Why are so many car buyers "Fanboys?"
02-21-14, 08:35 PM
#46
LEXUS LEXUS LEXUS LEXUS LEXUS LEXUS LEXUS LEXUS LEXUS. Jk. I love Lexus/Toyota. But I have mad respect for Honda and Nissan as well as Land Rover and Dodge and Chevrolet. I would hope that Loyalty is something to be earned and not "born" into. That is why I am loyal to Lexus/Toyota family because in my 23 years they have earned it for the past 8 in personal experience and quite literally for all other 15 as a child spectating. In the future when I have a career and steady income, I hope to be loyal to several brands and not just Lexus. I'd love to have as many good cars as possible. Every car brand has good and bad sides. As for the entire fanboy thing...no real comment other than it is a dumb term that I hope dies out just like "yolo" did.
02-22-14, 04:16 AM
#47
The pursuit of F
^^^ I'm in a similar boat. For me loyalty was earned. Here's my story
I was born into a mix of everything. As a child from when I can remember, we started off a with a '79 Pontiac Lemans and well, replace the "a" with an "o" and you know how that turned out. Two years later we got a Datsun 200SX. This was the first time my dad experienced superior Japanese refinement and I will never forget the wonderful new car smell that to this day not even Lexus comes close to (although was probably carcinogenic in those days
). 1 year later, car was rusting really badly so we got rid of it. Next '82 Dodge Challenger was actually not that bad and reason for it as I've come to learn later on in life, well it was a rebadged Mitsubishi. In '85 we got the Mustang and that was the LAST of owning a domestic vehicle (with the exception of a Mazda Tribute which we all know is a re-badged Escape).
The Mustang (albeit, was with the dreaded 86 hp HSC 2.3L 4 cyl) was the final straw. It broke down on us twice IN THE SAME TRIP on our family vacation trip summer of '87 with only 23k km. When we returned, we bought the Camry and WOW, what a refined, high quality, well built car.
For the first time ever, I experienced this sensation of car ownership pride when my friends' dads were driving , Cieras, Celebrities, and 6000 LEs. The seed was planted for me 100% due to the Camry and there was no turning back. Then my dad added a second car, a sexy red '88 MR2 and we were the talk of the street. Then later got a '91. Along the way we had an Integra 4-door, Civic Si coupe, Nissan 240SX. We veered off to an Eagle Talon TSI in '92 since we got hooked on the aggressive looks and massively powerful Turbo power, but when the auto tranny started skipping gears after only a year of ownership, that was the end of Mitsubishi/Chrysler. To this day, my dad has owned mostly Toyotas with the latest being a '13 RAV4 and not one has ever caused him grief. I went through close to 20 cars myself now, all Japanese (with the exception of the Tribute) one Subaru, Mazdas, Hondas, Acuras, Toyotas, and Lexus, with Lexus being the best quality brand period. Japan (Toyota Corp), you've earned my loyalty and although GM is making the biggest strides (i.e. new Cadillac CTS and Corvette), it will take a lot still from the domestics (or other imports for that matter) to lure me in since Toyota/Lexus are still ahead.
I was born into a mix of everything. As a child from when I can remember, we started off a with a '79 Pontiac Lemans and well, replace the "a" with an "o" and you know how that turned out. Two years later we got a Datsun 200SX. This was the first time my dad experienced superior Japanese refinement and I will never forget the wonderful new car smell that to this day not even Lexus comes close to (although was probably carcinogenic in those days
). 1 year later, car was rusting really badly so we got rid of it. Next '82 Dodge Challenger was actually not that bad and reason for it as I've come to learn later on in life, well it was a rebadged Mitsubishi. In '85 we got the Mustang and that was the LAST of owning a domestic vehicle (with the exception of a Mazda Tribute which we all know is a re-badged Escape).The Mustang (albeit, was with the dreaded 86 hp HSC 2.3L 4 cyl) was the final straw. It broke down on us twice IN THE SAME TRIP on our family vacation trip summer of '87 with only 23k km. When we returned, we bought the Camry and WOW, what a refined, high quality, well built car.
