rob-2

Am I the only one who doesn't care about brands and looks for specific models that excite/interest me and research from there?

QUIKAG

Me too. I have 2 GM's, a Ford, and a Toyota (Lexus). Will have a Subaru/Toy soon as well. I go after good models, don't really care much about the brand. I've told people if Kia came out with a 600hp firebreather with decent looks and handling, I'd look at it too.

Jub

Generally, I think most here are the same. There are certainly Honda fanbois and people who only buy Japanese cars but I don't think that's the norm here. Most non-enthusiasts seem to buy brands not cars. There's definitely some logic to buying brands though, outside of the status buy. Brands do have their ups and downs in different time periods. Also, with things moving to be increasingly modular, deducing reliability stats is going to be heavily correlated to the brand. When there's only 3 engine options that are shared across multiple platforms of the same brand, you're really buying the brand's drivetrain packaged in whatever vehicle base you're going for. Drivetrains are likely going to come from the same manufacturing/assembly lines regardless of which vehicle they end up in.

For me to buy a car, it starts with what do I think I like and then research to make sure that I'll actually like it and it's not dumb financially.

ssbfgc

Painting with a broad brush there. Quite the generalization, but okay...I'll offer up a different perspective. See below; it'll really blow your mind!
I generally do this as well. However, I do see the appeal of a Lexus, for example. Sister-in-law recently got an RX350. When my brother was looking for just a runabout vehicle, he only considered Lexus. He ended up with a used IS300. Are there "better" cars in the segment, sure. However, Lexus treats you like royalty. Contrary to engifneer's opinion, my brother is well aware it's a fancy Toyota. That's part of the appeal. But the bigger thing is how Lexus treats its customers. His wife's RX350 got rear ended and pushed into another car causing about $10k in damage. Lexus forgot to apply the ppf on the new headlights (he had the whole front end ppf'd upon purchase). He calls them up, they send someone right away to swap vehicles. Bring the RX350 back later that day. To some people their time and frustration is worth something. He is not a brand snob and has owned everything under the sun. Currently has a Hellcat and a Z06, so a badge really means nothing to him. Customer service means more and for him, Lexus has provided that. Comparing this to my 2020 Honda Ridgeline that went back to the shop three times for no A/C... First time, schedule an appointment and say it will be fixed same day. Don't get a call that day. I exercise some patience and call then next day. We'll need your vehicle the entire weekend. Pick it up. A/C went out a week later. Schedule a second appointment and insist on a loaner since I'm annoyed at this point. Drop it off and they give me some shit Insight. Fine, whatever. Swap it out after a couple days. A/C went out AGAIN. Now I'm really pissed off and let them have it. I said I need someone to come to my home because this is becoming a huge waste of my time. They had to get special approval to accommodate. This simply would not happen with Lexus. The end

vader1

I agree with this in principle, but would it have been so hard to reskin a platform instead of basically putting lipstick on a pig? Not that the Civic is a pig, but it not really a different car, it is the same car with different headlights and some leather.

They have needed an entry level model for a while now because the ILX was a joke, but this is kind of the same joke.

QUIKAG

I started to type out how much cooler this Integra would have been with a strong 2.0L motor and better styling and how many people may have paid upper 30's to low 40's for it when I realized a lot of people wouldn't do that.......

Who the heck would pay $40k for a FWD 2.0L 4-banger Acura? Now, if they had cool styling, SH-AWD, 300hp 2.0L, six-speed, then maybe $40kish, but it would just be the Focus RS, Sti, etc. type crowd which I don't think is huge numbers.

So, Acura punted with a reskinned Civic and tried to generate a few more sales by invoking the Integra name. Not impressed.

engifineer

Picking a brand because they make quality cars is nothing like what I was saying. People feeling like they have to buy for prestige or to show they bought the more expensive car is what I am talking about and it is nothing but vanity pure and simple. I totally get sticking with a good brand. All 3 of my other cars are Toyota products, for a reason. I mean, I still will shop any brand that makes a model I like, but I like a lot of Toyota products and they have proven to be by far the most reliable cars I have ever owned. Not even a close comparison really in other cars I have had. So while I know they have had some issues now and then like most do, overall I can usually count on them to cost me very little money post purchase. So reliability and low total cost of ownership are big to me, since like I said, I keep cars until I drive the wheels off them.

But also to clarify, your friends experience, while good, had more to do with the dealership and likely little to do with Lexus. I have known people who were totally screwed by Lexus or Toyota dealerships (hell probably know people screwed by lots of brands dealers) when the car itself was great, but then they never wanted to buy that brand again. Dealerships can make or break peoples perception of a brand. I was pretty pissed at my Toyota dealership after buying my Scion. Tiny issue that was due to them installing an optional item incorrectly then argued about fixing it, did a poor job so I ended up doing it again myself, then tried to shove a bunch of services that did not apply to my car down my throat. No fault of the people building my car but just crappy dealership people.

rob-2

Agreed on the dealership experience being key. I had a bad experience on a warranty claim and changed dealerships mid process, night and day difference. They're not directly responsible to the parent brand so I think that can cause a range in customer experience.

engifineer

I am pretty much like that. If I know a mfgr consistently produces reliable cars, then I will tend to look there again. But if someone else makes a good car I like and I am convinced it is reliable, then I could care less the brand name on it. But reliability means I will tend to lean to proven manufacturers as you cannot judge it on one new product alone. So if a company making very unreliable stuff suddenly makes a nicer car and claims it is reliable, I am still going to wait years before considering them. But I am not going to pay a premium for a car that costs me out the you know what to own.

Now the whole buying a brand for image or something, that is for someone quite different than me lol.

zeroptzero

I was a devoted Honda guy when they were on top of their game, having 20 Hondas in my adult life. My last two Hondas (2017 and 2016 models) were the worst Hondas ever. When everyone touted the uptick in quality/reliability of Domestic manufacturers I decided to test my luck with some SRT Dodge vehicles, a Jeep, and a few Fords. I was pleasantly surprised at the reliability of the SRT Dodges and the Jeep. I struck out with the Fords and have no desire to get back into one as a result of my experience. I have never owned a GM product. I currently have two Subaru's that I really enjoy and the dealership experience with Subaru was by far the best of any experience in the past with any manufacturer.

One thing I have always noticed is that when you buy a vehicle from a dealer that you have not been a customer of in the past they treat you like gold and go out of their way to get you a good deal. When you go back a couple years later to buy a second vehicle you are chopped-meat, and they don't treat you nearly as well. That is one reason I have changed dealers frequently over the years. I really love my experience with Subaru dealers, as they only wanted to sell me a vehicle and nothing else, what a unique concept eh ? They seemed to appreciate my business from my experience too.