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The problem is not always with the car but also with service centre. They often don't reprogramme critical control modules after removal and refitment which leads to breakdowns. Many BMW's have had to be flat bedded because of this.

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I think we have two issues being discussed here. GTO started with the thought of how German brands are supporting the growth of the flat bed lorry trade in India ( especially the larger cities) because these brands are carried by the flat beds when they are stricken. The other strand is the reliability issue of the German brands. GTO's point had the reliability of the Germans as the point of departure.

I think the second strand is of greater import because it concerns the credibility of the teutons re. reliability of machinery and possibly degree of fit for use in 'Indian' conditions.

There must be a thread on reliability of individual brands ( Skoda being a case in point) somewhere here. If there are not, then we should start threads on individual brands or perhaps drill down to models for better focus on the problems/issues objectively.

By the way, on our way back from the t-bhp eat on the 18th from Baghdadis, we saw an NHC being towed at the Kherwadi traffic signal on the Western Express Highway. No idea about the problem but a driver was at the wheel of the stricken car.

Regards

One would assume that the OP wished to dissuade others from falling prey to the perception that modern German cars were solid, reliable, high quality vehicles, based on a past reputation of the same (a reputation that is now in tatters in markets that were the traditional stamping grounds of the marques), and save them some grief.

Here in India we are slightly behind in the usage cycle, the teutons only being a recent freely available entrant in a scenario dominated by the Japanese brands. Past models definitely lived up to the reputation and the brands are trying to benefit from that image: see the recent VW ads.

Do the teutons live up to their value as status symbols? Yup!

Do they generally offer a better driving experience when they are up and running? Yup!

Do they spend inordinately more downtime in the workshop than low end Jap cars? Yup!

Is there something wrong with that picture? For the otherwise unsuspecting buyer, yup!

S Class being towed away on Marine Drive. Surprisingly no flatbed for Merc's finest.

Damn, that S-class must have had some serious breakdown. Perhaps the steering is jammed or engine refuses to start or else I don't see why it would be left in such a dangerous spot, right lane ! It would have been moved towards the shoulder otherwise.

Its not like sudden realization but seriously....that picture of the S class leaves me :Shockked:
What on earth is wrong with these cars anyway ??? Especially the Mercs ! It seems ridiculously frequent

Had clicked this pic a year back, just came across it on my comp. Quite unclear but its a S500 being towed !

Here is one more German car on flat bed.



-Pramod

Add one more German to Flat bed collection. clap: to German reliability.

Whats up with the Bentley being towed?? I mean, my car will probably cost as much as a door of that Bentley and still I have never asked to be towed or stranded on the road side. Are European cars really so unreliable? I always thought they were the epitome of craftsmanship!

So scary as to how many of them end up on flat beds (compared to the numbers BMW/Merc sell).. Till the government doesn't have strong lemon laws and manufacturer liability on warranties, this would keep happening. I would be very reluctant to buy any such thing even if I had the money because of this one reason alone.

I'd witnessed my neighbour's BMW 530d being pulled onto a flat-bed about two years ago. It was pouring cats and dogs that evening and it was the first time I'd ever seen a car being loaded onto a flat-bed (it's agonizingly slow!). The owner was standing next to the truck, in the rain.

Since I didn't mind getting drenched, I went up to him and asked him about it. Apparently, he had just reached when it broke down completely. He seemed quite unhappy about it and then I heard him mumble something about his brother's Lexus! :D

Consumer Reports released its reliability data this week and Germans are at the bottom with the exception of Porsche. Quoting below..

Europe's Bumpy Road
While European reliability had been improving, momentum seems to have stalled. All Porsche and Volvo models are rated average or better. But Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz are among the worst automakers overall in terms of reliability.

BMW had a bad year, with five of its 11 models scoring below average. While the BMW M3 topped the sporty cars category, the 1-, 3-, and 5-Series models with the 3.0-liter turbocharged (N54) engine had high problem rates related to the fuel system, among other gripes.

Six of Mercedes-Benz's 13 models were below average, and the GLK SUV was far below average. However, the redesigned E350 sedan was above average—a promising start. The new E-Class coupe, a wholly different car from the E-Class sedan, languished in the bottom ranks.

Nearly three-quarters of the Audi models Consumer Reports analyzed were below average. The A6 3.0T with the new supercharged 3.0-liter V6 was tied with the Jaguar XF for the worst new car prediction score. Volkswagen did better, with its Golf, formerly the Rabbit, doing very well and the various Jetta models scoring average or better.

Which means I can expect to spot EVEN FEWER A6s on the streets now.LOL

This seems to be in interesting report, shrishiva. can u post the full report or send the link? would like to read the full report