Is BMW a good choice?

M

Metal Made Fox

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Hey guys, it's time to buy myself a new car! I currently drive a 2003 Mercedes E55 AMG which is a beast of a machine. I am a huge fan of Mercedes for their worldly earned prestige and respect, for their elegance and history as well.

However, I have been itching for a BMW for a while now. I love their sportier looks and everyone says that their performance outshines Mercedes. I did drive a BMW 5 series once and I loved it! The handling was amazing and the throttle response was oh so sensitive. You would barely touch the gas pedal and the thing would take off flying. However it just wasn't as comfortable as my Mercedes though.

My questions to you guys who have owned BMW's before is have they ever done you wrong? Are they good cars? My Benz has a little over 250k and has never needed any replacements or repairs done to it aside from just regular maintenance. So Mercedes has proven itself to be an extremely reliable car in my eyes.

So, how are BMW's in the reliability department? I take maintenance on cars very seriously and would take good care of it. However do they last as much as Mercedes? I have seen many Mercedes cars from the 70's and 80's still on the road today. However I rarely see an old BMW driving around.

How do you guys overall like BMW? I'm really thinking of buying one but if not I will gladly buy another Mercedes.
 
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Just want to jump in and say that I have a ton of respect for you for putting 250K on an E55 AMG!!!
 
I had a 335is coupe a few years ago. It was a fine machine, but the coupe thing got old after a while. I probably should have gotten the sedan. If I were in the market for a car now, I'd look at an Audi or Infiniti.
 
A BMW is a great car! I would recommend a 2014 BMW m5 :D because it is absolutely beautiful! But I have drove a lot of nice cars (benefits of the job!!!!) and the bmws were always my favorite! They are extremely comfortable
 
I've been a Mercedes owner for many years now and sing the praise of Mercedes cars.

My older brother and his wife both drive 300-series BMWs and are very happy with them. My boss likes his 500-series BMW a lot.

Mercedes and BMW are more expensive, but they are worth it in the long run.
 
I wouldn't drive anything else other than a BMW, from a driving perspective. If I NEEDED any sort of transportation yes any car will do, but if you enjoy driving NOTHING compares to a BMW. They are extraordinary cars and even though cars depreciate in value from the time bought, BMW's tend to appreciate in value over time to the individual as you mesh with the car. As in know it in's and out/ticks and personality traits specific to your vehicle. You begin to notice small details that only become apparent over time that benefit, impress, make you proud that you are not in any other car. It is hard to explain, but at times it seems as if the car "gives back" and puts that grin on your face.

You are vigilant with maintenance, very good. BMW's will be no worse for you than a Mercedes, very possibly even easier/more reliable. Preventative maintenance is key, you have to care and know about your investment and it will love you back, most people who bash so called Big Money Wasters are not passionate about their cars and treat them like Honda's, when it is not. My mother's Lexus has been to the shop more time's than my 04' 330i ZHP with 130,000+ miles.

One thing for sure is that the high compression engines are pretty much bullet-proof. I remember reading that BMW's are meant to be driven hard(not abuse) for long periods of time,(designed for Germany's autobahn similar to Mercedes) as in the engines are more reliable when revved high constantly because it helps circulate the fluids at temp, not to mention burn off any sludge/carbon buildup. I am not sure of your location, but here there are plenty of old BMW's on the road. Many younger folks are getting back into e30 3-series cars (1983-1991) for hobby/daily driver/drifting. Here's a corny video of a test Mobil performed on an e30 BMW which ran 1 Million miles with nary a hiccup. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHmMlU8Q-V8) Of course that doesn't demonstrate real world conditions but it is pretty neat to know. I say try something new!
 
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My friend has an 2009 or so M3 (bought new), which is a fine machine but requires a lot of work. He has it in the shop far more than I have my 11 year old pick up, but that's the nature of a thoroughbred v. an old mule. The big problem is how much everything costs but that would be the same for the Mercedes. He also has to flat bed the car up to the dealership about 70 miles away.
 
I used to drive a 1973 Mercedes 200, same model and color as the one in the picture. Its not exactly a E55 AMG, but its as close as ill ever get :D

Mercedes reliability is legendary. BMW's are pretty good too, but theres a reason why Mercedes have such a stellar reputation.

799px-Mercedes-200-Strich-8-Limousine-Modell-1973.jpg
 
I think you guys all drink the kool aid too much. BMW and MB while high on fun factor rank middle of the road at best depending on model for reliability. There's a price to pay for performance and if that is what you are looking for I'd go for the BMW whose seats are a tad more cushier than Mercedes in general. I like suv's myself but what do I know. I traded out an e series years ago after a year as the ride was too stiff for me. Would love to own a BMW for an extended time one day though.
 
BMW's seem to offer a sportier ride that appeals to many drivers. However, maintenance is expensive and more frequent on the BMW versus a similar Mercedes product based on my limited experience and that of a friend. My friend started having transmission troubles at 90K miles with his "babied" BMW 550 sedan and traded it in on a new one. That to me would be a huge turn off.

