[GTO]

When was the last time you saw a non-German vehicle on a flatbed tow truck? Not saying other makes don't use them, but Germans would probably beat the Japanese / Koreans 9:1 in this competition. After all, German car marques are now the masters of breakdowns!

Brand new E250 - Link to thread




Sahil's 525 - Link to thread


Mercedes S320 - Link to thread




BMW 7 series, first one spotted by me.




Akki's E280 CDI - Link to thread




Complicated Skoda Superb - Link to thread




And a Bentley!


Request : If you have more pictures, please share on this thread.

The fundamental purpose of a car is to take its driver from point A -> point B, and this is an area where German cars fail miserably. What's the point of all that luxury, bells & whistles if your car breaks down on the highway? Or keeps visiting the garage several times a year for repair. This is completely inacceptable, inexplicable and an absolute shame for Mercedes, BMW and Audi! The worst part is, instead of focusing on making their cars more reliable, the Europeans are obsessed with cramming even more electronics into their cars. Thanks but no thanks, I'm washing my hands off modern Germans for a long time to come.

Related Threads:

German cab drivers no longer hail Mercedes
Your definition of build quality
Unreliable luxury cars
Lexus over Merc and BMW?
Long discussion on German reliability

[SS-Traveller]

That's the maximum number of smileys allowed.

What are the economics involved in getting a car moved on flat-bed tow trucks vs. those that simply hook up one end? I would not expect a very huge difference in cost between either type of vehicle. Or is it that flat-bed tow trucks intentionally charge a whole lot more because they know they are catering to high-end car owners who can afford to shell out more, but don't want their car hooked up?

[EARTHed]

How about this case reported by Dippy about the VW Vento.

A friend in my building got delivery of his Vento day before yesterday. And yesterday a flatbed truck came and took it away. The reason? Smoke coming from the rear brakes. Apparently there is a crack somewhere

German reliability anyone?

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/2100784-post852.html

[Dippy]

Originally Posted by EARTHed

How about this case reported by Dippy about the VW Vento.


http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/2100784-post852.html

Yep that was me alright. Sorry I forgot to take a picture of the garlanded Vento on the flatbed.

[sanjayatarizona]

When you buy a German , you experience extreme pleasure and extreme pain in equal proportions. I should know

[Dose]

Did you mean the french word "inacceptable" or the english "unacceptable?"

And does this mean you are dumping your C-class? Do tell.
It's a pity there is no smilie for eating popcorn. I love your Merc repair stories. A true love-hate relationship.

Are there any pictures of W124's on flat-beds?

[nitrous]

There's a critical point missed here.
Affordability.
Can the non-german owners afford a flat bed?

[speedmiester]

Thats true, a good compilation of pictures to point out the obvious.
But lets not rush to conclusion and bash German cars. The reason majority of the German luxury cars breakdown is because of cramming unwanted gizmos in the car.
Do we really need all these gizmos?

What is the purpose of auto headlamps?
If a driver cannot judge whether he needs to switch on the headlamps or not depending on the prevailing lighting conditions then he is unfit to drive a car.
The same goes with rain sensing wipers.
Are drivers so dumb that they cannot notice reduced visibility due to rain and switch on the wipers.

[Daewood]

Ford India had advertised their "Free" flatbed tow truck service, a few years back in Chennai.
Guess it's been stopped now.

[gaurav_chopra04]

German Engineering, Assembled in India....

I too saw an M3 on a flatbed, a couple of days back on Delhi Gurgaon Expressway.

The Japs certainly make the most reliable cars in the world. The Germans on the other hand do make most fun to drive and safe cars (on THE DAY, you have more chances to survive in a german car than you have in a Japanese car) but somehow, todays complex and completely electrical cars (I dont mean EVs or Hybrids) have put questions on the reliability of the cars Germans make.

I'd be more than happy to buy even a 10 year old japanese car but I'd think twice before buying even a 3 year old German car.

[sandeepmdas]

Originally Posted by gaurav_chopra04

German Engineering, Assembled in India....
I too saw an M3 on a flatbed, a couple of days back on Delhi Gurgaon Expressway.

I assume you are joking with that , because:
- the M3 is a CBU
- the Japanese high-end cars like the Prado etc are not showing this "flatbed fever"
- compared to the Civic the Laura is more problematic and both are locally assembled.

[Pankaj401]

My friends Honda City was towed last year for around 2500 rupees IIRC. Someone had intentionally cut the rear left brake line.

[gaurav_chopra04]

Please find my replies in bold

Originally Posted by sandeepmdas

I assume you are joking with that , because:
- the M3 is a CBU

Ofcourse, but many other German cars are assembled in India. I didnt write it with M3 in mind. I wrote it just to sound funny!

- the Japanese high-end cars like the Prado etc are not showing this "flatbed fever"

- compared to the Civic the Laura is more problematic and both are locally assembled.

Thats exactly what I said, the Japanese are more reliable!

[rjstyles69]

Originally Posted by nitrous

There's a critical point missed here.
Affordability.
Can the non-german owners afford a flat bed?

Exactly my thoughts. If I were driving a Maruti/Hyundai I would definitely look at towing it than hiring a flat-bed truck. Not many who own desi cars could afford this luxury.

[vipul_singh]

No, I do not think cost is a factor behind more German cars being seen on flatbed trucks than Japanese/Asian marques. I have checked the cost of towing a car from NOIDA to Patparganj in Delhi (just in case). The cost of Towing with a "crane truck" was Rs. 1600, while that of a flatbad truck was Rs. 3000 - a difference of just Rs. 1400. Surely, the owners of Asian cars can afford this difference.

More importantly, I have not seen many Asian cars being Towed at all, whether by a crane or a flatbed truck, except by the Traffic police