You are here: Forums Sedans Luxury Performance Sedans

Luxury Performance Sedans

10007 messages,  Last post on Dec 01, 2009 at 7:40 AM

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

What is this discussion about? Lexus GS 430, Acura RL, BMW 5 Series, Volvo S80, Audi A6, Infiniti M35, Infiniti M45, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Cadillac STS, Sedan

#7686 of 10007 Re: german [cdnpinhead] by lexusguy Jul 05, 2006 (5:48 am)
Replying to: cdnpinhead (Jul 04, 2006 8:48 pm) Perhaps the reason CR doesn't share real data is because, for many "specialty" vehicles the sample is far too small to be statistically valid. As I've alluded to earlier, filling out the survey form is a "bring your lunch" event, and the predisposition of people who are willing to fill out the thing may not be toward "impractical" vehicles.   CR has a magic number of reponses below which they wont publish reliability data for a model\yr. It would be nice to know what that number is, what all of their magic numbers are, actually. I'm disappointed that the individual data dots don't actually mean anything anymore, that at least used to be the one area where you were somewhat clued in to what CR's stat machnines know. Replies to this message: calhon (Jul 05, 2006 10:51 am) lexusguy (Jul 05, 2006 1:44 pm) calhon (Jul 06, 2006 10:15 am)
#7687 of 10007 Autoweek Volvo S80 preview by lexusguy Jul 05, 2006 (6:03 am)
Not a huge amount that hasn't been said before, but they do explain why the "new" 3.2L I6 is so weak, its not a brand new engine as has been reported previously, just a displacement bump for the old car's 2.9.   http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060626/FREE/60616004/1009/V- EHICLEREVIEWS
#7688 of 10007 Audi June sales by sfcharlie Jul 05, 2006 (6:24 am)
Audi June Sales Highest In 2006 (from Car and Driver)   * Sales up 9.0 percent in June, best June since 2001 * First half sales up 6.8 percent over year ago * Q7 launch off to a strong start * A4 and A6 models continue robust sales pace   AUBURN HILLS, Mich., July 3 -- Audi of America, Inc., today reported 8,039 vehicle sales for the month of June, a 9.0 percent increase over year ago sales. This is the fourteenth monthly sales increase over the past 17 months, and a positive indication that Audi will meet its goal of record sales in 2006.   Sales in June were up or on par across the Audi line up. The all-new Q7 performance SUV tallied 1,310 sales in June, the first official month of sales for that vehicle. Sales of the A3 and A6 models were up significantly again, 17.9 percent and 10.5 percent, respectively.
#7689 of 10007 Re: german [lexusguy] by calhon Jul 05, 2006 (10:51 am)
Replying to: lexusguy (Jul 05, 2006 5:48 am) The minimum number of responses required for reporting is 100. What we should but don't get is the actual number of responses for each model/year.   I'm disappointed that the individual data dots don't actually mean anything anymore, that at least used to be the one area where you were somewhat clued in to what CR's stat machnines know.   The brand rankings are not very useful, you consider the predicted reliabilities largely useless information, and the problem area dots don't mean anything anymore. That's nearly all the CR reliability data.   So, what's left and how are you going to use it?   I'm not saying whether you should or shouldn't use CR - just interested in hearing your thoughts. Replies to this message: lexusguy (Jul 05, 2006 1:44 pm) calhon (Jul 06, 2006 10:15 am)
#7690 of 10007 I'll say it. . . by markcincinnati Jul 05, 2006 (12:07 pm)
. . .you shouldn't use CR for cars if you "use and enjoy" cars because of their right brain attraction.   One, only one, I know, opinion.   I may be wrong, just not uncertain.
#7691 of 10007 Re: german [calhon] by lexusguy Jul 05, 2006 (1:44 pm)
Replying to: calhon (Jul 05, 2006 10:51 am) So, what's left and how are you going to use it?   Well, I drive an LS daily because of a number of reasons. My 10 years of Lexus ownership have been much more pleasant than the time I spent as a Mercedes owner. It's not just that the LS hasn't annoyed my like my old Benzes though, a Corolla could do that. It's a brilliant highway cruiser, which is exactly what I use it for.   My Jags, on the other hand, I've bought because they are great looking performance machines, and I've always had a thing for Jag GT convertibles. I still think the XK120\150s are the most gorgeous cars ever created. Jaguar usually does pretty terribly in CR ratings, and indeed my XJ-S in particular was not very reliable, but that didn't stop me from buying more Jag convertibles.   Reliability is important to me for my daily driver, so CR information is still somewhat useful for that. For my weekend toys, I could care less what CR says. Replies to this message: calhon (Jul 06, 2006 10:15 am)
#7692 of 10007 Infiniti June 2006 sales by sfcharlie Jul 05, 2006 (2:34 pm)
