Are you loyal to a specific car brand and its products?
Discussion
This is a topic that interests me, as when it comes to cars I'm not really that brand loyal (17 cars, 14 different manufacturers) but most of my friends are i.e. I have friends who always get Fords or Land Rovers or BMWs etc. My in-laws always buy Toyotas and although I tempted him away with a couple of VWs when I was selling them, my dad always goes back to Citroens, even though they have lost their quirkiness that made them appealing in my opinion.
At points in my motoring career, I could have perhaps seen myself as becoming a bit of a fanboy. I loved my 205 GTi and might have bought another newer Peugeot GTi but owned that one around the time when Peugeots went a bit crap. Likewise my 2004 Impreza WRX Wagon might have been replaced by another fast Subaru wagon but Subaru stopped making them. A run of two very unreliable VWs and a very dull one (new Polo TDI) put me off VWs and I guess when I lived in Canada for a time, I owned three Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep vehicles but this was more because they were cheap rather than a conscious decision or any loyalty to the brand.
I haven't found my brand for life yet then (and maybe I don't want to). I'm guessing that there are some pretty loyal BMW drivers on PH, simply because they have traditionally offered things that other manufacturers don't offer (RWD, six cylinder engines, manual gearboxes in hatch/saloon/estate cars) but then even they are going largely AWD/four cylinder turbo/auto now, although if I had a new BMW budget I'm sure that I would enjoy them and might be persuaded to stay with the brand.
At the other end of the scale, I guess that if I was after a cheap car, from personal experience, a VW Polo/Golf or Honda Civic would be my "go to" options but there's no reason why a Fiesta or Focus wouldn't be just as good, it's just that I have little long-term experience of Fords, so you tend to play it safe and go with what you know.
So, in your car owning/buying habits are you loyal to a specific car brand and if so, why and what is it about the brand and its products that earns them your loyalty?
At points in my motoring career, I could have perhaps seen myself as becoming a bit of a fanboy. I loved my 205 GTi and might have bought another newer Peugeot GTi but owned that one around the time when Peugeots went a bit crap. Likewise my 2004 Impreza WRX Wagon might have been replaced by another fast Subaru wagon but Subaru stopped making them. A run of two very unreliable VWs and a very dull one (new Polo TDI) put me off VWs and I guess when I lived in Canada for a time, I owned three Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep vehicles but this was more because they were cheap rather than a conscious decision or any loyalty to the brand.
I haven't found my brand for life yet then (and maybe I don't want to). I'm guessing that there are some pretty loyal BMW drivers on PH, simply because they have traditionally offered things that other manufacturers don't offer (RWD, six cylinder engines, manual gearboxes in hatch/saloon/estate cars) but then even they are going largely AWD/four cylinder turbo/auto now, although if I had a new BMW budget I'm sure that I would enjoy them and might be persuaded to stay with the brand.
At the other end of the scale, I guess that if I was after a cheap car, from personal experience, a VW Polo/Golf or Honda Civic would be my "go to" options but there's no reason why a Fiesta or Focus wouldn't be just as good, it's just that I have little long-term experience of Fords, so you tend to play it safe and go with what you know.
So, in your car owning/buying habits are you loyal to a specific car brand and if so, why and what is it about the brand and its products that earns them your loyalty?
I think several years ago when car brands had very distinct identities people were loyal.
It was often said that BMW aimed to hook people in with a 3 series and then as they matured and there income and family grew they moved to a 5 then a 7 and then to a 6 when the kids left home.
Now I think people largely look for a type of car and go for the best deal out there, they aren't fussed if it's a Ford, Mercedes or VW.
Of course there are people who will be fiercely loyal but they are declining in number because cars really are so similar now.
It was often said that BMW aimed to hook people in with a 3 series and then as they matured and there income and family grew they moved to a 5 then a 7 and then to a 6 when the kids left home.
Now I think people largely look for a type of car and go for the best deal out there, they aren't fussed if it's a Ford, Mercedes or VW.
Of course there are people who will be fiercely loyal but they are declining in number because cars really are so similar now.
My first ever brand new car that wasn't a company car was a Mk 2 Octavia back in 2005, and I loved it. Good looking (at the price point, I thought the best looking family car available at the time), comfortable, enough kit, practical, and just about enough shove. When the three years expired on the PCP, it was replaced by a brand new Mk 2 Octavia Scout. Fantastic bit of kit for the money, it was, but when the PCP came up for renewal on that I couldn't commit to another Skoda of any flavour as they (to my eyes) had all been "facelifted" and strafed by the ugly gun 
Fast forward to 2017, and I'm on my second BMW in four years (currently an E46 325 coupe, before that an E39 530d) and am totally smitten with the way they drive, the way they look, how they're built, and the - frankly - fantastic engines. I'm going to be changing the 325 later this year for something more practical, and at the moment it's going to be Bavarian in flavour.
However.
If I can get the figures to stack up, and because Skoda have got their styling mojo back, I'd be very tempted indeed by a new Octavia Estate.
Fast forward to 2017, and I'm on my second BMW in four years (currently an E46 325 coupe, before that an E39 530d) and am totally smitten with the way they drive, the way they look, how they're built, and the - frankly - fantastic engines. I'm going to be changing the 325 later this year for something more practical, and at the moment it's going to be Bavarian in flavour.
However.
If I can get the figures to stack up, and because Skoda have got their styling mojo back, I'd be very tempted indeed by a new Octavia Estate.
