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Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
South African Fanatics are getting a bad deal from BMW SA
- Thread starter Jerez
- Start date
W
wikk3d88
Guest
akash said:The E30 M3 is a great car sad it never came to SA for what ever reason.
BUT......
In true South African "WE'LL SHOW YOU" fashion we created the E30 235is, 327is and 333i not to mention the Opel Supa Boss, Monza CD 16V, Opel 200TS, Ford Cortina Interceptor etc (not sure about the last car being a SA creation :fencelook
But anyway that just makes me feel proudly South African, sure we never got some really great cars here in SA but who cares really with the machines we did have available.
Just my thoughts:thumbs:
ed_z said:
I do, i saw 8 trailers taking down brand new F30 328i's on may way down to Durban. it was last year.
325is. Was never badged as the 327is. Common mistake people make as the 325is is a 2.7
Clownshoe
Active member
Car manufacturers do a lot of profiling... they have a product range that meets the demographic.
The last thing a manufacturer wants is to import a bunch of cars and have them mould away on shopfloors and sold cheap as "demos".
So we have nothing but ourselves to blame.
The specific models you mention though:
M3 LHD only so SA out.
Z3 1.8... aimed squarely at rich daddy's college girls... not a big SA demographic. Made in the US for the US.
On that subject I was discussing cars with an American colleague tonight. I was going on about BMWs when he started going on about American Muscle and his supercharged, nitrous Camero... he quietened down when I said my MCoupe was built is the US and his Camaro was built in Canada.:fishwack:
The last thing a manufacturer wants is to import a bunch of cars and have them mould away on shopfloors and sold cheap as "demos".
So we have nothing but ourselves to blame.
The specific models you mention though:
M3 LHD only so SA out.
Z3 1.8... aimed squarely at rich daddy's college girls... not a big SA demographic. Made in the US for the US.
On that subject I was discussing cars with an American colleague tonight. I was going on about BMWs when he started going on about American Muscle and his supercharged, nitrous Camero... he quietened down when I said my MCoupe was built is the US and his Camaro was built in Canada.:fishwack:
Philip Foglar
///Member
Clownshoe said:
This is true!! But one can't help but think that in most cases they are way too "careful" rather than taking the odd risk - 10 points for Toyota as an example for bringing the 86 to our shores!!
George Smooth
///Member
BMW gets export credits for all cars it exports. These credits are used to import the rest of the range at a lower cost (read higher profit margin). It's a numbers game and the accountants call the shots to keep the shareholders happy. It's a business end of the day and if there was more money to be made we would have more models.
akash
Well-known member
wikk3d88 said:akash said:The E30 M3 is a great car sad it never came to SA for what ever reason.
BUT......
In true South African "WE'LL SHOW YOU" fashion we created the E30 235is, 327is and 333i not to mention the Opel Supa Boss, Monza CD 16V, Opel 200TS, Ford Cortina Interceptor etc (not sure about the last car being a SA creation :fencelook
But anyway that just makes me feel proudly South African, sure we never got some really great cars here in SA but who cares really with the machines we did have available.
Just my thoughts:thumbs:
ed_z said:
I do, i saw 8 trailers taking down brand new F30 328i's on may way down to Durban. it was last year.
325is. Was never badged as the 327is. Common mistake people make as the 325is is a 2.7
Why did i think that the 327is was realeased in the Stannic group N seris to take on the Opel Supa Boss. I've seen a 327is at the Sandton motor show, back in Durban there is a guys that has a silver turbo charged 327is.
Oh well
W
wikk3d88
Guest
akash said:
You're confused. That is the 325is.
BMW never made or sold a "327is". that was owners being silly with their badges.
Clownshoe
Active member
Philip Foglar said:
BMW has not had alot of luck with the more niche models: The Z3 MCoupe was flop (they had to add ACS Stuff for free to get them to move out showrooms), kudos for trying again with the Z4 MCoupe. The 635 was also a slow mover.
Imagine the advertising, certification costs involved with a new model... and then have it being a low volume mover.
