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High End Luxury Cars

24723 messages,  Last post on Jan 28, 2013 at 6:55 PM

You are in the Sedans Forum.

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.

Messages Page 822 of 2473

#8206 of 24723 Merc1's worst case scenario by oac

Mar 03, 2005 (9:34 pm)

ejerod, an MB owner recently had this to say about his MBs....
 
"....I have had 3 Benzes in the last 4 years. 2001 S500, 2002S 500, 2003 SL 500. I had enough lemons to make lemonade for the Pittsburgh Steelers for the next 50 years!!! My wife has had 2 lexus GS models that we have leased over the last 8 years. Not a single issue out of either of them. The one she has now rides like the day we bought it. MB ? Not ever again. At least not until they can build a car that I can drive with out fear of it falling apart. Lexus will be my car of choice from now on. Infinity will be a close second!..."
 
ejerod, "Mercedes-Benz S-Class" #1686, 23 Feb 2005 1:03 pm
 
Ouch !!! MBs as lemons ? And the GS not having any problems since birth ?? Now, where is tiag_m5's safe MB, when the car can't even be trusted to drive from point A to point B.
 
MB better get its quality issues straightened out ASAP, otherwise the fall will be steep. Now, that is a prediction, Merc1 !

#8207 of 24723 Re: More of the same... [michael_mattox] by flyfisher1

Mar 03, 2005 (9:42 pm)

Replying to: michael_mattox (Mar 03, 2005 8:39 am)
Stop it already Michael. Does anyone ever - ever - buy the Lexus LS for performance?

#8208 of 24723 Re: An interesting tidbit. [vcheng] by flyfisher1

Mar 03, 2005 (9:45 pm)

Replying to: vcheng (Mar 03, 2005 6:55 am)
Did you say FRAME design? I didn't know Lexus built pick-up trucks.

#8209 of 24723 Re: More of the same... [michael_mattox] by flyfisher1

Mar 03, 2005 (9:48 pm)

Replying to: michael_mattox (Mar 03, 2005 9:04 am)
Simple answer - it's a cheaper car.

#8210 of 24723 2005 CR Reliability Rankings are out by oac

Mar 03, 2005 (9:50 pm)

Consumer Reports had the largest response to its latest annual auto reliability survey ever, allowing the nonprofit organization to compile reliability portraits on more than 810,000 vehicles, up from 675,000 vehicles in 2003 and 480,000 in 2002. This is the second year in a row that Consumer Reports surveyed subscribers to both its magazine and its web site, www.ConsumerReports.org, a total of more than 5 million consumers throughout the U.S. The survey was conducted in the spring of 2004 and covered 1997 to 2004 models.
 
And now... drum roll....
 
2005 New-Car Reliability:
 
1. Scion
2. Lexus
3. Toyota
4. Subaru
5. Honda
6. Acura
7. Mitsubishi
8. Infiniti
9. Hyundai
10. Suzuki
....
 
Bottom:
 
Mini
BMW
Lincoln
VW
Hummer
MB
Jaguar
Land Rover
 
source: www.ConsumerReports.org

#8211 of 24723 Re: More of the same... [flyfisher1] by michael_mattox

Mar 03, 2005 (10:22 pm)

Replying to: flyfisher1 (Mar 03, 2005 9:42 pm)
A-8 owners who are tired of the dull ride will step up to the LS for performance.

#8212 of 24723 Re: More of the same... [flyfisher1] by michael_mattox

Mar 03, 2005 (10:24 pm)

Replying to: flyfisher1 (Mar 03, 2005 9:48 pm)
Simple answer...It is a better and LESS EXPENSIVE car...

#8213 of 24723 Re: Merc1's worst case scenario [oac] by ljflx

Mar 03, 2005 (10:28 pm)

Replying to: oac (Mar 03, 2005 9:34 pm)
I said it before and I'll say it again - Gotta love you OAC. You know how to nail it.
 
I may take that GS out for a spin tomorrow. I've heard great things about it.

#8214 of 24723 Re: Oac [ljflx] by merc1

Mar 03, 2005 (10:30 pm)

Replying to: ljflx (Mar 03, 2005 6:29 am)
"I'll say it for the last time because you just don't get it. The statement was that the negative headlines - financial, quality, reliability etc etc are inescapable to any business savy person and many lux car buyers are exactly that. When those people read about the quality problems and then the financial problems that are following it they just file it away in their head.
 
And saying it over and over doesn't make is so for everyone either. You're trying to tie in negative press about reliability to financial status and they aren't the same thing. People do care about the former, but are basically clueless about the latter. Every luxury car buyer isn't on the same page as you are. I see no evidence of buyers caring one hoot about a company's financial status. Reliability of the car or brand they're buying of course they care, but what the company made last quarter, heck no. This is your opinion and it isn't based on anything but your personal view and/or circle of Lexus owning friends. There is no evidence to support any of this. You say that there won't be any show of this on the buyers boards then where does it show up then, besides in your mind?
 
Now tell me what percentage of buyers care about earnings of car company or what their CEO has done in the last 6 months? Unless you have something concrete on this thinking this is all highly IYO.
 
M

#8215 of 24723 Ljflx by merc1

Mar 03, 2005 (10:50 pm)

There is an article in the April issue of Automobile that you're just going to love. It is titled "Losing the Luster" and it shows a cracked MB star. It basically says what you've been saying all along and what I've been saying too. While quality is down, perception to the general public is still sky-high for Mercedes, especially in Germany which is where most of this article concentrates. This is why I've said since 2001 when you first started with your "fall from the top" theory about Mercedes, that it isn't going to happen as quick as you said it would and it hasn't, at least not yet. Am I saying it couldn't happen? Of course not. Will it happen? Yep, if they don't correct their issues before perception catches up with reality. The article also goes on about how good the Germans are at marketing their cars and that obviously reliability isn't everything because if it were "the world would drive Toyotas", another point I made in the beginning. I have never said that their reliability problems are not important or that they didn't have one, I take issue with the doom and gloom cheering that is posted here because it is silly. Like come March 5th the end will be here.
 
M

Messages Page 822 of 2473

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