BMW North America - What is wrong with you people? (1 Series rant)

OK, I have a 318TI - I love it. It's 10 years old, maybe time to update. Will I be purchasing a new 1 Series hatchback? No. Why not?

Because whoever makes the calls on what comes to North America has decided that a market that has shown the desire for a performance hatchback (see also Audi A3, Mercedes B Class and 230, Volvo C30) doesn't want the 3 door 1 Series.

WRONG.

I love BMW, but the morons who are making these decisions need to wake up.

I'll be purchasing a new Volvo C30. I look forward to sending a copy of the invoice to the geniuses at BMW.

Reply to
electrobilge
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Kinda makes you wonder if they are the same marketing geniouses that work for American car makers. Sell them what we want them to have, not what they want. This crap killed the 318Ti and the MB version. If they read these boards/groups, we'd get a better selection. At worst they could call them "Limited Editions" and keep demand up.

Bill in Omaha '86 535i

Reply to
Bill

How do we know it's the geniuses in BMW NA that are responsible? Likely there's a few chaps in that organization who "get it" and are beating their heads against the wall.. maybe their bosses, or maybe some chaps in the Fatherland nixed it. I've worked for the US branch of a German company before, and I've seen this kind of thing happen. I have permanent dents in my forehead from it.

Karl Winkler

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Reply to
Karl Winkler

I can agree with most of what you are saying but the cost involved in marketing a new car is enormous. The infrastructure, service, parts, where to park them when they are waiting to be sold or given free with a pkt corn flakes!

There is no incentive in the US to buy SMALL cars. Over here with HIGH gas and diesel prices Tax on cars in the UK to use them $600 for a reasonable size car that emits over 225PPM CO2.

$60 to take it into London. gas @ $2 liter or $8 US gallon.

No incentive no sales. It's a shame but if I were in charge I would probably make the same decision.

BTW How many Peugeot 205 do you have out there? How Many Mercedes "SMART" city cars out there. You only got the BMW Mini due to lifestyle ads and the retro look. The Mini has a Renault/Peugeot engine and is BIG BIG BIG for a supposedly small car and it has a supercharger on the fast one......

Reply to
Oscar

BMW has many issues. I have never seen a positive review of the I wheel or talked to anyone who really liked the thing, most like me despise it, yet it remains the center control system of these cars. In truth, as a BMW owner, I totally fail to see the mystique of these cars. In fact I am shopping to replace this overpriced yuppie mobile. Until you get to the stratospheric price levels you are getting a Buick that handles better, not much else, at a super premium price. Come listen to the rattles in my 2006 5 series if you think fit and finish are anything in a BMW.

Reply to
gowanoh

Yeah, that must be why one of the very best selling cars is the Honda Civic. That sucker's huge.

Reply to
Fred W

Again in some part I agree. The Buick and the Chrysler are great for the money and are just as comfortable if not better in some respects but new models every

2 years ???? I might buy a new car in 3 years or I might HAVE to keep it for another 10 and the ageless blending BMW/Merc (Cough Cough) designs will stay in fashion longer.

My 2007 740 has a rattle - a pencil in the storage drawer! Dammed noisy pencils???

You pays your money and takes your choice - I have seen the car "supermarkets" and the way cars are "sold" (ho ho) "How much a month" is not selling a car it is selling credit for the commission - the car is free.

Reply to
Oscar

Yeah, and it's cheap, economical and reliable. That sucker will do well over 200K miles if you just change the oil and filter now and again. It's not that bad of a car to drive, for what it is. There ain't no justice.

Reply to
Dean Dark

stupid Americans

Reply to
Fred W

Au contraire. I'm a Brit. You silly twit.

Reply to
Dean Dark

Fred - Don't get shitty over Honda. Toyota are the worlds Number 1 car producer beat your GM by a million or so.

As Avis used to say "we try harder" obviously GM didn't.

But it is still the same - until your government stick tax on gas like our do and it cost you $8 gallon and charge you to drive big cars @ $600+ a year on top of anything else you won't EVER buy small cars unless its for a joke or just to be different.

Reply to
Oscar

Sorry Fred I forgot you're one of us (Brit that is not US type us)

Reply to
Oscar

Some of us in the US have been buying small cars for over 40 years, since gasoline was 26.9 cents per gallon...

-- Larry

Reply to
pltrgyst

Marketing costs do not seem to have impeded Volvo, Audi or Mercedez. It's not like BMW has a plethora of models over here and as they are bringing in a coupe (to compete with what - the 3 series coupe?) the parts issue is a not starter.

Reply to
electrobilge

But Larry you are only one person...............

Reply to
Oscar

My guess is they don't want it to compete with the Mini.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Not to turn this into a UN commitee, but I am Canadian.

As such I am looking for an alternative to high gas prices and also a way to reduce my "carbon footprint" somewhat (it's not my prime motivation).

The 120d is an exceptional vehicle and fills a void in the BMW line that is currently available in North America.

VW has done very well with the turbo diesel models. I just don't get BMW. Why bring in a 1 Series coupe to compete with the 3 Series coupe? I am sure there are some marketing people at BMW who just can figure out the logic in not bringing this model to the NA market, but whoever is responsible needs to be given a nudge upside the head.

BTW, I was in Berlin and picked up product material on the 1 Series 3 and 5 door models. What a fantastic vehicle.

Reply to
electrobilge

If that IS the case, then the decision makers are completely out of touch with reality. I would never ever buy a Mini over a 1 Series and I doubt anyone who would want a 1 Seriesa hacth would consider a Mini an alternative. It's an ugly little novelty car.

Reply to
electrobilge

Just so you know, there are no more "yuppies". It's dead terminology.

As for the fit and finish of ANY North American car va. what I have experienced in the BMW line...you're joking right? I can't speak toward your experience, but come have a ride in my 1998 318TI. No rattles, no issues, no problems 125k miles.

Reply to
electrobilge

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but the Mini is a great success. As regards being little both it and the 1 Series have stupid rear passenger space.

But they're both great cars to drive in their own ways.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

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