For the first time ever, I experienced this sensation of car ownership pride when my friends' dads were driving , Cieras, Celebrities, and 6000 LEs. The seed was planted for me 100% due to the Camry and there was no turning back. Then my dad added a second car, a sexy red '88 MR2 and we were the talk of the street. Then later got a '91. Along the way we had an Integra 4-door, Civic Si coupe, Nissan 240SX. We veered off to an Eagle Talon TSI in '92 since we got hooked on the aggressive looks and massively powerful Turbo power, but when the auto tranny started skipping gears after only a year of ownership, that was the end of Mitsubishi/Chrysler. To this day, my dad has owned mostly Toyotas with the latest being a '13 RAV4 and not one has ever caused him grief. I went through close to 20 cars myself now, all Japanese (with the exception of the Tribute) one Subaru, Mazdas, Hondas, Acuras, Toyotas, and Lexus, with Lexus being the best quality brand period. Japan (Toyota Corp), you've earned my loyalty and although GM is making the biggest strides (i.e. new Cadillac CTS and Corvette), it will take a lot still from the domestics (or other imports for that matter) to lure me in since Toyota/Lexus are still ahead.
Last edited by corradoMR2; 02-22-14 at 03:07 PM.
02-22-14, 04:45 AM
#48
Super Moderator
I don't know that I'd call myself a fanboy, but I'm on my second 3-series, and we may wind up replacing my wife's RX with another BMW. The reason I'm on my second (out of 4 vehicles I've owned personally) is that the first was so damn good. It wasn't fast (171hp 2.5L), but handled extremely well (especially after I replaced the suspension around year 9-10), was great fun to drive, got great gas mileage (30mpg average), and was the most reliable vehicle by FAR that I'd ever dealt with. Over the course of 12 years, I was out of pocket by about $5k, including oil changes, tires, brakes, and the aforementioned suspension upgrade. By contrast, I'm out of pocket by substantially more than that amount on the RX350, and the platinum extended warranty just expired this month.
So when we were shopping, my first choice to replace my beloved E46 was of course an F30 335i, but the price was a bit steep, so we looked at a whole bunch of stuff from the Genesis R or a Taurus SHO, to the TL on the large side, to things like the Regal GS, Focus ST and Golf R on the small side. Though I might have a slight BMW bias given my previous experience, I think you'll see from the things I was considering that one of my primary requirements is fun-to-drive, regardless of brand. I never really considered the E90, because when they originally came out I thought they were ugly. We were actually this close || to buying the Golf R, when on a whim I thought "I've heard a lot of good things about the 335d, let's go check it out". And the wife and I both fell in love, so we brought it home the next day.
Here's the history of cars I've been involved with, which undoubtedly shapes any biases I do have:
Me:
2011 BMW 335d: Love the power, drives great, averaging 30mpg with 500lbft on tap is just amazing. Not as much fun as the underpowered E46, and I miss my manual.
2000 BMW 323i: Quite simply the best car I've ever driven on a regular basis. Smooth engine, great MT, excellent handling. Amazingly reliable and got great gas mileage. Still miss it sometimes.
2000 Dodge Dakota Sport: Loved the V8/5MT combination, pretty roomy and comfortable. So-so reliability and I didn't expect 15 city/13 highway.
1996 Ford Ranger Splash: Very comfortable, handled great (for a truck) with the lowered sport suspension, 20mpg, pretty reliable until it tried (twice) to kill me. Dumped it immediately.
Wife:
2007 Lexus RX350: Comfortable transportation appliance, utterly soulless. We both hate it. Biases me away from Lexus a bit (but not totally, might consider something like the GS).
