Morning Everyone.
Let me preface this by saying I am going on a 4 year BMW owner. I absolutely love my "Ultimate Driving Machines" but I am SERIOUSLY considering converting over to the wonderful world of MBZ.

Lil background:

I am predominantly an 80's car enthusiast. I love the vehicles of the 80's, they had amazing technology for the day, and I think it just takes an enthusiast to own one.

I've owned a 79 450SLC, 86 BMW 325e, and my current car, an 87 325I convertible (all 5spd except the MBZ)

My old roommate owned an ABSOUTLEY mint 85 190d 2.2 5spd. I have never, EVER seen such a nice car that had 80k on it, and was 20 years old.

So after Benz's have left their impressions on me, I think for my new car that I will purchase either this coming spring, or next fall will be a nice C230K.

If I understand it right, the C230K and 240 is the only benzo you can buy in a manual? (gotta have my clutch!)

Chrysler seems to of always had a superior build quality, and that too is seeming to beam thru as Mercedes has for many years. I have read a lot of reviews, and the BMW/MBZ race is never over. Someone will take over, someone else will take over.....classic German competitors

Do many of yall have experience behind the wheel of the later 3 series 5/6spd models? I am looking for how the C230K will stack up against a 325i as far as drivability, retention of value, maintenance etc.

The main thing I am looking for to get rid of the BMW over is the maintenance. Granted, if I didn't own an older car, it wouldn't be an issue. The C230K has ALWAYS caught my eye, and I am in a tossup over my next car between BMW and Mercedes, I just dunno where to go any more.

Over on the Bimmer Forums, we generally don't get many defectors, but I am not going to cross of another company producing a finely tuned German car, especually if Its a lil turbo'd 4 banger with a 6spd =]

thoughts?

 

You can get the new SLK with a 6 speed...but I have never seen one optioned like that...

I've test driven the 330xi and the c350 sport...I prefer the Benz because for the same price, you get a lot more with it. I test drove both with auto...because again its very rare for a benz to have a clutch and I couldn't find one. Looks is a toss up, personally I think they both look great.

I would have loved to have tried both with a manual tranny, but I haven't. Sorry.

 

Availability of a manual C-class may be a factor in your decision-making. It's easy to find 6-spd 3-series at BMW dealers; I'm not sure if it is equally easy to find stick C-classes at MBUSA dealers.

Manuals were not part of MBUSA's product lineup for a long time and I personally don't believe they are (yet) part of the core strategy. I think they were partly introduced to address almost every automotive media C/E class review or comparison (against 3/5 series) saying something like, "We wish this car came with manual tranny as well." It's also part of a marketing effort to bring younger buyers into the showrooms.

Maybe this is obvious, but you should really test-drive the C230K against the 325 or the C350 against the 330. Obviously the C230K will feel adequately powered after driving your 1987 3-series, but I have heard some people say the 230K is underpowered compared to current competitors. After that, you can really judge for yourself.

Cheers

 

Having both MB and BMW over the years... In that category you are looking at BMW>MB. Get the 3 series over the C class. The quality, the driving experience, and reliably are all better on the BMW. Not to mention the BMW will be cheaper and offers more. Recently my brother defected from BM and got a new E90 I have driven it a few times and for the price of just under $39k it offers a lot more technology than any C class has. He has the navigation which adds I drive. Being younger I love the I drive and its very simple and easy to use not to mention packed with tons of features including bluetooth. Also the C class will be redesigned soon so buying one right now would not be a good idea since the value will go down. And overall the BMW 3 series is more popular and tends to hold its value much better than the C class.

As for a buying guide on when to go MB vs BMW, overall I find that MB costs more than BMW and with BMW you get more technology gadget wise for less price of MB. Plus if you are buying new BMW has MB beat now with the warranty.

small car 3 series vs C class.--------BMW wins
Small coupe 3 series vs CLK---------BMW wins clk is just way to expensive.
Medium 4 door 5 series vs E class-----MB wins, E class is just a much better car but right now the new 5 does offer more technology and would be more popular for under 30 gadget people.
Large 4 door 7 series vs S class-----S class wins

As for AMG VS M/// It depends on what you want in a car.

 

I happen to love both BMW's and Mercedes, but in the price range you are looking in new I would recommend the 3 series as well, for all the reasons stated above.

 

Converts are the best MB owners/posters!

 

I do not know your ownership patterns, but lease deals on BMWs are great, compared to MBs. If you do European Delivery leases, the lease rates are incredible. You can get a car at 88-90% of US MSRP and the residual is based on the US MSRP. My 2006 525 had a 24 month residual of 77% while i paid 88% for the car. Since BMWs come with free maintenance for 4yrs/50K, the cost of ownership is even lower. From the fun to drive point of view, the BMW is a better car. MBs tend to be more luxorious and smoother.

And if you want power the new 335 engine with the twin turbos is a torque monster, producing peak torque of 300 ft-lb at 1500 rpm, with a peak of 300 hp. Check it out.

 

if you're trying to compare the 3 series to the c-class in terms that i think you are... the c-class doesn't hold up at all.

not even close.

both infiniti and audi hold a bigger brighter candle next to the 3 series... and both have signifcant disadvantages in comparison to the 3er.



...but if you mean for a comfy no thrills great driving daily... the c-class is awesome.

very nice, lovely to look at, very smooth and soft and comfy.

but it's not something you pick out if you're looking for a "sports" sedan.


...if you were local, i'd let you take a spin in one of our 3 series, or one of our mercedes for some comparisons. ...or even in our rust buckets and volvos and other freak of nature projects that never end lol.

 

actually, if you want a turbo 4 banger with a 6 speed, AND reliability with low maintenance costs... you're looking towards the wrong hemisphere.


look east. they have several combinations that will blow your mind away and be lighter on the wallet.

you might want to wait for the new mitsubishi evo X to come out... they're supposedly planning on toning the "boy racer" bit down some... so it's more friendly to the masses (think a 4 door m3 that still weighs under 3,000lbs).

if that's really the case... i'll be standing in line to figure out if i want one... the preliminary pictures show it to be absolutly gorgous!

 

THe first time I drove a German car was a 325 on the A9 going south out of Munich. THat was 1993. A truely beautiful experience......

Back to the present....just yesterday, I drove a 2006 manual 330i with about 5,000 miles on it. It was really nice. I then drove a 2006 manual 325i with about 10,000 miles on it. The 325 was not nearly as fun to drive as my c230 ss manual. But, that is just my opinion, and my car has nearly 50,000 miles on it.

I think my next car will be a c350 sport sedan, which they DO make in manual, at least according to everything I have read. I have not yet driven it, so I cannot compare it to the 330i. I suspect it will drive better.

Speaking of BMW, though, the dealership in Ramsey, NJ has a mint 1995 m3 CSL,with only 10,000 miles on it. They want 43,000. It was the dealer's toy, they tell me. By the looks of it, it looks like it was hardly ever driven. It would be great.

 

they did not make a CSL in 95; are you sure it isn't a LTW?

 

I agree

 

They salesman said it was a 1995. I suppose it could have been a 1994 or 1996, but it was definately mid-1990's and definately a CSL. White with the red and blue strips and striped down interior.