Why are Galants so underrated?

[MGV6]

I never understod this. How do they differ to cars made by BMWs for example? can they last just as long or less? Can galants last 200,000 miles and longer like bimmers?

Why are our cars under rated so often by people?

[stuartturbo]

probaly people because they are jap motors.
all seem to be tar'd with the same brush as early sunnys etc.
look at lexus as an example quality car but always seem rated as a lower car than aBMW german car
how well toyota has/is doing is sales and serveys thier corolla but who owns one it seems no one


Early piss poor build and image has stuck and wont shift.
Skoda is stuck in the same boat all the same platform VAG but most people will own a Audi VW then a skoda

[MGV6]

probaly people because they are jap motors.
all seem to be tar'd with the same brush as early sunnys etc.
look at lexus as an example quality car but always seem rated as a lower car than aBMW german car
how well toyota has/is doing is sales and serveys thier corolla but who owns one it seems no one


Early piss poor build and image has stuck and wont shift.
Skoda is stuck in the same boat all the same platform VAG but most people will own a Audi VW then a skoda


yeah thats true but do u know if Galants can last just as long as Lexus, BMWs etc?

[WildCards]

The trouble is the VR-4 is the top of the Galant range. Compare that to 'any' top of the range BMW / Merbenz and you will notice a huge quality difference. Fair enough the VR-4 may be able to hold it's own in the performance stakes, but when it comes to buying a badge, buying quality, the the european stuff wins hands down.

[Brunty]

Most non-Jap car mag reviews I've read suggest that while the car is perfectly suitable for the exec markets it lacks the kudos associated with a European badge.

[Robotnik123]

I never understod this. How do they differ to cars made by BMWs for example? can they last just as long or less? Can galants last 200,000 miles and longer like bimmers?

Why are our cars under rated so often by people?

I was a long time BMW owner before buying a VR-4. Having owned 5-series and 3-series cars at different times. Anyway, the BMW's build quality is better. The paint they use is thicker, the sheet metal in the body is heavier too. Eg. you get a satisfying 'clunk' when you shut the door on a BMW, which you don't get on a Galant. Also the console clocks do not need resoldering to get them to keep proper time like Galant clocks do. Anyway, all this is understandable since BMWs cost considerably more than Galants.

[gdelargy]

I'd say that £ for £ (or $ for $), it's purely a matter of image. Sure, Mercedes/BMW/Audi are more solidly built than Mitsubishi, but look at the price they charged ~ an '01 Galant V6 Sport Auto was £21,345 (http://www.wisebuyers.co.uk/motoring/car-specifications/Mitsubishi/Galant+%281997-03%29/MI000816/), while an equivalent BMW like the 523 SE Auto was about £30,000 (http://www.wisebuyers.co.uk/motoring/car-specifications/BMW/5+Series+%281996-03%29/BM000782/), so it's not really an apples-to-apples comparison.

When Japan actualy tries to compete in quality terms (i.e. Lexus), I don't think there's any doubt they're at least as good ~ much better if kudus aren't important to you. Having topped the JD Power survey for the past five years, Lexus somehow managed to be the most improved marque in 2006 (http://www.itv-motoring.com/features/industry/2006/10197.asp).

Still, long may it continue! As long as there's an underlying anti-Oriental bias among the media, professional reviewers and the UK marketplace, residuals will remain miserable, and second-hand buyers like me can mop up a bargain. Ka-chingg!!
:p


Regards,
G

[You See]

IMHO I think it's cos when people think 'Big Powered Mitsi" they automatically assume EVO. And when they think "Big Powered Cars" they think of Ferrari, Aston Martin, etc etc. But no-one asks or rarely talk about the in-betweens.

[White Lightning]

Early piss poor build and image has stuck and wont shift.
Skoda is stuck in the same boat all the same platform VAG but most people will own a Audi VW then a skoda

Skoda's image is improving albeit slowly. I had an Octavia vRS for the best part of a year and a half (before selling it to help fund the house move) and I have to say that it is the best car that I have ever owned. But, I still come across people who would pay the thousands of £££ extra just to get the Audi/VW equivalent of the Skoda just to avoid the badge :inquisiti

As for the Galant - I will have to see how the build quality compares to the Skoda but I would expect it'll be nowhere near as good. But, the twin turbos should help me forget about that :scholar:

[I-S]

Because people simply don't think of it.

They see an 8G, say "wow, that looks good, what is it?", and then they forget within five minutes and when asked to recommend s/h cars in that size/budget the go "mondeo, octavia...".

I think skoda are really at the point of overcoming the prejudice. The fabia is nicer car (imo) than the polo, and the new octavia looks superb (sorry, couldn't resist).

[Nick Mann]

The trouble is the VR-4 is the top of the Galant range. Compare that to 'any' top of the range BMW / Merbenz and you will notice a huge quality difference. Fair enough the VR-4 may be able to hold it's own in the performance stakes, but when it comes to buying a badge, buying quality, the the european stuff wins hands down.

I agree with all that except for the last statement. The Japanese are more than capable of building quality cars as good as or even better than europeans. Spend the same money on the same size/same spec car and the Japanese do it better more times than not. The last sentence of the quoted paragraph should read "When it comes to buying quality, expensive stuff wins hands down."

Quality and Price go hand in hand most of the time, but I don't think that they exclude any location. I have recently been driven around in a very expensive lexus. Not an exhaustive test, but if I were ever to buy an executive saloon, I would certainly be looking at the lexus brochures!

[I-S]

I would certainly be looking at the lexus brochures!

Hello baby! Oh yeah, LED headlamps, 430bhp... :iloveyou:

[Tony 16vGTI]

Still, long may it continue! As long as there's an underlying anti-Oriental bias among the media, professional reviewers and the UK marketplace, residuals will remain miserable, and second-hand buyers like me can mop up a bargain. Ka-chingg!!
:p


Regards,
G

You had the bargain of 2006:thumbsup:
hope the 7G is still going strong.
Regards
Tony

[WildCards]

I agree with all that except for the last statement. The Japanese are more than capable of building quality cars as good as or even better than europeans. Spend the same money on the same size/same spec car and the Japanese do it better more times than not. The last sentence of the quoted paragraph should read "When it comes to buying quality, expensive stuff wins hands down."

Quality and Price go hand in hand most of the time, but I don't think that they exclude any location. I have recently been driven around in a very expensive lexus. Not an exhaustive test, but if I were ever to buy an executive saloon, I would certainly be looking at the lexus brochures!

Yep, bang for buck alot of Jap cars deliver by the bucket load, but I still think for £36k in 1997 you could have bought a better built European car than the Galant. Not that I mind, my £5k went alot further in this car than it ever has in any other, the Scenic cost me £8k FFS! The general public's phobia of imported and/or japanese cars means the enlighted people (us) can cash in and get something like the VR4