Car Commercials, the good, the bad, and the annoying!

fintail

I really want to like it, but I can see myself cracking my head on the door opening at rear. Of course, I don't ride in the back of my own car often. Roofline looks kinda low...but should be much less claustrophobic for taller drivers than a CLS.

I suspect it will cost significantly more than an E wagon, so they will both exist, like CLS vs E.

ateixeira

Did they have plastic people with the ML and a McMansion in the background?

If so fintail may have to hand in his fan card.

ateixeira

Yeah, and my kids are tall so they'd be hitting their heads in no time.

To be honest I'd prefer a regular E-class wagon, but square off the cargo area (like Volvo wagons) to give it more cargo space.

I haven't seen the new E- wagon, do they make one? What about the C-class?

I'm spoiled by my minivan's space. When I downsize (probably to a wagon or small/mid crossover), I want something that offers decent cargo room so it doesn't feel like a big sacrifice.

fintail

Yes, the W212 wagon has finally arrived on this side of the pond, I have seen one on the road. It is fairly traditional. The C wagon exists elsewhere, but not here.

I rarely have to haul much, so if I had a wagon it would be just to be different. Not much is cooler than an E63 or C63 wagon

ateixeira

Found a pic:



Not as nice looking, but far more practical. I wouldn't mind having one of those.

fezo

You bring together a group of auto enthusiasts and they all long for a station wagon with a turbo diesel and a manual transmission only with a stiff suspension. Great, except they'd sell about 3 of them in America.

I'd take one!

I love wagons. I learned to drive on a 67 Pontiac Tempest wagon.

My first real memory with wagons was when my dad bought my mom a brand new 57 Plymouth Custom Suburban. Didn't get the third seat which was funny since they had 5 of us. I can remember really liking to hang out in the cargo area on long trips.

ateixeira

Yours, mine, maybe one other. Like I said, they'd sell about 3 of them.

Wagons are like consumer-repellant in the USA. They can't even call them that - Touring, Versatility, Sport, or any name but wagon, which is what they really are.

stickguy

as long as someone else is paying, I will take one.

ateixeira

OK, so they could sell 2, give away 1.

Actually, I'm not sure my price range will reach that high, so I guess they could sell 1 and give away 2.

fezo

Make that give away three. That would be mighty used by the time it hit my price range.

fintail

Per the US MB site, the E wagon is still called a "wagon" :shades:

ateixeira

The exception that proves the rule.

Didn't they use another name?

fintail

In Germany it is simply called a "T-Modell" - in Europe the wagons generally have a more utilitarian rather than luxurious image.

xrunner2

What the h is W212, E63, C63? I pulled up to a lady today at stoplight, maybe 60'ish, in a Mercedes C-numbered sedan. Saw the logo. Looked like it was latest version, maybe 2010, 2011. Saw the logo, but no W's, E's, C63? Am I looking in the wrong places for the W, E or C? Is this some kind of "factory" id number? If so, who cares? Why should anybody care about factory assembly line numbers?

On commercials, saw another commercial yesterday on tv, was not Mercedes, Cadillac, or Honda. Kind of sleepy at the time. BUT, another take on stupid dry-lake bed speeding, kicking up dust/sand, then the obligatory sliding sideways with front wheels cocked. Who are the idiots, with money, who might make a car buying decision on these commercials?

Insofar as wagons/hauling, my former Chevy Caprice station wagon was superb. Then, I discovered Suburban, which I had for many years. But, the Suburban was outclassed by Honda Odyssey, which I had for some years side by side with Suburban. Ody was clearly the superior hauler of STUFF for sheer volume. Now, granted, I don't haul a boat or a horse trailer, which of course the Ody could not handle.

fintail

The W (or R) number is the chassis or platform number. As MB makes many different models on each platform, and some of the numeric names remain the same over many different platforms, enthusiasts use the prefixed numbers to be specific. Here's a summary of modern numbers. The new style C-class is a W204.

I don't think any highline buyer makes a decision based on a commercial...however...a cool commercial can help one justify their brand loyalty.

stickguy

just got a new issue of consumers reports today, and they have list of updated reliability estimates.

of note, they have a seperate section for wagons. Not very big. Interesting though what the count. Jetta makes sense. But they also count the mazda5, accord crosstour, sube outback, Toyota venza and Volvo XC70.

guess the sube and volvo are just too obviously jacked up wagons. But the 5 I thought should be in the minivan catagory. And I guess they didn't know what the heck to do with the venza and X-tour, since there is no hatchback catagory, and they sure aren't SUVs. And I guess family cars have to be sedans.

ateixeira

Yeah, Mazda5 is really a small van, I call it a vanlet. It has sliding doors and all.

Venza, Crosstour, and Outback are...I dunno, crossovers?

ateixeira

Funny criticism of the lameo Highlander-kid ads....note to Toyota, the Highlander is not a stylish vehicle.

