[Bmwphile]

This little discussion has generated a bit of passion on the Aussie forum.

Do people buy a BMW just for the badge?

I suspect you guys who are on this forum are all car enthusiasts who enjoy driving, great design etc so I would think there would be few badge snobs among us.

BUT................

Would you buy a F30 if it did not have a BMW badge on it? What if it had a VW or a SKODA badge AND was, say, 20% cheaper?

If your answer is no, the obviously the badge is important!!

[Cyberdemon]

For me it could have a Hyundai badge on it, if the car is good it's good.

[jdong]

For me, I don't care about the badge as much as I care about the car. The Ford Taurus SHO was on my short list and when I told people I'm cross shopping between the 3/5 series and a Taurus, I got the weirdest looks.

But I do know people who buy stripped BMWs just for the badge.

[SamS]

I have never met a person who bought a BMW for "the badge". Even the most unlikely BMW owners (female, typically) that I know rave to me about how they love the way it drives.

[rich1068]

Badge is irrelevant. I've owned a Skoda and it was one of the best cars I've ever had

[ThatEgyptianKid]

I wouldn't buy a car only because of its badge but I voted that the badge matters only because I'd consider an Audi if the 3 was badged differently

[The Economist]

Badge has zero value to me - I would prefer it with a different badge, actually, so I wouldn't have to pay the badge premium.

[Tsuvoi]

I don't buy solely based on badge. However, the badge, as in the brand, has value, not in making a fashion or country club statement as is implied in this poll, but to signal a historically better-than-average attention to quality.

So to partially answer the poll, yes I would drive it with a Kia badge, assuming Kia was a quality brand which it is not!

And to the guy above, if it could be available under a Kia badge for less it would! But it's not, so the premium you're paying is not for the badge but for the better quality. Now if you find a cheap car with the same specs, amenities, design as a BMW, then by all means buy it and let us know!

[Tsuyoi]

Tricky issue, since the badge also brings with it not just the brand whoring and image, but also the company's history. Since BMW has a history of making high end sporty cars, I'd expect a new BMW to be sporty, somewhat luxurious, and have some innovation. If I bought a Volvo, I'd expect it to be safe. If I bought a Merc, I'd expect it to be the most comfortable damned ride ever.

Reliability/service is also a huge issue. If a company has a record of shitty reliability and not doing anything to correct it, I'd avoid them.

However, I would never buy a car JUST for it's badge. In all honesty (and I'm gonna get bashed so much for this) the F30 is lacking in so many fields.

Interior wise, the F30 is just so cheap/dated. I mean, fake plastic aluminum trim as standard? Yes, the amber backlight is "trademark of BMW", but it would be really nice to have some more lux or modern colors available (I've seen 12k cars with adjustable dash light colors). In this category, I'd say the new 2013 Ford Fusion wins (It looks so sexy on the inside!).

Tech wise, Merc wins over BMW (more options standard, more options available). I will say the BMW HUD is very cool, and not something you find available on most cars in it's range.

Gimmicks/trim wise, BMW is shameful. Plastic kick plates on base line, no panoramic sunroof option, no electronic parking brake, no touch screen etc.

Honestly when my old car got totalled I was considering the Merc E, the Fusion, and even the Optima Limited. But after driving the new 3, ultimately the driving experience mattered more than any of that, so the 3 won out.

[Robin_NL]

I buy it because it has
-rwd
-Inline 6 cylinder engine
-nice driving characteristics

And after that because it's a BMW...




..or it has the the things I want BECAUSE its a BMW...

Cheers
Robin

[MikeVictor]

With the number of polls you're putting up, I'm wondering which company you work in marketing for or which degree you're using the results as research for 0.o

[Bmwphile]

Originally Posted by Dabaitu

With the number of polls you're putting up, I'm wondering which company you work in marketing for or which degree you're using the results as research for 0.o

No background in marketing. No underhanded subterfuge. Just genuine curiosity in what fellow Bimmer owners think and how they tick.

[Casualvic]

BADGE!!!!! thats the only reason why I purchase!! lol im not that intense on the blue and white symbol. But it is weird how the uniqueness of a badge reflects the make of the car. BMW's badge fits the vehicle soooo good!! I guess reputation and personal taste go hand in hand. Hyundai has the Genesis which is a hell of a car!! but I wouldn't dare buy one because of the cheapie Hyundai badge

[dcg71]

Originally Posted by Robin_NL

..or it has the the things I want BECAUSE its a BMW...

+1

[rayusaFL]

I bought it because of the following:

- design
- performance

I've owned a GTI and a G35 before and I loved them both. I now can afford a more expensive car that's why I chose to go with a BMW. I did consider the C class but the performance wasn't as good as the 3 series.

Now, did I buy just because of the badge? NO!

Did I buy it because it's a beautiful car, great engine and it is so fun to drive? YES

Would it matter if it had a VW badge? Not really

Do I like that it has a BMW badge? HELL YEAH!!

Remember... Sometimes people use and buy certain brands because they have an emotional connection with them.
I used to play soccer when I was younger and I had an Adidas shirt that I wore everytime I played. It always made me feel like a pro! Lol
Now, if you gave me the exact same shirt BUT with a Nike logo, it wouldn't make me feel the same way. (And Nike is more expensive than Adidas) Funny, huh?
I bought my car (not leased it) and I take soooooo much good care of it. I love EVERYTHING about it and loveeeeeee to drive it. The BMW badge is just a PLUS to me...


Ps: I lied when I said I love everything about it. I hate the wind noise issue!!!

[Agamemnon]

Well I drove all of the BMW competitors - kicked the tires - sat in the back seat - looked at the trunk room and the BMW was the one that just seemed better. If the Infiniti G37X, Lexus IS350, Acura TL, Mercedes C class, or Audi S4 matched or exceeded the BMW, I would of bought one of them. But they weren't and I didn't. Couldn't be happier with my 335i xdrive mSport. Its a really nice ride and feels like a quality item.

[Jamesons Viggen]

I have spent money to buy brand new Hyundais, VWs, Saabs, BMWs. I dont care, some of those cars I may have been teased for. I care very little about what others think and judge a car as a car and for how it fulfills what I am looking for at the time.

[gweeta]

Originally Posted by The Economist

Badge has zero value to me - I would prefer it with a different badge, actually, so I wouldn't have to pay the badge premium.

+1

[AWF30]

I bought for the badge, performance was just a side benefit. Then again, the badge wouldn't be what it is without the perf to back it up. The price of any vehicle eventually ends up exactly where it belongs.

[bimmerjph]

I like what BMW stands for (sport sedans). If Isuzu stood for the same values I would be a fan of theirs.


That being said from an aesthetic standpoint I do love the BMW badge.

[JoeyO]

I'd say 9 out of 10 BMW owners I meet bought their car for the badge.

They couldn't explain what RPM means or what Mobile 1 means if their life depended on it. The sole purpose of their BMW purchase was because they want to appear car savvy to the world. BMW told them repeatedly it's the "ultimate driving machine" and they heard from a friend of a friend that Auto Trend magazine (they're too clueless to know it's really Motor Trend) voted the 3 series the best car when tested. Plus, the one guy at their country club who supposedly races at the local race track drives a BMW. Just don't ask them what model he drives because they don't know the difference between a M3 and a 135i.

[Who?]

i would be lying if I said the badge is irrelevant.
in all honesty, the three main reasons i bought this car:

1) fuel economy
2) its a sedan
3) it has a german badge on it

That said, if it had a Kia badge on it, I wouldnt mind, given its significantly cheaper (30-40%?).