I'm looking to buy a used car. I currently have a 92 Toyota Camry with 200,000 miles on it (which I bought new). The only item I had replaced is the back window motor which was about $200.00 with Labor. I'm extremely "rough" with my cars but I'm religious about maintainance and I treat the car like he/she was part of the family (EX: The Movie Christine). Anyway to get to the point I''m looking at the 1998 Lexus GS300 and the 1998 MB E320. I know this is a MB forum however I would like unbias comments/suggestions/comparisions. So far I have heard the cupholders are the worse part about this car. (Edmunds.Com)
The other concern is maintenance. I have heard that MB cost more to maintain than Lexus, with Lexus being more reliable.
My Factors in getting a new car include:
Price of Used Car:
Maintenance Cost:
Fuel Cost:
Increased Insurance Cost:

I'm not worried about deprication because I use my cars untill they are completely "dead."
Thanks In Advance,
Kevin

 

it depends on what you want

the W210 E class is one of my favorite cars, i like it more than the new ones too.

i say get the benz. it will be a bit more expensive to maintain but benzes are so durable and built very strong. its one of the sheekest looking sedans out there. and the interior looks great.

forget the gs300, its a great car but it lacks depth and personality. and tail lights are disgusting. the car is just blah' no originality, no uniqueness , boring

if you wanna look at another sedan u can consider the 530i or the A6.

u already had a toyota (fabulous cars btw) why would you want to spend even more money on a fancy one

anyways get what you want, this just my opinion

also edmunds is like car and driver, for some reason they dont like mercedes too much and complain about virtually everything

 

I owned a 94 Camry before I bought my 2000 ML. Camry is a great car to own although it handles like a boat. And you save gas $$ in comparison to a Benz. Basically, cheap on everything. I also test drove a 2001 GS300 and RX300. IMO, they are just modified Camry(one with wood trims,fancy leather;the other one with 4WD and higher chasis). What I am trying to say is if you are not sick and tired of Camry then go get a Lexus because it's cheaper to maintain and maybe more reliable since they don't have a lot of safe features as Benz. If you want a car that can bring you a new life, go get a Benz. If I were you, I will buy a S instead of E since my Dad owns a S and he loves it every single day. Cheers.

 

I forgot to mention that I have owned 2 Volvos in the past and they have both saved my life to say the least! 60mph head on with a GMC truck - I was at a dead stop and the person was lighting a cigarette and crashed head on to me going 60 mph. - I had a broken toe and my friend had no injuries. However Volvo has saved my life twice I have heard and have witnessed their reliability issues (are horrible expect for the 240). Even though reliablity is an issue I forgot to mention that safety is another issue. I live on a road that is poorly marked and is extremely narrow w/ stupid people driving on it. River Road/ Fredericksburg Virginia. This road is famous for "accidents." Safety Issues are also an issue. I cannot find the driver and passenger crash ratings for these cars. Thank you for your timely responses.

 

koopatroopa (im guessing you like mario bros )

i know what you are talking about!

For safety benz is the way to go!!!!!

i also got rearended on the freeways a couple months ago and alll i can say is that if was i driving my camry at the time or any other japaneses cars (no pun intended) the car would have probably been totaled or and worse stuff could have happened, i could have spun out or whatever. my car had about 5000 dollars worth of damages and it saved me from injuries and my life.

im not saying lexus is not safe, because they are safe as well, but toyota makes them and there frames are paperthin( i barely got hit on my camry once and the whole bumper went in ) they are weak

for me its about saftey comfort and reliablity, no other car in the world can match these three terms besides mercedes benz!

 

Hay guys check this out,

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...sh-tests_x.htm

You may be amazed how the crash rating isn't reliable anymore. However, I am sure about one thing; MB carries the best safty features Tech among all the cars. And they have built cars for more than hundred years. So can't be wrong with that.

 

If you decide to buy a 98' e320 make sure the transmission i OK.It's not the cup holder that is worse on this car but the transmission 722.6 failure i heard.

 

KoopaTroopa;

My pick is the E320; of course, I own a 2001 so I am biased. Lexus builds a nice automobile, with great reliability and customer satisfaction.

But I have seen first-hand a M-B that hit a Lexus head-on at over 90 miles per hour. Both cars were totaled; all five people in the M-B got out with relatively minor injuries but both people in the Lexus were killed.

