BMW Update

SnakeEyeSS · September 1, 2003

Look for the new 5 series to arrive on losts this months

The X5 is getting a facelift, similiar to teh facelift the 3 series recently got

The 7 series is getting redesigned in front and back, BMW says it's not because of how it looks though.(whatever) they say the reason is a mid life update.

The M5 early production prototypes should appear in a year or so, still saying 500HP V-10

Rumors to be an M7 in the wroks, but BMW denies it and says it canned the project

BMW is still the most profitable car company in the world

R Dogg 56 · September 1, 2003

BMW is still the most profitable car company in the world

No flame intended, but wasn't there a report that said that high-end vehicles like BMW and Mercedes-Benz were tops on the list of brands with the most repairs performed? If that's the case, then my -@$$ logic would tell me that their profit is going straight towards repairs and recalls.

Lemme re-state: No flame intended

SnakeEyeSS · September 2, 2003

yup, it's a fact, reliability has gone down in the newer cars.

But, think about it, if the new cars are getting repaired, it'd be under warranty, so that would mean they'd be losing money, right? Most people in their right mind down't take their cars to the dealer for repair if its out of warranty anyway, right(considering they actually know of a decent mechanic for their car, a hard thing to do now)?

pacodiablo · September 2, 2003

The 7 Series is a pretty ugly car.

CMNTMXR81 · September 3, 2003

Who cares, BMW's suck! I hate BMW's! I love raping them here in BMW'ville! Even my lawn mower has it's way with them.

Who cares if they're the most profitable! Microshaft and Bill Gates are right up there amongst the most wealthiest companies in the world but yet look at how many people hate Microshaft. The reason BMW is so friggin profitable is because if they wanted to, they could take a single piece of white sandwich bread, wipe their a$$ with it (for the BMW "seasoning") turn around and mark it up substantially and they'd sell everyone of them.

When I see BMW competing profitably in the cut throat bargain basement arena and highly competitive very price concious family sedan market like ford, Chevy, Dodge, Toyota, Honday, and a handful of others we'll talk. Chances are they wouldn't be so profitable then because they'd have to remove nearly 99% of their markup, I.E. Profit Margin to remain price competitive and on the radar screens of this market buyer.

vortec4800 · September 13, 2003

Whether you guys like it or not, BMWs are some of the best cars in the world. The 3 series has been labled one of the best coupes, the 5 series has been the best sport sedan (this includes the new one, which is still number one) the M3 is amazing in its own right, and the M5 has only been beaten just recently by cars with much higher statistics, and for a car that has such a dated design, that's something to smile about. A BMW engine is one of the world's best, and there aren't many cars that can outhandle an M-anything - except for a Mini Cooper, which is made by BMW anyway. Sure BMWs are more expensive than a Ford or Chevy or Toyota sedan - but you pay for what you get, and whens the last time you saw any one of those cars come even near to what you get for your money with a BMW.

About reliability, yes the newer car's relibility factor is going down a bit... But then again we own General Motors plastic snap-together cars. With all the new technology coming out in cars today, there are many more things to break on a modern car. My best friend drives a 1973 BMW 2002 (the year is 1973 the model is 2002) and it has its share of quirks and problems, but its just as relilable as any other car on the road - not to mention much, much more fun to drive.

Just my .02

pacodiablo · September 13, 2003

The 3 Series can't be that great considering the Contour V6 was compared to them.

vortec4800 · September 13, 2003

Errr... Ummm... Yeah... Anytime any car magazine has ever done a comparison on the 3 series it has always come up on top. I even remember a statement one made that was something to the effect of "We're sick of always giving the award to the 3 series in these comparison tests, but it always comes out to be the best. Would someone please make something better than the 3 series so we can give the award to something else for a change?"

This, of course, has yet to happen.

pacodiablo · September 13, 2003

BMWs are great for some people, not so for others. If one fell into my hands, it would be sold pretty much immediately.

SnakeEyeSS · September 17, 2003

Who cares, BMW's suck! I hate BMW's! I love raping them here in BMW'ville! Even my lawn mower has it's way with them.

Who cares if they're the most profitable! Microshaft and Bill Gates are right up there amongst the most wealthiest companies in the world but yet look at how many people hate Microshaft. The reason BMW is so friggin profitable is because if they wanted to, they could take a single piece of white sandwich bread, wipe their a$$ with it (for the BMW "seasoning") turn around and mark it up substantially and they'd sell everyone of them.

When I see BMW competing profitably in the cut throat bargain basement arena and highly competitive very price concious family sedan market like ford, Chevy, Dodge, Toyota, Honday, and a handful of others we'll talk. Chances are they wouldn't be so profitable then because they'd have to remove nearly 99% of their markup, I.E. Profit Margin to remain price competitive and on the radar screens of this market buyer.

geez, man, open a magazine or newspaper, they've gone LOWER than the family sedan market. Heard of the Mini Cooper? This has boostes sales worldwide by a good margin, and increased their profits.

01Burb · September 18, 2003

Rolling on the floor reading this one. There is a reason why a BMW 325 costs more than a comparably equipped Impala.

