Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Sedans Luxury Lounge
21520 messages, Last post on Dec 08, 2009 at 10:26 AM
You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
|
Replying to: lexusguy (Nov 06, 2009 2:29 pm) Regards, OW |
|
|
|
|
Replying to: lexusguy (Nov 06, 2009 2:29 pm) I'm actually looking forward to the ditching of cd players as well. I know no one who has bought a cd in years. I would loved to have my car nix the entire 6 in dash cd player & put the MMI controls in it's place, away from the cup holders. I like the ipod connection in the glove box out of the way, just wish the 'drawer' for it wasn't so cheaply made. LG, I know it just came out, but any opinion on the Droid that dropped today? I read many reviews of it's flaws, but the common conclusion was it's the best phone Verizon has available. & to keep it on topic, is a new phone like this compatible with Audi bluetooth, or would that take a software upgrade?
|
|
|
Replying to: lexusguy (Nov 06, 2009 2:29 pm) And I'd say that it depends on what German car we're talking about. A minimally equipped BMW - no factory nav, for example, because the Germans still aren't good at marrying sophisticated electronics & high performance mechanicals - is acceptably reliable, but I still wouldn't buy an Audi with your money. Someone, perhaps you, defended Audi by saying that they turned a corner in 2005, but for me that's not a terribly convincing claim. Since I don't lease & won't buy a car that I can't keep for at least 8 years, I'd have to wait until 2013 at the earliest to see if the good news about Audi really is true. I know loads of people who drive Japanese cars that are 8+ years old, & I myself drive an 8-year-old BMW, but I don't know a soul who drives an Audi that's nearly that old. In fact, I don't know anyone who owns - as opposed to leases - an Audi, so it's hard not to suspect that Audi builds cars to be leased & disposed of, not to be purchased & kept. Why should this surprise anyone? We know that not all Japanese cars are equal - that Suzukis aren't built to Honda or Toyota standards - so why should we expect that an Audi will be as reliable over the long haul as a BMW? At the end of the day, I have to go along with a conclusion that Forbes drew a few years ago in an article about the global auto industry: the Germans may build the world's best cars but the Japanese build the world's best car factories.
|
|
|
Replying to: jimbres (Nov 06, 2009 6:00 pm) You make some fair points but some people might feel that enjoying the overall experience of the car over an 8+ year (or any) timeframe may be as important if not more so than just hoping that you've chosen the most reliable brand. I traded in an 8 year old BMW earlier this year as even though it only had 40,000 miles it was really becoming a problem over the past few years (I traded it for another car that may not be the most reliable, but it is a great car to enjoy). I also have a 2008 BMW which has low miles and as much as the car is fun to drive, I have already found too many compromises that were made with this car. As much I love German cars, I would not buy any of them if reliability over an 8+ year ownership experience was the main concern. Honda/Toyota would probably still fit that need a bit better.
|
|
|
Replying to: clembo (Nov 07, 2009 4:48 am) That's why I'm keenly interested in the upcoming 2011 Infiniti M. If it can deliver 90+% of the driving pleasure of a comparable German car together with the level of reliability that we associate with a top-tier Japanese brand, it might just be my next car. I'd go for a G37 if I had to replace my BMW tomorrow. While I *like* cars, I no longer love them, & my obsessive car nut days are way behind me. So, yes, reliability is key. |
|
|
Replying to: jimbres (Nov 07, 2009 6:12 am)  My BMW days are over (at the moment). But I am looking at Hyundai as a up and coming player that screams value at the same time. Haven't tested any yet but the products and marketing from that company shows in the recent sales results better than any other. No formal luxo brand yet but it seems they are working on it. Regards, OW
|
|
|
Replying to: circlew (Nov 07, 2009 6:50 am) Sales results? Are you talking about the Genesis? It certainly hasn't caught on in the NYC metro area. I've seen more Lamborginis than Genesises - whatever the plural is - during the past year. I don't think that the Genesis would rate a footnote on the sales charts in the Northeast. I dunno - maybe it sells well in the South. I'm not saying that it's a bad car. Not at all. It's a handsome, well-made car that delivers much bang for the buck. But I do think that Hyundai rushed it to market without sorting out everything. The suspension, for example, seems to be a work in progress. I'd certainly give it serious consideration in, say, 2 or 3 years. But not today.
|
|
|
Replying to: rockshocka1 (Nov 06, 2009 5:15 pm) I know what you mean. This is another area where Lexus is behind the times. Their new models that use the mouse control system have hdd based navigation, but you can't use the hard drive to store any music on. Why? They give you a slot for a USB thumb drive so you don't have to use the CD player, but that still pales in comparison to Audi who gives you two SD slots, AMI, and hard drive space. LG, I know it just came out, but any opinion on the Droid that dropped today? I read many reviews of it's flaws, but the common conclusion was it's the best phone Verizon has available. & to keep it on topic, is a new phone like this compatible with Audi bluetooth, or would that take a software upgrade? I've been looking at the Droid for a little while, it's a cool phone. The biggest flaw seems to be the keyboard - it's cramped and flat. For the life of me, I can't understand why they put blank "dummy" keys on the bottom corners. Hello, symbol keys? Something? Anybody home? I'm more interested in some of the upcoming GSM Android phones since Nokia's N900 is disappointing and T-mobile only, but for Verizon subscribers, it's definitely the best of an otherwise meager smart phone lineup. The HTC TP2 is passable, but that's about all they've got. The Storm2 doesn't do it for me. As for in car bluetooth, don't know. |
|
|
Replying to: jimbres (Nov 07, 2009 6:12 am) I also don't have quite the passion for cars as I did when I was a bit younger, but I still get a thrill from them and it is a safe (albeit) expensive hobby. |
|
|
Replying to: jimbres (Nov 06, 2009 6:00 pm) According to JD power VDS reports, 2005 Audis were around the industry average after 3 years, worse than BMW, but slightly better than Mercedes. For 2006 Mercedes was up slightly, BMW made no improvement, and Audi made huge strides, ranking ahead of BMW and just below Honda. Audi said in an Automotive News article a couple of weeks ago that they made a system wide effort to improve quality a few years back, and it is paying off. If I'm going to buy a car tomorrow, I would have more confidence in a 2010 A6 than I would in a 2010 5 series, especially the xi version which has a very poor record. I would also have more confidence in the A6 than a 2010 Lexus GS AWD, which according to CR, continues to be a rattle trap plagued with issues. You say BMW is better, I say the Audi of today, not 8 years ago, is better than BMW.
|
|
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
