Image plays heavily into car purchases in general.  There's no reason to buy a Mercedes instead of a Hyndai, for example.  You get the same utility but far lower cost of ownership with a Hyndai as compared to a Mercedes, yet some people still are willing to spend over $30,000 up front for a new car.  The image of prosperity is worth tens of thousands of dollars more.

VW has successfully targeted a particular market segment in the United States in ~ the last decade - the young and hip.  People are willing to pay a premium to appear hip.  Not as large of a premium as people pay for the image of prosperity, but they are still paying a premium over similar cars.        

I'd say French and Vauxhall cars are all about image that lasts for 12 mths and is sold.
Alfas are all image, but dont start, and bits fall off.
BMW is flash image, but chances are, all your friends have one too.
Japanese cars change so often, no one knows what the fuck they are about.

In Europe, VW says "dependable, non-funky, safe to the point of being invisible".And that gets turned around, into being a fashion statement in its own right.In the same way that Porsches have shit styling deliberately.

Maybe things are different in the US, cos cars are ridiculously cheap..I think, vs Euro makes.

Kraps, Emp :


I guess this isnt the right time to mention I own an Audi S4.

Image plays heavily into car purchases in general.  There's no reason to buy a Mercedes instead of a Hyndai, for example.  You get the same utility but far lower cost of ownership with a Hyndai as compared to a Mercedes, yet some people still are willing to spend over $30,000 up front for a new car.  The image of prosperity is worth tens of thousands of dollars more.

VW has successfully targeted a particular market segment in the United States in ~ the last decade - the young and hip.  People are willing to pay a premium to appear hip.  Not as large of a premium as people pay for the image of prosperity, but they are still paying a premium over similar cars.        

There's also the depreciation and reliability.So the premium aint always that much.

But yeah, image and identity is a huge aspect.
Icant  follow why some makes like BMW and Merc water down their names by making midget cars...

Merc makes com veh. Did long before 'midget' cars. They also make busses. The reason BMW and Merc chose to move into other classes of car is due to the demo shifting. They needed smaller cars, if only to say that they could build them.

But it used to be, tell someone u had a Merc and it was a big deal.
Now they just think "hmm that baby's pram on 4 wheels" or the "heap of shit cobbled together in South Africa".Same with Jaguar.

Its gonna end up, the "cheapest" premium make will be Bentley or someone.

Why didn't Merc call the smaller ones MB2 or sthg?
Its like accountants took over carmaking( infact they did with Merc, and fucked it)

Total cost of ownership figures in the cost to operate, maintain, finance, insure, etc. the car as well as the depreciation of the car.  

Sometimes the premium isn't that much.  Typically, though, cars that cost more and push into the luxury categories carry a heavy premium because they cost more to repair, have larger engines/cost more to operate per mile, and the upfront costs effect how much you pay in finance charges and taxes and how much value you lose through depreciation since cars don't retain value very well.

Its like accountants took over carmaking( infact they did with Merc, and fucked it)

Merc wasent fucked by the accounts. Merc was fucked by Chrysler. I think the accounts problay saved Merc.

But it used to be, tell someone u had a Merc and it was a big deal.
Now they just think "hmm that baby's pram on 4 wheels" or the "heap of shit cobbled together in South Africa".Same with Jaguar.

Ford was the best thing to ever happen to Jag. Sure the switchgear went cheap....its things like that which make the car the better choice over the Aston.

Kraps, Emp :


I guess this isnt the right time to mention I own an Audi S4.

I didn't mean to imply that I thought there was anything wrong with picking one car over another.  You paid for what you wanted - whatever premiums there were for performance, image, etc over a car that provided basic utility.

I have a hybrid.  I was willing to pay the premium for a more fuel efficient car because I anticipated gas prices increasing beyond $4/gallon.  There was also a premium for image involved, given the trendiness of hybrids among certain demographics.  In retrospect, I think it was a stupid purchase because the price of gasoline hasn't kept pace with what I anticipated.

I didnt take you comments that way.  It's just we were getting into the whole image thing....and here's me driving an Audi.

and it's not just the price of gas ? (The fule eco of desiels is beating hybirds now, but the size of them would be an issue ?)

no/no/only if its pink

That's hot.

Can I see your boobs?

Why didn't Merc call the smaller ones MB2 or sthg?
Its like accountants took over carmaking( infact they did with Merc, and fucked it)

They did change the name, they called it Smart.

I didnt take you comments that way.  It's just we were getting into the whole image thing....and here's me driving an Audi.

and it's not just the price of gas ? (The fule eco of desiels is beating hybirds now, but the size of them would be an issue ?)

At the time I bought, the hybrid was cheaper to operate than a similar diesel.

I'm thinking I'll get a motorcycle for my next vehicle because you can get great gas mileage and because I could work on it myself.

This is good. This is very good. My theory is being proven. Actually two are being proven. Please go on.

I await the reveal of these theories!

No more discussion until I find out!

How dare you halt my research sir! How dare you!

BTW the Concusar and the bogtroopers are drinking at the Pirate Tavern at the Renn on the 6th, you're invited.

Who here owns/drives/wants a VW?

Owns/drives? No. Honda and Toyota for me.
Wants? Sure, I'd take an R32 Golf.

Who here owns/drives/wants a VW?

Owns/drives? No. Honda and Toyota for me.
Wants? Sure, I'd take an R32 Golf.

Wants? Sure, I'd take an Bugatti Veyron.

Ok that skewed the data.

There were two theories. The first is that the most bugshit crazy people on earth drive VW. Apparently it's mostly crazy women, at least in my experience. My current wife and her ex included, though she's been in a Honda for 20 years.

The second isn't a theory really, just more of an observation. The most intelligent people here are constantly ready to debate the economics of ANY subject, whether it be cars, women, porn or movies. And I enjoy reading it.

I shit on your theory, Dr Poopface

Oh go sit on a bullet train.

* shuffles off to Tokyo station

The most economical, fun, and stylish car is, I find, the one found in someone's barn.

You would be the exception to the rule.

The most economical, fun, and stylish car is, I find, the one found in someone's barn.

that would be a donkey, shitbrains

Which proves my point

Culture-less swine.

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&safe=off&um=1&q=barn+finds&sa=N&start=18&ndsp=18

BTW the Concusar and the bogtroopers are drinking at the Pirate Tavern at the Renn on the 6th, you're invited.

I'll be there!

Ok that skewed the data.

There were two theories. The first is that the most bugshit crazy people on earth drive VW. Apparently it's mostly crazy women, at least in my experience. My current wife and her ex included, though she's been in a Honda for 20 years.

The second isn't a theory really, just more of an observation. The most intelligent people here are constantly ready to debate the economics of ANY subject, whether it be cars, women, porn or movies. And I enjoy reading it.

Ok, to be a bit cheaper, I'd consider a Lambo Murchilago or an Audi RS8 or whatever it is...

VW's nice as they might be, are boring as batshit, generally.
But they can be funny:
jeremy and james make an advert for volkswagen part 2

I was thinking about trading my Mini in for a Jetta, but I am having second thoughts since that car that gets 200 miles to the gallon just came out.