Ooh..German marques be very afraid.

[einstein57]

So the g/f rear ended someone on the freeway last week and is in a rental car. Guess which one. Hyundai accent. I must say the interior pieces are especially crappy in quality but thats my only gripe. The engine is zippy and the car can take a turn for a base model grocery getter.

[delatlanta1281]

As someone who drives for a living, I actually respect the hyundai for a knock around utility vehicle. I am actually considering one for work.

[E_DIRTY]

The thing would just die in traffic for no reason..

i'd think you were imagining it too. tacomas are great trucks and they don't generally die for any reason. it sucks that you got a bunk one but i don't think that your experience changes the fact that the chevy, nissan, ford, and dodge alternatives are all fiats by comparison...


as far as the genesis is concerned the most important feature is the reason that i would never drive one. they can build those things at a rate of about 30 an hour, and they can afford to sell it for the same price as a honda accord. thusly, the thing is (and i'm quoting jeremy clarkson here) "built with all the passion and expertise of a toaster oven". bottom line is, you get into a bmw and everything is put together right, and when it's all working they're probably the most generally brilliant cars out there. korean cars have no soul, so there's no reason to compare them.

[brandondan1]

Hmm do you have any evidence to back those claims up? How many 5 series does BMW put out an hour? (not that you can judge quality control directly from that anyway). Where have they listed that it's going to cost the same as an Accord?

The problem is, you're acting like BMWs are perfect, when they're not. Why do e46s have notoriously bad window regulators, and falling/breaking trim pieces? Why did the early e46 m3s have engine failures? Why are 7 series in the shop more than they're on the road? Why does the new 335i overheat when you don't drive it like a grandma?

Lastly, what is soul? Steering feel? Smooth power delivery? Can you even measure it? Oh, I think I know what it is. Bias. I can assure you that most people who buy saloons don't get them to go racing. If I were buying a car in that segment, I would look for something that's affordable, has a nice interior that won't fall apart, is comfortable, and is reliable.

[e30e]

Hmm do you have any evidence to back those claims up? How many 5 series does BMW put out an hour? (not that you can judge quality control directly from that anyway). Where have they listed that it's going to cost the same as an Accord?

The problem is, you're acting like BMWs are perfect, when they're not. Why do e46s have notoriously bad window regulators, and falling/breaking trim pieces? Why did the early e46 m3s have engine failures? Why are 7 series in the shop more than they're on the road? Why does the new 335i overheat when you don't drive it like a grandma?

Lastly, what is soul? Steering feel? Smooth power delivery? Can you even measure it? Oh, I think I know what it is. Bias

Said very well. The thing most people say about bmw's having soul is usually in terms of functionallity and design language. Where as in many cars there is no design language or a theme, just a change from each model. BMW enthusiasts are always going to say cars have soul because its been ingrained in us.

[VacMan]

Hmm do you have any evidence to back those claims up? How many 5 series does BMW put out an hour? (not that you can judge quality control directly from that anyway). Where have they listed that it's going to cost the same as an Accord?

The problem is, you're acting like BMWs are perfect, when they're not. Why do e46s have notoriously bad window regulators, and falling/breaking trim pieces? Why did the early e46 m3s have engine failures? Why are 7 series in the shop more than they're on the road? Why does the new 335i overheat when you don't drive it like a grandma?

Lastly, what is soul? Steering feel? Smooth power delivery? Can you even measure it? Oh, I think I know what it is. Bias. I can assure you that most people who buy saloons don't get them to go racing. If I were buying a car in that segment, I would look for something that's affordable, has a nice interior that won't fall apart, is comfortable, and is reliable.

Excellent post. It's interesting that lately it seems like everyone is finally catching up to BMW. In the last 12 months I've seen 3 "negative" reviews of new BMWs including the 335 and the new M3. The steering has been numbed, they're not as soulful as they used to be, etc etc. To think that BMW is untouchable because of their storied history is foolish. The Bangle cars and their quirks (iDrive, electonic steering) have made BMW very touchable by other brands, regardless of their history.