Guilty

Hi,

I was initially looking to buy a C63 AMG (my dream car). But the money I have to put down is not gonna make it.. ( I have 15k and the car is going to be 45k ). I have a thin credit file. My friends recommended me to buy a cheaper car at 25-30k, pay it off in less than a year and then get the car I really want.. The point is to make my credit history look better since I won't be a 1st time buyer anymore. Soo now I'm having hard time choosing which car I should buy, a 335i coupé or a C350.. I always said to myself that I will NEVER drive a BMW, it will be a shame for the family I was born in a family that hates BMW lol... but let's be honest here.. I'm trying to compromise and I'm not gonna keep this car more than a year... should I pull the trigger and get a 335 or the C350 is better ? What's the pros and the cons ? I know that the 335 is faster, but does it really matter ?..

Thanks all for your answers !

mhad2480

There are better ways to improve your credit than to buy a car, keep it for a year and then sell it. Not to mention that unless you get a really good deal on the car you are going to end up losing money due to depreciation. I know you only plan on keeping it for a year, but you will still lose money. With a $15k down payment I think you should be able to get a nice enough car that you would want to keep it for some time. I didn't put anything down on a brand new C300. Have you actually gone to the dealer to see what they could do for you, or are you just speculating? Join a credit union, deposit your $15k and see what kind of auto loan you would qualify for. Then go out and drive both cars you mentioned and see which one YOU prefer. You are on a Mercedes forum asking for peoples advice about choosing between a Mercedes and a BMW. Your answer might be a little biased.

LandSeaAir

The question is does the performance matter to you? Cause if you hate BMW and performance isn't priority, why even consider a 335? If you want a coupe that's slightly faster to 60 and a tad better in the handling department get the 335, but if you prefer the C350 in every other area get the C350. I myself would pick the C350 cause I'm a Merc fan and this is a Merc forum.

Guilty

I'm just speculating. I called few dealerships, and they all ask me to submit a credit application and then they will get back to me.. But I'm trying to avoid hard pulls on my credit because it will hurt it. I just opened my LLC last month and I don't wanna start applying for credits and get declined.. I didn't have official income before + I'm still going to college. I know that the answers here would recommend me the C350.. I think that's why I posted here, I needed someone people to tell me go buy the C350... All my friends recommend the 335... but... I love mercedes... I also noticed that the C350 is kinda cheaper than the 335.. It's hard to get a loan with good APR when you're 1st buyer, that's why I'm gonna get a temporary car for a year... I just don't wanna be a 1st time buyer when I'm gonna apply for a credit for the C63 and don't get raped with interests...

Edit : Performance matters to me though... It's really a hard decision to take...

cswang

My last car before this 2012 C350 was the N54 335i. If you want a drivers car, get the BMW. It is not as someone said slightly faster. It is significantly quicker and more nimble. It is not as comfortable perhaps and the interior is dated. Personal history and through others, the electronics are not a strong suit of the BMW. You would definitely want to make sure you have a complete service history.

But... I still wish I had that twin turbo inline 6 and that amazing handling.

Sorry - just noticed you seem to be looking at the N55 335i. It is not quite as good as the N54 but if you want a beautifully balanced car, you can't beat it. It will be quite a bit more expensive if you option it out than a C350.

mfkl2

heres my opinion...
first off, you dont have any credit so applying for high end cars are going to be a problem. after i moved to LV, i leased a bmw 328 and drove it around and ended up being the wifes car so i had no choice to get another vehicle...ends up the bimmer almost maxed my credit limit so i ended up with the choice of a civic or corolla...so i took the civic, drove it for
a year and during that year of course my history improved as well as my score...so a week before my registration was due, i took my civic to benz and left the lot in a brand new c250...

basically...if u dont have credit then you're really limited to what you can buy...dealers will try to take the 15k that u have and make u belive that you have to give it to them...and after a year that 15k is nothing...so if your really going for the amg after a year...id say get a CPO benz...at least you will have some "benz" credit to work with when you apply for the amg. good luck and dont waste your money on a car that you wont keep for more than 4 years.

Guilty

What do you mean by after a year my 15k is nothing ? Also, do you think that I have any chance to get a credit with MB financial ? I'm planning to pay off the car in less than a year since I'm going to have another 15k coming in next semester. I was planning to pay off the temporary car, and then trade in for an AMG... I believe that lenders will trust me more when they see that I paid off the temporary car really quick. Am I wrong ?

ferrariyellow44

I wouldn't even compare the two at this point in the E92's life. ITS OLD! The interior is so plasticy, crap and really old looking. The C class is new, fresh and of much better quality IMO. If this was the new 335 coupe, the decision may be harder.

The C is new then 335 is old, its a no brainer.

I was in a buddies 335 with the N55 engine and i must say, the power felt very peaky and it only seemed to make power in a limited amount of the rev band. The new direct injection Merc engine is much more smooth IMO

Guilty

Yes, but I don't have the power to buy a 2012 C350, it's way too expensive. 30k max, it's a temporary car, I wanna pay it off quick and trade it in !

2012c350

If you have neither the credit, nor the money to buy the car that you want...or can barely do so for even the "lesser" models, then you're not at the point where you should be making the purchase. A college student who can't afford a German car also doesn't need one. Save your money for a year and then buy what you want...or at least what you can afford. There's no hurry. Until then, if you NEED a car, there's many used American cars that can be had for 1/4 your money in hand.

