BMW vs Mercedes

[leander]

Okay, I'm buying a second car - a bit of an excessive splurge.

So I've gotten it down to two cars:

2006 BMW 330Ci convertible

2005 Mercedes CLK 350 convertible

They're both about the same price. I already have a Lexus SUV, so this car is simply an indulgence for fun.

Which one would you choose and why?

Thanks!

[SenorBeef]

I would do more research, but I would probably go BMW on the basis that the people I know who know a lot about cars go nuts over every aspect of BMW, about how the engineers are on another level of creating an unmatched driving experience, etc. They're making me want to buy an older 3 series car.

[leander]

Originally Posted by SenorBeef

I would do more research, but I would probably go BMW on the basis that the people I know who know a lot about cars go nuts over every aspect of BMW, about how the engineers are on another level of creating an unmatched driving experience, etc. They're making me want to buy an older 3 series car.

Based on my research so far, BMW will be a hell of a fun sports car and definitely well engineered (to say the least); Mercedes is supposedly a great "touring" car with lots of luxury.

I'm torn...my wife says the Merc is an old man's car and the BMW a young man's car...

[Shagnasty]

BMW kills a Mercedes in terms of driving experience hands down. Go with the BMW if you like driving. Actually, go with the BMW in any case. I can't think of an advantage a Mercedes has over a BMW at all.

[leander]

So it's BMW 2 votes, Mercedes 0

[Shagnasty]

I have owned BMW's by the way and my ex-wife still has one. They are super-great but just make sure you have a special savings account set up for when it needs to go into the shop. They aren't like your father's Oldsmobile and you need a specialty mechanic and parts for them. The same is true for a Mercedes too though.

[leander]

Originally Posted by Shagnasty

I have owned BMW's by the way and my ex-wife still has one. They are super-great but just make sure you have a special savings account set up for when it needs to go into the shop. They aren't like your father's Oldsmobile and you need a specialty mechanic and parts for them. The same is true for a Mercedes too though.

Yeah, I fully expect to pay through the nose on repairs. It's always a crap-shoot when you buy a used car, but I know any repairs will be very expensive.

Aaargh! I'm totally torn about these two cars and feeling very old (mid-life crisis at 37??).

[footballisplayedwithyourfeet]

Wow, really interesting for me as an European to see the American view of these brands. In my opinion the idea in Europe (especially Netherlands, UK - according to things I hear on Top Gear - and Germany) is that BMW's are driven by the flashy-just-got-mony-I-need-to-spend types and Mercs are whole lot classier.

While both are well built, the mercs have (as far as I know) the reputation of being just about the best cars period - while the BMW's are maybe more geared towards a 'drivin'g experience'. So it depends what you want (I guess you already covered the classy luxurious thing with the Lexus). But if i were to buy a BMW for the driving experience, it wouldn't be this sedan without a roof...I would go for one of the roadsters in the z-series (especially the z4, if I remember correctly), but i have no Idea (nor the time right now) whether those are in the same price range.

[ShibbOleth]

I'm working in Germany off and on this past year, and have a German colleague who is nuts about cars. He's a huge F-1 fan, and drives a nice Mercedes of some sort himself. The other day he gave me his opinion of all things car related. In his opinion BMW and Mercedes are the top two brands, period, and which you choose is just a matter of personal preference. Mercedes tends to be a little more cushy and BMW tends to focus more on driving experience. In these two cars I doubt that they're must removed from each other. He's also recently been impressed with the strides that Audi has made and now almost ranks them up with the other two.

For me, in the end, I'd just drive both and then decide based on which seemed to "feel" right.

[Dead Cat]

Originally Posted by leander

Based on my research so far, BMW will be a hell of a fun sports car and definitely well engineered (to say the least); Mercedes is supposedly a great "touring" car with lots of luxury.

I'm torn...my wife says the Merc is an old man's car and the BMW a young man's car...

I've never come close to driving either, but my impression of the two cars is exactly what you've said here. Personally, I'd definitely go for the BMW, because I'm 24 and I like driving. Not to say I consider 37 old - I don't!

You can only really tell by driving both of them, though. It may be that one (or both) has some really annoying feature that you personally couldn't live with.

[FoieGrasIsEvil]

Originally Posted by leander

Okay, I'm buying a second car - a bit of an excessive splurge.

So I've gotten it down to two cars:

2006 BMW 330Ci convertible

2005 Mercedes CLK 350 convertible

They're both about the same price. I already have a Lexus SUV, so this car is simply an indulgence for fun.

Which one would you choose and why?

Thanks!

