Mercedes Or Bmw

mazdagirl

Hi All
I Am Going To Get One Of These Any Tips
I Like The C22o Merc Not To Sure About What Bmw Is The Best I Live In The Country Dont Know If Either Will Be Practical But Who Cares:) Any Tips Grately Accepted

xabi

mazdagirl wrote:

Any Tips Grately Accepted

Don't capitalise each word in a sentence

Owen

xabi wrote:

Don't capitalise each word in a sentence

Seconded! Seriously though, if your 60+ get a Merc, if not, look at a youthful car such as an Audi/BMW/Lexus, etc. Mercs are for old people.

peasant

and sprinkle some commas and full stops around

RobAMerc

Can you give us some better clues ?

Are you buying new, if so which model BMW are you considering?

Do you listen to stereotypical rubbish that you have to be X do buy Y etc ?

mike65

Buy a Mazda Rx8 then you can keep your name!

Mike.

nialler

ned78 wrote:

Seconded! Seriously though, if your 60+ get a Merc, if not, look at a youthful car such as an Audi/BMW/Lexus, etc. Mercs are for old people.

Ermm I'm 38 (although grey haired/chested etc) I drive a Merc S320, My 45 year old brother drives a 325ci, it's a beautiful looking car but I hate it, I hated his previous 320 aswell, didn't like the ride quality, spec etc.

This could open a debate of epic proportions over here, my advice is go drive each, see what you like and prefer, they're both a premium marque and both have their fans.

And Ned would you consider a CL/SL/SLK, C43 or anything AMG specced a old man's car? That's a ridiculous statement. I suppose rover is for the leather elbowed check wearing english gent, or the honda civic for the boy racer/blue rinse brigade, generalisations cannot be made like that.

E92

nialler wrote:

would you consider a CL/SL/SLK, C43 or anything AMG specced a old man's car? That's a ridiculous statement. I suppose rover is for the leather elbowed check wearing english gent, or the honda civic for the boy racer/blue rinse brigade, generalisations cannot be made like that.

Thats exactly what they are:D . I couldnt have said it better myself:D

Biro

Sure while we're at the generalisations...
BMW's are for tossers, Audi's are for rich farmers, VW's for poor farmers, Toyotas are for hens, no one has ever heard of Subaru, Hyundai is a foreign person...

Dwilly

Whatcha drive Biro?

Biro

One of dem foreign Toyotas... sure twill rust away to nothing as quick as I can look at it!

Quint

Merc or BMW? Easy, get a Lexus!

Tails142

a skoda octavia is apparently the obvious choice; lots of boot space??

Elessar

Skoda Octav....oh wait.

DAMN YOU.

BMW all the way, but you're old enough for a Lexus or Merc.

E92

Biro wrote:

Sure while we're at the generalisations...
BMW's are for tossers, Audi's are for rich farmers, VW's for poor farmers, Toyotas are for hens, no one has ever heard of Subaru, Hyundai is a foreign person...

Lets keep going......
Audis are the poor mans Merc, and Hyundais are for dog eaters, and the owners manual of a Lada is a bus timetable, and Ladas also boast heated rear windows to keep your hands warm when pushing it:D

Has anyone got anymore of these generalisations ?

Seth Brundle

Getting back on topic - test drive the models you like and then you compare them. Don't take the biased views of others. If you like the merc, the BMW, the audi, the whatever, then get an independant mechanic to give it a good check and then go fo it!

Owen

nialler wrote:

Ermm I'm 38 (although grey haired/chested etc) I drive a Merc S320, My 45 year old brother drives a 325ci, it's a beautiful looking car but I hate it, I hated his previous 320 aswell, didn't like the ride quality, spec etc.

I drove an S430 extensively. I couldn't have been less impressed. Just like all the C classes and E classes I've also spent time in, it felt like driving dumbed down for the OAP huggies wearing market. Body roll in corners, ridiculously large steering wheel, boring dashboard, boring styling, and when you hit the brakes, the front wallowed like a speedboat against a heavy current. Horrible cars. They disconnect you from the experience of actually 'driving' a car, as opposed to letting the car drive you.

nialler wrote:

And Ned would you consider a CL/SL/SLK, C43 or anything AMG specced a old man's car? That's a ridiculous statement. I suppose rover is for the leather elbowed check wearing english gent, or the honda civic for the boy racer/blue rinse brigade, generalisations cannot be made like that.

