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      02-18-2007, 11:40 PM   #1
im_dave
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a battle as old as time itself

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Originally Posted by chem0 View Post
traitor my ass... bmw is the poor man's merc, period.
so best of both worlds for us.
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Originally Posted by im_dave View Post
whoawhoa... hold your horses. :mad:

i believe a few people would disagree with that. me being the first
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Originally Posted by astra View Post
yup, i agree with you dave... different cars all together, so i couldn't compare them
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Originally Posted by im_dave View Post
BMWs Mercedes' are totally different cars, and i say that not meaning to slag either of them off...

firstly, i believe BMWs are more sport oriented, and Mercedes' more luxury oriented - most BMWs come in manual guise, mercedes dont - i think that says a lot in itself.

BMWs pride themselves on hi-tech, lightweight engines - straight sixes to deliver smothness, power, and a lovely note. Mercedes are happy with low-tech (they still use a single cam in some of their engines) crude and harsh engines, and supercharge the crap out of anything to gain power - not the most elegant engineering.

Mercedes (or AMG rather) seem to have the belief that bigger is better - shoehorn a massive engine into anything to make it go faster - ie c55? wtf? a 5+ litre engine in a small sedan... that is freakin stupid. slk 55? ditto. sure they go fast... but is it really all about that?

Don't get me wrong, Mercedes have lovely interiors - nice leather/wood... beautifully put together and finished... and i'm sure there as safe as fort knox.

but I think i've made my point clear that bmws and mercedes are different enough car brands to appeal to different people. neither being better than the other - their primary focus, i think, is totally different.

calling a bmw a 'poor man's merc' is ultimately, an ill-informed statement with no substance behind it.
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well said dave
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Originally Posted by Neo JB View Post
LOL this is a debate that has gone on since the dawn of time.

IM_Dave, the Aus market is a very different one to the European market - even the BMW range here is small, with so many models and options missing! I don't think the whole range is oriented at people wanting a sporty car although they are percieved as being for a younger market...It's almost like they market them like this here:

1 series: For those who want the badge but can't afford a 3 series

3 series: The bulk of BMW drivers made up of people from all walks of life...

5: series: Bought by well-healed executives who want to show off their wealth and couldn't care less about the ethos of spirited driving (they only come in auto btw)

6 series: bought as Christmas/birthday gifts for CEO's wifes

7 series: bought by the CEO for himself



I also have to say that I don't see there being much wrong with stuffing a big engine in a small car. AMG make some fantastic cars - Brabus make even better ones - they're all pointless but car ownership isn't all about rationalism.
ok, let's hear it...!!!
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      02-18-2007, 11:41 PM   #2
astra
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this thread will end in tears, and most likely some bannings...
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      02-18-2007, 11:44 PM   #3
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this thread will end in tears, and most likely some bannings...
+1 ... I like how you put it.....
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      02-19-2007, 12:07 AM   #4
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Mercs are the poor man's Porsche...

Porsche is the poor man's Ferrari...

Ferrari is the poor man's Pagani...

Pagani is the poor man's Bugatti...

Bugatti is the poor man's <erm>
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      02-19-2007, 12:08 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by Neo JB View Post
Mercs are the poor man's Porsche...

Porsche is the poor man's Ferrari...

Ferrari is the poor man's Pagani...

Pagani is the poor man's Bugatti...

Bugatti is the poor man's <erm>

Gulfstream! ... Bugattis is the poor man's Gulfstream
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      02-19-2007, 12:16 AM   #6
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Gulfstream! ... Bugattis is the poor man's Gulfstream
SPOT ON THAT MAN!

Gulfstream is the poor man's 747
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      02-19-2007, 12:20 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neo JB View Post
IM_Dave, the Aus market is a very different one to the European market - even the BMW range here is small, with so many models and options missing! I don't think the whole range is oriented at people wanting a sporty car although they are percieved as being for a younger market...It's almost like they market them like this here:

1 series: For those who want the badge but can't afford a 3 series

3 series: The bulk of BMW drivers made up of people from all walks of life...

5: series: Bought by well-healed executives who want to show off their wealth and couldn't care less about the ethos of spirited driving (they only come in auto btw)

6 series: bought as Christmas/birthday gifts for CEO's wifes

7 series: bought by the CEO for himself



I also have to say that I don't see there being much wrong with stuffing a big engine in a small car. AMG make some fantastic cars - Brabus make even better ones - they're all pointless but car ownership isn't all about rationalism.
i like your spin on the aussie market re typical bmw owners... though if i were a ceo, i'd buy a 6 for myself - m6 guise thankyou very much...!

i agree that not everyone who buys a bmw wants a 'sporty' car - but i think they are more 'driver focused' vehicles in general - whether people may want that in a car or not is their own decision... and whether people realise that when they buy a bmw, i'm not so sure. but engineering wise it shows, mercedes and bmw are very different.

big engines in small cars has been tried and tested, i agree... but having a 200kg 5 litre v8 overhanging the front of a small car like a slk surely detracts from the cars dynamics...? i would prefer a lighter, more high-tech engine that didn't impose such hefty weight penalties ala 130i, as you would know.

but bmw a poor man's merc? not at all.

different brands, different philosphies.

yes, and i do realise that this is a rather contentious issue...!
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      02-19-2007, 12:20 AM   #8
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747 is the poor man's A380
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      02-19-2007, 12:35 AM   #9
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Yes, from a mechanical perspective, the BMW is recognised as a more driver-focussed car than a Mercedes.

I guess the original comment (BMW is a poor man's Merc) alluded to financial constraints, in that if a poor man (BMW owner) had more money, they'd buy a Merc.

Well, the BMW range goes from $30K for a 116 to $345,000 for a 760Li, so how is a 760Li a poor man's Merc?!