For me, I had the desire and the passion all my life to want to own a Mercedes-Benz; know many people who have lusted after a Lexus all their life? Not me...

 

Before i bought my 96 E320, I was seriously thinking of buying a 98 GS300. The lexus is nice but but after a friend offered me to boorow his e320 for a day I was hooked.
Can't beat the Mercedes name, quality and timeless design. A five year old Lexus will start to look like a five year old car. As for my car, people not familiar with the benz think my car is still a 2002.
Well I actually like the new RX330, so both ways you can't go wrong.

 

Koopa,

I would buy the Benz, however, my list of priorities is a bit different than yours. In my opinion, your list of priorities lends itself to the Lexus as the Lexus will be cheaper in price, cheaper to maintain, and a bit better on gas. Believe it or not, the Benz will probably be a bit cheaper to insure due to the accident history (safer demographics buy the Benz) and safety record. The Lexus' interior is also probably more feature rich than the Benz.

The Benz rides better, has more classic styling, will hold better resale value and has more cachet than the Lexus so if these things are important to you as well, then the Benz might be a better pick.

 

IMO, I have a '97 E420 and love the s**t out of it! As a matter of fact, my good friend owns a Lexus GS400 and although it's a nice car, it's just a fixed up Toyota. Not to say that a Toyota is not a nice car but for the price tag, I would totally choose a Mercedes Benz over a Lexus (Toyota) hands down. The leather in my car over the leather in my friends Lexus is non-comparable and my car has twice the amount of miles that his has. My interior might be a bit more basic than the Lexus but it is built to last. His interior already looks old and weathered with lots of wear on his seats. Mine at 135,000 miles still looks, feels and smells great with practically no wear. The overall appearance of my car with the original paint and interior is new! Also, if safety is a key for you, then Mercedes all the way! I don't think you can buy a safer car in it's class, check out the stats. The maintenance might be a bit more expenisve when something goes wrong but in my book, it's well worth it. If you drive your cars hard then I can almost guarantee that a Mercedes will outlast a Lexus without a question. BTW, you have a site full of Mercedes enthusiasts right here that can help you get through almost everything you might encounter with your Benz. The help that everyone gives here is priceless and saves you a lot of money in the long run! Here is a picture of my Benz that I was talking about. It still a work in progress with mods that have not been completed but check out the condition with the mileage that it has and good luck with your decision...

 

Not to sound funny, but on a Benz board, did you expect to hear many people tell you to buy the Lexus? Would people on the Lexus board tell you to buy a Benz? What would people on a BMW board tell you to buy? With the same choices, they'd tell you to scrap both of them and buy a 5-series.

Let's NOT start the Lexus vs. Mercedes-Benz debate again. It's kinda old.

I have a '99 GS300 and a '01 E430. My recommendation is to drive them both and decide what YOU like. Everyone's opinion will be biased, so go with yours.

While I like both cars, I can attest to the amount of time that they have been in the shop (other than routine maintenance).

The Lexus has 69,000 miles on it and the Mercedes-Benz has 23,000 miles on it.

The GS:
-Replacement of head unit on radio (display was faded) WARRANTY 40,000 miles.

The E:
-Fog light blown
WARRANTY 7,000 miles

-Sunroof deflector did not come up (3 visits)
WARRANTY started when new - resolved 10,000 miles.

-Passenger side sunvisor mirror cover (fell off)
WARRANTY 17,000 miles

-Rear passenger side window stopped working (would not lift)
WARRANTY 19,000 miles

-Fuel gauge not accurate (will not rise above 3/4 tank)
WARRANTY (pending appointment) 22,000 miles

Also, I replaced the front brake pads at 12,000 miles. I replaced the tires at 17,000 miles. The rear brake pads are due for replacement soon.

These are just my experiences, I am sure that other's experience may be different.

Good luck and let us know what you decide!

 

When it comes down to it, the Lexus line is just a copy of Mercedes. So if you want the original, then get the Benz. If you like your Camery then get another Toyota. Check out the Toyota Avalon.

 

i think the most exciting part about buying a lexus is figuring out which toyota you have bought

lexus GS = toyota Aristo

as for myself i dont pay more than 22 thousand for my toyotas. they are good beaters

if you want you can get a nice loaded 03 camry for about 24,000 and its have the cost of the GS.

