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High End Luxury Cars

24700 messages,  Last post on Dec 01, 2009 at 12:24 PM

You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens

What is this discussion about? Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ-Series, Lexus LS 460, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Volkswagen Phaeton, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, Sedan



Let's try to define this forum as being limited to luxury performance vehicles where the mainstream version in a typical configuration has an MSRP of at least $60k.

A luxury vehicle with a base price of $59k qualifies because it would typically be bought with some additional equipment, bringing the MSRP over $60k.

Vehicles like the E, 5, A6, M, or GS, even if available in certain versions over $60k, don't qualify because they are cars from companies that have higher end cars in their lineups.



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#23541 of 24700
I do believe... by hpowders
Feb 01, 2007 (7:28 pm)
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we should probably agree to disagree. Two immovable objects.
 
And that's perfectly okay! Your point of view is needed here. I will always defend your right to say whatever it is you are attempting to say.
 
Fair and balanced.
#23542 of 24700
Re: Mercedes-Benz USA Records Best January Sales Ever [tagman] by brightness04
Feb 01, 2007 (7:33 pm)
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Replying to: tagman (Feb 01, 2007 3:37 pm)

So, where is the "doom" for Mercedes that we heard some speak of?
 
What per centage of that 17,069 "sales" booked in January were actual sales? How many of them will have to come back in 24-36 months on MB's dough? When a vendor embarks on a campaign of vendor financing, it will have to constantly increase sales volume. It's a treadmill that he can not afford to get off.
#23543 of 24700
Re: Mercedes-Benz USA Records Best January Sales Ever [brightness04] by blckislandguy
Feb 01, 2007 (7:50 pm)
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Replying to: brightness04 (Feb 01, 2007 7:33 pm)

Brightness, I'm no fan of MB (actually, I like the cars but don't think much of the typical MB owner) but the data that Tagman presented are impressive. Moreover, I see as a huge plus not a negative that some of MB "sales" are actually leases wherein the customer has to come back in 24 to 36 months. Yes, there is as you say a treadmill. But for the driver, not the manufacturer. The manufacturer designed it this way and it benefits them. Now if the leases are hugely factory subsidized ( you didn't give us any proof) putting customers in leases isn't an unalloyed blessing but it is a good step to getting them back in the door in 24 months.
 
Let's not forget that the goal of a successful business is to have repeat customers, not necessarily happy or even satisfied customers. Razors and razor blades, construction equipment and replacement parts, and the illegal drug business are all good examples of the benefits that accrue to the business when the customer is forced to return time and time again. Incidentally, the lack of repeat sales is in a nutshell is why airlines are broke and consumer electronics chains come and go.
#23544 of 24700
Re: You're right! [drfill] by tagman
Feb 01, 2007 (8:01 pm)
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Replying to: drfill (Feb 01, 2007 7:16 pm)

It should brake better.
  
   Solution: Make it as slow as the Mercedes, then you wouldn't need so much braking force.

 
C,mon Doc. You're throwing out sarcasm when you have no need. You've got yourself an overall decent review, with respectable 0-60 times, but pitiful braking. OK... it is what it is.
 
Now, all of a sudden the Mercedes is slow?
 
The solution is better brakes for the LS, it's that simple.
 
TagMan
#23545 of 24700
Re: Mercedes-Benz USA Records Best January Sales Ever [blckislandguy] by brightness04
Feb 01, 2007 (8:04 pm)
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Replying to: blckislandguy (Feb 01, 2007 7:50 pm)

I absolutely agree with you that creating repeating customer is a great way to success, assuming the cost of acquiring such customers is negligible. There is really no magic in convincing customers to lease instead of buying: the manufacturer has to offer better deals than what an honest bank in the business of making money is willing to offer. In other words, the "sale" becomes diluted by financial subsidies. A couple years ago, GM and Ford were experiencing dramatic sales increases when they offered enormous financial subsidies. Look at where they are now. IMHO, therein lies the danger with financial engineering goosing sales numbers in the short term. The consumer is not the only way stepping onto the treadmill when the mfr engages in financial engineering: in order to close the book 24-36 months from today, the price gap between actual auction value of returned vehicles and "residual" will have to be written down, and that affects the company bottom line. In order to absorb that hit, more "sales" will have to be written up at that time.
#23546 of 24700
Tag by drfill
Feb 01, 2007 (8:19 pm)
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   As long as you misuse the word "decent", my response is accurate and warranted.
 
