[Ford Prefect]

Hi folks,

A friend is contemplating going in for a used BMW or Merc. The choices are:

1. 2010 Mercedes E250
2. 2008 BMW 523i

What I've told her is:

1. Get as new a model as possible - ideally with a warranty.
2. The BMW has been replaced since
3. The BMW will be a better driver's car; the Merc, a better chauffeur-driven car.

According to her, the car will be mainly self-driven (in Mumbai). There is also no specific brand preference.

Any advice?

Cheers,

[GTO]

It's definitely the Mercedes for her:

- The new E has a super-light steering wheel which makes the E feel surprisingly nimble to drive. The ol' 5 had a heavy hydraulic steering. For the record, all the women who have driven my C220 have hated it's heavy steering.

- Ride quality : No comparison, the new E Class blows the old 5 away to smithereens. Where the E's suspension offers 5 star comfort, the previous-gen 5 was too stiff, bordering on uncomfortable.

- The E is a currently sold model. Your friend might probably prefer this, over owning a discontinued one.

- Is the E250 in question petrol or diesel? If diesel, excellent. If petrol, good. Even the petrol E250 is a 6 cylinder 200+ BHP unit.

I hope your friend is aware of the downsides in owning a German car. Neither of these will be supremely reliable in the longer term; expect big rupee maintenance & repair costs. The Merc will still have factory warranty coverage. Take all the extended packs you get.

[FlyingSpur]

Your friend will save a lot of dough on the 2008 523i, but there are a couple of things to consider.

Firstly, the 523i is hardly a performer and not for the enthusiast. Your friend should be fine with this IF she wants to simply potter around town and not push it.

Secondly, check whether the 523i has a BSI package on it. If it has the three year package then in 2011 it is as good as not having it, but a car with a five year package will be good for at least another couple of years of hassle-free maintenance, money wise. In terms of parts and reliability it is still a question mark, and used Germans can be a massive headache financially, after the warranty / BSI expires.

I would strongly suggest bypassing the slow and thirsty petrols, and going for the diesels instead. An E220 CDI (W211) or an E250 CDI (2010, if she can find one), or even a 520d will be a better bet. Both in terms of performance as well as running costs.

[Sahil]

The E250 is a better pick here, for reasons GTO has well covered.
The 523i engine barely makes the cut to be a true BMW.

[S350L-E240]

From the 2 above definitely the 2010 E, and considering your post which mentions self driven + used, why not consider the C250 CDI? Or even the C200 CGI, and if size is important then stick to the E 250.

Like I said sorry for going off topic but it made more sense for a self driven car in Mumbai, esp if its for a girl.

Regards,

[Akshay1234]

Well the 523i is a disgrace of a BMW, so if you expect it to give better driving pleasure than the E250 (petrol or diesel) you are mistaken. Even a Civic would keep up with the 523i.

The Mercedes, if petrol will have a nice smooth V6 with a 7 speed box while the diesel is a 4 cylinder with a 5 speed. Either way, for everyday driving in Mumbai the Mercedes will be better since it is much lighter to drive.

Now if it were a 530i/d my views would be opposite.

[Ford Prefect]

Thanks for the advice. I'll pass it on to her. I've actually been telling her to look for a used diesel Jag, but she probably won't get one dating back to 08 or so...

Cheers

[sidindica]

If self driven, why not a brand new C 250 CDI?

[Ford Prefect]

@Sidindica: I'm not sure but it seems the cars are being made available at a very low price as a sort of a corporate hand-me-down...

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

@Sidindica: I'm not sure but it seems the cars are being made available at a very low price as a sort of a corporate hand-me-down...

In that case a E250 makes the most sense. As corporate car will most probably be maintained at the dealer, the warranty would also be valid, and transferred to the buyer. I do not think that 523i will have a warranty left.