BGM Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 merc is a bit of an old man image.. I certainly won't be owning one before I'm 35.. maybe 40.. sticking with bimmer :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mirumir Subscriber¹ Posted July 5, 2010 Subscriber¹ Share Posted July 5, 2010 Gotta love the arguments people mention in favour of BMW such as quality, reliability, etc AS IF Benz lacks them :laugh: ...or vice versa haha :laugh: To the OP: you may afford to buy a BMW or a Benz, and it's great, both make superb cars, but have you also considered the costs to maintain one? Have you actually checked how much it costs to do a regular maintenance (oil change, replacement of break pads), for example, at a BMW or a Mercedes-Benz dealership? Expect a 20% premium at the very least on parts and labour over Hyundai's service. It can easily cost twice or three times as much too. It depends on the model. You have to look at total costs of ownership (insurance, gas, maintenance) a particular car before making a purchasing decision, not just its sticker price. Do your research and buy what you like. You gonna be the one driving it anyway. I generally prefer BMW and Audi over Benz for some reasons that may sound silly. BMW's and Audi's dashboards are illuminated blazing lava red :) It's awesome at night. I love it. Their color is so bright, it makes me feel that it can prevent one from falling asleep behind the wheel at night. Benz is white/blue...which is boring imho. I also don't like the feel of the buttons in a Benz when you press them. Audi's click in a way I like and BMW's are kinda sturdy and click in a special way too...Benz's are kinda dull. As for the mechanics...each car is excellent and drives uniquely. Among these three, BMW's suspension is the stiffest, Benz's is the softest and Audi's is in the middle. You have to drive them to see what you like the most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjokkel Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 Depends on which price range you're looking in. Out of the BMW 3 , Merc C and Audi A4 i would pick the Merc followed by the Audi and then the BMW 3. Quite simply because the 3 is ready for an update. The latest "facelift" fixed the funky taillights but still it looks like a car that was hot 5 years ago but is starting to show its age. Also the interior is not for my taste. The coupe still has the looks though. Mercedes had a few bad years but seems to be back since the introduction of the latest C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGM Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 the above post is probably the most sensible of the thread.. bimmer and merc are both awesome cars it comes down to what you prefer.. re the TOC comment, an oil change on mine 2 months back cost ~?200 :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giantsnyy Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 the 330's aren't so bad. its when you start getting heavy into technology that they become crap. as much as I want a 335 or 535, they still havent found the fix for their high pressure fuel pump issue. I just don't understand, many other companies have high pressure fuel pumps and they arent dying left and right. I quite literally just asked one of the techs at the BMW store where I occasionally work... and he said this was fixed a month after the issue arose. The only thing I HATE about BMW is ISIS. If anyone has ever worked for a BMW dealer within the past year and a half they know what i'm talking about (It's their "Integrated Service Information Server"). I've seen techs have to re-flash ECU's 10 times before it takes, and that's only because someone next to them is diagnosing a car. BMW even said in an e-mail to all their IT Managers on the first line... and I quote: "We know ISIS sucks. We're working on it." Sjokkel - It's coming... zhiVago - Have you driven the new S4 with Audi DriveSelect? It's comparable to the 335's suspension when its set to the highest level of dampening. The two cars are very, very equal now in terms of performance... just not in price. Like I said earlier in the thread... BMW is great for performance and sporty feel... Mercedes is great for performance and luxury. Pick either or... it's really your choice of what you want to drive. I prefer BMW, but that's because I prefer the sporty feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mirumir Subscriber¹ Posted July 5, 2010 Subscriber¹ Share Posted July 5, 2010 zhiVago - Have you driven the new S4 with Audi DriveSelect? It's comparable to the 335's suspension when its set to the highest level of dampening. The two cars are very, very equal now in terms of performance... just not in price. Yeah I did :) Loved it. Audi S/RS, BMW IS/M, and AMGs are just different breeds of cars :wub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sc302 Veteran Posted July 5, 2010 Veteran Share Posted July 5, 2010 I quite literally just asked one of the techs at the BMW store where I occasionally work... and he said this was fixed a month after the issue arose. Well they are on the 3rd revision of the hpfp. They come out with new fixes and they are still having problems with it. I believe the latest fuel pump revision ends in 881. I believe this was released as the latest fix either the end of last year or the beginning of this. Yes they did try to make good a month or so afterwards, however they keep releasing new pumps to fix what the previous didn't fix which is the pump failing. Ask your bmw techs why there we're 3 revisions of the pump for the same car... There isn't a revision/part number change unless