[GTO]

Sahil makes an excellent point on the non-German luxury car thread. It sure made me think and yes, we have also experienced brand fatigue at one point. We owned an 800, Zen & Esteem in quick succession. Got "brand fatigue" and wanted to explore options other than Maruti. I think we might have overdone it as it's been 25 years since we owned a Maruti!

Originally Posted by Sahil

Besides Volvo, Tesla and Range Rover I have already indulged in all the above brands. Porsche most recently
I would be open and willing to add the latter two to my garage in the coming years however not very excited about adding Volvo.

I am not sure about others but I have/had been experiencing brand fatigue. Not sure if such a term exist or I have just coined it but there is no better way to explain that after a point the 3 germans start feeling very similar, especially models within the same brand.

Currently, I am experiencing major brand fatigue with Mercedes since we have the S-class W222, GLS, GLC and CLA in the family. Besides the S, the rest just feel all too similar and start getting boring. Thus when I had to get a car for the wife and the E was the perfect fit, I yet went ahead with the Jag F-pace to break the brand fatigue of being just too similar to the w222 S. The 6GT was also considered but having owned three 5 series in the family between 2007 to 2015, I was keen to try a new brand that felt different and special. Same was the reason for the Lexus ES300 coming in just a few years ago. CLA(it is up for sale in the classified) has now been replaced with a Porsche Macan.

I am going to try and keep a variety to brands rather than stick to one brand of multiple models going forward as this has been a trend in my buying pattern first with BMW and now with MB.
I think dealer relationship and discounting/VFM also play a large role in the skew towards a particular brand.

Someone in my family owns a Rapid (Vento) and a Tiguan. They were looking at another car, but consciously steered clear of the VW Group as it would really be more of the same thing.

Anyone else ever experienced it?

[Sahil]

Just to add to my point earlier, there is a thin line between brand fatigue and brand loyalty. Too much of the latter can lead to the former, so tread carefully!
And as they say- Variety is the spice of life

[five46]

Antonym to Brand Loyal?


Brand fatigue can happen if there is no more strong pull, if the USPs are no more exclusive, if other brands offer the same and/or more.

No. I'm not brand loyal and hence didn't experience any brand fatigue too.

Ironically though, 3/4 cars that I owned were of Maruti.

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by GTO

Anyone else ever experienced it?

Absolutely agree, and yes, I experienced it too in my own way. Now I have never owned any one brand long enough to call it "brand fatigue" like you mentioned, but inherently, I am an "experimentalist" which makes me want to try something different each time I buy a car.

I feel life is too short to keep repeating the same brands. And that is my simple definition of brand fatigue.

I have owned only five cars so far, but each of those five cars were different brands. And based on my informal discussions within my friend circles and some casual plans for next vehicle, it is almost given that the next one, my sixth car, will be a sixth brand!

Thus, in my case, this is my experience of brand fatigue that goes along with my philosophy of trying different things.

Off topic, but I had the same philosophy for airlines too. Back in the days when I used to do international flying (good old days - I miss those and hope to resume soon ) , I actually enjoyed choosing different airlines each times just to have different experiences. I never went after frequent flying miles and repeating the same airlines to accumulate miles - which almost all of my friends did but something that I never quite thought of doing myself.

[amvj]

"...we have the S-class W222, GLS, GLC and CLA in the family..."
---------

The first post is clearly the case of first world problems.
I wish I had a first world problem.

Mere mortals like me sometimes experience, but in a different way. In my case, the similar looking HMT watches make want to buy something different:



On the automobile front, hope we can see different cars in our surroundings. In our apartment for example, there are quite a lot Maruti cars than anything else. My second car will not be Maruti. As many of the Maruti cars are nearly the same (Same switch gear, steering, Engine and even seats). It is already creating a brand fatigue. I will definitely go for a different brand.

[libranof1987]

Interesting that the topic of brand fatigue should arise when the top manufacturer in the country has ~50% market share and the next one 17%. Surely, these are not unique, on-time-only purchases/house.

