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  1. #181

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    Re: RANT:My Love and Hate of German cars.

    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator View Post
    Dan- Ah, OK...you`re making informed decisions

    Heh heh, NO air/hydraulic/smart/etc. suspensions for me ever again. Period. Every single one I ever had suffered a catastrophic failure at one time or another, and these days I won`t run the risk of it happening at the wrong time.
    Ride quality on bags are so much nicer...though. And on SUVS, there is some preset infinite adjustability....
    The only drawback is bags and if you ignore the issues when your bags have them, then the compressor goes south as it gets overworked.
    Nope, gimme bags over springs. I like em
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  2. #182

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    Re: RANT:My Love and Hate of German cars.

    Quote Originally Posted by Oneheadlite View Post
    Desertnate - Audis get informed of a battery change as well
    Good to know. Is it a new development or only certain models? I`ve seen tons of posts on BMW forums regarding the registration process, but nothing on the B8/9 S4 forums I followed or when reading up on the S3/RS3.

  3. #183
    Coleroad's Avatar
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    Re: RANT:My Love and Hate of German cars.

    Quote Originally Posted by mobiledynamics View Post
    Ride quality on bags are so much nicer...though. And on SUVS, there is some preset infinite adjustability....
    The only drawback is bags and if you ignore the issues when your bags have them, then the compressor goes south as it gets overworked.
    Nope, gimme bags over springs. I like em


    Our lr3 had the air suspension. I agree exactly you have to fix a problem when it`s small. We sold ours last year with almost 130k on the odometer. It still had all the original air ride equipment except the air drier, and front valve block. The air drier was replaced twice. The desiccant degrades and turns powdery. That`s why I had to change the front valve block. Changing the drier helps save your system. If I had taken it to a repair shop they would have changed the entire system at the cost of thousands. They don`t want to spend time diagnosing where the problem is. Quicker and more profitable for them to replace everything. I spent just over $300 on repair, and the extra second maintenance replacement of the drier.

    If if I had taken it to a shop, I probably would never want air suspension again. Since maintenance and repairs were able to be diy`d. I love the great qualities about the air suspension. I`d buy a vehicle with it again.

  4. #184
    Dan's Avatar
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    Re: RANT:My Love and Hate of German cars.

    Air ride is why I`m looking at an S class. I`m turning into a geezer.
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  5. #185

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    Re: RANT:My Love and Hate of German cars.

    Huh, surprised that others haven`t experienced the catastrophic air-suspension failures that I have. Perfectly maintained vehicles, including some that were virtually new. Like...*NOW*, vehicle compromised. I can`t imagine anybody taking better care of their undercarriages/suspensions that I do, but they let me down (literally) without warning..techs said "gee, wouldn`t have expected that.." Had it happened in a hostile environment I might not be here...no thanks.

    Note that I`m not wrenching on mine much these days..

  6. #186

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    Re: RANT:My Love and Hate of German cars.

    While i cant talk from personal experience, the close friends bmw 335 and close family a4 2t had a fair share of issues. Both cars at around 5 to 6 year mark have developed transmission and engine faults. For audi it was the dreaded dsg transmission, it would not engage reverse. The bmw while not related to engine itself, the creamed v6 engine in a 3 series resulted in failure of number of plastic component due to heat stress. I personally have moved to lexus brand. Its conservative, uses proven older tech, not very fast or super sporty but its super refined and super reliable. In my books for daily driver to go/from from work, in traffic i need a refined, quiet inside car that will not let me down.

    Cheers

    Sent from my MI MAX using Tapatalk

  7. #187
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    Re: RANT:My Love and Hate of German cars.

    Quote Originally Posted by PoweredByJenga View Post
    I personally have moved to lexus brand. Its conservative, uses proven older tech, not very fast or super sporty but its super refined and super reliable. In my books for daily driver to go/from from work, in traffic i need a refined, quiet inside car that will not let me down.

    Cheers

    Sent from my MI MAX using Tapatalk
    I`d actually go for an LS but the resale value is way too good. Japanese cars in general do not make sense for me as used vehicles. The depreciation is almost linear unlike the skateboard ramp that German cars have. The other thing is Asian interiors, especially seats look like crap after a few years of use.
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  8. #188

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    Re: RANT:My Love and Hate of German cars.

    pleather is where it`s at. For us discerning Autopian eyes, we may see the difference....in materials . I`ve had center armrest in *same grain as OE leather* re-wrapped in pleather as they last that much longer IMO. No one would be the wiser

  9. #189

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    Re: RANT:My Love and Hate of German cars.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dan View Post
    I`d actually go for an LS but the resale value is way too good. Japanese cars in general do not make sense for me as used vehicles. The depreciation is almost linear unlike the skateboard ramp that German cars have. The other thing is Asian interiors, especially seats look like crap after a few years of use.
    The Asian interiors degrade because people drag their butts across the seats, sit not slide.

  10. #190

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    Re: RANT:My Love and Hate of German cars.

    Quote Originally Posted by PoweredByJenga View Post
    While i cant talk from personal experience, the close friends bmw 335 and close family a4 2t had a fair share of issues. Both cars at around 5 to 6 year mark have developed transmission and engine faults. For audi it was the dreaded dsg transmission, it would not engage reverse. The bmw while not related to engine itself, the creamed v6 engine in a 3 series resulted in failure of number of plastic component due to heat stress. I personally have moved to lexus brand. Its conservative, uses proven older tech, not very fast or super sporty but its super refined and super reliable. In my books for daily driver to go/from from work, in traffic i need a refined, quiet inside car that will not let me down.

