# Has BMW sold out?



## MN525i (Aug 8, 2010)

During the Super Bowl I saw a commercial bragging that the new X3s are designed and built here in the USA. Personally I think this is sacrilegious, when I pay a premium for a white propeller product I expect German quality and value... not a GM. Maybe I am overreacting but it makes me sad to see that BMW has gone this way when just 20 years ago they were building M5s by hand in Garching.


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## NoWayJose (Mar 18, 2010)

I saw it also I hope not. 

Sent from my Nexus One using Bimmer App


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## CDirks (Jun 28, 2010)

z4's have been built in the Spartanburg Virginia(FAQcheck?) factory for a good while now. Does knowing that make your skin crawl and your ego shrink?


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## EdCT (Mar 14, 2002)

CDirks said:


> z4's have been built in the Spartanburg Virginia(FAQcheck?) factory for a good while now. Does knowing that make your skin crawl and your ego shrink?


That's not what the OP is suggesting. What I believe he's referring to, and I agree 100 percent, was the tone of the ad - it was as if you were watching a Chevy Pickup Truck commercial.

It was odd to say the least - makes you wonder who the target market for X3's is.

PS: Spartanburg is in South Carolina


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## darbyogill (Jan 16, 2011)

MN525i said:


> During the Super Bowl I saw a commercial bragging that the new X3s are designed and built here in the USA. Personally I think this is sacrilegious, when I pay a premium for a white propeller product I expect German quality and value... not a GM. Maybe I am overreacting but it makes me sad to see that BMW has gone this way when just 20 years ago they were building M5s by hand in Garching.


...says the guy who hasn't bought a new BMW in 16 years? Or did you even buy the 525i new?

Oh, and by the way, it's not a white propeller.

Please spare us the righteous indignation.


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## MN525i (Aug 8, 2010)

No, I am only 20... I didn't buy my BMW new, but in future I plan to... but maybe not anymore. I would rather not pay for a over priced GM. And yes, it is a white propeller spinning through blue sky.


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## darbyogill (Jan 16, 2011)

Got it.

20 years old, and you know everything there is to know about cars simply by the country of final assembly.

And too smart to click on the link provided, showing the (recently revealed) true meaning of the roundel.

Perhaps a new BMW isn't for you. It's ok. They're not for everybody.


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## MN525i (Aug 8, 2010)

I said that I know everything about cars? Please, show me the direct quote of where I said this. As for the roundel, its a disputed topic, you believe what you want and I'll stick to what I want. Honestly, if you are going to come here and criticize what I have to say then please do not reply to my thread anymore, I started this to reflect on the drop in quality from BMW and the turning away from the concepts and ideas that made them great, not to see who could ruffle their feathers the most.


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## adrian's bmw (Feb 14, 2003)

MN525i said:


> No, I am only 20... I didn't buy my BMW new, but in future I plan to... but maybe not anymore. I would rather not pay for a over priced GM. And yes, it is a white propeller spinning through blue sky.


 so you were in the market for an X3, X5, or X6, but since you saw a SB commercial showing they're designed and built in the US, now you're not? Really??:rofl: yeah, you're overreacting. And what about all those 3 Series built in South Africa?


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

BMW has been building many of its vehicle in the States for many years (all X5 models, for starters). In fact, many are even designed in the States (E60, Z4 and E9x, to name a few, if my memory serves me). It doesn't detract from their heritage one bit.

However, it does help keep the price down to keep the automaker competitive with Audi and Mercedes-Benz (MB also makes cars in the States). I think we all appreciate that. :thumbup:

- Mike


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## swajames (Jan 16, 2005)

Spartanburg builds the X3, X5 and X6. I've never for a second considered the place of manufacture to somehow make these lesser BMWs, and there's really no evidence that the Spartanburg plant product is in any way inferior to product made in Germany.


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

swajames said:


> Spartanburg builds the X3, X5 and X6. I've never for a second considered the place of manufacture to somehow make these lesser BMWs, *and there's really no evidence that the Spartanburg plant product is in any way inferior to product made in Germany*.


Honda proved that in the 80's, when they started making their award-winning cars in Ohio without any drop in quality.

