Car trends that you hope die
Discussion
chrisb92 said:
That's such a poor generalisation about people driving with an 'air of superiority'. I'm not a fanboy, just a realist. Sit in a Mondeo then sit in a Mercedes C Class or a 3 series and you'll see why they are more desirable. I imagine most buy the BMW/Audi/Mercedes for the exact reason you gave... because they don't want a sluggish 130bhp FWD mondeo?
Do they have a Mondeo that compares to a 330d? Nope. Do they have a ford that compares to a 5 series? Nope. There is a reason people buy those cars not just the badge as you seem to believe.
The boggo C class and 3 series is barely any nicer inside compared to a Mondeo and much more poorly equipped at a similar price point, the price differential is also vast on a like for like spec. Have you sat in all 3 recently?Do they have a Mondeo that compares to a 330d? Nope. Do they have a ford that compares to a 5 series? Nope. There is a reason people buy those cars not just the badge as you seem to believe.
Indeed most manufacturers may not do a 3.0d and so you are left with Germans or Jags if thats what you must have but in regards to the vast majority of German cars sold other manufacturers have engines a similar size to the far more common 2.0i and 2.0d and are cheaper and do the same job for far less money.
So yes most are bought for the badge and image.
Anyway this is a topic for another thread. I just wanted to comment on your .....oh everyone is so anti German cars on PH. Sorry for the off topic posts chaps.
rb5er said:
Spot the fanboi.
Its not the cars, some are quite good and some are amazing albeit not so good in regards to reliability in general.
It's more the sheeple that buy them (oh I only buy premium German cars don't you know) and the fact that almost every car on the road is a Vag, BMW or Merc and the drivers (tend to) have an air of superiority about them in the way they drive.
"Its German so must be the best thing out there" (due to aggressive styling/lighting and soft touch dashboards)
Tantamount to overpriced Apple crap in most situations. Image image image.
Generalising much there? Its not the cars, some are quite good and some are amazing albeit not so good in regards to reliability in general.
It's more the sheeple that buy them (oh I only buy premium German cars don't you know) and the fact that almost every car on the road is a Vag, BMW or Merc and the drivers (tend to) have an air of superiority about them in the way they drive.
"Its German so must be the best thing out there" (due to aggressive styling/lighting and soft touch dashboards)
Tantamount to overpriced Apple crap in most situations. Image image image.
I drive an Audi. Before that a BMW, and another 2 before that.
Why? Because that's what the company gives me, and they are tax efficient.
Perhaps I should go to the fleet manager and say "Can you put some Fords or Vauxhalls on the list so some narrow minded people out there won't think I'm a t
t? I don't mind paying a bit more BIK because it's so important what complete strangers think."Yes, there are a minority of shallow idiots in German metal who think they're something a bit special, but really they are in a minority. More than one in ten cars sold in the UK is a BMW or Audi so I suspect if your prejudice had any base in reality, the roads would be truly insufferable. But it is far easier to tar everyone with the same brush, isn't it?
Catatafish said:
Calling an estate something pretentious like avant or touring.
Still, it helps you spot the ***** in general life when they repeat said brand-specific poncey term for estate.
Actually I think that is a trend that's dying out now, compared to its heyday in the 80s:Still, it helps you spot the ***** in general life when they repeat said brand-specific poncey term for estate.
Sportwagon
Break
Variant
Weekend
Safari
Savanna
Aerodeck
And plenty more that I can't remember
Coolbanana said:
andrewparker said:
Christ, it really is the male equivalent of MumsNet round here. Middle-aged men moaning about things that irritate them, most of them totally inconsequential. I'm surprised most of you can walk out your front door every morning.
Spot on! And to think this is supposed to be a Forum for car enthusiasts celebrating and enjoying cars - it mostly seems to be a forum for harping on about how rubbish cars are! A lot of people with chips on their shoulders too, be it about certain car Brands, Finance methods etc. An old petrol V8 Estate that isn't German is all many on here want and they have zero interest in anything else and come on here only to state this on every Thread they find. Surely there is a Forum out there that caters for just that and they can go hang out and moan about everything else there?
Limpet said:
Generalising much there?
Yes, there are a minority of shallow idiots in German metal who think they're something a bit special, but really they are in a minority. More than one in ten cars sold in the UK is a BMW or Audi
Company cars yes fair point.Yes, there are a minority of shallow idiots in German metal who think they're something a bit special, but really they are in a minority. More than one in ten cars sold in the UK is a BMW or Audi
Minority? No way. Huge Majority.
There are plenty of other manufacturers other than Vauxhall and Ford that provide an alternative but are outsold massively.
Where did you get your 1 in 10 cars is a BMW or Audi? And if you add Vag and Merc cars? Just curious as to your source.
I have heard so many "my wife wants a Range Rover or anything German, She wont drive anything else" etc etc stories.
Sooooo much rage 
GGrrrrrr! I've really nothing to add. I like cars and
M3DGE said:
carlove said:
Not strictly a trend but BMW indicator stalks, they're awful, Vauxhalls as well, however I think they use normal stalks now.
Yes, Vauxhall went back to traditional mechanical systems by popular demand! You could always spot a new Vectra by it's indicator switching from one side to 'tother...
rb5er said:
chrisb92 said:
That's such a poor generalisation about people driving with an 'air of superiority'. I'm not a fanboy, just a realist. Sit in a Mondeo then sit in a Mercedes C Class or a 3 series and you'll see why they are more desirable. I imagine most buy the BMW/Audi/Mercedes for the exact reason you gave... because they don't want a sluggish 130bhp FWD mondeo?
