German vs. Japanese?

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Discussion

MGJohn

10,203 posts

182 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
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aarondbs said:
Great question which I almost certainly can't answer. My favourite cars that I have owned have been an e39 530I manual, an Impreza sex with a remap and decat, an Alfa 164 24v Cloverleaf and a Suzuki Swift Sport. The least exciting but nonetheless ok are a c220 cdi 2012, a Citroen c5 estate diesel 160 and a rover 600 sldi (Japanese car with a German engine). So, I have no idea whether German or japanese..... or whether there is a similarity between whY I've liked or found ok but boring...
"and a rover 600 sldi (Japanese car with a German engine)"

If by that you mean the diesel engined Rover 600 then that is not the case. Diesel Rover 600s had the Rover L-Series Diesel engine. Honda fitted the Rover L-Series diesel in their diesel version of the Accord of the similar period.

Not many people know that. ... wink

There's a few myths flying about where German and Japanese cars are concerned.

Rich Boy Spanner

1,291 posts

129 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
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Had two Toyota's. One for 7 years without fault. The other a Prius (company car) I never wanted, which despite being hammered daily never went wrong either.
Had 3 German cars, all had faults. One had a gearbox rebuild - fault from new, and was delivered with defective ABS. Another had numerous little niggles, dodgy fuel gauge, broke down twice in a year, things like that. The 3rd, again lots of niggles.

The German cars I had are much 'nicer' and plusher, but that plush interior loses it's appeal when it seems that most of the time you're in it is because you're driving back to the dealer yet again.

Saying that, a lot of my colleagues lower end 3 series BMW's have an interior far worse than any Jap car I've owned. Must cost BMW all of about £5 to build those interiors.

jimmyboy85

380 posts

147 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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The German brands are probably more aspirational to certain groups of people. If thats down to actual quality, good advertising or what ever I don't really know.

My preference is Japanese. I own 2 Jap cars and have access to an Audi whenever I want/need to use it. I couldn't give a monkeys about the interior of a car, I realise I'm probably the minority in that respect but a "nice place to be" doesn't appeal, or sell a car to me.

The seats in the Audi seem too firm and don't hold you very well. The driving position doesn't feel as nice as either of my Jap cars. The sound proofing in the Audi is fantastic if thats your thing but it doesn't do anything for me at all in any way, shape or form. The whole thing just feels sterile and clinical I never look at it and think "I need to go for a drive" like I do in my Jap cars.

I've never driven any performance German cars so I'm not really comparing like with like but apart from a few old Porches that I'll never be able to afford there is nothing out there German that I personally wouldn't prefer the Jap equivalent of, even the performance varieties.

German cars are a lot like wine to me, people rant and rave about how great it is, if theres a bottle open at a meal I might even have a glass and enjoy it. but whenever I'm in the supermarket I always end up with a 6 pack of lager in the trolley instead.

Horses for courses at the end of the day, I can see why people like German cars but not for me thank you.

Coker

4,432 posts

174 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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It doesn't have to be one or the other. I've a few of each, and really like both.

Touch wood, I've had no real issues with any of them, other than the primary turbo seizing up on my Legacy BH5.

SidewaysSi

10,742 posts

233 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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I have owned both, in particular an Integra R DC2 and a Merc W124. Both were supremely well built but if I had to choose one, it would be the Honda. Lower rent, not as nice inside etc. but it was the one I knew could be hammered and never, ever let me down.

A piston speed faster than an F1 car, 120k+ miles on the clock and would still happily take in a trackday and jewp me more than entertained. Brilliant machine.

Coker

4,432 posts

174 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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SidewaysSi said:
I have owned both, in particular an Integra R DC2 and a Merc W124. Both were supremely well built but if I had to choose one, it would be the Honda. Lower rent, not as nice inside etc. but it was the one I knew could be hammered and never, ever let me down.

A piston speed faster than an F1 car, 120k+ miles on the clock and would still happily take in a trackday and jewp me more than entertained. Brilliant machine.
Really enjoyed my Teg Rs. Had DC2 and DC5, both were fantastic (as was the old B16 engined DA6 in fact). But then my current E46 is brilliant too. To me, they've all done different things in different ways, but with the same outcome with regards to level of enjoyment.

wildcat45

8,056 posts

188 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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Never owned a German car but my Japanese Mazda CX-7 is still giving faultless service after 7 years. Apart from self inflicted damage ( an accident which buggered the back wheels) it's as good as the day it left the quay in Hiroshima.

All it's needed is servicing, petrol and the odd wash and it still turns more heads/provokes conversations with strangers than its replacement, a 2013 Freeander HSE.

thinkofaname

280 posts

132 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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Shaoxter said:
Kinda pointless making sweeping country generalisations. I own and enjoy both.
Yeah, I think it's as much down to the particular factory as the supposed nationality of the brand. Any electric guitar fan knows that Fender USA and Japan models are worth more than Mexican or Chinese Fenders. Why not the same with cars? A Toyota made in actual Japan - probably reliable. A Toyota made in Europe? I'm not so sure. Same goes for the likes of VAG, with their factories all over the place. Even with group-wide quality control, some plants are probably better than others.

