A comment in Steve Cropley?s Autocar column caught my eye ?I see a day when even buyers of ?quality? cars won?t want to pay prices inflated by something as unimportant as image?.
He had been talking about a quote from Opel-Vauxhall?s big chief, Carl
Peter Forester, formally quality guru, who said ?Our new Vectra is as good, as
technologically competent, as any BMW 3 series and we sell it at much keener prices?.
I had earlier been talking to a guy who is bracing himself for when the awful reality of the new company car tax charges hit the pay cheques of his staff at the end of April. Apparently, a few years ago he ran a Spanish division of the group for his employers and he said ? In Spain nobody had a company car and nobody was interested in the image of your car. I went to the office on the bus! When I moved to a new post back in the UK, everyone has a company car and I have to arrive in £30,000 of 5 series BMW because I?m the boss!?
As more people opt out and have to make their own decisions about writing cheques for cars, what price will they be prepared to pay for image?
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Can't wait for the edit button! Carl Peter Forester is formerly BMW's quality guru.
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I understand what you say and agree with most of it. However when I came to write my cheque out I went for a 5 series estate rather than a Vauxhall. There were a few reasons:
the main one was the engine. I wanted a 6 cyl diesel and vauxhall don't have as good a one in their line up.
the depreciation with a Vauxhall is very high and with the Omega you are not really starting from that much lower than some BMWs
I plan to keep the car for 200-250k miles and I think that I have a better chance of keeping going with a BMW
I am secure with myself and don't need to show off, so not all BMW/MB/Audi drivers are interested in what image is portrayed by their car.
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I also agree with CM I want practicallity not image and the BMW 5 Series 3.0D Touring is a great car to drive, loads of torque and fairly economical. Unfortunately my budget will not stretch to one so I've had to compromise with a Vovo V70 D5 SE which is also an excellent car to drive and should last as long as the Beamer.
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and your Volvo is more practical with a bigger boot, more economical and as you say will last just as long. Have you had a look at the Saab 9-5 3.0td?
Anyway the gruppenfuhrer said that she didn't want to drive around in a hearse so that is why Volvo didn't get a look in!
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They only look like a hearse if you order them in black.
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Whats the fuel consumption like in the V70?
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I haven't taken delivery of it yet, due 2nd week in May. Should give me over 40mpg on a run. I have a V70 2.4T at the moment and achieved 32mpg in France last year sticking to the motorways with the cruise control set on 85mph.
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I too have to second "CM"s comments......
I can still take my 13 year old BMW 535 sport for a blast and feel as if was fresh from the factory with no rattles or squeaks. I wonder how well a 13 year old Omega would feel?
It not all about image (though I have to admit that does play a part) but the inherent quality and not just of the materials and build, but the engineering too.
IMO you'd be hard pushed to find a better "All rounder" than a 5 series BMW.
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I can tell you how fresh a 10 year old Carlton would feel: not very. Old 5 series might be my next bargain barge.
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My cousin has a '91 Carlton 2.0 CDX with 160k on it. It may not be quite as fresh as a 5 series would be at that age, but consider that this one had been averagely looked after it isn't in bad condition at all. Only major problem was a faulty rear window element which malfunctioned and caused a shattered rear screen. A 5 series may be in better shape, but as it is a BMW it probablilty would be valued more and thus better cared for over its years.
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Taking up Paul's main point, I fear that "The Price of Image" may well be a major reduction in the motoring industry in the widest sense as the world leader in the company car stakes comes to grips with the new tax regime. No winners here, manufacturers, industry suppliers etc, right down to those of us who depend on the company car business for a supply of quality used cars, and even the Chancellor - so watch him even more carefully than usual when the Treasury finally catches on .... Oh! I almost forgot, the government have exempted themselves from the tax regulations applied to us poor mortals who only pay their rent.
Amongst the indicators: a substantial increase in the number of much smaller cars appearing in the golf club car-park sporting personalised registrations all to recently adorning much more expensivecars.
Yours resignedly
Jack
PS Noting the point about Vauxhall diesels, please someone remind CM and me who makes the diesel fitted in the Omega .....?
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they are under powered BMW engines that cannot compete with the ones fitted to BMWs - why would you give exactly the same engine to one of your competitiors? It makes sense to detune it or whateve they do.
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There is a review of the D5 in this month's Diesel Car. The economy didn't seem particularly impressive.
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Seem dead expensive too - why would you buy one of these over a new E Class or a 5er? The one in DC is like 27k or something - I nearly fell of the chair.
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Like I said before practicality and budget, the BMW 5 3.0D Touring is £32k which is too much money and with a smaller cabin/boot size, and I don't like the new Merc E Class diesel- ok!
Oh yes, and I had both a D5 and a BMW for separate days test drives and both were returning over 40mpg .
And one other point Volvo have a special offer on whereby you can get three years "free" service or £1k off the price, which was never as high as £27K.
Cheers
Andy.
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get a 2nd hand 530d like I did and save yourself a packet.
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CM - Tell me about your 530d.What options/year is best on this model ? I am trying to make my mind up on either a E300TD, an A6 2.5 TDI or the 530d. Has anyone else got any advice to assist my choice please ?
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True Brit doesn't like BMW 3 Series drivers, kowtows to BMW X5 drivers (just in case they're drug dealers packing Ingrams) and loves BMW MINI drivers. Funny thing, image. But there's nowt as queer as the British Public.
HJ
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