Anyone drive a badge engineered car?

In My Humble Opinion
1

And if so do you drive the bottom or top end badge?

For those who drive the “lesser” car, how so? Would you trade up? And for those who drive the “better” car, do you consider the money well spent? Would you trade down next time?

The taxi drivers here in Belfast use a lot of Skodas (badge engineered Volkwagens) and I got a trip once in a Jaguar X-Type (a badge engineering Ford family saloon.) The Skoda’s felt no worse than a VW to be in and certainly a top of the range Mondeo didn’t come off much worse than the Jag to be a passenger in. Is there much justification for the more expensive choice?

2

[QUOTE=Pushkin]
And if so do you drive the bottom or top end badge?

For those who drive the “lesser” car, how so? Would you trade up? And for those who drive the “better” car, do you consider the money well spent? Would you trade down next time?

The taxi drivers here in Belfast use a lot of Skodas (badge engineered Volkwagens) and I got a trip once in a Jaguar X-Type (a badge engineering Ford family saloon.) The Skoda’s felt no worse than a VW to be in and certainly a top of the range Mondeo didn’t come off much worse than the Jag to be a passenger in. Is there much justification for the more expensive choice?
[/QUOTE]

Well, I drive a VW jetta. I have driven the equivalent mercedes and audi, and I like the ‘stripped down’ vw. I dont like a lot of fancy crap in my car, I want good engineering, and economic service. I would find it interesting to drive a skoda.

I am in an odd position, the current jetta [which I bought used] has the top of the line package for 2002 - leather seats, sunroof, heated mirror/seat/windshield fluid, and I would not have taken any of the options because I dont like leather nor sunroofs, and where I like the heated seat/mirror package I would have only been able to get them with the froufrou fancy package. I really preferred the cloth interior of my previous jettas.

3

[QUOTE=aruvqan]
Well, I drive a VW jetta. I have driven the equivalent mercedes and audi, and I like the ‘stripped down’ vw. I dont like a lot of fancy crap in my car, I want good engineering, and economic service.
[/QUOTE]
I think you might hav missed the OP’s point.

To my knowledge, the Jetta is not a badge-engineered car, either Mercedes or Audi.

4

Well the OP is using a broad definition of badge engineering, because the Skoda he/she mentions is not just a VW with a different badge, it’s a different shape too. The VW Golf, Audi A3, Seat Leon and Skoda Octavia share the same floorpan, some engines and many other parts, but they look different.

However, Mercedes and VAG (VW, Audi etc.) are separate companies.

My opinion is that it depends on the family of brands from which the car comes. Skodas are very good these days, good enough to make Audis semed way overpriced. The only thing wrong with them is that they are not as pretty as Audis.

But in, say, the Ford family, I would consider paying the extra for a Volvo S40 than my current Focus, to which the S40 and Mazda 3 are closely related. The interior trim quality and general fit and finish on the Volvo is far superior.

5

There are lots of similarities between the VW Jetta and Passat and the Audi A3/4 and A6. Not so much that they are truely badge engineered, but they are built on common platforms and share many components. That’s really the current trend, more so than just swapping nameplates.

For example, the Lexus ES330 (?) and the Toyota Camry are extremely similar under the skin, but they have many differences as well. It’s hard to see them as different trim levels of the same car, even though the case could be made. Plus, there are a half dozen other cars by Toyota/Lexus built on the same platform that are vastly more divergent.

6

Using the broader definition of badge engineering (shared platform and engines, and many shared components) I do.

'Course, this is somewhat relative since the car I drive is a Hyundai Elantra and its stablemate is the slightly downmarket Kia Spectra.

No, it isn’t worth the extra money, but it looks nicer and for some reason the fit and finish appear better.

7

Well, i had a SATURN L100, that shared the same platform withthe SAAB 9/3 (it used the OPEL Vectra platform). I my case that was fince i basically got a SAAB for half the price. Platform sharing is a fact of life-it is the only way to keep costs down. Is it dishonest? well, if there is a big price disparity, maybe. Take the Cadillace escalade-it is basically a tricked-up Chevy truck-does that make it bad? On the other hand, back in the 1980’s Cadillac tried to pass off a Chevy cavalier as a cadillac-it didn’t work!

8

When I was last car shopping I took a look at the Saab 9-2X Aero (a rebadged Subaru WRX with a somewhat reworked interior and some minor suspension changes) and was manifestly unimpressed. For a price approaching the WRX STi or the base Legacy GT (both of which displaying better performance) you get…a Subaru WRX with a Saab logo. It even has the fuzzy cardboard-backed headliner rather than a nicer fabric one, and the alleged noise isolation enhancements didn’t seem to actually make it any quieter than a stock WRX.