2000 Chrysler Sebring Convertible: Large, comfortable, gutless droptop. Great for open-air driving with 4 adults. Least reliable POS I've ever dealt with (averaged $1600 every six months or so the entire time we had it), and the hardest to work on. Replacing the battery requires removing a wheel and fender. Alternator is on top in the front, but due to bracket and bolt placement must be removed from below, after removing the air conditioner and loosening or removing many bolts by feel. 30 minute job took 6.5 hours. May never buy another Chrysler again based on this experience.
Parents:
2012 Hyundai Genesis 3.8: Haven't driven this one, but they love it. Huge, comfortable, decent fuel economy. Has been reliable so far.
2000 Toyota Avalon: Mostly the same as above. They loved this one too. We borrowed it for a long trip and it was a great traveling car. Main reason they didn't buy another is they didn't want to wait for the 2013 to come out, and then wait again for the price to come down.
2000 Subaru Outback Sport: Dad finds the small hatchback very useful for carrying stuff around. Reliability has been good, fuel economy pretty bad for a 4-banger. He doesn't think he'd do it again.
1993 Chrysler Concorde: Very comfortable and drove well, but needed quite a few repairs over the years.
1990 Ford Taurus: God was this an awful car. I don't know how they sold so many of something this terrible.
1988 Toyota Camry: Absolutely fantastic car. Pretty speedy for a 4 cylinder, handled well for a family car, comfortable and relatively reliable. Main issues were repeated starter failures (lifetime warranty on the first one he bought and easy replacement, so no big deal) and some teeth stripped off the flywheel.
1985 Ford LTD: Probably the best car my parents owned up until the Avalon or Genesis. Comfortable, reliable, decent fuel economy, great for long trips (and we took a LOT of them in this car). They would have kept it until it turned to dust if it hadn't been totaled in an accident.
Father-in-Law:
2012 Nissan Murano Cross-Cabriolet: His only requirement was finding a convertible that could comfortably seat 4 adults, and it fits this to a tee. WAY more comfortable than the RX350. Too few miles to gauge reliability. Handles surprisingly well for its size on the 20s.
2000 Chrysler Sebring Convertible: He spent a few years with it after we bought the RX. Just as awful when he had it.
1991 Pontiac Grand Prix: He put over 200k on it, never having a serious issue. Stupid easy to work on (replaced the alternator in 15 minutes). We finally traded it for the RX in 2006, and got $500 for it.
So when we were shopping, my first choice to replace my beloved E46 was of course an F30 335i, but the price was a bit steep, so we looked at a whole bunch of stuff from the Genesis R or a Taurus SHO, to the TL on the large side, to things like the Regal GS, Focus ST and Golf R on the small side. Though I might have a slight BMW bias given my previous experience, I think you'll see from the things I was considering that one of my primary requirements is fun-to-drive, regardless of brand. I never really considered the E90, because when they originally came out I thought they were ugly. We were actually this close || to buying the Golf R, when on a whim I thought "I've heard a lot of good things about the 335d, let's go check it out". And the wife and I both fell in love, so we brought it home the next day.
Here's the history of cars I've been involved with, which undoubtedly shapes any biases I do have:
Me:
2011 BMW 335d: Love the power, drives great, averaging 30mpg with 500lbft on tap is just amazing. Not as much fun as the underpowered E46, and I miss my manual.
2000 BMW 323i: Quite simply the best car I've ever driven on a regular basis. Smooth engine, great MT, excellent handling. Amazingly reliable and got great gas mileage. Still miss it sometimes.
2000 Dodge Dakota Sport: Loved the V8/5MT combination, pretty roomy and comfortable. So-so reliability and I didn't expect 15 city/13 highway.
1996 Ford Ranger Splash: Very comfortable, handled great (for a truck) with the lowered sport suspension, 20mpg, pretty reliable until it tried (twice) to kill me. Dumped it immediately.
Wife:
2007 Lexus RX350: Comfortable transportation appliance, utterly soulless. We both hate it. Biases me away from Lexus a bit (but not totally, might consider something like the GS).
