it really depends on what youre after.
one is a drivers car, one is more of a poser car.
one is about balance, one is pure over indulgence.

 

This is a very common position many people have about both brands. And I also here these common notes about the two:
- 'You ride in a Mercedes-Benz. You drive a BMW'
- 'I'd only by a Mercedes-Benz when I've only got 6 months to live' - Notice sarcasm here people!
Why can't I pose in a BMW such as an M5? What is BMW lacking that does not make them a 'poser' car? What about MB, does MB lack being a drivers car because its simply a house rolling on wheels?

 

Comparing E46's to Mercedes,

E46's have fragile bums (sub frames), every one of the sun roof shades is broken, and cam sensors commonly fail even though there are no moving parts in them.

E46's are high maintenance.

If I had any information on C-class reliability being better than E90, I'd buy the C-class.

 

If I had any information on C-class reliability being better than E90, I'd buy the C-class.

I can confirm they are much better and I hope you will buy a C-Class soon and take your viscosity with you.

 

Yes

 

I've had a laundry list of Bimmers and only 1 Benz and I'd have to say the Benz is a better car all around, however BMW does outperform them in certain categories i.e. suspension & more fun to drive. Its really a personal preference tho. Bimmer owners are pretty biased as far as the comparison of those 2 car companies so MB is probly not going to get a lot of "votes" in here...would be a good idea to post this same question in a Benz forum and see what they say then combine the 2 threads responses.

'Ultimate Driving Machines' is just a great marketing line, but its pretty accurate.

 

howie i couldnt agree more having owned the same benz you have, mercedes just has a more well rounded car although personal preference will always answer the question benz or bimmer

btw im for bimmer lol even though it has costed me a ridiculous 10k in repairs within a few months

 

bmw is more driver orriented, the benz def better build quality and im referring to the imfamous subframe issue and steptronic woes

 

Benz have poor reliability though if you look at repair history records. Definitely worse than BMW. While the E46 has certain things that tend to fail more than they should, it has generally good, above average reliability as a whole, unlike the Benz. The 7 series is another story. That line has poor reliability like the Benz.

A 3 or 5 series BMW is also a car for a an energetic younger person while Benz are generally for those looking to show off their status and older people: 50+.

 

I personally don't are too much, MB's and BMW's are both proper German luxury/performance cars with many of the same traits (comfort, performance, quietness, and the general feeling that they have been built properly).

And, in the Netherlands they're both driven by the same kind of people usually (pricks, mainly, unfortunately). So it's not much sense to worry about image down here.

Before buying my car I also looked into a CLK (among others) but was disappointed by the interior (which looks rubbish, while the E46 still has one of the best-looking interiors imo I've ever seen). I have this opinion about any ~2000-2004 MB by the way.

On the other hand, seeing as MB's styling (both exterior and interior) have improved dramatically over the years while BMW has only gone downhill (new E90, E60, new 7-series... yuk). Compared to e.g. the new C-class, CLS, CL, S-class, which all look better than their BMW counterparts (if any). Bigger engines too, mainly... maybe BMW's still drive better though? Hard to say.
They're all mainly RWD anyway so they can't be that far apart, and I've been told that the handling in the new C-class comes very close to that of a 3-series.

All a matter of opinion whichever way you look at it. My next car, which will likely be a current ~2006-2007 model in a few years time, will almost definitely not be a BMW though (probably a CLS or A5). This is simply because of styling changes as far as I'm concerned.
Whereas I never for a second regret buying my E46, for the same reason.

 

IMO the clk 63 amg black series is the most super awesome car on the market today

but i hate mercs and love bimmers

 

man I've been wantin to drive one of those beast moded Benzes...those things must be ridiculous. The new C63 (even the non black series ed) must be so much fun. My car has 376 so I can only imagine what 451 must feel like :drool:

 

star to cruise
bimmer to drive

id choose the star

 

I personally think BMW was once a class leader, especially with regards to cars in the lower segments; ie 3 series sedan, compact and so forth. They had beautiful designs, inovation, amazing driving capabilties and reasonable reliability. Now that has changed. They have terrible designs although the driving dynamics of the cars is still up there. I mean, why wouldnt they be - coming from a history of perfection; they are bound to progress, build and improve on that. Now in terms of designs, technology, build quality and even the horsepower wars they have begun to loose the battle. Mercedes designs beautiful cars hands down! They have powerful engines, better interiors but have not quite got it right with their "sheer driving factor". Merc has a lot more variety as well, in terms of vehicle choice (class for class)!

