BMW or Mercedes Benz?

[Earendil]

You realize the E92 335i rates a tenth of a second faster than the E46 M3 0-60mph?
oooOOOOoooo!
Can't wait to see the 416hp M3.

Since when did anyone look at 0-60mph in a bimmer? 😕
Can you Powerslide it through a corner at 80mph? That's the question 😀 😱

But really, bimmers aren't muscle cars. I don't care, nor will I ever care how fast it gets from 0-60mph, as long as it responds nice and quick at 60-100mph and can corner like the devil, as well as feel nice to drive.

 

[patrick0brien]

BMW is starting to drop some of the initial Bangle bulge on their designs.

-840quadra

Actually, for factual accuracy - and we Mac feinds are never known for appreciating that 😀 The newer designs we are seeing are Bangle. What is commonly referred to as 'Bangle butt' is actually Bangle predecessor, Von Hooydonk.

The E90 3-Series is actually the first design of Chris Bangle that is all his own.

... poor guy's been stuck with the Von Hooydonk stuff named for him...

I love and need AWD for my climate

Did you know the 335i will be available in 335Xi - AWD? Yes, the coupe. 😉

 

[DerChef]

Audi or Lexus 😛

and save yourself a bob or two 😎

 

[John Jacob]

B. M. W. 335i or 330d 😀

 

[devman]

You really should drive them both and decide. For me, the BMWs are a much, much better driving experience. I've owned many BMWs and a few Mercs. I can't imagine ever buying a Merc again - my wife had one which I unloaded for an X3. The build quality of both BMW and Merc has declined, but it has declined far more in the Mercs. That's been our experience anyway. I nearly bought their new S-class about 4-5 years ago when that new model came out which was the first time for a long time they had something competitive with the 7-series. (and at the time, no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't love the new BMW 7). I drove the S-class for a weekend and quickly came to my senses. I went for a 530i then and I have the current 530i now (less than a year old). The new 5-series (E60) is less engaging to drive though then the previous 5 series (which had won wide and constant acclaim). I don't know if it is because they did away with the wrap-around cockpit, or just changes in the driving, or a bit of both, but it does feel different and less engaging. But in every other respect it is a better car than the previous 5 series (E39).

I got an E-class as an award some years back. I gave it back after only 3 months. It was just a shocker. My wife drove an A-class for several years and while she loved the design the build quality was terrible. It's the worst car Merc have ever built (well, except for the ML of course).

Anyways, go drive them both. You should instantly prefer one over the other.

 

[true777]

I drive a fairly new Mercedes C class sports coupe (2005 model; 7k miles), and couldn't be happier.

I find that Mercedes produces the most solidly-built cars in the world in terms of quality. Everything in a Mercedes is solid and just works. If I don't start my Mercedes for 6 months and just have it sit in the garage I can come back and it will start as if I had driven it yesterday.

Every tiny detail in the car -- exterior, interior, engine -- is just so well built and has excellent quality. Mercedes doesn't cut corners when building cars. A good friend has the S65 AMG, and that's probably the most solid car I have ever driven. Every Mercedes you will ever sit in -- from the lowest priced to the most high end -- is just a testament to superior quality and craftsmanship, and that's why I vote for Mercedes.

Regarding BMWs, I find them too arrogant, too show-off ("small penis car"?, though not as much as a Porsche). I personally like understated elegance, and there isn't much understatement or elegance about a BMW, especially those little 3-series coupes everyone and anyone seems to have these days.

I do like the BMW 6-series. Fast and sporty, but still smooth, elegant, and understated. However, my ex-bf had a 6-series, and the car was in the shop more than out on the road. He got so tired of the car constantly breaking down that he sold it after 3 months, even though it was a luxurious, fun-to-drive car when it did run.

I have seen the prototypes of the next generation Mercedes, though, and am concerned about their styling looking forward. I've seen the new CL, CLK, and C class, and to me they all look terrible, though, so I'm a bit worried as to what I'll buy next -- would love to stay with Mercedes, but can't seem to find a future model I find visually pleasing.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Please, get over this idea that cars tell you something important about their owners. Cars are cars. We're not "BMW people." We'd never owned a BMW before this one. We looked at everything in the class and decided that the BMW was the one to buy, based on the qualities of the car.

 

[true777]

I totally think to each their own. Some might buy the car because of what it stands for (to them). Others might just buy it because of its features or the way it drives. I guess whatever makes you happy, for whatever reaon, is a great car for you.

