German cars

toyotaavensis

I was wondering why do people buy German cars?
http://www.reliabilityindex.com/top-100
has one BMW is their top 100 two mercs and no audi.
http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/introduction/1206676
has the three outside the top 20.

Anyone I know who buys them always say that they have been buying them for years and that they are great. Is there something I am missing lads.

biko

Have you driven a German car? And by that I mean BMW

cali_eire

For some people it's about the driving experience, but for another contingent of buyers it's about status and image.

toyotaavensis

Yea I have and I cant understand why would you buy one over a say a subaru. I drove a legacy turbo and it was way nicer than driving any BMW I have driven.

Kenny Logins

Old German cars for me. No idea about new cars, I'd probably go for a Skoda, Hyundai or something..

Chris_Heilong

Similar thread recently: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=87369103

Also by someone with Toyota in their name, weird.

Cleveland Hot Pocket

RWD, high power, nice interior, and (aside from one 2 liter 4 pot engine) reliable.

Then you have the white goods cars like toyota, bland interior fwd and not exciting to drive (old carinas aside :P )

Cantona's Collars

This is German and I want one.



http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/first-drive-vw-golf-gti-concept-2013-11-23

Cleveland Hot Pocket

So VAG are building 'felt spec cars as standard now? :P

Toyotafanboi

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

Similar thread recently: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=87369103

Also by someone with Toyota in their name, weird.

a mere co-incidence.
i think the topic is well discussed in the other thread i was just discussing the findings of the blog. personally speaking i think i'm much more motoring open minded than my username suggests.

beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that.

jimgoose

I was driving the brother's 2010 520d there again on Saturday, and while we both agree it doesn't have quite enough engine for a two-ton behemoth, it is most definitely a bit of kit. I can see the point right enough, although I'm a Jag-headcase personally. :cool:

allybhoy

toyotaavensis wrote: »

Yea I have and I cant understand why would you buy one over a say a subaru. I drove a legacy turbo and it was way nicer than driving any BMW I have driven.

What BMW are you comparing it to? If you think a legacy turbo is a better drive than an M3\M5 than sorry but your wrong.

My last 3 cars have been a 325i E92, 530D E60 and a honda accord sport 2.2icdti. The accord was a smashing car and a lovely drive but it was actually less unreliable than the BMW's ive owned. Apart from unreliability though it was comparable to the BMW's in regards to spec, build quality and ride comfort, but I much prefer RWD.

Kenny Logins

jimgoose wrote: »

I was driving the brother's 2010 520d there again on Saturday, and while we both agree it doesn't have quite enough engine for a two-ton behemoth, it is most definitely a bit of kit. I can see the point right enough, although I'm a Jag-headcase personally. :cool:

There appears to be an F10 520d epidemic in this country.

nc19

biko wrote: »

Have you driven a German car? And by that I mean BMW

Yes, lots

The pedals are too close together and the cabins are oppressive

There are far too many buttons and switches

And unless you spend a fortune every couple of yrs they turn to shít

toyotaavensis

allybhoy wrote: »

What BMW are you comparing it to? If you think a legacy turbo is a better drive than an M3\M5 than sorry but your wrong.

My last 3 cars have been a 325i E92, 530D E60 and a honda accord sport 2.2icdti. The accord was a smashing car and a lovely drive but it was actually less unreliable than the BMW's ive owned. Apart from unreliability though it was comparable to the BMW's in regards to spec, build quality and ride comfort, but I much prefer RWD.

I have driven a few 320d's a 316i a 318i a 530d and a 2007 petrol seven series (not sure exactly which one) and they are nice to drive but that doesnt make up for the links I posted in the first post here.

When you say less unreliable is that the same as more reliable or did you mean less reliable?

allybhoy

toyotaavensis wrote: »

I have driven a few 320d's a 316i a 318i a 530d and a 2007 petrol seven series (not sure exactly which one) and they are nice to drive but that doesnt make up for the links I posted in the first post here.

When you say less unreliable is that the same as more reliable or did you mean less reliable?

320d, 316 and 318's are your entry level BMW's which in fairness probably means they have a low spec and therefore their interior's and driving experience wouldnt be the may west.

