Brand Loyalty?

[Bluebottle]

All but two of the cars I've owned have either been Fords or have been built with Ford parts (the others being the Hurricane, built with Triumph parts and a Bedford ambulance)
This is not out of a particular loyalty to the Blue Oval, it's just happened that way!
Do you have any kind of brand loyalty which comes into play when you choose a new car, and if so why? and do you even consider 'the others'?

[woodyracing]

All my cars have been Ford

Escort XR3i
Sierra Sapphire ghia
Escort Mk V
Fiesta XR2i 16v

I do like Fords, but I have no problem picking other manufacturers.
Vauxhall are up on my list, and so are Toyota, Nissan and Mazda.
Depends on the type of car i was after.

[marcus]

here in Australia , we have a huge rivalary between Ford and Holden.
it mainly depends what you have grown up with as to which one you follow.
I grew up being a Holden fan but at present we have one of each , a Ford and a Holden.
when looking for a new car I tend to lean towards Holden basically because thats what i like and Ive always had less problems with Holdens and the Fords i have owned usually have some kind of problem after a while.
but really loyalty shouldnt come into it and you should considerer all factors when buying a car i guess, whether it be Holden, Ford, toyota or honda even

[TimD]

Hmmm....

3 Volkswagens
2 Austins
2 Fords
2 Rovers
1 Chrysler
1 Hillman
1 Mercedes-Benz
1 Morris
1 Renault
1 Talbot
1 Toyota
1 Triumph
1 Vauxhall
1 Volvo

... nope - I don't think I can honestly say I've exhibited much marque loyalty over the years. I did have a particular appreciation for Volkswagens, but the Golf got too flabby when the '91 shape came out, and the Passat is too expensive.

Any I would NEVER buy again? Yes. The Renault. A truly terrible car, badly built, flimsy and unreliable. That would be indictment enough if it were the Renault 4, but mine was a Renault 30 V6 - the alleged executive model. Derived from the Renault 20, but with 10 extra mistakes added...

[Red Dog]

I must have done the same course as you TimD although some of these were shared with my wife.

Mini 850
Mini van 850
Mini 998
Lancia Fulvia Sport (Zagato)1.3 I still own this one!
VW golf Mk1 1.1
Fiat Strada 1.3
Vauxhall Cavalier Mk1 1.6
Ford Escort Mk3 1.1
Vauxhall Cavalier Mk2 1.6
Toyota Camry Mk1? '86 model 2.0
Nissan Pulsar 1.8(Australian model)
Nissan Sunny 1.8ZX 5dr
Ford Escort Mk3 1.3
Vauxhall Cavalier Mk3 1.8
Vauxhall Cavalier Mk3 2.0
Ford Sierra 1.8
Ford Sierra 1.8
Peugeot 305 1.6
Peugeot 405 ??? Diesel
Toyota Camry 3.0 V6

A lot of these were forced on me by merciless employers
I thought the Cavalier was a good car until I had the first Camry.
I thought the Sierra was a bad car......it was and I had two.
I hated diesels until I had the Peugeot. I still hate them now!
Terrible name the Nissan Sunny. My wife still has it at 100,000 miles and 13 years old. It has the original battery and the original clutch.
My current Camry is the nicest car I've ever owned.
The most uncomfortable car I've ever driven (for any distance) is the Mercedes A class. The car I punished the most was the 2.0 Cavalier. I screamed the engine because I was going through a bad phase. It simply would not break and believe me , I really tried. I drove 30,000 miles in a year and the law finally caught me on the A1 at 99.6 mph "you're rather fortunate sir. Another 1mph and you'd have lost your licence" He did not know that I had just slowed from an indicated 130mph.

I drove very slowly for a long time after that.

[mtpanorama]

Here is my list in order of apperance

Mazda 626 coupe
Mazda RX3 sedan
Chrysler Galant coupe (it was free)
Nissan Pulsar sss sedan
75 Leyland mini S
Subaru leone coupe
Nissan Bluebird TRX
93 Ford Falcon XR6
Kawazaki Z250
78 Leyland Mini LS
98 Ford Falcon XR6

After owning my 2 XR6 Falcons i will definately buy another one,2,3..
As Marcus said there is a great Ford Holden rivalry going on here and i have yet to own a holden and cant see it happening anytime soon either. If there was something that i liked i would buy it, it doesnt really matter what brand it is.

