Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/06/05
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Mike, I know the quality issues are being addressed, the Leica analogy was not far out however. Few cars have the longevity of, say, a W124 "E" class, and M-B probably only maintain this level of quality nowadays in the "S" class. The market is very price conscious and the Leica equivalent (or Nikon F2) level of mechanical quality will never be seen again as people are not prepared to pay the price when there are so many cheaply made products which, using modern manufacturing (and marketing) techniques, are pretty satisfactory to 99% of customers. Frank On 4 Jun, 2005, at 20:52, Michael J Herring wrote: > Hi Frank, > We are working on the quality issue. Unfortunately, I don't think > we live > in > a time where we will ever see quality similar to the Leica M3. Nothing > will > be built to last a lifetime or more. > > Mike > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Frank Dernie" <Frank.Dernie@btinternet.com> > To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> > Sent: Saturday, June 04, 2005 3:27 AM > Subject: Re: [Leica] Car Prices > > > >> Hi Mike, >> I think different cars appeal to different people. One thing I have >> noticed, as a long time Merc owner, is that Mercedes have had to >> lower >> quality to keep their prices competitive with other brands, some of >> > which > >> have gained a good reputation by marketing despite being very >> cheaply >> made. >> >> Another point about gearboxes. The Merc cars do not particularly suit >> manual gearboxes, they have foot parking brakes and their latest auto >> 'boxes give away no performance and little economy to the manuals. >> > BMW's > >> OTOH are much better as manuals, firstly it suits a sporty car well >> second the BMW autos kill the performance and economy. >> Frank >> >> On 4 Jun, 2005, at 08:05, Michael J Herring wrote: >> >> >>> I disagree entirely. I work for the company. I also enjoy driving >>> > manual > >>> transmission vehicles and have driven them for over 30 years. >>> Unfortunately, >>> Mercedes would be out of business if they only produced manual >>> transmission >>> vehicles for the people with sufficient income to own a Benz. >>> It is all about luxury and these folks do not want to have to >>> shift or >>> use >>> a >>> clutch. >>> >>> AND by the way, Mercedes-Benz could teach Leica an awful lot about >>> successful marketing strategies! >>> >>> Mike >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "Marc James Small" <msmall@aya.yale.edu> >>> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> >>> Sent: Friday, June 03, 2005 8:42 PM >>> Subject: [Leica] Car Prices >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>> At 08:26 PM 6/3/05 -0400, Michael J Herring wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>>> I don't see Mercedes-Benz adopting this practice. They are quite >>>>> competitive >>>>> with the Japanese luxury car manufacturers. >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> You have this absolutely backwards. The Japanese luxury-car >>>> > producers > >>>> >>>> >>> (if >>> >>> >>>> anyone here has ever driven or rode in one of these excesses to >>>> good >>>> taste, >>>> I suspect that we would all agree that these are only "luxury" >>>> cars >>>> > by > >>>> a >>>> gross extention of the term, but that is is a discussion for a >>>> different >>>> day) figure out the price point for Mercedes and then rig their own >>>> >>>> >>> prices >>> >>> >>>> a tad under that level. Mercedes pricing drives the market, for >>>> reasons >>>> which escape me: who would pay that kind of money for an automatic >>>> transmission car? Automatic transmissions are for the sort of >>>> folks >>>> who >>>> ought not to be granted driving licenses. >>>> >>>> If Mercedes is seeking this market, I would suggest that they >>>> produce >>>> > a > >>>> market-entry $9,999 vessel for my welfare-class clients, all of >>>> whom >>>> are >>>> riding about in rusted-out '76 Continentals and who are anxious to >>>> >>>> >>> upgrade >>> >>> >>>> to a newer vehicle, the sole requirement being that they cannot >>>> stay >>>> off >>>> drugs long enough to shift a gear. >>>> >>>> I'll stick with my '84 Audi 4000S. There is one problem with this >>>> > car: > >>>> you have to THINK while you operate it. That really is a problem >>>> > with > >>>> most >>>> USian drivers. >>>> >>>> Marc >>>> >>>> msmall@aya.yale.edu >>>> Cha robh b?s fir gun ghr?s fir! >>>> >>>> NEW FAX NUMBER: +540-343-8505 >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Leica Users Group. >>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more >>>> information >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. >>> It has removed 371 spam emails to date. >>> Paying users do not have this message in their emails. >>> Try www.SPAMfighter.com for free now! >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>> >>> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> > > > -- > I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. > It has removed 371 spam emails to date. > Paying users do not have this message in their emails. > Try www.SPAMfighter.com for free now! > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >