745 vs E500
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY USA
05 C320 sport coupe
745 vs E500
I drove my buddy's 745 around town yesterday to see what it had. I honestly wasnt that impressed. It costs about 15,000 to 20,000 more than my E and in my opinion the only thing it has over the E is size.
I know that you cant do a true comparison because they are in different classes, but I was really happy I bought my Benz after driving the BMW.
Also, I know the performance #s are almost identicle (0-60 , 1/4 mile) but it didnt feel close to being as quick as the E.
I know that you cant do a true comparison because they are in different classes, but I was really happy I bought my Benz after driving the BMW.
Also, I know the performance #s are almost identicle (0-60 , 1/4 mile) but it didnt feel close to being as quick as the E.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 297
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area
I too compared the new 745i to the E500 before making my purchase. My goal was to get a sporty sedan with a lot of "zip", and the 745i just felt too sluggish. I even drove one of the newer models with the sport package, that features the toggles to upshift, and it still had no "life" to it.
The E500 was the obvious winner for me.
The E500 was the obvious winner for me.
Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles
CLS63
why a 745i?
The E is more comparable to the 5 series in my opinion.
I had a 540i before i picked up a E500. The 540 was a joy to drive and had the muscle to move. Sad to see it go, but quite happy with my E.
The E vs. 7 series is apples and oranges dont' you think?
Anyway, the new 5 is ugly as sin and i'm convinced BMW hired a bunch of designers from pontiac to head up their 5 and 6 series line.
just a thought.
I had a 540i before i picked up a E500. The 540 was a joy to drive and had the muscle to move. Sad to see it go, but quite happy with my E.
The E vs. 7 series is apples and oranges dont' you think?
Anyway, the new 5 is ugly as sin and i'm convinced BMW hired a bunch of designers from pontiac to head up their 5 and 6 series line.
just a thought.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY USA
05 C320 sport coupe
Re: 745 vs E500
Originally posted by Silvergt02
I know that you cant do a true comparison because they are in different classes, but I was really happy I bought my Benz after driving the BMW.
.
I know that you cant do a true comparison because they are in different classes, but I was really happy I bought my Benz after driving the BMW.
.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 0
From: Land down under
BMW E60 M5 - '08
I drove a 745 a few weeks back as well and wasn't that impressed. The only think I liked were the passenger seats. I thought they were more comfy than the S class. Overall, I was not impressed with most of its features and was turned off by its other features. I think the S430 or S500 is a better buy. I suspected an E500 with the Airmatic would have also matched the ride in the 745.
Thumbs down for the 7 series.
Thumbs down for the 7 series.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
From: San Clemente, CA
2003 E-500
I looked at the 745i when it first came out and was also very unimpressed with it. I hated their single knob interface with all of the systems and didn't like the handling nearly as well as my E-500. In addition, the BMW dealer acknowledged they were having a lot of problems with the new 745's and had bought back 12 of them in first few months for a variety of different reasons. My son-in-law was with me for our test drive and he had owned an earlier model 740il which was quite nice. He put over 100,000 miles on it and then traded it for the 545 M6. He also did not like the new 745i and he's now looking at getting a 2004 E-500.
I haven't driven the new 535 yet but don't care for it's styling so would not consider it at this time. My wife and I both felt the previous Bimmer 5 Series seats were more confining and not as comfortable as those in our past two MB E series sedans.
I haven't driven the new 535 yet but don't care for it's styling so would not consider it at this time. My wife and I both felt the previous Bimmer 5 Series seats were more confining and not as comfortable as those in our past two MB E series sedans.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,425
Likes: 0
2000 W210 E55->2003 R230 SL500->2004 W211 E55->2007 997TT+2007 E63->2010 GLK350->2012 E550 4matic
The new BMWs
I test drove both the 745i and 530i extensively, will also test out the 545i for the hack of it.
The new BMWs try too hard to be different for its own good. The seat adjustment on the 745i is the worst ergonomic design I have ever seen. It forces you to twist your hand reaching into a hard to see area having to press a series of buttons.
Removing the useful buttons on the dash for the sake of a 'clean look' is superficial and shallow. In exchange for form following function, BMW got the priorities wrong emphasizing high-tech 'look' over 'functionality'.
For those planning on using the car phone in the new 5 series, forget it. It doesn't even a have a numeric keypad and you are forced to turn the pathetic iDrive knob left and right to input phone numbers! Much worse than the old rotary dial.
And the new look of the BMWs, I need not get into as it's obvious they are very truly deeply ugly.
The new BMWs try too hard to be different for its own good. The seat adjustment on the 745i is the worst ergonomic design I have ever seen. It forces you to twist your hand reaching into a hard to see area having to press a series of buttons.
Removing the useful buttons on the dash for the sake of a 'clean look' is superficial and shallow. In exchange for form following function, BMW got the priorities wrong emphasizing high-tech 'look' over 'functionality'.
For those planning on using the car phone in the new 5 series, forget it. It doesn't even a have a numeric keypad and you are forced to turn the pathetic iDrive knob left and right to input phone numbers! Much worse than the old rotary dial.