Lets all be realistic here! And not to forget, there is one other manufacturer that seems to have been forgotten in this discussion and that is Audi!! Amazing designs, excellent engines, Audi AWD, beautiful interios - quality, design and spec and not to forget; they are coming up with a pretty hard fight so things can only get better! Anywoo...it all goes down to personal choice rather than badge snobbery. You get what your money pays for - simple as that!

Just my 2 trillion Zim$

 

I saw an new Audi A5 coupe on the road yesterday that I would look at if I was looking to replace my 328Ci today.

For me, I would include Audi when shopping for a potential German designed and built E46 replacement.

 

I love BMW, or should I say loved?!My 70kmiles 1999 328i is a disappointment. It breaks and breaks and breaks... U fix something, another thing fails... A cheap car with an expensive name... Very hard to break up with it yet very disappointing if u keep it...
Is Merc better? Certainly yes... My friends 2000 CLK 320 is so quiet, so smooth, so responsive! Man my car is totally stock with new suspension parts and yet his lowered CLK w 19***8221; wheels and Bilstein shocks is 100 times smoother than my harsh bumpy rattling vibrating always breaking E46...

 

I love BMW, or should I say loved?!My 70kmiles 1999 328i is a disappointment. It breaks and breaks and breaks... U fix something, another thing fails... A cheap car with an expensive name... Very hard to break up with it yet very disappointing if u keep it...
Is Merc better? Certainly yes... My friends 2000 CLK 320 is so quiet, so smooth, so responsive! Man my car is totally stock with new suspension parts and yet his lowered CLK w 19" wheels and Bilstein shocks is 100 times smoother than my harsh bumpy rattling vibrating always breaking E46...

I'm on the same boat... Ill check a kompressor I saw on my way home on a dealer...

 

Zimasha, have you considered current models though? My late 04' E46 has served me fine. I get stares from other Merc and BMW drivers simply because it looks good. Jet Black with sexy Mtech styling.

 

Merc Versus Bimmer

I was driving a 328i, E36, went to a C200 and now the E46 320d, i know a diesel, but by far the E46 is a much better handling car. Bimmer all the way:bow:

 

Mercs, Audi, and BMW.

All amazing machines in their own respects.

In my opinion though, I would stick to bimmers. I was shopping for a car back in august and I wanted a European car. I test drove mercs, audis, and bimmers. All in all very good cars. In the end though I ended up buying an E46. I just felt more secure and more comfortable in a bimmer. Now when i look back i'm glad i got the E46.

What I think. I think the E46 is the best 3series bimmer has made so far. performance and looks its all not too little not too much just right.

Its all about what the person wants. The truth is there is never one car that is the best for everyone. That's where all the other companies come in. to suit other personality types.

 

just like comparing a Bentley and a Rollse Royse, Bently is a drivers car, RR is a pasangers car, MB is a grandpas car, Performance wise BMW, luxury and confort is MB.

 

i've owned both and driven a representative of nearly every current model from both companies and i have to say that I prefer to drive a BMW but ride in a Mercedes. the only exception is the CLK-63 Black Series, i would very much like to drive that car on a daily basis.

 

its two different drivers, for people who like luxury without the stiffness and the sport suspension of the BMW go with Mercedes, and those who like the stiffness and the sportness of the car pick BMW, i drive a e46 3-series and i drove a clk320, they are both great cars but i would take the handling of the bimmer any day.
BIMMERS ALL THE WAY. i mean lets face it, who can squeeze 343HP out of a naturally aspirated 3.2 inline 6 engine, or 414 out of 4.0 liter engine is a great car company.
mercs have forced induction to achieve those numbers with bigger engines.

 

i mean lets face it, who can squeeze 343HP out of a naturally aspirated 3.2 inline 6 engine, or 414 out of 4.0 liter engine is a great car company.
mercs have forced induction to achieve those numbers with bigger engines.

so squeezing every last possible bit of juice out of a stock N/A motor is better than forced induction on base motor?!? I don't get your point.

