What makes a premium car/brand?

Wishbone Ash · 21-03-2019 10:46pm

CorkMan_ wrote: »

I have a Citroen C6. It's definitely not a premium brand but it is certainly a premium car. But once people see the Citroen badge they don't see premium. Which imo just reinforces badge snobbery.

Not all of us. The C6 is a seriously impressive car and would impress me way more than any Merc, BMW etc. They are also very rare (although I saw one yesterday). How many Boardsies can say they drive around in the same car as a president of a prominent European country?

Philb76 · 21-03-2019 11:29pm

SBPhoto wrote: »

Philb76 wrote: »

300 euro for an oil and filter change with a cup of tea or coffee whilst you wait

For what make of Car??

Friends Audi an a6 few years ago

Idbatterim · 21-03-2019 11:33pm

Philb76 wrote: »

300 euro for an oil and filter change with a cup of tea or coffee whilst you wait

Lol! Or do it for fifty odd euro yourself. I’m not saying I’d do it on a newer car due to resale value, but there comes a point where paying some obscene amount for an apprentice to change your oil, is just a tad wasteful...

maddness · 23-03-2019 11:57am

carsfan2 wrote: »

A comment on another thread as to how main stream car makers are offering the exact same if not better product than what are considered “premium” manufacturers like Mercedes, BMW, Audi got me wondering what makes a car premium.
When I was younger premium cars were more expensive but better built and offered equipment not available on others cars. They could have bigger engines if desired and were not as common. They also held their value better than run of the mill cars.

Nowadays it seems the majority of cars are reliable and well built. They offer the same equipment as premium and a multitude of engine options.
All new cars lose a chunk in depreciation regardless of manufacturer too.
Finance packages make all cars more attainable nowadays too and premium brands are as common as any other cars on the road.
Some premium brands have big glass palaces to sell you their cars but does this influence us?
What are people’s feelings as to what makes a car or brand premium or upmarket nowadays? Is it snob value alone or is a merc etc really a better car?

When I was growing up in the 80’s very few people drove cars like Bmw’s and Mercedes and there really was a big difference in quality between the average car like an Opel Ascona or a Ford Sierra. Also rarity made them that bit more special.
I think that all changed forever in the 00’s as the premium brands made cheaper cars and car finance became more available so if you drove a BMW it was nothing special anymore.
Obviously large 6 & 8 cylinder salons are not really sold in number any more and the vast majority are 2.0 four cylinder diesels.
If you look at it objectively a 520d is still a nicer place to be than a non premium 2.0 diesel but the gap is much closer than it once was. Dynamically the difference is minimal or none.

Wishbone Ash · 23-03-2019 12:29pm

maddness wrote: »

When I was growing up in the 80’s very few people drove cars like Bmw’s and Mercedes and there really was a big difference in quality between the average car like an Opel Ascona or a Ford Sierra. Also rarity made them that bit more special....

In the early 1980's I was a pump attendant at a busy forecourt. The vast majority of customers had mundane 'everyday' cars. Funny I don't recall any 3 or 5 series BMW's but just the magnificent 6 series especially the 635!. The others that stood out were the Mercedes W116 series and the Jaguar 5.4 V12. The premium brands really were poles apart from the great unwashed then.

Old diesel · 23-03-2019 1:19pm

NIMAN wrote: »

Would it be safe to say that the lower/medium brands are making better cars than they did years ago, and the top brands are making lesser cars than they did a few decades ago?

This would close the gap.

This i think sums up the situation very well.

But I would add the caveat of "by the standards of the era".

A 2019 E class is a superior car to a 1983 W123.

However in the W123 era the Mercedes had a much bigger lead in quality vs normal brands of the 1983 era.

In 2019 however a Skoda Superb is MUCH closer to today's E class Merc then the 1983 Skoda Estelle is to a 1983 W123.

In the late 80s the case for going for a 2nd hand W123 for the best quality vs a new normal brand was very strong if you were keen on a top quality car.

Carina IIs were great but for some drivers might feel very lightweight in the bodywork - especially the way doors close. A lightweight feel*.

The Mercedes would feel extremely substantial*.

*in reality the Carina was a lot closer to the Merc in long term ownership then this commentry implies. Says a lot for the Carina in fact that you could even mention its greatness while simultaneously talking W123 Merc quality

donkey balls · 29-03-2019 12:38am

I am on my forth car and in my mid 40s first car I had was a Fiesta second one was a Primera, The reason I got rid of the Primera at the time was that it was a 15 year old car nothing wrong with it as I had it serviced regularly.
But trying to insure it was a nightmare due to the age of the car, Years ago while doing the zero hour contract work I would pass by an Audi garage and would say to myself that some day hopefully if I got a good full time job that I would buy one.
So the day came that I got a really good job and about two weeks into working at my company, I saw a nice A4 for sale so I organized a test drive and decided there and then to buy it the car was so comfortable and refined compared to the Primera.
I have since moved on to the A6 Quattro and love it, I am not one for looking down their nose at what people drive smaller cars as I once did myself and the aul lad still drives a fiesta.

What makes a premium car/brand?

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