Car Brand – Are We Being Too Loyal Or Too Lazy?
I’m sure some of you must have worked out by now that I’m a bit of a Ford bloke. Of the last 5 cars that I’ve bought, 4 of them have been Fords. One was an old BMW, just to prove to others that I have heard of the word ‘variety’. But most of the time, when it comes to getting another car, I often head towards the blue oval. But why do many of us always default towards the same brand of car? Is this something we should be doing? Could we save money and gain other benefits by branching out a bit? Here are my 3 tips to help you work out whether it is time to move on to pastures new.
Before we begin, don’t forget that we can find you your next car in record time. We will do the hard work so you don’t have to. If you refer a friend to us, you’ll get 10% of their fee. Everyone wins!
Brand Ownership
When some cynics say that all cars are the same, in some cases they are speaking more truth than they realise. Quite a few brands are owned by other brands, which means that when new cars are released, they tend to be very similar to other cars from the same group. The VW Golf is the ultimate example of this, with the VW Group currently owning 6 other brands. Or maybe 7. Or 13, who knows with VW. Hyundai and Kia also work closely together, amongst other examples. This means that moving brands does not need to be as giant a leap of faith as perhaps it was in the past. This is especially true now because makers tend to build more solid and reliable vehicles nowadays.
Excess Familiarity
There is a phrase that reads ‘better the devil you know’. This applies to the brand of car we choose as well. Some people stick to brands that they know aren’t quite good enough. But they are comfortable doing this because they know they can handle any problems from that particular manufacturer. I have been guilty of this myself. I was perfectly aware that the Mondeo I bought was not in ultimately the absolute best condition when I bought it. But I know Fords very well. I was therefore comfortable with most potential maintenance tasks. By the third day of ownership, I had changed the spark plugs and the valve cover gasket. With my first car, it took me two weeks just to open the bonnet. Try not to make that mistake.
Current Reputation
When it comes to your preferred brand’s performance. Are you living in the past? Has the brand become less reliable, but you’re still resting on times when they were great? I recognise the value of sticking with a brand during tough times; You could get a great deal when things recover! But there comes a point where it may be time to look elsewhere. If you’re spending more time at the dealership than out on the road, have a think about this. If you know when your dealer’s birthday is, you’ve either got an enviable relationship or it’s definitely time to move on.
This also applies positively. If you’ve spotted another brand that’s doing well, then why not give them a shot. The Korean car brands used to be the least established in the UK. Now, a few years later, they have climbed up the reliability rankings. They also offered much longer warranties than most others, instilling confidence in their products. And they are building one of the best real-world hot hatchbacks that you can buy, in the Hyundai i30 N . I’ve said a few times that the first time I saw the Kia Stinger (from a distance) was, ‘that looks like a nice new Maserati’. Praise indeed, and from my experience, fully justified.
Conclusion
We see brand loyalty everywhere we go. When it comes to upgrading our smart devices, how many times do we just go for the same manufacturer? When people jump from Apple to Android, it’s a big deal, I’m told. There are many benefits to sticking with the same brand long term. But maybe it might be worth keeping an eye out for what’s happening on the other side of the fence.
Certainly for my next car, I will be keeping a eye on what’s going on outside camp Ford. Partly because it’s my job, but mostly because leaps in performance and quality can come from anywhere. Being open-minded to a more reliable brand could save us a tonne of cash. What are your thoughts on this? Do you always buy from the same brand? Maybe if you’re struggling to find a car from any brand, we can find you one quickly, saving you time and stress. Thanks for reading!