Originally Posted By barboy ///This is why BMW (and) Mercedes, are still desired./// No. BMW and MB are built very poorly; all well known German cars constantly need mechanical attention--- including Porshe, Audi and Volks. BMW and MB remain desirable due to body styling, 'fit and finish', performance/drivability as well as what the economist calls the 'Veblen' effect.
Originally Posted By fkurucz <<Yes, they do. Teams like the Rockies, as mentioned earlier, simply do not want to spend the money they get to remain profitable. Even though it's almost three years old, this article discusses the issue fairly well. >> Thanks for the update. This system must be fairly new. It was a real letdown here when last season after the Rox had such a poor season following their world series trip. I expect to see the under $10 tix again next year at King Soopers (Kroger).
Originally Posted By fkurucz <<BMW and MB are built very poorly; all well known German cars constantly need mechanical attention--- including Porshe, Audi and Volks. >> It interesting because I know BMW owners whose have problems and others who do not. Same with Audi. Regarding VW, the cheaper models (Golf, Beetle & Jetta) sold in the US are built im Mexico and have quality issues. I recall Consumer Reports giving Euro built models like the Passat a thumbs up.
Originally Posted By barboy My "German cars constantly need mechanical attention" remark should be taken as a comparative and not as an absolute.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Beware of Macy's quality. A few things I bought there (only because I liked Filene's) became unstitched. The elastic in my husband's shorts gave out on the first washing, and he's not THAT fat.>> None of the items I got were Macy's private label brands ... although I have had good luck with them too over the years. Of course, the reality is we live in a disposable society and even expensive designer duds (when you follow the instructions on cleaning) tend to not last ... again, one (especially one who spent the summer in China) must wonder if that's what happens when you move all your manufacturing off-shore. I know clothes (even cheap stuff) used to last. A designer shirt shouldn't be something you buy for one weekend. I've been through so many TVs and laptops and cellphones other electronics over the past 10-12 years it would make your head spin. Nothing seems to last forever... except the debt (unless you're a Wall Street investment firm ... then you can make $25 billion in debt disappear overnight ... but if you're a worker trying to get rid of that $5,000 to Visa ... hah! Oops, getting political ... MPierce might get me with the cattle prod ... so I'll shutup now!)
Originally Posted By barboy I'm just saying that close to nobody buys a BMW or MB for 'reliability' and/or operation(driving) costs. The BMW and MB buyer seeks prestige, comfort, styling and performance.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Most of the Tee Shirts we have bought in the last 5 years at DL, WDW, or DLP have faded or seams had gone (yet Sarah still wears my opening day EuroDisney shirt from 1992, and my t shirts from my 2000 honeymoon at WDW are only a little faded).>> Boy, that's the truth. I have a friend who still has and wears his original 1982-83 era EPCOT Center (The dark blue one with SSE and the monorail amidst a sea of stars that they 'remade' for the 25th for one day) tee ... and it may not look brand new, but it sure isn't falling apart. I have a friend who recently watched a football game with me and was wearing his 1992 Miami Dolphins AFC East champs tee ... looked brand new and he says he wears it regularly (now, I don't know what that says about him but ...) Clothes used to last. When I see people paying $23.95 (and more) for tees at WDW that will last one laundry cycle before fading, peeling, shrinking etc ... I think they're nuts ... (not to mention most look terrible today anyway) but I'll buy when I go to one of those great CM sales and I can get them for under $5 (about what they are worth!) <<This is why I get angry as a consumer, environmentalist, and a human being. All so Mr living for each paycheck lives with a false sense of realisation that while they can buy a shirt or toy for nearly the same price as 20 years ago, it is lucky to last 2 months, let alone 2 years, while the toys and clothes of 20 years ago are still worn or played with.>> Yes sir! <<I weep for the museum curators of the future, what will they have left to curate? As we enjoyed an exhibition of shoes at my mom's local museum a few weeks ago, we spied articles of footwear from the romans, still wearable, as well as of the middle ages, Renaissance, 18th century silk shoes that looked 10 years old. Yet my son's shoes of 3 months have fallen apart. More landfill to kill the earth a little more. What will we have for the museums of the future? Little I suspect. Upon us is a new economic age. Once where I hope the world has a chance to examine itself introspectively, and make positive choices to believe in quality again. In the long term, quality costs the consumer less. This is why BMW, Mercedes, Apple and Dyson are still desired. But I was pleased that at High and Mighty in Birmingham I was able to buy an $800 cashmere overcoat for $300, $140 Ralph Laurens for $66, and a new suit for $120. Do I expect them to last? I hope so, but I am a cynic of our age.>> I founded the club, my friend. But you can be the treasurer if you like! <<And this my friends is why the walmarting of WDW and indeed the rest of Disney (did I tell you about my daughter's tinkerbell playset - should be $100, got on sale for $37 - broke within 2 hours of unwrapping it - with normal play)upsets me so.>> I can't even imagine buying most of the crap they make for kids these days. It just looks like it won't make it out of the box without breaking. Oh ... and you're really wracking up those Spirited meals! ;-) <<One of the key reasons I became obsessed with Disney was the attention to detail, quality with little expense spared, and an escape from reality. All of the key things I once loved about Disney has eroded. And like the couple who grew old and weary, and try to decide whether to stay together because of who they once were with the hopes that the past is not completely gone, or go their own separate ways. With this situation I am a cross roads. Welcome to modernity.>> You do know this would make a great essay (or framework for one) if you had it published somewhere, right? (Seriously!)