[Carrie]

Nothing intentional about brand loyalty, but my cars have been
Vauxhall Nova 1.2
Vauxhall Nova 1.3 (horrid car)
and Vauxhall Corsa 1.2.
I'm currently starting to think about what my next car will be and I don't think I'll be looking at the new Corsa. Haven't really got much idea yet.
I wonder if I was influenced in choosing a Vauxhall by the fact that my dad has chosen them in recent years.
He started off with his first car as a second hand Morris Minor with part of its registration as LEN. He was actively taking part in the Institute of Advanced Motorists at the time he had that car and it always amuses me that it's over 30 years since he got rid of that car, but most of the IAM knew him by the registration of the car and so he still gets Christmas Cards addressed to Len
Can't remember what he had after that, but third car was a very short lived gas guzzling Volkswagen Beetle, this was followed by a Datsun (Sunny I think) the first car I remember him owning. After that he had a Ford Cortina (2.2 I think). I still see that car about my home town. It was in very good condition when my dad sold it, it's now obviously been restored and the only way to describe it is showroom condition, it's absolutely immaculate. It was after the Cortina (which he loved apart from very heavy steering) that he moved onto Vauxhalls and he's now had an Astra followed by two Cavaliers. The reliability of the Astra persuaded him to move onto a second Vauxhall and that again was a very reliable (and high mileage) car. We both got our current cars within 2 days of each other. He's completely happy with his 10 year old Cavalier 1.6 which only had 14,000 on the clock when he got it, so I can well imagine him sticking with Vauxhall for his next car. As for me, I'm getting increasingly annoyed with the number of little niggling things that are wrong with the Corsa and have noticed how some areas of the new Corsa have got even more plasticy compared with mine, so I'll probably be looking for something other than a Vauxhall.

[Ray Bell]

After a succession of Holdens and Morris Minors, I found a Peugeot 403 survived well and have mostly had various Pugs since. For a while I had Simca Arondes and later Toyota Hi-Aces, and I had a Datsun 200B for a while ... my wife had a Sigma for a while, and now has a Corolla.

[Craig]

Apart from work runabouts I've only ever owned one car - my Pug 306 diesel. Nice enough car, it's done me well, but it's a little... shall we say... French ?! I don't think I'd buy another Pug...

I quite fancy a new MG right now... but I have no particular loyalty to any one brand... not of cars though. Commercial vehicles, yes, but not cars.

[TimD]

Of course, when considering brand loyalty, there is one aspect that hasn't been considered.

Loyalty to the brand that you can't afford.

I will have a Bentley one day. And I will cherish it like a close family member. Trouble is, at a starting price of about £55,000 for a scruffy 3-litre, I do have just a little saving up to do.

In the meantime, I have been a member of the Bentley Drivers Club for rather more years than I care to consider, so that I can at least say that I wear my enthusiasm for the marque on my sleeve.

Or indeed around my neck, in the form of the club tie.

[neilap]

Honda, I just love their motors. Their B series motors were out of this world. The new K series are even smoother and more powerful. To me there is no beating a 8k redline maybe a 9k redline but that is it.

[elephino]

Well my cars have been:
Volvo 144S
Nissan Pulsar SSS
Subaru Impreza RS
So the only loyalty there is the letter S

But going by what my parents have owned...(not total list as I can't remember all of them)
Ford Anglia
Humber Vogue (x2)
Volvo 245L
Volvo 240GL
Volvo 440SE
Volvo S40T
Toyota Corona
Datsun 200B
Toyota Camry (company car)
Toyota Corolla Seca (company car)
Lexus IS200
Mazda 121 Landau
Holden EK
VW Beetle
Ford Laser (my sister's car)
Triumph 2500S

I'm sure there are one or two more cars to be thrown into the mix and a few bikes which my dad owned (currently a Cagiva Allazura)

[DAVID PATERSON]

Unlike most Australians, I'm not steadfastly devoted towards Ford or Holden, i lean towards Holden, but I will still look at a Ford. In fact, my current car, the first company car I was allowed to choose for myself, is a Ford. Also, the last new car I bought before getting my first company car, was a Ford.

[mac]

I am like David in that I don't particularly give two hoots about the Ford v Holden thing. If it's a good car, I'll have a look.