2000 Chrysler Sebring Convertible: Large, comfortable, gutless droptop. Great for open-air driving with 4 adults. Least reliable POS I've ever dealt with (averaged $1600 every six months or so the entire time we had it), and the hardest to work on. Replacing the battery requires removing a wheel and fender. Alternator is on top in the front, but due to bracket and bolt placement must be removed from below, after removing the air conditioner and loosening or removing many bolts by feel. 30 minute job took 6.5 hours. May never buy another Chrysler again based on this experience.
Parents:
2012 Hyundai Genesis 3.8: Haven't driven this one, but they love it. Huge, comfortable, decent fuel economy. Has been reliable so far.
2000 Toyota Avalon: Mostly the same as above. They loved this one too. We borrowed it for a long trip and it was a great traveling car. Main reason they didn't buy another is they didn't want to wait for the 2013 to come out, and then wait again for the price to come down.
2000 Subaru Outback Sport: Dad finds the small hatchback very useful for carrying stuff around. Reliability has been good, fuel economy pretty bad for a 4-banger. He doesn't think he'd do it again.
1993 Chrysler Concorde: Very comfortable and drove well, but needed quite a few repairs over the years.
1990 Ford Taurus: God was this an awful car. I don't know how they sold so many of something this terrible.
1988 Toyota Camry: Absolutely fantastic car. Pretty speedy for a 4 cylinder, handled well for a family car, comfortable and relatively reliable. Main issues were repeated starter failures (lifetime warranty on the first one he bought and easy replacement, so no big deal) and some teeth stripped off the flywheel.
1985 Ford LTD: Probably the best car my parents owned up until the Avalon or Genesis. Comfortable, reliable, decent fuel economy, great for long trips (and we took a LOT of them in this car). They would have kept it until it turned to dust if it hadn't been totaled in an accident.
Father-in-Law:
2012 Nissan Murano Cross-Cabriolet: His only requirement was finding a convertible that could comfortably seat 4 adults, and it fits this to a tee. WAY more comfortable than the RX350. Too few miles to gauge reliability. Handles surprisingly well for its size on the 20s.
2000 Chrysler Sebring Convertible: He spent a few years with it after we bought the RX. Just as awful when he had it.
1991 Pontiac Grand Prix: He put over 200k on it, never having a serious issue. Stupid easy to work on (replaced the alternator in 15 minutes). We finally traded it for the RX in 2006, and got $500 for it.
02-22-14, 01:17 PM
#49
Lexus Fanatic
While I obviously have a preference for Lexus vehicles, I don't consider myself a fanboy. I love cars in general, and every car as its own attributes and things it does well and things it doesn't do well.
When it comes time for me to get a car for myself that I'm going to drive every day, as much as I may drive other brands and have a desire to "try something new"...Lexus just builds a car that checks all the boxes for me. Other cars are packaged differently, are missing something about how they feel or drive, each time I come back to Lexus just because they seem to "get me".
For instance...I like the style of the E Class (the pre-refresh), but their interior just isn't right. Its too flat, too angular. I like the 5 Series very much, but their packages are such that to get a car with the things I want like upgraded leather, heated and cooled seats, nice interior trim...I have to spend $10k more. I loved the A6, but the feel inside isn't right and their leases suck.
Lexus packages the features and style I want in an accessible package...its easy.
When it comes time for me to get a car for myself that I'm going to drive every day, as much as I may drive other brands and have a desire to "try something new"...Lexus just builds a car that checks all the boxes for me. Other cars are packaged differently, are missing something about how they feel or drive, each time I come back to Lexus just because they seem to "get me".
For instance...I like the style of the E Class (the pre-refresh), but their interior just isn't right. Its too flat, too angular. I like the 5 Series very much, but their packages are such that to get a car with the things I want like upgraded leather, heated and cooled seats, nice interior trim...I have to spend $10k more. I loved the A6, but the feel inside isn't right and their leases suck.
Lexus packages the features and style I want in an accessible package...its easy.
02-22-14, 07:14 PM
#50
While I obviously have a preference for Lexus vehicles, I don't consider myself a fanboy. I love cars in general, and every car as its own attributes and things it does well and things it doesn't do well.