Objectively the differences between Mercedes and BMW are probably small. Both are fantastic cars, each with their small advantages or disadvantages, but overall probably a draw.

 

[IJ Reilly]

I totally think to each their own. Some might buy the car because of what it stands for (to them). Others might just buy it because of its features or the way it drives. I guess whatever makes you happy, for whatever reaon, is a great car for you.

Right, but if someone chooses to buy a car mainly because it somehow suits their self-image, then this is entirely their choice or issue. You seem to be turning this proposition around, to where you can make assumptions about people based on the cars they drive. Now that's an arbitrary imposition of your image on somebody else, which is a thing I wish people would refrain from doing.

 

[patrick0brien]

-IJ Reilly

(slapping desk) Couldn't agree more.

I bought this car for me, noone else. I didn't buy it to show off, I bought it for the drive and poise.

Every car says something about the driver, like it or not. I happen to think that the image the car projects onto me is a major (and really the only) downside. And I really, ok I'll say it, hate what the car makes people think of me when they first see me drive up. And it takes a little time to deconstruct the first impression. It just so happens that the car IMHO is worth the expense.

It wouldn't be on the menu if someone didn't think it was satisfying.

 

[DMPDX]

bmw also has nicer suvs and the 6 series is gorgeous.

What in the world are you talking about?? If youre referring to the X5 you obviously have no idea what you are talking about. The galendewagen is on such a higer level than the x5 and x3 put together. Im not saying I like ether company (audi) Im saying that level of quality and "nice-ness" the Mercedes g-wagen regulates hard.

 

[840quadra]

-840quadra

Actually, for factual accuracy - and we Mac feinds are never known for appreciating that 😀 The newer designs we are seeing are Bangle. What is commonly referred to as 'Bangle butt' is actually Bangle predecessor, Von Hooydonk.

The E90 3-Series is actually the first design of Chris Bangle that is all his own.

... poor guy's been stuck with the Von Hooydonk stuff named for him...



Did you know the 335i will be available in 335Xi - AWD? Yes, the coupe. 😉

Chris was involved with other models too, I actually had a chance to meet Chris at a media event in Detroit. We did talk a bit about that, but he also mentioned his involvement in the M5 (E60) and about the E9x models. I guess I have been calling it bulge since the early days of people complaining about it on Bimmerforums. However the designs have grown on me. The E60 is actually a pleasant looking car to me now, when I first got to see it I didn't really care for it. Strange how impressions change after you get to know something or someone.

Chris is on the far right, I took this picture at NAIAS in 2005​

I honestly don't like the E90 as much as the E92. There are aspects with the front end on the E92 that I feel give it a more BMW appearance, they are subtle, but a few of my BMW driving friends picked up on them too.

 

[ksz]

Another vote for BMW over MB for all the reasons mentioned by others. I particularly like one of BMW's slogans:

"Point B is not the point."

BMW is a driver's car and it handles very very well.

Someone mentioned that the 3 series defines BMW. Not sure if that's true, but the 5 series is, in my view, an order of magnitude better than the 3. The dealer's loaner cars are 3 series. Each time I get an oil change I get a 3 series for a day. Each time I return the 3 series and jump back into my 5, I notice the improvements.

 

[xPismo]

MBZ styling is up there with Lada. Of the two its BMW for me.


(although, I'm biased. 525i in my parking space)

 

[Earendil]

Another vote for BMW over MB for all the reasons mentioned by others. I particularly like one of BMW's slogans:

"Point B is not the point."

BMW is a driver's car and it handles very very well.

Someone mentioned that the 3 series defines BMW. Not sure if that's true, but the 5 series is, in my view, an order of magnitude better than the 3. The dealer's loaner cars are 3 series. Each time I get an oil change I get a 3 series for a day. Each time I return the 3 series and jump back into my 5, I notice the improvements.

I say that because it's from BMW's own mouth 🙂
The 3 series was build off the 2002, the first BMW in the US as far as the consuming public was concerned.

The 3 series (and 2002) have been the only raced vehicles by BMW as well (could be wrong about that one though), and the 3 series embodies the driving machine, not the luxury car. The 5 series is a cross between the 3 series, and the 7 series, which is for people who want to ride in a car and have gadets to mess with 🙄 😀

 

[patrick0brien]

who want to ride in a car and have gadets to mess with 🙄 😀

-Earendil

Haaaaayyy! I got gadgets to mess with!

