$19,000 M14 Comparable to $100,000 Lexus SC430 ?

EdLancer

EdLancer

New member
I decided to post on this forum since most of the members are more mature and educated here than some of those others who have no idea of what I'am talking about.



Some of you would of heard that the Made in China cars will be hitting US streets by 2007.



I have been following their progress very carefully and I know for a fact they will be a force to be reckoned with. If you just visit you local Dollarama, you will see and understand what the Chinese are capable of(Just remember, the products in the Dollarama, 3 or more levels have already made a profit on that $1 item !).



http://www.visionaryvehicles.com/



Road & Track Article



http://www.visionaryvehicles.com/html/pdfs/Visionary_MemphisAutoReport_0605.pdf



http://www.visionaryvehicles.com/html/pdfs/Visionary_Automobile_0505.pdf
 
The Visionary website just doesn't give the feeling of luxury car company, I just don't have a luxury experience on their website as one does on, say, the Lexus site, so I'd say they're off to a bad start. Besides, comparing a turbo-charged 200hp 4 cylinder entry level convertible to the Lexus SC430 with a V8 and true luxury image and appointments isn't quite realistic.



The company seems to simply be "copying" other cars, they bluntly say that they are going to compete with specific models. Do you see Lexus' website just blurt "this vehicle will compete directly with the 330i and the A4." No, they go about things in their own subdued way, comparison that blunt is left to be discussed on Edmunds.



It will take many years to develop a solid reputation, but first impressions really mean a lot....



Just my opinion.
 
If they "copied" the product that they plan to imitate to the tee, than yes. If they copied and used inferior materials, QC's, tolerances, poor customer services, dealership availability etc, No.



I own a Lexus and they are rock solid in all aspects. Pretty tuff act to follow and cut corners at the same time.
 
I have been having a hard time liking any foreign cars, except the exotics. I own a Toyota for the first time, and I hate it. I'm just not impressed at all. I'll never buy from Asian country again!
 
I'm not a huge fan of Asian cars either - you sort of aren't allowed to be growing up outside Detroit, especially when dad was an exec at one of the Big Three! - but the Chinese are indeed coming.



Back in the '60s anything with the label "Made in Japan" was automatically considered junk. Japanese cars in the '70s and '80s just seemed so far behind the curve it was almost laughable. That certainly isn't the case any longer.



Ten years ago Hyundai was in the same boat. Not anymore. Most other Korean makes faltered big time - can you say Daewoo (can you pronounce Daewoo??).



Malcolm Bricklin does not have the greatest track record with this sort of thing - his own cars were maybe a victim of poor timing (Arab oil embargo) and the Yugo was, well, the Yugo. Subaru is just recently becoming something to take seriously; their early imports were very strange indeed. I thought the French had the market on strange cars cornered, but Suby was right up there!



If the Chinese can survive the first five years here, then I see them as the next Hyundai. Good, bad or otherwise.
 
Mike-in-Orange said:
Japanese cars in the '70s and '80s just seemed so far behind the curve it was almost laughable. That certainly isn't the case any longer.
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While there wasn't much in the 80's that was really good the Japanese cars certainly weren't behind the curve. In my high school days, I acquired a couple of rather high mileage Japanese cars that served me many more miles. Pretty much everything in the 80's was underpowered too.



If you think the Japanese offerings were laughable, please remember the Cimarron(sp) and the K cars.
 
truzoom said:
A SC430 goes for approximately $50k, and that converts to about $59k CDN
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Heh, you find me a brand new SC430 going for $50k.



My SC400 was closer to that number back in '95 ;)





Anyway, this disgusts me. It's a direct take off of several cars. In the roadster, I see Pontiac G6 coupe, Toyota Solara, and SC430 on the side. The front couldn't be closer to a '97+ SC300/400.



The whole point of luxury cars is that you have to wait for one. It's something you earn in life. Not meant to be cheapened by things. This is another reason I hate cars like the new BMW 1-series, Cadillac CTS, that hideous Mercedes C-class hatchback thing, the Jaguar X-type, etc... They all cheapen the image of the high end market by making it easy for anyone to get into a normally expensive car.



Who's going to buy these cars? I'll tell you who. The people who buy Kia Amanti's and think their car competes with a Jag. The people who consider simply having leather seats something that only the nicest cars have.



If you really want cheap luxury, but a real luxury car used. At least it won't hurt your ego as much knowing you drive a car worth paying for and not a cheap knock-ff.
 
MongooseGA said:
Heh, you find me a brand new SC430 going for $50k.



My SC400 was closer to that number back in '95 ;)





Anyway, this disgusts me. It's a direct take off of several cars. In the roadster, I see Pontiac G6 coupe, Toyota Solara, and SC430 on the side. The front couldn't be closer to a '97+ SC300/400.



