Goggles Piasano

I considered the C-Coupe after realizing that the C-coupe was miles ahead in safety and competence. To be honest I don't find any difference b/w the C-coupe's handeling over that of the Bimmer. If somebody has any quantified info in this regard it might be of interest to some. The C-coupe was born and bred on the Nurburgring, so I don't think Mercedes compromised on all round performance. They certainly didn't on the safety features. Well maybe on certification against small arms fire.

Once You've driven a Benz you'll never drive anything Less!

Accord

Klutch, the 230k is not even in the same class as a 325ci, so don't even begin to compare them. It's like comparing an F1 Car and a Go-Kart... you just... don't.

And now for a picture of BMW's current flagship model:



(If anyone finds this offensive please advise me of it and I will remove the picture, although I highly doubt anyone will be .)

steve s

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Harris
[B]Cant understand why ppl always keep on comparing apples to oranges. Yes, if the 3 series is better, so what? I dont think BMW will give you free cars for life!


wasn't just a while ago some 80 or 90 year old man who has owned 1 car, an mb, for like 50 years or some ridiculously long time with sky is the limit mileage, and it was still in pretty good condition. mb went ahead and gave him a new mb for free

ahwang

klutch

When I purchased my C230, I was also considering 325i. After I tested the car, I told myself to forget the Bimmer. Do you know why? 325i has a good handling, good interior and good features but, you know, 325i is much slower than C230. It handles like a Japanese car. Also the Bimmer has poor sound insulation similar to that in Civic or Corolla. klutch, please try to look at the driver in the 3-series bimmer. Most of them are the teenagers who always think theirselves are racers. Do you think you are the same kind? You just emphasised MB uses the marketing skill to promote their cars. It is totally useless for a smart buyer (of course not you). A smart buyer should ccompare the cars piece by piece. This is just my opinion. 325i is also a good car but not as good as you think. The people who drive MB give an impression that they are professionals. The people who drive bimmer mostly are house wife, rich student, teenager with dyed hair..... .

Accord

I would like to comment about the marketing issue and how Mercedes Benz far surpasses BMW with as far as marketing goes. That is completely FALSE. BMW produces their own short 5 minute films with car chases, shoot outs, drive bys, etc. All of them demonstrate a BMW doing these amazing maneuvers crashing into other cars and not getting a dent, being shot at, you get the idea. BMW even mocks MB in their advertisements. The BMW advertisements are fast paced and always have some sort of action. BMW ad's are probably the best car ad's on TV. BMW has a "making of", of one of their short films and the professional driver who was driving the BMW commented on how it is virtually impossible to perform those maneuvers without certain high price modifications, and all of the BMW's used in those short films far surpass a $100,000 price tag, even the lowly 3 series.

If I was stupid, I would be browsing bmwM5.com right now... but I am not stupid and that is why I am browsing MBWorld.org .

steve s

some people do things just to get a reaction...it would appear klutch just may have succeeded

Mike T.

Very classy, guy.

Black230

.....

Black230

WOW I can't believe this a**hole coming in here and talking hot air. Go figure out why your stupid 325 is what $27,600 or so why?why?why? oh well that's because it comes with ahhhhh NOTHING standard and it's a big piece of ****. Look buddy if you are so hung into BMW why don't you just go buy an M3. What you can't afford one???? I really have a problem when everyone always says that a damn 3 series is a better car. Compare the 3-series to a new 3.0 Audi A4 -always BMW 3-series will be noted as being a better car, compare it against a C320-BMW 3-series is always better. PLEASE in my family is rains BMW's and they are all OVERRATED and nightmares from their so called famous V-12's-JUNK. They are nice cars and quick and nicely engineered but that's it. In comparing a BMW 325 to say an A4-SORRY A4 by Audi is a much nicer, bigger, and well appointed car with awesome power and handling with Quattro. THe 325 is very lethargic and just classified as a POOR MAN'S BMW. Sorry to burst BMW lovers in here but as a person that has driven them alot I can honestly tell you I don't know what people are talking about it being say milestones ahead of other cars-IT ain't. It's just another German automaker with pathetic marketing. Why don't we just say that the 325i is better than an S8 or than a Lexus LS430 come on. C230 Coupe is far nicer than an overrated 325 in every way the 325 drives and sounds like my old 2000 VR6 and has about the same features standard. But whatever it's not worth arguing when I know that BMW is no big deal and my personal satisfaction is more than sufficient for me. Eventhough they are not in the same class it should be embarrassing enough to BMW that a car like the C230-Coupe can far outsurpass a 325i if you say NO they go out and have them both like me to drive and you'll understand