When it comes time for me to get a car for myself that I'm going to drive every day, as much as I may drive other brands and have a desire to "try something new"...Lexus just builds a car that checks all the boxes for me. Other cars are packaged differently, are missing something about how they feel or drive, each time I come back to Lexus just because they seem to "get me".
For instance...I like the style of the E Class (the pre-refresh), but their interior just isn't right. Its too flat, too angular. I like the 5 Series very much, but their packages are such that to get a car with the things I want like upgraded leather, heated and cooled seats, nice interior trim...I have to spend $10k more. I loved the A6, but the feel inside isn't right and their leases suck.
Lexus packages the features and style I want in an accessible package...its easy.
When it comes time for me to get a car for myself that I'm going to drive every day, as much as I may drive other brands and have a desire to "try something new"...Lexus just builds a car that checks all the boxes for me. Other cars are packaged differently, are missing something about how they feel or drive, each time I come back to Lexus just because they seem to "get me".
For instance...I like the style of the E Class (the pre-refresh), but their interior just isn't right. Its too flat, too angular. I like the 5 Series very much, but their packages are such that to get a car with the things I want like upgraded leather, heated and cooled seats, nice interior trim...I have to spend $10k more. I loved the A6, but the feel inside isn't right and their leases suck.
Lexus packages the features and style I want in an accessible package...its easy.
02-25-14, 01:24 PM
#51
Lexus Test Driver
Yeah. My 1955 Pontiac was on a whole other level of cool that as much as I love my Ls400s, the classic Pontiac was more awesome and I'd set my ls400 on fire if it ment I could get my Starchief back. It was my first car so that alone made it special. I got it back in 2000 when obscure classic cars from the 50s didn't command insane prices.. Sure wish I had it now. Mine was as nice as the one posted above
02-25-14, 03:55 PM
#52
Guest
Posts: n/a
Okay my long 2 cents…I think first off there is a difference between a "Fanboy" and a loyal buyer. A Fanboy buys whatever a brand makes and sees no fault in the brand and bashes anything else. A loyal buyer for a multitude of reasons have chosen to stick with a particular brand as it meets their needs and the competition while good or maybe even better still doesn't offer a package compelling enough to switch.
There are those that have less or no loyalty for whatever reasons which is fine but I don't know if that makes them a better buyer than one who sticks with a brand. Car companies (in regards to this thread) do whatever it takes to build and keep people with them. I wouldn't even use Toyota as a case, look at Porsche. They went from basically one car to two to now two SUVS and a big sedan. Guess what those people that used to have a 911 and other vehicles now in many cases can stick with Porsche. And why not!? They love the brand, love what it offers and are now happy they can stick with what they love and like.
Is it great that one owns different brands? Sure, you get to experience first hand ownership and can relate but things change over time and your experience might not reflect all owners. It is simply your experience. It is also great to people to stay with a brand a long time and they feel a certain pride being a loyal customer. Personality traits can also dictate a person staying as well as switching. So can a bad experience or a great experience.
For my family and myself Lexus has gone above and beyond in regards to what we feel are amazing vehicles and service and just the way they treat people. When there was a need for a SUV or a hybrid or a bigger car or a sportier car at the time Lexus had an option so we stayed there. Overall the ownership experience has been an incredible journey and we are proud to say we are longtime Lexus owners or fans, no different than the longtime Chevy, Mercedes, Porsche, BMW, Volvo enthusiast. Contrarily while Hyundai has improved tremendously my experience in the past (and a long time ago) was so horrid I doubt I would ever spend my money on one again.
I will say as needs are rapidly changing the desire for vehicles Lexus does not offer has grown and if they do not respond then there are some amazing cars to choose from. Overall though we believe they are among the finest cars on the road and they have really gone above and beyond for us.
