I'm still on the fence about which car to upgrade to. I'm coming from a 03 TL and want with more power and sporty. Why should I buy a MB over a Lexus? Have driven both a 09 E350 Avant garde package and 08 GS350 AWD. The Lexus has more power but the MB has a lower and more sporty ride. Both cars are within a couple of hundred $. I've also driven the 08 535i and loved the torque but its a couple of Gs more. Been reading on here for a few weeks now. Both cars will be out of warranty. thanks.

I personally prefer the look of the E350. I just purchased a new to me used 09 E350 Sport with AMG Package. I chose the White with Black Interior. Absolutely love the car. Probably not going to be as fast as the Lex, def not as quick as the bimmer, but I find the power sufficient for what I use it for. If you're looking for a fast car this isn't it. The car is quick but could use some more torque for those dead stop sprints to 60. Pulls pretty hard on the highway once the heavy car has some momentum.

I feel one huge factor to think about with the Benz is that the style of these E's are timeless. I dont think this car will ever look like a fad or seem dated. The lines are clean and elegant and I believe the Lexus and many other brands lack the design and originality of a Benz. I have a hard time looking at Asian Luxury cars that are 5-10 years old on the road and can't help but to think the Lexus looks like a camry and the Infiniti's look like nissans.

That may just be my outlook on things but I feel the Benz to be more "original" and unlike most other vehicles on the road. I believe that speaks volumes for how you will feel about the car in several years.

Youre right about the style and design of the E350, I do love it for the side. I do like the GS350 Nav and touch screen and the backup camera which the E350 does not have. What is your feedback on the reliability of the E350? I'm pretty sure the GS will be trouble free like my TL for years to come.

I def think the overall NAV package and electronics in the Lex are better/more user friendly. I don't like COMMAND too much.. Although the hard drive based COMMAND in the 2009 & up e350 is substantially better than what came in my Father's 07 E350.. Your phone will sync up blueooth with the command but it does not give you the option to upload your contacts to the unit or stream music. If you buy the control module Mercedes provides for $250-300 then you can stream music from your smartphone via bluetooth, upload contacts, and a few other nice things. It really does suck that this isnt a given from the factory and kind of cheapens the vehicle for what you would expect at this price point. The Lex im sure comes from the factory with all of these capabilities.

As far as reliability goes, I'd again have to give that to the Lex for sure. Essentially its a very luxurious Toyota and maintains Toyota's reliability in a much nicer package. The E350 seems to be a very reliable car. My father's 2007 has just over 50K and no major problems thus far. The car runs great and gets decent MPG. Brake job's are more expensive then the Lex, as is most routine maintenance. If you can do your own routine Maintenance then this should not be a factor for you. If you research both cars track record over the years they were made you will def find more probs with the Merc then the Lex.

Obviously any opinion you get will be mostly subjective. Both are very good cars.

Here's my take:

I've been a Master Toyota Technician for over 30 years. I work on a LOT of Lexus'. Very reliable. Well built. (almost bulletproof) Good resale. Just not very interesting.

I've owned, fixed, and driven everything from Fiats to Corvettes, Jaguars, BMW's, Infinities, Acuras, even a Rolls Royce. Most every brand car made has either been in my stall at work or in my garage at home.

My last two personal cars have been Mercedes. My next one will likely be a Mercedes.

just my .02.

GS have a very soft ride and a very disconnected steering feel. I drove several cars before purchasing an E. The GS left an eh feeling to me. Its more like a toyota in that its more a purchase for a to b transport like an appliance, there nice, dependable and not memorable or passion inspiring.

The E has a more solid feel, feels heavy yet powerful, and has a wonderful interior using a ton of different materials. I personally feel lexus makes a very plastic car, the interior panels are all one piece form molded and the drive is again boring, no feedback, no road feel, and no real power difference to me from the E.

Theres a reason lexus has the slogan "the passionate pursuit of perfection" because MB and BMW already have figured it out and lexus is still chasing them.

I have to agree with everything Dubstep and Otto said. The Lex, Infiniti's, Acura's Etc. just do not have any "soul". I think thats the best way to describe those cars. They are incredibly built, super reliable, and great cars but I just do not find any of them attractive or inspiring. If you're looking for a car that excites you every drive you make year in and year out I believe the Germans have what you're looking for!

Otto your 350 is beautiful. I am contemplating putting different wheels on my car but I like the 5 spoke AMG wheels more and more everyday. The car just looks so clean the way it sits.

Thanks man, I appreciate the kind words. She is my pride and joy.

Being a current owner of both a Lexus and now my 2nd Merc, I would go with the GS350. Of course this is only my opinion and as always is subjective to a number of things you value most in a car. If I had to break it down based on my taste the ratings would look like this:

Reliability - Lexus
Style & Feel - Tie
Performance Merc by a nose
Safety - Tie
Technology - Lexus
Handling - Merc
Overall Value - Lexus

Lastly, Mercedes have a rich history that Lexus can't stand up to. Over the years that has changed and Lexus has proven that they're ready to step up to the next level. I think a lot of people are starting to realize that having a lot of HP and Torque are not the only selling points anymore...folks want the overall package and Lexus definately has the overall package for your money. Mercedes cars are very pricey and expensive to maintain. Again, it's all subjective and at the end of the day your paying for the "Brand" name. If Mercedes was clearly the choice of car for most we wouldn't constantly have these debates and conversations. Obviously Lexus is starting to turn the table on its rivals.

