M
Mike1
Guest
The Future Of BMW - How will BMW's latest developments affect the brand in 10 years
BMW has always been a class leader, always produced superb vehicles at reasonably affordable prices offering the joy, efficiency and BMW driving experience to all people.
Whether you own a E34, E90 or even the latest M5 the day will come when you will want to trade in, sell up or simply just upgrade to the latest model.
In the past it has been easy to simply go from an E36 to an E46, petrol to diesel but I am concerned that these days are soon to be over for BMW.
To begin with, the drive towards greater efficiency and lower carbon emissions has lead manufacturers to develop new motors. Volkswagen developed the 1.4TSI, a turbo charged and supercharged 1.4 Litre motor offering exceptional power yet excellent economy. Alfa Romeo developed the Twin Air Motor, Smart the 1 Litre turbo and now BMW has reached this point.
Looking at the latest BMW 3 & 5 series offerings we are excited to hear that the new M3 will be a 3.5 Litre Twin Turbo with more power than a Nissan GTR. We are ecstatic to learn that the new 320i has more power and torque and we have already experienced the power of these new motors in the M550D marketing videos we have seen.
How does BMW extract such magnificent power from these motors? Simple, turbo's.
I am a huge fan of turbo vehicles, they are efficient and exciting to drive and have fantastic tune-ability. This however concerns me.
If we look at the E46 320D, this car offers great value but has not proven to be very reliable. Turbo vehicles in general carry a very strong stigma with regards to reliability and some people are wary even of E90 320D's. The most common question on all forums is "will the turbo break and will I be able to afford it".
Now this concerns me greatly, particularly when considering that in 5 years time this years BMW Turbo powered vehicles will run out of motorplan. Newly developed motors, possibly with un-expected design faults and of course a perceived high maintenance bill for every service.
In SA particularly people are led to believe that BMW's combust after 100 000km. That they are expensive to maintain and that a Used BMW without Motorplan is an instant answer to bankruptcy and should be avoided at all costs.
So lets face it, turbo's are not cheap and turbo's fail.
How will this affect the used BMW market in 5 years? How will it affect the used market in 15 years time? How will this affect those at the lower income scale (or simply those who dont buy new cars) in 5 years time.
Will there be an exodus of BMW's in the second hand market with buyers terrified of buying them for the fear of faulty turbo's? How reliable can we expect these cars to be in 8 years time?
My biggest concern is that manufacturers are producing these amazing motors and selling the benefits of these motors but not the downfalls. There is no movement towards educating customers on how to care for their turbo vehicles, how to operate a turbo vehicle to ensure that in 8 years time a BMW Fanatic doesnt have to replace a turbo at mental price tag.
With turbo technology becoming more common, will we see a decline in turbo prices in the next 10 years? Can buyers in the used market simply budget in X amount before purchasing used and have the turbo replaced?
Furthermore, the tune-ability of these vehicles offer amazing results - Will we be left with a bunch of ragged, tired and beaten 328i's, 320i's and 335i's with destroyed motors and buggered drive-trains? If you think finding a decent E46 M3 is a mission, imagine how complicated the new M3 is going to be in 15 years time?
In ten years time, who will work on these sophisticated motors?
It appears to me that much like with the extortionate parts prices we already pay that BMW is fully aware of the way the world treats their vehicles. People talk about the disposable car, the car we keep for 3 years and trade in for a new one. Are these cars going to become so disposable, perhaps so potentially costly (in a perceived sense and a literal sense) that people will only buy new cars?
Lets look at the current scheme deals available through BMW Finance, the 0% interest, the 46 months term and 5 year Motorplan. These days it is often more affordable to purchase a new car than it is a Used car. You pay an extremely low payment, pay less than half the car and all maintenance is free - And then you hand the car back and walk away debt free.
Those with used BMW's, does your car offer you that comfort zone?
So, where do I see BMW in 10 years?
All manufacturers are driven to makes sales, specifically new car sales. In 10 years time I think that BMW will have a thriving new market of scheme buyers, enjoying their cars and trading them in. The used market will be virtually non-existent as people will see more value and peace of mind in spending more on a new car. And for those who cannot afford a new car I hope that BMW realises that a huge amount of BMW Fanatics, more than they account for will be lost to the brand. With little parts support due to excessive pricing, potential major component failures from a lack of education (ie turbo failure) and then the possible lack of experienced mechanics to maintain these cars at an affordable price.
This doesnt just go for BMW but for all the brands and manufacturers moving in this direction. This thread and my questioning relates mostly to the turbo aspect of the new models, it doesnt take into account the stories of poor service, lower quality and fuel prices which are already affecting the brand.
