[PY1963]

Hi,

I am new to this forum.
Planning to buy either BMW 5 series or Merc E class but confused with options and need help of experts on this forum.

I have shortlisted following cars -
BMW 520d
BMW 525d
Merc E 200 GCI Elegance
Merc E 250 CDI Elegance

My monthly running is about 1500 Km. 70% of time, driver will drive me to office & back home. Price difference of 2-5 lacs in car is not big issue. What is imporatnt is good driving pleasure when I drive the car & good back seat luxary when chauffer is driving it.

Yes, what is bit important is maintanance cost of the car.

I know BMW is a sporty driver car for new generation & Merc is nice luxary car for middle age professionals. However offlate in India, BMW also focussed on luxary on back seat & Merc did improve driving pleasure. And now both cars overlaps nicely in each other's territory. hence the confusion for which one to go ???

I invite the opinion of many many passionate Indian car experts on this forum to help me arrive at decision.

Thanks

[Naparajito]

I think you should go for merc E 250 CDI.Back seat comfort is best in the segment.I think you shount worry about safety features, as all cars in this segment come with a lots of safety features,gadgets and gizmos.
I would suggest you for a diesel because now a days petrol prices are sky high and you'll not get as much efficiency which you get in diesel.
And congratulations in advance.

[1-Testosterone]

Have you considered Jaguar?

[S350L-E240]

Hello,

Firstly, welcome to the forum and while your post is in the wrong section I will try answer as close as possible.

You see the question you have asked is quite complicated in the sense both are in their own ways equally good cars and now both have over lapped their previous generations positives and eaten into each other's market share, also every answer here will perhaps be a lot different so ultimately you will have to make your choice based on your judgement and test drives.

Coming to the cars, well I have the 530d and I come from a Mercedes loving family, but something about the new F10 could not be resisted and I have driven both the cars quite well so here's my points.

BMW 5 (F10)
Positives

1. I think it looks a lot more dynamic and more fluid and timeless in terms of design. But design is the hardest point to argue so I would say to each his own.
2. Drives like anything else on the road in it's class.
3. The engine and transmission are very very agile and responsive. (I know I have the 530d but even the 520d was quite nice when I test drove esp considering you will be driven around a lot too)

Negatives

1. On bad roads the run flats do kind of make it harsh and there is no space at the back for a space saver either.
2. The seat belts on the passenger seat rattle a lot if it is empty on rough roads, while these cars were not made for rough roads driving in India and with a few bumps gets me a little irritated.
3. I have at times at certain intersections felt the visibility of the car while trying to take a turn is a little less and sometimes annoying.
4. Ergonomics, sorry but Mercedes is miles ahead in this department.

For the E
Positives

1. Ergonomics and ease of use.
2. Rides a lot better than the 5.
3. Has taken handling to a new level for a Mercedes sedan.

Negatives

1. I think it looks quite good from some angle's but at some it is hard to consider it as a Mercedes
2. Transmission esp the 7G tronic has a lot of reliability issues, and is not as agile as the 8 Speed in the BMW.
3. A litte more expensive over the 5 with similar equipments.

Do post your decision soon both ways both are excellent cars,

Regards,

[blackfire_9]

Originally Posted by PY1963

Hi,

I am new to this forum.
Planning to buy either BMW 5 series or Merc E class but confused with options and need help of experts on this forum.

hey mate, I am no expert but with my cousin having recently acquired a new BMW 520d, I have had a little experience with both of the brands & more specifically the engine options that you have listed.

We had only considered the diesels for our case & hence the comparison was between the 520d & the similar 250 CDI (similar in terms of engine size & power). Ours is the previous generation 5 series & the 525d was not an option for us. From what I learnt, the 525d is actually a 520d with all the frills of the 530d.

The basic observations were as follows (point-wise & in no random order):

1. BMW was definitely sportier to drive, but that is not to say that the joy was limited to it because the Mercedes surely had a better ride quality.

2. Though I am not middle aged, the interiors of the Mercedes appealed more to us as it looked & felt mature. The BMW on the other hand was more young & aggressive.

3. The rear bench is way more superior in the Mercedes (the new E class) than the BMW (the previous generation 5 series).

4. The Mercedes looks sober & commands respect, while BMW apart from commanding respect (after all, it's a car that costs more than 3 million) is more about looking aggressive or sporty. The BMW felt crisp in its looks, including the latest generation when compared to the Mercedes.

5. BMW staff & service are better educated, both in terms of product knowledge as well as technical knowhow. I can say this based on reviews of some close people who happen to own these German beauties.

We chose the BMW because the car was to be driven primarily by my cousin only, & also because BMW seemed to be more customer focussed.

Drive safe.

[S350L-E240]

Blackfire_9,

No offence but some corrections to your post to ensure the buyer does not get confused.

The 525d is not the 520d in upgraded form rather it's the 530d in a down graded form and use the same engine block with a lower tune and the 525 has a few less features and none of them are important.

