Hey guys, I currently have an 24 BMW G80 (M3) Competition Xdrive with all the options. I have been interested in the CLE 53, but havent been able to test drive one as dealers around me don't have any. I know the power will not be the same as the M3, but the styling definitely appears ahead of the M3. Trying to think of the pros and cons to each of them and what direction I should go. Just want some opinions on people who currently own on and if they would make the switch. I have never owned a Mercedes before so I dont know what to expect in terms of reliability and driving experience.

 

Q: Thinking about new CLE 53
A: Good choice

 

I’ve had your exact car and now the CLE53. If I had to sum up the difference between the two cars: M3 is agitating, CLE is enjoyable; M3 is numb and clinical while the Merc is lively and interesting.

It depends how you drive and if you track the car - the M3 is faster, sportier, lighter, and has more capable brakes. On the flip side, the Merc has RAS and more feel. I’ve driven both hard, and the Merc is the one I’d choose even if it’s heavier and slower for the simple reason that I feel communication from the car as to what’s going on and RAS makes a huge difference. The M3 chassis is so buttoned down that it can be a bit jarring. AWD is better on the CLE.

The Merc is luxurious and comfortable, but the M3 has better build quality. Both are special places to spend time, but on long rides I much prefer the CLE.

As for maintenance, you’ll spend more time and money on the Merc. Mine has been in the shop once already for a SW upgrade because the screen was freezing up. And I’m sure I’ll run into more issues. No free oil changes like BMW (at least in the states).

Fuel economy is much better on the CLE- 20 to 30 instead of 17-22. Fuel tank is larger also, so getting 350-450 miles on a tank vs 240-320.

I prefer the TCT in the CLE over the ZF8 in the M3. Seamless, snappy shifts and very intuitive. The sound is better too.

You mentioned the looks - aggressive stance and hood vent and massive rear tires and wide track are pretty special.

I also like the ergonomics better in the CLE including the drive mode selection buttons. Less time rooting around in screens to modify settings. A/C is colder and vents are better placed. You can actually use the ventilated or heated seats without turning off the HVAC- what a novel concept. Seat controls are easier to use and HVAC. Steering wheel is amazing - alcantara and leather, thin rim, and lots of user controls.

Hope this helps.

 

Great break down, thank you very much. In regards to reliability, I have heard that MB has had a lot of issues recently. This motor seems to be a good one from what I read, the other items with the car is the concerning part.

 

I find myself in a similar situation. I am considering moving from a 22 Macan S to a CLE53. My lifestyle does not require an SUV. As an alternative I am considering a BMW 840ix. Through my research and talking to people these are the pros and cons I have found.

CLE53: 840ix:
Pro: Exterior styling. Looks mean and fast Pro: Exterior color: Aventurine Red. My preferred car color is a dark red. The CLE53 Patagonia
Pro: Power appears dark on the configurator but in person is much brighter
Pro: Interior design: Includes the screen setup Pro: Interior color: Tartufo Black. Cannot speak to the material quality but the color combos app
Pro: Price. The perceived value at this price point is very high. richer and more luxurious.
Pro: Ingres/egress: Good for a coupe. Better than my Panamera Pro: Three years of included maintenance
Con: Paint choice. On this my preference is the Matte Grey which after research
and a long conversation with my detailer will require $4K in paint protection Pro: The BMW dealer I dealt with Pre-Pandemic offer a 5% discount on all cars without a M engine. Now?
Pro: With a gloss paint I am comfortable with no paint protection
Con: No included maintenance in warranty. Even Porsche includes the first year. Come on. Con: MSRP. The sticker price is a Plus $12K
Con: Dealer at this point unwilling to negotiate on price. Are people getting discounts? Con: Power. 335 hp versus 443 hp
Con: Ingress/egress: I have seen reports in multiple reviews that ingress/egress is not hard but not
great.
Con: Touch screen: BMW touch screens have always looked tacked on to me. The positionig of the screen looks better here but not near as good as the CLE.

I would consider the CLE a slam dunk were it not for the paint expense and the lack of included maintenance. Those concerns plus the BMW dealers willingness to discount(?) has me on the fence.