306hp 335(tt) ring a bell?

 

all our familys BMWs came with a full size spare, our brand new S-class with full options p1 2 and 3, ........find out yesterday, it has a small honda looking spare..

 

My family is considering either getting either a 5 series, a C-class or a E-class as one of their replacement cars.

Advantages + Disadvantages

1. 5 Series - Like I said, its lights are plain ugly. Without the Sports kit - its ugly. However with the Sports Kit....OMFG!! Its one hot car. I'd even consider it over the AMG styling of the other cars.

2. C-class - Cheaper alternative. Still looks nice, most likely handles as well as its 3 series competitor, but the 'elegance' of it does not match the E-class nor the 5 series.

3. E-class. Although very elegant even with AMG styling, its still an OLD MANS car. However, I still don't like the physically separated circle lights. Makes my car look like a Spider or fly, rather than an elegant Mercedes-Benz.

 

E46 328Ci coupe VS. W203 C240

I owned both and loved the E46, what I hate about the E46is their rubber components, they tend to get brittle over the years. Parts such as differential mounts, vacuum hoses, window trims, interior trims. As for longevity, I trust them to go beyond 200k miles with proper maintenance. Also the great gas mileage, quick accelaration. Easy to work on.

The C240 I owned is really sluggish, I should have got a C320 or a C32 model. Body is like a tank, really thick frame. What I hate about this is their maintenance, they need 12 spark plugs and 8 quarts of oil. It's a V6 that runs slower than a Civic and consumes gas like a V8 truck.

I still like MB, just got to find which suits me.

 

First, let me give a comparison of two cars that I have a lot of experience with: My 2000 328Ci and my friend's (although I have drive/ridden-in it a ton) 2000 E320. My car has a fairly heavily modified suspension, has lighter/taller/wider rims, and has fairly highly upgraded brakes (as much as you can without going BBK). His car, however, is stock. I will compare them as stock cars (I drove mine for 2 years before I modified it).
Specs:
2000 328Ci
96,076 miles
2.8L Inline-6
5-Speed Manual Transmission
Sport Package
Premium Package
Leather Seats/Steering Wheel
Xenon Headlights (55w)
Fold-Down Rear Seats
Heated Front Seats
Sunroof
10-Speaker Sound System
Auto-Dim Rear-View Mirror
Wood-Grain Trim
Tool-Kit in Trunk

2000 E320
122,371 miles
3.2L V6
5-Speed Automatic (w/ "Select-Shift" feature)
Luxury Package
Sport Package "Light"
Leather Seats/Steering Wheel
Halogen Headlights
Sunroof
Fold-Down Rear Seats
Heated Front Seats
8-Speaker Sound System
Wood-Grain Interior Trim

Pretty similar cars for a comparison. Obviously, mine is a bit more "loaded" than his, however his car had a price-tag that is over $10,000 more when new. Also, a more apt car for comparison is the C-Class, but I don't have nearly as much experience with them, and while the E-Class is a larger car than mine (especially considering I have a coupe), it shares an engine/transmission used in the C320 of the same year. I have spent enough time in various E39 540i's to say that there is NO comparison between an E320 and a 540i (the 540i is superior in every aspect to an E320; I still think it blows E430's out of the water, and that you need to compare the 540i to an AMG-class car to be realistic), more like a 525i or maybe 530i. But, I'm working with what I've got.