the part itself changes. Could be different impellers, could be a different motor, could be anything really. I believe they don't know what the issue is and that they are hoping that this last one is the fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MulletRobZ Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Mercedes. Test drove a few of their models and I was impressed by their driving dynamics, especially the C and the E. The fit and finish of the C and E (inside and out) are by far better than the BMW counterparts, IMHO. However, I do have two beefs about the 2010 E Class. The first is there is no stick shift option and the second is the default gear selector is weird. The C class does not have those problems. However, as I would suggest to anyone looking for the vehicle, try a few of them and decide for yourself. I also heard the A4 is worth checking out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neo003 Posted July 8, 2010 Author Share Posted July 8, 2010 Just saw this car; it doesn't have leather which is what I really want. It had those MB-tex look really close to leather but still, anyway with options I want it comes out around $40k. Little more then I like but don't know yet what to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacemf Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Ask them for one with Leather, is it that ALCO or whatever (man made leather or something) Also what about the Blue one behind? looks cute :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giantsnyy Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Well they are on the 3rd revision of the hpfp. They come out with new fixes and they are still having problems with it. I believe the latest fuel pump revision ends in 881. I believe this was released as the latest fix either the end of last year or the beginning of this. Yes they did try to make good a month or so afterwards, however they keep releasing new pumps to fix what the previous didn't fix which is the pump failing. Ask your bmw techs why there we're 3 revisions of the pump for the same car... There isn't a revision/part number change unless the part itself changes. Could be different impellers, could be a different motor, could be anything really. I believe they don't know what the issue is and that they are hoping that this last one is the fix. exact quote "I'm sure they'd be able to figure out what's wrong with it in time... but they can't even fix f'ing ISIS and I can't program a f'ing car right now." I guess I caught him on a bad day. Of course I deleted the curses... well... shortened them. (ISIS is the BMW Diagnostic system that breaks twice, maybe three times a week.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sc302 Veteran Posted July 9, 2010 Veteran Share Posted July 9, 2010 exact quote "I'm sure they'd be able to figure out what's wrong with it in time... but they can't even fix f'ing ISIS and I can't program a f'ing car right now." I guess I caught him on a bad day. Of course I deleted the curses... well... shortened them. (ISIS is the BMW Diagnostic system that breaks twice, maybe three times a week.) sure given enough time anything can be fixed....lol ask him what his feeling is about the idrive (my bmw mechanic friend loves to say bad things about it). I believe one of his quotes was the worst pos bmw ever came out with....and the pos runs off of windows ce (or at least did a few years ago) and likes to crash. This is more of a joke, they all hate it from the mechanics to the users. Make things too complicated and things break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gian Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 sure given enough time anything can be fixed....lol ask him what his feeling is about the idrive (my bmw mechanic friend loves to say bad things about it). I believe one of his quotes was the worst pos bmw ever came out with....and the pos runs off of windows ce (or at least did a few years ago) and likes to crash. This is more of a joke, they all hate it from the mechanics to the users. Make things too complicated and things break. I disagree about iDrive. I don't have a car with the new iDrive but I think that people just keep bashing about it because the first version sucked. Other companies like benz and audi followed the iDrive example, right? It's inevitable to be honest as cars get more and more options you can no longer work with just buttons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGM Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 I disagree about iDrive. I don't have a car with the new iDrive but I think that people just keep bashing about it because the first version sucked. Other companies like benz and audi followed the iDrive example, right? It's inevitable to be honest as cars get more and more options you can no longer work with just buttons. first version of iDrive ran on windows CE and was utter balls.. the newer ones are now much better, but a little bit slow up until about the 09 plates where it got a MASSIVE update.. audi MMI is arguably a slightly better system.. but i like iDrive cos im used to it. certainly wouldn't have a car without it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xilo Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Only if get a BMW if you enjoy your car breaking down all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGM Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Only if get a BMW if you enjoy your car breaking down all the time. technically, this is trolling please, either elaborate or keep your mouth shut.. you can't post **** like that, lol ;) every manufacturer has a share of bad eggs, but i don't think bmw got where they are today by having constantly breaking down vehicles.. especially the new ones, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gian Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 Especially the old ones I would say... they have proved that their motors are first class and will serve their purpose no matter how many miles you put on them. New ones have a ton of electronics and technology (like turbo) that eventually something will break. But that's common for all cars... