Why did you go Euro?

[skylinergtr]

I stick with bmw for their amazing handling, and high reving abilities. I also like euro cars because of their build quality (except for vw - sorry). Open and close the door of a euro car compaired to a domestic or japanese car and just hear the difference.

[AllGo'n'Show]

Not in a euro right now but ready to go back any day.

More refined drive
Not nearly as many rattles as my GM junk
Most of the time more power
Driving experience
New parts & modifying (We all know they are going to break)

[Bobobibi]

I bought one for the ride ^o^....
i didnt want to ride a civic and get my back shattered xD

[chewbacca]

I come from a European family. My mother is German and her father worked for Volkswagen in Wolfsburg for 45 years. My father is German/English and has been tinkering with Volkswagens since he was 14.

German cars are what I grew up with, and how I met most of my friends. I love the styling, features list, and build quality of them. Plus the scene is simply amazing.

[nack]

euro > all

[sas]

I work for VW and I felt the mk6 gti was a more mature sport compact but also wouldn't mind considering Audi S4.

But I still have a dc2 that I can't seem to let go...

[Ayo4yayo]

Why Euro well first off a V8 under the hood linked to quattro plus the safety!

[haulin oats]

Originally Posted by sas

I work for VW and I felt the mk6 gti was a more mature sport compact but also wouldn't mind considering Audi S4.

But I still have a dc2 that I can't seem to let go...

Do you work for a dealership, or corporate?

I went euro cause that's all that I know. I've never not had a euro car.

[TaYab]

Who invented automobile? Who invented coupe?
This topic is meaningless

[Ayo4yayo]

Not a good way to start of your first post!! There are meaningless topics in every forum up there!

[yokomo930]

Ok, my first post

I am not going to talk about handling, pricing, status, etc.

Euro cars tend to have more bugs because of their complexity. Totally just my
guess but I am dare to say if you take apart a MB/BMW down to individual bits and pieces and screws, it will have 2x number of parts than a Honda/Toyota.

For a simple job such as battery holder, Honda would give you a plastic base, two threaded rod, two butterfly screws, and a hold-down bar and call it for the day.

MB would put together a team of 10 designers/engineers for 2 months to come up with a super solid battery holder that will keep the battery in place
when going at 200+ km/hr. They will give you a metal base, several interlocking metal pieces that are screwed together, a factory heat shield
as it's un-wise to leave your battery in the open engine bat. The battery will be hold down at the base of the battery, instead of using a hold-down bar pressing from the top.

Complicated ? Over-engineered ? Sure, if you want to say so. But I bet it does the job a lot better than the Honda/Toyota approach.

Euro design is just more solid.

Since I am talking about battery, I recall my Dad's MB ML SUV's oem MB battery lasted him 9 years and 100K km. Between my wife and I we have had 3 new Japanese cars (Acura, Honda, Nissan) and none of their factory battery last over 5 years.

Sure, who gives a damn about battery holder or oem battery, and Honda doesn't make battery anyway... but just a tiny point to illustrate how Euro cars are more solid in design, built, and principal.

[nateE30]

Bought an E30 as my first euro...Wanted something with character.. I think it's an attitude thing...

[kkttsang]

hey guys thinking of gettin a CPO e90
just exactly how expensive will maintenance be? and i have heard they are known for electrical problems is that true? and how reliable are they, will they have minor or major issues like senors or other things? thnx any advice will be so helpful.

[tofu1413]

well, not everybody had a chance to pounce on a 944.. so i bought one.


the body on the car feels more solid than my Integras.... and it was developed back in 83' !

too many electrical gremlins though..

[Tapioca]

The communicative chassis did it for me.

[Amaru]

Originally Posted by yokomo930

Euro cars tend to have more bugs because of their complexity. Totally just my
guess but I am dare to say if you take apart a MB/BMW down to individual bits and pieces and screws, it will have 2x number of parts than a Honda/Toyota.

For a simple job such as battery holder, Honda would give you a plastic base, two threaded rod, two butterfly screws, and a hold-down bar and call it for the day.

MB would put together a team of 10 designers/engineers for 2 months to come up with a super solid battery holder that will keep the battery in place
when going at 200+ km/hr. They will give you a metal base, several interlocking metal pieces that are screwed together, a factory heat shield
as it's un-wise to leave your battery in the open engine bat. The battery will be hold down at the base of the battery, instead of using a hold-down bar pressing from the top.

Complicated ? Over-engineered ? Sure, if you want to say so. But I bet it does the job a lot better than the Honda/Toyota approach.

Euro design is just more solid.

Since I am talking about battery, I recall my Dad's MB ML SUV's oem MB battery lasted him 9 years and 100K km. Between my wife and I we have had 3 new Japanese cars (Acura, Honda, Nissan) and none of their factory battery last over 5 years.

Sure, who gives a damn about battery holder or oem battery, and Honda doesn't make battery anyway... but just a tiny point to illustrate how Euro cars are more solid in design, built, and principal.

Battery is a actually a very good example when comparing German and Japanese vehicles... It highlights the differences in design philosophy.

The battery in my '97 Integra was in the engine bay and easily accessible, but also quite prone to rust and heat. It was small, did not last very long, and was not fully reliable - but it cost about $90 to replace and weighed 25lbs, at most.

The battery in my '02 330ci is below the paneling in the trunk. Being in the trunk transfers more weight to the rear of the car (e46 has 49/51 weight distribution IIRC). To access it, you need to pull away the trunk carpet and remove the plastic tray that hides it. The OEM model lasted 8 years and 150,000km. It can run the car's stereo, headlights, and accessories for hours before running out of power. Unfortunately, it weighs over 60lbs and costs $300.