Personally, I don’t give a tinker’s damn about the badging. If GM made a quality, reliable, durable car with the features I want, I’d buy it, despite my aversion (verging to outright hatred) of General Motors.

Stranger

9

I used to have a '93 Ford Taurus that was the base platform for the Mercury Sable. The Sable was just a Taurus with more body moldings, leather seats and a fancier stereo. Same engine and drivetrain, though.

Before that, I had a well-used '81 Pontiac Phoenix, which was the tricked out version of the Chevy Citation. In this case, they added FM to the radio and velour seats. Just gold trim on a turd - it was still the same crappy GM X-car platform.

In the case of Taurus vs Sable, the base model was perfectly decent. Actually, it was the best used car I ever had.

The Phoenix was just awful, so I can’t imagine the base model Citation being any better, other than for being cheaper and possibly having lower expectations out of it. Needless to say, it was the worst car I ever had.

10

[QUOTE=Stranger On A Train]
For a price approaching the WRX STi or the base Legacy GT (both of which displaying better performance) you get…a Subaru WRX with a Saab logo.
[/QUOTE]

I don’t know how things are now, but for quite some time, GM’s rebates were such that you could snag a 9-2X for around $4000 less than the equivalent WRX. If I had been the market for a car, I would have jumped on that.

11

I drive a Saab 9-2x Aero, which is realy a Subaru Impreza WRX. The SAAB is the high end badge, and cost considerably more new. But due to poor sales I got the car 3 months old for less than a similarlt aged WRX would have cost.
The badging included several advantages like Leather interior, and improved sound proofing that was not available on WRX’s of the same year. So all in all it was a good purchase. I consider the car a Subaru and not a Saab, but I do have to take it to Saab’s dealership for maintenance (where apparently they have to contact Subaru whenever they have a complex question to ask).

12

My OP is a rather broad interpretation of badge engineering, but from driving (albeit as a passenger) in different VAG cars I’ve noticed fairly little difference between internal fixtures and fittings. A Jag X-type has quite a bit of difference on the dasboard, but felt much the same to sit in as a Mondeo.

13

I used to drive an 86 4 cylinder Mustang. I would LOVE to have a Cobra, especially one of the new Shelby GT500s :cool:

Actually, one of my absolute favorite things in Gone in 60 Seconds was how the Cobra kept stalling out on the guy at inopertune moments. SAME FREAKING THING would happen with my 4-beater Mustang, though never during high speed chases (high speed? In that thing? :smiley: )

14

[QUOTE=Usram]
But in, say, the Ford family, I would consider paying the extra for a Volvo S40 than my current Focus, to which the S40 and Mazda 3 are closely related. The interior trim quality and general fit and finish on the Volvo is far superior.
[/QUOTE]

The S40 shares a platform with the Mazda 3 and the Focus C-Max. This is typically not what is referred to as badge engineering. Badge engineering is when the exact same car is sold by two makes with minor cosmetic differences. From England think Austin Healy Sprite, and the MG Midget. Sprites came with disc wheels, Midgets with wires. Other than that, the exact same car. Or on the Ford side, the Ford 500 / Mercury Montego. Or if you perfer a crossover SUV the Ford Freestyle all of which are based off the Volvo S80 platform. None of the three of these cars are considered badge engineered Volvos due to the numerous differences.

15

I drive a Pontiac Sunfire. It’s approximately the same as a Chevrolet Cavalier.

I’m in no position to offer an opinion about “Better.”

16

[QUOTE=kunilou]
I drive a Pontiac Sunfire. It’s approximately the same as a Chevrolet Cavalier.

I’m in no position to offer an opinion about “Better.”
[/QUOTE]

Tell me about it.

I have driven various ‘Cheviac TransArros’ and oddly enough, the 75 Mustang and the Mercury Bobcat were pretty much the same car as well. My brother called it the Merd Muscat, and told me I should paint it purple sigh

Honestly, all I really want in a car is reliable transportation, with good safety engineering and reasonable comfort [ all of which the jetta fulfulls] at a reasonable cost. If I can be happy in an under 30K jetta why should I spend 60k+ on a luxury car? I think evenif I did win the lottery, I would still probably drive a VW - though maybe the passat, I like the look and feel of the wagon.

