Research: Why you own the car you own

[permit]

Alright, my uncle works for a top car maker, and he's always looking to me for ideas of what teenagers and adults in their 20s are looking for in a car.

We've all seen the desperate attempts that companies have gone to lately, whether it be employee pricing or completely ridiculous car designs (ie, Chevy HHR, SSR, return of the Camaro, Charger, Cuda, Challenger, GT500, etc, Pontiac Solstice, any new Mercedes).

For the most part, American companies are going back to the 60s/70s for the answers to their financial disasters, and just using the name plate of the classics to help sell their newly designed and poorly executed cars.

European companies are going far less exotic, but still doing some bold designs to see if they can hit it big. BMWs Bangle-cars are doing great, Mercedes is sucking ass yet pretending they aren't, VW is still doing what they do, Porsche is in their own world making cars that they want to make (and doing very well at it), and Ferrari is still building badass motherfucking cars and doing very well with their new designs. Aston Martin is struggling, Bentley has taken off with their GT model, Maybach is selling half of the amount of cars they thought they'd sell, the Mini fad is slowly dying, but BMW will step up and fix all that.

Asian cars are doing the best job recently at using exotic designs to make cars that actually sell, and are taking over America's auto industry.


Anyways, back to the original point of this thread.

I want to know why you own the car you own, and what you would look for in a car if you were in the market for one (that is financially possible). I know most all of us have an e30, and we own them because they're relatively cheap and such, but I just need to hear about new(ish) cars that you own.

I don't want to hear you like your car or bought your car because it was cheap, but you could say "the car was a great deal for the performance that it had."

Here is a break down of the types of cars, you can start your reply with just the number that designates the car you have, no need to type what brand/model/year. Then a brief explanation of why you bought the car, and how it fit your needs of what a car/truck should have.

For those of you that don't own a new(ish) car and are pissed that you've read this much and can't participate, you can reply the same way, but state why you wouldn't buy that style of car.

1. Coupe
2. Sedan (mid-size; 3-series, Passat, etc.)
3. Sedan (full-size; 5-series, 7-series, S500 etc.)
4. Hatchback
5. Convertible
6. Wagon
7. SUV
8. Pickup truck
9. Hybrid
10. Utility (Subaru Baja, Ford Explorer Sport Trak)
11. Minivan
12. Other (state)

I'll give an example using my Dad's recently purchased car:

5.

Enjoys having the wind blowing everywhere, still fits passengers and golf clubs, was more reasonably priced than the 911 he's always dreamed of owning, yet still had the performance he wanted.

Here's an example of a reason I wouldn't buy a certain car:

7.

Rising gas prices aren't falling much anymore, and will probably stay where they are for quite some time. I don't have any need for a car that can fit a lot of stuff, or 7 people. They're boring to drive as well.



Thanks to all that contribute, all this info (or helpful info) will be forwarded to my uncle in hopes that he can help out his company market the right car for today's drivers.

[shiftbmw]

7.

I wouldn't want an SUV because most nowadays seem like just glorified minivans. Many(but not all) have very little offroad capability. Many of the newer SUV's even go so far as to run low profile summer tires to make them feel sportier(a gross misreading of the original design purpose of the car), which I certainly wouldn't want to be driving on any snowy roads with.

[e9nine]

All I have to say is the category I fit in is a minority and the least catered to because we don't generate enough $$.

Car companies are in business to make $$ before satisfying "enthusiasts" who don't want to evolve and who don't want to spend big bucks per se.

That being said, I was skimming in the Roundel and read that BMW had the best month of sales to date ever last December

[kansas-ix]

7. I'm not a soccer mom and don't want to waste gas/ if you want space that is what the wagon is for.
8. I'm not a cattle rancher, I hate seeing pickups all over the city, that will never see dirt.
11. Pointless vehicle again that is what a wagon is for.

[turnofftheradio]

1. I bought a honda prelude, my last lude (86) lasted until 350,000mi and handled well, so I bought a new one, a few years back, for the reliability, ability to hang with a 911 in the corners and great style/preformance compared to other cars at the time for the price.


2. I have the taurus because it is the cheapest to repair. parts are a dime a dozen. it is old now, I plan on replacing it this year with another #2 of some sort, but not another taurus, it's just too ugly to be comfortable. My soon to be wife drives this. At the moment, I lean towards replacing this with an impreza. awd is more valuable in mi than cheap body panels. however, hundai is putting up a good arguement with their sedans.

[Ben Carufel]

I have a small penis.

[JeffG]

6) i'll always be a wagon owner. i've owned two (both subaru's) and they've been nothing but good to me. i never haul anything super huge so aside from that, in my opinion they have all the utility of an SUV while driving like a normal car and getting good mileage. it's easy to to keep a rack on top of the car to put bikes, skis, or a box on and the tailgate is nice and low so my dogs jump in and out of the car no problem. styling is starting to look better and people are bashing on them less i've noticed.

i definitely think it's the best alternative to a SUV.

[Charlie]

So, lemme guess, he's an auto exec who's trying to figure out why Gen Y/Z isn't buying their brand new "Gen Y/Z" cars.