AMG specced? I'd naturally be impressed by the performance, but it's still a Merc, and they have little appeal for me. Every time I sit in a Merc, be it a C180 Classic, or an SLK320, I just feel it's built for the pipe and slippers brigade.

Yes it's my opinion, but it's also the opinion of my colleagues, and friends too. We can't all be wrong!

For the record, I do seriously have wet dreams about the new Audi A5, I'm not a complete BMW head you know

AARRRGH

This thread reminds me of this...

I was listening to the "Phone Show with Adrian Kennedy" on FM104. They were talking about being on the dole or something. Some skanger one rang up and was talking nonsense and then said -

I've got class: I drive a Hyundai Coupe

WTF.

Back on topic: don't buy a badge, buy the car you actually like.

enda1

So what if people think mercs are for old people. I'd drive an E220 cdi in a heart beat (obviously the 320 would be nicer or the 430 in europe but this one seems the best of the bunch re price etc.) and I'm only 22. Bmws suck.

colm_mcm

I wouldn't drive an old shape C Class again, I presume the new model is better, certainly a better looking car than the new 3, which I don't particularly care for either.

Drive as many cars in your price range as you can, and open your mind to other alternatives.

Owen

colm_mcm wrote:

Drive as many cars in your price range as you can, and open your mind to other alternatives.

^ That's pretty much the best advice you're going to get in a thread like this. You're the buyer, you decide with your own instincts having driven each one.

Andrewf20

Ive heard of horror stories with rust on some of the newer Mercs and then horror stories with some 6 cylinder Beemers (Nikasil issue) so thread carefully. You need to give us more details about which specific models of BMW you are looking at for more focused advise and I agree with Ned78 & colm_mcm above. Honestjohn.co.uk is a good link for model research as well.

nialler

ned78 wrote:

I drove an S430 extensively. I couldn't have been less impressed. Just like all the C classes and E classes I've also spent time in, it felt like driving dumbed down for the OAP huggies wearing market. Body roll in corners, ridiculously large steering wheel, boring dashboard, boring styling, and when you hit the brakes, the front wallowed like a speedboat against a heavy current. Horrible cars. They disconnect you from the experience of actually 'driving' a car, as opposed to letting the car drive you.



AMG specced? I'd naturally be impressed by the performance, but it's still a Merc, and they have little appeal for me. Every time I sit in a Merc, be it a C180 Classic, or an SLK320, I just feel it's built for the pipe and slippers brigade.

Yes it's my opinion, but it's also the opinion of my colleagues, and friends too. We can't all be wrong!

For the record, I do seriously have wet dreams about the new Audi A5, I'm not a complete BMW head you know

Ned, I never said you were wrong, it was just you & your friend's opinion, and I'd agree with you on the looks of the A5 (preferably S5 but another league completely when it comes to cost). And although opinions differ I quite like the inside of my w220 as for the wallowing like a barge, the only one I ever seen do that was my in-laws w220 which had an airmatic problem. I've taken my one up the mountains (some very thin winding road) but I made sure to put the sports suspension on (little suspension rod with two curves either side) that tightens it up, although hair-raising in some places it performed flawlessly (well to my ability and courage).

Brakes I'd disagree, the whole srs/esp/abs system has saved my bacon on more than one occasion (primarily in the first couple of months of ownership) where the car felt like it took over and I was just a passenger, highly impressed but the people behind me weren't, but a hands up and an apology placated them.

Again without arguing the merits of each car as well all have our favourites and our preferences it's up to the OP to go drive each respective margque beit audi/bmw/lexus/VW Phaeton or a mercedes and let her make the decision on what she prefers for price/spec level/performance.

TBH not knocking BMW (I'm just not mad about them) but like the UK every 2nd car on the road is a 3 series and it no longer holds exclusivity same with the lexus IS range, the OP would probably be better off with a golf VR or an Octavia RS (no joke) and even a decent hyundai (they always do well in the JD power surveys) but again to the OP drive em, form an opinion, check out the boards on potential problems, have a qualified mech check the cars you like out, purchase and enjoy.

Gatster

I liked my Merc (E320 Avantgarde with lovely AMG alloys), but the Missus adhered to the 'Old Man's Car' mantra. I loved it when I was feeling a a bit 'delicate', and it had a great straight line turn of speed. It was, IMO, very well made ('97 model, all toys, only 66k with full MBSH), but others here may disagree.