P.S. Notice how folks are quick to say Toyota makes Lexus as if we don't know that! What's the point in saying that? Well, it's to make someone look negatively on Lexus as if it doesn't measure up to Mercedes? Sorry but that's not the case anymore. Both are fine cars. Choose what YOU feel is best for YOU! You're not missing out on anything special unless you're talking about getting an AMG lol

Marty, why do you say the MB is better in terms of performance? The GS has the E350 beat by almost 40HP. I'm just worried about the repair bills in a year when the E has 60K miles on her.

I had a 99GS400 & an 05 E500. The GS I put 120k on & bought tires & changed the oil. The E had a headlight unit replaced, command unit replaced, had the nav antenna lead corrode twice, had an airmatic strut fail & motor mounts/tranny mounts go in 80k miles. I baled when the extended warranty expired. I understand the 3g gs had a cheaper interior with a lot of squeaks, but I would say the reliability of Lexus trumps any cache the E had.

Having more Ponies doesn't mean it's a better performing car. Performance includes handling, feel, fun to drive amongst other things. The comment was made that Lexus cars have no "soul" I completely understand and can relate to that statement. Lexus cars in general doesn't give you that "Whoa" feel with the exception of the ISF and LFA. The bottom line is if reliability is high on your list before considering which way to go, let me save you some time and say go with the GS350. If you get lucky you might not have any major issues with the E but that's a big gamble. I just got rid of my CLK 55 AMG it has 362 ponies stock. My E550 is 382 stock but the E doesn't have the same feel as the AMG! The AMG was really fun to drive....the E isn't as fun and feels "Rollie" and "Bloated" The E has slowly grown on me and I find more reasons to like it as I continue to drive it more. It has the power, luxury, very spacious and still looks stylish compared to newer cars! I bought the E because my family has grown. I got tired of jumping in and out of the back seat of a coupe to buckle my daughter in her car seat

I hope this helps your decision. Good luck

i came from a E60 530i and honestly, i really regret switching. but it could be because of this retarded transmission knock I get when downshifting and for some odd reason MB can't find the issue and labeled it a "phantom issue" and said drive it and bring it back if it keeps happening. and it still is happening. the merc def has more power than the 530i but i feel the overal performance falls behind the 530i. the 535 with a jb3/4 tune and some other mods will perform very well. so i'm considering selling the w211 after 7 months of ownership and going back to a e60 but in a 535i.

as far as lexus is concerned, it's a reliable car, but i'd never drive that sloshy boat. my brother has a 2nd gen GS and it still rides like a boat even after swapping out the suspension to coilovers. and it's slow as **** tbh. but then again, his is a 2002 model.

oh boy... I did like the 08 535i I test drove. The seats were more comfortable than the E350. Ok so the GS350 is out, now I'll have to rethink the 535i and have to pony up more funds and head over to the bimmerforums.
Anyone else have experience on the E350 vs. 535i? torque and power wise I think the BMW wins. Reliability?

if it is a daily driver, go Lexus, and don't think about it anymore....

Bargain down and buy the BMW. Its a better driving experience than wither the Mercedes or the Lexus and will make you look forward to every journey.

Toyota or Benz? hmmm

BMW build quality has been VERY lacking since the early 2000's........Lexus and Mercedes is much better..........

BMW seems to use cheaper materials all around it...lots of rattles develop pretty quickly......I have owned 5 BMWs and have given up on the marque...
M5, 528IT, X5, 525, Mini......1990 525 was a good one...had 13 years...the others sucked so much dumped them after 3 years....

Heck......go buy a used Porsche Panamera and enjoy the drive and quality of the car....

Come to think of it......Porsche has pretty good quality and a good drive.....good compromise versus all the other German cars....if you don't go for a Lexus for bulletproof motoring....

Don't even consider Audi.....expensive to maintain and reliability still not up to the others, similar to MB........

I'd have to agree with you over the BMW statement, ive owned two E53 X5's, E39 M5, E39 530i, E60 525i and an E65 745iL and the quality is lacking, they drive well (very tight, especially when new) but the fit and finish just isn't up to scratch, the materials and the way they do some things has issues and it still hasn't been changed through the generations. You'd think the company would advance on some systems but no, they keep using the same materials, same technologies and same methods of construction in most cars.

Benz has improved in the last few years, I've got a 2012 S350 and it's fantastic, my wife has a C280CDI and it's also fantastic, much better than the Benz's that came out in the Chrysler era.

I'd also agree with your statement about AUDI/VW, they aren't quite up to par with Benz and Porsche.

I'm not really familiar with Porsche, however I've driven a Cayenne and a 911 and they go ok, still they don't seem to have very good ergonomics (so many buttons and switches inside).

I'm a guy who likes his gadgets and quality of materials, and I really can't find a car as well filled and as solidly built as the current generation Mercedes.

I wouldn't personally go for a Lexus due to the status issue, i believe if your spending that much money on a car why not get something a little classy but yes Toyota do build cars that are almost bulletproof.

Just my little rant from my own personal experience, will probably get some hate over it. Nevermind.

You said it better than me.......Porsche has improved quality and fixed some design flaws and cars now are top notch, hope VW ownership/control doesn't change that......I have been looking at Cayennes and Panameras lately as a family car that has some handling with AWD for weather challenges.......thanks for feedback on post Chyrsler MB....

Well its your call. Do you want a Mercedes or a Toyota?? Really thats what the Lexus is.

The Lexus will give you 90% of the driving experience of a w211 with <10% of the headaches of owning a w211

Very well said......and MUCH better trade-in at the end.....

Unfortunately it also comes with only about 50% of the cachet for whatever that's worth... If that is not important to you, Lexus really is the "smarter" choice if you don't care about brand names.

To the OP, if you want more performance, have you considered, driven an E550?