Lexus4Life
There are those that have less or no loyalty for whatever reasons which is fine but I don't know if that makes them a better buyer than one who sticks with a brand. Car companies (in regards to this thread) do whatever it takes to build and keep people with them. I wouldn't even use Toyota as a case, look at Porsche. They went from basically one car to two to now two SUVS and a big sedan. Guess what those people that used to have a 911 and other vehicles now in many cases can stick with Porsche. And why not!? They love the brand, love what it offers and are now happy they can stick with what they love and like.
Is it great that one owns different brands? Sure, you get to experience first hand ownership and can relate but things change over time and your experience might not reflect all owners. It is simply your experience. It is also great to people to stay with a brand a long time and they feel a certain pride being a loyal customer. Personality traits can also dictate a person staying as well as switching. So can a bad experience or a great experience.
For my family and myself Lexus has gone above and beyond in regards to what we feel are amazing vehicles and service and just the way they treat people. When there was a need for a SUV or a hybrid or a bigger car or a sportier car at the time Lexus had an option so we stayed there. Overall the ownership experience has been an incredible journey and we are proud to say we are longtime Lexus owners or fans, no different than the longtime Chevy, Mercedes, Porsche, BMW, Volvo enthusiast. Contrarily while Hyundai has improved tremendously my experience in the past (and a long time ago) was so horrid I doubt I would ever spend my money on one again.
I will say as needs are rapidly changing the desire for vehicles Lexus does not offer has grown and if they do not respond then there are some amazing cars to choose from. Overall though we believe they are among the finest cars on the road and they have really gone above and beyond for us.
Lexus4Life
02-25-14, 04:38 PM
#53
Okay my long 2 cents…I think first off there is a difference between a "Fanboy" and a loyal buyer. A Fanboy buys whatever a brand makes and sees no fault in the brand and bashes anything else. A loyal buyer for a multitude of reasons have chosen to stick with a particular brand as it meets their needs and the competition while good or maybe even better still doesn't offer a package compelling enough to switch.
There are those that have less or no loyalty for whatever reasons which is fine but I don't know if that makes them a better buyer than one who sticks with a brand. Car companies (in regards to this thread) do whatever it takes to build and keep people with them. I wouldn't even use Toyota as a case, look at Porsche. They went from basically one car to two to now two SUVS and a big sedan. Guess what those people that used to have a 911 and other vehicles now in many cases can stick with Porsche. And why not!? They love the brand, love what it offers and are now happy they can stick with what they love and like.
Is it great that one owns different brands? Sure, you get to experience first hand ownership and can relate but things change over time and your experience might not reflect all owners. It is simply your experience. It is also great to people to stay with a brand a long time and they feel a certain pride being a loyal customer. Personality traits can also dictate a person staying as well as switching. So can a bad experience or a great experience.
For my family and myself Lexus has gone above and beyond in regards to what we feel are amazing vehicles and service and just the way they treat people. When there was a need for a SUV or a hybrid or a bigger car or a sportier car at the time Lexus had an option so we stayed there. Overall the ownership experience has been an incredible journey and we are proud to say we are longtime Lexus owners or fans, no different than the longtime Chevy, Mercedes, Porsche, BMW, Volvo enthusiast. Contrarily while Hyundai has improved tremendously my experience in the past (and a long time ago) was so horrid I doubt I would ever spend my money on one again.
I will say as needs are rapidly changing the desire for vehicles Lexus does not offer has grown and if they do not respond then there are some amazing cars to choose from. Overall though we believe they are among the finest cars on the road and they have really gone above and beyond for us.
Lexus4Life
There are those that have less or no loyalty for whatever reasons which is fine but I don't know if that makes them a better buyer than one who sticks with a brand. Car companies (in regards to this thread) do whatever it takes to build and keep people with them. I wouldn't even use Toyota as a case, look at Porsche. They went from basically one car to two to now two SUVS and a big sedan. Guess what those people that used to have a 911 and other vehicles now in many cases can stick with Porsche. And why not!? They love the brand, love what it offers and are now happy they can stick with what they love and like.