The Honda design is more simple, more practical, and more affordable... but it provides less power, doesn't last as long, and is not well protected from heat and water.

The BMW design means the owner pays 3x as much for a replacement battery, and it sacrifices practicality in order to improve the car's overall driving manner (via weight distribution) and aesthetics (battery never visible).

Which design is better? That's personal preference. For most people, the Honda design philosophy makes more sense, because it's cheaper and more practical. For me, because I love to drive and I love to own a car that's designed without compromise, the German design philosophy is preferable even though it will end up costing much more.

Now for the BMW-homer portion of my post: when I hear other people complaining about their commute - or about having to drive somewhere far away - I chuckle to myself. For me, driving anywhere is a pleasurable experience, and my commute is a highlight of the day, not an annoyance. (Of course, this comes at a cost when maintenance is needed, but I feel the trade-off is worth every penny.)

[CharlieH]

Originally Posted by kkttsang

hey guys thinking of gettin a CPO e90
just exactly how expensive will maintenance be? and i have heard they are known for electrical problems is that true? and how reliable are they, will they have minor or major issues like senors or other things? thnx any advice will be so helpful.

they're generally pretty reliable, provided that you're not going for a 335. the n/a straight 6 has proved time and again to be a very reliable and smooth engine. in terms of electrical problems, i actually haven't heard of anything. a burnt out brake light here and there is about it. theres nothing on the car that's deathly expensive to replace or repair, and if you get a CPO you'll hold on to another 2 years of warranty - which will cover parts and labor on most of the drivetrain and engine repairs.

be wary if you're looking for a 335 though. they're known to have problems with the high pressure fuel pump, which i've experienced myself on several occasions. during my 3 years with the car, i had to replace 3 fuel pumps, the camshaft, one turbo, the wastegate actuators, and repair a faulty link between the diff and driveshaft. needless to say it was a real pain in the ass having the car constantly running like shit, and BMW refusing to acknowledge any problems until the car literally died on me in the middle of an intersection.

try www.e90post.com if you want more information. good luck!

[kkttsang]

dude thanx for your response..

i am looking for 328i yea i heard the turbos are more problematic than the N/A

really appreciate it.

Did u you get yours CPO? wondering if i can still negotiate the price even thought i am gonna finance

[ilvtofu]

It's all in the chassis German FTW, have yet to find a jap car that'll feel half as solid as any standard german car built in the last 10 years. Makes you wonder if it's really that hard LOL

Switching from the X3 to the venza was horrible, venza still has a stiffish suspension but it feels like you're driving a panel van or something. Never had any reliability problems with the x3 and the fuel economy was significantly better (about 15%) Felt like it had more power and was way faster and also smoother everything. Venza's ingress/egress and interior toys aren't bad but still miss the x3.

[CharlieH]

Originally Posted by kkttsang

dude thanx for your response..

i am looking for 328i yea i heard the turbos are more problematic than the N/A

really appreciate it.

Did u you get yours CPO? wondering if i can still negotiate the price even thought i am gonna finance

the 328 is a very comfortable and fun car to drive. doesn't have as much kick as say, a g37 or 335, but the engine is very responsive and the power delivery is buttery smooth.

and no, i actually got the car brand new around september of 06' - which is why i probably had so many problems because it was part of the first batch that landed.

i was told by a friend who works at brian jessel that they're pretty firm with their prices on CPO cars simply because it's a CPO, but by all means give it a shot. in the end don't let a CPO car be the deal breaker if you can find a private sale for much cheaper. like i mentioned, the car is pretty damn reliable and if you can end up saving more money going the private sale route then by all means go for it. on top of that, CPO doesn't actually offer the same coverage as the original warranty. in many cases you'll need to pay for labor and diagnostics on some of the repairs, which isn't exactly dirt cheap either.

oh and lastly, don't forget to take into account the tax savings you'll get if you trade in your car to the dealer. remember, you pay tax on the price of the 328 with the price of the trade in subtracted from it. hope this helps!

[Tapioca]

Originally Posted by ilvtofu

It's all in the chassis German FTW, have yet to find a jap car that'll feel half as solid as any standard german car built in the last 10 years. Makes you wonder if it's really that hard LOL

Switching from the X3 to the venza was horrible, venza still has a stiffish suspension but it feels like you're driving a panel van or something. Never had any reliability problems with the x3 and the fuel economy was significantly better (about 15%) Felt like it had more power and was way faster and also smoother everything. Venza's ingress/egress and interior toys aren't bad but still miss the x3.

The Venza is an unfair comparison to the X3. I think the Infinity EX/FX would have been a better one, but the BMW would still probably win based on road feel and driving dynamics.

[sas]

Do you work for a dealership, or corporate?

I went euro cause that's all that I know. I've never not had a euro car.

Dealership.

[nack]

^ what's your take on the 2011 jetta?

[sas]

The Jetta is now the entry level VW. If I had to grab one, I'd stick with the sportline. Gets you the most bang for the buck and the 2.5 motor.

VW decided to go after the civic, corolla segment and of course, there were some cost saving measures. Drum brakes, live axle and hard plastics etc.. Anything less than the Sportline and you'll feel the impact of the cost savings that VW had to take more.

TBH, I never been a Jetta fan and don't care too much for the styling. They went after the corolla and the styling shows. It looks too generic now. Then again, I much prefer the front end of the MK5 GTI vs the MK6. Just looks VW unique to me.

[nack]

ah okay, thank you very much!