Automotive Forums

"Does the existence of the X5 and X3 diminish BMW’s reputation?"

http://www.thebmwblog.com/bmw-selling-their-soul-for-money/  

I don't think it will diminish their reputation but it saddens me to see automakers like BMW, Porsche and even Benz producing SUVs. It is a double edged sword, the Cayenne gave Porsche the budget to go racing again and gave them the excuse and economic justification to develop their V8. Automakers see these vehicles as cash cows. The X series is not built as well or with as good as materials as the rest of the BMWs. The X3 is a big pile of crap, when push comes to shove, even BMW reps will tell you the car was developed in a hurry and they borrowed low cost production methods from the Japanese to produce a very high margin vehicle. When I was selling BMWs I would sometimes drive X3s back to back with 3 series and X5s with 5 series. The difference between them was unbelievable. The sedans are such better vehicles it is unbelievable. When you see them side by side on a lift the differences are even more amazing. The same can be siad for the Cayenne and a 911, the 911 is a work of art underneath, and the Cayenne is built like any other SUV. As long as they have customers dumb enough to pay the premium and not know the difference, I say keep making the money off of them.  

You were a car salesperson?  

joela:
You were a car salesperson?

Yes, but it didn't last long, I was WAY too honest for it. I would also like to think too smart, I don't intimidate easily and I don't believe everything I hear, so I didn't buy into all the rah-rah crap they are always pushing at the dealerships.  

The x3 doesnt catch my eye like the other BMW vehicles on the road....in all honesty...the new line up of BMW's i've seen since they released them awhile back isnt as great as i liked it to be...im still really in love with the previous generation of BMW's rather than the new...the old ones look a lot more "Euro" to me.  Where as the new BMW's kinda look like japanese/american vehicles.  

Yup. The X5 and the Z4 were the first BMW built in the United States, that was only the beginning of the end of quality.  

It's unbelievable for me what I've heard about X5. I spend much time before I decided 2 years ago to buy X5, and I'm happy until now with it. I can't imagine your inquiries on quality of the car


Vladimir
http://drivechannel.blogspot.com/