Is it great that one owns different brands? Sure, you get to experience first hand ownership and can relate but things change over time and your experience might not reflect all owners. It is simply your experience. It is also great to people to stay with a brand a long time and they feel a certain pride being a loyal customer. Personality traits can also dictate a person staying as well as switching. So can a bad experience or a great experience.
For my family and myself Lexus has gone above and beyond in regards to what we feel are amazing vehicles and service and just the way they treat people. When there was a need for a SUV or a hybrid or a bigger car or a sportier car at the time Lexus had an option so we stayed there. Overall the ownership experience has been an incredible journey and we are proud to say we are longtime Lexus owners or fans, no different than the longtime Chevy, Mercedes, Porsche, BMW, Volvo enthusiast. Contrarily while Hyundai has improved tremendously my experience in the past (and a long time ago) was so horrid I doubt I would ever spend my money on one again.
I will say as needs are rapidly changing the desire for vehicles Lexus does not offer has grown and if they do not respond then there are some amazing cars to choose from. Overall though we believe they are among the finest cars on the road and they have really gone above and beyond for us.
Lexus4Life
02-25-14, 07:21 PM
#55
Lexus Champion
Great insight, Mike!
I count myself as a loyal buyer but also a very practical buyer with specific wants and do-not-wants when it comes to car shopping. My wife, who is a loyal Honda buyer, has asked me why I like the Camry and want to return to the Camry after 4-years with a Corolla. She has suggested the Avalon.
But I find that the Avalon (at least in Canada) is not available in the Hybrid model; I do not want too big of a car and do not want a 6-cylinder engine. It also only comes with a leather interior; I do not like leather-covered seats (although I may soon change my opinion on this interior option).
I have already said my bit about the current Accord, which my wife owns. I find it rather large and heavy, and the steering wheel sits too high for my comfort. Now, after having driven the current model Camry, I find it easier to drive because it feels smaller and lighter.
I looked at the Mazda6 and Altima. Both only come with a black interior, something I absolutely will not have: I find they hide details (such as poor panel fits), attract and retain too much heat, and are too claustrophobic. If I want another interior colour other than black in the Mazda6 or Altima, I must get leather.
So I looked at the Fusion. It has more interior colour options but the interior colour I would like is not necessarily available with the exterior colour I would like. Some of those exterior colours are only available at extra cost. That turned me off: I do not want to be nickle-and-dimed into paying much more for a car I want and need.
So, back to the Camry. I find that it offers the best compromise for me. I do not find it too large (like the Accord) or too small (like the Corolla). It is offered with a choice of a traditional 4-cylinder engine and a Hybrid model. I can sit comfortably in it (my wife even remarked that the front passenger seat was nice because it sits higher than the Accord's front passenger seat). It is available in a range of exterior colours that I do not have to pay extra for. And it is available in lighter-coloured interior colours (as long as I stay away from the Sports model).
I have owned a number of Camrys in the past and have been more than satisfied with them. Other than sun visors that would not stay in an intermediate position (only stayed up or fully down) in my last Camry, which were replaced 4 times (under warranty) by the dealer before they figured out how to install them properly, I have had no problems with any of them. The other Toyotas I have owned have also been trouble-free. And my father and I have returned to the same dealer for 30 years now because they have treated us with respect and care; needless to say, customer service from them has been very good (I very seldom rate anything "excellent").
This experience has made me a loyal and repeat Toyota customer.
I count myself as a loyal buyer but also a very practical buyer with specific wants and do-not-wants when it comes to car shopping. My wife, who is a loyal Honda buyer, has asked me why I like the Camry and want to return to the Camry after 4-years with a Corolla. She has suggested the Avalon.
But I find that the Avalon (at least in Canada) is not available in the Hybrid model; I do not want too big of a car and do not want a 6-cylinder engine. It also only comes with a leather interior; I do not like leather-covered seats (although I may soon change my opinion on this interior option).