The whole point of luxury cars is that you have to wait for one. It's something you earn in life. Not meant to be cheapened by things. This is another reason I hate cars like the new BMW 1-series, Cadillac CTS, that hideous Mercedes C-class hatchback thing, the Jaguar X-type, etc... They all cheapen the image of the high end market by making it easy for anyone to get into a normally expensive car.



Who's going to buy these cars? I'll tell you who. The people who buy Kia Amanti's and think their car competes with a Jag. The people who consider simply having leather seats something that only the nicest cars have.



If you really want cheap luxury, but a real luxury car used. At least it won't hurt your ego as much knowing you drive a car worth paying for and not a cheap knock-ff.
Click to expand...





:werd:



It's always blown my mind when people who are loyal to one brand don't even consider another, or if someone who is in the new car market immediately turns away the THOUGHT of even owning a nicer brand. Example: Why would you buy a Silverado when you could have a Titan. Sure, after rebates, it would cost more for a Titan, but there's always pre-owned. I would happily pay the premium for a Titan than a Silverado.



I also see some new gen Eclispse in the front end.
 
pigeonbus said:
:werd:



It's always blown my mind when people who are loyal to one brand don't even consider another, or if someone who is in the new car market immediately turns away the THOUGHT of even owning a nicer brand. Example: Why would you buy a Silverado when you could have a Titan. Sure, after rebates, it would cost more for a Titan, but there's always pre-owned. I would happily pay the premium for a Titan than a Silverado.



I also see some new gen Eclispse in the front end.
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That's what I was seeing! I knew I saw some 4G Eclipse in there.
 
MongooseGA said:
Heh, you

If you really want cheap luxury, but a real luxury car used. At least it won't hurt your ego as much knowing you drive a car worth paying for and not a cheap knock-ff.
Click to expand...

If a persons ego is so fragile that buying a "cheap knock-off" car hurts them, they have bigger problems to worry about.



If the car is well made,reliable,and inexpensive I don't see what's wrong with it looking similar to other cars on the market. They aren't the first auto makers to take styling cues form a competitor.



Like I said in my earlier post. I seriously doubt I would ever buy a car made by a chinese auto maker let alone one built in china. But the fact that it's too cheap to be considerd a real luxury car isn't one of them
 
krsjuan said:
If a persons ego is so fragile that buying a "cheap knock-off" car hurts them, they have bigger problems to worry about.



If the car is well made,reliable,and inexpensive I don't see what's wrong with it looking similar to other cars on the market. They aren't the first auto makers to take styling cues form a competitor.



Like I said in my earlier post. I seriously doubt I would ever buy a car made by a chinese auto maker let alone one built in china. But the fact that it's too cheap to be considerd a real luxury car isn't one of them
Click to expand...



Would you drive a special edition type Yugo that came with a wood dash kit and leather seats?





No.
 
truzoom said:
A SC430 goes for approximately $50k, and that converts to about $59k CDN
Click to expand...

SC430 Base MSRP



Also, it doesn't necessarily work that you take the US price, use the exchange rate and see what the vehicle will cost in Canada.



ie. A Subaru WRX STi(US Link) in the US has a base MSRP of $USD 33,000 ( converted to $CDN is 39,215.71)



The same car in Canada has a base MSRP of (Subaru Canada Link) $CDN 49,000



That is a $ 10,000 price difference on the exact same car.
 
Did I miss something when I scanned those links? I don't see why anybody would be truly cross-shopping that car and a Lexus :confused: I mean, superficial similarities are one thing, but it's like comparing Oxxford with The Men's Wearhouse. Everybody knows that top shelf and lower tier products are different, and are aimed at different target markets. Any talk of "competing with the best in the world" is just advertising dept. BS- every body says it, but nobody believes it. The low and high ends aren't really competing directly.



Nothing wrong with inexpensive cars, or inexpensive anything else (as long as it works). I find myself *glad* that "cheap" cars are more interesting-looking these days. Back when a "cheap car" was a rusty, oxidized Chevette the world was an uglier place.



And I can see somebody preferring an inexpensive new car over a "better" used car, some of my non-Autopian friends are like that. To each their own...
 
Accumulator said:
Nothing wrong with inexpensive cars, or inexpensive anything else (as long as it works). I find myself *glad* that "cheap" cars are more interesting-looking these days. Back when a "cheap car" was a rusty, oxidized Chevette the world was an uglier place.

.
Click to expand...



That is a very valid point. "Cheap" cars aren't AS cheap looking these days. In fact I was just looking at the 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara. The thing looks great for what it is, it even has features like SmartAccess (keyless go).
 
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