a corresponding rise in sales and earnings.
In 2007, the Ingolstadt-based carmaker sold 964,151 vehicles, generated some 33.6 billion euros in revenue and posted an operating profit of nearly 2.71 billion.
Audi said that the continued instability in refinancing markets posed a general risk, particularly for sales financing.
"The Audi group profits in this situation however from the overall solid liquidity position and conservative refinancing policy of the Volkswagen group," it said in its update.
Audi clearly outperformed its larger luxury rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz Cars of Daimler, which was forced to lower its profit forecast for a second straight quarter last week on impairment losses at its U.S. leasing business.
Earnings before interest and taxes at Mercedes fell 26 percent to 2.48 billion in the first nine months, and it now expects full year margins to fall to about 5 percent due to charges of 449 million euros related to falling prices of cars coming off lease.
If you have an opportunity to see the X6 in person, you really should see it. But, do bring a barf bag. So often vehicles look much better in person... the X6, however, looks even worse in person than it does in the literature... considerably worse.
I'm still suffering from nightmares. It's a monster, but it's an X6... you know what I mean...
TM
quote from hpowders: I was kind of hoping for a hot hatch from BMW that would be practical and fun to drive. Instead we get the useless X6. I have never seen one on the road, on a dealer's lot or in a dealer's showroom. I hope it stays that way.
my reply: If you have an opportunity to see the X6 in person, you really should see it. But, do bring a barf bag. So often vehicles look much better in person... the X6, however, looks even worse in person than it does in the literature... considerably worse.
I'm still suffering from nightmares. It's a monster, but it's an X6... you know what I mean...
TM
Whoa TM what happened to you that you had to stay in hospital??? :surprise:
My thought on all this BMW thing:
Well, guys. Its all back to one word: greed. Yes even BMW gets infected by the GMC-virus (thats "Greed for More Consumers" btw).
H, why should BMW kill the 7? True the Bangle-7 is more a Lexus than BMW, but the pre 2002 7series is actually nimble and great to drive. Thats the one they need to restore, even the styling remains one of the best looking BMW ever imo.
A boulevard cruiser it may be, but at least according to mags the 6 is still relatively fun to drive, though below BMW's usual standard. Also, there's always a huge market for big spenders and value shoppers (me) as the resale plummets pretty badly for a BMW.
The X6 otoh makes less sense, combining SUV's tall stance and coupe's impracticality. Weird.... the X1 seems a better contender, but the styling? Eww..... x7? Huh? There's an x7?
The X3 imo is the worst BMW ever. Combine odd face only a mother could love, cheap interior, lousy ride, unsupportive seats (backseat = park bench), and minimal features, and you get the x3. A flop that sells, only to show us that many BMW customers are as brain dead as Paris Hilton.
bmlexus, a small update from my contact:
2009 models will get the new turbo. I received infos that by January BMW may replace the 6-cyl with the new turbo 3.0 making about 320 hp, dubbed 4.0i. Theyre still debating when or if the engine's gonna make it to US now or next fall. Upcoming 7 gets the 740i elsewhere, US will have to wait for final decision. There are only 2 downsides so far, the new turbo is more expensive and is expected to raise price by about a grand or more, and second fuel economy is predicted to suffer by about 6 to 7 percent.
The CS is dead, 8-series a no go. If economy don't go better ways the x6 will become a one generation only.
I'll keep ya posted with more.
Why so long to wait? Why take so long to test? :sick:
I just looked at the pictures on the web. Comparitively speaking, the Volt is the best looking of the 3, with the Insight a distant second and Prius dead last. That is, assuming the pre-production model really stick all the way to production line. The interior is arguably good looking, although I still have issues with the Apple style console, modern, futuristic looking, yes, but at the same time it looks kinda cheap.
The first bomb dropped when I read about the specs. Seats only 4 (obviously the battery takes the center space) for starter, impractical for whats meant to be a family vehicle. Although I'm not too surprised as Honda's shown the same with Kiwami concept. Otoh I'm so curious to see how prospective customers will react, as to these people the middle seat matters quite a bit.
