[martin_fierro]

The Mercedes I owned was the biggest piece of crap EVER.

I'll only buy Toyota and Honda from now on.

[Helms]

The new BMW 5 series is a good reason to buy a 3 or a 7 series. The once great 5 series is now a bulbous cut up
techno lighting extravaganza on 4 wheels. The Nissan Maxima is the better looking car.

[Mark17]

I have had a BMW almost 8 years now. I have only had minor problems with it. The water pump died at 75,000 miles, but that was easily fixed.

[buccaneer81]

This satisfied three time Mazda owner agrees.

[Vesuvian]

I had no problems with my Mitsubishi other than normal wear and tear. My Audi came from the factory with a defective transmission and the wrong trim installed. But, I have to say it's much more fun to drive.

[PolishProud]

I have a 1986 Mercedes and had the following problems: replaced valve seals twice at 5K and 6K miles, alarm went off when car unlocked, radio kept thinking it was being stolen and would cut out, replaced ignition twice at 5K and 10K miles, spring in seat broke at 6K miles, head light unit hinged open one cold night because plastic male connector broke (fixed with door spring hooked to frame otherwise huge cost to replace unit)and nurmerous oil leaks. A 67 Chevy was the best car I ever had.

PS: The Mercedes only has 98,000 miles. I never drive it. Its for sale, cheap.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Buy a Lexus. You will never be disappointed.

[T. Jefferson]

Porsche 944 with 40,000 miles bought in 1987 for $14,000. In 3 years I paid out $12,000 in maintenance. I would have driven it the junkyard if I could've got the damn thing started. In my family, 2 porsches and 2 BMW 7 series have been owned. All were junk, 3 of 4 needed new engines within 80,000 miles. The list of repairs would be pages and pages deep.

Learned my lesson, have owned 2 Nissan Maximas last 7 years. A combined 210,000 miles with total maintenance costs under $1000. Owned 1 Jaguar XJS for 30,000 miles. Not one dollar in maintenance. Jags are the best luxury car by far, but they depreciate so fast it's ridiculous.

If offered a used German car for free, I would pass. The nightmares and maintenance are not worth the stress.

[SVTCobra03]

Well, if I could afford it, I would get a 469 hp E55 AMG; otherwise I will stick with my modified 440rwhp 03 Cobra.

[truth_seeker]

Yesterday I went to look at the just in X3, which is a smaller SUV derived from the 3 Series.

It comes with 2.5 and 3.0 liter motors, like the 3s and 5s. Assembled in Graz, Austria.

It seemed cheap, compared to others BMWs. Maybe it is because it is aimed for a lower price range.

In my opinion, the finest cars in the world are German. Sure they are expensive. You get what you pay for.

I have owned two BMWs, two VWs, a Porsche, a Mercedes and an Opel for German cars.. Also owned three Chevys, two Toyotas, two Fiats, a Volvo, a Saab, a Mazda and an MG.

Daughter two more VWs.

Best of the bunch: The two BMWs. High quality, minimal repair incidence and cost. Worst 1977 Chevrolet Caprice Classic.

Current drives: Mercedes ML 320 (made in USA) and Saab 9-5 (owned by GM).

What do I want next? Not sure, but it is unlikely that it will be American (sadly).

My guess the survey results are weighted towards people that cannot afford BMWs and Mercedes. If you surveyed owners of such cars in Europe, they wouldn't tell you they wanted a Honda.

[AZLiberty]

In general, the German cars sold in Germany (even by Mercedes and BMW) are not the luxury models we see here in the U.S. Only Americans can afford those. Matching for price, Japanese cars are better than German cars in the U.S., too.

[bruoz]

We bought our first BMW in 1984 and drove it for 16 years. It still looked and ran like new when an idiot dialing a cellphone in her p.o.s. Mustang II ran a red light and totaled it. My wife and I walked away with no injuries. We have had our second BMW for 4 years now. 'Nuff said.

[Jumper]

I love my 2001 Mercedes E Class Elegance Euro version. I specifically bought an European Version and have convereted it to US Specs for import; everyone who sits in it is impressed, as am I. After driving an Acura for 3-weeks this Summer in the States, I was very pleased to again sit behind the wheel of Heavy, powerful, elegant and yet sporty MB. My other car is a 97 Honda. Both of these vehicles are superb and dependable. Dodge builds crap these days and I dropped them after 9 vehicles in 27 years for imports; wish I had dropped them sooner:)

[HitmanLV]

My 2002 Saab 9-3 is a dream! No german cars for me, ever.

[Lazamataz]

A German car owner, on the other hand, is more like a "disappointed lover who realizes the first promises aren't going to come true".

Story of my life.

[tpaine]

German Cars Disappoint Car Owners
DW World
Posted by freedom44

---

I've owned well over 100 cars in the last 52 years. The best, bar none, were a half dozen different Mercedes.

Best of the best; 80' Mercedes 500E gray market Euro Model.
Still capable of 130MPH when I sold it in '88 with 200+K miles on it.

First car; 1928 Willys Whippit Sedan, bought in '51. Totaled in '52.

First Mercedes; 1949 170 4door, bought in '56.

Best fun car; 1954 MG 1500TF bought in '59, idiotically sold in '64.

Worse car; 75 AMC Station Wagon. 'Cute car', said the wife & kids.

Full circle nostalgia car; 1928 Nash Sedan, bought six months ago.

[nycgal]

I love my Audi A4. Bought it 4 years ago. The only problem I've had was with the speakers which were replaced by the dealer at no cost to me.

[oceanview]

a slight change of topic, but since alot of the freeper car fans are on this thread. first real spy photos of the new Corvette C6:

http://chat.autoweek.com/showthread.php?s=202ad82db69dfaf996a1370da564de29&threadid=4798