[Red Dog]

The Ford v Holden thing is pretty strong with the guys I worked with in Sydney. When I was there just before Christmas I was given a 3.8 litre Commodore for my hire car.
Comfortable and roomy and I was really looking forward to the grunt from the engine.......oh dear. It was not what I had hoped. The engine was noisy and did not like being revved and the handling was mediocre.
I also hired a big Mitsubishi 3.5 litre and, despite its odd looks, was very smooth. The engine was really urgent and apparently it's built in Adelaide and put in the car in Sydney?

Next time I must try a Falcon. Are they any good?

[Ray Bell]

You must have got a dud, I think... those 3.8 Commodores go pretty well, and I don't think they're noisy at all.

[Red Dog]

Okay then, Ray. I won't turn it down if I get offered one next time.

[DAVID PATERSON]

The 3.8 V6 Commodore was released in 1988 with 125kW, many thought it was noisy and harsh, with every new model however it has become smoother and quieter. In 1991 it went up to 127kW. In 1993 it went up to 130kW and in 1995 it went up to 147kW, where it remains today. The fuel economy is very good for a car of that size and power.

The Falcon is a fraction larger than the Commodore and the 4.0 straight six started out with 147kW, then in 1996 it went up to 157kW, where it remains today. It is however, much more thirsty than a Commodore.

[Ray Bell]

Yes, the Commodore is incredibly economical for its size, some talk of 38mpg with manual versions.

[yorkie]

My List:

A 1980 Ford Fiesta 1.3 Ghia
A 1987 Vauxhall Nova SRi (before they were all owned by 17 year olds)
A 1995 Vauxhall Corsa SRi (The best Vauxhall I have owned)
A 1997 Vauxhall Corsa Sport
A 1999 Ford Mondeo ST200.

I bought the Nova and had so much fun in it that when it wore out (cost a lot for its MOT) i decided to by a Corsa (brand loyalty?). When I bought the first Corsa I thought it was an excellent car. Imagine the disapointment when I found that it was the exception rather than the rule when I bought the second one. The handling was different, the pickup was different. It wasn't a bad car, just ... well different.

Now the ST200. Great car, great engine (lovely V6 sound), great handling, great ..... well you get the idea. Irealy like the car. Not so keen on 23Mpg though.

[Red Dog]

Yorkie
So you have fallen for the sound of a V6 like me. Unfortunately, being a Toyota, mine can only be heard when I'm thrashing the nuts off it, or when the exhaust gets a leak.

As you say, the snag is that 6 cylinders love the old jungle juice. Amazing Commodore fuel consumption though, 38mpg. I think I'd need a brick under the throttle pedal to help me though!

[DAVID PATERSON]

Here are mine in order of purchase.

1982 Toyota Corolla 1.3
1972 Valiant Charger 4.0
1976 Chrysler V8 5.2
1973 Valiant Charger 4.3
1973 Valiant Charger 4.3
1989 Holden Commodore 3.8
1972 Datsun 1600 1.6
1994 Ford Laser 1.8
1972 Valiant Ute 4.3
1972 Holden Torana 3.3

[Don K]

1977 Ford Fiesta
1981 Ford Escort
1997 VW Polo
(temorary) 1999 Renault Laguna
2000 Volvo V40
(temporary) 2001 Opel Astra
2001 Skoda Octavia

---

The Polo was small, but I did like the reliability.
The Volvo was superb, but a little bit expensive.
The Skoda is a little bit cheaper than the Volvo, and a bit more luxorious and it has more foot space (but only 4 airbags ). And of course it has the Volkswagen reliability (it's something like a VW Passat built on the bottom of a VW Golf or Audi A3).

[elephino]

David, the jump in 1995 was because it was a "new" engine. The quotes are because it was still a rather old design of engine over the old 6. I also don't agree that it isn't noisy. It is a lot quiter than it used to be but it is not quiet.

[DAVID PATERSON]

Michael, the 3.8 V6 is essentially the same engine today as it was in 1988. In 1995, with the introduction of the VS, they added ECOTEC, which is just a fancy name for the new induction system, which makes the car run cleaner and deliver more power.

I had a VT for two years and it was the quietest car I have ever had. Very quiet indeed, and that was after a Magna and a Verada for the two years previous.