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Luxury Performance Sedans

10338 messages,  Last post on May 01, 2013 at 3:12 PM

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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

Messages Page 785 of 1035

#7836 of 10338 Re: You may find this of note. . . [hpowders] by sfcharlie

Jul 15, 2006 (8:31 pm)

Replying to: hpowders (Jul 15, 2006 6:32 pm)
I don't agree that what's happened is that the media consistently tells people not to buy the BNW 5-series, but the people override them and buy it anyway.
 
The media's assessment of the BMW 5-series new design actually has been mixed.
 
Automobile Magazine did what you claim "the media" does: "The BMW 5-series breaks the classic unified automotive form into a collection of fractured surfaces, and it's the only car in our memory that has inspired mention of a painting by Picasso. But, as in so many discussions of cubism, the word beauty never enters our conversation about this car."
 
But Motor Trend told got readers excited about the 530i with: "The fifth-generation BMW 5 Series, with its flame-cut flanks and take-no-prisoners suspension, hit the ground running in the 2004 model year. Here's a thoroughbred, the product of decades of setting the benchmark all other automaker's sport sedans aspire to. Just look at the stance, the way the body sits on the chassis, ready to pounce on any opportunity to show its stuff on a challenging stretch of road."
 
As for reliability ratings, I partially agree with you.
 
CR currently dismisses all German cars as unreliable. But in JDP's press release of their 2006 initial quality survey, they said: "Brands with the fewest defects and malfunctions include BMW, Chrysler, Hyundai, Lexus, Porsche and Toyota."
 
In so far, as consumers are ignoring CR, well maybe, but it's just as possible that many buyers who want German cars are not going to seriously consider Japanese cars, so they'll be influenced to buy a BMW by CR's comparisons among German cars, and there CR claims the BMW 5-series will be more reliable than the Audi A6 and the Mercedes E-series.
 
So, I think there's a fair amount of support in the media for people who want a German LPS to buy the one that has long been established in their minds as the best one to drive and now is routinely assessed as more reliable than other German LPS cars.

#7837 of 10338 Re: Sudden Acceleration [david83] by shipo

Jul 15, 2006 (9:28 pm)

Replying to: david83 (Jul 15, 2006 8:46 am)
Leaving a shopping center last week after slightly accelerating, the thing took off full throttle! I found out, that the car will continue accelerating thru full braking!
 
Strong though the engine of the A8L may well be, it ain't no match for the brakes of the A8L. Said another way, if you were really braking, even if the engine was at full throttle, your car would have stopped rather quickly.
 
My bet is that you thought you had your foot on the brake when you were really mashing the throttle instead.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

#7838 of 10338 Re: Sudden Acceleration [shipo] by tayl0rd

Jul 17, 2006 (6:52 am)

Replying to: shipo (Jul 15, 2006 9:28 pm)
Agreed. There aren't any cars out there whose (stock) engine can overpower its brakes, unless the brakes are in need of service. And even then, they would have to be near a condition of literally failing to work at all.

#7839 of 10338 Bose audio system review in Stereophile by bfeng7

Jul 17, 2006 (3:22 pm)

Replying to: lexusguy (Jul 05, 2005 10:23 pm)
People who express satisfaction for Bose automotive systems sometimes use the disclaimer, "but I'm not an audiophile so I don't know if are really good." I personally perceive a high percentage of the anti-Bose folks as people who proclaim themselves to be audiophiles. The problem is that latter camp sometimes dismisses the Bose option without having heard the specific system under discussion.
 
To both camps, I can only say, "if you like it, it's good."
 
Some interesting reading for y'all.
http://stereophile.com/news/071706infiniti/
 
John Feng

#7840 of 10338 Re: Sudden Acceleration [david83] by pearl

Jul 17, 2006 (3:57 pm)

Replying to: david83 (Jul 15, 2006 8:46 am)
the brakes will ALWAYS beat the engine. After the idiotic "unintended acceleration" claims years ago that almost ended Audis existence in the U.S. Car and Driver and many other organizations tested the Audi 5000 mercilessly. They concluded that there were NO, repeat NO, circumstances in which the engine could overpower the brakes. They also concluded that the reason the cars were accelerating was that people had their foot on the gas and thought it was on the brake. I have no idea what caused the situation you described, but I seriously doubt that you had your foot off the gas and on the brakes and they could not stop the car.

#7841 of 10338 Re: Bose audio system review in Stereophile [bfeng7] by lexusguy

Jul 17, 2006 (4:12 pm)

Replying to: bfeng7 (Jul 17, 2006 3:22 pm)
People who express satisfaction for Bose automotive systems sometimes use the disclaimer, "but I'm not an audiophile so I don't know if are really good." I personally perceive a high percentage of the anti-Bose folks as people who proclaim themselves to be audiophiles. The problem is that latter camp sometimes dismisses the Bose option without having heard the specific system under discussion.
 
As I've said in the past, car stereos is the one area where I think Bose has done some very good work, and it seems that the most recent Infiniti\Bose collabs are the best of the lot. The top level Infiniti M stereo is easily a match for Lexus\ML, Volvo\Dynaudio, or Acura\ELS, and it seems as if the system in the new G will be as good if not better.
 
The reason why Bose car audio can be so good is exactly the same reason that holds back the home products. Priorities. The Bose engineers working with Infiniti have the exact same goals as the Mark Levinson engineers. Make the system sound as good as it possibly can. You don't have to worry about making a cutesy system with plenty of WAF when you're making a car stereo.

#7842 of 10338 Re: Sudden Acceleration [pearl] by qbrozen

Jul 18, 2006 (6:33 am)

Replying to: pearl (Jul 17, 2006 3:57 pm)
Don't worry, guys. Just let it die. He was obviously a troll.

#7843 of 10338 Re: Bose audio system review in Stereophile [lexusguy] by hpowders

Jul 18, 2006 (8:38 am)

Replying to: lexusguy (Jul 17, 2006 4:12 pm)
I have been reading nothing but raves about the upgraded optional Bose 11 speaker, 7 channel digital amp. system in the Porsche Cayman S.
I don't know how one can hear it effectively given the loudness of the engine.
Seems like a complete disconnect between Bose home and car audio.

#7844 of 10338 Re: Bose audio system review in Stereophile [lexusguy] by markcincinnati

Jul 18, 2006 (11:05 am)

Replying to: lexusguy (Jul 17, 2006 4:12 pm)
My 13 speaker Bose system is "good to very good" -- it is NOT as good as the Infiniti M's w/Technology Package, but I cannot imagine what would posses me to pony up $8K for Audi's B&O system after hearing the M's.
 
Now, an upgrade, a factory upgrade to the one I have -- perhaps for $995, would possibly have merit.
 
I listen to Sirius a lot, but I also listen to a lot of Books on CD -- the extra fidelity while nice, has little financial value with my listening habits.
 
I applaud the constant move upscale, but the M's Bose system and the system that was, in 2005 at least, in the Acura (w/DVD audio) fantastic.

#7845 of 10338 Re: Bose audio system review in Stereophile [hpowders] by lexusguy

Jul 18, 2006 (12:27 pm)

Replying to: hpowders (Jul 18, 2006 8:38 am)
Seems like a complete disconnect between Bose home and car audio.
 
Unsurprisingly, Bose's previous efforts to compete directly with traditional speaker companies such as the 701 and 801 have all been killed off, probably because they were awful. For whatever reason though, the 901s are still made. Considering the age of their design, the production cost is probably almost nil, so that could explain it.

Messages Page 785 of 1035

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