Most Delightful Vehicles of 2003

[vegasmarauder]

Of course we already all know this but this was on MSN website today.
I have taken out some of the other hype, here's the good parts.

Consumer research firm Strategic Vision identifies the 2003 model year vehicles that delighted consumers.
Pontiac Sunfire
Volkswagen Golf
Honda Accord
Mercury Marauder
MINI Cooper
Audi A4
BMW 7-Series
Ford Mustang
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
Honda Odyssey
Honda Element
Nissan Murano
Ford Excursion
Infiniti FX
Land Rover Range Rover
Subaru Baja
Chevrolet Avalanche
Dodge Ram 2500
Dodge Ram 3500

With a TDI score of 777 points, the The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class claimed the laurels as the highest scoring vehicle of the 2003 model year, and the top spot in the Convertibles Over $30,000 class.

In the highly competitive automotive marketplace, acquiring and retaining satisfied customers is the ultimate goal of every car manufacturer. Selling a car is one thing, but selling a car to someone who will return to a dealership for service or buy another vehicle is considered money in the bank.
Rising above the many customer satisfaction surveys that seem to be attached to most purchases nowadays, consumer research firm Strategic Vision has identified the next level of satisfied customer: the "delighted" consumer.

San Diego-based Strategic Vision developed its "Total Delight Index" (TDI) in hopes of helping auto product planners design vehicles that lead to committed, loyal customers.

Darrel Edwards, Strategic Vision founder and president, discovered during development of the TDI that even though customers were satisfied or very satisfied with their vehicle purchase, it didn't necessarily mean they were delighted consumers. When a customer is truly delighted, there is "a strong emotional response that commits the customer to the product, brand or manufacturer," noted Edwards.

The 2003 model year vehicle with the highest TDI score was the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class.

Among domestic brands, Ford Motor Company placed three vehicles on the delight list, with the Mercury Marauder winning the Larger Car category, the Mustang taking the Convertibles Under $30,000 category, and the Excursion on top of the Full-Size SUV segment.

It's important to note that the TDI is about the vehicle itself and not the purchase process or dealership experience.

If you want the whole article, here's the link

http://autos.msn.com/advice/article.aspx?contentid=4021802&src=msn

[Haggis]

Thanks for the article vegasmarauder.

It is about time the Marauder gets the respect it deserves! :bows:

[bigslim]

Pontiac Sunfire, Honda Odyssey and Element delightful??? Pleeeeass!! Who in their right mind would consider these vehicles delightful? The Sunfire has been around forever, the Odyssey is about as cool as Steve Erkel and the Element has about as much style as the Vice-President. I guess when you ask 70yr old and up people these are the results you can expect.

[Agent M79]

Pontiac Sunfire, H***a Odyssey and Element delightful??? Pleeeeass!! Who in their right mind would consider these vehicles delightful?
Wife's daily drive is a H***a Odyssey. Delightful if you consider it does everything she needs it too, has had zero problems, its quiet, clean, simple to use, is surprisingly powerful, smooth ride, smooth 5-speed auto.

Now, delightful to see? Naw. To wash? Naw. Delightful when I drive it and a car full of co-ed cuties pulls up next to me in a drop top Mustang. Naw.

[Marauderman]

Delightful when I drive it and a car full of co-ed cuties pulls up next to me in a drop top Mustang. Naw.

This is when you wish you had your DTR MM--happens every time--- :bigcry:

[CRUZTAKER]

Pontiac Sunfire, Honda Odyssey and Element delightful??? Pleeeeass!! Who in their right mind would consider these vehicles delightful? You'd be amazed at what some folks consider delightfull whilste on a heavy dose of Zolaf and Thorazine....:baaa:
*not that I have first hand knowledge of this, I read it in a medical report....yeah, that's the ticket.

[bigslim]

That is too funny Barry.

[grzellmer]

Wife's daily drive is a H***a Odyssey. Delightful if you consider it does everything she needs it too, has had zero problems, its quiet, clean, simple to use, is surprisingly powerful, smooth ride, smooth 5-speed auto.

Now, delightful to see? Naw. To wash? Naw. Delightful when I drive it and a car full of co-ed cuties pulls up next to me in a drop top Mustang. Naw.

Thats why I bought an MM. So when I pull up to the light, the cuties
drop their tops. Yeah, I know - but a guy can dream can't he. :lol:

[Amsoil_Dealer]

Pontiac Sunfire, Honda Odyssey and Element delightful??? Pleeeeass!! Who in their right mind would consider these vehicles delightful?

Slim,

The folks on this site might tend to agree with you that such vehicles are uninspiring. The thing to keep in mind though is that WE (Panther enthusiasts) are a very rare breed. Most people look at us and think...."What idiot in their right minds would pay $35,000 for a dolled up Marquis?" The point is, people think we are idiots too. It is all a matter of perspective.

Personally, I loathe minivans but I have several friends who have Odysseys and the love them. Although I don't like them I have to say, they are very impressive vehicles. On the Sunfire thing, again such a vehicle is not for me. But you want to talk about idiots, I had a brand new Vega that I thought was cool. What an idiot!

Don