I have already said my bit about the current Accord, which my wife owns. I find it rather large and heavy, and the steering wheel sits too high for my comfort. Now, after having driven the current model Camry, I find it easier to drive because it feels smaller and lighter.
I looked at the Mazda6 and Altima. Both only come with a black interior, something I absolutely will not have: I find they hide details (such as poor panel fits), attract and retain too much heat, and are too claustrophobic. If I want another interior colour other than black in the Mazda6 or Altima, I must get leather.
So I looked at the Fusion. It has more interior colour options but the interior colour I would like is not necessarily available with the exterior colour I would like. Some of those exterior colours are only available at extra cost. That turned me off: I do not want to be nickle-and-dimed into paying much more for a car I want and need.
So, back to the Camry. I find that it offers the best compromise for me. I do not find it too large (like the Accord) or too small (like the Corolla). It is offered with a choice of a traditional 4-cylinder engine and a Hybrid model. I can sit comfortably in it (my wife even remarked that the front passenger seat was nice because it sits higher than the Accord's front passenger seat). It is available in a range of exterior colours that I do not have to pay extra for. And it is available in lighter-coloured interior colours (as long as I stay away from the Sports model).
I have owned a number of Camrys in the past and have been more than satisfied with them. Other than sun visors that would not stay in an intermediate position (only stayed up or fully down) in my last Camry, which were replaced 4 times (under warranty) by the dealer before they figured out how to install them properly, I have had no problems with any of them. The other Toyotas I have owned have also been trouble-free. And my father and I have returned to the same dealer for 30 years now because they have treated us with respect and care; needless to say, customer service from them has been very good (I very seldom rate anything "excellent").
This experience has made me a loyal and repeat Toyota customer.
02-26-14, 10:54 AM
#56
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: MD
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I've been around for 60 years now and appreciate the wide variety of choices in motor vehicles. Having a lot of choices is one of the things that makes America (and Canada) great. But I'm mystified at meeting a lot of people who will only purchase Fords, or GM vehicles, or Honda, or Toyota/Lexus, etc. etc. I suppose it's also a "choice" to never change. I don't mean it as a put-down, but I do find it strange. It's like dating only blondes or only redheads or only Asian, Latin or black chicks, when there is so much variety out there (which I very much enjoyed sampling in my younger bachelor days). Seriously.
I think the USA has a pretty crappy selection of cars when I look through European Craigslist postings
02-26-14, 11:57 AM
#58
Lexus Fanatic
Okay my long 2 cents…I think first off there is a difference between a "Fanboy" and a loyal buyer. A Fanboy buys whatever a brand makes and sees no fault in the brand and bashes anything else. A loyal buyer for a multitude of reasons have chosen to stick with a particular brand as it meets their needs and the competition while good or maybe even better still doesn't offer a package compelling enough to switch.
02-26-14, 12:59 PM
#59
Lexus Fanatic
On another note, theres nothing wrong with the sentiment towards Lexus on a Lexus forum being overall very positive either...
02-26-14, 01:10 PM
#60
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Maryland
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I'm the anti-fanboy. I've never owned the same make of car twice or even twice in a row. First car was a Honda (hence my screen name), and then a Nissan, then a Toyota, and now a BMW. Switching brands had nothing to do with whether I liked the previous car or not, and everything to do with just wanting to try other things. The Honda was crap, the Nissan was awesome, the Toyota crap, and I love my BMW, but I probably won't be buying another one of those either. My 335i lease will get flipped to a CPO, but after that I'd like to try an Audi or a Benz or (gasp) maybe even a Lexus someday. Infiniti too. Acura?? (LOL). Mazda and some domestic makes have all been on my radar screen too. Literally anything is on the table with me when it comes to car-buying decisions, but with some strange preference to not buy what I've already had. Even though models and generations change, the underlying car building philosophy tends to remain the same with each manufacturer, and I like to experience those different philosophies by branching out and getting something else. Heck, I'm seriously considering getting a domestic pickup truck!!! Esp if we buy a second home.