Second bomb. Battery designed to have enough power for a measly 40 mile distance??? That means when battery's out we rely back on the old tech gas engine. How many mpg combined will that make? I've no clue as I see no estimated mpg on the chart. Worse yet even GM itself still have doubts on the battery pack's durability, I dont wanna spend 10k on new batteries after only 3 yrs or so.
The final, atom bomb: GM estimates price at 35-40k????? What the heck??? Besides, how much will the charger cost? GM expects high federal incentives, but whether the government can afford it is a mistery. Also by GM's estimates, dishing 40k means you'll need a decade or more for return of investment. And by that time you'll have to change the battery pack already (add $10k), hence to actually recover the loss you'll need about 20 years!!!! That is, assuming: a) The battery can last 10 yrs, b) You never or rarely use the gas engine... not good.
A Prius can be had for mid to high 20ks. And even with the Prius' lower cost, its said that it'll take almost 10 yrs to recoup the price difference over standard compacts, and by that time the battery needs to be replaced as well. Obviously driving hybrid is not about saving money, and as lithium batteries seem to be non-recyclable so far (thus adding pollutants) I guess its not about saving the planet either...
Havent they learned their lesson w/ EV1? I got a terrible premonition that EV1 disaster is about to occur once again.
I hope the government doesn't bail out the US auto companies. If a business isn't working, they should be allowed to either consolidate or fold. Dumping money their way just prolongs the agony.
Does that mean I can now say "I told you so" to Dewey... regarding VW?
Dewey, what say ye, o' gent from the lands of the north?
TM
Opel Insignia
Opel has got a well deserved good reputation in Europe year after year. The Insignia promises best class driving for little (
Regards,
Jose
I'm sure Dewey could be quite content behind the wheel of a new GTI/Autobahn package.
The more I'm driving the 328i, the more I like it.
GM needs something good over here quickly, and the Opel fills the bill.
Surely there's got to be someone... anyone... at GM that is playing with a full deck. Are they all just brain dead?
What is the reason for the age-old reluctance to offer Americans cars that get great fuel economy? In addition, they need to stop making Cadillac the only GM division that gets the latest and greatest. They need to "spread the wealth" to the other divisions,,, giving them just a tad more of the bling and a whole bunch more of the technology. To do so would help those other divisions become more competitive with the cars coming from Asia and Europe.
If they are banking on the Volt, they are going to be very sorry.
TM
They won't last that long to worry if the Volt can save them. Even with Government Money, they will need to give their cars away to keep sales moderate for the next year.
Who pays? Who else?
Toyota better watch out, though. They can not get complacent which I smell a hint of lately. Honda has a great strategy but Acura is taking the same meds as GM lately. I saw the '09 TL live and it really does revolt as promised from the guys on this board!
Regards,
OW
All these past years in which I've been posting in Edmunds Forums I've been quite astonished by the scarce appraisal I noticed VW raised among posters. Here in Europe VWs are just what their name says, that is, popular cars. Best buys [Edit: at least, best perceived buys] for their cost.
Additionally, Golf and in particular Golf GTIs have been for years the bench mark for the small-size sporty car classes. Relatively big interior for the car size, more than enough equipment, comfort, efficiency and economy. I could say, Golf (GTI) has been the car for the sporty youth?
May be the model names were are not adequately chosen. Golf? Even worst, Rabbit? Wrong tags, IMO.
Regards,
Jose
For a while I felt like the Lone Ranger here, in support of VW... Even well before I bought my recent GTI.
So... Jose, where were you when I needed you?... LOL...
May be the model names were are not adequately chosen.
Absolutely true.
TM
Yeah... two failures... the Chevrolet Volt and the Acura Re-Volt.
TM
I can be very lazy some times.
Regards,
Jose
You are right.
