vp911

Well, once again I am in the market for a new car.... possibly. I purchased an Infiniti FX35 about 6 weeks ago and I have had nothing but problems, I am filing for relief under the lemon law, I know it is a long shot I will win, but I want to be prepared if I do win. I owned a 2004 TSX before I purchased the FX35.

I LOVE the drive of the 5 series... without a doubt it was the most fun car I have ever driven. I loved my TSX also, it was of course not as fun to drive as the 5 - series but it was great.

The TL seems to be wonderful car, I had my mind set on that until a couple friends told me to look at the MBenz. My only wish with the TL would be that the steering was a tighter and more like a sports car than a big old lexus. I love all the high tech features in the TL, such as the excellent navi system, bluetooth and stock XM radio. Which are all three something I wanted in a car, and it seems that the TL is the only one on the market that offers those three features.

I know the navi is optional on the benz, but I have not had a chance to go to a local dealer and test drive one, mainly because the local dealer 5 miles from my house won't allow me to drive their cars. I have to drive 65 miles to an other dealer which will allow me to drive (long story, but my dealer here basically doesnt allow anybody under the age of 30 drive their cars)

I am trying to avoid spending more than 42 grand.

The BMW 5 series has the performance, just not the technology - NONE of tech actually, the navi system is horrible, and if you have navi you cant have bluetooth or satellite radio.

Also, I live in michigan with the snow, the TSX was alright in the snow, and I have heard RWD cars suck in the snow... but how does it really handle? Snow tires perhaps?

I know this is a MB forum and I will likely get biased responses, but be as unbiased as you can please.

Thanks for all the help

Oh, yes, I should probably mention that I like spirited driving :-D

CitronC230K_03

forget the TL, just plain IMO.

5 seris is nice, but biased opinion here, i say get the C. why not test drive them all and decide on your own?

vp911

Well, I have driven the TL about 75 miles (dealer hates me now lol), i drove the 525 and 530... and I have one of my uncles coming by in 30 min to let me drive his C240 (2004)....

i just know this is going to be an impossible task for me to choose...

i loved the ride of the bmw, and the exterior styling (i know a lot of people dont like it), but i hate the orange lights and all the analog controls inside the 5 series....

i loved my tsx, and in the tl i LOVE the blue ambient lighting, i use the nav system enough for it to be important to me, same with bluetooth and xm...

then comes the engine, i like to speed... i travel about 70 miles a day on a windy/curvy road... not a hwy, but no traffic lights... i want to have the fun of a sports car....which i know with the bmw i will have that, but i will most deffinately lack the navi, xm radio, and bluetooth...and those three are important to me...

it is my understanding that the c320 i cant get xm or bluetooth correct? and the engine does not have the power of either the tl or the bmw?

thanks :-D

S_kLaSse

If you hate the 5 so much, it leave you with no choice. I would choose 5 series over C (sorry guys). probably because I have a C already.

mick1

i don't like the styling of the new 5 series that's why I switched brand. the people from bmw said the styling would grow on you but it still hasn't done that for me even after 3 or 4 months.

vp911

Personally I liked the new design of the 5 series over the previous designs. Not sure if age has to do with it...but I know my parents hate the new designs and my friends and I love the newer design. I find the sharp lines to be more eye catching, that is why I was pulled towards the 2004 TSX over some of the other cars I looked at such as the plain old pos accord... lol.

czachari

Over the cars you listed I'd take the 5 any day, but if the E-class was thrown in and it had the new 3.5Liter motor I'd go with that.

I sat in the TL at the NYAS and the interior was much nicer than the C. On the exterior, it does look nice but it still has some Honda Accord styling cues especially the front fascia.
The C is an overall nice car, rides nice, decent power, decent handling, pretty reliable but all the german cars I've owned have been reliable. German cars have small quirks like certain rattles and buzzes that the dealers have a hard time fixing. And it doesn't matter how much you spend. Even my 740i Sport had 2-3 rattles and it took a few visits to the dealer to get them fixed.



CZ

LaZyC230K

i would pick the 5 series over the TL and the C class. 5 series doesnt even compare to C class, it should be comparing to the E class.

