Quote:
Originally Posted by Efthreeoh
I'll answer this with a yes. Yes they are badge snobs if they do not consider any other car brand because they perceive that all other manufacturers have less reliability qualities than a Toyota. Now, as we've seen in the past few years as Toyota has grown to be the world's largest automobile manufacturer, its quality (reliability) has dropped a bit. For a Toyota owner to ignore that fact and still insist there is no other brand that matches Toyota's reliability then that is badge-whoreism.
But to address the specific issue with being a Roundel-Whore, there is a difference between that and being a Toyota badge-whore. The difference is everyone can appreciate that attribute of high-reliability (as what Toyota is known for), but not everyone can appreciate the attributes that BMW (especially the 3-series) has (had?), which is superior driving dynamics for a mass-produced street-based automobile. In the 70's and early 80's BMWs were known as "driver’s cars". They were relativity expensive and expensive to maintain, but the pain was worth it to those who appreciated the driving response the brand provided. All that has changed; it started in the late 80's with the Yuppies, who once affluent, bought the BMWs mainly because of the badge, but fortunately the driving dynamics were still the prevalent design factor for most BMW models (go look at a 1980's E30 there is no luxury in it, nor in the E28 5-series). The late 80’s BMW buying spree begat Lexus, Infinity, and Acura, who decided there was high profitability in expensive (nee "Luxury") automobiles.
BMW has been chasing them for a long time now. Lexus gained market share by adding amenities to their cars that had nothing to do with driving, but all to do with luxury; and the 90%’ers who now own BMWs appreciate the Lexus luxury, which is why BMW is chasing the Lexus customer (such as Boltjames). Now that BMW is following suit some of us long-time BMW owners don’t like it, we've lost "our" car company to the Lexus-appreciating badge-whores. As I said previously, for the 3-series to come standard with an automatic transmission, and the manual transmission is an option is blasphemy to the BMW aficionado, who grew up with the brand in the 70’s and 80’s.
The things that matter to me that BMW pioneered: anti-dive braking suspension, anti-squat acceleration suspension, steering turn-in, steering that traces the road, braking dynamics that allow for excellent brake modulation, the ability to trail-brake into closing-radius turns, good outward visibility, orange instrument lighting that optimizes outward night driving and reduces eye fatigue, effective headlight illumination, just to name a few. All of these things were BMW traits that other cars didn’t have back in the 1970’s and ‘80s; they weren’t even design considerations for most car companies. That was the difference about BMW.
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So,then BMW elitists are ok when they are elitists for the right reasons. I prefer to live in a world where you don't have to pass a special test to buy a car you like; or receive permission from a special priesthood of drivers. I also don't think an "enthusiast" politburo should be anointing what makes a "driver's car." Mechanical precision is nice, but being able to control your radio more easily is also good for a driver.
The problem is the driving experience is subjective enough that it is hard to say that any opinion is objectively superior to that of another. Nothing you described as being unique to BMW seems to be that different from what a porsche customer would say about their, entirely different, cars. What you see as a lowering of standards and unfortunate compromise can just as easily interpreted as old people complaining about the good old days.
In the end, my problem is that I don't think someone who prefers the driving experience of the f30 to that of the e30 should be dismissed as wrongheaded or chasing lexus. Nor do I think anyone should be criticized for liking their car.
Obviously, that's wrong when BMW customers criticize people who like the ATS, but when people criticize f30s (for the right reasons with historical references) it's certainly ok.
Isn't it possible that boltjames really thinks his car is perfect for him? Why begrudge his happiness. Why spend 20 years complaining that no one is building the right type of car? Get what you like and enjoy it.