Badge status

[Palindrome]

Originally Posted by fennj

So why do ceratin marques, Honda included with the new Accord, and more recently Kia keep trying to convince us that they are moving up in brand status stakes ? Is that because it's gone out of the window ?

You are allowed to be wrong now and then you know. Admit defeat you know you wanna'

Look at Citroen bragging their new car is German!

[Palindrome]

Originally Posted by NH Dan

Can you imagine trying to explain to Posh 'i'm a dog' Spice how to use the HFT kit or even a bluetooth headpiece come to think of it??

HOW TRUE! LOL

[Kremmen]

I'm quite happy toodling around knowing that my car came 15th in the Auto Express 2008 user survey.

Passing a 1 series or even a C4 puts a sense of achievement on my decision.

I think owners of the Octavia should be similarly smug that they have bought a winning car at a bargain price.

[Roger Stone]

Im not a believer in badge snobbery - I always buy a car becuase I like it and want to DRIVE it!

I used to have a MG with a 2.5 V6 under the bonnet - One of the best cars I have ever owned. And I'm sure lots of people have an opinion of MG Rover. (Used to do a lot of joint research work with Honda over the years)

On the other hand you could say that the BMW 1 series uses the chassis from a Rover 25 or that Volvo uses the same engines in it's T5 and the ST.

I remember years ago a mate of mine had an Aston Martin and he was gutted that the car had the same switches they used in standard Fords.

If you are happy with your car and like driving it then I say "Good". If other people don't like your brand of car then that is their problem. They must be small minded!!!!!!!

[Branflake]

Originally Posted by Roger Stone

Im not a believer in badge snobbery - I always buy a car because I like it and want to DRIVE it!

I used to have a MG with a 2.5 V6 under the bonnet - One of the best cars I have ever owned. And I'm sure lots of people have an opinion of MG Rover. (Used to do a lot of joint research work with Honda over the years)

Same here, a fellow MG-rover owner! I look at what im going to get from the car, ie performance, reliability, handling, practicality and if i like it. Sod the badge.

P.s that 2.5 is a cracker....

[NH Dan]

right, forget about specific cars.

Someone says to you, i'm going to give you a car, you have a choice between a VW or a Citroen.

What would you choose?

[Foggy69]

Originally Posted by NH Dan

right, forget about specific cars.

Someone says to you, i'm going to give you a car, you have a choice between a VW or a Citroen.

What would you choose?

VW. Because there must be some truth behind a companies reputation. A brand can't live on image alone, there must be some substance to back it up.

[pcr]

I agree with Foggy, that's about the perceived quality behind the badge. Now to feel smug about driving the VW, that's something else.

[NH Dan]

Originally Posted by Foggy69

VW. Because there must be some truth behind a companies reputation. A brand can't live on image alone, there must be some substance to back it up.

Right, the two cars on offer are a 4 yr old 1.2 basic polo and a new say c2.

Still the same answer?

[angie4m]

If I had to chose I would have gone for the Citroen for the fact that I don't know anyone who has had any issues with a Citroen to date and my Sister has a Polo, on her second one after the first one kept repeatedly breaking down due to cracking cyclinders, they once went while in the outside lane of the ** luckily my Dad was driving and it was quite....that as well as the leaking seals made Vw buy the car back and give her another piece of crap! Yellow paint which has turned white, green & orange in places as well as leaking seals, crap service from the dealers, etc!

I'm sure the Citroen has its faults, but i've learnt that just because a car company had a good rep when I was younger that stands for F all now, same Sh*t, different car! Too much cost cutting going on.... I would have said that the VW would be more solid in an accident, but then the French were the first with the first 5 star Ncap cars!

Plus I bet the Citroen doesn't sound like a Diesel like the 1.2 Polo does - See yet another cost cutting measure, My Mum had the Polo before the current ones and it had a 1.0 16v engine and went much better than the new ones

[NH Dan]

Originally Posted by angie4m

If I had to chose I would have gone for the Citroen for the fact that I don't know anyone who has had any issues with a Citroen to date and my Sister has a Polo, on her second one after the first one kept repeatedly breaking down due to cracking cyclinders, they once went while in the outside lane of the ** luckily my Dad was driving and it was quite....that as well as the leaking seals made Vw buy the car back and give her another piece of crap! Yellow paint which has turned white, green & orange in places as well as leaking seals, crap service from the dealers, etc!

I'm sure the Citroen has its faults, but i've learnt that just because a car company had a good rep when I was younger that stands for F all now, same Sh*t, different car! Too much cost cutting going on.... I would have said that the VW would be more solid in an accident, but then the French were the first with the first 5 star Ncap cars!

