IB Adrian

Hello all,

It seems that the 335 is getting a lot of attention here, but it's worth searching for the perfect Mercedes equal to that car. The 335 is given, perhaps a little too much, praise for the twin-turbo giddyup. But many cry foul at the price and bloated notions of power. So which Mercedes gets, or should get, all of this good and bad attention? Suggestions wanted...


If you missed the piece, here it is:

https://mbworld.org/3-series/post.php

ml3500

theres no comparison

the 335's engine is years ahead of the 350 engine

and they are both the same price

mb_horseshoe

Even though they start close to the same price, I've found that the BMW's are about 5k more expensive due to MB's willingness to negotiate.

_MBMW_

You'll be surprised what kind of deals you can get on 335i now. Not talking about their 0.9% financing option.

greasybenz

Its not the manufacturer who isnt willing to negociate, it would be up to the individual dealer to work out a price. The invoices are in black and white and as long as your willing to pay at invoice or a bit above it I dont see why they wouldnt want to make a deal. Anything below invoice well lets be serious why would anyone want to sell stuff for less then they paid for it, i mean you have to pay to keep the lights on in your business.

335i 4dr sedan
MSRP: $41,125.00
Invoice: $37,900.00

C350 4dr sedan
MSRP:$39,875.00
Invoice:$37,145.00

Destination charge is a bit cheaper on the BMW.




As far as comparing them, there is no comparison. The BMW handles better then the softer merc and the twin turbo engine is easily modifiable while the MB isnt. The Dinan prepped 335i was hanging with the M3 and cost less to buy the Dinan prepped 335 then it was to buy the M3.

ml3500

the 335 is clearly the better overall car
better engine, handling

but the C350 Is a lot better looking outside and inside

MikTrebla09

Through the past few generations, we've really seen a paradigm shift in the entry level luxury performance sedan segment.

I own a E46 M3 (prior to that an X5 and E46 323i) and before the 211 AMG, my wife drove a C203 C320 (pretty much fully loaded sans sports package). Driving both cars extensively, I could conclude that both cars targeted different consumers: E46 had a sporty nature, the W203 had catered to those who preferred a comfortable ride and opulant interior. People cross shopped these cars, but hardly were they on the fence when ultimately maiking their decision (save for maybe the AMG and M series cars).

All that seemed to have changed with the current iteration of each. They've converged and consequently created a much bigger overlap in their characteristic-venn-diagram. With the 3 series, bmw (probably influenced by mercedes) focused a little more attention than they did before on the interior, while MB (likely influenced by bmw) focused more attention on the sporting aspect of its cars. Though both still maintain their bias towards their respective core characteristics (mb = luxury, bmw = sporty), I see many of my friends having difficulty deciding on the two.

That being said, I really love the interior and exterior design of the C350.



just my 0.02...can you tell I'm bored at work?

greasybenz

I agree the C350 is a better looking car then the 335i sedan, but the 335i coupe is a much better looker then the C350. The coupe also adds more to BMW's sportyness.

german-anger

I love the inline-6 twin turbo setup of the 335i perfect amount of torque/power stock and you can mod up, I'd opt for the OEM aero lip.. makes it look super aggressive but hey the w204 c-class is sexy and the interior and you get superb ride comfort if you are cruising around a lot. But handling wise the 335i is better (stock springs are stiffer)

german-anger

once they do DI on the new w204.. (engine refresh that is coming after the new E-class) both should be around 300HP and then perhaps a couple dozen more horses with ecu and minor stuff, should be a bit more level playing field between the 335i and c350s.

ml3500

you cant compare a coupe to a sedan

compare the 335i to the E500 coupe when it officially comes out


the current CLK is better looking than the 3 series coupe

Jazz 0230

I own a 335d, which although doesn't have the same twin turbo set-up has phenomenal power and was a much better engine than the C350 however overall I'm torn between the two because I like the mercedes and its a much smoother drive and better looking, probably a better fit for my wife to drive. Both great cars, really down to personal preference and the end of the day.

greasybenz

You cant compare a E-class with a 3 series though, the E500 coupe would be better compared to 6 series coupe. The E500 is going to have a much higher price tag then the 335ci.

I guess its all down to opinion but other then the black series CLK im not very fond of the CLK350 styling compared to the 335ci.

Im making myself sound bias towards BMW, and im a MBZ fan!

mb_horseshoe

I'm sure the market has changed, but I bought my 2008 in September of 08 when 09's were coming onto the lots and paid about 5k less than invoice. At the same time I was looking at the 08' 335i coupe (my first choice), and I couldn't negotiate past about 1k above invoice.

So, at the time, there was about a 6k difference relative to invoice pricing between the two cars. I'm a sucker for a good deal

raver

My sentiments exactly!

Aptly put.

JimPap

Well they made the decision easy for you. 6K is hard to ignore.

I personally think the BMWs look somewhat dated and I won't buy a new car that already looks like an older model.

nychokeyplaya35

I was on the market for a 335i last August didn't like the deal they were giving me on it....bout 6k more than the C350 that I was buying.
Looks C350>335i
Engine & Handling 335i>C350
But if they had the same deals on the 335i then that they do now. Hands down 335 all the way.

Jim K

We shopped both cars last year and got a C350. If you're buying a sedan getting in and out of the back seat would seem to be important. Getting in and out of the back of the BMW was very difficult due to the location of the rear wheels that impinge on the actual opening. Our C350 has been absolutely bulletproof and unless you like your teeth chattering or drive on European-smooth roads, its ride and handling are firm enough.

aowhaus

I would take the 335 for the stellar engine and performance alone.
But the styling, exterior and especially interior-wise, is rather bland and looking dated.
How the interior looks and work is pretty important as you spend the time in the car driving. Also there are too many 3-series on the roads, so I rather not drive something that's so common.

I think the w204 is a little cheaper than the 3-series simply because of BMW's lengthy option list, which adds up fast or at least it seems like it.

ultraseven

The 335i is a hands down winner in this comparo. Contrary what several others said the 3 series interior seem to look less stale, and the car is a much better performer.

After adding comparable options the 335i costs more, but free maintenance also comes with it though technically a customer is paying for that in the price of the vehicle.

W203E35

Those 335i sedans are pretty quick. I use to get killed by them in my W203 C350. Now I got a renntech ECU upgrade and i'm pushing 290 HP and Honestly it still takes me by 2 to 3 cars. I think the 335i is faster than you think it is. I think the 335i is under rated if you ask me.

_MBMW_

It is underrated. Numerous dyno results showed stock 335i pushing around 330 HP.

W203E35

WOW, That's definitely underrated.

Dema

I have both cars, I mean with BMW and Mercedes engines. I likes MB's engine more. It can lose in power however silent and smooth.