PomBstard

6,728 posts

241 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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Over the past 15 years we've had 5 Japanese, 3 French, 2 Australian, 1 Italian and 1 German car. Guess which had the most problems even though its cabin was well finished? As the French cars were all 90s Peugeots, they had the best chassis, but its the Japanese cars that are definitely top for all-round ownership. Most surprising was the Italian - great reliability and fun despite being relentlessly hammered for 63000 miles. Cabin was made of clingfilm and string though.

jamoor

14,506 posts

214 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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I've had relatively good experiences with my German car, E39 5 series.

Had some weak points which are repaired easily and cheaply but nothing too catastrophic.

wisbech

2,939 posts

120 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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Japanese for me, German for the wife.

I have an old (2001) IS200 that just keeps on going. Her Mini Cooper S had a gearbox rebuild, kept on breaking down, but she still traded it in for a new one, because Mini is cute...

Had a toyota diesel truck thing in Indonesia that was crap as a car (leaf springs) but could go through floods/ up mountains.

Blu3R

2,362 posts

198 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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Of the three Jap cars I've owned (FTO, STiV, STi UK) none of them bothered me when sale time came but the four Germans (Octavia vRS, Z3M, RS4, SL55) have all left with a sad empty feeling of regret. Even the SL55 which I didn't really get on with!
Touch wood I've yet to have an inherently unreliable car (I've had some with issues but all resolved easily) but the Japs just didn't have any soul.
My British & Italian cars seem to have had the most character and my only step into French left me feeling it would be a fitting place to commit suicide (Pug 406).

neil1jnr

1,460 posts

154 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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richs2891 said:
From experience as I currently have a german car and a japanese 4x4, I would say
German car makes you feel better as they tend to have better interior to look and and to touch and that perceived image
Japanese, more rugged, lower end plastics inside, not as nice interiors to look at, but slightly better reliability
Exactly, 'perceived' image. Who is to say that the quality is any higher becuase the plastics have a 'better' texture.

Is it just me or is there anyone else that doesn't really look at their interiors, once driving and my mind is wandering or focusing on making quick progress, I wouldn't notice if I was sitting in a new 7 series or a 90's civic.


nickofh

603 posts

117 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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Japanese for me , a car not working or with niggles puts me off it very quickly. I also think they make decent driving cars not just shopping cars as some have said.

My experiences...

WRX Impreza - Faultless ( 2 / 3 years ownership)
Mitsubishi Lancer - Faultless (3 years ownership
Impreza Hatch , ( too new to me to comment )

Skoda Fabia - Shot piston rings
BMW 1 Series - Timing chain tensioner and numerous creaks and rattles.


kiseca

9,339 posts

218 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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neil1jnr said:
Exactly, 'perceived' image. Who is to say that the quality is any higher becuase the plastics have a 'better' texture.

Is it just me or is there anyone else that doesn't really look at their interiors, once driving and my mind is wandering or focusing on making quick progress, I wouldn't notice if I was sitting in a new 7 series or a 90's civic.
No you aren't alone, I'm not bothered by the interior as long as it has no annoying functions. When the car's moving I'm more interested in how it feels, and in that regard neither nation has a monopoly on producing cars to my tastes, though I tend to get on with Nissans, not to get on with Toyotas, find Honda to be hit or miss. On the German side I tend not to get on with BMW 3s, but do like the 5s and 7s, and I've liked the odd Merc I've driven. I've yet to drive an Opel/Vauxhall that I like.

On the other hand, the Italians seem to get it just right for me most of the time.

Debaser

5,665 posts

260 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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German for me. They tend to be better set up for fast driving.

Shurv

955 posts

159 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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Toyota are moving towards all worldwide cars being designed and engineered to European tastes and dynamics. Over the next 5 to 10 years, the Germans's need to seriously get their act together with reliability.

JamesD1

821 posts

126 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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growing up around jap imports (i used to "help" my stepdad at the import auctions) myself and my family have an attachment too them. i've owned 2 japanese cars 1 import and 1 uk spec (toyota mr2 and nissan almera), reliability on the whole has been excellent although almera didn't quite live upto it.

owned a seat leon cupra which fell appart, considering its based on vw underpinnings i felt let down.

i plan on owning a vtec at some point so it will be japanese again and probably will continue to be.

stephen300o

15,464 posts

227 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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Neither tingle my down below.

RobM77

35,349 posts

233 months

Thursday 2nd October 2014
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I just buy cars on how they drive; I'm not too bothered where they're made or, within reason, how reliable they are. In my experience of owning both Japenese and German cars, Japanese cars are much better value for money and better made, but as I say, both are reliable enough for me and I just buy on the driving experience.