American vs German and why?

[derik]

Comparing on American and German cars, which one will you advice to buy in 2-3 year old used car market. Some says American is better in technology but not in safety and weak in reliability, other say German are good with safety and reliability but not with technology. I am highly confuse, as I old used Japanese that threw tons of tantrum after few years of use.

I am really curious to hear your guys feedback, opinion and cross brand experiences (if any). Thanks in advance.

[Danny]

German cars are much better than an American cars in every single way, PERIOD. That's why they are damn expensive and almost more than double in price in few car segments.

[hanif]

I agree with @Danny on this.

How well a car is made is as much the result of a country's culture, as it is the result of that country's view of the world. Germany, and much of Europe, has a culture of being proud of the work they do and the products they make, which largely translates into cars that are better than cars produced elsewhere in the world.

America does not have this culture of pride, meaning that American cars are only functional, and merely do what they were designed to do, which is last until their warranties run out. To be fair though, America has come a long way in terms of car design and how long their cars last, but the few iconic muscle cars they produce still suffer from poor handling, build quality issues, and low resale values. 

The vast majority of American-made cars depend on technologies like traction control, stability control, and brakeforce-control systems to compensate for poor suspension and chassis design. This is mainly because of their roads that are mostly long, smooth, and relatively straight highways, whereas the roads In Europe are mostly hilly, twisting, narrow, and often wet.

These conditions demand better brakes, firmer chassis designs, stiffer suspension setups, and  more responsive steering to provide better handling than any car produced in America. In fact, the safety systems in German, and other Europen cars cannnot be diagnosed and repaired with equipment made for American cars, because of different programming.

Moreover, German cars are generally aimed at high-end buyers, which makes them expensive, meaning that most American consumers cannot afford them. The high-end marketing segment demands car that are reliable, handle well, have good resale values,and says something about the buyer. German car manufcaturers know this, which is why they produce cars  that satisfy these conditions, instead of producing cars that use technology to compensate for poor design.

I hope this explains the basic differences between German and American cars, but be aware that not all German cars are perfect. All cars have issues and problems, and one of those issues is the electronics on German cars that can be incredibly complex and difficult to repair. Therefore it is important that if you buy a used German car, make sure that you have access to a garage that can diagnose its faults, and repair them as well. 

Programming on a German-made car is different from a German car that was made in America, or elsewhere outside of Germany, so be careful that you don't buy something that you cannot repair. 

[Gaurav]

Hi Derick, your selection of 2-3 year old bracket is very sensitive to choose: If car comes with warranty then German cars are awesome to drive and own and have that special pride among all cars. If car doesn't come with warranty then better to choose American as you will get reasonable good feel but with very good value for money while maintaining it. I had couple of years old Porsche, Mercedes, Range Rover VS Ford and Chevy.

 

[victor]

I prefer UK cars over Germans as they design with more practical approach than the German boys, who add the stuff for selling only (Gizmo's promotion) without much of rational thinking behind it.

[knightjp]

German cars are built to a standard that you don't see in many other manufacturers. They are generally over engineered to a certain degree. What I don't like about them is that they tend to be too clinical at times. You'd have to shell out loads of cash to get the premium ones of the range to get fun - Mercedes' AMGs, BMW M series cars, and Audi's S series. 

American is about brash raw power on the high scale spectrum. For an entry level German saloon, you'd get a premium V8 monster with the American. Sure, it won't handle as well as the Germans, but that what you get with the price. It is more bang for your buck. 

To state that American cars are only functional, you're kidding yourself. There is a sense of pride. Why do brands like Cadillac do their testing at the Nurburgring in Germany for their high end CTS-V cars? Then you are forgetting about the American hotrod scene and muscle car scene. 

Unlike the Germans, Americans like to tinker with their cars and do modifications. Personalize their cars a bit. Those who buy American cars are more blue collar. But that is what is great about it. 

Because they are all blue collar, they became popular. Now we have iconic American cars like Mustangs, Challengers, Chargers. 

The only really iconic ones from Germany are BMW M3, M5 and the Audi Quattro. Mercedes' AMG cars are great, but not iconic. Perhaps in 20 years time, we'd be talking about the SLS like that. But that is about it. 

German manufacturers cater to the side of the white collar individual. This is a man, who wants everything sorted before he leaves the showroom. He is not the kind of man that will spend time in the garage tinkering with the car. More likely just washing it and giving it a good clean. More often than not, he is the sort of man who'd pay to the guy owning the Charger to wash his car.

Edited March 24, 2016 by knightjp

[amid]

Nice said @knightjp but Germans are all about perfection to the grave and thorough testing base their specs and features, unlike American cars who give all what you want, but only half of the stuff do what they supposed to do or. For example: over engineered engine is matted to fucked up transmission and traction control.

[harryd]

Sorry guys, Germans are too serious for people over 60 - 120 years of age. American cars are made for fun to do the burn out and drifting and all other good stuff that you can't dream in German cars unless serious modification is done.

What is the point in planting gas guzzler engine who deliver awesome horse power on the paper and then choking him to death with bullshit electronic control to tame him how to behave on the road in public. Common I don't want to pay for the paper horsepower. I tested few German cars few months back and all were boring at least in this "department of fun".

[knightjp]

@amid Very true in a way. But you are forgetting about the culture. Like I said, American's like to tinker and modify their cars. So manufacturers sort of cater to that. However what you mentioned mostly applies to American saloon cars like the old Chevy and Chrysler Saloons. Ford saloons of the 90s and early 2000s were also quite hopeless. 

You'll have to admit that American cars have stepped up since the last financial crisis the time the US government stepped in to bail them out. GM started producing some really nice motors. The new Chevy Impala is pretty decent. The new Ford saloons are pretty great. For the price you'd sort of spec them with the Germans in a way. If my budget wasn't big enough for an AMG Mercedes E-Class, I'd pick a Ford Taurus rather than an entry level one. More kit and more toys inside. The Ford Fiesta in all its guises is probably the best handling hatch out there at the moment. 

I wish that they would start selling the new Volt here. I know that Toyota has brought in the new Prius. But I prefer the Volt. Its not hideous and is a pretty cool car. 

@harryd The fun factor can only be found on the premium German cars. Obviously you haven't taken into account the lovely Porsche 911 Carrera S. Mercedes AMGs are tire shredding smokers. Their black Series are cars are pointless in a way, but yeah.. Germans can burn rubber.  

Edited March 24, 2016 by knightjp

[hanif]

Not everything American is bad- a good example of this is the LS series of engines, but  a car should be about much more than a good engine. Fans of American cars should perhaps remember that the US is the only country with a set of laws that were made specifically to protect consumers against badly US-made cars, trucks, motor homes, motor cycles, water craft, and even scooters.

Collectively, these laws are known as the Lemon Laws, and the fact that they cover cars and trucks only up to about 18 000 miles (depending on the state), should be clear proof that there is something wrong with American-made cars.

If cars were covered up to say, 50 000 miles, one could say that in terms of quality, reliability, design, and execution of design parameters, American cars are comparable to cars made elsewhere, but the figure of 18 000 miles, that represents less than two year's average use, says it all- American cars are BAD.