I grew up around my brand of choice - Land Rovers were just an integral part of the countryside environment I lived in, what my family did, etc. I got one virtually as soon as I passed my test at 17 and it kind of went on from there. I later got a job working on Range Rovers (P38s no less) - even that horrific experience didn't put me off. My current Disco is the most practical and versatile bit of kit I've owned - each time I think about upgrading/swapping it I struggle to come up with a candidate that can do everything it can - besides another LR.
In my car history I could have bought stuff which was cheaper to buy, more reliable, more economical, faster and probably slightly less of a faff to maintain - but I wouldn't have had half as much fun....
In my car history I could have bought stuff which was cheaper to buy, more reliable, more economical, faster and probably slightly less of a faff to maintain - but I wouldn't have had half as much fun....
My last two cars have been Peugeot 306s (an N-reg D Turbo and an S-reg GTI-6). It's unlikely that I'd buy a new Peugeot - or any new car for that matter - but I love my 306s!
They're cheap, reliable, fun to drive and don't seem to rust. Tried numerous similar cars of the same era and none of them even come close.
They're cheap, reliable, fun to drive and don't seem to rust. Tried numerous similar cars of the same era and none of them even come close.
I've dipped into most major brands... Peugeot, Ford, BMW, Audi, Saab, Rover, Renault and Vauxhall.
However I am on the cusp of finding myself committing to my fourth Volvo. I've had an old V40 (crap), two V70s which are brilliant. Expanding family means I'm just about to sign on the dotted for an XC90.
From my experience, not including the V40, Volvos are screwed together well, nice level of kit, amazing seats, and have to me, proved to be very reliable. Why would I go elsewhere?
However I am on the cusp of finding myself committing to my fourth Volvo. I've had an old V40 (crap), two V70s which are brilliant. Expanding family means I'm just about to sign on the dotted for an XC90.
From my experience, not including the V40, Volvos are screwed together well, nice level of kit, amazing seats, and have to me, proved to be very reliable. Why would I go elsewhere?
white_goodman said:
hondafanatic said:
I was 
So, just playing devil's advocate then, why an S3 and not a Type R?I've had 22 Hondas. I've had HRVs, CRVs, S2000 and non-type-r civics. I bought a lot of the merchandise and followed the motorsport side fanatically. I even made sure when I went to Tokyo to go and meet Asimo!
I have had nearly every iteration of a type-r except an nsx and euro acccord. It peaked with the FD2. The engine is stunning and the chassis is so responsive. After that it went down hill for me personally.
The latest looks like an abortion of a car and doesn't have single good angle. It's a design mess for any angle. But that's just my opinion.
I loved the way type-r's were 'clean' looking. Nothing silly, just purposeful. I had an fn2 for a few months and it just didn't have the lightness of the previous type-rs.
The Honda line up got more and more watered down, there wasn't a single 'fun' car and I needed a replacement. I like to mod my cars...don't think I've ever not modified a car??
As Honda was no longer N/A I thought I'll try something else.
I actually went to get an A45 but the dealer pissed me off as he couldn't sell the car on a Sunday because the finance department wasn't in!!!?!!
I bought the S3 purely because I like saloons and I like the way it looked. Didn't even test drive it. Had a poke around and took it purely on an impulse. I knew literally nothing about it. Couldn't even open the petrol cap when I left the dealership.
I do an 80 mile round trip for work, mainly motorway and it's nearly ideal for that. I've had it remapped to over 400bhp for a grand and few other bits and bobs. It's rapid and has a nice interior... it's far from ideal and I'm not an Audi man at all, but for what I need I like it.
Honda doesn't have anything 'grownup' looking that's got any daft party tricks like 0-60 (S3) or more than six cylinders (BMW 240) or makes lots of silly noises (A45).
Please note: All the above is totally my own opinion. I'm not stating anything as 'fact'. I'm answering your question (badly) and not pushing the above in an argumentative way.
Yipper said:
Car buyers are notoriously disloyal. Most chop and change on a whim. Most German car brands, like BMW, have loyalty rates (repeat purchase) as low as 10-20%.
Oh really?http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/motoring-iss...
Where the following can be found:
1) Audi 61% buy another Audi
2) Mercedes-Benz 56%
3) Alfa Romeo 51%
4) Volkswagen 41%
My dad is on his seventh Volvo now, although this business about hybrids and electrics from 2019 has him wavering. I have one too, and although I've not had it six months, being a PH type I do have thoughts about what next time round, and currently undecided between another, bigger Volvo or a BMW.
Got to be honest I didn't think I was but had 2 Vauxhall Corsas (1 litre first car, 2 litre turbo 2nd car
Then due to wanting something abit more solid I went to vag
Seat Ibiza fr (which was faultless over 280k miles)
Golf mk7 gti performance pack which has also been faultless
I'm fancying an s3 or rs3 next, depends what I like at the time. Last week I liked the 4 gran coupe this week back to my love affair over wanting an Audi so we will see! Went to Audi today and they didn't have an s3 or rs3 available
To say I love cars my list of cars I've owned is actually pretty dire for 33yr old but I like to keep a car for a while if it ain't broke don't fix it bought each one new)
Then due to wanting something abit more solid I went to vag
Seat Ibiza fr (which was faultless over 280k miles)
Golf mk7 gti performance pack which has also been faultless
I'm fancying an s3 or rs3 next, depends what I like at the time. Last week I liked the 4 gran coupe this week back to my love affair over wanting an Audi so we will see! Went to Audi today and they didn't have an s3 or rs3 available
To say I love cars my list of cars I've owned is actually pretty dire for 33yr old but I like to keep a car for a while if it ain't broke don't fix it bought each one new)
Edited by lee_fr200 on Thursday 10th August 22:15
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