 

The 840ix is less powerful - you need to compare the 850 to the CLE. And even then I've seen 840ix priced well above the CLE.
I received $1k off the Merc but half of that was via AMEX savings which the dealer applied on my behalf.
The CLE is much nicer than the 840ix imho.
Maintenance over 3 years on the Merc will run you about $2k. Depends how you negotiate the price on the bimmer or the Merc, but I wouldn't make that the deciding factor.
Also, my BMW dealership is very busy and loaners are rarely available - and it's not a nice place to spend time. The Merc dealer on the other hand always has loaners and it's a very nice facility.

 

I've read through the bulletins on the CLE. Most of the issues are minor. I'm more concerned about the brake booster issue affecting our BMW's - crossing my fingers that we won't have an issue, so far so good.

 

Apologies for the confusing format of my post. I had all that separated by car and when it posts it goes to that. I edited and it still returns to that format

 

Not a comparison between the M3 and the CLE, but I recently attended an AMG Experience in Germany driving the new C63 SE, CLE 53 and GT 63. Below is a link to my impressions of the first two. Scroll down for the CLE 53. There's also a link to the impressions of the GT 63 if you are interested. I currently own a 2019 C63S Coupe, so the new C63 was what I wanted to experience, but ended up liking the CLE 53 much more.

I agree with some of the general points above. AMGs do a great job of balancing luxury and performance. I also like my C63 a lot because of the transmission. As opposed to the numb ZF8 in the current M products, the 63 AMG use a wet startup clutch, combining the best of a dual clutch with the best of a planetary gear automatic. As mentioned above, though, the 53 products use torque converters, but I liked how the TCT shifted in the CLE 53. Still somewhat laggy compared to the MCT in my C63, but way better than the laggy response in the new C63.

https://mbworld.org/forums/c63-c43-a...ve-c63-se.html

I'm just not impressed by the current M products. They are surprisingly numb and a large part of it is the ZF8. Doesn't belong in a performance car in my opinion. If I were to get an M3, it would be the base model with 6MT. The automatics with X-drive are just dull. They are fast and have razer sharp handling for the track, but as said above, that makes them poor road cars. An AMG, especially the 53 products are GTs. If I don't wanna drive ***** out I put my C63S in Comfort mode and while still sporty it has a level of Mercedes wafting that makes long distance driving a pleasure.

 

I had the 6MT also after the comp x G80 M3, and while more engaging than the comp it’s still numb because of the lack of feel in the steering and brakes. M cars in general don’t elicit the same emotions as prior M gens or even the CLE.

 

Yikes, what happened to the "Ultimate Driving Machine" they tout themselves?

 

Yeah, I heard that from many sources now. BMW M got Audified. The guy who heads up the overall vehicle development at BMW - I forgot his name - used to head up Audi Sport and was responsible for the watering down of the latest RS models. I had a 2013 RS5 with that glorious high-revving V8 paired with a dual clutch transmission, but then they watered down the current generation with an uninspiring V6 paired to the numb ZF8. Then he went to BMW M and did the same.

 

I see, that explains it but apparently BMW corporate seems to like his decision for some reason, they wouldn't have hired him from audi if they didn't approve?

 

It hasn't seemed to hurt sales, neither has their design decisions. Enough fanboys still buy the cars and I guess it helps that AMG put a 4-cylinder in the new C63 and that the current RS5 is universally criticized as being boring and the Competition version that was supposed to take some of the bore out of it missed the target.

 

Until the CLE53 the alternatives to the M3/4 were the AQ, Cadi CT4 BW, RS5. None of them offer the build quality and performance and reliability of the BMW. Oddly the strange styling has been a draw, especially the aftermarket mods, performance upgrades (Dinan is in house now), social community BMW does quite well, customization via individual paint, track-ready out of the box, carbon seats and CCB options, etc.

There is a fan boy crowd to be sure, but it’s a practical and reliable family sport sedan. There’s also the CS and CSL tiers above the competition.

If you’re in the M circles, the legends are still the older cars for those of us who knew what they were like to drive - e46, e39, 1M, e30 evo, z4 m coupe, z8, f87 m2 cs, e92, etc.

