Acura TLX discontinued

[edyvw]

I'm well aware of whom owns whom, as I worked sales and as a lot tech for a VW dealership unfortunately during peak dieselgate. VW is in a weird limbo, but some of their decisions boggle the mind. I had so many customers that said if VW built the Amarok here they'd order one today yet when corporate office sort of said Okay. Tge last two revisions of the passat lost awd when most. Companies were adding awd throughout their lineup. The VW CC was only available with awd if you had the vr6 and automatic

Their North American strategy is absolutely bonkers. And big part of that is so they don’t butcher Audi sales.
I know about CC. I had 2010 2.0T. It was really good car. I traded in that car for X5 with 127k on original water pump that was still good. DSG was absolute gem, engine was like tailored made fir the Rockies with that transmission combination. If it was AWD, it would be hard to get rid of it. But then, what about A4?
Now, Audi is far behind MB and BMW, and VW is on life support in the US. Atlas could be much bigger success if they had turbo VR6 in it too, regular European suspension instead of trying to appease average Toyota driver.

 

[goblin]

Well, isn't VW in the US only Mexican-built models, plus a few German-built for the elite models ?

As for the Amarok: Like every other small pick-up truck, it's subject to the chicken tax if not built in North America. The Amarok is made in Argentina.
Mitsubishi is in a lot more trouble than VW in the US, if they could import the L200 - they would too.

Speaking of VW - I've always been partial to the EOS. Now that they are inexpensive, should I look into them ?

 

[edyvw]

Well, isn't VW in the US only Mexican-built models, plus a few German-built for the elite models ?

As for the Amarok: Like every other small pick-up truck, it's subject to the chicken tax if not built in North America. The Amarok is made in Argentina.
Mitsubishi is in a lot more trouble than VW in the US, if they could import the L200 - they would too.

Speaking of VW - I've always been partial to the EOS. Now that they are inexpensive, should I look into them ?

They have a plant in Tennessee where they build Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport and ID4.
So what if they are Mexico-made? Not sure if that is a downside.

 

[TomYoung]

Speaking of VW - I've always been partial to the EOS. Now that they are inexpensive, should I look into them ?

Why not? But better hurry, as most of these have been in the junkyards for a while.

 

[goblin]

They have a plant in Tennessee where they build Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport and ID4.
So what if they are Mexico-made? Not sure if that is a downside.

Not a downside. Just that they would limit the available models to what they can get out of the Mexico plants, as they are (or at least were) tariff free, and closer. Add the US-built ones and you have a whole range of models that are mostly North America specific. Add the local partnerships, and you end up with a rebadge called Routan, but no Sharan and no Touran. Things like that.

 

[Nessism1]

How come VW talk has infiltrated this Honda/Acura thread? Honda/Acura vehicles are at least, 1000x better than a VW, so how come this thread has drifted off topic?

 

[edyvw]

How come VW talk has infiltrated this Honda/Acura thread? Honda/Acura vehicles are at least, 1000x better than a VW, so how come this thread has drifted off topic?

Considering I have a Honda and a VW, I would say your brother's girlfriend cousin's boyfriend, who had a crappy VW, might be wrong.

 

[goblin]

Technically, the thread was never on topic. It never drifted off topic, it briefly barged through it and left

 

[97prizm]

Their North American strategy is absolutely bonkers. And big part of that is so they don’t butcher Audi sales.
I know about CC. I had 2010 2.0T. It was really good car. I traded in that car for X5 with 127k on original water pump that was still good. DSG was absolute gem, engine was like tailored made fir the Rockies with that transmission combination. If it was AWD, it would be hard to get rid of it. But then, what about A4?
Now, Audi is far behind MB and BMW, and VW is on life support in the US. Atlas could be much bigger success if they had turbo VR6 in it too, regular European suspension instead of trying to appease average Toyota driver.

That's why I don't understand how the VW Taos had so many people complaining about the dsg transmission being clunky and unrefined when numerous other VW vehicles have it. The Atlas rides really nice and is one of the few SUVs that can seat two full grown adults in the back seat. The big issue with Audi seems to be that they are package happy. It's either a base model that should have more standard features or premium or premiere. It seems like BMW and Mercedes gives you more customization. The new A5 and S5 were rated well plus have a dct but were dinged by being down on power compared to BMW and Mercedes.

 

[edyvw]

That's why I don't understand how the VW Taos had so many people complaining about the dsg transmission being clunky and unrefined when numerous other VW vehicles have it. The Atlas rides really nice and is one of the few SUVs that can seat two full grown adults in the back seat. The big issue with Audi seems to be that they are package happy. It's either a base model that should have more standard features or premium or premiere. It seems like BMW and Mercedes gives you more customization. The new A5 and S5 were rated well plus have a dct but were dinged by being down on power compared to BMW and Mercedes.

