German engineering compared to Infiniti
- Thread starter jayrandall
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I too would never own a 10 year old+ Mercedes without being my own mechanic. the people who hate German cars the most are the people who get suckered into the very low entry price because of the very low resale value of a high end German car. they can now buy this high end well used ride for pennies on the dollar & think it's wise to do so, but then, when it comes time to pay for repairs on this once very expensive car, the parts are all still priced very high because really they are parts for a much more expensive car than you realize because you bought it dirt cheap... the reason why the car itself is dirt cheap used is because of this very reason though, repairs & maintenance is going to murder you, it's inevitable, going in without knowing this will make you hate the car for sure when every week you turn around & it needs something else that costs thousands...
if you bring a $100k car into the dealership for a repair your not going to squawk at a $2,700 repair bill for something stupid, goes with the territory, but, if you happened to buy this car nine or ten years old & only paid 10k for it, then a casual repair that costs more than 25% of what you paid for the whole damn car kinda sucks... just because a car goes down in value does not mean the parts and labor for the car will do the same, they won't, if anything they will go up through the years, and the years & mileage have a way of making the car need more & more stuff as everything deteriorates with age & mileage... like I said, want economical then look elsewhere when it comes to German cars... but, even knowing all this, I still love my Mercedes & it is def built & rides like nothing else out there... just very expensive to maintain.
Audi's too, same deal. when they get older you had better be your own mechanic or it's going to cost you, sometimes more than it's worth, but that's for each person to decide for themselves whether something is worth it or not when it comes to repair costs I guess. being able to maintain it yourself can make all the difference with an older German car...
if you bring a $100k car into the dealership for a repair your not going to squawk at a $2,700 repair bill for something stupid, goes with the territory, but, if you happened to buy this car nine or ten years old & only paid 10k for it, then a casual repair that costs more than 25% of what you paid for the whole damn car kinda sucks... just because a car goes down in value does not mean the parts and labor for the car will do the same, they won't, if anything they will go up through the years, and the years & mileage have a way of making the car need more & more stuff as everything deteriorates with age & mileage... like I said, want economical then look elsewhere when it comes to German cars... but, even knowing all this, I still love my Mercedes & it is def built & rides like nothing else out there... just very expensive to maintain.
Audi's too, same deal. when they get older you had better be your own mechanic or it's going to cost you, sometimes more than it's worth, but that's for each person to decide for themselves whether something is worth it or not when it comes to repair costs I guess. being able to maintain it yourself can make all the difference with an older German car...
+1 well said turbo. I laugh when some of my friends complain about their cars, forgetting that originally they weren't the ones who forked out 50K or so. I remember my first benz, paid 52K for it, 4 years later I got 20K lol.
Spot on.
I owned a W140 S600 Coupe and W140 600 SEL (yikes, before it was S600) sedan. I kept sinking money into it that I couldn't let it go. Dealership took me for every penny I was worth, then found a Benz local mechanic who could do it for a little cheaper.
Parts were still expensive, and the labor hours did not go down -- just the price of the labor hours.
I would love to own a W140 S600 coupe again, and also been eyeing the E31 BMW 8 series (850i, 850Ci or 850Csi), but for the reason John states, never pulled the trigger.
Maybe if I drive it once a month, I could end up with reasonable maintenance costs. But, I can't stand any part of the car NOT working.
What, rear sun shade failed? Seat belt extender broke? Dash lights burnt out? Brings back nightmares.
I owned a W140 S600 Coupe and W140 600 SEL (yikes, before it was S600) sedan. I kept sinking money into it that I couldn't let it go. Dealership took me for every penny I was worth, then found a Benz local mechanic who could do it for a little cheaper.
Parts were still expensive, and the labor hours did not go down -- just the price of the labor hours.
I would love to own a W140 S600 coupe again, and also been eyeing the E31 BMW 8 series (850i, 850Ci or 850Csi), but for the reason John states, never pulled the trigger.