If it's for a second car (and you already have a cushy Lexus), get the Bimmer. I think it looks cooler, more aggressively styled, cooler rims, etc. You want this thing to drive around and have fun in, right?

OTOH, on a quick review, it appears the Mercedes has a more powerful engine, while the one you pictured looks more sedate than the BMW. So you may get more actual performance from the Mercedes.

My young side will almost always default to horsepower, but the 40 year old in me prefers looks over power now (and fuel efficiency).

The BMW is also newer (I didn't look at mileage figures, though).

Unless the BMW drives poorly and/or has ridiculously high mileage, I'd get it.

Edit: Damn, $70,000 seems like a lot for either of these cars.

[prettydorky]

I was really torn, because the BMW looks cooler this time..... but in the end I say Mercedes. I don't know much about cars but my dad has always driven Mercs and I've always loved them.

[FoieGrasIsEvil]

There's a lot of hearsay into the maintenance records of Mercedes being shitty. I have no idea, but you might want to look into that. They are both going to be expensive to maintain, but how much maintenance time a car spends in the shop with you unable to drive it should factor in there somewhere.

[Balthisar]

What is "love of driving"? To me, it means comfort more than anything, as I spend a lot of time in my car, either for commuting or taking a road trip. On the other hand, I need performance and handling in small bursts. So for me, I'd be looking at something like 95%/5% comfort/performance. To me and for my needs, that's "the unmatched driving experience" that so many talk about.

Now if I lived in a hilly area (well, I do now, temporarily), and I were only going to take the car out exclusively to have some serious driving fun (say, James Bond in the mountains driving), then the balance would swing back to 1%/99% comfort/performance.

So ask yourself when deciding between a machine built for driving, and a machine built for luxury, in which conditions will you spend the majority of your driving time? Is a little less performance more than enough to make up for the amount of time you'll spend not ripping quickly through the gears?

In my case (if I were into German cars), I'd go for the Mercedes.

[Necros]

Originally Posted by FoieGrasIsEvil

Edit: Damn, $70,000 seems like a lot for either of these cars.

Yeah, that's ridiculous. These cars are both mid-to-low $20K cars.
I just bought a BMW, and liked it much better than the Mercs I drove. They are definitely different, though. BMW is much more sporty, Merc is more cushy. If you are currently driving a Lexus, get the Merc; you will feel more at home. If a MT is a consideration for you, then you almost have to go with the BMW.

[Philster]

Neither is 'well built'.

R&D goes into technology and driving experience.

BMW all the way, especially if you want a manual trans.

Or go buy an Infiniti G37 coupe and enjoy all aspects of motoring.

[FoieGrasIsEvil]

Originally Posted by Necros

Yeah, that's ridiculous. These cars are both mid-to-low $20K cars.
I just bought a BMW, and liked it much better than the Mercs I drove. They are definitely different, though. BMW is much more sporty, Merc is more cushy. If you are currently driving a Lexus, get the Merc; you will feel more at home. If a MT is a consideration for you, then you almost have to go with the BMW.

Maybe it's because they are being sold in Australia? At least, I thought that's what I saw. Maybe that makes them scarce or something.

$70,000 will get a you a brand new BMW 5 series with all the bells and whistles in the USA for that kind of money, I suspect.

[Rico]

Huh.

Back in my day a "Merc" was a Mercury.

A Mercedes was a "Benz."

Now get offa my lawn. And buy the Mercedes.

[Stranger On A Train]

Honestly, for the price you are looking at, I'd recommend the Audi S4 Cabriolet, which will handle better than either the Mercedes or BMW, and probably cheaper to maintain.

Stranger

[lieu]

I've test driven a number of high end BMWs before and while they were impressive, they never just blew me away. There always were things about the performance and quality that kept me from ever pulling the trigger. The I Drive system for one, hated it.

Mercedes though, that's a car I can live with. Solid, performant, quality throughout. My last car was an SL. Someday I'll probably get a sedan. The one you're linking to looks hard to find a fault with.

[The Second Stone]

I'd say it is a matter of tranny preference. If you want a manual, go with the BMW. Auto, go with the Benz

[Tom Tildrum]

My recollection is that Mercedes went through a run of bad JD Power quality ratings earlier in this decade, at least in the US, but it has improved since. You may want to check out some ratings for your prospective car's model year pretty carefully.

Ah yes, here's an article.

[mack]

IMO Mercedes-Benz has a knack for designing cars that look from blah to downright stupid after a number of years. Their designs age terribly. With exceptions of course.

BMWs always look good, even the old ones.

Haven't driven either .

[leander]

Thanks very much to everyone for your comments. Really much appreciated. And for the article, Tom. I've got a test drive today for the Merc so I'll post some thoughts later.