from hoovers.com   "Nissan North America Announces June Sales...   GARDENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 3, 2006--Nissan North America, Inc. (Nasdaq:NSANY) (NNA) reports sales of 75,154 units in June, which is a decrease of 19.0 percent from the prior year. While NNA's Nissan Division posted a decrease of 18.9 percent over last year, the Murano had its best ever June and the Frontier posted a strong sales increase versus one year ago. The Infiniti Division posted a sales decline of 20.0 percent versus the prior year.   M35/45: June 2006--2,012; June 2005--2,480   -18.9% drop in sales from June last year   But Year-to-Date sales are up 38% to 13,128 in 2006 from 9,506 in first six months of 2005.
#7693 of 10007 Audi sales figures addendum by sfcharlie Jul 05, 2006 (2:47 pm)
Also from hoovers.com   A6 sales totals were 1,748 in June, 2006, up from 1,581 in June 2005   Increase of 10.5%   For first six months of 2006 sales of A6 were 9,384 as compared with 8,683 for first six months of 2005, an increase of 8.1%
#7694 of 10007 Who cares? by markcincinnati Jul 05, 2006 (4:24 pm)
You may care.   You may not care.   You may find the following piece of information of low value (I must say, I think I don't find it all that valuable.)   You may find this information pushes you off the fence.   Here goes:   My 2005 A6 3.2 has been as close to "bullet proof" as any car I have ever had (truth in advertising: this is Audi #28 -- and we have had two Bimmers, two VW's and several Chrylser products).   I just get behind the wheel and everything seems to work and work well (also TIA, I did have four pushbutton starter buttons in the first four months -- of the 13 I have had the car.)   The car is tight, quiet, powerful (within its 255HP limitations, of course), able to sharply turn in with aplomb -- everything works and the performance has not deteriorated.   I have recently rented for 1000+ mile milk runs a Cadillac DTS and SRX (two long weekend jaunts.) Both were 2006's and were sooo loosey goosey, I could hardly believe it.   I don't think this has much to do with Audi's strong 2006 vs 2005 sales increase or with Infiniti's decline.   I have no clue what is going on here.   The quality of the cars (and this Audi in particular) continues to improve.   I am certain I would be still loving my M35X had I taken that path, don't get me wrong.   I am simply telling you, if you care, that the A6 3.2 that is sitting in my garage has been darn near flawless.   You Lexus owners probably take this for granted and may have done so for years -- thus has not always been the case with German cars.   My wife's BMW X3, too, has been fantastic.   Normally, at this time in a lease, I start to get the itch -- now, don't get me wrong if I win a free Audi S8, I will gladly surrender my A6. But, short of that, I am, at this point, not planning on doing anything other than taking this puppy to term.   Thanks Audi. Replies to this message: sfcharlie (Jul 06, 2006 3:50 am) markcincinnati (Jul 06, 2006 4:25 am) breld (Jul 06, 2006 8:19 am) lexusguy (Jul 06, 2006 7:08 am) anthonyp (Jul 06, 2006 2:06 pm) bartalk3 (Jul 06, 2006 5:59 pm) and 37 more...
#7695 of 10007 Re: Who cares? [markcincinnati] by sfcharlie Jul 06, 2006 (3:50 am)
Replying to: markcincinnati (Jul 05, 2006 4:24 pm) In addition to the options of caring or not caring about anecdotal reports from a friend who owns a car that one is considering, there's also the option of "selective caring".   Some, I'd speculate, will read your post and focus on the four trips to dealer to replace push-button-start switch.   But if some other reader of your post has driven an Audi A6 and loves it, then it's your year of trouble-free and excited/delighted/engaged driving that they will care about when they read your post and they will be encouraged to get what they really want.   I went through a month of debating Audi A6 versus Infinity M35. I kept test-driving the various Audi models versus kept looking at and sitting in the Infinity (and reading all "the Germans have met their match" articles) after a couple of test-drives. To my own retrospective surprise and mild regret, I chose the M35 (despite the most enjoyable test-drive having been the Audi A6 S-Line and despite assurances from you and two friends who drive A6s everyday that there either were no problems or a minor one that was fixed). I can tell already that the tires will need to be switched for something better, especially for driving in rainy season, but also for better and more quiet ride -- the standard Goodyears on the M35 are a not-reported-by-CR $800-$1000 defect in my opinion. Also, qualifying as a defect, IMHO, is Nissan's failure to have done anything over the years to update their (otherwise wonderful) V6 for a better horse-power/mpg ratio. I'd expect either 300+ horsepower from a 2006 engine that drinks a gallon of gas every 17-18 miles, or, conversely, I'd expect 20-21 mpg from an engine that puts out "only" 275 hp (and depends heavily, I now realize, on a transmission that runs at relatively high rpm -- and low mpg -- in every gear, of which there are only five, to create acceleration). Replies to this message: markcincinnati (Jul 06, 2006 4:25 am) breld (Jul 06, 2006 8:19 am) lexusguy (Jul 06, 2006 7:08 am) anthonyp (Jul 06, 2006 2:06 pm) bartalk3 (Jul 06, 2006 5:59 pm) merc1 (Jul 06, 2006 6:20 pm) and 36 more...

You are here: Forums Sedans Luxury Performance Sedans