Well, the ads seem to be working. Toyota has just 6 days' supply. And this for a (very) mild refresh. Not bad.

http://www.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1050819_five-vehicles-in-high-demand/- page-2

fintail

Reminds me of a catchy line by Dan Akroyd in "Tommy Boy" :shades:

ateixeira

The paint chip one?

It's been a while...

explorerx4

maybe dad should have put on a few minute smoke show using that LT-1 under the hood of the woody wagon. school canceled due to fog.

explorerx4

I have seen a couple of wagons that look a lot like that in the last week or so, except they had quad pipes out the back. AMG?

fintail

"What the American public doesn't know..." :shades:

fintail

That would have been cool, something the Toyota simply isn't capable of :shades:

Regarding the quad pipe wagons, AMG variants of W211 are extremely rare, average sales volume maybe around 100 units per year in the US...maybe the V8 models had quads, but I can't recall.

roadburner

A 2007 530xi wagon equipped with a manual transmission and the Sport package. I'm borderline tempted.

toomanyfumes

That's a sharp wagon. A little window tint....

kyfdx

...that would put me off... If it were RWD...

fezo

Ooooooohhhhh! What are they asking for it?

roadburner

If it were RWD...

That's why I'm only borderline tempted...

roadburner

Ooooooohhhhh! What are they asking for it?

Here's the rest of the story.

It's got high miles -it was apparently a company car- which explains the $27,990 asking price.

stickguy

well, i could be convinced to live with the AWD. Not a horrible thing for the travel car.

this really pushes my button. a wagon, a stick, in my favorite color combo.

but man, those miles. Would have to be a lot cheaper than that to get me on board. And actually the Xi part is a much bigger turn off with high miles.

Now, at a better price and with RWD, I would be fine with the miles.

fezo

Yeah, me, too but it does get the old desire going, doesn't it?.....

anythngbutgm

Whoa baby, that's a find right there!

Would be cool to find that in a 3'er wagon (if they actually existed )

xrunner2

Latest Mercedes commercial has Santa Claus looking over Mercedes cars at assembly line then going into his own office/workshop at factory. Not bad.

ateixeira

Saw the one with a new Benz pulling in to every driveway and then Santa driving down the street in an SL (I think).

They're starting to resemble Lexus ads too much, LOL.

xrunner2

New Christmas commercial from Lexus very heartwarming. Father and daughter go shopping for Christmas tree. Then, later, final scene is nice suburban setting with house/front yard, snow and father/daughter have black Lexus sedan with bow in front and smiling mother is happy recipient. That is giving. As usual, Lexus has classiest Christmas commercials.

fintail

Does it then show her merging onto a highway at 38mph and then sitting at 10 under in the left lane while sipping a latte and checking her phone for her botox appointment? Or maybe that's the Bellevue/Kirkland/Redmond market specific version :shades:

ateixeira

No, that's the ad for the HS hybrid, I think. :P

xrunner2

I don't know that one can correlate Lexus women drivers with inattentive driving. Cell phone drivers, obstructers, left lane campers drive all brands and types of vehicles. However, I will make one exception. Here in northern Illinois, if you see a slow moving Buick car in cooler, cool weather, it most likely will be driven by a man wearing a "hat".

fintail

Locally, the brand is just such a shameless Stepford Wife choice that I can't hold back :shades:

roadburner

if you see a slow moving Buick car in cooler, cool weather, it most likely will be driven by a man wearing a "hat".

Kentucky is also infested with the Old Man in Hat(OMIH). They are also frequently found in Avalons. In almost all cases the left turn signal is permanently activated.

roadburner

All of those "Chevy Runs Deep" ads. The obvious response is "Better Get a Shovel".

fintail

I remember several years ago during a summer sales promotion, a GM line (Chevy or Pontiac I think) used the song "Might As Well Be Walking On The Sun" in a long running ad. Poor choice, as I would always respond with "Because you're going to get burned" :shades:

stever

GM Says Thanks To Nation For Helping Them Get Back Up and channels John Belushi no less. (Edmunds Daily)

fintail

Funny take on giving a bow-wrapped SUV to your gold digger (beware, title might offend the sensitive) :shades:

ateixeira

The 2nd one is hysterical:

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/26/video-infiniti-gets-in-the-holiday-spirit-wit- h-two-snowball-the/

Now that's a winter ad.

fintail

Not bad humor, better than the vast majority of the dreck out there.

Not really commercials, but hilarious in their own ways. I'll take the Accord and Corolla, thanks: :shades:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDYZtU7fCFI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFmUSorxOtE

ateixeira

I used to say "We Build Surface Excitement" when I saw all the wings, gills, and tacked-on parts those Pontiacs got.

Gosh, and interior space efficiency was terrible. Big outside, cramped inside. How did they do so poorly?

fintail

Wasn't there a slogan like "nobody sweats the details like GM"....indeed.

fintail

The Sonata ad with the hipster looking couple playing bad Christmas music isn't making me want to run out and buy one...