If a company cannot adapt and succeed in business in a competitive environment, one of two things must happen in a free market system:
1. They become absorbed by a stronger player.
2. They declare bankruptcy and dissolve.
I was afraid of what is about to happen:
Every business failure in every industry will be getting on the government bail out line.
The government was right in allowing Lehman Brothers to go under. Too bad they didn't show the same fortitude elsewhere. The stock market was going to tank either way.
Needless to say, I hope the government stands strong and doesn't give a cent to any of the US automakers. They have turned out inferior products for years. Now it's time to say sayonara.
You know I agree 100% with you guys regarding free market. Here's what we voted for:
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democratic leaders in Congress asked the Bush administration on Saturday to provide more aid to the struggling auto industry, which is bleeding cash and jobs as sales have dropped to their lowest level in a quarter-century.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said in a letter to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson that the administration should consider expanding the $700 billion bailout to include car companies.
''A healthy automobile manufacturing sector is essential to the restoration of financial market stability, the overall health of our economy, and the livelihood of the automobile sector's work force,'' they wrote. ''The economic downturn and the crisis in our financial markets further imperiled our domestic automobile industry and its work force.''
Please tell me this would not be a huge waste of cash and another government controlled industry. These people are not real leaders to cave in to madmen!
Get aboard the Bailout Train...Next Stop: Government Health Care. Enjoy the ride! :mad:
Regards,
OW
TM
I still say the best thing the gov't could do is what they did with Lehman Brothers-if the company can't compete, it should be allowed to dissolve.
What the gov't. should do with the allotted bail out money is instead, dramatically increase the monthly unemployment benefit by at least 50% and make it of unlimited duration in anticipation of the massive layoffs that will ensue from company dissolution, and hence avoid an economic depression. Much better than dumping money at bankrupt companies. Let them learn to take responsibility for their actions.
Now let me eat my quota of rum cake for the evening in peace.
Why it can be that GM (Opel) and also Ford (Ford Europe) have done it more than reasonably well in Europe but not in North America?
Different management? Focusing on more quality on the one side of the pound but on lower cost on the other? If so, wrong decisions or just following buyers biases? Dissimilar incidence of Asian concurrence on either market?
Regards,
Jose
Regards,
OW
The stock market is still in deep gaga because of all the corruption, greed, and power that brought about the real estate collapse and now it is a snowballing effect (extremely difficult to stabilize). I bet that we have yet to see the lows. Look for the S & P to tumble below 800 and the Dow to 7000 or a bit lower. I am of the strong opinion, however, that we have elected the right man to fix this nation and the world.
Not to worry; the government will indeed bail out the auto industry and all the other sad sacks who get in line after them. You thought the Iraq war was expensive? Brother, you haven't seen anything yet!
I agree. We have yet to see the stock market lows. One of the factors is those damn hedge funds that always seem to unwind their positions two minutes before the market closes. Years of gains are going to be swept away before this is over. The SEC should investigate how these hedge funds are being allowed to devastate the innocent "average Joes", who were told to believe in America and invest in its growth. Now these folks are finding out the truth: the game is fixed and the deck is rigged. One cannot trust wall street.
The whole toxic mortgage scheme should be investigated and those responsible should be vigorously prosecuted. Imagine granting a $300,000 loan to someone without a background check! If i went to a bank and they told me "no problem, Just sign here". I would get up and walk away. I never heard of such insanity!
OK enough is enough with all this VW/Audi Kool Aid!
First and foremost BMW and MB are very dependent on the US market for sales while Audi isn't. And as you know the USA is currently suffering one of its worst auto declines in history. So the fact that Audi has better margins and sales growth when compared to MB and BMW is not astounding at all when you consider the main reason: Audi's miniscule sales in the USA.
So you may ask hold it ----Audi sales have not declined in the USA as much as sales for MB and BMW or Lexus? My answer to that is that is because their largerst volume bread and butter car the Audi A4 just had a major redesign. Audi sales this year is stagnant which is a far cry from the twenty percent increase in sales BMW experienced when they introduced the new 3 series e90.
