Thesis Research on Prestige Model cars

AnnaC123

Hi Everyone!

My name is Anna, I'm 22 and I'm currently doing my masters thesis..... the topic I've chosen is Generation Y and Luxury Cars.

I'm interested in learning the key factors impacting on a young consumers choice to buy a particular luxury car over another.
Specifically between BMW and Mercedes as most people know the general perception is that Merc drivers tend to be older and BMW drivers usually buy BMW a lot younger than they would buy Mercedes....

But I don't really know why that is the case so that's where I'm hoping you can help!

Really what I'm hoping by posting here is to get the insight from those who have an interest in cars in general! So I hope you don't see this as an annoyance?

As a business and marketing student I'm also focusing on the areas like:

The importance of brand heritage to customers, so I'm asking do buyers/ drivers/ fans still view the history as important or do you think it's moved past that and what we have now is car brands completely detached I suppose from what people knew back in the day (ie the classic and the new Mini)?

The whole point of my research as a car enthusiast is that I want to know are people driving prestige model cars for the image that has been attached to the brand through big marketing campaigns and advertising budgets? or is there another reason? In particular for young consumers!

Personally I feel that a number of drivers might buy luxury cars without knowing much beyond the badge!

But I put the question to ye, for you what does BMW/ Mercedes symbolise? Why do you think a person (or yourself) might buy one over the other?

As I've said above, I'm not posting to annoy anyone, If you feel you'd like to contribute to my project I'd greatly appreciate it,

I sort of feel if the members on such a forum have nothing to say I may close the book and look at choosing a boring area that's been done time and time again.... but hopefully that won't be the case!

here's a link to my survey if you'd prefer to fill that out.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7D3Z2G6

Thanks in advance

Anna

bijapos

Why dont you consider Audi? They have taken a big lump out of BMW and Mercedes over the past 15 years internationally.

Filled the survey in anyway.

Voodoomelon

I don't think any enthusiast intentionally picks one brand over another, IE the decision isn't "hmm, will i go for a BMW or a Mercedes?". The decision is "will I go for a 535i or a an E350" or "will I go for a 2005 S320 or a 2008 530d"? The car itself essentially dictates the brand.

To someone who isn't into cars, the brand probably means a lot and yes these people will choose one over another because of the badge.

no1beemerfan

Voodoomelon wrote: »

To someone who isn't into cars, the brand probably means a lot and yes these people will choose one over another because of the badge.

This is a very good point. I find that because I'm into cars I have a list of cars I'd love to own, (prestige models and definately not prestige models), and the brand name is not that important to me as to the car itself.

I find that is people who know next to nothing about cars will say I'd love to own a BMW or a Merc, Audi etc....its a brand to aspire to etc.

Gitb1

Survey done

Cionád

Done, good luck with the research.

johnos1984

Done.

Let us know the results

Voodoomelon

Done also.

Eoin

Moved to the surveys forum

VolvoMan

bijapos wrote: »

Why dont you consider Audi? They have taken a big lump out of BMW and Mercedes over the past 15 years internationally.

I will always rank Audi on a level with Volvo, SAAB and Alfa Romeo, no matter how the public view them. What I consider to be the top brands are Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Jaguar.

daveharnett

AnnaC123 wrote: »

Specifically between BMW and Mercedes as most people know the general perception is that Merc drivers tend to be older and BMW drivers usually buy BMW a lot younger than they would buy Mercedes....

I think a lot of this is down to styling. This could be a little self-fulfilling - Mercedes has older customers, so they tend to build cars with lots of classic design aesthetics (the grille being the biggest example - feels like a throwback to the 20s) to appeal to those customers, whereas BMW's younger customer base prompts them to build cars with more contemporary designs.

I imagine you will find that Mercedes' more up-to-date designs (slk, new c-class) have attracted younger customers regardless of brand image. Similarly, there are lots of Jags I'd love to drive, but up to the XK, none I could drive without it looking like my (grand)father's car.

AnnaC123 wrote: »

The importance of brand heritage to customers, so I'm asking do buyers/ drivers/ fans still view the history as important or do you think it's moved past that and what we have now is car brands completely detached I suppose from what people knew back in the day (ie the classic and the new Mini)?

I would say that globalization and the technological advances of the last 20 years have eliminated a lot of the factors that distinguished one manufacturer from the next. BMW and Mercedes can say what they like about their various brand attributes, but both will be depending on Bosch parts to make their cars run.

Beyond the badges and design cues, there isn't a whole lot to tell car makers apart these days. BMW made a big deal about all their cars having rear wheel drive - part of their culture of performance ("ultimate driving machine":rolleyes:). They are reversing that decision, justifying it by acknowledging that most of their customers never noticed.

AnnaC123 wrote: »

The whole point of my research as a car enthusiast is that I want to know are people driving prestige model cars for the image that has been attached to the brand through big marketing campaigns and advertising budgets? or is there another reason? In particular for young consumers!

Personally I feel that a number of drivers might buy luxury cars without knowing much beyond the badge!

I think there is some merit to that. I would imagine most customers are more influenced by the badge than they would like to admit. That's not to say that the products don't matter. A great brand image might get a customer to visit your dealership first, but it won't translate to huge sales unless the cars are up to scratch.

In my case (I drive a 5 series), the brand was actually a turn-off. I'd have been much quicker to buy if it carried a less aspirational image, but in the end the car was too good to be put off by what others might think of it (or me for driving it ).

serenacat

AnnaC123 wrote: »

Hi Everyone!

My name is Anna, I'm 22 and I'm currently doing my masters thesis..... the topic I've chosen is Generation Y and Luxury Cars.

I'm interested in learning the key factors impacting on a young consumers choice to buy a particular luxury car over another.
Specifically between BMW and Mercedes as most people know the general perception is that Merc drivers tend to be older and BMW drivers usually buy BMW a lot younger than they would buy Mercedes....

But I don't really know why that is the case so that's where I'm hoping you can help!

Really what I'm hoping by posting here is to get the insight from those who have an interest in cars in general! So I hope you don't see this as an annoyance?

As a business and marketing student I'm also focusing on the areas like:

The importance of brand heritage to customers, so I'm asking do buyers/ drivers/ fans still view the history as important or do you think it's moved past that and what we have now is car brands completely detached I suppose from what people knew back in the day (ie the classic and the new Mini)?

The whole point of my research as a car enthusiast is that I want to know are people driving prestige model cars for the image that has been attached to the brand through big marketing campaigns and advertising budgets? or is there another reason? In particular for young consumers!

Personally I feel that a number of drivers might buy luxury cars without knowing much beyond the badge!

But I put the question to ye, for you what does BMW/ Mercedes symbolise? Why do you think a person (or yourself) might buy one over the other?

As I've said above, I'm not posting to annoy anyone, If you feel you'd like to contribute to my project I'd greatly appreciate it,

I sort of feel if the members on such a forum have nothing to say I may close the book and look at choosing a boring area that's been done time and time again.... but hopefully that won't be the case!

here's a link to my survey if you'd prefer to fill that out.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7D3Z2G6

Thanks in advance

Anna

I've done your survey, could you do mine please?

AnnaC123

I just wanted to ask your opinion of the new Mercedes B Class- I've spoken to people in Mercedes and they say the car was designed specifically to target the young consumer!

Do you think it works????