Guilty

I'm a college student, that's true, but I also have my own design company and I believe that we're doing pretty well. You see people buying german cars at 40k with 5k down. In my case, I have 15k to put down, and I'm going to pay off the car in less than a year in worst cases. I have another 15k coming in by next september. I have good credit, but it's a thin file ( only 2 credit cards and no mixture ).

Btw, I'm currently driving a C230K 2007 that I paid cash when I really had no credit. I'm selling it for 9K and I'm adding 6K to get the 15K.

cswang

Not sure why that would be. I think the N55 has the same power curve as the N54. The 300 lb/ft of torque is available from about 1500 rpm to 4000+ I believe. Much more available and broader than the more narrow range of the C350 engine.

2012c350

If you'll have the money to pay off the car in less than a year, then it goes back to my prevoius point. Wait that year, and take all that money, along with money you would've saved for the year (and likely better credit/credit history) and buy the car that you really want at that time. To buy a vehicle now (a vehicle that isn't really what you want), which in itself is a bad investment (entry level BMW/MBs are not investments) is not a wise $$ investment. But you seem to have made up your mind anyhow. So best of luck with your decision.

Guilty

Yes but if I keep waiting without having mixture of credit, I will always be a 1st time buyer when I'll apply for the AMG. To improve my credit history, I need a mixture, like an auto-loan + keep paying my credit cards in time otherwise I will never get a good deal on the AMG. I will probably loose 3-4K in the operation but at least I'll have something decent for a year, I'll improve my credit history and score, and I'll get rid of the 2007 I currently have before it needs major maintenance ( brakes, tires etc )..

I'll probably get the C350, I hope I'll find something nice and try to get financing through MB Financial...


Thanks everyone for your advices !

mhad2480

Would definitely be foolish to buy a brand new car if you only plan to keep it for 1 year. Get a CPO as mentioned earlier or even get a 24 month lease with practically no money down, bank the remaining 12.5 or 13k along with the 15k you will get next year and when your lease is up you will have significantly better credit along w/ close to 30 geasles to put towards your new ride.

Guilty

MB won't lease me a car IMO. I have better chances to get a financing than a leasing since with a financing.. Please correct me if I'm wrong !

mhad2480

I've actually never leased a car, but the only way to find out for sure is to go in, sit down, and find out.

Guilty

You are right

I'm gonna go for the C350 and try to strike a deal with MB Financial, either with leasing or buying ! Hope they won't be too concerned about the fact that my company is a month old

mfkl2

lease is good..but ur stuck with it for 2 years AT LEAST...and how i said ur 15k is gone after a year..its because your probably gonna need that to start off your credit...and the dealer will try to take every penny of it if you mention it...like i said...finance a used CPO at benz and save up more cash during the year...spend maybe 5k of the 15 that you are willing to use...then you can start ur credit plus benz credit...easier for your amg later...

ob4rEaL

I say the c350... simply cause your getting more car for your buck...sure 335 is quicker but also tiny...merc gives u more luxury and enough ***** to go with it...besides BMW interior is so lame...imo

wnunez89

dont buy either, drive the car you have now and save more money until you can afford the c63, if your gonna buy a car just to make payments and pay it off in 1 years your just wasting money seeing as the car wont be what its worth when you buy it.. if you have the money to pay for it after a year MB isnt gonna turn you away bc your a 1st time buyer, there gonna want your money. "money talks, bull**** walks"

oh and fyi the 335i have terrible fuel pump issues.

TexFinn

Still? I have been under the impression that it was just the early models that had the FP issues.

Anyway... If OP is able pay off a 20K+ loan in a year, just put that money aside (maybe even do a short term investment to cash in some extra) and after a year go get what you really want.

Until then, just drive the W203. Even if it needs something, it will still most likely make more sense to put the money to that than to lose it in a year in a car you really do not want, anyway. And why hurry with the credit stuff? You'll be able build plenty of it even after college.

But it seems like you've made up our mind already, so I don't think anything we say here will change your mind, so good luck.

tanktube67

Here are a couple of suggestions,

1. Buy a civic and pay it off in a year, then trade it in for your dream car.
2. Save for a big down payment.

dcjwlee

https://mbworld.org/forums/c63-amg-w...ck-her-up.html

I think that's the mindset an AMG buyer should have... lol.

"Oh what a nice day, perfect weather to buy an AMG!"

Rather than thinking of all the different ways you could get the cash and credit together to buy your dream car... Especially considering your situation: College student, 1 month old design company "believed" to be doing well, credit history that calls for a very considerable cash deposit... doesn't sound like the right time to be looking for an AMG.

What happens if your company bombs and you get stuck paying maintenance, utilities, and a lease for an office making zero revenue. If you have student loans... payments begin as soon as you finish school. What if you total your car and it severely affects your expected resale value and suddenly you're a few g's short of a satisfactory deposit.

Who knows, 6 months from now maybe your design company will do well enough that you don't have to wonder about how to get together the money and credit to buy your dream car. Ironically, when you have the money to pay for the car, you can drive off the lot with zero deposit.

Buy a nice, used daily driver. Pay it off quickly. Save the cash for your deposit on the AMG. O and btw, C350 all the way.

tasho3

I was in the same position you are 2 months ago, and Only decided to go with the C300 cause of the 4Matic, I drive north of 20k miles a year, and with the Chicago winters I need something to handle the roads. But if I were you, I would go with the 335