Yeah, that's kind of a lot...:rollseyes
What is it about German engineering?
- Thread starter deadpres
- Start date
Yeah, that's kind of a lot...:rollseyes
im being drawn to the audi s5. car just looks badass inside and out
I just upgraded my DD to a 98 M# sedan & I have spent the past 2 months modifying it. Basically just removing & replacing a lot of the old parts. Kind of like restoring an old classic. The car is 11 years old but it great shape. The car is built much better then my COBRA... 
I've had zero problems with my M Coupe. Best handling car I have ever driven, nothing else has even come close. Free maintenance until 50k. It's nice.
LOL, I used to work for a German company for a while and we used to joke that if they made a toaster, it would be 600 lbs and have all sorts of knobs and stuff on it. Overly complicated is dead on the money.
hahahaha.
Honestly I believe most cars are very well made. Its tough to argue that one manufacture is better than another because people have different preferences and tolerances. Also you almost have to take each car case by case. What really makes the difference in how well a car lasts is how it was treated from the day it rolled off the assembly line. Regular maintenance and a little tlc can go a long way...maybe even 250k miles
I think what you are refering to is the Attention to detail that these cars get. It isn't that they are "made better" IMO ... I do think that my 2001 SS to my 2004 Cobra was put together as good as the BMW I now own .. Quality is on par .. however, there is attention to detail that the BMW has that is just above and beyond ...
All of this being said though .. I am selling / trading the BMW for a 2010 Camaro SS ..
Crowley
All of this being said though .. I am selling / trading the BMW for a 2010 Camaro SS ..
Crowley
Last edited:
I'll add a pic of a German toaster later.
The S5 is indeed a nice looking ride. The RS5 which is coming is going to be just sick.
I love the LED daytime driving lights we have on the Audi's here in Canada, the cars look menacing on the road with them.
The old e-classes were pretty solid but I was more referring to the new stuff (2000+). Mercedes Benz and BMW have well documented issues and their quality has been falling off for the past several years. :read: Audis/Porsche's are notorious for being difficult and expensive to maintain. Are they some of the nicest cars on the road when new? Sure, but typically lower end vehicles are alot more reliable. Also have you noticed the resale values on these things? Its common to see S class benzes that can be bought for $30-40K less than the original purchase price after only 2 or 3 years of use. Talk about depreciation
It's all because of this guy,
After the timing belt snapped on our 80k mile 1.8T and caused $3,000 (and this was with me doing the labor, dealer quote was $7,000) worth of damage.
You have two overhead cams syncd together with a timing chain; an oil pump that is chain driven by the crank; yet instead of using a third chain on the crank to drive the intake cam, they use a timing belt, which is also conveiently used to drive the water pump. YES, I just said the timing belt is also used to drive the water pump (if this is not shitty enginnering i dont know what is)!!! Way too much friction on the timing belt yet VWs claim to fame in the 2000's is that there engines would last over 100k miles with no maintenece.
And the only reason I was able to save our family some money was because I was slow at work, so I had time to volunteer. At this rate this would cost $14000 in overhauled engines per 160k of owning the car. All our Hondas have gone over 200k with no problems. My family needless to say will NEVER take a chance on another german auto mobile again thanks to that fiasco. :nonono:
You have two overhead cams syncd together with a timing chain; an oil pump that is chain driven by the crank; yet instead of using a third chain on the crank to drive the intake cam, they use a timing belt, which is also conveiently used to drive the water pump. YES, I just said the timing belt is also used to drive the water pump (if this is not shitty enginnering i dont know what is)!!! Way too much friction on the timing belt yet VWs claim to fame in the 2000's is that there engines would last over 100k miles with no maintenece.
And the only reason I was able to save our family some money was because I was slow at work, so I had time to volunteer. At this rate this would cost $14000 in overhauled engines per 160k of owning the car. All our Hondas have gone over 200k with no problems. My family needless to say will NEVER take a chance on another german auto mobile again thanks to that fiasco. :nonono:
Last edited:
American cars are built to be thrown away after a short time. They have less overall problems because they have less overall features.
German cars tend to be built of higher quality materials with a certain qualitative feel of quality, that can not be easily measured.
American cars usually focus on easily quantifiable statistics, such as price, horsepower, 0-60 times and so on. These are the features that are easy for them to display on advertisements, and sell cars.
German manufacturers also focus on other things, such as ride quality, chassis feel, steering feel, fit and finish, interior, and so on.
For example: The C6 Corvette features more HP and quicker 1/4 times than a new M3. Those features are very easy to talk about and judge. However, the ride quality, fit and finish, quality of materials, steering feel, chassis response of the BMW are much superior. But all American car buyers look at is that the cheaper C6 runs a faster 1/4 time and deem the BMW overpriced.
German cars tend to be built of higher quality materials with a certain qualitative feel of quality, that can not be easily measured.
American cars usually focus on easily quantifiable statistics, such as price, horsepower, 0-60 times and so on. These are the features that are easy for them to display on advertisements, and sell cars.
German manufacturers also focus on other things, such as ride quality, chassis feel, steering feel, fit and finish, interior, and so on.