Also Realty compared the BMW B7 with the Audi R8? That comparison makes no sense whatsoever since both cars are incomparable to begin with.
How about the Audi R8 versus the Nissan GT-r? In that comparison the Audi R8 is a overpriced wimp.
What about VW?
Interior fit and finish is supreme and the best when compared to Honda or Toyota. BUT I woud always prefer to buy a comparable Honda or Toyota because VW seems to make cars as if they are inventing something brand new. Despite decades and decades of making cars VW has the same level of bugs and defects as new untested products of a new innovative nanotechnology company.
At least Honda and Toyota spent their decades improving the quality and reliability of their cars versus VW which still has to figure out the radical notion of quality control. The day when a reliable VW is built will be the day when there will be a cure for cancer and human space colonies will exist in different galaxies.
It was the politicians themselves that had encouraged banks to make riskier loans.
The Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 required banks to serve the credit needs of poor people in terms of getting funding for house purchases.
It was bureaucrats that swayed Fannie and Freddie to guarantee a wider range of lower quality mortgages.
In addition it was politicians that encouraged borrowers to maximize their debts.
US Government tax policies makes a down payment of less than 5 percent quite sensible when you consider the tax deductibility of residential mortgages. This incentivizes homeowner to maximize their debts and put themselves at more risk. USA is about the only country on earth that allows tax deductible residential mortgages and as a result is suffering the most right now since such policies have promoted a homeowner to become as big a risk taker as a Leverage Buyout Firm.
Capitalism is not responsible for the subprime mess. What is responsibe are the policies and regulations that incentivizes lenders and borrowers to maximize their risk to such an extent that we have the problem that we have today.
Although I'm a hard-core free market guy, I could live with the government's paying extended unemployment benefits to laid-off auto workers. But please - let's not keep GM, Ford & Chrysler on life support. If it's their time to go, let them die. Don't use taxpayer dollars to keep them in the business of building vehicles that pile up in lots.
Once they're gone, someone else (Toyota? Honda?) will come along & buy up the newer plants & hire some (but, let's face it, not all) of their employees.
I hope to never again here the lie that every American can and should own his own home.
Most of their products need to be discontinued because the business in today's market can not support the huge model lineup and the multi-divisional architecture.
Chrysler is being run by a bank anyway and we know how much they know about finance let alone producing high quality cars. The funny thing is Cerberus tried to leverage GM into the merger and it failed. Now, they are talking to Nissan/Renault. In the end, Chrysler will be a shell by next year. The way Ford has damaged Lincoln, there is little hope for a luxury division there so they best be concentrating on the small cars. The Catch 22 is they can not make enough money this way because their structure is not aligned there yet. The jury is still out on Ford but this recession just might put out their lights as well.
GM has the best chance to survive in some form but it will look drastically different than today. Take a look at the dealer lots. Take a few pictures because you will never see this again. The dinosaurs that are there will ultimately go away as well as some of the marquees. That you can invest in with out any hedges!
Either way, this will be a long, drawn out death to one or more of the Detroit three with huge sums of money spent if the Gov't decides to get involved!
BTW, GM was supposed to have enough cash to make it to September of 2009 and now say they will run out in 2 months!
I might as well be the C.E.O.
Regards,
OW
Good point. The mortgage interest tax deduction was written into the Internal Revenue Code back in the 1930s to stimulate the building industry & it long ago outlived its usefulness. Some economists argue that it has distorted our economic landscape by attracting dollars to housing that otherwise would have gone to, say, modernizing & expanding our industrial base.
In any case, the purpose of a country's tax code should be to raise the money that its government needs, not to subsidize some businesses at the expense of others.
The complete Internal Revenue Code is more than 24 megabytes in length, and contains more than 3.4 million words; printed 60 lines to the page, it would fill more than 7500 letter-size pages.
This code benefits no one. Suffice it to say it allows a huge gray area that can be manipulated. Liken it to the Credit Market...no one really knows what is really going on any longer...or who is really benefiting from it.
Regards,
OW