Who loves their cars more: Germans or Americans?

DW (English)

Who is more passionate about their vehicles, Germans or Americans? Do they express their passion in the same way? What are some of the big differences in car ownership? An American in Germany goes in search of answers.

Transcript

00:00Who's more passionate about their vehicles, Germans or Americans?

00:04Do they express their passion in the same way?

00:07What are some of the notable differences in car ownership?

00:11And what does your car say about you?

00:15As an American living in Germany, I wanted to get some answers to these questions.

00:21So I turned to Charlie Felder, an American working with cars in Berlin, Mieke Hahn, a

00:27German car collector and manager of Classic Remesa in Dusseldorf, and Marcus Keller, also

00:33a German car collector and a major Cadillac fan.

00:37Charlie, who's the prouder car owner, Americans or Germans?

00:44We'll get to his answer later, but first, Charlie is also an American living in Berlin

00:49for over 20 years.

00:51His business is cars, so he understands both perspectives very well.

00:56In the States, you can pimp, we call it pimping our rides.

01:00You can pimp your rides with lighting under the vehicle.

01:03You've got lowriders in California, hydraulic systems where the cars bounce.

01:13This is a part of their character.

01:14This is a part of their style, their lifestyle, and it's very American.

01:21Let's talk about the size of these cars.

01:24Why are American cars so big?

01:27Well, Americans, they drive great distances.

01:31And you need a car that's going to carry your things.

01:34If you have three kids, you've got football practice, soccer practice, baseball practice.

01:39Like my friend Lisa, who needs her big SUV for all of those reasons.

01:44Hi guys, Lisa out here over in Kentucky, and you guys love my car.

01:48I love the fact that I can seat seven people, that I can get places safely, and I have tons

01:53of room for children and friends and all the sports items.

01:58But my German friend Nicholas, who lives in Berlin, also loves his big car.

02:03He's a DJ and says he needs it to haul around all of his equipment.

02:11I was always laughing about American cars because they are so simply done, until I found

02:17out that exactly this simpleness makes it trustful and going far.

02:24So for him, who's the prouder car owner, Germans or Americans?

02:28I'm afraid Germans.

02:30In Germany, you can easily go by public traffic normally, but each and every German needs

02:37a fancy car to show up towards his neighbors.

02:42One of those fancy car owners is collector Markus Keller, who has a passion for Cadillacs.

02:50So how did this come about?

02:53First of all, my classic Cadillac got me into the history of the brand, which is awesome.

02:59They had automatic dimming headlights, they had cruise control, they had automatic heating

03:06adjustments, all kinds of stuff that the German car industry invented like 30 years

03:13later.

03:14Why are you such a huge Cadillac fan?

03:16You know, I work in the classic car business.

03:18To be honest, I need a car to stand out.

03:20So if you have a BMW, if you have a Mercedes, if you have an Audi, you're always in a draw.

03:26With a Cadillac, it kind of symbolizes this guy is nuts.

03:31For me personally, owning a big American car in Germany is too expensive and not very practical.

03:38And low maintenance is key for me.

03:41Actually, this car that I have now, my little black mini, is a replacement for my beautiful

03:47black Mazda SUV, which was stolen.

03:51Talk about heartbreak.

03:54I got this car afterwards because in a big city like Berlin, this is the best vehicle

04:01to have to find a parking spot.

04:05I turn now to my next expert, Mika Hahn, for more insight.

04:09He's center manager of Classic Remise in Düsseldorf.

04:16It's a hub for classic and luxury car sales.

04:19In your experience, how are Germans regarding their cars?

04:23I think Germans are proud about their cars because the Germans invented the car.

04:30Yes, in fact, Germans did invent the modern automobile.

04:33Carl Benz is credited with building the first Benz patent motorwagen in 1885.

04:39Over 20 years later, the Model T was introduced by American inventor Henry Ford, making cars

04:45affordable and accessible to the masses.

04:49Germans are more into speed.

04:51They're more into zero to 100 in, you know, three seconds.

04:57Which I also experienced when I went over 200 kilometers per hour for my report about

05:01the German Autobahn.

05:02Anyway, that's what I'm talking about, the fun is over.

05:10Germany has a lot of regulations.

05:11For example, a lowrider would not be accepted on a public road in Germany.

05:16They can't put lighting under their vehicles.

05:19No, there's a lot of limitations.

05:23So basically, they invest a lot in tuning as far as performance is concerned.

05:28All right, let's talk about gas prices today.

05:31Does this play a role in the kind of cars the Germans drive?

05:36On one side, yes.

05:37On the other side, no.

05:38Because we've seen an increase in fuel prices in Germany, but people don't drive slower.

05:44So driving is a part of freedom.

05:47Germany, it's the only country in Europe that doesn't have a speed limit on the Autobahn.

05:51And if you take this away, it's like taking away a part of their freedom.

05:54Now it's time for a little car psychology to find out what a car might say about its

05:59owner.

06:03What does this truck say about someone?

06:05I think it's a strong character.

06:07This is hippie flower power time.

06:10This is high class, enjoying the life.

06:12Porsche 911, a true German legend.

06:16And this one?

06:17This reminds me of Timo Mäkinen, who drove the real Mini Cooper on the Rallye Monte Carlo.

06:25And what does it mean for a German to own a Mercedes?

06:29Well, it used to be a status symbol.

06:33That declined, I think, in the 80s and 90s when they built smaller models, like the 190

06:40and then the A-Class, B-Class.

06:43So of course, they lost a bit of the status.

06:47But for Americans, to own a Mercedes means something completely different.

06:51Well, for Americans, it means that you've made it.

06:55You've arrived.

06:56You're successful.

06:57And my friend Jen, a small business owner, can confirm that.

07:01Hi, my name is Jen, and I'm from Florida.

07:03And this is Felicia, my Mercedes, which I absolutely love for so many reasons, including

07:09she rides so smooth.

07:11She has amazing lights inside that change as you customize her.

07:15The interior is absolutely gorgeous.

07:18And not only is it two-row, but there's a magical three-row in the back.

07:21And storage is phenomenal for the ladies who like to go to the store without their husbands

07:25and bring some surprise things home.

07:28So, who's the prouder car owner?

07:31It's actually a tough call.

07:32Personally, I prefer to have a German car when I'm in Germany because I like cars that

07:38perform well on the road.

07:40And when I'm in the U.S., then do as the Americans do.

07:44What does your car say about you?

07:46Auf Wiedersehen!

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