# Do the Germans make any \*bad\* stuff? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 25, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323 "2009-02-25T04:22:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/1 "2009-02-25T04:22:48Z")
The Germans make good stuff", according to the ShamWow guy. Supposedly, EVERYTHING manufactured in Germany is of the highest quality, precision, or what have you. Are there any products made in Germany that have a bad reputation, though? ---
**Author:** ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/2 "2009-02-25T04:25:41Z")
I’ve never been a huge fan of German wine. So much of it tastes something akin to semi-alcoholic grape kool-aid. Maybe that is because I’ve just had the bad German wines, but that still answers your question, kinda sorta. ETA: I don’t really know much about the quality, but Opel seems to have certainly seen better days. Of course, they are owned by GM so they aren’t a totally German company anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/3 "2009-02-25T04:31:10Z")
Nazis? Oh God, I can’t believe I said that. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/4 "2009-02-25T04:34:29Z")
They pretty much suck at making world wars. I mean, they can start them but never win. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/5 "2009-02-25T04:35:48Z")
Stay away from the soap. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/6 "2009-02-25T04:49:02Z")
My german car is a piece of shit to what it’s worth ---
**Author:** ![MrFloppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MrFloppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFloppy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/7 "2009-02-25T04:56:14Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > My german car is a piece of shit to what it’s worth Huh! Mine is the best car I have ever owned. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/8 "2009-02-25T04:56:43Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > The Germans make good stuff", according to the ShamWow guy. > > Supposedly, EVERYTHING manufactured in Germany is of the highest quality, precision, or what have you. \*\* Are there any products made in Germany that have a bad reputation, though?\*\* Well the Trabant would probably count as a bad thing , but I think the germans made their rep in an analog world. Audi, Benz, porche for vehicles and grundig radios, zies ? lens, everything that would have called for precision engineering , the Germans had in spades, I think even the widgets that made everyone elses stuff work was probably made in germany. I wonder how that would have compared from 1900 to 39 and say 49 to 69 in terms of quality building and were the germans always so in the forefront of the goto guys for percision. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/9 "2009-02-25T04:57:53Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > My german car is a piece of shit to what it’s worth 71 volkswagon Beetle ? Declan ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/10 "2009-02-25T05:14:54Z")
[A relevant article.](http://www.edn.com/article/CA6518684.html?industryid=47038) And while I haven’t spent much time around German vehicles, my impression of everything beyond the air-cooled VWs is that they were “brilliantly engineered” so long as you are willing to replace everything with OEM parts and pay for the privilege. I think that it was hard to find aftermarket parts or to use generics. That said, didn’t the air cooled VW engines spin center bearings? Also, the old Ford 2300cc engine (the Pinto 4 cyl) was German designed and had a habit of burning valves. On the overengineering front, Mercedes used some ungodly sort of vacuum operated trunk and door latches on at least some models. I’m sorry, but there should not be any reason to read a vacuum schematic in order to fix a locked door. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/11 "2009-02-25T05:39:08Z")
Techno music? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/12 "2009-02-25T05:42:55Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Are there any products made in Germany that have a bad reputation, though? > [@Duke](#): > > Nazis? > > Oh God, I can’t believe I said that. I was going to say gas chambers since “Nazis” aren’t really a product. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/13 "2009-02-25T05:51:21Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > I was going to say gas chambers since “Nazis” aren’t really a product. But were they low-quality gas chambers? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/14 "2009-02-25T05:54:45Z")
> [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#): > > But were they low-quality gas chambers? Read the OP. He asked if they made any products with a “bad reputation”. I would say that qualifies. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/15 "2009-02-25T05:57:21Z")
SAP? ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/16 "2009-02-25T06:32:29Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > Nazis? > > Oh God, I can’t believe I said that. I must respectfully beg to differ. I believe it is generally acknowledged that the Germans produced the finest Nazis. I certainly haven’t been impressed with any of the cheap post-war knockoffs. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/17 "2009-02-25T06:36:27Z")
Comedians. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/18 "2009-02-25T06:41:32Z")
Try to read Kant or Hegel at more than a snail’s pace - especially Kant - and then we’ll talk about the quality of their philosophers, and that’s without bringing up the whole Kant -\> Hegel -\> Marx -\> Hitler chain of influence. But, in defense of German philosophy, they also gave us Nietzsche and Strauss, so I’m not certain how it all balances out. And also, of course, that’s just my opinion and lots of very smart people think I’m totally wrong about Kant and Hegel. But it’s hard to dispute that Marx influenced Hitler, and that both of them have less-than-ideal reputations in the modern world. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/19 "2009-02-25T06:47:13Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > Try to read Kant or Hegel at more than a snail’s pace - especially Kant - and then we’ll talk about the quality of their philosophers, and that’s without bringing up the whole Kant -\> Hegel -\> Marx -\> Hitler chain of influence. One of my books of quotations contains one describing philosophy as “like Russia: swampy and frequently invaded by Germans.” ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2009, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323/20 "2009-02-25T06:55:29Z")
> [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#): > > Techno music? Now is the time on Schprockets vehn vee dance! ETA: I believe that German verbs a gruesome reputation often have. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-germans-make-any-bad-stuff/487323.md?page=2)