Should we be concerned? Where do you think BMW will be in 10 years time?
Mike
BMW has always been a class leader, always produced superb vehicles at reasonably affordable prices offering the joy, efficiency and BMW driving experience to all people.
Whether you own a E34, E90 or even the latest M5 the day will come when you will want to trade in, sell up or simply just upgrade to the latest model.
In the past it has been easy to simply go from an E36 to an E46, petrol to diesel but I am concerned that these days are soon to be over for BMW.
To begin with, the drive towards greater efficiency and lower carbon emissions has lead manufacturers to develop new motors. Volkswagen developed the 1.4TSI, a turbo charged and supercharged 1.4 Litre motor offering exceptional power yet excellent economy. Alfa Romeo developed the Twin Air Motor, Smart the 1 Litre turbo and now BMW has reached this point.
Looking at the latest BMW 3 & 5 series offerings we are excited to hear that the new M3 will be a 3.5 Litre Twin Turbo with more power than a Nissan GTR. We are ecstatic to learn that the new 320i has more power and torque and we have already experienced the power of these new motors in the M550D marketing videos we have seen.
How does BMW extract such magnificent power from these motors? Simple, turbo's.
I am a huge fan of turbo vehicles, they are efficient and exciting to drive and have fantastic tune-ability. This however concerns me.
If we look at the E46 320D, this car offers great value but has not proven to be very reliable. Turbo vehicles in general carry a very strong stigma with regards to reliability and some people are wary even of E90 320D's. The most common question on all forums is "will the turbo break and will I be able to afford it".
Now this concerns me greatly, particularly when considering that in 5 years time this years BMW Turbo powered vehicles will run out of motorplan. Newly developed motors, possibly with un-expected design faults and of course a perceived high maintenance bill for every service.
In SA particularly people are led to believe that BMW's combust after 100 000km. That they are expensive to maintain and that a Used BMW without Motorplan is an instant answer to bankruptcy and should be avoided at all costs.
So lets face it, turbo's are not cheap and turbo's fail.
How will this affect the used BMW market in 5 years? How will it affect the used market in 15 years time? How will this affect those at the lower income scale (or simply those who dont buy new cars) in 5 years time.
Will there be an exodus of BMW's in the second hand market with buyers terrified of buying them for the fear of faulty turbo's? How reliable can we expect these cars to be in 8 years time?
My biggest concern is that manufacturers are producing these amazing motors and selling the benefits of these motors but not the downfalls. There is no movement towards educating customers on how to care for their turbo vehicles, how to operate a turbo vehicle to ensure that in 8 years time a BMW Fanatic doesnt have to replace a turbo at mental price tag.
With turbo technology becoming more common, will we see a decline in turbo prices in the next 10 years? Can buyers in the used market simply budget in X amount before purchasing used and have the turbo replaced?
Furthermore, the tune-ability of these vehicles offer amazing results - Will we be left with a bunch of ragged, tired and beaten 328i's, 320i's and 335i's with destroyed motors and buggered drive-trains? If you think finding a decent E46 M3 is a mission, imagine how complicated the new M3 is going to be in 15 years time?
In ten years time, who will work on these sophisticated motors?
It appears to me that much like with the extortionate parts prices we already pay that BMW is fully aware of the way the world treats their vehicles. People talk about the disposable car, the car we keep for 3 years and trade in for a new one. Are these cars going to become so disposable, perhaps so potentially costly (in a perceived sense and a literal sense) that people will only buy new cars?
Lets look at the current scheme deals available through BMW Finance, the 0% interest, the 46 months term and 5 year Motorplan. These days it is often more affordable to purchase a new car than it is a Used car. You pay an extremely low payment, pay less than half the car and all maintenance is free - And then you hand the car back and walk away debt free.
Those with used BMW's, does your car offer you that comfort zone?
So, where do I see BMW in 10 years?
All manufacturers are driven to makes sales, specifically new car sales. In 10 years time I think that BMW will have a thriving new market of scheme buyers, enjoying their cars and trading them in. The used market will be virtually non-existent as people will see more value and peace of mind in spending more on a new car. And for those who cannot afford a new car I hope that BMW realises that a huge amount of BMW Fanatics, more than they account for will be lost to the brand. With little parts support due to excessive pricing, potential major component failures from a lack of education (ie turbo failure) and then the possible lack of experienced mechanics to maintain these cars at an affordable price.
This doesnt just go for BMW but for all the brands and manufacturers moving in this direction. This thread and my questioning relates mostly to the turbo aspect of the new models, it doesnt take into account the stories of poor service, lower quality and fuel prices which are already affecting the brand.
Should we be concerned? Where do you think BMW will be in 10 years time?
Mike