17

[QUOTE=aruvqan]

Honestly, all I really want in a car is reliable transportation, with good safety engineering and reasonable comfort [ all of which the jetta fulfulls] at a reasonable cost. If I can be happy in an under 30K jetta why should I spend 60k+ on a luxury car? I think evenif I did win the lottery, I would still probably drive a VW - though maybe the passat, I like the look and feel of the wagon.
[/QUOTE]

You’d end up getting an Audi S Wagon if you had the money. You wouldn’t want to, but after the test drive you’ll be hooked :slight_smile:

18

[QUOTE=Rick]
The S40 shares a platform with the Mazda 3 and the Focus C-Max. This is typically not what is referred to as badge engineering. Badge engineering is when the exact same car is sold by two makes with minor cosmetic differences.
[/QUOTE]

Yeah, different kettle of fish. Perhaps I should clarify and ask if you bought the lower end of one platform sharing model or the higher end of another model on the same platform, would you consider yourself losing or gaining anything? The Mondeo I was sitting in was close to top of the range with a nice stereo and leather seats, it didn’t feel any lesser than the X-type Jag that was based on it.

Perhaps my own car is closer to badge engineered, my Honda Civic is quite close to the Rover 45 my Mum drives (ironically I bought the Honda off her) The drive train is different but the interior doesn’t quite command the premium in price. The engines are probably better too.

19

Another 92-X Aero owner. It does have a number of improvements over the WRX - for the 2005 model year, it had a better interior, auto climate control, upgraded carpeting, more soundproofing. These changes made it back into the WRX in 2006, leveling that playing field. The Saab also has the steering rack from the STi, a nicer front end (completely different body work from the A-pillar forward), and nicer stock wheels (17" alloy rims - a $3000 option on the WRX in Canada). It’s also got some aluminum suspension pieces to reduce unsprung weight, and the suspension was recalibrated by Saab to give it a different driving feel. It also has a heated windshield and seats.

The retail price in Canada was almost $5000 more than the WRX ($39,500 vs 34,995, as I recall). Is is worth the difference? Maybe not.

However, we bought it when the Saab and GM incentives were going last year, and got it for $30,000 flat, which as almost $9000 discount, and made it $5000 LESS than the WRX. At that price, it was a no-brainer. It was best deal on a car anywhere near its class last year, by a wide margin.

We bought the last manual Aero in Canada, BTW.

20

[QUOTE=Stranger On A Train]
When I was last car shopping I took a look at the Saab 9-2X Aero (a rebadged Subaru WRX with a somewhat reworked interior and some minor suspension changes) and was manifestly unimpressed. For a price approaching the WRX STi or the base Legacy GT (both of which displaying better performance) you get…a Subaru WRX with a Saab logo. It even has the fuzzy cardboard-backed headliner rather than a nicer fabric one, and the alleged noise isolation enhancements didn’t seem to actually make it any quieter than a stock WRX.

Personally, I don’t give a tinker’s damn about the badging. If GM made a quality, reliable, durable car with the features I want, I’d buy it, despite my aversion (verging to outright hatred) of General Motors.

Stranger
[/QUOTE]

Even at full retail, the Saab price didn’t approach the STi. The STi in Canada is $47,000. The Saab was $39,000. The WRX was $35,000. So the Saab was a lot closer to WRX pricing than STi pricing.

For that matter, if you optioned out a WRX to match the equipment in the Saab, it’s almost a wash. Our 9-2x has a sunroof, the stock stereo is an upgrade in the WRX, the cold weather package is standard, the alloy wheels are standard, plus we got some things that aren’t available in the WRX at all, but judging on what they cost as added equipment in other cars, they’re worth a thousand or two - heated windshield and automatic climate control, for example.

Someone actually worked out the value of all the options on the Saab forum, and came to the conclusion that the Saab ‘premium’ was only a thousand to fifteen hundred dollars. And Saab dealers give you premium service, the warranty is a year longer (in the U.S.), and in 2005 I think you also got 2 years of free oil changes from Saab or something like that. Plus, the car just looks a lot better than the WRX wagon. The hood scoop looks a lot less ‘ricey’, and is integrated into the hood more like the Legacy. It’s got a better finish on the exterior with more chrome, a nice spoiler on the back, and at least to my eye, better quality paint.

So it was almost a wash between the two - until Saab knocked $9K off the car in Canada. Then it was the easiest purchase decision I’ve ever made. We were lucky to still find one, because once that deal came along the Aeros flew off the dealership as fast as word could spread on the internet. Within a couple of days of us buying ours, the Saab forum was flooded with anguished messages from people looking to find one anywhere. I mean, the thing was only a couple of thousand dollars more than a loaded Mazda 3! And there’s absolutely no comparison between those two cars.