Maybe if I drive it once a month, I could end up with reasonable maintenance costs. But, I can't stand any part of the car NOT working.
What, rear sun shade failed? Seat belt extender broke? Dash lights burnt out? Brings back nightmares.
Fire0nic3FX
Member
True, I saw that feature on a Cnet car review....pretty cool though.
But show me an Audi that operates my brake and gas pedal via computers and motors AKA Infiniti distance control assist. And I still have yet to see Audi make an advanced parking guidance system lile the around view monitor.
All manufacturers though have their own unique technology that others dont have. Like the new Audi A8 has nightvision assist.
Fire0nic3FX
Member
Show me an Audi that operates my brake and gas pedals via computer and I'll show you a dude walking in the other direction. I'm no multi-tasking superman, but those two things I think I can handle.
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I guess the same can be said for about all the other 1 billion million useless features luxury car manufacturers add to their cars.
I guess the same can be said for about all the other 1 billion million useless tech features luxury car manufacturers add to their cars.
Fixed.
But seriously, I know you haven't owned one, but have you ever driven an Audi? Or any German lux car for that matter? If so did you careen off the highway or rear-end another driver while using cruise control? Not to say those two features are completely worthless......well, yeah, I guess that's exactly what I'm saying. You are DRIVING, not sitting on a lazy-boy. Your attention should be on the road and other cars around you. Anything that encourages a driver to delegate the most basic driving functions (brakes, throttle, steering) is garbage IMO. They include BS like that because they know their target demographic proiritizes the number and age of tech gizmos above build and ride quality.
Sent from my BlackBerry 9800
Fixed.
But seriously, I know you haven't owned one, but have you ever driven an Audi? Or any German lux car for that matter? If so did you careen off the highway or rear-end another driver while using cruise control? Not to say those two features are completely worthless......well, yeah, I guess that's exactly what I'm saying. You are DRIVING, not sitting on a lazy-boy. Your attention should be on the road and other cars around you. Anything that encourages a driver to delegate the most basic driving functions (brakes, throttle, steering) is garbage IMO.
This thread should just be named "opinions" hehe
The technology package already saved me twice. Am I a bad driver? No. But am I perfect all the time, no. The front collision warning started beeping and applying brakes for me and then I applied brakes quickly on top of it and slowed down in time to avoid collision. Michigan drivers are crazy.....they'll be driven 70 and then 30 in 5 seconds just out of the blue.
The tech package NEVER touches your steering....it applies brakes on either side to pull you very slowly back into your lane if you have LDP turned on, or at least warns you if you have LDW on. I don't drive PERFECT 100% of the time and a nudge back into my lane is very helpful considering that is how majority of collisions occur.
The tech package never applies throttle. It simply pushes your foot off the throttle in case you are about to have a collision or approach a vehicle too quickly and have DCA on.
these are all preventative additions that make you and your family safer when you are driving....not completely driving for you. As far as active cruise control when throttle is pressed, etc, well Audi, Infiniti, etc have those, but Audi at a much steeper price range for it.
To me it's the very little things that make the car awesome. I can take the FX50S highway ramp much faster than any other sports car I've driven and I never can make the tires squeal and the steering is effortless.
Yes, that post was definitely just my opinion.
Bad driver, perhaps not but you were certainly following too closely in those two situations.
Is the warning separate from the active assistance? I also consider applying the brakes with the intention of redirecting the vehicle "steering".
I do understand and appreciate safety features. What I don't appreciate or understand is the idea that if one vehicle has a piece of technology that another doesn't, it is considered "better".
I agree that Infiniti wins in the "fun to drive" category. At least my FX is more fun to drive than my A4.
I have a feeling though, that an RS4 or R8 may change my mind...Sent from my BlackBerry 9800
Fire0nic3FX
Member
Yes, that post was definitely just my opinion.
Bad driver, perhaps not but you were certainly following too closely in those two situations.