Saying all that, I felt nothing when I sold it, and only really miss it on the odd long journey. So having owned 3 BMW's and one Merc, I'd go for BMW, unless it was CL/CLS 63 or 65 (although I really like the new sport spec C Class, and would have one over a lower end 3-series).

cjt156

Quint wrote:

Merc or BMW? Easy, get a Lexus!

<Partridge> I love Lexii, people who drive Mercs are SA-A-AD! </Partridge>


In my head everytime I hear the L-word (not that one, THAT one)

michaelanthony

Mercedes are for old farts or for any age of woman unless it is a CL . BMWs are suitable for everyone else.

RobAMerc

ned78 - I am a bit shocked you found the S430 wallowy _ I drove an S320 and was stunned by how well it cruised on the m'way and yet felt like a much smaller car when hustled along down country roads. (albeit underpowered)

I have driven many Mercs and BMWs and have to say I find the Mercedes generally tend to be set up much softer than BMWs but only when really pushed do they handle any less well.

But having just said that I think it's a bad idea to judge a brand as a whole against another as opposed to model v model unless its with regard to a specific area.

Owen

RobAMerc wrote:

ned78 - I am a bit shocked you found the S430 wallowy _ I drove an S320 and was stunned by how well it cruised on the m'way and yet felt like a much smaller car when hustled along down country roads. (albeit underpowered)

Perhaps the one I drove wasn't well maintained, and I will defer to anyone's better experience. But when I view the brand as a whole, I do feel that Merc do their best as a manufacturer to dumb down the driving process.

RobAMerc

Maybe what you call dumb down or maybe numb down is what Merc drivers call refinement ?

I kinda get you but thats what they are for, mobile office chair, or arm chair?

TychoCaine

Andrewf20 wrote:

Ive heard of horror stories with rust on some of the newer Mercs and then horror stories with some 6 cylinder Beemers (Nikasil issue) so thread carefully.

The Nikasil issue was a pretty nasty at the time. Any engine that was suceptable would have died long before now, and been replaced under warranty by BMW, so forget about it.

OP, what's your budget, and what year of car are you looking to buy? It would make a huge difference in any educated recommendation. (and stop typing in capitals, and put in a full stop or comma from time to time too).

Fey!

If you don't mind a big engine, then perhaps a Honda Legend, preferably in Couple form....

As for BMW nikasil, only really an issue between 1996 and early 1998, and not on all cars.

Not much of a Merc fan myself, but the older mid-90s ones seem to be fairly bulletproof.

As others have said, test drive everything and go from there.

cjt156

Before we got the missus her V70 we were looking at a few late 90s E class estates. 3 I looked at were all rusting before my eyes; I mean 1970s-Alfa-parked-on-Dollymount-Strand-all-winter rust.
Under door sills, tailgate, wheel arches; terrible TERRIBLE quality. Never seen owt like it.

Andrewf20

TychoCaine wrote:

The Nikasil issue was a pretty nasty at the time. Any engine that was suceptable would have died long before now, and been replaced under warranty by BMW, so forget about it.

I dont think I would rule it out fully just yet. Theres a few 6 cylinder E36 & E39's on carzone with around 60-70k on the clock which could be still contenders for this dreaded issue. In have read of cars only getting signs of the bore wear with mileage as high at 80k.

Id be anxious about buying these for example:
http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=760356
http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=675361

Volvoboy

After having the joys of the da's Merc S500 for 3 weeks i cant fault them so powerful and smooth, As for the beemer i always found them sluggish that said ive only ever driven the 318-320.


As for the ''Old Man'' mantray, Poppycock!! I'm only 20 and am looking for a E Class.




-VB-

E92

Andrewf20 wrote:

Id be anxious about buying these for example:
http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/inde...r&carID=760356

I'd be too considering how far to the right the engine temperature guage is gone!
It should be at the dead centre when its warmed up.

Marcus.Aurelius

Lexus all the way, baby!!

Dapper

get yourself a nice new Audi S5 drove one on monday they are approx €85k + extras

Andrewf20

E92 wrote:

I'd be too considering how far to the right the engine temperature guage is gone!
It should be at the dead centre when its warmed up.

Good spot as I missed that! Add gone from carzone now.