Do they have a Mondeo that compares to a 330d? Nope. Do they have a ford that compares to a 5 series? Nope. There is a reason people buy those cars not just the badge as you seem to believe.
The boggo C class and 3 series is barely any nicer inside compared to a Mondeo and much more poorly equipped at a similar price point, the price differential is also vast on a like for like spec. Have you sat in all 3 recently?Do they have a Mondeo that compares to a 330d? Nope. Do they have a ford that compares to a 5 series? Nope. There is a reason people buy those cars not just the badge as you seem to believe.
Indeed most manufacturers may not do a 3.0d and so you are left with Germans or Jags if thats what you must have but in regards to the vast majority of German cars sold other manufacturers have engines a similar size to the far more common 2.0i and 2.0d and are cheaper and do the same job for far less money.
So yes most are bought for the badge and image.
Anyway this is a topic for another thread. I just wanted to comment on your .....oh everyone is so anti German cars on PH. Sorry for the off topic posts chaps.
rb5er said:
Company cars yes fair point.
Minority? No way. Huge Majority.
There are plenty of other manufacturers other than Vauxhall and Ford that provide an alternative but are outsold massively.
Where did you get your 1 in 10 cars is a BMW or Audi? And if you add Vag and Merc cars? Just curious as to your source.
I have heard so many "my wife wants a Range Rover or anything German, She wont drive anything else" etc etc stories.
Quick Google of market share. BMW and Audi approx 6% each. This is the thing, they aren't exclusiveMinority? No way. Huge Majority.
There are plenty of other manufacturers other than Vauxhall and Ford that provide an alternative but are outsold massively.
Where did you get your 1 in 10 cars is a BMW or Audi? And if you add Vag and Merc cars? Just curious as to your source.
I have heard so many "my wife wants a Range Rover or anything German, She wont drive anything else" etc etc stories.
And your source for the "Huge Majority" being pretentious try-hards?
The belief that making a car fast makes it good; see any current hot hatch or super saloon.
Drivers who believe that because there car is fast it is therefore better than Astons, Ferraris, Lambos.
Some. Of the best hot hatches were the lower powered ones; first 205 GTI (the 1.6 not the 1.9) early generation Clios my 2 golf GTI and the 106 rallye.
Drivers who believe that because there car is fast it is therefore better than Astons, Ferraris, Lambos.
Some. Of the best hot hatches were the lower powered ones; first 205 GTI (the 1.6 not the 1.9) early generation Clios my 2 golf GTI and the 106 rallye.
Europa1 said:
Catatafish said:
Calling an estate something pretentious like avant or touring.
Still, it helps you spot the ***** in general life when they repeat said brand-specific poncey term for estate.
Indeed. Looking at you, Mercedes Shooting Break.Still, it helps you spot the ***** in general life when they repeat said brand-specific poncey term for estate.
rb5er said:
Company cars yes fair point.
Minority? No way. Huge Majority.
There are plenty of other manufacturers other than Vauxhall and Ford that provide an alternative but are outsold massively.
Where did you get your 1 in 10 cars is a BMW or Audi? And if you add Vag and Merc cars? Just curious as to your source.
I have heard so many "my wife wants a Range Rover or anything German, She wont drive anything else" etc etc stories.
It's really odd the way that people here seem so keen to stereotype German car buyers.Minority? No way. Huge Majority.
There are plenty of other manufacturers other than Vauxhall and Ford that provide an alternative but are outsold massively.
Where did you get your 1 in 10 cars is a BMW or Audi? And if you add Vag and Merc cars? Just curious as to your source.
I have heard so many "my wife wants a Range Rover or anything German, She wont drive anything else" etc etc stories.
Why castigate someone ('s wife) for having a preference for German cars? It's self-defeating.
By the same note, perhaps she doesn't choose a Subaru Impreza because she doesn't like cheaply-made, unergonomic, bland Japanese saloons. Or perhaps she doesn't give a sh*t why you bought an Impreza...
While the very recent Ford and Vauxhall offerings are approaching the same level of quality and ergonomics as the premium German marques (who have suffered some embarrassments of late), they are forced to rebuild consumers' perceptions after churning out decades of sub-standard, cheaply-engineered tat (e.g. mk1 Mondeo and mk1 Vectra vs E36 BMW).
Consumers rely on trust when making decisions about brands. There's nothing in the Ford or Vauxhall recent history that would make me trust them more than a BMW or Mercedes.
In addition, Ford and Vauxhall don't make aspirational products - the only compete at the lower end of the BMW/MB spectrum. If you ask an average consumer whether they would choose Waitrose own-brand or Asda premium-brand at the same price, I can tell you what the majority would pick (I do this for a living). It's basic human nature to aspire.
Limpet said:
Quick Google of market share. BMW and Audi approx 6% each. This is the thing, they aren't exclusive
And your source for the "Huge Majority" being pretentious try-hards?
Yep so 32% of all cars sold in the UK last year were BMW, Merc or VAG out of 50 manufacturers. Quite a lump then, hence the seas of them everywhere.And your source for the "Huge Majority" being pretentious try-hards?
Sorry I dont have a source for the pretentious just like you don't have a source for the unpretentious.
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