PS go figure why they are making such stupid commercials-to lure people in their showrooms which are always DEAD especially down here in S. Florida just a bunch of lookers but no buyers-wonder why????

KWiK

Well, I tried to avoid post in this thread, but now I must.

2002 BMW 325i vs. 2002 Mercedes C230

I own both, so here is my take on a scale of 1 to 5 stars...

Build Quality
- C230K * * * *
- 325i * * * *
Power
- C230K * * *
- 325i * * *
Handling
- C230K * * *
- 325i * * * *

In my opinion the handling of the 325i (w/ sport pack) far exceeds that of the C230k. This doesn't mean the C230k is bad, just not as good as the 325i. As for the power, they feel equal to me. The build quality is also equal. I like some things about the C230k better and some about the 325i better. The only major difference between these two cars is the handling. The 325i is just better.

These cars are built with different goals and each has achieved its goal quite nicely. Buy either one and you will be happy.

I don't understand how anyone can not like either one of these cars, unless you are just a brand snob.


For me, if I had to keep just one it would be the 325i, but please don't make me choose.

Mapman

At last! I find myself agreeing with the substance of a single post in this thread.

revstriker

Ditto!!

Donn

das,

I appreciate your input in the forum and I hope you continue to hang out here. IMO, MB-BOB's comment that "Your gratuitous remarks barely place you a notch above", was truly a gratuitous remark.

Accord

Braman Motorcars are here in South Florida aswell, and they claim to be the largest BMW dealership in the world, is even dead most of the time.

Goggles Piasano

"BMW ad's are probably the best car ad's on TV."

IMO I think the new Audi commercial is pretty cool. Great narrative and very stimulating if youy enjoy motor sports.

BMW's short films are boring after the first viewing. They're all basically the same.

MB-BOB

According to Merriam Webster there are two definitions of…

gra·tu·itous: #1 a : given unearned or without recompense b : not involving a return benefit, compensation, or consideration c : costing nothing : FREE #2 : not called for by the circumstances : UNWARRANTED <gratuitous


I used the term in the former reference… To tell us, “yea this dude is loony,” followed by the proverbial “but” in the form of “…although he makes a few significant points” and a litany of complaints, “1) 4-bangers are a little ricey, 2) back-end is funky, 3) stock seats suck ***! 4) cornering is not overly inspiring…”

Is gratuitous -- A “cost nothing” compliment, countered by a string of complaints, which makes the former (compliment) worth nothing.

August 6-9, 1945… U.S. drops two atomic bombs on Japan… While the whole world focused on these historic events, hardly anyone noticed the August 8th declaration of war by Russia on Japan and their invasion of Manchuria.

Hence, the analogy in this thread. While Klutch hurls the big bombs (the Adult ****), others glide in with snide remarks (the lesser hand grenades, or “kiddy ****”) hoping to go unnoticed, yet still achieve the goal of having fun at the expense of MB C-Coupe owners.

dasMafia, I apologize for the sledgehammer nature of my recent remarks, which I admit also falls under definition #2 of gratuitous, as unwarranted. I was simply attempting to restate in other form the familiar, “Gee, das, are you still here?” comeback that several have written to you when your BMW-Beats-All remarks appear to be overly defensive on this MB Enthusiast website. My attempt at creativity in this case was over the top. Please forgive.