All you have to do is sit in both with the engine off to realise why a 3 series - s**t, any Euro sedan, even the new VWs, are in a different league to any sedan coming out of Detroit with very few exceptions, the CTS being one.

The fit and finish on my 02 Volvo is light years above that of my Burb (and I love my Burb). The interior is incredible. I can't get a sheet of paper between the joints in the dash. And the fit and finish extends throughout the vehicle.

Profitability has something to do with it but it plain costs more to make say a door panel from a 330i than an injection molded POS from a Monte Carlo.

And...I would hazard a guess that Cadillac make more on an Escalade than BMW do on say an X5 4.4.

Naughty naughty Cadillac. How dare they make a profit.

pacodiablo · September 18, 2003

Guess who controls these Euro companies...

Ford: Jaguar, Volvo, Aston (sp?) Martin, Land Rover.

GM: Opel, Saab

Sure, they are not BMWs or VWs, but they do compete with them.

MCourson · September 18, 2003

GM also has Vauxhall in the UK and Holden in Austrailia.

Wingnut · September 18, 2003

My .02 on who owns what.

BMW

-Mini

-Rolls Royce

DaimlerChrysler

-Chrysler

-Dodge

-Eagle (brand discontinued)

-Hyundai (DaimlerChrysler only owns a percentage)

-Jeep

-Maybach

-Mercedes-Benz

-Mitsubishi (DaimlerChrysler only owns a percentage)

-Plymouth

Fiat

-Ferrari

-Maserati

Ford

-Aston Martin

-Jaguar

-Land Rover (recently bought from BMW)

-Lincoln

-Mazda (Ford only owns a percentage)

-Mercury

-Volvo cars

General Motors

-Buick

-Cadillac

-Chevrolet

-Daewoo

-GMC

-Hummer

-Isuzu (GM only owns a percentage)

-Oldsmobile (brand discontinued)

-Pontiac

-Saab

-Saturn

-Subaru (GM only owns a big percentage)

-Suzuki (GM only owns a small percentage)

Honda

-Acura

Hyundai

-Kia

Nissan

-Infiniti

Porsche -They do a lot of work with VW but Porsche remains its own company

Renault

-Nissan (Renault owns a percentage)

Toyota

-Lexus

-Scion

Volkswagen

-Audi

-Bentley

-Bugatti

-Lamborghini

But I may be wrong.

CMNTMXR81 · September 18, 2003

Who cares, BMW's suck! I hate BMW's! I love raping them here in BMW'ville! Even my lawn mower has it's way with them.

Who cares if they're the most profitable! Microshaft and Bill Gates are right up there amongst the most wealthiest companies in the world but yet look at how many people hate Microshaft. The reason BMW is so friggin profitable is because if they wanted to, they could take a single piece of white sandwich bread, wipe their a$$ with it (for the BMW "seasoning") turn around and mark it up substantially and they'd sell everyone of them.

When I see BMW competing profitably in the cut throat bargain basement arena and highly competitive very price concious family sedan market like ford, Chevy, Dodge, Toyota, Honday, and a handful of others we'll talk. Chances are they wouldn't be so profitable then because they'd have to remove nearly 99% of their markup, I.E. Profit Margin to remain price competitive and on the radar screens of this market buyer.

geez, man, open a magazine or newspaper, they've gone LOWER than the family sedan market. Heard of the Mini Cooper? This has boostes sales worldwide by a good margin, and increased their profits.

Who cares! FYI, I get virtually all the mainstream publications. If you read my original statement you'd realize that most people buy them for status. They don't buy them for their superior "driving" ability! They don't drive them for their performance! They buy them around here because of those three magical letters...B-M-W and it's little blue and white checkerboard. Around here, the little sh*theads are issued a certificate to be redeemed toward a BMW upon receiving a drivers license. It's purely a status symbol! Same as the Mini. It's kinda a novelty car and in my case a spare for when I get a flat. Around here, BMW's are like a$$holes, eveybody has one.

01burb, I didn't buy my Chevy truck for it's high quality interior! I didn't buy my Camaro for it's high quality interior! I didn't buy any of my other GM's (with the exception of my Aurora) for their high quality interiors. I bought them because they excelled in one area or another.

I could give two f*cks less about trying to stick a piece of paper between interior pieces, but I DO care about hitching up to 10,000+ pound trailers of new paper to be delivered or hauling 5,000lbs or more of new paper to be delivered in the bed. Try that with your high quality interiored Volvo. I bought my Camaro because it does one thing and it does it well...go f*cking insanely fast and blowing the paper you couldn't stick between interior parts out of your Volvo and do it for dirt cheap. Not because the interior is one to be held in the highest regards. Try keeping with me at the drag strip in your Volvo! You probably won't be able to because you'll be too busy measuring interior joint tolerances though.

For that matter, I've also had a few Audi's and even a Maxima through my driveway in the past few years. I was less than impressed with any of the Audi's and the Maxima was on par with any domestic (GM) machinery next to it in the driveway.

There once was a Corvette advertising campaign a few years back that said this...."They don't write songs about Volvo's!"

Does that make one car/truck better than another? No. Just that quality of interior or fit and finish details rank towards the bottom on my list of important details of an automobile whereas performance is usually at the highest point on the list vs. $$$ spent.