Introduction
BMW is a German company that deals with automobiles and motorcycles manufacturing and production, with its headquarters in Munich. BMW is ranked among the top three luxury car producers and manufactures in Germany. BMW has a footprint all over the world, and it is among the best-selling luxury automakers in the whole world. BMW continues to revolutionize its products and maintain a competitive edge over its competitors. The customer is at the heart of any production company, and this is not different at BMW. Every model it produces is designed to meet the needs of a specific or target customer (Anderson 86).
Honda, on the other hand, is a Japanese automobile manufacturer that has gained great market space with its amazing automobiles. It has managed to compete and fight creatively with large automobile companies like BMW. This essay paper, therefore, analyzes and compares BMW models to those of Honda. The aim is to allow the readers get a clear perspective as to what can be gotten in terms of utility from the two automobile manufacturers. This comparison is based on the idea that Honda does also produce and manufacture luxury automobile brands. The main comparisons and discussions in this paper can be used to make decisions on which models a person can go for respectively.
2012 BMW 3 Series verses 2014 Honda Accord
Basically, a potential buyer goes for the basic features of a car or model. It is, therefore, necessary for the comparisons and contrasts to be based on the key and basic features before delving into the deeper defining factors and features. Price, mileage and insurance are just some of the key things that a customer may go for immediately. The first comparison one can make is that both of these two models are manufactured and designed to the same tolerances and quality control specifications.
Beginning with the basics, the 2012 BMW 3 Series has a four sitter capacity while the 2014 Honda Accord has a five-passenger capacity (Halvorson 66). The engine of the BMW model has a three-liter capacity while that of the Honda is at three and a half-liter capacity. The engine capacity hints at the consumption rate of the respective models (Beckmann112). One common thing that is shared between the two models is the fact that both of them have a six-speed manual transmission. When a person compares the drive type, the Honda model stands out; the reason is that it has a four wheel drive type compared to the rear wheel drive that the BMW has. Navigation on rough terrains makes the Honda, a better a choice for the user.
The pricing context of the two models provides a more vivid analysis for a potential buyer to choose between the two vehicles. The Honda model goes for a record thirty thousand dollars compared to BMW’s thirty-eight thousand dollars. The price comparison means that the BMW is eight thousand dollars more compared to the Honda. The three series BMW may be a compact luxury coupe, and the Accord, a midsize coupe but one has to get the price difference clearly. After making relative comparisons to compact luxury coupe models, one realizes that the BMW 3 series is actually much cheaper.
Gas mileage presents another element of comparison for the two models. A potential buyer gets to make a choice based on the fuel consumption of each of the models per mileage. This means that their decision has to be based on the lowest possible fuel consumer model. The Honda model is a definite fuel economy winner in that it allows the user more mileage per gallon.
The BMW series is less fuel efficient than the Accord in city (Kvasnicka, Pavel, and Peter 123). This can be attributed to the fact that the three series uses premium unleaded fuel while the Accord, on the other hand, uses regular unleaded fuel. The type of fuel used determines the price that an individual pays to fuel his automobile. The cost that he or she uses in a day or in a year or in terms of mileage is determined by the fuel type used.
In terms of performance, the Honda Accord far outperforms the BMW three series. The Honda model boasts of a two hundred and seventy-eight horsepower compared to the two hundred and thirty of the BMW model. However, from a standing start, the BMW has a minimal advantage compared the Honda. This is due to the fact that as the BMW model accelerates it transfers traction and weight rearward due to its drive type. It, therefore, sends power to the rear, and that provides it with an edge over a front driven Honda (Gantriis, Peter, and Henry 115). This advantage does not last long since it diminishes as a result of power-to-weight disadvantage.
The safety of the car is a great determinant for the choice of the customer. They tend to go for a model that offers the best safety, and this has to be achieved at a relatively low price. Safety parameters are set based on various elements. The rollovers, the crash rating, frontal crash rating and the overall safety rating are the key things that are considered. The overall rating for safety places the Honda and a better position compared to the BMW 3 series model. The last thing or feature that a person goes for is comfort and convenience. Comfort is defined in terms of the vehicle’s interior to most individuals. Elements such as air conditioning and filtration are some of the determinants of comfort and convenience. In as much as performance is the primary focus of the BMW 3 series, its comfort and convenience are not questionable.
Conclusion
A person may argue that based on maintenance, the Honda model provides a more comfortable choice in terms of the ease of finding spare parts and the relative cheap price at which they can be gotten at. Maintenance and modification of the Honda model can be attained at a relatively low price. The BMW, on the other hand, offers the customer value for their money in terms of utility. The BMW is a model that is faster, more appealing and more luxurious.
The technology and innovativeness employed within the BMW 3 Series are amazing. However, in the long run, choices and decisions boil down to the user and his or her preferences. The highlighted comparisons are only made to guide an individual in arriving at a specific model choice. Once the very key elements and features have been met for a customer, the decision becomes easier to make. Additional advantages are only meant to add utility to the consumer.
Works Cited
Anderson, Jeffrey P. "System and method for evaluating vehicle purchase loyalty." U.S. Patent No. 8,626,560. 7 Jan. 2014.
Beckmann, Matthias. The Bmw Book. Kempen: teNeues, 2012. Print.
Gantriis, Peter, and Henry. Wartenberg. The Art of Bmw: 90 Years of Motoring Excellence. , 2013. Print.
Halvorson , Bengt. 2012 BMW 3-Series - Quality Review. Retrieved from: http://www.thecarconnection.com/review/1072509_2012-bmw-3-series_quality_4
Kanki, Takao. "Steering wheel for an automobile." U.S. Patent No. D713,307. 16 Sep. 2014.
Kvasnicka, Pavel, and Peter Dick. "Integrated development of vehicle dynamics demonstrated on the new BMW 3 series." Proceedings of the FISITA 2012 World Automotive Congress. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2013.
