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

1…8889919394…167

Comments

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    You do have that minivan. Hey, just keep it, kids will hate it, perfect.

    Or some kind of guzzler that will make them work to keep it going. I've seen too many kids handed cars where the whole thing ended poorly.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Maybe if I took the seats out, LOL.

    They say the single biggest factor is the number of friends they bring with them in the car. Distractions...

    Even without seats, I can see my son tossing in a keg and throwing a party in there. :D
  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    What, like this:

    image
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Can't see the image, but I'm dying to. Got a URL pretty please?
  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    Try this:

    Photobucket

    And, if that doesn't work ...

    Link to the website hosting the photo
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Work blocks both, I'll have to check it out tonight at home.

    I'm hoping for an Animal House type party inside a large van of some sort.
  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    I'm hoping for an Animal House type party inside a large van of some sort.


    I'll spare you the suspense and tell you that it's a picture of my DD, an '06 ION in Storm Gray.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Me disappoint, son! ;)
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    The average minivan kid would haul the chess club around in it...maybe he'll be a surprise :shades:

    I'd say a 1989 Volvo 240 would work.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Or an older diesel, the slooooow ones.

    During the school year I always tell the kids to focus on school work and that they can enjoy the summer, well this has sure been an expensive summer after they got straight As!

    Now I know not to link the car to grades, else I'll be giving them Porsches.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    Old MB diesel. 240D automatic. 0-60 has to be 20 seconds plus, it's safe and solid, has some prestige so they won't be completely embarrassed, and isn't expensive. There you go. Link any car to straight As, no As, no car, Problem solved :shades:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    One of the Managers here had one of those.

    Oddest thing, he traded it in for an orange Ford Edge.

    I should ask him what he did with the diesel...
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    It's still on the road somewhere - they are very hard to kill. Or you can one up it and find them a W126 300SD, which has kind of grandpa image. Bigger and even safer, not fast nor exciting. If I had kids I would seriously consider something like that for them.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    His seats had worn out. The foam literally disintegrated.

    Buy new foam and it'll probably run another 30 years.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    Just have it restuffed - maybe a couple hundred bucks. The fake leather on those cars is almost impossible to kill. There will still be old MB diesels around when we are long gone.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/25/bmw-introduces-us-to-the-poucan-luffalo-and-z- orse/

    The Poucan one is hilarious.

    I'd like to throw Magnussen-Moss in their faces, though.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    Does that mean they are against douchey Mansory and Hamman conversions that are the darling of those with too much ill-gotten wealth?

    Amusing though, yeah.
  • xrunner2xrunner2 Member Posts: 3,062
    Land Rover had some intelligent commercials during broadcast of Tour de France bicycle races. They showed their vehicle in different settings on paved roads with a couple in the city, country, going to museum, going to restaurant. Not one shot of driving, sliding sideways on dry desert salt bed, no splashing up of mud, dirt flying. They realize that vast majority of people buy their vehicles for everyday and sensible use.
  • xrunner2xrunner2 Member Posts: 3,062
    edited July 2011
    Cadillac had an intelligent commercial during broadcast of Tour de France bicycle races. They ran one with a CTS-V on Germany's Nurburgring race circuit and identified it as such. Driving fast on a paved road without stupid sliding sideways on salt bed, no driving very close to a man, or men, standing around in the middle of the road. Cadillac and Land Rover are marketting to people that can afford and actually buy their vehicles, not to teen-age boys.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I'm hearing a lot of Lawrence Fishbourne on the radio, doing Caddy commercials. He focuses on all the concierge services they're offering now. This was on WTOP, a news channel but also DC's most listened to station.

    An interesting contrast of radio vs. TV ads.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/25/bmw-introduces-us-to-the-poucan-luffalo-and-z- - orse/

    The Poucan one is hilarious.

    I'd like to throw Magnussen-Moss in their faces, though.

    Well it's not like they are saying your warranty is void. They're just urging the use of BMW OEM parts - just like Mr. Goodwrench used to do.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yeah, but the spirit of Magnussen-Moss is that aftermarket parts are OK as long as they meet OEM specifications.

    BMW implies aftermarket parts are not "natural", which is more than a stretch.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    You're funny ;) ...you must be the only person in the world who was offended by those sarcastic dust-racing ads.

    If commercials were to be honest, they would show those Rovers being driven by irresponsible trophy wives from the faux tuscan villa mcmansion to the botox clinic to the gallery mall and back to the mcmansion, or various members of our criminal classes driving it to their "job" or to a golf course or [non-permissible content removed] club. Escalade ads would show only well kept women, fat old men, or wannabe gangsters. Audi and BMW ads would show jerks tailgating on every kind of road, and posers who lease base models...and so on. Ads aren't meant to to be honest, and some are even meant to be funny.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I noticed you stereotyped all but Benz drivers, what about them? ;)
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    Thinks a Lexus is too boring, but a BMW is too exciting. Often older and usually less ostentatious, but sometimes spoiled and clueless depending on the car. If the car is modified, there is usually positive correlation to BMW and Audi style douchiness.

    Or just driving enthusiastically around a dry lake bed kicking up dust on fake lawyers :shades:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The ones I know ARE lawyers, that's the funny part, including the one next door. Or the retired author across the street that does his best to stay out of the sun.

    Stale, pale, and frail, who you call when you can't make bail.

    And fintail.

    :D
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    To be fair, I don't buy brand new - depreciation is catastrophic on all of them and I know which models are solid. However, the nuts who keep old MB on the road and keep them pristine is a fun demographic in itself.

    What you describe resembles the old man I met at the last local MBCA show who had a brand new loaded E550 cabrio. WW2 vet and former POW heading towards 90 years old...but more alive than many 40 year olds I know, and certainly without hard feelings.