Simple - they're too god damned expensive. There's a very finite price point to hit for this demographic, 18-22, it's 13-15k, 22-25/26, it's 22k or so

The Asian manufacturers have it right. Look at Scion, 12-15k for an XA/XB, cheap, simple, reliable cars with a huge aftermarket - they're selling like crazy. Look at subaru with the base WRX - 22k. The V6 Mustang is 17k, it sells. The new v8 is a harder sell at 25k. Honda had this market sealed up with the previous gen Civic Si's in the 15-17k range, they released the 2001 model at over 20, and it flopped. The new one is no better. VW is in the same boat, they jack the price up out of the 18k range, and no one in the target market buys it. Honda's "element" was supposed to be a "Gen Y" type car, good luck finding one under 23k - that's just too expensive.

12-15k is your target price point. If you can't build a "cool" car in that range, you're not gonna hit the youth market with a new vehicle - it's as simple as that.

-Charlie

[hamann318is]

9.

Hybrids are simply the worst idea ever. Deisels get better gas mileage and don't require a degree in electrical engineering to fix.

I personally don't like new cars because the cost versus what I get. Charlie is right. Considering I can get a E30, Accord, etc. for about 2k and have it do everything a new car does, why would I even consider a new car? The Japanese have the right idea; they use the smaller engines to the fullest. I'm pretty confident that American companies don't even bother with the smaller cheaper engines. I like my 318 because it's light on gas and fun to drive, but I like it espically because it's cheap. I don't see a car on the market like that today.

[Dave]

I have a Lexus IS300 for a number of reasons. I needed a sedan to accommodate my kids and for clients. My choices on a "high-end" compact sports sedan were e46, IS300, infiniti, Passat, A4, Merc. C Class. I ruled out any US makes before starting.

I also ruled out Acura. The Integras were a little too much of a "boy-racer" car for me, and their other offerings, though bulletproof and reliabel, are just dull. Passat and C Class are unrelaiable. A4 is not much better.

So I was between an e46 and IS300. BMW CPO was up to 60k miles. Lexus, 100k. The IS was a better bang for the buck - the e46 330s tended to be higher in mileage than the IS I found, and all had significant service histories - not the good kind, but warranty repairs. Both being nearly 50-50 RWD cars, with about the same hp and torque, I opted for the more reliable and better warrantied car.

Are there US brands I'd look at - maybe. The GTO is interesting, as is the Solstice. Yet they are still GM, and that troubles me. The Chrysler 300 is interesting as well. But maybe its too much of a pimpmobile for me.

[Charlie]

Hybrids are a great idea. They are a pure profit center with a resource that fails after five years which appeals to a wealthy demographic with misguided environmental concerns.

Yes, diesels can get better mileage, but their overall emissions are higher (at least in the US). You will also notice that diesel fuel is carrying about a 70 cents premium over regular 87 octane at the moment, which is going to go even higher when "clean" diesel becomes mandated in the US.

Granted, the ideal solution is a car like the Civic HX or the VW polo - small cars with small motors that get 40 mpg with no whiz-bang gadgets. But those aren't sexy enough for Cameron Diaz to drive.

-Charlie

[bmwmike]

3) best of all worlds to an extent. Sized well, perform well, can be economical, can be very useful for everyday life, just makes sense

[permit]

Lot of great input here guys, especially Charlie's writeup.

Last year at the LA Auto Show I had to stand in front of the Scion lineup and tell my uncle why people buy these things. He knew they looked hideous, but they were doing something right. I told him they're dirt cheap, efficient (not necessarily just with fuel, but with the size of the car), and you can customize in any way you want because of the tuning companies.

What they are are a "cult" type car, something that catches on with a certain group and it can thrive just on those people buying it. I would say other cars that fit into this genre would be older BMWs, Civics, older VWs, anything that you see modded rolling around the streets, and something that a majority of people buy with the idea of modding it.

I think another reason that the Asian companies are doing really well is because they aren't on the "bigger is better" mindset. Not everyone needs a V12 Hemi 8.6L 12-ton full size pick up with the ability to tow large buildings, a majority of people are fine with a four banger than can go 400 miles off 8 gallons of gas, yet can still perform if they want it to.

At the end of this year, Ford is releasing the Ford Everest to replace the long ago forgotten Excursion. The Everest will be 13 inches longer than the Expedition, and will be there to compete with Tahoe/Suburban sales, as if the Expedition weren't doing that. Now, Ford dropped the Excursion because there was no demand for something that huge, with 8 miles to the gallon--smart move. So they think there will be demand for an update Excursion that will most likely flop just as hard--bad move. I can see for getting to the point where they need to start selling off their other car companies just to stay alive, and it's all because of moves like this. Oh well, bye bye American economy.

[Digitalwave]

I don't think the American economy relies on the American auto makers.

I haven't purchased a new car, but I have been on the market you could say. I would be looking for a #2 car. Basically, a great warrenty, reasonably fun handling, and good styling are what I would look for. The new Civic Si and the Volvo S40 really appeal to me.

[motorprestige]

It's not that the american economy relies on auto sales, it's the fact that other country's are raping the american auto market wich results in a great deal of wasted effort/money wich in turn is a severe blow to the american economy.

Having said that.

#4 I think a hatchback that can perform well has a unique appeal, not to mention the anomoly of it being the smallest yet, most utilitarian vehicle in the campact segment. Also, i really want an 05' mini cooper s. Sensational build quality, outstanding performance/fun factor, reasonably priced and, economical to boot.


But i still like my e30.

This is turning out to be a very constructive thread.