But Audi is aged and dull, AQ is dead, CT4 BW is cheap, and Porsche is playing at a much higher price point. The CLE is a great option.

 

You make some good points. I paid $95k for my M3 and it does come out of the box pretty loaded. The performance for the price is tough to beat in the sedan market. I do like that you can pick individual colors if you want to pay for it. The aftermarket scene is huge for the M cars especially for the m3/m4. How does the amg scene compared?

In regards to the cle 53, I built one for 84k, but I couldn’t have spent a lot more if I wanted. It is a little overpriced for what you are getting imo. If it was 6-7k cheaper it would awesome. Hoping my local dealer gets one soon so I can test drive it.

 

From the perspective of AMG, it feels like a good deal - you get several luxury and performance elements from the GT cars (except the V8). And compared to an M440i it’s a step up in power and luxury. My 23 comp was $87 and 6MT was $94. Compared to those it feels priced properly given the luxury and looks and even the power level. It boils down to what do you want to spend and do you feel like the value is there. I was also looking at a used 4S 992.1 at $138k or a new 992.1 at $150-160k. When I drove the CLE it had enough performance for how I drive plus very comfortable massaging seats and it looks great, so to me it was a value play at $89k. It’s all relative.

 

I see.

I guess it also helps bmw that they are a more enthusiastic type of brand so more tuning options then there was the bimmercode that used to work on older cars, enabling so many customization capabilities. The aftermarket favours the brand (more) as well unlike MB that is seen as more mature, grown up.

 

I am coming out of an S5 coupe and was cross shopping the 53 with the RS5 and M4 Comp.

The RS5 is no longer in production and is showing its age.

The M4 ? I simply could not get past those kidney grills. Call me shallow but they ruin the vehicle for me.

The 53 is not perfect, but nothing is.

My 53 MY25 production date is November.

 

I know the grill is always a source of discussion haha. It actually has grown on me as I think it’s aggressive but everyone has different taste that’s for sure. I feel that MB really nailed the 53 in comparison to the 43 which I feel is really bland looking since it doesn’t have the aggressive flares like previous models.

 

not a bmw hater but definitely not a bmw lover that said, that grille actually grew on me, I mean at least it is original and stands out from the boring copy and paste designs the automotive industry seems to be doing.

 

I admit I am a MB fan and I will biased on the CLE 53, but lets face it, the CLE 53 is such a good all rounder and the price is right (imo) for the performance and luxury amenities you get, ie. massage seats. It is like a grand tourer.

It is meant to be priced more than the competition 4-series or a5, as it is meant to also take care of the E class coupe and convertible customers while offering a closer to C coupe and convertible styling and I guess dynamics. There is no more 6 series and you are upsold to a 8 series, audi is also phasing out all these coupes and convertibles, the CLE 53 is good value proposition.

 

When I started shopping for a new coupe I saw my choice as MB GT55, Lexus LC500, & BMW M850. The Lexus had tight interior and an exhaust note that would cause a divorce in my household. After owning a BMW 550 (modded to D5), a 650, and an M6, the M840 just lacked excitement for me. When I decided to check out the GT55, I happened upon a CLE53 sitting in the showroom. I was surprised how much the CLE offered when compared to the GT. I instantly became a fan. Much to my wife’s annoyance, I also bought a Toyota Trailhunter with money I saved not buying the GT.

 

Amazing! Makes total sense. Mercedes undercut their GT and SL with this CLE - it's comparatively a great value and with the AMG and SL being so heavy and cramped and low to the ground the appeal just isn't there for me. I'd much rather have a 911 or as you said a second or third car plus the CLE. The BMW 8 is fairly dated at this point and too expensive for what you get, and the depreciation is legendary. The Lexus is loud and cramped and odd, but I understand the appeal - it's just simply too expensive for a sub 500 hp V8 imho although buying one preowned given the reliability is a good option if someone were to love the engine.

 

I'm in the market for the CLE63 when it comes out (depending upon engine). Recently sold my 992 911.....was a great car but kept having battery issues and got tired of that!