2. Don't you think the BMW has a lot mature interior? as I felt the Mercedes now has a very aggressive bold interior with all flat surfaces and angle'd interior setup?

5. Staff is very subjective as both brands will have some who are very good at their job's and some who just work there because they need to? Infact in Ahmedabad BMW has only one person who is good with knowledge about cars, but Mercedes here has 2-3 very matured sales guys and has one of the best sales managers in this country.

Just my points, like I said am not trying to judge your judgement only pointing some facts which I deem were correct.

Regards,

[Aroy]

BMW has harsher ride primarily due to run flat tyres. Mercedes scores here. Mercedes has more comfortable rear seats.

The BMW has maintenance plans tailored to take surprises out of maintenance bills. If Mercedes comes up with equivalent plans then it is a sure winner. Some spirited negotiations can get you extended warranty though.

Diesel or petrol is your preference. I personally think that E200 CGI is powerful enough for city driving, and 1.5L on the road difference can get you a lot of petrol.

So if you want both front seat as well as rear seat comfort, nothing beats a Mercedes.

[PY1963]

Thanks a lot for many quick quality & valuable responses.

Regarding BMW flat tyres, the sales man told me that car can run with flat tyres about 200 Kms. However I am not sure how successful these tyres are for Indian road conditions ? Can these flat tyres be repaired by any garage or car will have to be taken to BMW authorised service centre only ?

Shall appreciate if some one please also throw some light on maintenance cost of both cars ? I was told that BMW maintenance cost is much higher in comparison to Merc, but I am not sure.

Also, which brand will have more resale value after 4 years ?

Thanks a lot in advance & regards

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by PY1963

Regarding BMW flat tyres, the sales man told me that car can run with flat tyres about 200 Kms. However I am not sure how successful these tyres are for Indian road conditions ? Can these flat tyres be repaired by any garage or car will have to be taken to BMW authorised service centre only ?

THey are not. I went on a trip with an X5 in convoy. The X5 developed a puncture and the owner had to keep on putting air in as we were 300 km away. He did some sort of patch job to get him to Bangalore and then Madhus removed and plugged hole

[.anshuman]

520d- Good VFM with decent performance but you would like to consider the 525d just for the inline 6 cylinder motor.

525d- At a price slightly above 520d, the 525d is the best VFM car in 5-Series lineup sold here. It gets the same 6 Cyl Inline 6 and 8 speed ZF Transmission as the 530d. Even the equipment levels are told to be same(Not sure).

530d- Comes at a higher price than the above mentioned variants but this none of the variants above can match the FTD factor of this car. One of the best Diesel Engine mated to one of the best Transmission = 530d. But remember this car is not as sharp to drive as the previous version, the biggest disappointment is the Steering.

E 250 CDI- Sadly it gets a 4 Cylinder Diesel mated to an average 5-Speed gearbox. Best left to be driven in.

E 350 CDI- Has a 6 Cylinder Diesel mated to 7G tronic gearbox. Much better to drive compared to the 250 CDI. Has the trademark Merc Ride and Silent cabin.

Jaguar XF-S- If you find the Mercs and Bimmers too common you may like to consider the Jag. The 6 Cylinder engine produces best in class 600nm+ torque and it comes mated to a 6 speed ZF transmission. Performance is very good but the softly tuned suspension ensures it's not quite an handler compared to 5 and E. Space at rear is tight and sloping roofline is not good for six footer. Read the complete drive report about this car by me here (Jaguar XFS (Diesel) Test Drive *UPDATE* Another drive Report added on Pg.3).

If i had to decide i would pick either 525d or 530d depending on the budget.

[av8er]

E- Class all the way.

Apart from these two you should really consider the Jag. I see Mercs and Beemers all over the place soo much that if one crosses now I dont even bother to turn and give it a second look but I saw a JAG that day and DROOOOL.

[noopster]

525d. Not that I've driven a Bimmer of Merc in my life (yet) but there is something about the 5 that excites in a way the E doesn't.

Also, what .anshuman said ^^. LOL

[Cartman]

PY1963: MY choice would be the BMW 530d. Probably one of the best out there. Generous room for the head as well. The same is not the case with the Jaguar XF. The Mercedes E is better left to be driven around in.

Btw, Autocar carried a similar test in their recent issue. Grab a copy if you can. They picked the E.



Cheers!
Cartman.

[Akshay1234]

My choice would be the 525d out of the list. The F10 is supposed to be close to the Mercs on comfort and it will have enough power when you want to drive. If you can afford the 530d and think the extra power is worth it then do buy that, also with the 530d you get screens at the back as standard.

The E250 cdi would be my second choice. More comfortable than the 5 and a powerful enough engine (500nm of torque). Though it probably wont be as refined as the BMWs motor.

[PY1963]

I also just saw on net Volvo S80 D5. Any comparison of this with BMW/Merc please ?