Ok fine... 😀

 

[ksz]

The 5 series is a cross between the 3 series, and the 7 series, which is for people who want to ride in a car and have gadets to mess with 🙄 😀

I was referring to the road handling performance. I know you are only half serious about it, but which gadgets are you referring to? The gadgets in a BMW are relatively conservative and utilitarian. They have none of the gaudiness of an aftermarket stereo, for instance.

 

[Willis]

BMW X5. We have one and its a dream. Driving to Italy in that was sooo nice. Smooth and responsive. Great on the Autobahn if you get my drift 😉

 

[IJ Reilly]

I was referring to the road handling performance. I know you are only half serious about it, but which gadgets are you referring to? The gadgets in a BMW are relatively conservative and utilitarian. They have none of the gaudiness of an aftermarket stereo, for instance.

He might be referring to iDrive, which if memory serves, was introduced during the early 2000s in the 7-series and is now included in the 5-series as well. A lot of people found it to be confusing and overly technical. But what do you expect from Microsoft software? Fortunately our 2002 525i does not have iDrive. The trip computer and dashboard displays are already busy enough. This is one place where BMW over-engineered the car.

 

[Earendil]

I was referring to the road handling performance. I know you are only half serious about it, but which gadgets are you referring to? The gadgets in a BMW are relatively conservative and utilitarian. They have none of the gaudiness of an aftermarket stereo, for instance.

My wording was quite possibly not clear. My post was written kind of late 🙄

I am only half serious, but better phrasing would have been
The 5 series is a compromise between the 3 series, and the 7 series. The 3 series being the light agile sports car, and the 7 series existing for people who want to ride in a car and have gadets to mess with.

What makes the 7 and 5 series so interesting is the amount of power some of them house(and gadgets 😉). But raw power isn't what BMW has been about. If I wanted raw straight line power I'd go buy(or in my case, steal) a corvette.

~Tyler

 

[Earendil]

I really wanted to post this sooner, but couldn't find the link.

Here is the history of the 3 series, from the 2002 through the E90.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4901248702461901605&q=BMW+3+series+2002

Personally I don't like how little time they spent on the E30, but everything surrounding the 2002 was stuff I didn't know.

I'm not all that much of a car hound/BMW follower, but this video was pretty neat, if only for its look at a piece of american car history that I didn't live through.

~Tyler

 

[ksz]

He might be referring to iDrive, which if memory serves, was introduced during the early 2000s in the 7-series and is now included in the 5-series as well. A lot of people found it to be confusing and overly technical. But what do you expect from Microsoft software? Fortunately our 2002 525i does not have iDrive. The trip computer and dashboard displays are already busy enough. This is one place where BMW over-engineered the car.

Maybe I'm the only one in the whole wide world, but I truly honestly like iDrive (the 5-series version of it). I have never found it to be confusing, distracting, or otherwise obnoxious. I never read the manual...what's there to read...it's just a menu-driven system.

 

[840quadra]

He might be referring to iDrive, which if memory serves, was introduced during the early 2000s in the 7-series and is now included in the 5-series as well. A lot of people found it to be confusing and overly technical. But what do you expect from Microsoft software? -----

heh, I actually have a BMW i-Drive license ( I should post a picture of it when I get home) .

They gave it to media, and I think others at the NAIAS event when they first introduced the product, if you took time to do the demo lesson, and pass a little test 🙄 (eyes rolled at BMW PR not IJ) . I and many other people that have driven cars with iDrive, and Audi's MMI prefer the Audi system over iDrive.

The interface was too complicated on the iDrive system, however like everything, they are working on improvements. Hopefully they will go to Cupertino for the next revision of iDrive, after all BMW was one of the fist (if not the first) with iPod integration in their cars.

 

[mactastic]

B M W

 

[iGav]

Actually, for factual accuracy - and we Mac feinds are never known for appreciating that 😀 The newer designs we are seeing are Bangle. What is commonly referred to as 'Bangle butt' is actually Bangle predecessor, Von Hooydonk.

The E90 3-Series is actually the first design of Chris Bangle that is all his own.

... poor guy's been stuck with the Von Hooydonk stuff named for him...

You've got that the wrong way round fella, Bangle is van Hooydonk's predecessor, not successor. 😉

Bangle had been Chief of Design since he joined in '92 and oversaw the implementation of the 'flame surfacing' language and creative direction that his designers (including van Hooydonk) worked to.

Van Hooydonk, assumed his role when Bangle was promoted to Director of BMW Group Design back in 2003 or 2004 I forget which, with van Hooydonk overseeing BMW Automobile Design.