For example: The C6 Corvette features more HP and quicker 1/4 times than a new M3. Those features are very easy to talk about and judge. However, the ride quality, fit and finish, quality of materials, steering feel, chassis response of the BMW are much superior. But all American car buyers look at is that the cheaper C6 runs a faster 1/4 time and deem the BMW overpriced.
Kinda true. But actually I think more german cars are "thrown away" then american cars. A late 90's early 2000 3 series is not worth much more than a comparable american made car... however when a part breaks on the bmw parts and labor are much much more. If I had an 2-4k dollar american car whose timing set went Id fix it. If I had a 2-4k dollar bmw whose timing set went, Id probably sell it for what I could and buy another car.
Well let me be the first to say farewell-....
You wanted info from a Bimmer or Audi owner. I've had a 88 325i, a 91 735i, an 03 RS6.... my wifes current DD is a 02 A6 4.2. The only Euro car I owned that didn't cost a fortune to maintain was an 02 VW Golf 1.8t- very fun car btw.
My "slapped together" 04 Mach1 and my Audi have about the same milage- 52k or so.
My Mach1 wear and tear = throw-out bearing @ 34k for $120- the stock bearing HATED the Spec3 clutch:nonono:, (I'm not counting brakes, oil and tires) and head light bulbs for under 40 bucks.
My 02 Audi 4.2 quattro = tranny repair for $1200 @ 21k mi, tranny repair for $1k @ 24k mi, tranny repair for $1k, @ 26.5K mi. Tranny REPLACEMENT for $6k @ 28k mi (Audi ate the cost on that one- but it still cost THEM 6k to replace). The soft stock wheels replaced @ 29k for $1200. The entire front brakes (ie rotors, calipers, pads) @ 23k mi for $1600. The 5 link front suspension with parts and labor was $3200 - @ about 34k mi.. Oh yeah- 2 sets of head light bulbs and a lense repair kit. So just to keep the Audi on the road since I bought it in Jan 07 is well over $15k....The Mach is less than $200.
So while my Audi is VERY comfortable, fast, great stereo, looks good etc.....it's also a DAMN MONEY PIT. Compared to my Mustang as far as maintenance goes it's night and day.
I grew up with Volvos and have had several other European cars. Euro cars are more high Maintenance and when they break they cost a LOT more than American cars to repair- generally speaking. Be careful of what you wish for- you just might get it!!
If you want luxury and performance that won't cost you a fortune to maintain I'm thinking CTS-V in an American car or maybe a Lexus ISF for a Japanese car. If a ton of Maintenance doesn't bother you then Bimmer M3/5. Or Audi RS4, S6, or A/S8- having a V-10 is kinda fun!!
We drove our 71 Volvo wagon to the junk yard in 1989- it had just over 365k on the clock.
You wanted info from a Bimmer or Audi owner. I've had a 88 325i, a 91 735i, an 03 RS6.... my wifes current DD is a 02 A6 4.2. The only Euro car I owned that didn't cost a fortune to maintain was an 02 VW Golf 1.8t- very fun car btw.
My "slapped together" 04 Mach1 and my Audi have about the same milage- 52k or so.
My Mach1 wear and tear = throw-out bearing @ 34k for $120- the stock bearing HATED the Spec3 clutch:nonono:, (I'm not counting brakes, oil and tires) and head light bulbs for under 40 bucks.
My 02 Audi 4.2 quattro = tranny repair for $1200 @ 21k mi, tranny repair for $1k @ 24k mi, tranny repair for $1k, @ 26.5K mi. Tranny REPLACEMENT for $6k @ 28k mi (Audi ate the cost on that one- but it still cost THEM 6k to replace). The soft stock wheels replaced @ 29k for $1200. The entire front brakes (ie rotors, calipers, pads) @ 23k mi for $1600. The 5 link front suspension with parts and labor was $3200 - @ about 34k mi.. Oh yeah- 2 sets of head light bulbs and a lense repair kit. So just to keep the Audi on the road since I bought it in Jan 07 is well over $15k
....The Mach is less than $200.So while my Audi is VERY comfortable, fast, great stereo, looks good etc.....it's also a DAMN MONEY PIT. Compared to my Mustang as far as maintenance goes it's night and day.
I grew up with Volvos and have had several other European cars. Euro cars are more high Maintenance and when they break they cost a LOT more than American cars to repair- generally speaking. Be careful of what you wish for- you just might get it!!
If you want luxury and performance that won't cost you a fortune to maintain I'm thinking CTS-V in an American car or maybe a Lexus ISF for a Japanese car. If a ton of Maintenance doesn't bother you then Bimmer M3/5. Or Audi RS4, S6, or A/S8- having a V-10 is kinda fun!!
is this a serious thread? :shrug:
A standard run-of-the mill mustang or f-150 will provide many more years of trouble free ownership than anything coming out of germany. How many benzes/bimmers/audis do you see with +250k miles on them?
We drove our 71 Volvo wagon to the junk yard in 1989- it had just over 365k on the clock.
Last edited:
Users who are viewing this thread