    Stale, pale, frail, but still more exciting than Lexus drivers :shades:
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    edited July 2011
    There's an old gentleman I know with a pristine black 1966 Mercedes 600 Pullman. You should see that car! There's something about a well-kept older luxury car. I'm more impressed with the guy or gal who keeps a fine car in great condition for posterity than any poseur [non-permissible content removed] with more dollars than sense who runs out and buys a luxury car with his ill-gotten wealth to stroke his ego and attempts to impress others.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    edited July 2011
    Maintaining a 600 is like maintaining a large old house - the car might actually have more plumbing, that has to be a labor of love.

    I have more admiration or respect for a pristine maintained 1978 Fleetwood or 1983 Town Car or 1986 S-class than a new 7er of a bankster or the new Range Rover of a never-had-a-job overgrown child, etc.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    edited July 2011
    I don't buy brand new

    I know ... notice I separated your name.

    It rhymed so I could not resist. :shades:

    Lexus drivers?

    Let's see...around here, they're also lawyers. You'd think the law offices give an RX to each junior partner.

    They frequent the type of gym where you have to wear matching designer sports wear.

    RX for the fairer sex with a larger rolodex who wear spandex.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    RX is decidedly a fairer sex item here, usually the stay at home type who have hired help, and don't want to appear insensitive by driving a GX or LX - hybrid models sell even if the efficiency gain is nominal.

    I live several blocks from an upmarket gym, the kind of "lifestyle" establishment with something like a 5K initiation fee and a couple hundred bucks per month in maintenance. Often the streets around it are a virtual parade of X5s, GLs, G-wagens, and especially Cayennes - local dealer must give a discount to members.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    There's one of those gyms near me, I should take an informal "attendance" list of brands of cars. Bet they're all lux makes.

    My wife has a body-building female friend who drives an E-class. Before that it was an Infiniti QX but I think the guilt caught up with her.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/27/subaru-wrx-official-escape-vehicle-of-the-zom- bie-apocalypse/

    Should be a cool series of ads.

    Subaru in the past got a lot of heat for their ads, like the bunny they let go in the Forester commercial and the Radar Love ad for the WRX.

    This seems like it would be less controversial.
  • xrunner2xrunner2 Member Posts: 3,062
    Maintaining a 600 is like maintaining a large old house - the car might actually have more plumbing, that has to be a labor of love.

    Read a car help column recently, newspaper/magazine, don't remember. Anyway, a guy writes in and says he has an early 90's Mercedes with low mileage and good shape except that all wiring in the car is deteriorating. Was some kind of Mercedes huge defect in that era. The guy got a quote of about $8000 to replace all wiring. The advice guy said that maybe the owner should consider junking the car. Not worth the expense.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    In a kind of clueless bid to be environmentally friendly, MB changed its type of wiring insulation around 1992. This turned out to be a bad idea, as it decomposes, especially when exposed to heat. Many MB from 1992-94 or 95 eventually need wiring harness replacement. This can be an easy-ish DIY job on larger cars as it is pretty much plug and play, but a pain on smaller models due to less space to work in. 8K seems kind of crazy, but I can see a dealer charging several grand.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited July 2011
    I've seen a few posts about "soy-based" wiring being attractive to rodents. Don't recall the brands off-hand.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    The recent Mercedes "my car made up for my own inattention and saved me" ads are annoying, seem to promote bad behavior.
  • tmarttmart Member Posts: 2,403
    edited July 2011
    Talking about bad behavior, check out this link:

    link title

    :cry: :sick:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Proves there's no correlation between income and driving skill.
  • tmarttmart Member Posts: 2,403
    You got that right!
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    Ha, I saw that one, hilarious. Money and responsibility and/or sense diverge yet again. Lots of sketchy fortunes hanging around Monte Carlo, I wonder about the backgrounds of the participants.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Probably white collar criminals, LOL. I'm surprised it didn't end in gun fire.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,809
    it skipped most of the last 30 years, probably a good thing.
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 18,389
    You're funny ...you must be the only person in the world who was offended by those sarcastic dust-racing ads.

    Agreed...

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
    Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
    Son's: 2018 330i xDrive

  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 18,389
    A beater will work fine. I'll probably call my insurance agent and ask for the top 5 cheapest cars to insure for a teen, because around here it's $2000/year just for insurance for a teen.

    We are pretty fortunate, our insurance only went up $1200 per year, and that's with five cars. I sent my son to the two day Teen School at the BMW Performance Center in SC. He's also going to attend a Street Survival course in the fall. Right now he drives the X3 when his mom isn't using it. I'm looking for an E36, Z3 1.9, or similar for him. Inexpensive and I know how to work on them- and I can use the sled to teach him the finer points of maintenance and repair. Wild card is a mid '90s Miata.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
    Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
    Son's: 2018 330i xDrive

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I had an NA Miata but sold it when I got my PRHT 2008 model.

    Shoulda kept it. It would never have lost value as long as I kept it in good shape.
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 18,389
    I've found several nice ones. One dealer has a beautiful BRG 2001 with a saddle interior and a removable hardtop. Tragically, it's a slushbox... :(

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
    Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
    Son's: 2018 330i xDrive

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    2006+ at least got a 6 speed auto with paddle shifters. Any automatic before then was totally pointless. Mazda even de-tuned the engines in the auto models.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/05/dodge-durango-smacks-around-ford-explorer-in-- latest-tv-ads/

    The only problem I have is that this acknowledges who the benchmark is. I think the Explorer gets more screen time in both!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Thankfully this is a rap video, not a car commercial:

    http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/12/jay-z-and-kanye-go-all-mad-max-on-a-maybach/
Sign In or Register to comment.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles

Your Privacy

By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our Visitor Agreement.