And yes, in Australia the price of cars is insane. As an American living on this big rock I find it appalling, but no amount of complaining will bring the price down.

[leander]

Speaking of weird Australian stuff, looking out my window in Sydney today I see this.

[FoieGrasIsEvil]

Originally Posted by leander

Thanks very much to everyone for your comments. Really much appreciated. And for the article, Tom. I've got a test drive today for the Merc so I'll post some thoughts later.

And yes, in Australia the price of cars is insane. As an American living on this big rock I find it appalling, but no amount of complaining will bring the price down.

Why are the cars so expensive? Is it just scarcity/cost of shipping them out to Down Under? The Australian dollar is worth a bit more than the US dollar, I believe.

[leander]

I'm not sure why the cars are so expensive. I'm guessing that the cost of shipping, gov't taxes and the fact that it's a closed market. Plus the cost of building a left hand drive car (?)

All just guesses.

ETA: My biggest shock was when I looked at the Lexus convertible. In the US it cost around $70,000. Here it cost $175,000!!!

[Balthisar]

Are you using American dollars or Australian dollars? It's about 2:1 right now, right? Google says... $175 US = $152 AU. Yeah, I forgot that our dollar took such a pounding!

[leander]

Originally Posted by Balthisar

Are you using American dollars or Australian dollars? It's about 2:1 right now, right? Google says... $175 US = $152 AU. Yeah, I forgot that our dollar took such a pounding!

Those were in their respective country's currencies. So it would be around AUD$80k for the US car and AUD$175k for the Aussie car. Insane!

[leander]

Well, I just drove the Merc. Beautiful car, luxury in and out. Bigger than I imagined and with a lot more power! When you hit the pedal hard you can really feel a strong push in your back.

A few minor issues, the biggest being the integrated phone. For that kind of money I want it to work 100% and the guy has to check with the original dealer how to get it working.

Some nice little touches:

- Auto headlights, auto windshield wipers (for the lazy ass in me)
- Keyless entry - just hop in and push the button on the shifter to start the car - (very cool)
- Auto seat with lots of positions
- Side mirrors fold in when car shut off
- Auto seat belts - a little arm jumps out to "hand" you the seatbelt (probably the first thing to break!)
- Nice satnav, nice stereo
- Push a button and the roof goes down - no clips or other things to push

All in all a beauty. This is going to be a hard decision!

[leander]

Crap, this one just got thrown into the mix.

A black 2005 M3 convertible. Anyone have any experience with the M3?

[SenorBeef]

The m3 is regarded by many as the best all around car in the world, when factoring in driving performance, quality, practicality, price, etc. It's probably what I would buy if I were in the market for a $40k+ car.

[Stranger On A Train]

Originally Posted by SenorBeef

The m3 is regarded by many as the best all around car in the world, when factoring in driving performance, quality, practicality, price, etc. It's probably what I would buy if I were in the market for a $40k+ car.

I'd have to disagree with everything past "driving performance". I knew a couple who owned a pair of M-cars (M3 and M5) and things were perpetually breaking on them; mostly small stuff, but because it was an "M" the costs--even for things like seat buckle latches--were exorbitant. It's a very nice handling car on dry pavement, and there is a cachet among German car enthusiasts for the M3, but it's not what I would go for in terms of practicality and cost.

Stranger

[leander]

Interesting points. My last car was brand new, so I don't have to worry about stuff breaking (at least not for 4 more years!). But I am concerned with buying a used car out of warranty that may have lots of problems in the future.

[Philster]

Originally Posted by leander

Crap, this one just got thrown into the mix.

A black 2005 M3 convertible. Anyone have any experience with the M3?

M3 definitely takes BMW and makes it mean Brake My Wallet.

Wow. Dropping 2, 3 or 4gs on repairs at one time is common.

Coincidence, but relevant: I happen to have two best buddies who are BMW Service Managers and they talked me out of the M3.

[Really Not All That Bright]

My stepmother has a virtually identical CLK, and has all sorts of problems with the soft top. Avoid.

[Philster]

Oops... looked at my post above and need to edit:

BMW = Break My Wallet

Got cars on the brain.

[leander]

Originally Posted by Really Not All That Bright

My stepmother has a virtually identical CLK, and has all sorts of problems with the soft top. Avoid.

Can you elaborate? I'm currently leaning towards the Merc, so would be keen to know more about any problems.

(Based on what I've read here - and elsewhere - the M3 is off the table. I really don't need that much hp, and the dealer is a jackass anyway...)

[FoieGrasIsEvil]

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the M3 until you drive it. All three of these cars are going to cost exorbitant amounts of money to repair, I think the assertion that it's going to be "so much more because it's an M car" may be a bit overblown (no offense, Stranger).

