Frohe Weihnachten!

The BMW emblem has a new meaning: The sound of a spinning propeller as it takes-out BMW employees.

Too bad for the employees, but it doesn’t mean a lot to consumer as long as the products are good and priced appropriately.

ein was für gutes Weihnachtsgeschenk für die deutschen Arbeiter, die in dieser festlichen Periode abgelegt werden

^ yeah merry christmas your are now unemployed.

1st supplier woes, now this. I thought last year BMW was 2nd or 3rd most profitable per unit volume Mfg behind Porsche. I guess thats just not good enough. You know where the jobs are going: to some place cheaper w/weaker or no unions. Like South Carolina where the local Govt wont enforce enviro laws and let them dump their raw sewage into creeks and rivers.

If I was German employee I would be pissed and worried.

“Hallo Hansi, was hast Du denn für’s Weihnachten bekommen.”

…. “Naja, BMW hat mir den Pinkslip geschenkt! Arbeit macht gefickt!”
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The latest game at BMW HQ in Munich …. http://www.****edcompany.com/pink/

They “focus on price rather than quality”? Meaning they’re installing ****ty parts into their vehicles? This comes as somewhat of a suprise to me. I, like most people, held them on a pedestal.

Wow – I thought the German workers had safe like union contracts, guess not.

hateful: That could be a regretful move.

It will be regretful, when you start compromising the quality of your product to save some $. This is BMW we’re talking about, the car company that others strive to be. I’m sure this cost cutting will show up on the product one way or another.

That’s my attitude. They should just let it costs what it costs, and have the name MEAN something.

Perhaps Toyota will build a plant for them to screw cars at. They were planning something for Europe. France already has one, but it is shared with Peugeot (like NUMMI).

Ricardo, where did your learn German so well?

jjt: what does the name mean these days? Every time I turn on the radio I’m inundated with promos for BMW lease deals. I think there’s just too much other good stuff out there these days. They’re runnin’ scared.

I think BMW is running in the right direction. There will come a time when their prices are highly competitive with the japs while offering the same performance they’re known for. BMW mentioned many times that their main competitor will be Lexus. But seeing how Infiniti is also offering interesting vehicles at prices well below Cadillac and BMW, maybe there’s a shift their pricing strategy. We’ll see how it turns out…

‘hateful’, the aura around BMW is gone. The shine is no more. Since my experiences with BMWs over the last decade with friends having had issues that I would associate with entry-level vehicles, like tail light assemblies that fill with water in the rain, suspension bushings that deteriorate without cause, etc., I laugh at people throwing their money away on overpriced, unattractive, unreliable garbage.

Quality was never a trait of this company … only marketing ability selling to the sheep.

Impulsive: I agree completely. However, if you’re looking at a cheap yet safe sport cars, they’re still worth checking out. But that’s about what’s attractive about the company.

I don’t know guy’s, they also have a reputation as great handling, extememly percise automobiles. (3 series in particular) You can’t knock them on that. As far as the intangibles, what can you say? Things fail, all across the board, all them time. Is it acceptable when you’re spending this kind of money…. no. But, once you recognize that common business model (in general) is to sell the biggest piece of **** to the largest amount of people for the most money possible, BMW doesn’t seem so bad.

Let’s face it , they spend far too much energy NOT making sports cars these days.

Das ist natürlich wirklich ein nettes Weihnachtsgeschenk… Merry Christmas!

Impulsive — “Quality was never a trait of this company … only marketing ability selling to the sheep.”

They still drive better than everything else. If Infiniti had cracked the code I would have one.

“sheep”……please. That is Lexus.

Renton: I agree with you. They really do drive better than the competition, hands down. Impulsive is naive to assume that people are solely buying BMW’s because of the propeller…the reality is they handle the best, are supremely luxurious, and have great engines to boot. People can speculate all they want about how ****ty the brand is, but it is bull****. My grandparents own a 325xi and have had 0 problems. My dad owns a 335i and has had no issues, etc etc. The only sheep are the ones who speculate irrationally about the brand, such as Impulsive does.

‘Renton’, they are overpriced, unattractive, unreliable garbage in my opinion. The interiors are as unattractive as their exteriors … FACT. Nobody has ever lauded this company for their pathetic interiors. The only praise is handling … and Infiniti seems to have bettered that with the new G. Add to this, having to resort to turbos which used to be anathema … NO THANKS. Oh, and getting raped when visiting the dealer for sub-par ‘German engineered’ garbage is adding insult to injury.

‘Lambo’, you schizo monkey … it’s not hands down when Infiniti has met and exceeded “the standard”, you ****ing ignorant ass. They are not “supremely luxurious” in any sense, at least no more than any other “luxury” marque. The fact that your connections not having had issues means nothing … odds are, with any manufacturer, most will not have issues but when serious, unacceptable things like I’ve seen occur, there’s no excuse. Keep buying overpriced, unattractive, unreliable garbage, monkey … you need something to satiate your foolish, sheep-like personality.

I am convinced that today BMWs are bought because of propeller. Look at drivers of this brand. I’d say more then 50% are women and 85-90% are automatics. This is not a car for enthusiast. They soft, bloated and frankly not necessarily drive better then competition (I hate to mention japs but that is the competition). I drive often my friends 335 coupe (with stick) and it does feel great. But in all honesty driving TL with stick (not very common bird) I could not found many differences. I am sure on the track BMW will beat pants off the Acura (any Acura) but I did not drive on the track. On the street of interstate where speed limit holds you at 79 (65 + 14 for chance of pleading out) there is little difference to notice.

‘autonut’, it’s refreshing to see someone with a brain on the thread … you’ve pretty well nailed it.

I agree that BMW’s are to most a status symbol. Most of the women, and the hundred year olds, don’t realize what they’re driving. They might not even realize that they are driving. But what they do have is an expensive car that can perform. The X3’s and X5’s of the world don’t fit that criteria though. They were built because Americans would much rather say they have an SUV as opposed to a station wagon. At any rate, they build a good car (more so a good chassis). Companies have been nipping at their heals for a while. When you get down to it, they might not always be the best looking, have the best interior, the most comfortable,,, but their engine, transmission, frame and suspension combo are often hard to beat. And although 90% of people don’t buy them for those reasons, I’m glad they’re still built to perform.

“Hopefully” they will start handing out the pink slips in their design studios

LamborghiniZ: Get back to us when you have already owned a few 3 and 5 series units. I’m sure you’ll change your mind then.

hateful83: You nailed it buddy.

“like tail light assemblies that fill with water in the rain”

Btw, this seems like an ongoing problem with the previous gens, but didn’t they finally fix it with the new 3 and 5 series?

They may have but the fact that it was an issue with this brand is shameful … “German engineering” is an oxymoron. And then to be raped to fix their problem is just a kick in the ass when you’re down. **** them.

BMW’s are not luxurious. They have good road manners but the the interiors are bland to cookie cutter. They have powerful engines bute yo’ll pay through the nose for them. The G35 (who has stated to be their competition) is a much better car. Better interior, more powerful base engine, less expensive, better electronics, better ergonomics, better equipped, bewtter crash ratings, better quality and even if not better handling. Funny how BMW wants to compete with Lexus who are known to have a very numb driving feel.

Jazz: They’re trying to compete in sales numbers which they foresee Lexus as being their main competitor in the near future. I’m guessing they’re going to sell the best handling cheap price tag deal pretty soon. That will put them right at Lexus’ nose, kill Volvo, and undercut Mercedes in the US market. If not, then I guess they just want to increase net profit.

Violence will soon come to the fatherland.