   The words "decent", or "nice" or "fair" never came up in the review. The LS460L is not a "decent" car.
 
   You're better than that, Tag.
 
   DrFill
#23547 of 24700
Re: Tag [drfill] by tagman
Feb 01, 2007 (8:56 pm)
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Replying to: drfill (Feb 01, 2007 8:19 pm)

Doc,
 
Why the semantics? According to the dictionary decent means respectable, fair, and other positive things as well. There is nothing wrong with the word I chose.
 
If it makes you feel better, I have no problem whatsoever with acknowledging that the review was a "nice" one, because for the most part it was.
 
I think most reviews, when taken collectively, have been "nice" about the LS. It is a fine car. I have my personal criticisms about it, and throughout the many reviews we have heard other's criticisms... some similar and some different.
 
As I have always said, the concensus is what I go by when paying attention to reviews, because they are all unique in certain ways, but ultimately a clearer picture comes through about the car, and that's what counts, IMO. Beyond the reviews, my own opinion is what counts most to me, of course, but we are talking about a concensus from the many reviews here, and my opinion has nothing to do with that.
 
Based upon reviews so far, the LS is clearly at this point a quiet, luxurious, quick, and comfortable cruiser that isolates the driver from the road, as opposed to connecting the driver to the road. This last item is not necessarily bad, just not my preference. Some of the car sounds great, while some not so great, such as brakes, of course.
 
But, please don't get upset with my choice of words, for goodness sakes, when I am really being fair. You know I will not get out the trumpets for an LS, but I will give it any objective credit it deserves when it becomes quite certain that it is due.
 
And, I expect you to be fair also, Doc.
 
I hope that is good enough for you, cause it's the best you're gonna get.
 
TagMan
#23548 of 24700
Re: Mercedes-Benz USA Records Best January Sales Ever [brightness04] by dhamilton
Feb 01, 2007 (9:27 pm)
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Replying to: brightness04 (Feb 01, 2007 8:04 pm)

A report form the Houston auto show
 
LF-A. A looker as reported by Merc. Jury still out on if it will in fact have sporting aspirations. But if looks are any indication
                                                                                                      
 
IS-F. is not, my God what is that thing they attached to the front, a jaws of life to better remove the driver in case of boredom? Probably fast, but see above.
 
Camaro. is very sharp.
 
XKR. Wow, like week in the knees, wow.
 
TT. very sleek, and modern with a great interior. Why people look at the SC over this is beyond me. Oh, that's right the SC is a juggernaut that nobody knows about. Silly me.
 
Aura. Quite a job they did on this one. Very surprised.
 
S80. Same thing, one of the best new designs re. four door sedans. I don't know about the dynamics but, if it's un- Volvo like it could be a contender.
 
Audi. In general, everything from Audi sucked because simply put, they aren't a major player here so they don't matter.
ROFLMFAO
#23549 of 24700
Re: Mercedes-Benz USA Records Best January Sales Ever [tagman] by merc1
Feb 01, 2007 (9:49 pm)
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Replying to: tagman (Feb 01, 2007 3:37 pm)

So, where is the "doom" for Mercedes that we heard some speak of?
 
Well to be fair most that used to preach about that don't post anymore, but to answer your question...it has never, ever appeared. It was all hype and nonsense to begin with.
 
I've said from day one that Mercedes (and other European brands) have a reliability problem, but as the sales numbers continue to prove, not everyone worships reliablity surveys.
 
For Mercedes, Land Rover, VW and at one time BMW and Audi too, to be able to continue to sell cars and actually increase sales says one of two things; 1) either their reliability isn't as bad as the survey worshipers would have you to believe, or 2) the stars of the reliability surveys aren't all that to begin with.
 
If Toyota for a minute lost their reliability crown they'd be finished. Lexus not as much so, but it is still one of their primary building blocks.
 
M
#23550 of 24700
Re: Sorry to trump you, Tag [drfill] by merc1
Feb 01, 2007 (9:51 pm)
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Replying to: drfill (Feb 01, 2007 4:11 pm)

Amazing that you got that from that article. At no point did they even come close to saying that the LS460L was bad anything. They're still harping about long stopping distances and what not, that I did see.
 
The review was lukewarm at best.
 
Must be tough to have to hang your hat on an Edmunds review when C&D put the car in the doghouse.
 
M

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