Leander, it seems that you're pretty well to do to be able to afford purchasing a car like this one as a weekend driver. If you're really not planning on driving it daily, I'd take a hard look at that M3. It has a LOT of features and it's a pretty ballsy car to drive performance-wise.

A friend has a 2006 M3 and loves it. I've driven it, it's a freaking hoot to drive. It wasn't a convertible, though.

[leander]

Thanks for the comment Foie. I suppose I could take it for a test drive, but I have to admit my days of aggressive driving are pretty much over since I have a 2 yr old son.

I think the 20 yr old in me would love the M3, but the dad in me says no way.

I'm leaning heavily towards the Merc, even though it is a bit of an old man's car. (I suppose I should post in the "when did you feel old" thread.) It's just so damn luxurious.

ETA: Going to see the 330Ci today or tomorrow. Will post after.

[Zsofia]

Am I the only one who thinks both are kind of unremarkable-looking? I don't know how they drive, but if I was going to buy a fun little extra car I'd want it to be adorable, you know?

[leander]

Originally Posted by Zsofia

Am I the only one who thinks both are kind of unremarkable-looking? I don't know how they drive, but if I was going to buy a fun little extra car I'd want it to be adorable, you know?

A friend of mine is looking at a mini convertible. THAT is a very cute car. I agree neither of mine is "adorable", but I'm a tall nearly middle aged guy who wants an ultra luxurious toy.

[Zsofia]

Well, maybe "adorable" was the wrong word. They aren't sexy.

[leander]

Well, I just got back from test driving the BMW. It is a gorgeous car, sporty and sexy through and through. The dark exterior contrasting the white interior just looks perfect.

It is undeniably a sports car. Yes, it has some luxuries but not nearly as much as the Merc. It's zippy and fun to drive.

So now I'm still torn. The Merc is luxury and power; the BMW is zip and sporty. I guess I have to decide which one I really want for the weekend drives.

Any further opinions always appreciated.

[bengangmo]

Originally Posted by leander

Thanks very much to everyone for your comments. Really much appreciated. And for the article, Tom. I've got a test drive today for the Merc so I'll post some thoughts later.

And yes, in Australia the price of cars is insane. As an American living on this big rock I find it appalling, but no amount of complaining will bring the price down.

Dude - if you're in Australia can you look for a Walkinshaw Commodore?

Or maybe a Senator HSV. there should still be some of the good Toranas running around right?

All should be less costly and a whole lot more fun than the Beemer et al.

[mhendo]

IMO, the Merc CLK body shape is fucking awful. It looks fat in the ass, and not at all sleek. It looks like they took one of their already-weighty sedans and just chopped the roof off.

The BMW 3-series is no Z4, but it at least looks like they've done a good job turning a sedan into a convertible.

[Gatopescado]

Never had a Mercedes, cause I bought the BMW first!

I don't think you can go wrong with either. Both are top of the line. I find the BMW easy to work on* because of the clearly thought out design. I'm sure the 3-Star is the same.

Have fun!

*doesn't need it much. Some people bitch about shit going wrong at 70k. Shit! The average "other piece of crap" is done and in the junk yard by then! I've got 175k and expecting 300.

[leander]

Originally Posted by Gatopescado

Never had a Mercedes, cause I bought the BMW first!

I don't think you can go wrong with either. Both are top of the line. I find the BMW easy to work on* because of the clearly thought out design. I'm sure the 3-Star is the same.

Have fun!

*doesn't need it much. Some people bitch about shit going wrong at 70k. Shit! The average "other piece of crap" is done and in the junk yard by then! I've got 175k and expecting 300.

Which BMW do you own? Did you buy it new or used? Any problems at all?

Thanks!

[leander]

Originally Posted by mhendo

IMO, the Merc CLK body shape is fucking awful. It looks fat in the ass, and not at all sleek. It looks like they took one of their already-weighty sedans and just chopped the roof off.

The BMW 3-series is no Z4, but it at least looks like they've done a good job turning a sedan into a convertible.

I agree the back of the Merc is not terrible stylish. But the interior and the front is beautiful.

In any event, I seem to be leaning more and more towards the BWM. It really was an incredible looking car, and with only 38k kms on it and only 3 yrs old it's hard to let it go. The drive was really fun, which is what I want for a weekend convertible.

[casdave]

Buy neither, get yourself an Audi, build quality of Mercs has been criticised of late, and their customer service regularly ends up in pit threads on these boards.

Audis seem to be well built, although the cuope has had its problems. It will cost just as much to repair as the others, but you won't have to do it as often.