aNo

I'm in the market for a new..to me.. used car. The two main cars I have narrowed it down to are either an 08-09 E550 or an 08-09 535i.

I'm kind of scared of the prospective maintenance costs associated with a Mercedes. At least the BMW has that free scheduled maintenance program.

Convince me and educate me about all the ins and outs of purchasing a used E550. I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks

amdeutsch

Moved to correct forum. It wasn't AMG

aNo

Thanks for correcting my mistake.

MB211

E550 would be better compared with a 555i.

If maintainance is an issue, buy the MB maint agreement. BMW maint is not FREE, its just included in the sticker price of the car.

aNo

Can you give me a link to more info about the MB maint agreement.

Are there any known issues with the 09 E550s that I should be aware of?

DrDrilZ

reliability wise, id say the e550 is much safer than the 535i. there are too many problems with the bmw n54 engine in the 535, mostly the fuel pump. as for the maintenance, i doubt you will spend more than $1000 total for maintenance related items (oil changes, fluids, etc) while in warranty period. i dont put much value in the bmw "free maintenance".

aNo

Yeah, I've heard about those fuel pump issues with the N54. Is there any problems like this associated with the E550?...in any way, not just problems pertaining to the engine?

Vik888

I have an 08 E550. Same car except for an upgraded COMAND system.

LOVE IT.

If you're gonna cry every time you go to the gas up, don't get it.

Lastly, there is no such thing as a free lunch. There is nothing "free" about the BMW maintenance program .. you're paying for it one way or another.

SolidGranite

I wouldn't get the BMW solely because of that god awful idrive system. Also, the E550 will blow the doors off a 535i. You have to compare it to the 550i.

LOVEMYBS

E550 vs. 535i you've got to be kidding! There is no comparison, a straight 6 vs. a V8, two different cars. Maybe the E550 vs. the BMW 550i but still totally different cars, E550 still wins. If you're worried about warranties BMW covers all wear and tear items whereas MB does not. Frankly, I am only worried about the big ticket items such as the motor or trans and that is covered 100% by MB. Scheduled replacement of the rest is just a nuisance. Buy the E550! JMHO

aNo

Gas isn't to much of an issue considering I also own a Ford Excursion and a Jeep Wrangler. What do you guys average in the fuel economy department on these E550s anyways?

I figured there was some type of catch to BMWs free scheduled maintenance. Do any of you guys know the exact draw backs to this program?

aNo

I'm well aware that the E550 and the 535i don't directly compare. From the 5-series lineup, I cut out the 550i because the 535i offers nearly if not the same amount of performance to it's V8 powered brother.

What would be covered by the BMW warranty that would not be covered by the MB warranty? Besides the drive-train, the main thing I worry about is anything electrical, or a headunit for example. With my luck, something besides the engine or trans would mess up and it wouldn't be covered by warranty and it would be super expensive to replace.

Is there anything that is known to screw up that will not be covered by the warranty and is pricey to remedy on E550s?

aNo

Also, what does scheduled maintenance run on these cars at a dealership and at a shop with a certified MB mechanic?

FT Benz

Not sure what you mean by this...100hp between 535 and 550 is pretty significant.

Regarding the mpg...I average about 20 on my E550 4matic. Can drop as low as 16-17 in the city and up to 22-23 on the highway.

I vote the V8....

aNo

I'm simply going by reviews on the 5-Series from Car&Driver, MotorTrend, and Edmunds.

Decent fuel economy then.

FT Benz

Got it....you really need to drive the two and feel the difference. the 6 cylinders are certainly ample but an 8 will give you the neck snapping power that will wow you everytime you accelerate onto an onramp. It will feel heavier and more powerful because it is. It's preference really. Preference on power and pref on which car you like the look and feel of better. I don't think you can go wrong either way but of course most people here will lean toward the MB. Including me :-)

But yes, mpg was actually better than I thought it would be.

DrDrilZ

actually there is a 60 hp difference. and its generally known that the turbo 6 N54 engine is underrated. the performance delta between the 535 and 550 is not that big.

aNo

Yes, I'm certainly going to try to test drive both before I commit to anything.