Pros and Cons

BMW
Pros:
+ Engine is much smoother, fuel-efficient (avg. 28.3mpg), and is perfectly suited to the car it's in, offering more than enough power/torque to go as fast as realistically needed
+ Gearbox is a pleasure to shift through, each shift being smooth and it is difficult to "mis-shift"
+ Interior ergonomics are fantastic, and the "everything pointed to the drive" theme gives it a "cockpit-like" feel that I have yet to see replicated
+ Seats hold tight, and the leather, while not "supple", has enough stretch in it to make long drives very comfortable; the adj. lumbar support and multi-adjustable seats make that even more true
+ Suspension holds road VERY firmly, yet is compliant enough that bumps are never, or at least VERY rarely "jarring"; again, makes long rides comfortable, but doesn't do so at the sake of sportiness or fun
+ Build-quality looks and feels fantastic. No gaps in body panels, no problems with paint, high-quality interior materials, and well-laid-out buttons/knobs that are very "solid"-feeling
Cons:
- Cooling system is a known problem, as is the subframe, but BMW rarely acknowledges when it makes mistakes, and thus, no recalls
- Dealership-maintenance is very pricey, so find an Indy mechanic, where prices aren't much more than a regular car (parts really aren't that bad!)
- Some people think the suspension is too stiff
- 200ish HP seems low to some, but the engine makes full use of it; however, given the higher torque number, one would think it would pull harder down low and not need to be rung-out past 3k rpm to get into the power
- Sound system is great for everything, including very high "highs" and very low "lows" until you turn it up to 10/10ths, where you get noticeable distortion (this is beyond the point where the normal person would keep their volume)

Mercedes
Pros:
+ Very comfortable ride that is very compliant over bumps and the seats are adjustable in many directions so anyone can get comfortable
+ Lots of leg-room in the rear makes the rear more comfortable than the BMW
+ Nice looking interior, with a good look to the woodgrain trim
+ Transmission shifts smoothly when in "comfort" mode and left in regular automatic
+ Lots of buttons in console give control over lots of functions
+ Cup-Holders "pop out" so they can be hidden from view when not in use, leaving room for other compartments
Cons:
- The comfortable suspension is also downright scary if you take a turn too hard, as the body roll is outrageous and you have no "feel" through the steering wheel or otherwise as to what the car is going to do
- Much heavier car than the BMW, and has very numb steering with a huge dead-spot
- Transmission seems very erratic when put in "Sport" mode, it shifts abruptly enough in "manual" mode that you think you've broken something, and in "manual" mode the shifts take longer than normal, even if you're in "sport"
- Engine is very "blah", certainly not one of MB's best efforts; auto-trans makes the low-end torque seem "mushy", and above 3.5k rpm, the engine seems to struggle to "breathe" as it chokes out and starts losing power fast
- Cup-holders ALL break, and are very flimsy so it's not even worth fixing them
- All those buttons makes it hard to find the right one, and the OBC-display in the cluster, as well as the radio, are both missing at least 1/2 of their pixels (blown pixels everywhere!)
- Sound system produces HEAVY distortion at 8/10th's, a loud, but not "blow-out-your-ears"-loud volume
- Poor fuel economy (19.4mpg) compared to the BMW (28.3mpg), for an engine that's only .4L bigger and has just as many gears (and runs at a much lower RPM on the highway!)

Comparing those, I would say it's obvious which is the better car. I can't stand riding in the Mercedes anymore; everything is broken, including the gas-gauge and the speedometer, and the transmission's jerkiness along with the engine's incredibly lazy response makes it just embarrassing. I'm not saying my 328Ci is the best car in the world, but when the two are side-by-side, there's not doubt that the BMW is the better car in almost every way.

 

you come to ask this question on a bmw forum... bias n e one?
i have driven all bmws and benz available, even the slr maclaren and it comes down to preference. the 63 and 65 bens are mean machines buh they seem too similar to me amongst the classes. the M series offers variety between all the models-3,5,6, etc. the M bites the cake... i am biased though.

on a side note, anyone see the nissan GT-R smoke the M3 and M5? that thing is a monster!!

 

on a side note, anyone see the nissan GT-R smoke the M3 and M5? that thing is a monster!!

Nope, never seen it. Even so, I could just tell it must be an ugly monster. All speed and no coolness = FAIL.

 

I have to say that Mercedes Benz C-class is a very reliable car, it's sporty and luxurious and quite a fast car. I've been in my friends S-class and those are very nice, but i would still get an E46.

 

haven driven many benzes, bimmers, audis, and porsches, when it comes to the best driver\sporty car brand, given all things equal(same class, same year, etc.) it's;

porsche > bmw > audi > benz

luxury only;

benz > audi => bmw > porsche

 

Errr ... i drive a 330i ssg and usually have mercedes for breakfast, audi's for lunch and Volvo's for dinner sometime occasionally VW in between snacks BMW's is more performance orientated than merc's except for the AMG variance it's like comparing oranges to apples. jz my two cents