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Loyalty shouldn’t be an automatic response. I’ve been “loyal” to a few brands throughout my life. In terms of cars I started with Toyota (Everytime I looked for a new car, the Toyota drivetrain seemed superior), then Hondas (everytime I was looking for a smart car to own, Honda floated to the top of the list) and then Subaru (the poor weather abilities were what I was looking for.. again, whenever I looked at all of the cars I went to Subaru.)

Now I’m onto BMW. because I’m more about build quality than anything these days. So here is what Loyalty looks like to me:

I am shopping for an SUV for my wife next. She doesn’t drive manual (Which knocks out just about any foreign competition.. Other countries still can’t make an automatic transmission if their life depended on it) so I start fresh, no prejudice.

I investigate Jeep, GM, Ford, MB, Toyota, etc. Everytime I consider the options I always return to the 2005-2008 BMW X5. Not because “I’m a BMW guy” but because once again this marque has floated to the top.

My loyalty to the brand isn’t my predisposition. It’s just that whenever I’m looking for what I am looking for, one brand seems to rise above the rest. That’s loyalty through quality.

For most people it’s just a ... “thing”. “My grandfather owned a Ford, my dad owned a Ford. I own Fords.” That’s loyalty to a fault, right there. Ford wouldn’t have to keep up it’s performance for that loyalty. It’s just what that particular consumer considered “This is what I must do”

Most people shop for tattoos that same way, but that’s a conversation for another day.

(Also related: My opinion of Sportbikes over cruisers, Harleys in particular)