FT Benz

I see. I was only looking at the 2010 numbers between BMW 535i and 550i figures...wasn't sure if they changed from 2009. There was also a difference of 150 pounds of torque in the 2010 models.

werewolf34

Truth is no one here is going to talk you out of a e550

I've driven both the 535i and the e550 so I will give you my impressions.
BMW feels like a more nimble car. You feel more connected to the road and the steering gives better feelback. Great for twisties, monotonous for cruising or stop and go. Be honest about how and where you drive and keep that in mind when you test drive both. Don't be afraid to redrive a car a couple of times.

The tt3.5 engine is great but it does have some durability questions b/c it's BMW 1st gas turbo over here in the US. The e550 has gobs of torque so you will feel like a hero 0-30mph. To me a v-8 is awesome but once you have one, it's hard to go to back to a 6 or 4banger.

The 5-series feels smaller on the interior than the e-class. The fit and finish are good on both but the e-class has more of a thunk / solid build quality to it.

Drive both and follow your instincts. Be merciless on price when you buy b/c you do have to give some of that back for maintenance and parts (I hate you Bosch)

Both cars will still be under warranty so that is some piece of mind but try to get a feel for the previous owners. Do they seem meticulous? Do they know anything about cars?

K-A

Reliability wise, you'll be way better off with the E-Class, especially against an early I6 BMW TT motor. Regarding BMW's Free Maintenance, think about it this way, of course it's included in the price, that's why you're paying the same money for a 6 cylinder 5-Series, against a V8 E-Class. Not only are E-Classes more expensive than 5'ers to start, but you're looking at a more premium version of an E-Class than what the 5'er is, and considering paying the same prices for them.

Other than that, you'll have to drive both to see which you prefer, as they're very different. I prefer the much more Luxurious, and elegant/smooth interior in the E, and I never liked the E60 5-Series' looks. Especially now that both models have been replaced, the W211 has a more timeless look that will age more gracefully, while the E60 will have what is already looking like an "old fad/old trend" dated look (which to be fair, it set all those fads and trends).

aNo

Now that's the kind of feedback that I love.

I really am glad that I have so far been able to get plenty of info. And judging from the posts at this point, it appears that E550s for the most part don't have any known problems that run rampant such as BMW's N54 fuel pump problems. It really does make me feel better that there is not any issues.

When I do look at a W211, specifically an 08-09 E550 is there anything that you guys recommend to checkout when I do a once over? Of course, I will also attempt to take it to a mechanic that knows MBs well.

aNo

I'm following what you're saying..makes sense. There's some things like the heated and cooled front seats and the 4-way climate control in the E550 that 535i nor the 550i offer.

The only MB I have ever driven was an 08 or 09 C300 rental. I was completely taken away at how solid that thing felt. It seemed as if you were to roll over a grenade or mine, all you would hear is subdued 'thunk.' That alone would sell me on an E-Class over a 5-Series if the BMW lacked that solidity. I of course will still drive both vehicles though.

K-A

I hear you on the W204 C-Class. It's part of the new era of M-B's which are build like bank vaults, just iron like tough, but to be honest, the W211 E-Class is from the previous era, where things got a liitle less vault-like, and a little less "bomb-proof" per-se. Still, I'd say the W211 feels a bit more solid than an E60, more of that nice "thud" to the interior materials, etc.

On the W211's side, the new C-Class uses lots of unrefined and cheap materials inside (cheap in the luxury sense, not in the durability/fit & finish sense), while the W211 uses very nice, and plush materials, so you'll probably really enjoy being in it day to day.

For things to watch out for on the E. Really, there aren't any stories on an '08, if a Mechanic checks it out and gives it a go-ahead, it should be good. Just check all the electronics/gadgets, make sure all the interior bits are intact and unscathed. The only thing an E550 has that could potentially be "worrisome" is the Airmatic. It's a good system by the time the time 2008 rolled around, but they are prone to possible failure at some point, due to the nature of the design.

Vik888

For gas mileage, just search this forums .. tons of discussions about it.

I've done long distance driving and hit 25mpg+ .. the 7g transmissions is amazing and the 5.5L V8 is amazing. I've hit 27mpg driving it at 65mph long distance.