Is the warning separate from the active assistance? I also consider applying the brakes with the intention of redirecting the vehicle "steering".
I do understand and appreciate safety features. What I don't appreciate or understand is the idea that if one vehicle has a piece of technology that another doesn't, it is considered "better".
I agree that Infiniti wins in the "fun to drive" category. At least my FX is more fun to drive than my A4.
Sent from my BlackBerry 9800
Like I said earlier, I didn't say Infiniti was better just because of some assistance tech. What i said was each manufacturer each has their own features that make them unique from the rest.
Having those features doesnt make you a bad driver. Their just there for a "you never know" type of situation. Perfect example was when I was coming down a ramp on the i-495 and this idiot decides to completely stop and park his car right on the ramp at the bottom. Since it was a big curved ramp I didnt see the car. But luckily the forward collision system on the FX did before I even had a glance at it since it happened so quick and warned me about it and applied the brakes for me to stop the impact. If it wasnt for that system my baby would be sitting in a salvage yard right now.
Tchuck-
Yes warning is separate from active assistance in all scenarios.
LDW just warns you while LDP warns u and brakes to pull you slowly into the lane. I know what u mean about steering but really it's faint but just enough. I actually wish it was stronger, any weaker and the car wouldn't turn at all so u would probably find it ideal. If the turn signal is on or if u turn harder than normal it won't even engage. It's literally perfect how they have programmed it.
FCW warns u. DCA takes it a step further like above and pushes your foot off the gas and then starts breaking for u.
It's funny u mention driving too close. I probably do because when I have DCA on sometimes it wants to brake more so for me. DCA calculates and maintains that 'perfect' distance that u would appreciate. In both situations above where the FCW saved me, I had plenty of room for the car ahead of me so that wasn't the issue. the problem was I looked literally one second to the left to look at gas prices and 1/2 second later it was beeping. So the split sec I turned my head is when the car in front slams on their brake. If I had DCA on it would have been even been easier to take care of. But without anything at the minimum I would have bumped their bumper. If I had that Audi or BMW mmi nav system stuff I GUARANTEE I would spend more than 1 sec looking away from directly in front of me on occasion. IMO those cars need it 10 billion times more than the Infinitis.
It's hard to explain and justify and really see how great it makes a car until u learn every feature and get used to using it in real world driving. Before, I though it was cool and wanted it because it was cool and lots of tech. Now I see how massively valuable these things are that make it so much better IMO than other cars. u have to own it and drive it daily for at least 3 months.
I just remember shopping for Q7s and how i wanted adaptive cruise control and remembering it was very very rare to find one that did because that feature by Audi is like 2500 alone from what I remember. The tech package from Infiniti u get that plus like 8 other awesome features and IMO are even more valuable than adaptive cruise.
Adaptive cruise is also just opinion. IMO it makes the car much better. Why? Because I used to drive to Chicago from Michigan back and forth 2 times a month. On 94 in Indiana and Chicago I would sit in bumper to Bumper traffic for 1-3 hours sometimes. I would get pain in my legs foot etc sometimes. That can't be good! So it becomes more than just about going from A to B. Life is too short, so drive not only awesomely from A to B but drive safely and healthily!
Yes warning is separate from active assistance in all scenarios.
LDW just warns you while LDP warns u and brakes to pull you slowly into the lane. I know what u mean about steering but really it's faint but just enough. I actually wish it was stronger, any weaker and the car wouldn't turn at all so u would probably find it ideal. If the turn signal is on or if u turn harder than normal it won't even engage. It's literally perfect how they have programmed it.
FCW warns u. DCA takes it a step further like above and pushes your foot off the gas and then starts breaking for u.