    Cheers

    Sent from my MI MAX using Tapatalk
    The Lexus will still need maintenance, just not as much. Nowadays, they have similar amounts of plastics in the engine bay that the Germans have, the plastics are just less stressed. The Asians are generally cost less to maintain, but aren`t as bullet proof as they used to be. For easy of mind, I`d still pick the Asian car for DD duty.

  11. #191
    Hooked For Life Bill D's Avatar
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    Re: RANT:My Love and Hate of German cars.

    My DD is an Asian car (Honda) while my German car (Audi) is a true garage queen. Heck, who am I kidding? they’re both in garage queen condition
    Treat it like it`s the only one in the world.

  12. #192

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    Re: RANT:My Love and Hate of German cars.

    Quote Originally Posted by mobiledynamics View Post
    pleather is where it`s at. For us discerning Autopian eyes, we may see the difference....in materials . I`ve had center armrest in *same grain as OE leather* re-wrapped in pleather as they last that much longer IMO. No one would be the wiser
    I dunno...I`ve never had any fake leather that I liked as much as the real stuff, although MB Tex has its points. The stuff in the new Audis isn`t something I`d want.

    Quote Originally Posted by TheMeanGreen
    The Asian interiors degrade because people drag their butts across the seats, sit not slide.
    I bet that`s true of not just most seats but a whole lotta other stuff too; people don`t treat their cars right and then blame the build-quality. Look how scuffed up the lower part of most doorjambs gets Why can`t people lift their [freakin`] legs up?!

  13. #193
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    Re: RANT:My Love and Hate of German cars.

    9 year old MB-Tex


  14. #194

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    Re: RANT:My Love and Hate of German cars.

    One thing I will say about German and Japanese-made vehicles is the attention to detail concerning sheet metal edges and metal part edges. Laugh as you will, as hobbyist detailer I have put my hands and fingers in more inaccessible places while cleaning a vehicle and have cut or sliced my hands and fingers innumerable times on USA-made vehicles, like rim (wheel?) spoke inner edges, door sheet metal edges, or engine bays and the myriad assembly of sheet metal parts and metal components that have NOT been properly deburred or sharp edges removed. I have cut my fingers on spot weld dimples or weld "splash" that was not ground off in USA-manufacturer`s vehicles. That simply does not happen with MOST European and Japanese (and now Korean) vehicle manufacturers.


    I pointed this out one time to a USA manufacturer vehicle dealer salesperson on a NEW vehicle. His response? "WHY are you putting your hand in there and looking in there in the first place?" My reply? "You say you are as good quality-wise as your Japanese counterpart. This proves you still have a long way to go!"
    Small details like this still have not been addressed on USA manufacturer vehicles. It is these "small details" that add to the sum of the parts that differentiate a great vehicle from a good vehicle, at least in the mind of the potential vehicle owner/lessee. Granted, you as a consumer PAY for this "attention to detail" in the purchase price of a vehicle, new or used. It is reflected in resale value of vehicle and the initial cost of vehicle ownership, but that choice is up to you on what vehicle manufacturer you choose to own/lease and drive (and detail!)
    GB detailer

  15. #195

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    Re: RANT:My Love and Hate of German cars.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lonnie View Post
    One thing I will say about German and Japanese-made vehicles is the attention to detail concerning sheet metal edges and metal part edges. Laugh as you will, as hobbyist detailer I have put my hands and fingers in more inaccessible places while cleaning a vehicle and have cut or sliced my hands and fingers innumerable times on USA-made vehicles, like rim (wheel?) spoke inner edges, door sheet metal edges, or engine bays and the myriad assembly of sheet metal parts and metal components that have NOT been properly deburred or sharp edges removed. I have cut my fingers on spot weld dimples or weld "splash" that was not ground off in USA-manufacturer`s vehicles. That simply does not happen with MOST European and Japanese (and now Korean) vehicle manufacturers.


    I pointed this out one time to a USA manufacturer vehicle dealer salesperson on a NEW vehicle. His response? "WHY are you putting your hand in there and looking in there in the first place?" My reply? "You say you are as good quality-wise as your Japanese counterpart. This proves you still have a long way to go!"
    Small details like this still have not been addressed on USA manufacturer vehicles. It is these "small details" that add to the sum of the parts that differentiate a great vehicle from a good vehicle, at least in the mind of the potential vehicle owner/lessee. Granted, you as a consumer PAY for this "attention to detail" in the purchase price of a vehicle, new or used. It is reflected in resale value of vehicle and the initial cost of vehicle ownership, but that choice is up to you on what vehicle manufacturer you choose to own/lease and drive (and detail!)
    Good points. I cut my finger recently trying in a rental Chevy Malibu while trying to get my walet out of the cup holder. I wasn`t even sticking my fingers into some tight area of the interior trim...it was the cup holder! The entire thing looked like it was snapped out of a model kit from the hobby store. Felt like it too. Fit and finish bugs me too. At one auto show not long ago I sat in a Chrystler minivan where the stereo was mounted crooked in the center dash. I then walked across to the Ford display and one of the Escapes` on display had an extra 6~7 inches of weather stripping around the back hatch which appeared to be all one piece. The extra length overlapped the starting point and simply flapped around when people moved the hatch and also prevented it from closing properly. I was pretty dissapointed to see they didn`t QC the display models.

    I agree about the pleather wearing better. The stuff in my old BMW and what`s in my VW does wear VERY well and takes very little upkeep. The only down side is it doesn`t breath like leather. On pleather, I get a little sweaty when sitting on it for long road trips.

 

 
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