Mercedes Or Bmw

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!

JHMEG

E92 wrote: »

ned78 must have driven the W220 S-class(the one that Merc never bothered to build properly)

Same generation as the S320 I was driving last week. Damn right they didn't build it properly! Tho I wouldn't agree with the rest of what ned said (maybe his S430 was broken).

MarkN

mikekk wrote: »

overpriced, lacks basic features and poor road holding, bmw appalling. I drove a C180 for 3 years. best car I ever owned

Gotta laugh at this. A C class with an underpowered engine is the best car you've owned and BMWs have no road holding. Well if you wanna arrange a time and a place I will gladly bring you out in a BMW and show you how a proper BMW handles! I would disagree about overpriced too, I think Audi are far more guilty of that crime.

E92

JHMEG wrote: »

Same generation as the S320 I was driving last week. Damn right they didn't build it properly! Tho I wouldn't agree with the rest of what ned said (maybe his S430 was broken).

The reason I brought it up was because the description of the S class he gave and the one you gave re handling were so different. The W140 is supposed to be a barge to drive, while the W220 is supposed to be as good as an E38 7 series to drive.

I've never sat in never mind driven any of those cars, so I've no way of knowing, I just interested in how different people(more like polar opposite in this case:D) think the same car drives!