[troublemaker]

I had been using Japanese till now. Recently switched to German. It is a BIG difference - it is simply built better.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by troublemaker

I had been using Japanese till now. Recently switched to German. It is a BIG difference - it is simply built better.

Originally Posted by Monaro CV8

The mind said Japanese, but the heart went out for the Germans.

Nonetheless Japanese Cars are good VFM, but somewhere the door thunk of a German car takes it away.

Attention to details, be it creature comforts, or automotive innovation, the German cars are always a step ahead.

ah! german cars..
i drive a corsa and man! that is one beast.. i can't agree more with monaro about the door thunk..

i have driven japenese, korean and american cars too.. but nothing can make you feel as protected inside the car as a german car.. they are sturdy!
but i guess, they lose out on VFM as the maintenance costs shoot up and mileage takes a beating..

[Londoner]

Where's the British option?? Haha.

I can think of numerous good and bad examples from each national category, but as a general rule I'd have to go with German.

[redarrow]

I prefer Japanese .. they are really value for money !! also in India everyone is probaply comapring BMW , AUDI to Honda,Toyota , Nissan ... etc , these are the core brands and not luxury brands if you really want to compare Germans to Japs compare BMW and Audi to Honda-Acura, Toyota-Lexus and Nissan-Infiniti .... !! these luxury brands are cost as much as Germas brands but are wayyyy more better . I own a Nissan-Infinity G35 and does not cost me anything to maintain this car considering it is a luxury sports car !!

So if you know value of money go for japs ... if u want a status symbol go for German cars !! I would buy a German car in my 40s !!

Check this out guys ...

Welcome to Infiniti

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Adios !!

[CANPUSH]

My preference - Swedish, German, Japanease, Italian, French, American, Korean in that order.

However, I will always prefer an 'Indian' option if we can build a well engineered reliable car!

[hossdoc]

German and this is as a driving enthusiast, and as a proud owner of a brand new bimmer, for surely German cars are the best engineered and reliable and solid and beautiful etc etc.
BUT i would like everyone to spare a thought here for the Koreans and this is from the context of being in INDIA and what WORKS BEST in INDIA. I have owned a Hyundai Accent CRDi for the last 8 years, it has been trouble free, there is not a spot of rust on it, everything works perfectly and it has cost me an average of just 8000 a year to service. Even today, it outstrips most cars in the city, and on the highway, even high end sports cars, not because it is more powerful, but because this is India and if you really want to drive hard you need a car which is not just quick, but is nimble, rides well, is maneuverable and CHEAP enough that you would NOT WORRY about getting a scratch on it!!
From driving both my cars I can tell you that I definitely have more FUN and feel FREE in the Hyundai than in the BMW!
Another point i would like to make is the after sales service. In India, the Germans seem to have got it all wrong with their strategy, attitude and selection of dealers. Hyundai (also the Japanese makes im sure) on the other hand is exemplary in this regard and don't give you much to complain about.
Also a CRITICAL aspect as far as India is concerned - AIR CONDITIONING. Park your german and your korean car in the summer sun for 10 minutes, side by side, then drive off and see which one feels comfortable faster. Im sorry, but here again the Germans lose out to the Koreans (and the Japanese).
In todays world only someone who is either ignorant or a snob just for the sake of being one would write off the Koreans when it comes to engineering of any kind. Look at electronics, construction, shipping etc and you will see korean firms now amongst the top, and you dont reach there by making lousy products.

[DevilsOwn]

I would go more for the build quality than the generalisations of the marques known strong points/weeaknesses. So it doesnt matter what the make is as long as it goes.

[abhay_D]