 

That's a ****ing shame a car cost that much have so many problems. I know this is a MB forum but their nothing wrong with a GS300. Maybe MB should copy Lexus reliability while Lexus copy MB body styles.

 

Toyota is a very good car maker, and I do not understand why word Toyota makes people feel ashamed. MB makes low grades car as A and C class too. I own ES300 (actually Camry) and love this car too much. However, MB is a different car. It has too many small details making it more pleasurable for driving, and even seating in it. If you have short trips and consider a car only for getting from A to B, then GS could be a good choice. If you like more style, image, details, then go with MB. Regarding car problems, I was own GM car and never had any problems with it (including brake pads, or tires) up to 100K miles, then I traded it for Lexus. BTW Kia gives good warranty for their car, so you can consider them too.

 

The W210 safety standards exceeds the volvo let alone the rebadged Toyota i.e. GS300.

Check out auto motor und sport bulletins and web site for thier results on off-set crashes where the W210 passed with flying colours.

When I drive my E class I feel like i'm inside a mobile bank vault!

In Germany and many other countries the E class is the prefered Taxi cars for thier extremly high reliability & durability.

M-B uses the best qulity materials and components.

Regards,

 

The more I can't believe these are adults here. The Lexus GS series is the most reliable car in it's class. Check any survey. That is one of Lexus main selling points, reliability. The E 320 NEVER beat out the GS 300 in any comparison that I have read (until the 2003 model beating out a 6 year old model) so that has to say something. THe GS is the most sport oriented Lexus other than the IS 300. Lexus is about quiet and refinement first and the interior is much more modern that the E-class.

The E-class is a great car, no doubt, but looking at your list, the GS is hands down the winner of all those categories.Nope and you can stop the silly Avalon pic, the GS shares nothing with that car. The Avalon is a stretched Camry platform(FWD) the GS is RWD.Well, Mercedes are built to last, they are also built to be in the shop every month. ANY car can last if you fix it all the time. Our family has owned many cars and the Lexus are far the most reliable. No major mechanical problems with:

1992 ES 300 202, 000 miles
1992 SC 400 210, 000 miles
for example.

I am not saying the E is a bad car. It is a great car but please do not feed into much of this ignorance and bias about a "Toyota".He never stated these items.

Go to www.clublexus.com to hear Lexus owner testaments as well, so you can make a decision hearing both sides of the story.

 

In my previous post on this thread, I was personally comparing the 2 vehicle from my first hand observations and the Toyota is a reliable car, I have to give you that. I also think that the Lexus is very nice as well. This was all my opinion through observation. But you can't say that all Benz's are the same and all Toyotas are the same. I don't know what kind of experience you have had with Mercedes but maybe it was a POS or some type of lemon to be in the shop every month! My 97 E420 has 135k miles and looks newer, runs smoother, and is a more solid car than my friend's 98 GS400 with 62k miles. He is one to take care of his cars too so I don't understand where you are getting your info. My uncle's 94 S500 has 246k miles and looks and runs as good as mine with hardly ever being in the shop except for maintenance. If anyone would like to talk smack about Benz's, GET THE H*LL OFF THIS FORUM!!! If anyone has that many problems with their Benz, get rid of it, get another car, stop bickering and join another forum.

The bottom line is, this is a forum of Mercedes enthusiasts and for someone to post a question, comparing another car mfg. to Mercedes, again as it was said before, what do you expect to hear! Go into a Volvo site and everyone will swear that Volvo is the best. Volkswagen, same thing, etc...etc...etc...Now, let the man make his own decision by going out and driving both cars and determining for himself, which car better suits his needs!

"The microphone has hit the floor"

 

Toyota. Did someone say Toyota being better than a Benz, somewhere in this forum? Being better in all ways? AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If someone is seeking the most cost-effective method for transportation, go ahead, purchase an Asian or Japanese make of vehicle, and forever hold your peace! It's obvious that not everyone has good things to say, but obviously some have done their research in the matter, so why start such a post?


my $.02

 

Hey 1SICKLEX, before you go qouting my posts in support of your calling everyone childish, try actually reading it. Based on the list he provided, I recommended the GS over the E. And thanks for pointing out that he did not mention the additional decision factors I discussed. That's why I said "if these things are important".

 

KoopaTroopa;

Here is an easy acid-test on what to buy; when you head back to the repective showroom after each test drive, which automobile do you find yourself glancing back at over your shoulder?