Guest0001

IMO only 5 series that should be bought is the 545i and in black to hide the ugly lines. Other than that forget it.

prodigy1387

i'd have to agree with what others have said and suggest the 5 series over the c-class. it's always better to own a car that is higher up on the chain, and the 5 series is comparable to the e-class for bmw. but, if you are only going to get a 525, then i'd recommend the c-class over the 525 as that car is significantly underpowered. but, if you'll get a 530, i'd take that over a c320. although the c320 will probably be faster as it's about the same output with less weight, the 530 is comparable to the e320. and if you don't mind the exterior of the 5, which i hate personally, and you can survive with the less technology, then go for the 5.

otherwise, i'd choose the c320 ss over the TL or bmw 525. although the TL has significantly more HP than the c320, i don't like it's styling inside or out, and it is FWD. plus, i'd own german over japanese whenever i had the chance. but then again, that is my opinion, and i am biased. best thing for you to do is test drive all, weigh your options financially on each, and then YOU make the ultimate decision. good luck.

Talos

The 5-Series should cost you more than $42k?

vp911

yea... the 525 with the options i want is 49... possibly negotiate down to 46, but then taxes really push it to around 50, and i am not sure i want to spend the extra 8 grand....

TNblkc230wz

The 5 series are very good driving cars, but are plain ugly. Hardly see any of them in Italy. The MB has a better ride and handles just as well IMO. If 42K is your budget, you can consider the C320 4matic AWD or the C320 Sport Sedan. You will need accessory wheels for the 4matic though. I've had nothing but horrible luck with Honda/Acura (blown engines and transmissions as well as multiple trips on a tow truck) products in the last four years.

The RWD does fine in the snow with decent tires

prodigy1387

oh, if you want the 525 then, i wouldn't consider it. i'd get the c320 over that hands down. it's too ugly and weak.

Talos

Have you driven the new 5-Series with Active Steering? Apples to Oranges.

vp911

So you think the c320 handles just as good as the bmw's????

TNblkc230wz

Yes I have and active steering is a gimick. It will probably go the way of Honda's 4 wheel steering.

So which car did you get?

FrankW

IMO if you are even considering the 5-series (525i, I assume) GET the 5-series. It's a overall better car than the C or the TL although it may be underpowered w/ the 2.5liter engine. However if you want more performance go w/ the C320 or the TL.

Personally I wouldn't get the TL, but that's just because it's a FWD and they lack even more steering feel compare to the MB and BMW.

Talos

Bull****. I have extensively driven a 545i with active steering through an extremely windy road, then one without active steering... big difference.

fasteddie

You Guys.....

I can't believe that anyone can compare a gussied up Honda Accord to a Merc or a BMW. The TL is just such a POS by comparison. I like the sh*tty little gas door lever on the floor by the driver's seat of the TL. Exact same part as my wife's trunk release on her Sunfire. Merc and BMW would not be caught dead putting such a device on their vehicles. Come on gang look closer than the numbers in the book. TL isn't even a RWD!!!! TL is just not the real thing...it's a cheap Jap copy.


By the way, the seems to me that the comparable lines between Merc and BMW are C vs 3, E vs 5, and S vs 7. Given that Merc is supposed to be more of a Lux car, they are slightly bigger in each category.

Ed.

mick1

i'm surprised that people don't even consider the jaguar x-type when they are considering the mb c-class, the bmw 3-series and the acura TL. I think the jaguar x-type is pretty cool looking car, however the 2005 c-class is a little bit more cooler looking than it with the amg body kit.

Talos

The X-Type is an unreliable POS which drives like a truck. It has horrible reviews across the board, and if you'll take it for a test drive after driving the competition, you'll laugh.

mick1

thanks. I guess you can't judge a car by the way it looks. I guess i was influenced by those jaguar commercials on tv. they portrayed jaguar x-cars as world-class sports sedans. I have never test driven a jaguar x-car.

HITMAN

STFU when you dont know what you are talking about!!!

If you havnt looked jaguar is now number 3 in initial quality by J.D> power and associates for 04!! while mercedes is 10th and bmw is 13th and acura is 15th!! we own a c230 and a 04 x-type 3.0 the x-type is much tighter than my c230 it also is the best car i have ever drivin on the highway, it's also much much more for the money than you are going to get from the c or the 3...Our, jag has no problems and is just great!! And if you didnt know the x-type got over 1,000 improvements for 04 and is going to be getting even more for 05 including a vdp.The x-type's awd is also great and the car really handles, the leather is better than any of the comp. and the seats are some of the best my *** has touched. But dont get me wrong i like my c230 and wouldnt take the jag. over it because i love the way it handles and looks plus quality my not be as high as the jag's but it is still great and the car has also never let me down.

HITMAN

It is a world class sports sedan and i recommend you go test drive one.