Originally Posted by hossdoc

German and this is as a driving enthusiast, and as a proud owner of a brand new bimmer, for surely German cars are the best engineered and reliable and solid and beautiful etc etc.
BUT i would like everyone to spare a thought here for the Koreans and this is from the context of being in INDIA and what WORKS BEST in INDIA. I have owned a Hyundai Accent CRDi for the last 8 years, it has been trouble free, there is not a spot of rust on it, everything works perfectly and it has cost me an average of just 8000 a year to service. Even today, it outstrips most cars in the city, and on the highway, even high end sports cars, not because it is more powerful, but because this is India and if you really want to drive hard you need a car which is not just quick, but is nimble, rides well, is maneuverable and CHEAP enough that you would NOT WORRY about getting a scratch on it!!
From driving both my cars I can tell you that I definitely have more FUN and feel FREE in the Hyundai than in the BMW!
Another point i would like to make is the after sales service. In India, the Germans seem to have got it all wrong with their strategy, attitude and selection of dealers. Hyundai (also the Japanese makes im sure) on the other hand is exemplary in this regard and don't give you much to complain about.
Also a CRITICAL aspect as far as India is concerned - AIR CONDITIONING. Park your german and your korean car in the summer sun for 10 minutes, side by side, then drive off and see which one feels comfortable faster. Im sorry, but here again the Germans lose out to the Koreans (and the Japanese).
In todays world only someone who is either ignorant or a snob just for the sake of being one would write off the Koreans when it comes to engineering of any kind. Look at electronics, construction, shipping etc and you will see korean firms now amongst the top, and you dont reach there by making lousy products.

I would certainly second that. I think the Koreans have come a long way in terms of quality of the automobiles they produce - not just in India but overseas as well. I am the owner of a crdi Verna and the car has certainly an exceptional engine and is quite trouble free and cheap to maintain. It has its issues such as the extra bounciness at high speeds but overall it comes out as a pretty decent package. Here I recall a few road journeys I did in New Zealand when I made some short term trips to that country during the last 2-3 years. I would always rent a car from Hertz and invariably it used to be a Camary. The Camary was a good car but I did not found it too inspiring to drive. However, on one occasion I rented from another cheaper Rental company (Budget I guess )and they gave me a Kia (which was in the same group as Camary ) and I still remember that it blew me away. The quality of the interiors was very good and especially the handling and response was amazing as compared to the Camary. That went a long way in changing my perceptions about Korean Cars. They may not have the brand value of a German car or a Honda and Toyota but they do make some really good cars IMHO.

[torquecurve]

Indian and Italian.

Indian for the simple reason they are designed to be VFM and take the grind on our roads. They are also comparatively safer to Jap and Koreans.

Italian for the design flair and the awesome engines they make.

So I have an Indian car with an Italian engine, talk about best of both worlds!

[Speed.Demon]

If I ever get the dough, I would go straight for a Lexus. Even now I have a Japanese car, but one that costs as much as maybe a couple of wing mirrors of an S class!!

Simply put, I like cars that give me peace of mind, which the Japs can provide in plenty. Besides, as of now, Lexuses are something of a rarity here in India, that can attract a lot of eyeballs!!

[GordonGekko]

1. German
2. German
3. German

They just really know their stuff.

[//M]

I have always loved the big brash attitude of the American trucks from Dodge, Chevy, Ford, Lincoln, Cadillac, Jeep and Hummer. Also I love the charm of British cars, Jaguars and Aston Martins. But when it comes to put my money, I would do it on a red Alfa Romeo 159 sedan. I know Japanese is for reliability and German for quality, but I just can't take my eyes of an Italian. The Alfa Romeo 159 is one of the most practical Italian car and after all, love happens only once.

[dezrskb]

I would vote for Japanese as-
Japs are known to be super efficient, produce light and compact cars and have brands which have established themselves all over the globe, much more fuel efficient than European / American cars though latter two are more strongly built but generally less fuel efficient. The moment I saw TV clippings of Taliban driving around in dusty Afghan roads in Toyota trucks I realized how efficient and reliable the vehicles must be. What sort of maintenance and service can one imagine in that country when Taliban ruled?

I had this Maruti Suzuki Zen MPFI. Sold it when it ran around 90K Kms. Not because it troubled me. I knew if I kept it, it would keep running forever and I would not be able to buy another car. At 90K Kms I would trust it enough to get up at midnight and start on a drive of 500 odd Kms alone. I have a Suzuki Swift Dzire now and at 25K Kms it hasnt troubled me yet. I am sure my next car will be Suzuki / Honda / Toyota

[venkman]

If one can consider Maruti 800 an Indian car I like it very much. It is cheaper to maintain than my motorcycle. But if the choice is only between the Options mentioned I would still stick to the Japanese for the very same reason - Low cost and easy maintenance.

[hajaar]

I will go with the japanese cars followed closely by the koreans - if it is a car I have to own & drive daily. I will go with american if it driving once in a while for pleasure.