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<But what it really means is it is used as a methodology to show what can be cut. Problem is, we have been doing it for so many years, that rather than looking how we can do things differently, we still look are where the fat can be cut (when there is very little fat left).>> There is no fat at WDW and there hasn't been for a very long time (EXCEPT at the exec level and in marketing and those are untouchables). <<It is a great idea in theory. But I prefer the old Walt days, where he paid his artists a bonus for each gag in Snow White to plus it. Apple and Pixar are two American firms who still operate on a quality mantra (and I am glad Disney still seem to let Pixar do their thing, a large proportion of the rest of the firm seem to have forgotten their roots). There is an irony in modern american culture. Children are taught to salute the flag, and citizens must learn the mantra of what makes America what she is. And yet in American industry (and British, German etc. etc.) companies forget their roots.>> One might argue ... and this Spirit would ... that America has lost its roots and been WalMarted ... when things like the Constitution no longer matter to a power-made President and a clueless impotent Congress ... when you say socialism is bad if it means children and the poor getting healthcare, but is great if it's for Wall Street investment banks and brokerage firms and insurance companies ... when you start wars ... OK ... nope, not going to go there yet again. It's 2009 and hopefully we're turning a page for the better ... but I don't drink Kool-Aid (goes right to my thighs) and I'll believe things are better when I see it!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 "..do think we have turned the corner on consumer confidence, and the 90% still employed will start spending money again." <<There's a thread in WE that touches on this. The credit card companies would have to cooperate, and so far they absolutely are not. >> Why should they? They own Congress. They own the White House. I feel so good that my taxpayer money went WITHOUT MY VOTE to bail out Citi Bank ... and are they opening credit to Americans? Well, I can only tell you they aren't to me or anyone I know who does business with them. But I can tell you they recently loaned/gave $9 billion of that taxpayer bailout to Dubai. Again, this stuff is what I was taught is what happens in evil Commie countries, not the USA ... but apparently, I was wrong and while we all got fat and happy charging those magical WDW vacations (and Apple toys!) everything changed and no one is marching in the streets ... no one is even suggesting people be impeached or go to jail. We just accept it, much like when WDW lowers quality and raises the prices.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I'm just saying that close to nobody buys a BMW or MB for 'reliability' and/or operation(driving) costs. The BMW and MB buyer seeks prestige, comfort, styling and performance.>> I would disagree. My family now (finally!) drives MB and Hondas exclusively. We find them BOTH to be near perfect in reliability. My current MB is four years old now and has given me ZERO problems. None. Now, do I hear that others have had issues? Yeah. But nothing like what I hear and have experienced owning American (blank)mobiles.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder "Thanks for the update. This system must be fairly new. It was a real letdown here when last season after the Rox had such a poor season following their world series trip. I expect to see the under $10 tix again next year at King Soopers (Kroger)." It's not new. It's been around for years and years. It's why teams in the "middle" payroll-wise and financially, like a St. Louis or Minnesota, get extremely upset with teams like the Royals and Rockies and Pirates. When St. Louis et al travel, they get a percentage of the road receipts. When teams have become a poor draw at home, like the Royals or Rockies, the away team doesn't get much. They depend on that for their operating costs. They take their revenue money, remain competitive, but don't make much profit while the Royals and Rockies stink up the joint but make more profit than the St. Louis and Minnesotas of baseball.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder "Why should they? They own Congress. They own the White House." With recent legislation that has passed, I would suggest that relationship is fading fast.
Originally Posted By barboy ///But I can tell you they recently loaned/gave $9 billion of that taxpayer bailout to Dubai./// Whoever was involved should be publically hanged for economic, state(nationalistic) and humanitarian treason. I will feel contented when Dubai's oil runs out and this global downturn hits that despicable place particularly hard.
Originally Posted By barboy ///I would disagree. My family now (finally!) drives MB and Hondas exclusively. We find them BOTH to be near perfect in reliability./// You are telling us that you buy MB primarily for reliability and not for its drivability, comfort and styling????? If you are being candid then you are truly a minority buyer. People buy Honda for reliability as you said..... I too, bought Honda.....Oh boy did I buy Honda as those are the best mass produced made cars I say. By Jan of '07 I owned 5, yes, FIVE HONDAS!!: '03 CRV '04 CRV '07 CRV '07 CRV (yes, two '07's) '06 Jazz in Asia(it's the 'Fit' in the USA market) Now I just have two Hondas '07 CRV and the Jazz overseas. and one '08 MB.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>You are telling us that you buy MB primarily for reliability and not for its drivability, comfort and styling?????<<< In the UK, a number of middle class families do. You can buy a BMW for a little more than an exec Ford or GM, they are popular as they come with long life warranty and free servicing, and they valet the car every time. I know guys who buy BMWs for this reason as on their business case it neutralises the differential.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo And having owned 5 VW family vehicles, including one where my family walked away after hitting a barrier at 70 miles an hour with not even a bruise, I swear by them (Skoda and Seat). My parents own a Grand Voyager and a Grand Cherokee Jeep - they are in and out of the shop all the time and are much more expensive than our vehicles.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I would not likely buy a Honda, the only model that is near the size of my Skoda Superb is a $110,000 car. Mine was $39,000. Big difference. The others are way too small for my family needs (remember they are different in Europe).
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>I can't even imagine buying most of the crap they make for kids these days. It just looks like it won't make it out of the box without breaking.<<< Indeed it was a big problem this Christmas in helping Santa. My son really wanted Transformers, but they now fall apart when taken out of the box. Mine were metal and the kids still play with them. We have thrown away many of his transformers after falling apart and getting scattered. The only quality toys these days are playdo and Lego. Sadly even hot wheels and barbies fall apart quickly. No wonder kids really on video games for a lot of their entertainment these days. Not good.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>You do know this would make a great essay (or framework for one) if you had it published somewhere, right? (Seriously!)<<< Tempting, got a publisher friend?