- Mike


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## TerraPhantm (Nov 22, 2004)

Nothing wrong with the US-built cars - they've been just as high quality as all other BMWs. The engines (and most of the other major equipment) are still made in Germany.


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## AzNMpower32 (Oct 23, 2005)

In today's world of globalisation, expecting a major brand to source and manufacture every single thing in one single country is naive. BMW was smart to invest and develop the Spartanburg plant and it's created thousands of jobs plus boosted the American economy (we have that awful trade imbalance, remember? There's absolutely nothing wrong with buying a US-built car regardless of brand.

VW is playing catch-up and emulating MB and BMW with the opening of its plant in Chattanooga, TN where the new NA-market Passat will be built.


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## EdCT (Mar 14, 2002)

Actually, the Spartanburg plant is so old, BMW built early production e36's there. That's almost 20 years ago now.


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## MN525i (Aug 8, 2010)

Sorry, I didn't speak clearly about this the first time. By quality I meant the excitement of driving a BMW. '04 and on BMWs just seem way to bland to me, there isn't the raw excitement that they had in anything from the E39 and prior. It seems they have lost their spirit and BMW is just another greedy car company who couldn't care less about their roots (take the V8 M3s for instance, or the twin turbo N54)


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

MN525i said:


> Sorry, I didn't speak clearly about this the first time. By quality I meant the excitement of driving a BMW. '04 and on BMWs just seem way to bland to me, there isn't the raw excitement that they had in anything from the E39 and prior. It seems they have lost their spirit and BMW is just another greedy car company who couldn't care less about their roots (take the V8 M3s for instance, or the twin turbo N54)


BMW's primary objective is to make money.

So, they need to sell cars and make profit. To sell cars, they must be priced competitively. Oh, they also have to meet emission standards, crash standards, fuel economy standards, etc... um, many of those all take "fun" out of the equation. 

The industry is changing. It's not just BMW.

What automaker strikes your fancy these days?

- Mike


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## ***CCCP*** (Aug 31, 2010)

darbyogill said:


> Got it.
> 
> 20 years old, and you know everything there is to know about cars simply by the country of final assembly.
> 
> ...


I really see where he's coming from and what difference does it make if he never bought BMW brand new? And that he's 20? Take a guy who created a Facebook for example he wasn't too much older and now he has money we can never dream about so age doesn't really mean anything in knowing something. I understand there is nothing wrong with US made BMWs but it just doesn't feel right. And I'm not sure if I would buy one. I love that my win stars with W


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## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

Emission said:


> What automaker strikes your fancy these days?
> 
> - Mike


I know the question wasn't directed at me, but I'm compelled to answer.

In Alphabetical order they are:

*BMW*
Not so much for what they are making today, but for where they are going. I'm especially interested in the carbon fibre body going into the MegaCity. That might be the first but I doubt it will be the only CF bodied car coming from BMW.










*Caterham*
Somehow they've managed to get around all the things that make everyone else's cars bigger and heavier. Oh and they've partnered with Lola on a new model.






*Jaguar*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vta7WHOuz2s&feature=related

*Lotus*
Fast and decent fuel economy. What's not to like?

*Tesla*
300 mile range electric cars









*VW*

Some reviews say VW will sell XL1 in the UK. Dunno if that's true or not.

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/volkswa...eils-the-xl1-super-efficient-vehicle-in-qatar


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

Andrew*Debbie said:


> I know the question wasn't directed at me, but I'm compelled to answer.
> 
> In Alphabetical order they are:
> 
> ...


Interesting.

As as someone who sits inside the industry, my list of driver-centric passionate automakers (in random order):

Hyundai
BMW
Porsche
Jaguar
Lotus
Nissan
Audi
Bentley
Aston Martin
Ford
Mercedes-Benz
Cadillac
Mini

Wow. The list is longer than I thought!

- Mike


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## darbyogill (Jan 16, 2011)

Mercedes could have built the ML at the Utopia Planitia shipyards and quality still would have been abysmal.


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## Bad Debt (Jun 22, 2010)

My and my family's experience is that Mercedes makes a far more reliable car than BMW. We have had 2 BMW and at least a dozen Mercedes over the years, the BMW's have had more issues than all the Mercedes combined.


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