[Leica] Car Prices

[henningw at archiphoto.com (Henning Wulff)]

At 11:21 AM -0600 6/5/05, GREG LORENZO wrote:
>Joseph Yao writes in part:
>>
>>  Current BMW automatics are excellent - very smooth, rapid shifting and 
>> has
>>  insignificant effect on performance and economy.  The Sport and 
>>Steptronicmodes
>>  are handy when maximum control and acceleration are called for.
>>
>>  I also prefer manual transmission in general and together with Honda, BMW
>>  offer one of the best manual transmissions.
>>
>
>The manual transmission shifts much better and smoother in my Honda 
>than my BMW. Of course the Honda doesn't have the torque and 
>horsepower of the BMW, but the pricing reflects this.
>
>>  I present I have BMWs, and would like to have Mercedes again once they 
>> have
>>  the quality issues sorted.  My last Mercedes was a lemon. I also find
>>  Mercedes better suited for automatics, as if their cars were engineered 
>> from
>>  scratch with auto in mind.
>>
>
>I looked at Mercedes when I purchased my BMW. The quality of the 
>cars Mercedes is building today is a word terrible (& owner 
>satisfaction survey numbers back this up). This, along with the fact 
>that you cannot purchase any new Mercedes you'd want to drive with a 
>manual transmission with a manual transmission here in NA booted 
>them from further consideration for me.
>
>Regards,
>
>Greg

Mercedes now has some manual shift cars again in NA, but they also 
have a new 7 speed auto which generally gives both better fuel 
economy and performance than the manual in the same car but of course 
still has the major failing of sometimes shifting when you don't want 
to. With 7 speeds that doesn't matter as much anymore, though. 
Another 'automatic' that is a distinct step up from almost anything 
else is the VW groups' DSG transmission; in my opinion one of the 
most significant designs for transmissions in decades.

There is no doubt in my mind that Mercedes quality is sinking and is 
significantly lower than BMW quality at this point. My wife's Merceds 
has had endless niggling problems with the electrical system - the 
'Prince of Darkness' has left England since the British car industry 
died and settled in Sindelfingen.

Personally, I love manuals and generally get frustrated with 
automatics in anything but stop and go traffic. I've had some poor 
shifting manuals, including VW's, Mercedes and Nissans, and some 
great ones like in the Mazda Miata and my BMW 325, but I wouldn't 
have liked any, especially the latter, with automatics. My present 
car only comes with a manual; fortunately a very good one.

-- 
    *            Henning J. Wulff
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