RICHBOY

I never thought of people being loyal to a perticular manufactorer until I joined this form. It's kinda funny I started off a huge Mercedes fan when I was younger, it didn't matter that I didn't own one at the time, it represented and still does the idea that "you've arrived". When I finally brought my first Mercedes (2001 CL500) I loved the attention I recieved from the ladies but it didn't make me feel special from the drivers seat. However My 99 528i BMW made me feel very special! I loved that car, it was solid as a rock. I figured I'd be a BMW guy for the rest of my life. And then came this generation. For what ever reason they never sat right with me, it could be I wasn't ready for a completely different direction all at once. So now I'm looking at Audi's, I've yet to own a product from them yet but after testing out the 4.2L A8 and A6 I'm loving them for now. It seems to me that I'm a huge fan of a manufactorer until I own their products. However I've come to terms with what I'm looking for. I'm not looking for a manufactorer, I'm looking for a great all around vehicle. I don't care who makes it long as it can keep my short attention occupied when driving it. I guess once I buy my S8 this summer I'll be flying different colors in no time!

Mr. M

I'm a person who looks beyond the brand and sees product for itself instead.

I have immense respect for all German car manufacturers simply because they build amazing cars. Cars that can last forever, cars that are built like no other, cars that start every morning you go to work, cars that are like your companion. I don't have any one specific manufacturer that I adore... I'd take the Mercedes S-Class over any other of its competitors purely by its merits of its ride comfort, build quality and refinement. I'd take a 3er for the small sedan segment, and I'd get a VW Golf for my daily runabout. Basically, I go for any car that suits my needs... The brand doesn't really matter to me.

Heck, I'd have no qualms buying a Chinese car... As long as they can build cars that can match up to the competition.

lambornima

no, im loyal to Lamborghini but I dont think ill be buying one in the near future

Maserati

Mirage77: I have no doubt that you are one of the trustful members when it comes to expressing your thoughts about a car & I've always liked your reviews. Actually I've looked into some brands differently after reading your posts + reviews.

Mr. Chigga_Chan

No need to make any adjustments. MB has provided everything I could ever want in an automobile, though I admire other car brands for their products, MB hasn't changed enough to warrant switching to another brand. Nor has any other brand put anything out that would cause me to shift my demands, because its covered by my other favorite brand Porsche lol.

SDNR

Well it looks like the Mercedes boys are as flexible and open-minded as ever

phaeton

Look at me I'm a VW freak (11yrs now) and probably won't stop being one
Prior to that I liked GM-Holden, Mitsubishi, Volvo, Peugeot but the VW bite bit hard

I do however look at other brands I'm a mod on a Chinese car (its amazing watching China grow) & a Ford forum

Mr. M

Thanks Maserati... I look forward to writing more reviews when I can finally assess the driving aspect of cars.

Maserati

I can see that

Mr. Chigga Chan: are you implying that late MBs aren't harder or less comfortable than former ones ? Have you driven/sat in a current model E-class (W211) with no airmatic & compared it to the ride of a W124 E-class ? If you liked the ride of both then you have adjusted your "comfort" standards. MB is trying improve its sporty image which will for sure affect its well known reputation for comfort!

Mr. Chigga_Chan

Yea, I have driven the E-Class pretty heavily in all 3 forms. My first car was a W-124 drove that for a few years, we drive a W210 now, ironically I drove the E430 quite heavily last night....And I've driven the W211 on several different occasions in past employment. These were mostly non-Airmatic W211 E320 4-Matics and rear-wheel drives, and 320 Diesels. In the situations where I drove them, it was on variable conditions, urban, open road, high-speed, low speed.

In the sense that the brand has modified its cars in subsequent generations, then you could say I too have changed. I do get the sense that the progressive generations do handle better, the loss of comfort is not obvious or significant enough for me to feel any sense of lacking.

However, its not to say I do not appreciate a hardcore, or more hardcore sports car say Porsche. In terms of brand loyalty, MB takes if for me overall. That doesn't mean that other companies automatically build inferior vehicles, or that MB's are automatically the best, far from it. We can go on and on about the quality foibles of the marque, regressed customer service and other things, but with that, I still remain true. I have to go, I guess I can finish in another post.