Interesting George Smooth about the credits, it explains alot.
We, as petrol heads, often criticize manufacturers for having bland marketing orientated products... but where does the money come from to do the really special stuff. I shake hands and thank every polo owner I can find... I thank them for paying a fortune for plain vanilla so petrolheads could have the Veyron to look and lust after.
rayven_king
New member
Clownshoe said:
they should bring in a 335d for this very reason so I can get a cheap demo :fencelook:
ASH
New member
I have to agree that even though here in SA alot of 3Series are manufactured but there are a few of models which we miss out on, one
example would be the E46 330i coupe, only came out in sedan & convertible form , once again clever niche marketing as earlier mentioned. That particular model was highly praised, offering good comfort and pace, and sort of in between the M3 and 325ci, BMW SA felt it was not applicable to SA, but definitelty when buying a 2door BMW more power is always welcomed, we did have 323ci, 325ci but no 330ci.
Also IX (awd) models have been sold many years ago, but SA never received. There was also the E36 compact which never came here, Z8, E92 330i, E92 320d (which would make more sense as a entry model than the gutless E92 320i), E92 335d, we never had the Z3 Coupe stock models which where made, maybe these would have sold as pricing would have undercut the Z3 MCoupe, the Z3 M Roadster also didnt make it to SA shores as well. Then there is the 1Ser coupe, which you can not get in 123d guise, as it goes 120d, 125i, 135i, and it is a rocketship. If you go back in time, we also never had the E36 M3 coupe with 3.2L M3 engine, as the later models for SA where only sedan body, when the sedan body was on its way out to be replaced with E46.
There are more, these are ones I just remembered of the top of my head......surely having variety in a model range will help in covering
all bases, rather than have customers go to other brands because a particulat type of model is not offered................. :thumbdo:
example would be the E46 330i coupe, only came out in sedan & convertible form , once again clever niche marketing as earlier mentioned. That particular model was highly praised, offering good comfort and pace, and sort of in between the M3 and 325ci, BMW SA felt it was not applicable to SA, but definitelty when buying a 2door BMW more power is always welcomed, we did have 323ci, 325ci but no 330ci.
Also IX (awd) models have been sold many years ago, but SA never received. There was also the E36 compact which never came here, Z8, E92 330i, E92 320d (which would make more sense as a entry model than the gutless E92 320i), E92 335d, we never had the Z3 Coupe stock models which where made, maybe these would have sold as pricing would have undercut the Z3 MCoupe, the Z3 M Roadster also didnt make it to SA shores as well. Then there is the 1Ser coupe, which you can not get in 123d guise, as it goes 120d, 125i, 135i, and it is a rocketship. If you go back in time, we also never had the E36 M3 coupe with 3.2L M3 engine, as the later models for SA where only sedan body, when the sedan body was on its way out to be replaced with E46.
There are more, these are ones I just remembered of the top of my head......surely having variety in a model range will help in covering
all bases, rather than have customers go to other brands because a particulat type of model is not offered................. :thumbdo:
rayven_king
New member
ASH said:
the thought of an e92 330 makes me happy and sad at the same time
Clownshoe
Active member
E36 compact was probably not brought in for a good reason. They should have kept to that line and not brought in teh E46 compact. a flop model. IX Awd models are for cold climates and are by no means a performance AWD system. If they had it here it would quickly become knows as slow and less fuel efficient than its RWD cousins.ASH said:
Jerez
Well-known member
I don't know much about these manufactures accounts and how they run their numbers can tell you that SA always ends up with a 2nd generation model- eg Civic Type R and R32. When the EU got the R32 then SA stuck that kit on their GTi and called it the Gti R,but it seems That u have the new R32 now , so how does that work.... They did the similar thing with the Honda, I believe they released a yellow model an called it.... I don't know- rebadging cars have been the money making scam of the manufactures. Remember the citi golf, then add a strip and R10k and call it a rural golf and everyone wants one. The consumers need to make their mark and not the accountants.