Many, including me, find that secondary dip very irritating. They softened the suspension to attract American buyers. No European company should experiment with soft suspensions. They just don't know how to do it (Citroen excluded).

 

[lovcom]

I don’t know, Toyota fanboys seem to live in a reality of their own.

Statistics. Have you ever taken such a class in high school or college? One will always find those few who swear by the reliability of their German car...but they are one, or few...statistics shows us that German vehicles are exceedingly less reliable than Japanese. You refuse to acknowledge this fact. Instead, you dump on Toyota and Honda owners. Go with data, not emotion, the kind of emotion you attach Japanese buyers as having.

 

[lovcom]

Lexus sold total of around 170,000 LS.
Mercedes sold total of 440,000 W140.
BMW around 380,000 E38.

Your "stats" belie the truth that Lexus LS gouged away substantial market share from the Germans...in the US, today, Lexus owns that market, and they earned it. In that market, Lexus is the most reliable, yet it can handle as well as the best of them.

 

[lovcom]

Same problem in Lexus, ask me how I know. Lasts same time, it has the same supplier as MB and BMW. What is the most common conversion-upgrade on GX470?
Lexus is bought by older people. There is no discussion about that. MB and especially BMW attract younger people, especially at that time, and they change vehicles more often. The second and third owners are little Johnny from down the street who wants to look cool. Lexus ain't gonna attract girls. No one looks cool in LS400.
Somehow, my FIL had two transmissions replaced in his Lexus, and I never had to do that in BMW. So, spare us this attempt to feel more secure about your own decisions.

No, Lexus is the brand of young and middle aged people, far more than the Germans. Lawyers, and accountants love the German cars...for status flashing, not for what is best.

 

[KrisZ]

Statistics. Have you ever taken such a class in high school or college? One will always find those few who swear by the reliability of their German car...but they are one, or few...statistics shows us that German vehicles are exceedingly less reliable than Japanese. You refuse to acknowledge this fact. Instead, you dump on Toyota and Honda owners. Go with data, not emotion, the kind of emotion you attach Japanese buyers as having.

Show me the stats you're talking about.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Your "stats" belie the truth that Lexus LS gouged away substantial market share from the Germans...in the US, today, Lexus owns that market, and they earned it. In that market, Lexus is the most reliable, yet it can handle as well as the best of them.

The Lexus LS400 forced the Germans, and everyone for that matter, to drastically change their business: to build better cars and reduce prices. They were no longer the best game in town...
A huge wake up call that changed the industry. Again, not my opinion; history. This is taught in business schools.

Lexus made the Germans, and others, better. As customers, we win.

 

[KrisZ]

No, Lexus is the brand of young and middle aged people, far more than the Germans. Lawyers, and accountants love the German cars...for status flashing, not for what is best.

For a guy that lectures others about paying attention to the high school stats class, you sure miss the basic numbers.

 

[edyvw]

Your "stats" belie the truth that Lexus LS gouged away substantial market share from the Germans...in the US, today, Lexus owns that market, and they earned it. In that market, Lexus is the most reliable, yet it can handle as well as the best of them.

2024:
LS500: 2,163
MB s Class: 8,809
BMW 7: 10,714.

US 2024:

Lexus: 345, 669
BMW: 371,346
MB: 324,528

Worldwide 2024:

Lexus: 851,214
BMW: 2,200,177
MB: 2,389,000 (Passenger cars: 1,983,000).

Which Lexus do you own?

 

[trd1zz]

The Lexus LS400 forced the Germans, and everyone for that matter, to drastically change their business: to build better cars and reduce prices. They were no longer the best game in town...
A huge wake up call that changed the industry. Again, not my opinion; history. This is taught in business schools.

Lexus made the Germans, and others, better. As customers, we win.

I'm not sure Lexus made the Germans better. At least not right away. Again, Mercedes responded to the LS400 by investing massively to build the W220 - which was the worst S class, ever.

But yeah, the launch and immediate success of Lexus is history. There is a book written about this. Lexus: The Relentless Pursuit

 

[trd1zz]

For a guy that lectures others about paying attention to the high school stats class, you sure miss the basic numbers.

View attachment 293268

Well, looks like AI has the "Focus" bullet points about right. "Reliability" is only mentioned for ... guess who ... Lexus

 

[edyvw]

I'm not sure Lexus made the Germans better. At least not right away. Again, Mercedes responded to the LS400 by investing massively to build the W220 - which was the worst S class, ever.

But yeah, the launch and immediate success of Lexus is history. There is a book written about this. Lexus: The Relentless Pursuit

Bunch of things used in W220 are today standard equipment on ALL vehicles. What innovation did LS400 gave us? Or LS430?
And again, which BMW, Mercedes did you own? For a guy who knows so much, I am expecting at least 10 BMW’s and Mercedes. So which one did you own and what issues did you have?