MERCEDES / TOYOTA

[mieleforever]

Hi all, I need some guidance.

I am a big Merc fan, and yesterday I saw a Mercedes C320cdi, It is a 2007 model with 90 000 kilometers on the clock. I have a Toyota Coralla 1,8 executive with all of the mod cons, but with only 50 000 kilometers on the clock.

I really like the Mercedes, and it is in a very good condition, however it has more kilometers on the clock as my Toyota, which is a 2008 model.

So now what do I do? Do I buy the car of my dreams, with more k's on the clock or stick with my very dependable Toyota.

Your opinions is truly appreciated.

regards,

 

[toploader55]

Sevice and Repairs

One would assume would be More Expensive on the Benz than the Yota.

My Dad has a Benz and a BMW. His last repair on the BMW I think attributed to the installation of a Pacemaker. Even Oil Changes with Synthetic Oils can Break the Bank. Good luck with your decision.

 

[iheartmaytag]

You will love the Merc, until you pay $200 for a windshield wiper blade. $1,000 for a tune-up, and Insurance and taxes; lets just hope you are a rich man.

 

[mieleforever]

If i were a rich man

then I would not even bother, but it is like between a regular Samsung f/l relative new to a second hand Miele f/l/. You catch my drift toploader, and you knew how you felt when that "Daimler Benz", Miele rolled in your house.

So yeah I am at a loss and will have to decide pretty soon.

thanks for all of your views.

regards

 

[firedome]

Having owned German cars

both Benz (a Merc over here is a Mercury!) amd BMW, we have gone back to the Japanese cars. IMO the quality is actually higher on the J makes, a fact confirmed by JD Power and Consumer Reports. The big advantage of the G makes is mainly status, so if that's important, Toyota can't compete, but Lexus can! Nothing wrong with Toyota, they make excellent cars.

 

[ironrite]

After some some research on the particular car you are looking at, I would go for the Merc. See if you can have it looked over by a local, reliable mechanic. I have a 1997 C280, with 247838 kilometers on it, 154K miles. A couple of years ago, took her across country and back without any problems. And I would make that same trip again.

The repairs I've had done to the car were no more expensive than for any other car I have owned. Do I pay a bit more for an oil change, yes. I think my last oil change was $54.00 compared to say $19.99 at a quick lube place. But I paid more for oil changes on my other cars since I would only have the dealer service them. Though I don't use the dealer for this one, I do use good private garages that specialize in Mercedes.

If the car checks out ok and it works for your budget, I'd say go for it! And if you do get, be sure to post of pics of it.

Here's a link to Benzworld.org, a good source for info on the cars.

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www.benzworld.org

 

[petek]

Hmmm and my experience was the total opposite. I bought a then new 1999 MB C230k and had nothing but problems with it. The 4 cyl supercharged engine. It was great at first until things started to go wrong right after warranty expired. The a/c fan broke but fortunately they repaired it as if still under warranty. The cruise control stalk fell off, driving down the hiway one day the front left turn signal popped out and went flying into the median, the front bumper is attached by cheap plastic clips, that kept coming off. Then the windshield wiper motor failed, $1400.00 for a replacement.. yes $1400. Then the a/c failed again, $1800. Then it seemed to be going thru oil every month, spent about $1200 on that,, didn't help.. One day I was sitting at a light and all of a sudden the whole cabin filled with black acrid smoke and I had to jump out.. When the smoke cleared the car started up again and I drove it to the MB Dealer.. the battery (in the trunk) had caught on fire and melted all the interior plastic trunk lining. Then the oil light kept coming on and I was again adding oil...quoted rebuilding the engine for $8000. So it's been sitting in my driveway now for about 4 years unused. There were other problems as well I just can't remember LOL Never again.

 

[ironrite]

I was almost going to add to my post...wait for Petek to respond! I have heard nothing good about those compressor models. Mainly from the mechanics, the owners generally seem to like them. I got to drive a 2003 C230 coupe. It was a fun car, but pretty much felt like my straight 6.

I am looking at something newer down the road. I'd keep mine, but want one with a few more options. Did look at a 2006 CLS 550. Wonderful car and I have never heard an engine come to life like on that car.

 

[rp2813]

I have a 2002 C240 with about 95K miles on it.  When I brought it to my (authorized) mechanic for scheduled service recently, I asked about reliability of the newer models, since my partner and I were intrigued by the GLK 350.  He has colleagues who are mechanics for MBZ dealers and is in regular contact with them.  He told me that after having some reliability issues for a few years, generally any MBZ manufactured since 2006 is a good choice, as his mechanic buddies have advised him that these days, all they are doing to cars that come in for service is mostly software updates as opposed to mechanical repairs.

 

I think you'll be fine with a 2007, and I have to say that my car (knocking wood here) has had far fewer issues as it approaches 100K miles than it did during the first 50K miles while it was under full factory warranty.

 

I recently test drove a new Toyota Venza.  For a large car, I was not expecting the amount of noise from the road and engine.  I think I've been spoiled by my C240, which with all the miles on it rides and drives smoother than that brand new Venza did.

 

 

[arbilab]

MBZ with all their blowing and going about "German engineering" are not particularly reliable and they are VERY expensive to fix when they go wrong. If you value status more than practical transportation, buy the MBZ.

Speaking of "German engineering" I owned 8 Volkswagens from 1959 to 1982 models and they got WORSE as they went along. You'd never get me into another German car even if it was free.

 

[philr]

A friend of mine bought a Smart in 2006 with a Mercedes Turbo Diesel engine. He has done a bit over 100,000 miles with it and he only had expensive problems with it since the warranty expired (and even before!)... He still likes German cars and he also has a '09 BMW M3 which is a fantastic car to drive but also expensive to own...  Last week, the engine on the Smart started to knock, oil pressure light came on and his MB dealer (who is also the BMW dealer where he bought the M3) told him they had to replace the engine, needless to say it costs more than what the car is worth to have it replaced.