I mean that in 5 years of owning BMW's ive never had to do a whole lot with them apart from servicing however i had numerous problems with the honda, cracked manifold and had to replace two injectors which wasnt cheap.

Andrew_Doran

Kenny Logins wrote: »

There appears to be an F10 520d epidemic in this country.

I wonder how many 520d's they are selling now that the 518d is out.

Kenny Logins

Andrew_Doran wrote: »

I wonder how many 520d's they are selling now that the 518d is out.

...or waiting for the 516d?

Tea 1000

allybhoy wrote: »

320d, 316 and 318's are your entry level BMW's which in fairness probably means they have a low spec and therefore their interior's and driving experience wouldnt be the may west.

I mean that in 5 years of owning BMW's ive never had to do a whole lot with them apart from servicing however i had numerous problems with the honda, cracked manifold and had to replace two injectors which wasnt cheap.

That's the exception rather than the norm. The manifold in early ones had their warranty extended by Honda. Injectors aren't any more likely to fail in an Accord diesel than any other diesel, and BMW petrols post-07 like to crap their injectors too.
I'm not sure I necessarily agree with your statement on the Legacy turbo either. Some of the B4 Legacy's were excellent to drive, while the E60 and F10 M5's were incredible cars, but not just as exciting. M3's are fantastic though. An F10 M5 is a fab car, but I'd prefer an E92 M3.

TBi

Kenny Logins wrote: »

...or waiting for the 516d?

Or a 514d in a few years

How depressing would it be to drive a 714d :S

Toyotafanboi

TBi wrote: »

Or a 514d in a few years

How depressing would it be to drive a 714d :S

does it come with 14" steel wheels and no a/c? the irish would love that.

Cleveland Hot Pocket

Kenny Logins wrote: »

There appears to be an F10 520d epidemic in this country.

Just wait for the 512d

listermint

510 twin turbo :P

jimgoose

TBi wrote: »

Or a 514d in a few years

How depressing would it be to drive a 714d :S

In before the "turbo the living shi..."

listermint wrote: »

510 twin turbo :P

...oh. Never mind!

bazz26

This is like asking why does anyone buy an Apple phone over a Samsung phone and vice versa? People will justify their reasons for both.

daRobot

Kenny Logins wrote: »

There appears to be an F10 520d epidemic in this country.

It has the optimum status:tax ratio

So many of these buyers are going to regret their choices though, as they're short tripping diesels, and it only leads to problems.

HandsomeDan

Bit of the hint of sour grapes off this thread.

If people want to buy German cars that's their business. Why get in a tiz over it?

Kenny Logins

HandsomeDan wrote: »

Bit of the hint of sour grapes off this thread.

If people want to buy German cars that's their business. Why get in a tiz over it?

F10 520d? :pac:

HandsomeDan

Kenny Logins wrote: »

F10 520d? :pac:

I'd love to be able to afford an F10 520d.

Cleveland Hot Pocket

HandsomeDan wrote: »

I'd love to be able to afford an F10 520d.

If I could afford an f10 520d I would buy an e60/e39 m5 and spend the rest on tax and fuel

Kenny Logins

HandsomeDan wrote: »

I'd love to be able to afford an F10 520d.

I hear ya. ...but as above, I'd probably spend my cash elsewhere.

CianRyan

HandsomeDan wrote: »

I'd love to be able to afford an F10 520d.

And this is why we can't have nice things.

ambro25

toyotaavensis wrote: »

Yea I have and I cant understand why would you buy one over a say a subaru. I drove a legacy turbo and it was way nicer than driving any BMW I have driven.

when you say "I drove a legacy turbo", was that spirited (and all the time so), or just generally, every day, in every day traffic?

Genuinely curious here, as I drive a mk1 mx5 (daily, for nigh on the last 13 years), an impreza wagon 5dr ('new-old' winter daily, but I've had a few saloons before, both n/a & wrx), and a late W203 ('07) C220 cdi (infrequently, it's the mrs' runabout - I'm a mug nice like that )

Whilst I can certainly appreciate your comment re. the odd bit of hooning every now and again, the Merc is definitely the more comfortable, better commuting and 'every day' driver, by some distance.