Seth Brundle

E92 wrote:

I'd be too considering how far to the right the engine temperature guage is gone!
It should be at the dead centre when its warmed up.

Id say its just the angle the photo was taken at!

mazdagirl

Thanks for all the replys appriciate them, drove a BMW never again did not like it at all, then for the crack I test drove a Audi A4, I fell in love with it so ended up buying one of them, big difference I know, but the car had to be diesel and could not find any merc C220 with milage I was happy with so settled for the Audi.

mikekk

mazdagirl wrote: »

Hi All
I Am Going To Get One Of These Any Tips
I Like The C22o Merc Not To Sure About What Bmw Is The Best I Live In The Country Dont Know If Either Will Be Practical But Who Cares:) Any Tips Grately Accepted

BMW the worst car I have ever owned. very poor ride quality, run flat tyres unsuitable for Irish roads, overpriced, lacks basic features and poor road holding, bmw appalling. I drove a C180 for 3 years. best car I ever owned, only negatives, is back seat and head room.

Andrewf20

What Beemer was it?

MercMad

I think there a re a lot of folk here with pre-concieved ideas about certain cars. IMO you should test drive a few examples of each car before deciding which you like best or which would suit your needs.

Making blind generalisations helps nobody !

cantdecide

I hate those guys who drive a ___ and the missus drives a ____ and the dog drives a ____ and the only cars we've ever had and ever will have is a ____. Toyotas and BMWs are the most common to get this blind loyalty.

I've had lots of cars and I tend to have a general criteria which I allow myself to compromise on and automatically ruling out entire brands is just stupid.

It's childish really. I like beemers, but that doesn't mean I like all beemers. I like mercs but not all mercs, I like a nice lexus..... (although I do hate all toyotas except the ae86:D). I mean, the company that you the dreaded micra also brought you the skyline and both conform completely to their respective market segments.

Ger the man

I presume your aware of the servicing\parts costs? My bro in law is a service manager with a large bmw dealership and he tells me how peoples jaws drop when he quotes them for a service.

RobAMerc

mikekk wrote: »

BMW the worst car I have ever owned. very poor ride quality, run flat tyres unsuitable for Irish roads, overpriced, lacks basic features and poor road holding,

Ok I know the ride has been poor on recent bmw's with the run flats but come on - poor road holding ? me thinks you bought a wringer !

MercMad

Actually i have first hand experience, only last week, of BMW/Merc main deaelr costs.

2003 S320CDi - Service A -36,000km - € 360
2003 CLK200K - Service B -58,000 - € 450
2001 BMW 520i Full Service 62,000 - € 710 (this included a brake fluid change & gal oil)

..........the price of the BMW parts were outrageous, €70 + VAT for the air filter !!

JHMEG

ned78 wrote: »

I drove an S430 extensively. I couldn't have been less impressed. Body roll in corners, ridiculously large steering wheel, boring dashboard, boring styling, and when you hit the brakes, the front wallowed like a speedboat against a heavy current. Horrible cars. They disconnect you from the experience of actually 'driving' a car, as opposed to letting the car drive you.

I drove a '99 S320 (new shape) less than a week ago and it was none of those things. The one you were driving must've been broken. Sure it disconnects you from the driving experience, but don't all luxo-barges?

Altho speaking of broken that S320 I drove seems to develop a new serious problem every day (both cats, air suspension, airbags as well as other bits and bobs, currently not working). So much for German build quality.

E92

ned78 must have driven the W220 S-class(the one that Merc never bothered to build properly) because he said he drove an S430. If it was a W140(the last S-class that was quite considerably over engineered, the one that looks like an old skool Volvo) it would have been an S420.

Jimbo

Beemers are a little over rated. Mercs and Lexuses are nice if your into lazy, comfy driving. Audis are nice all rounders

Seth Brundle

MercMad wrote: »

Actually i have first hand experience, only last week, of BMW/Merc main deaelr costs.

2003 S320CDi - Service A -36,000km - € 360
2003 CLK200K - Service B -58,000 - € 450
2001 BMW 520i Full Service 62,000 - € 710 (this included a brake fluid change & gal oil)

..........the price of the BMW parts were outrageous, €70 + VAT for the air filter !!

I couldn't be arsed going upstairs to my receipts folder but an air filter for an E39 does not cost that amount. They are at most €15 including VAT from the dealer!