And the new look of the BMWs, I need not get into as it's obvious they are very truly deeply ugly.
Trending Topics
Member
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area
2004 E500
Re: why a 745i?
Originally posted by Dericious
The E is more comparable to the 5 series in my opinion.
I had a 540i before i picked up a E500. The 540 was a joy to drive and had the muscle to move. Sad to see it go, but quite happy with my E.
The E vs. 7 series is apples and oranges dont' you think?
Anyway, the new 5 is ugly as sin and i'm convinced BMW hired a bunch of designers from pontiac to head up their 5 and 6 series line.
just a thought.
The E is more comparable to the 5 series in my opinion.
I had a 540i before i picked up a E500. The 540 was a joy to drive and had the muscle to move. Sad to see it go, but quite happy with my E.
The E vs. 7 series is apples and oranges dont' you think?
Anyway, the new 5 is ugly as sin and i'm convinced BMW hired a bunch of designers from pontiac to head up their 5 and 6 series line.
just a thought.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)
Verdad Gallardo
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY USA
05 C320 sport coupe
Guys, you are missing my point. The point is exactley what you are saying. The 745 should blow away an E and it doesnt. As I said, in my opinion, the only thing it has over the E is size and maybe a status factor.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,216
Likes: 0
From: Hong Kong / Jakarta
CLS350
Wow lots of people compared the 7 and the E... ill add my name to the list as well. The thing i liked about the 7 was the fact that it didnt feel like that big of a car. I just felt the E was too plain, typical benz feel, but i guess since ive always owned benzes i got turned on by driving a BMW.
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 513
Likes: 0
From: NYC
W220
Originally posted by Tezta
Wow lots of people compared the 7 and the E... ill add my name to the list as well. The thing i liked about the 7 was the fact that it didnt feel like that big of a car. I just felt the E was too plain, typical benz feel, but i guess since ive always owned benzes i got turned on by driving a BMW.
Wow lots of people compared the 7 and the E... ill add my name to the list as well. The thing i liked about the 7 was the fact that it didnt feel like that big of a car. I just felt the E was too plain, typical benz feel, but i guess since ive always owned benzes i got turned on by driving a BMW.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 0
From: Northern NJ
2014 BMW 550i
I've driven the 745 on a few occasions. As mentioned by the thread starter, this is not necessarily a fair comparison, but I think that it is valid. The 7 had a sporty feel to it, and I liked all aspects of how it drove except for the steering feel, which I felt was way too light. The E's steering feel is much more secure (tracking to the right not withstanding). Overall both are sporty cars for their size, and give good performance from their spirited engines. I give the 7 a slight advantage just because it "felt" sportier, while the E is a little more sedate.
Interior of the 7 was not as bad as originally thought, but no way near as elegant as the E's. Same stereo system in both cars (ie, crap). While the COMAND is no joy to use, the iDrive is horendous at times, very difficult to control the many different functions. Even changing the radio stations is an overly complex procedure. But, given the increasing level of features and personalization options available in cars, such a system is here to stay.
Interior of the 7 was not as bad as originally thought, but no way near as elegant as the E's. Same stereo system in both cars (ie, crap). While the COMAND is no joy to use, the iDrive is horendous at times, very difficult to control the many different functions. Even changing the radio stations is an overly complex procedure. But, given the increasing level of features and personalization options available in cars, such a system is here to stay.
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: California
04 e320, 96 m3, 88 m3
like someone else said, you guys are totally comparing apples to oranges.
Your argument is that since it costs more, it should be better performing. Well, what if you compared the E500 to the S500? or even better, the S430. The S's definitely cost more than the E's, so by your argument they should be better as well? Im sure the E500 outperforms the S in terms of power and feel.
I could make the same argument that the BMW M3 costs less than the E500, but that it outperforms it and has firmer, better seats, etc.
I agree with you in terms of the 7's and 5's interior ergonomics... ugly and too radical/simple or whatever it's trying to do. But to try and compare the performance aspects of the two is sort of ridiculous.
Your argument is that since it costs more, it should be better performing. Well, what if you compared the E500 to the S500? or even better, the S430. The S's definitely cost more than the E's, so by your argument they should be better as well? Im sure the E500 outperforms the S in terms of power and feel.
I could make the same argument that the BMW M3 costs less than the E500, but that it outperforms it and has firmer, better seats, etc.
I agree with you in terms of the 7's and 5's interior ergonomics... ugly and too radical/simple or whatever it's trying to do. But to try and compare the performance aspects of the two is sort of ridiculous.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 297
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area
The reason I compared the 745 to the E500 was that at the time (November/December 2003), BMW was offering some absolutely killer deals on the 7 series to get them off the dealer floors. The cost of a new 745i lease was very close to the cost of a new E500 lease. Even with that in mind, however, I decided to go with the E500.
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 513
Likes: 0
From: NYC
W220
Originally posted by marsfire
like someone else said, you guys are totally comparing apples to oranges.
