Cars! Cars! Cars!

Crang said:

F-Type is nice but not a sales-getter. They didn't sell their SUVs in large enough numbers

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F-Type was supposed to show that they were serious. Similar to original Tesla Roadster.
Evoque was supposed to be a good volume seller. SUVs are generally profitable.
Anyway, that article said what I was saying, they simply don't have any volume to be profitable.
Cadillac's number 1 seller is XT5, it can split the platform development cost with the Chevy Equinox at the low end and GMC and Buick at the mid-premium
Lexus has the RX which is derived from the Camry.
JLR has nothing, expensive engineering into single models.
Even premium brands like BMW have a lot of cheaper 525 and stuff like that in Europe.

Tam said:

After a lifetime of owning German cars, I consider European cars garbage. They are so bad that they can make a garbage car like Chrysler look good.

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German made cars are fine as long as you don't own them for more that 3-4 years. After that get your wallet out. The problem is the biodegradable plastic in all aspects of the car as required by German law.


This youtuber,The Car Ninja, works exclusively on German & European cars in Wichita Kansas.

bd popeye said:

German made cars are fine as long as you don't own them for more that 3-4 years. After that get your wallet out. The problem is the biodegradable plastic in all aspects of the car as required by German law.

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This youtuber,The Car Ninja, works exclusively on German & European cars in Wichita Kansas.

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You should not put biodegradable plastics under the hood. You can expect these parts to cook, get brittle and break under the heat.

For the price you expect to pay for the car, you should be entitled to see things like metal hoses under the hood. How much does a metal hose cost over a plastic one? There is no excuse for using say thermostat housings using plastic.

Increasing use of turbochargers increase the heat under the hood. It used to be when it says 530i for example, you get a 3 liter inline six that is naturally aspirated and for standard driving duties, well understressed. You are probably only seeing 70 to 80hp per liter of displacement. Now a 530i would mean a 2.0 liter four with turbocharger and you are getting 120 to 130hp per liter. That is a lot of heat burning under the hood. Not the safest place to put plastic.

One of the worst engine recalls in history has to deal with BMW's turbocharged N63 V8 engine. They placed the turbochargers in a way that managed to cook other parts of the engine. Considering that this is used on the highest end of BMWs, a lot of rich owners are not happy, and there was a class action lawsuit. [As an owner of a car with BMW's M62 V8 engine, where at least the engine itself lasted many years and avoided critical repair, hearing this surprised me.]

I know someone whose car has BMW's B38 engine. This is a turbocharged 1.5 liter engine with 3 cylinders. He said the engine was burning oil. That is not a good sign. That has nothing to do with plastics under the hood. One of those most probable causes of such a thing happening is breaking your piston rings.

supersnoop said:

F-Type was supposed to show that they were serious. Similar to original Tesla Roadster.
Evoque was supposed to be a good volume seller. SUVs are generally profitable.
Anyway, that article said what I was saying, they simply don't have any volume to be profitable.
Cadillac's number 1 seller is XT5, it can split the platform development cost with the Chevy Equinox at the low end and GMC and Buick at the mid-premium
Lexus has the RX which is derived from the Camry.
JLR has nothing, expensive engineering into single models.
Even premium brands like BMW have a lot of cheaper 525 and stuff like that in Europe.

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XT-5/Equinox platform is awful. Not in terms of driving I mean but in reliability.

Guy in China not satisfied with the base performance of his Mazda 6 so he socked a Lexus V8 into it and converted to RWD.



His car looks completely like a stock Mazda 6 until it begins to burn its rear rubber. If you don't happen to know, a Mazda 6 is a front wheel drive car.

Tam said:

XT-5/Equinox platform is awful. Not in terms of driving I mean but in reliability.

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Hahaha, you know, maybe I am lucky, but no problems here based on Theta/Theta Premium (previous gen) to the current gen Epsilon.
Between German and American cars, I think the dynamics overall are better for German cars, but since I am living in a northern climate, factor in the potholes and suddenly all the tuning of the American cars is a more of an advantage for day to day life.

supersnoop said:

Hahaha, you know, maybe I am lucky, but no problems here based on Theta/Theta Premium (previous gen) to the current gen Epsilon.
Between German and American cars, I think the dynamics overall are better for Gthey erman cars, but since I am living in a northern climate, factor in the potholes and suddenly all the tuning of the American cars is a more of an advantage for day to day life.

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You're lucky. One example I know was an Equinox bought used in very good condition, then the main computer module died only a year later.

Still, I would buy an American car --- namely specific models, years, and brands, not as a blanket whole --- over German luxury brands. While not as bullet proof as let's say Toyotas or Hondas, they are not as expensive to maintain other. Some brands considered iconic --- Jeep Wrangler, Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, Chevy Corvette, Dodge Challenger --- also have high retention values for used cars because of their American icon status and because of their looks, whereas now, because of the bad reputation already has spread around, the values of used German prestige cars would drop quickly from a cliff.

Tam said:

Guy in China not satisfied with the base performance of his Mazda 6 so he socked a Lexus V8 into it and converted to RWD.

His car looks completely like a stock Mazda 6 until it begins to burn its rear rubber. If you don't happen to know, a Mazda 6 is a front wheel drive car.

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Doesn't sound very legal. How is this car going to pass the inspection test? Every car need to go though inspection after first five years I think?

ThatNiceType055 said:

Doesn't sound very legal. How is this car going to pass the inspection test? Every car need to go though inspection after first five years I think?

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His Mazda 6 originally came with a 2.0L I4. He wasn't happy with it. He switched it to a 2.5 liter with turbo. Its an engine that is found in some cars like the upper end Mazda 6 and Mazda CX series of SUVs. Still wasn't happy with it. He switched it to a 3UZ-FE V8 engine that was originally found in Lexus cars in the mid 2000s, which at best makes around 300hp. I do not think he modified the engine beyond stock, so the engine will still pass emissions test like a stock Lexus would, and can be driven ordinarily and economically.

He seems to have the money to burn doing these things so how he passes the next inspection after 5 years, I am not qualified to know. China seems to have a hot car modder's scene and they may have found ways to deal with regulation issues.