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motoko. Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 Both cars are sh*t now Engine is built in Mexico and assembled in the U.S, what the hell am I paying for the high price for? Both my E classes were all Germany in 2000, 2001 what happened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGM Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 Both cars are sh*t now Engine is built in Mexico and assembled in the U.S, what the hell am I paying for the high price for? Both my E classes were all Germany in 2000, 2001 what happened? mine was built in munich oh yeah that cos i'm in europe.. :p regardless of that fact, does it matter where they were built? you are paying the high price for the r&d that goes into making them amazing to drive.. they are not built by hand (i.e. lamborghini etc), they are still built on a production line, so i think the location of that production line is a bit of a non-issue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pto Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 Through my time driving (coming on 10 years, no tickets, no accidents, driven 5 personal vehicles and countless others for other circumstances) I would have to say that the more dead weight added onto the car for the sake of luxury is senseless. Ironing out the road with your suspension is valid, if your car is over 3,000 lbs. That kind of bulk is just not smart in 2010. Modern driving is quick, relentless and horrible on your vehicle's mechanical parts. Thus the easiest way to prevent strange bending and torque on your; chassis, steering bearings, tires, brakes and whatnot is to pick a lightweight car. Easier said than done, because a lightweight car cannot have a smooth suspension? I agree that lightweight (not low trim, or cheap) cars are not the most comfortable passenger cars out there but the general idea of driving around in a Toyota, Honda or Acura is as solid as it gets in the metaphysical world. No other brand out there will give you; higher resale, cheaper cost of ownership, and reliability. The barebones, quaint drive of a seriously minimal car will change your; driving style, driving habits and perspective of other cars on the road. Not to say Lexus isn't a quality choice, but it does bare association with excess, which relates to GMC, which relates to Denali models (worst vehicles ever). Such habits seem to trickle down in a company when they build any car of excess. Seeing how luxury cars think they denote the future, so good business would dictate that they install as many features as possibly, so that other car companies would then add these features over time evolving into standard features. Those standard features raise the price of cheaper low trim cars and then gives way for an everlasting cycle of the luxury brands coming up with even more icing for the cake. ok sorry for that. Honest opinion: do not get a BMW 328, or any low trim BMW. This car will have less features in the means of serious car functions. The brakes will be smaller, the wheels will be smaller, the suspension will not be the same as a 335 or any 330 series. Do not get any Merc, unless it's AMG or S class. Do take interest in buying a slightly used car, Credit Unions and even banks cut deals close to 3%. Your Mothrs fanjita wasn't familiar to google maps, so I searched here in Dallas, TX. 2007 BMW 335I $34,000 Again Ebay Motors Ebay Motors It's all about investing time in your hunt, if you're shopping for a new car there's not much you can do aside from factory lowered MSRP (which luxury car brands never offer). The seriously good deals right now in the US are the struggling companies (GMC offers over $10,000 off a $33,000 truck), Ford is making a power run for the past 3 years on reliability ratings, and of course the Japanese duo (Honda and Toyota). My personal suggestions include; 2007-2010Acura TSX, 2006-2009 Acura TL, 2007-2010Honda Accord, 2005-2007Toyota Avalon, 2007-2010 Honda Civic SI, 2007-2010 Toyota Camry, Any year you can find suitable on the Lexus IS line Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motoko. Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 mine was built in munich oh yeah that cos i'm in europe.. :p regardless of that fact, does it matter where they were built? you are paying the high price for the r&d that goes into making them amazing to drive.. they are not built by hand (i.e. lamborghini etc), they are still built on a production line, so i think the location of that production line is a bit of a non-issue The problem is they're using a cheaper materials which hinders the reliability of the car. One guy told me that BMW is now putting in a plastic parts for engine components. I forget which part but he said they always use to use metal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mirumir Subscriber¹ Posted July 16, 2010 Subscriber¹ Share Posted July 16, 2010 You must be the guy who believes everything you are told. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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