As is so common,
An Innova is replaced by an Innova, (until some time back) a City by a City and a Maruti invariably by a Maruti, esp. the Alto -> WagonR -> DZire journey. Talk to those who are now 50+, an overwhelming majority only wants a Maruti. Either by virtue of not having a choice until two decades back or because India comes in a Maruti, the brand has massive pull.

If anything, people are moving away because of the growing realization of the importance of safety.

As is with most things, brand fatigue does exist. We've heard so often, we've had enough of white/silver cars, let's buy a different one now. Enough of one brand, let's try another.

But, I doubt our market has matured so much that there'll be brand fatigue. Heck, I'd imagine the no. of car-owning households with only one car is significantly in the minority.

If anything, the growing trend of having a "family look" is what might accelerate this. Honda with every car, from the Amaze to the CR-V having similar fronts to even the German 3 doing so, might just make people want a "different" look for their next car.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by Sahil

Too much of the latter can lead to the former, so tread carefully!
And as they say- Variety is the spice of life

But I must confess that no matter whatever brands I try to buy, I mostly end up getting a BMW or a Toyota. Except for isolated incidents on BMW & one on Toyota (spiral cable), these have not let me down. So, subconsciously or for comfort/ ease, I pick either of these.

I have tried best to buy a Porsche but couldn’t. Contrary to others, didn’t felt engaged with a Cayenne or a Maccan. 911 is too expensive especially we are ordering a Turbo with options. Dealerships in India are few and doesn’t inspire confidence though I maybe totally wrong but you don’t feel assured when one has to deal with a single dealer and the next one is 1000 kms away. Than you also start comparing what all is standard on say a BMW but offered extra on a Porsche and by the time you have a car to your liking, its about 30-40% extra over MRP.

So, for me, looks I am going to stick with Toyota & BMW for a while

[Hayek]

Interesting thread. While it was not a conscious decision due to brand fatigue, all the cars I have bought have been from different brands, with the closest to a repeat being when a Vento was added to my Superb. My car record - Zen, City, Getz, Superb, Vento, X3. And none of these marquees have a car in the consideration set for my Vento replacement, except for the outside shot of buying a Creta.

[Nav-i-gator]

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[fhdowntheline]

Never developed brand fatigue as much as I had the 3 year itch. So after 18 years and cars from Hyundai, MSIL, FCA, TML, Renault, Nissan, VW, Honda, I have gone back to a Hyundai.

[pavi]

We started with an Alto, then moved to a WagonR. After having seen Maruti cars everywhere I went after my teenage dream while buying my first car, 4th gen Honda City. Then very recently I had test driven the new Rapid and instantly fell in love with it. I gave my Honda City to my father and WagonR was exchanged for Rapid.
In case of Maruti, yes I have brand fatigue. Other two cases were heart winning over everything.

[SN88]

2008 Honda City MT
2009 Chevrolet Uva MT
2013 Hyundai i10 AT
2018 VW Tiguan AT
All yet with us.

Wanted to try a different brand always when buying a new car since I got my driving license in 2006

Before that all were maruti's...

[CEF_Beasts]

Having owned Marutis for a considerable duration of time, I just couldn’t fathom another one, every single button, steering wheels, infotainments are all shared in their portfolio. Maruti seriously needs new switchgear for it’s cars, right from the 2005 Swift they have been using the same switches even the S-Cross uses them. So decided to shift away and got the Ford first and then a Hyundai, these will someday make way for some other brands. But I will always replace my Toyota with another Toyota, no amount of brand fatigue will make me shift away from it.

[Emvi]

Brand fatigue can happen when you don't find a right car to upgrade within the brand after years and years of waiting!

[Kosfactor]

Cure for brand fatigue? A new exciting product.

W : No more Mahindra, lets buy something else this time.
Also W : Thaaaaar, Thaaaaaar, I want one!!