Re: Audi Price Cuts

[adams@churchill.columbiasc.ncr.com]

> 
> On Oct 13,  3:51pm, John Greenstreet wrote:
> [ ...]
> > Americans don't know a lot about quality, and actually believed much
> > of the propaganda spewed forth in the Harvard Business Review by Prahalad
> > and Hamel about fantastic Japanese productivity and quality.  Sure, short-
> > term reliability of Japanese cars was superior to the competition for a
> > short while, but this advantage has long since evaporated,
> 
> 	I'm sorry, John, but I totally disagree.  I like my Audi,
> 	quirks and all, but our reliable family car is a Honda
> 	Accord.  In my (admittedly limited) experience, modern
> 	Japanese cars are (a) extremely reliable, (b) as durable
> 	as they need to be for the market they serve, and (c)
> 	are remarkably well-engineered.

Having owned a Honda/Acura Integcrud, I can say that it was (a) very
unreliable (b) problem prone and (c) poorly designed and manufactured.
I have several letters to the local BBB over the piece of crap 
that I was stuck with.  I bought the Japanese marketing crap once
but I won't be bitten again.  BTW, our reliable family car is a
1993 90CS ("*zero* problems").

> 
> 	For all the noise about rising prices of Japanese cars, they're
> 	still the most value for the money.  I paid $12,500 for my Accord
> 	two years ago, and it has had *zero* problems in the 36,000 miles
> 	that I've driven it.  I could probably sell it today for nearly
> 	$10K, and should I decide to keep it, I know I could drive it beyond
> 	100K without batting an eyelid.
> 

Don't dilute fact from fiction.  The reason you can sell your Accrud for
little depreciation is the rising Yen has sent new Japanese car prices
through the roof.  The immediate effect is an increase in the resell
values.  If a new Accrud comparable to yours sold for $12,500 or less
today, you would be lucky to get $7000 for your used Accrud.  I bought 
my Integcrud for $14,000 (list $15,800) in 89 and sold it 1.5 years later
for $10,000.  But that was in the stable Yen early 90s.  Consider yourself
lucky, especially if you have really had ZERO problems.  My Integcrud spent
1 day every two weeks at the dealer through most it's life!

It's also interesting that the new V-6 Accrud will sell near $26K which
is a short throw from the $27K 90 Sport!

FWIW, it got real nasty between my Acura dealer, Acura/Honda NA and myself.
So I have a very negative opinion of Japanese cars/industry and especially
and Honda/Acura products.  And I have been overwhelmingly happy with my
Audi and the dealer.  It is a far better product in all respects (except 
resell).

regards,

Daniel Adams