Do you have anything to back that up except the famous word-of-mouth? Because you're definitely the first person I ever heard saying BMW are bad quality. Same goes for the press etc.
BMW 328i Sedan
- Thread starter digitalwanderer
- Start date
Do you have anything to back that up except the famous word-of-mouth? Because you're definitely the first person I ever heard saying BMW are bad quality. Same goes for the press etc.
DuckThor Evil
Legend
The US BMW 328 seems to have the 3 liter engine specced similarly to the old 330 in europe giving 230hp, the model numbers they use no longer corresbonds to the displacement. The new 525 and 530 in Europe for example are both 3 liter engines. I wonder whether you can upgrade the software on that 525 to make it output similar power figures than the 530, as I believe it's only software based differention.
It is, but there's lots of periferal parts which are different, also it's pretty sure to shorten the life of the engine considerably. The engines get selected/sorted on a test bed based on their capabilities, it's not just random hacking.
Doesn't virtually every reliability- and TCO rating in car and consumer magazines score BMWs poorly on average compared to the Japanese cars? At least the ones I have read.
So, have BMW improved over the last couple of years; do their US models do better; or are recent 3-series exceptionally good for BMW?
DuckThor Evil
Legend
Well yes atleast the diesel engines often have different turbos etc. But often the naturally aspirated Gasoline engines just use different program which cut revs or something else, because it's cheaper to make just one engine, I don't know if that's the case here, but that does happen.
Top Gears annual survey is always dominated by the Japanese manufacturers
Same here, but it says absolutely nothing because it's only the number of defects being counted, regardless of severity. Also, many manufacturers have their own tugging service etc., thus many defects never get counted in the first place.
And another thing is that the "winners" like Toyota Corolla or Mazda 3 are WAAAY much less car then a BMW in every single regard. Also not even half as much tech/features inside, much worse handling, comfort etc.
Blazkowicz
Legend
Ike Turner
Veteran
Amg Ftw!
The Top Gear survey counts everything, it has nothing at all to do with what the manufacturers want.
It's based on customer satisfaction with everything to do with the car, reliability, dealers, servicing etc.etc being a factor.
The point raised wasn't that they handled better or were better to drive it was that they were more reliable. I don't think anyone could honestly argue against it.
Japanese cars just don't break.
I'll just say that you're totally ill informed. Toyota alone had at least three major recalls in the last two years. And again, in those cars there is just simply much less stuff inside - less stuff, less possibilities for something to go.
tongue_of_colicab
Veteran
What even the new C class ?
Problem with buying a 3 series is that people think you are a sales rep fora photocopy paper company who does not know how to drive on the motorway properly and has hairy palms.
Thats why I say look at the alfa romeo 156 or 159. Beautifull car from the outside and inside!
Obviously I was generalising 
Every marque has it's problems now and again.
If you believe that what is inside a car means that for some reason if it breaks down it is more acceptable then I would say it's you that's ill informed.
Provide a link (a single one would do) to anything at all that suggest BMWs are more reliable than a Toyota, Honda, Subaru or Mitsubishi.
I am not saying BMWs are bad cars, clearly they aren't. They also aren't as reliable as other cars as you seem to be banging on about.
Every marque has it's problems now and again.If you believe that what is inside a car means that for some reason if it breaks down it is more acceptable then I would say it's you that's ill informed.
Provide a link (a single one would do) to anything at all that suggest BMWs are more reliable than a Toyota, Honda, Subaru or Mitsubishi.
I am not saying BMWs are bad cars, clearly they aren't. They also aren't as reliable as other cars as you seem to be banging on about.
digitalwanderer
Legend
Can't buy Alfa's in the states Colicab.
Basing it on customer satisfaction in itself is dependant on expectations. People may expect a BMW (or other german car) to be much better in quality and may be disappointed more than when something similar breaks in their 10 grand cheaper Japanese car. That however doesn't mean that the more expensive car is less reliable or of less quality.
The TopGear survey is what it is. I'm with _xxx_ on this one.
I had a Toyota Yaris 1.0 for 5 years and did 100 000 miles in it. After 12 months it had a recall on the back brakes but they gave us a bottle of champers for taking it back in ..good service. The only fault I had was it was that 25 000 miles the engine warning light came on and the handbook said take to the garage. I actually drove 75 000 miles or 3 times around the world with this light on which must be a record.
After 5 years of travelling into London each day for work the clutch finally wore out with the zillion gear changes. Soon after that the car was written off by a van which crashed into me. I was just short of getting £600 back for the extended warranty I took out wih Toyota because I had made no claims. Even though the car was written off Toyota still gave me that money back. Normally warrranty companies hate giving money out.
Mind you , as I said to _XXX_ before , I now drive an old C43 AMG. After driving for 5 years with 67bhp it is nice to be able to overtake things again, even if it turns out not to be quite as reliable.
With the new C class coming out my old square headlight C class will seem more modern and the round headlight C class will now seem yesterdays hero. Thanks Mercedes !
After 5 years of travelling into London each day for work the clutch finally wore out with the zillion gear changes. Soon after that the car was written off by a van which crashed into me. I was just short of getting £600 back for the extended warranty I took out wih Toyota because I had made no claims. Even though the car was written off Toyota still gave me that money back. Normally warrranty companies hate giving money out.
Mind you , as I said to _XXX_ before , I now drive an old C43 AMG. After driving for 5 years with 67bhp it is nice to be able to overtake things again, even if it turns out not to be quite as reliable.
With the new C class coming out my old square headlight C class will seem more modern and the round headlight C class will now seem yesterdays hero. Thanks Mercedes !
CosmoKramer
Newcomer
Sure I have - I just look at the used car statistics from the government authority in charge of checking all cars.
http://begbilguiden.bilprovningen.se/
The truth is that German luxury cars in general are of mediocre quality at best, even though they are built to "feel" solid.
If you want real quality, and not just "feelings", buy Japanese.
Edit: Btw, I guess you only read the hysterically nationalistic German motor press.
Obviously I was generalising
If you believe that what is inside a car means that for some reason if it breaks down it is more acceptable then I would say it's you that's ill informed.
Provide a link (a single one would do) to anything at all that suggest BMWs are more reliable than a Toyota, Honda, Subaru or Mitsubishi.
I am not saying BMWs are bad cars, clearly they aren't. They also aren't as reliable as other cars as you seem to be banging on about.
Look, what you're saying is pretty much like saying "a bicycle is more reliable then a motorcycle", that's all. The tech in almost all Japanese cars is what we used about 10 years ago (exotics like Prius aside).
CosmoKramer
Newcomer
Lol! Have you heard of Lexus?