It's funny u mention driving too close. I probably do because when I have DCA on sometimes it wants to brake more so for me. DCA calculates and maintains that 'perfect' distance that u would appreciate. In both situations above where the FCW saved me, I had plenty of room for the car ahead of me so that wasn't the issue. the problem was I looked literally one second to the left to look at gas prices and 1/2 second later it was beeping. So the split sec I turned my head is when the car in front slams on their brake. If I had DCA on it would have been even been easier to take care of. But without anything at the minimum I would have bumped their bumper. If I had that Audi or BMW mmi nav system stuff I GUARANTEE I would spend more than 1 sec looking away from directly in front of me on occasion. IMO those cars need it 10 billion times more than the Infinitis.
It's hard to explain and justify and really see how great it makes a car until u learn every feature and get used to using it in real world driving. Before, I though it was cool and wanted it because it was cool and lots of tech. Now I see how massively valuable these things are that make it so much better IMO than other cars. u have to own it and drive it daily for at least 3 months.
I just remember shopping for Q7s and how i wanted adaptive cruise control and remembering it was very very rare to find one that did because that feature by Audi is like 2500 alone from what I remember. The tech package from Infiniti u get that plus like 8 other awesome features and IMO are even more valuable than adaptive cruise.
Adaptive cruise is also just opinion. IMO it makes the car much better. Why? Because I used to drive to Chicago from Michigan back and forth 2 times a month. On 94 in Indiana and Chicago I would sit in bumper to Bumper traffic for 1-3 hours sometimes. I would get pain in my legs foot etc sometimes. That can't be good! So it becomes more than just about going from A to B. Life is too short, so drive not only awesomely from A to B but drive safely and healthily!
Fire0nic3FX
Member
Infiniti is better value in most cases but sometimes is not comparable to some of the german luxury brands. It's just little things like....the wood trim peeling off for example, or the dash bubbling, the low quality leather, etc.
SUV wise the FX50 is the best value for a mix of sport and luxury.
SUV wise the FX50 is the best value for a mix of sport and luxury.
SexualChocolate
Member
I agree.
There is still something magical about what a BMW can do in the turns. I understand that the E9X quality has taken a dive compared to the E46, compare that to the stunningly engineered E30s where a part was made, tested to the breaking point, then made 200 times stronger than when it broke. That doesn't happen anymore at BMW, or any other mainstream atuomobile manufacturer at this point.
I'm a BMW fanatic. When I drove my first one in 04 I was hooked. Had 7 since, 3 E46s, E368, E28, E30, E85. The old cars can take abuse like no other.
Infiniti builds good vehicles for the money. They have come a long way in a short time (much like hyuandi, laugh all you want but they have indeed done so). Plus it's like owning any other Japanese car, it can be driven with very little maintenance. In fact I think they made perfect commuter cars, saving that something special for the weekends (sorry if some of you take offense to that, but it is my most humble of opinions).
I've never had any problems with my Bimmers. In fact I know a few who are over 250K miles on their E46s without any major problems. In fact that is my goal with my E46. I am not even 1/2 way there, so I need to get motoring.
Plus no other manufacturer supports like BMW does...check out this nice little 650i I drove and BMW donated 10 bucks to Team USA...
Nice! And you got the point there with quality control and lasting a long time. My E30, E36 and E46 seem to be far better made, that was one of the reasons I did not go with E90, after having it for a week from a dealer, I was simply not impressed anymore, it wasn't the BMW I am used to. Will see the next gen. My old Acura has better materials than the new bmw IMO.
tchuck....you'll love this! haha j/k
http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/22/toyotas-new-crash-avoidance-technology-takes-control-of-the-whe/
http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/22/toyotas-new-crash-avoidance-technology-takes-control-of-the-whe/
lucky man
your dad's a lucky man. I love a woman who is into their car.Well said. I must say, I feel like I have less issues with any of the Jap cars we have (had) than all of our German ones. We finally gave up on Audi and swear to never own one again. BMW is incredibly plasticky lol.
But again we guys wouldn't have much to do if they didn't break
---------- Post added at 01:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:57 PM ----------
True! My mom still has her 91 BMW 325 convertible, original engine, original tranny, hell original everything, but only because she thinks like a guy and maintains all of her rides exceptionally well.
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