If I had more than $345,000 a Merc would be about the last car I'd buy. After watching Transporter 2, a Convertible black Murcielago is pretty high on my list!

Mind you, you can imagine the thought process: $350k to spend. What shall I get? a 760Li, a CL63AMG, an Aston Martin Vantage or a Lamborghini Gallardo...jeeez that's a tough one - I've always wanted a CL63 AMG over a Lamborghini - NOT!
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      02-19-2007, 12:36 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by astra View Post
747 is the poor man's A380
A380 is a poor man's Space Shuttle!
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      02-19-2007, 12:36 AM   #11
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lol ok ok... and richard branson owns all these...

now, back to fighting about mercs and bimmers... lol
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      02-19-2007, 12:43 AM   #12
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Maybe we should get Richard Branson on this forum to see what he has to say...
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      02-19-2007, 12:51 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by Neo JB View Post
Maybe we should get Richard Branson on this forum to see what he has to say...
haha! that will solve all of this debate...!
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      02-19-2007, 01:11 AM   #14
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You guys are hilarious. What a thread
Well my opinion is that mercs and Bimmers have totally different markets.
The mercs have always been for the more mature people, and thats a fact that has been proved by many of the merc owners in North Shore area. The Bimmers as someone else said is more young and dynamic orientated. Therefore its for a younger market. on this forum they did a average age poll for the members and it came to around 24-25 year olds. This shows the consumer market pretty well for BMW enthusiests around the world being young
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      02-19-2007, 01:12 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by im_dave View Post
haha! that will solve all of this debate...!
LOL to be honest, I don't think there is much of a debate...

Judging by the apparent intellect (or lack thereof) behind some of these statements that are being posted, I don't think there is much worth retorting with!

LOL we could start so many of those sorts of threads:

e.g.

"When Wheels magazine just voted the Holden Commodore Car of the year and said it is as good as a BMW, would you agree?"

You know what, I couldn't care LESS whether someone chooses a Holden or Merc over a BMW - I enjoy my BMW and if someone else gets as much enjoyment out of their Holden Commodore, then good for them!

LOL maybe that means I shouldn't post on this thread anymore...
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      02-19-2007, 01:14 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by Chris.G View Post
You guys are hilarious. What a thread
Well my opinion is that mercs and Bimmers have totally different markets.
The mercs have always been for the more mature people, and thats a fact that has been proved by many of the merc owners in North Shore area. The Bimmers as someone else said is more young and dynamic orientated. Therefore its for a younger market. on this forum they did a average age poll for the members and it came to around 24-25 year olds. This shows the consumer market pretty well for BMW enthusiests around the world being young
Mate, I have to say that this part of your statement stretches things just a litttttle far...

"...on this forum they did a average age poll for the members and it came to around 24-25 year olds. This shows the consumer market pretty well for BMW enthusiests around the world being young..."

There are how many hundreds of thousands of BMW owners in the world of which what %age use this forum?
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      02-19-2007, 01:22 AM   #17
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some people are my age, some people are old enough to be fossils, but we both enjoy our bmw's, so what does it matter how old we are
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      02-19-2007, 01:48 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neo JB View Post
Mate, I have to say that this part of your statement stretches things just a litttttle far...

"...on this forum they did a average age poll for the members and it came to around 24-25 year olds. This shows the consumer market pretty well for BMW enthusiests around the world being young..."

There are how many hundreds of thousands of BMW owners in the world of which what %age use this forum?
Yeah i understand, but what i was trying to say was for the members we have (enthusiests) on this forum are very young and most are owners of the 3 series. So my point is BMW is usually marketed and made for a younger market especially the 3 series.
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      02-19-2007, 04:37 AM   #19
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Space Shuttle is a poor man's Starship Enterprise ............Beam me up Scotty
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      02-19-2007, 06:29 AM   #20
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Ummmm..... This is called E90 post is it not? So maybe that's why people here have 3ers. I used to drive an E39 (5 series sedan- my first BMW. I so proud and happy to have it..... ) but decided I wanted a sportier car and couldn't afford an M5 at the time. And I really wanted a MANUAL (Damn Bmw Aust for not importing manual 5 series cars). So needed to do research into the new 3 coupe (E92). I found this awesome site and lurked for ages. With this site I knew more than the dealer did and put myself on the waiting list. Got it in Nov last year and I must say this site should get royalties from BMW for helping me make my decision. So- now I'm a 3er owner.

BTW there is no way I could have been able to afford the 335 if I was 25ish.

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Originally Posted by Chris.G View Post
Yeah i understand, but what i was trying to say was for the members we have (enthusiests) on this forum are very young and most are owners of the 3 series. So my point is BMW is usually marketed and made for a younger market especially the 3 series.
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      02-19-2007, 07:57 AM   #21
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"bmw is the poor man's merc, period"

I hate to bring up the stupid advert for APIA with the old lady, but aren't we really comparing apples and oranges here?
In no way can you say BMW is a poor man's merc.. unless you are saying that older guys go with the mercs and younger guys (who usually have less money than the older guys) go for bimmers.. which is the case..

As has been said and said and said in this thread- BMW caters for the younger sportier crowd, whereas the merc has an aura of luxury (as its main focus) about it. Sure each of them have their flagship models which have a bit of both..

Saying a statement like that is likely to get a few ppl here hot under the collar- and I think it needs clarification if anything.. I disagree with the statement as it stands, and would prolly never buy a merc, regardless of how much money I had.
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      02-19-2007, 05:02 PM   #22
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Yeah i understand, but what i was trying to say was for the members we have (enthusiests) on this forum are very young and most are owners of the 3 series. So my point is BMW is usually marketed and made for a younger market especially the 3 series.
Also bear in mind that you aren't going to get many old farts participating in web based BMW forums
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