31st Dec 2019, 17:01
The sorry reality is that most of the German brands of cars are selling mainly through their image and not the actual quality they're supposed to be held in high regard for. At this point the overall quality is below Hyundai. Basically barely at the lowest of low econo-car build quality.
These cars have become the cars bought by middle management type consumers whom will probably lease them for 2 years then trade them on another 3 series. In other words they only need to hold together just as long as the lease lasts. That's why you can go buy a 5 year old BMW 7 series, a car that costs almost $100,000 for under $20k. Why? Because after the warranty runs out the cars become huge liabilities with the ability to drain your bank account on repairs.
I'd say at least every other person I know who buys these cars has major issues with them. A neighbor of mine bought a gently used 5 series a few years back. She owned it for exactly 48 hours before the head lights stopped working. Turns out the lights used a separate ECU system (computer) which had failed and cost over $1500 to fix. She later sold the car. Yet another neighbor has one that seems to get towed a lot when it fails to start on occasion.
My advice? Buy a Lexus. It's basically a fancy Toyota, but it's also not unusual to see these things with 300,000 miles and still handle and drive like a new car.
5th Jan 2020, 00:08
Or buy a new Porsche worth every penny. 911 and a Macan. Made in Germany. Let’s not switch countries so fast.
20th Jul 2021, 17:26
So where should they get car buying advice? Some glossy biased magazine? A friend or relatives anecdotal experience? I find reading multiple reviews online very helpful in researching my next car. CarSurvey is perfect for that.
21st Jul 2021, 08:19
I really laughed hard when I read your comment: "the car still feels very heavy and uninvolving on twisty roads," The thing is that, unfortunately, all German cars are like that, and this is what Germans call security (driving safety) and stability.
You better look for a French or Italian car. For Germans, French and Italian cars are "dangerous" on twisty roads because they "overreact" to inputs and are over steer prone (FWD cars).
What the German call dangerous is for us agility and responsiveness, I believe!
21st Jul 2021, 19:06
Study Porsche. PASM …..then add AWD with rear steering. You will never stay with me. Ceramic Composite Braking system. Absolutely incredible putting all the power to the ground with twin turbos. Personally I do not like rear wheel drive BMW. And other FWD manufacturers over 125 mph.
22nd Jul 2021, 03:11
Do you find comment 00:08 helpful with their suggestion on buying a new $150,000 plus Porsche?
22nd Jul 2021, 06:30
Not just that. Magazines only review NEW cars, not used ones. And they tend to review the top of the line model which most people do not buy. And not any variant with a middle of the range engine.
22nd Jul 2021, 21:03
Not on the basis of one comment or review, especially not a car at that price. You need to read multiple reviews of any car (a mix of positive and negative reviews) to help keep it balanced when making up your mind, especially used cars in regards to reliability and real world running costs.
22nd Jul 2021, 21:30
Remind me to stay off the streets when you're on them doing 125 MPH in your Porsche.
22nd Jul 2021, 21:57
100% agree, magazines are always biased. We need more sites like this with real long term user reviews.
25th Jul 2021, 03:54
It’s up to you if you want to track your car as well. I’d rather be safe there than on public roads with you.
25th Jul 2021, 14:42
Take reviews collectively and make an informed decision. Not one review. People can have a used car that was neglected, abused and down it hard. Or be defensive of a purchase to not appear foolhardy as well if it’s not great. Or are bias over not being able to either afford or are too cheap to spend on a otherwise fine car. Terrain and environment are a factor. Mountainous terrain, brutal winters with salt brine daily on the roads, etc. Garaged or not garaged. Lastly limited experience with car ownership to compare to any degree. Maybe owned 4 or 5 in their lifetime, not just riding in a parents car doing extensive reviews. Armchair reviewing only from a magazine. All some factors on comments and recommendations.
25th Jul 2021, 17:11
Magazines are biased? Actually, they are objective. They have no reason to tell anything other than the truth and facts. If they don’t, they lose their credibility, and nobody will read them.
26th Jul 2021, 19:48
Sort of true - but yet Motortrend has been around for decades, and many times their car of the year award have been flops on certain car models, and lots of enthusiasts still read the magazine.
26th Jul 2021, 21:14
The reviewers can be. Biased personal preference. There’s some brands such as Fiat that I would not be writing anything positive on.
27th Jul 2021, 17:21
That’s personal bias but still fact based. Fiat quality is terrible. So, despite the bias, your credibility is still completely intact.
27th Jul 2021, 17:25
Opinions can change as more facts become available. For example, Car and Driver had the Alfa Romeo Guilia as an editors choice when it was new. They revised that after their long-term test of one, where the Italian “quality” of the car was able to shine. A car of the year or recommended pick when new doesn’t mean the car will be reliable. If Car and Driver hadn’t revised their feelings on the car, I’d understand your point more. They didn’t stick to an inaccurate narrative out of arrogance. So, I see no problem.
28th Jul 2021, 18:01
Magazines of all kind are VERY biased. Already every car lover or even just the car mechanics are all very biased persons. It's a male culture. No one will ever talk bad about his car love. It would be like a woman admitting she doesn't look good. It goes furthermore. Magazines along with the so called YouTube car review channels have all one massive bias: if they criticize a brand or a model too harshly, they will lose their clients who are fans of that brand. That's why you never hear a YT reviewer saying "these seats are uncomfortable". He will rather say "it's a little uncomfortable". Don't forget, all car reviewers are there to make money and to entertain. Much less to educate their viewers.
29th Jul 2021, 19:06
Ok, so let’s challenge that point that all magazines are biased. Please address my point that Car & Driver literally changed its opinion on that Alfa Romeo car after they had more information & facts at their disposal. Unless they continued to recommend it as an Editor’s Choice after knowing it’s a bad car, I see no bias there. Seems like you may be biased in your pre-determined assumptions.
5th Aug 2021, 03:23
Criticize very popular models too much and people will not buy the magazines. My reviews on company cars are spot on. Did not purchase any of them. Car free, repairs free every few years. If a car is lousy I spoke up. No defense mode justifying buying any car. Since no gas or depreciation, larger models evaluated too.
29th Dec 2019, 19:08
The best thing you will do to your car is to ditch the runcraps. Either get a spacesaver from eBay and carry it along with a jack and brace in the boot, or get a couple of tins of tyre weld and some breakdown cover.