Re: OPINION:Quality and Passion Declining in European Automakers

Worst thing I did was to buy a Z3. US manufactured with burrs under the hood and everywhere there's an edge. Hoses too short to fit with the nipples, Inverted wheels (V drawingd turned towards the rear !!!)

Fortunately Other Bimmers are made in Europe.

I had same of experience with rental Neons and Chryslers some years ago. Finished like crap and crap they are. Definitely.

Regards

"CaptainW116" a écrit dans le message news: snipped-for-privacy@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

(please note;this is crossposted to Mercedes,BMW,Jaguar,Audi and > Volvo)Although I am a fan of 70s' and 80s' European automobiles,I can > not help notice this trend all across the board!Rust on new Mercedes > and BMW,plastic on the exteriors of Volvo,and so on.......Who do you > see as the dominate automaker,say,10 years from now?What is a realistic > life expectancy of 2000 and newer European automobile and are you truly > happy with your purchase(do you feel cheated)?In your opinion,what > item(s)need to be done away with or improved?Hopefully,all those whom > respond understand that it is not my intention to start a bash war,just > want to hear opinions from fellow European automotive enthusiast! >
Reply to
thor
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Just bought my wife a new X-Type 2.0 V6 SE Auto which kind of tells you which camp I'm in, but we took a long time trying all relevant models in this price range.

My wife doesn't like (or wants to pay) for powerful big engines, so we were looking at all the smaller engined models which narrows down your choice and makes you concentrate on other points of the vehicle.

Our final choice came down to the X-Type, a Merc C180K AMG saloon and the Lexus IS200. We liked the outside desgin of the Merc, the quality and equipment of the Lexus but the Jag won overall on quality of interior, options and price.

We're delighted, it isn't exactly a quick car, but that's not what we were buying, but it makes us feel we're driving a car that cost twice what it actually did.

Alan M

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Reply to
Alan Mudd

I can second that.

I had mine for 3 months before selling it because I was fed up with the problems..from new I had leaky roof, stereo kept switching itself off, gear stick fell to pieces, ocasionally it just refused to start - to name a few! The finish on some of the car was less than you would have expected from a BMW to say the least. Even a BMW dealer I talked to afterwards agreed it was not a very well made car.

The problem is that people won't accept paying such huge premiums for the quality now that they used to - especially as the competition is so close - if not better in some cases. If you look at (in particular) German cars of old you used to get fantastic build, but very little in the way of equipment. But now everyone wants all the gadgets - at the same price! so something has to give, and it has been the quality.

Matt.

Reply to
Matthew Maddock

Read the other day that nothing Saab will be left in Sweden by 2008. Design,development in fact everything will be done by Opel in Germany! Sad day indeed.

Disappointed 9000 turbo owner. Cheers Clive

Reply to
Clive Turnbull

Yup.

Kal (no longer a Saab owner)

Reply to
Kalman Rubinson

What do you drive now? How does it compare? Cheers Clive

Reply to
Clive Turnbull

MB C320 SportWagon. Not as sporty, not as voluminous a hauler but great on the highways and more than decent on the back roads.

Kal

Reply to
Kalman Rubinson

Nice car, might go MB myself next. Thanks Clive

Reply to
Clive Turnbull

Similar comments about US-made Mercs (ML), at least in its early years... :-(

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling

Reply to
Dori A Schmetterling

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