Plus I bet the Citroen doesn't sound like a Diesel like the 1.2 Polo does - See yet another cost cutting measure, My Mum had the Polo before the current ones and it had a 1.0 16v engine and went much better than the new ones

Totally agree with you angie - was just trying to point out peoples decisions re branding. most people go with the names they know or the names they've grown to rely on, not really caring or knowing about quality.

With regards to the Ncap ratings on french cars, I believe that it has something to do with Renault being one of the major players in joining into the as then non compulsory Ncap system but dont quote me on it. (unless i'm right of course!!!)

[Kremmen]

I had 3 Citroen Xantias back to back and had no problems with any of them.

I then got a C5 and that had the early rear noisy suspension problem so it had to go.

[Foggy69]

Originally Posted by pcr

I agree with Foggy, that's about the perceived quality behind the badge. Now to feel smug about driving the VW, that's something else.

Only on the basis of what Dan asked. I dislike VW less than Citroen in this example. As every other car in the area I live in is a Golf, I wouldn't buy one out of priciple

Originally Posted by NH Dan

Right, the two cars on offer are a 4 yr old 1.2 basic polo and a new say c2.

Still the same answer?

No
I would take the Citroen because it is a newer car, very likely safer, have more toys and it will come with a better warrenty.

[NH Dan]

Originally Posted by Foggy69

Only on the basis of what Dan asked. I dislike VW less than Citroen in this example. As every other car in the area I live in is a Golf, I wouldn't buy one out of priciple



No
I would take the Citroen because it is a newer car, very likely safer, have more toys and it will come with a better warrenty.

but you can see what i'm getting at.

its the supermarket own brand beans versus heinz argument. Very little difference in teh product yet so many people buy the named brand as its PERCEIVED to be better.....

[Foggy69]

Originally Posted by NH Dan

Totally agree with you angie - was just trying to point out peoples decisions re branding. most people go with the names they know or the names they've grown to rely on, not really caring or knowing about quality.

But brands don't just get good reputations, they are built.
If every VW built fell apart, and the dealer said 'F**k off, I don't care' the VW brand wouldn't be as trusted as it is today.
Likewise, Citroen have had a reputation in the past of building less robust cars. I have owned a AX and a ZX in the past, which were both good cars slightly let down by poor quality control.

How Audi have such a good reputation is completely beyond me, I found the staff at it's Crawley dealer the most unhelpful bunch when I was looking at buying an A3. Whilst a trip to a Kia garage to look at the Pro Ceed (yes, silly name, but a surprising good car) to be very helpful.
So in my wierd little world, Kia is far ahead of Audi

[Coldwarkid]

I'd never buy BMW after what they did to Rover/Land Rover/Mini.

Car companies are all about cost cutting and many do joint development and others are owned by each other. Citeron C1-Toyato Aygo, Volvo C30-Ford Focus, VW Golf-Seat Ibiza etc, you just pay more for a badge which is pointless if you like the car.

[NH Dan]

Originally Posted by Foggy69

But brands don't just get good reputations, they are built.
If every VW built fell apart, and the dealer said 'F**k off, I don't care' the VW brand wouldn't be as trusted as it is today.
Likewise, Citroen have had a reputation in the past of building less robust cars. I have owned a AX and a ZX in the past, which were both good cars slightly let down by poor quality control.

How Audi have such a good reputation is completely beyond me, I found the staff at it's Crawley dealer the most unhelpful bunch when I was looking at buying an A3. Whilst a trip to a Kia garage to look at the Pro Ceed (yes, silly name, but a surprising good car) to be very helpful.
So in my wierd little world, Kia is far ahead of Audi

Exactly - in your opinion and experience but before this event, how would you have rated it?? Audi all the way I expect.

[alanwalne]

Originally Posted by angie4m

Don't buy a Ztec then TC, as that engine was designed by none other than Honda! And funnily enough it has been the most reliable engine that Ford have ever had!

I thought the original Fiesta 1.25 Zetec engine was designed by Yamaha, but I am willing to be corrected.

[Topcat]

Originally Posted by NH Dan

right, forget about specific cars.

Someone says to you, i'm going to give you a car, you have a choice between a VW or a Citroen.

What would you choose?

Have you read the latest user reviews on What Car for the Golf - they are not good at all.

[NH Dan]

As I said (and following the theme of the thread) this is not about specific cars, its about the perception of Brands and their placement within the marketplace.

As a general rule, in my experience, most people would place VW above Citroen.