selling cars in USA

[Pottree@domain.elided]

In a message dated 03/10/2000 10:11:13 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:

<< someone has looked at my 164, said "what a lovely car" followed 
      immediately by "I heard they are a nightmare to maintain" or something 
      to this effect. Read any classic car magazine's review of an 
      Alfa/Fiat/Lancia and what do you always see "great 
      engine......wonderful car" but "dodgy electrics.....unreliable" or a 
      similar comment. The Japanese manufacturers have set the bar 
      incredibly high in this regard and the public will accept no less 
      these days. I think that Alfa would have an incredibly difficult time 
      overcoming this issue today. Having said this, I personally believe 
      that a '91 BMW 325/525 is no less reliable or cheaper to maintain than 
      my 164. 
       >>

People don't buy (statistically) based on what's TRUE or UNTRUE, but on what 
they believe.

They BELIEVE a German car is like a tank, has the finest engineering, and is 
ultra-reliable.  It does not have to have these qualities in fact to benefit 
from them in the dealership.

If they BELIEVE an Italian car, an Alfa, is a nightmare of costly 
maintenance, they will never test this assumption, so it doesn't matter 
whether it's untrue.

Charlie
LA, CA, USA

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End of alfa-digest V7 #1431
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