Your argument is that since it costs more, it should be better performing. Well, what if you compared the E500 to the S500? or even better, the S430. The S's definitely cost more than the E's, so by your argument they should be better as well? Im sure the E500 outperforms the S in terms of power and feel.
I could make the same argument that the BMW M3 costs less than the E500, but that it outperforms it and has firmer, better seats, etc.
I agree with you in terms of the 7's and 5's interior ergonomics... ugly and too radical/simple or whatever it's trying to do. But to try and compare the performance aspects of the two is sort of ridiculous.
like someone else said, you guys are totally comparing apples to oranges.
Your argument is that since it costs more, it should be better performing. Well, what if you compared the E500 to the S500? or even better, the S430. The S's definitely cost more than the E's, so by your argument they should be better as well? Im sure the E500 outperforms the S in terms of power and feel.
I could make the same argument that the BMW M3 costs less than the E500, but that it outperforms it and has firmer, better seats, etc.
I agree with you in terms of the 7's and 5's interior ergonomics... ugly and too radical/simple or whatever it's trying to do. But to try and compare the performance aspects of the two is sort of ridiculous.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY USA
05 C320 sport coupe
Originally posted by marsfire
like someone else said, you guys are totally comparing apples to oranges.
Your argument is that since it costs more, it should be better performing. Well, what if you compared the E500 to the S500? or even better, the S430. The S's definitely cost more than the E's, so by your argument they should be better as well? Im sure the E500 outperforms the S in terms of power and feel.
I could make the same argument that the BMW M3 costs less than the E500, but that it outperforms it and has firmer, better seats, etc.
I agree with you in terms of the 7's and 5's interior ergonomics... ugly and too radical/simple or whatever it's trying to do. But to try and compare the performance aspects of the two is sort of ridiculous.
like someone else said, you guys are totally comparing apples to oranges.
Your argument is that since it costs more, it should be better performing. Well, what if you compared the E500 to the S500? or even better, the S430. The S's definitely cost more than the E's, so by your argument they should be better as well? Im sure the E500 outperforms the S in terms of power and feel.
I could make the same argument that the BMW M3 costs less than the E500, but that it outperforms it and has firmer, better seats, etc.
I agree with you in terms of the 7's and 5's interior ergonomics... ugly and too radical/simple or whatever it's trying to do. But to try and compare the performance aspects of the two is sort of ridiculous.
The same cannot be said when compariong an M3 to an E500..Yes it will perform better but will be unmatched in the luxury and amenities and features.
I still think my point is being missed..In my opinion (and it is just my opinion), the E500 outdoes the 745 in everyway...except size
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,399
Likes: 1
From: Irvine, CA
07 M6, 05 Noble, 01 S4, Smart ForTwo
Originally posted by Silvergt02
Yes you do have a good point, BUT, I also feel that the E is more luxurious too (In adition to more sporty)
The same cannot be said when compariong an M3 to an E500..Yes it will perform better but will be unmatched in the luxury and amenities and features.
I still think my point is being missed..In my opinion (and it is just my opinion), the E500 outdoes the 745 in everyway...except size
Yes you do have a good point, BUT, I also feel that the E is more luxurious too (In adition to more sporty)
The same cannot be said when compariong an M3 to an E500..Yes it will perform better but will be unmatched in the luxury and amenities and features.
I still think my point is being missed..In my opinion (and it is just my opinion), the E500 outdoes the 745 in everyway...except size
Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
From: CONNECTICUT
2010 E350 4-Matic, Silver, Blk Leather, P2 package, Sport pkg, Drive Dynamic Seat
For kicks I test drove the BMW 545i. The salesman took me on some back roads with sharp curves as well as highway driving.
Later that day I took my E-500 on the same test drive route.
Bottom line - The E offers a superior combination of luxury and sportiness. It handles sharp curves very well (in the sport mode) and highway driving in the comfort mode is luxurious. The BMW rides hard, doesn't have the feel of a luxury car and too much wind noise.
My 2 cents.
Later that day I took my E-500 on the same test drive route.
Bottom line - The E offers a superior combination of luxury and sportiness. It handles sharp curves very well (in the sport mode) and highway driving in the comfort mode is luxurious. The BMW rides hard, doesn't have the feel of a luxury car and too much wind noise.
My 2 cents.
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 513
Likes: 0
From: NYC
W220
Originally posted by skipper
For kicks I test drove the BMW 545i. The salesman took me on some back roads with sharp curves as well as highway driving.
Later that day I took my E-500 on the same test drive route.
Bottom line - The E offers a superior combination of luxury and sportiness. It handles sharp curves very well (in the sport mode) and highway driving in the comfort mode is luxurious. The BMW rides hard, doesn't have the feel of a luxury car and too much wind noise.
My 2 cents.
For kicks I test drove the BMW 545i. The salesman took me on some back roads with sharp curves as well as highway driving.
Later that day I took my E-500 on the same test drive route.
Bottom line - The E offers a superior combination of luxury and sportiness. It handles sharp curves very well (in the sport mode) and highway driving in the comfort mode is luxurious. The BMW rides hard, doesn't have the feel of a luxury car and too much wind noise.
My 2 cents.
