FDMeloan

Sales of 3,278 5 Series this month represents a 22.5% increase over the 2,675 units sold in January, 2004.

If interested, you can see that sales of the Mercedes-Benz E Class were down 29.5% this month by looking at the Mercedes sales chart on the BMW Group Sales Report.

Please note that I report only United States sales data.

Rudy

As always, many thanks Fred!

Iceman

For all of you who care about sales numbers...

Daimler Chrysler is having a big crisis.
Last year they only made 1.7 billion Euro, the year before it was 3.1.


I've just seen a news magazine over here on TV. They interviewed a couple cab drivers, randomly picked, and NONE of them was satisfied with the MB.



MB down almost 50% and BMW had the best year EVER...

Guest

Thanks for the report.

I'm seeing more 5ers on the road. Well, its a somewhat baised observation since I plan on getting one. That said, I think the Bangle design theme is being accepted by the public. When you first glance at the E60, it looks a bit strange. However, it grows on you over time and becomes awesome looking. I've waited for all the other redesigns such as the A6, RL, GS and M45. The 5er still tops these marks. My only concern is the increased popluarity means more $$ over invoice when I buy.


CVT Benhogan

black1444

i have an interesting observation. While only about 20% if 5 series owners are 545i owners it seems like that about half here are 545i owners.

niktee

WITHOUT ME, THE SALES WOULD HAVE BEEN ONLY 3,277. I am so much more than a mere cog in the machine.

Guest

My guess is the 545ers are just nuts about their cars. The power and handling keeps em giddy and going to the forums.

CVT Benhogan

Guest

MB is in deep trouble here in the US. The quality of their cars, especially the E-class and M-class, is very poor and MB has fallen out of the top 25 in the JD Power quality rankings.

I have read many posts about MB's strategy to increase the HP of their engines in an effort to increase sales -- this is just a desperate attempt to compete with BMW and now Audi in the US.

Because HP appeals to the lowest common denominator thinking here in the US market (i.e., think of all the Chrysler & Dodge buyers of the HEMI engines), MB will sell slightly more cars with a higher HP engine -- but you can't fool everyone all the time and it will only create a temporary sales increase until the time these foolish buyers know their service advisors on a first name basis because their cars have been in for warranty repairs 10 or more times.

Unless MB seriously improves the quality of the vehicles they sell in the US, they will become an afterthought in the high volume segment of the luxury car market (i.e., their premium cars, AMG, S & SL models, will continue to sell because they are still regarded as status symbols, regardless of their quality problems).

So long as BMW and Lexus continue to provide higher quality (vs M premium cars (which means that neither rushes new, higher HP engines to market without full quality/reliability testing just to say "me too" to M, they will win over the old MB market share in the US and guarantee survival in the cutthroat auto business.

Those who need to brag about their HP will have to buy MB or one of the American brands (Ford, Dodge, Chrysler & GM)....

Sans

Indeed. My good friend bought a CLK500 just after I got my E60. He teased me about how often I'd have the first run of a model change in the dealer a lot for repairs (the MB and BMW are one in the same dealer here).

His CLK was totally loaded (stickering over $68k). Every electrical problem you could possibly imagine happened to that car. Keyless start failure; alarm failure; cell phone failure, headlights failed so many times it became a running joke. Car says the headlights are fine, but one is out. Car says one headlight is out, they're fine. The last straw was the transmission failure when the engine disengaged on a highway on-ramp (like it fell out of gear) dash board lights up, revs but no power....a real problem. MB took the car back after he mentioned the words "lemon law" but it was unbelievable to the both us how such an expensive auto could be such a gigantic piece of crap. And perhaps worst of all was the mutliple attempts to fix these problems never worked.

I would classify my early production E60 as having the standard set of gremlins at first - but never anything too irrating or too life threatening.

Hormazd

As much as I love my E60 and would never buy a Lexus, I would not compare the two manuafacturers for quality of fit and finish and reliability. Toyota are head, if not head and shoulders above BMW in this. Their cars may not be as emotionally rewarding to the enthusiast but they sure run well.