And please DO remind us occasionally that you’re considering the purchase of a MB in your future…

columbus

pheww! Hot thread...been off-line for a few days, and look what I'm missing...

Well, hey, I'll take the Bang-for-the-buck ratio of the Benz Sportcoupe. If I could afford a 330Ci...then again, there are some mighty fine choices at Daimler-Benz.

It's like apples & oranges - I like fruit, and I like 'em both.

On the low-punches side, where I'm from BMWs are preferred by electricians, plumbers, and masons - nothing wrong with these, I was a carpenter (carpenters, by the way, seem to go with the Benz back home). Where I'm from? Same place as the Benzes and Bimmers.

Someone said it in a nutshell: "...buy either one, and you'll be happy..." I did, and I am.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
2002 C230 K, orion-blue (of course ;-), C2 (o.c.), C7 (...), CD-changer (strange, the Germans still use cassettes), charcoal cloth

columbus

...oh, and - the Sportcoupe really should be weighed against the 320Ti, which is available only in Germany at this time (and perhaps other countries I'm not aware of). By the looks of it, I'm happy as a pig in mud with the car I picked

revstriker

Hey Columbus, funny you said that. I worked as a tile layer in Germany for awhile, and my boss drove an MB. I also knew an electrician and a carpetenter that had BMWs.

dasMafia

thanks bob... I've been pretty good about defending the MBs lately... (gimme some time)(except those comments about the M Coupe... but I'm in love, so I can't help it.

nboyd

Below is a quote from the UKs leading auto journal 'autoexpress'. I posting this with regards to the Ti, as you will note below, MB do not consider them to be equivalent cars.

It is hard not to compare the Mercedes Sports Coupe to the BMW Compact (Ti in US terms). Mercedes is keen though to distance the Sports Coupe from such competition, insisting that it isn't a competitor for the truncated 3 Series, but rather a distinctive and desirable entry level Mercedes coupe.

www.autoexpress.co.uk

Thanks

Nathan

columbus

Okay, revstriker - so I erred a bit on the safe side...what did YOU drive in Germany? (Me? Aw...Renault, Peugeot, Simca, Citroen... ;-)

Flashman

The decision on what car to get has a lot more variables to it than "what you can afford". I probably can afford a lot more than I'm willing to spend. But my own personal sense of priorities had me conclude that I wanted the best car I could get for $25K, with options it had to remain UNDER $30K. That was my absolute final limit, including sales tax. No special reason, just have a hard time (mentally) paying more than $30K for a car.

My 1993 Miata (closest thing to a perfect car I ever had) was $10K in early 1995 (two year lease return, 22K miles), a brand new replacement is in the lower $25K range. My wife's generic but very safe 1999 Ford Taurus (she's the type that a car is a car is a car...) was $14K at CarMax (1 year old, 15K miles).

I started looking at a loaded Subaru WRX (autocrossing high on my mind) and ended up discovering and falling in love with the C230. Closest thing to how I felt about my Miata.

With sales tax I'm right at my budget (within cents almost), which is ok. I really didn't look at the BMW 525/530 as they were 'outside my budget'. Nice cars, mayb a little too popular for my tastes, but they just never entered the picture for me.

I have just too many other things I'd rather spend my money on... (house, travel, vacation, family, computers, toys, etc.)

Maverick666

klutch,

i'll race you in your 325 anyday:p

TimmyC230boy

My dad won't even let anything but a Mercedes, (or previous camaro) in our garage, our standards are too high. Nah just kiding about the standards joke. Bmw does make nice cars, but as for my house we will drive a Benz.

BMW = more sporty

Mercedes = More STYLE and Elegance

When I had my Benz valet-parked I definatly got more looks and comments from the Valet guys than the owner of the 330CI in front of me. They have been working at the place for over 7 months and have never seen a C230, accoeding to them the 330 is a commonplace around there

I like being different