In terms of longevity and low maintenance, Luxus has an enviable reputation. Mercedes are fine cars but, I believe quality and reliability have slipped a little in recent years. For me, I would compare a Mercedes versus Lexus for price, performance, and features but, I'm not overly aggressive or sporty with my driving. Audi seems to be the new darling in North America so, I would consider an Audi sedan as well.

Like you seem to be, I'm an owner that prefers to spend more "up front" and drive my car into the ground. With that, I get a lot of stuff car flippers don't get do to depreciation losses with trades and enjoy the superior fit and finish too.
 
Choosing between MB and BMW is very much a case of personal taste. My feeling is that BMW feel better to drive. I like the layout and where things are in the car, so that I can reach what I want intuitively; more so than MB. I currently drive a 335I Coupe. It's my 3rd BMW in 30 years.

In 4 years I've put 89000 miles on the car. everything that's needed to be fixed (water pump, headlight, bad inflation sensor in one wheel) has been covered by warrenty, which also provided me with a car to drive while mine was in the shop and paid for the tow.

I bought my first BMW in Germany (used) and drove it there for two years. It was no more expensive to maintain than the other cars I drove over there (Porsche, Opel, Renault), and a heck of a lot cheaper than the American cars a lot of service members hauled over.

In the '90's I started owning two vehicles; a car to drive, and a truck for hauling stuff. Back then I had a 10 year old 3 series that I used to crosstrack. It was fun, and comfortable enough I would drive from Seattle to LA in that over the Pickup (a newer Nissan). Those cars have now become so popular that they actually have their own racing class. Still, that was the last one I owned that I could do the majority of the work on, and I was young enough then to actually want to do it myself.

I digress...

I've never owned a MB, although I've driven several (a couple extensively). Our family did have several, including a couple brought back direct from Germany. They were much more comfortable and plush, but lacked the feel my BMW had. They also were more exensive to maintain.

Still, in the last 10 years there have been major advances in car technology. German cars are known for doing 200,000 miles. My old three series was sold with 225,000 on it and is still running around in Napa. My next door neighbor has a 325is with 340,000 on it. Regular maintenance is a major factor. People who maintain their cars get more out of them, just like with anything mechanical.

Will it cost you more to maintain a BMW? It depends. If you buy new, and sell with less than 100,000 miles it's going to cost almost nothing, except tires. You need to remember (no matter what you buy) that staggered rim sizes cut the tire wear (and MFR warrenty) to half normal. I replace tires every 25000 miles.
 
I like the BMW M5 or M3 series for their sporty look and great performance. I prefer BMW over Mercedes for both of those reasons and the BMW's seem very reliable, but I do not have much experience with Mercedes to compare with. Check out the Cadilac CTS-V. It has a corvette engine in it and has great performance and handling. It has a sport look while looking like a gentlemans car at the same time. It is a good competitor to the M5 BMW.
 
Stick with Benz! They did invent the automobile after all.

My family put just under 300K miles on a 1990 300E and I just bought a 1990 300CE with 30K miles on it --what a find!-- and I plan to put another 250K on it at least.

My dad recently bought a 2003 BMW 330xi (maybe 325, can't recall exactly) with 25K miles and it's already got a crack in the expansion tank!

I will admit I don't have any experience with modern Mercedes though so take this for what it's worth.

For current models I like BMW styling better, but I care a lot more about performance and reliability.

*Edit: BMWs are waaaay more fun to drive, but that's what my Miata is for ;)
 
Sounds like the Merc is treating you well.

Why change?

Personally, I drove a Merc S550 and found it uninspiring.

Merc reliability is historic but I'm not sure that applies to recent history.

I have three BMW's in the garage right now (Z4M Coupe, M6 Coupe, 550i xDrive) and they are the ultimate driving machines.
 
S500-series cars are not intended to inspire; they are intended to impress.

BMW has some good design going on, yes.

Caddy? No. All recent Caddies are <expletive deleted> ugly.

Mercedes, on the other hand, has been batting 1000 at the design plate for several years now, just gorgeous car after gorgeous car.

My brother and sister-in-law have had excellent reliability with their BMWs. I have had excellent reliability with my Benz. I recommend either.
 
BMW only has one recent ding in design...X6. Go for a 3 or 5 series. There's no way you won't like it.
 
I have a 2011 BMW 328i coupe , a 2010 128 vert and my wife has a 2013 MB C300 Sport sedan.
She traded a 2010 MB C for the '13. The '13 is a much sportier version than the '10 and a similar driving experience as my 328i. MB beefed up the 6 cyl engine after '10. I like the MB very much and if I had to pick one I'd choose the MB. Ironically my wife likes both of my BMW's better( although she never offers to trade) :)
The MB's interior is nicer, better ride and IMO just " classier". Although the 328i has nicer , all leather seats.
Both makes are fine cars , all 3 have been have been back for very minor service issues.
I'd recommend driving both and if your considering a c class get a newer one. My wife's '10 was slow.
Also if you go with BMW buy new or certified pre owned, you get the waranty.
If you decide on a new MB , tell the dealer you're considering BMW because of the free maintenance, MB has a plan that they will throw in.

 
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