 

Now, he's looking to replace it with a Corolla...

 

I know somebody else who just traded his low mileage 2005 E 320 for another new E 550 at his dealership and he got about the same as the current market value for a '05 Corolla! 

 

[washernoob]

I love me some nice german cars!

I love old Volkswagens especially. I drive a 1967 beetle every day, and my dad has a 1966 beetle thats a work in progress.

We are currently looking into buying a 1985 Mercedes 500SEL sedan. Its my moms dream car. She likes the classy "presidential" look of them.

I tend to favor the older mercedes made before the 90s, but I think they all look great. I know they had a bumpy road in the early 2000s, but my uncle drove a 2008 SL and loved it to death. Says it was the best car he has ever owned.

 

[launderess]

Audi, IIRC Now Beats MB and BMW

For both resale value and quality ratings amoung Amercian consumers.

Mercedes-Benz and to an extent BWM have gone too far "low" on the scale to reach mass market status and the product often shows. Too many new models are released with so many problems in the first year early purchasers often have the things more in the shop than on the road.

Now Mercedes "AMG" and "S" class are something one would consider.

Really is a shame so many models from all European lines aren't sent to the USA. IIRC MB,BMW and the like feel that sales would be too low and or not worth the compromise to meet various emission standards (including CA's), and of course having to fit automatic transmissions. Don't think I've seen a MB or BMW on the other side of the pond that doesn't have manual, well outside of what car hire places keep in stock for Amercians.

 

[macboy91si]

German Vs. Japanese

I think German cars drive wonderfully. MB and BMW especially, but they are not fiscally practical cars by the least. I spent many nights with my friend as be babied his 91 325i along with 2 failed head gaskets. The car was wonderful when it ran though.

I enjoy Toyota's myself. I came to that loving after owning American cars from the 80's that just didn't work. My 1st Toyota was a beat to death 88 Corolla with 199,999 on the clock and used a quart or oil and trans-fluid a week. I put $300 into it and it was easily the best car I had owned to that day. 9 months of delivering pizza, and another 6 months or so of my mother driving it. I was sold. I also like Honda's and find that they are a little more spirited to drive, but I do not enjoy working on them. I've now had 5 Toyota's and recently bought a used, low-mileage Yaris and wouldn't look back.

Lots of people like different things. When you're laying under your car on the side of the interstate it really makes you think. I also find that most people that have interest in German cars or drive them (not including the air-cooled Beatle) can't swing a wrench. If you're fine paying the crazy mark-ups or you got lucky and find a local shop that's reasonable then more power to you. If you're short on cash and not very mechanically inclined, find something Japanese.

Seriously, I've owned a lot of cars...

-Tim

 

[rp2813]

Audi

We had a 2005 Allroad for a relatively short time.  I wasn't thrilled that Dave wanted to buy it, as the long since paid off '97 Passat GLX wagon that would be traded in was doing fine with 140K on it.  The Allroad had 45K on it.  It drove nicely, but there were things I didn't like about it, and even more that I didn't trust.  Then a couple of years ago I started seeing the Audi Allroad topping the list of worst used car buys. 

 

The dealership did nothing to ease my mind.  Things that were obviously wrong were described as "normal" for the Quattro system.  Well, if clunks and jitters were "normal," I wanted no part of that car.  When Dave started whining about wanting a new car (even though after his stroke he couldn't drive -- he's no longer logical, and it was a low threshold to begin with) I was all over the idea of dumping the Allroad.  It was a total gas pig as well.  17 MPG was about the best it could average.

 

To its credit, it hauled a dishwasher and four passengers with room to spare, but that was hardly enough reason to risk holding on to it.

 

Another member here had a 2001 Audi A6 sedan.  The biggest money pit he has ever owned.  As much as he wished somebody would steal it off the street, nobody was interested.

 

 

[powerfin64]

been a toyota owner..

I say, stay with the corolla. 5 out of the 6 cars I ever owned, have been toyota. I had 1 88 Ford Ranger XLT 4x4 and had nothing but problems in the 10 months I owned it, and it was NEW!! I now own a 2011 Nissan Cube(first one for me). Absoulutley love it! Toyotas are great on gas(my very first car was a 76 Corolla SR5)well used when I got it. and the way gas prices are heading, its a no brainer.
Stay with what works, if it is not broken, don't fix it with a luxury car.

 

[firedome]

Audi surely has the style and interiors

but out son's in-laws have had terrible luck with their '01 A6, and he is fanatical, as a Porsche owner also. My sister also had awful experience with her '07 A6, she finally got exasperated and went with a new Infiniti M35 last month. We had terrible luck with our S-class and 5-series... never never again. Try $700 for a cracked tail-light fer gawdssakes and how about 2 head gaskets in one year! WE LOVE our Nissan SUV, it's bulletproof, hauls appliances, and still gets 27 mpg on the trips to the cottage in VT!

 

[whirlcool]

I have never known anyone who has had a reliable Audi. For the past 20 years or so I have had friends who have owned them. Not a one had been reliable.
One friend had an A8 for himself, an A6 for his wife and a A4 for his twenty-something college student son. I warned him that they are not reliable cars, but his family fell in love with the looks of the cars. I will admit, they are good looking.
He thought by buying the extended warranty he'd be covered. Ha! Things kept breaking that according to the dealer were not covered by the warranty. The worst problem was with those individual cylinder coils, every 500 miles or so one would break or short out. This just went on and on with all three cars. After three years, he dumped all of them. He calculated that he could have paid for a new Mercedes E Class just from the previous three years repair bills.
And the maintenance on the Audi is extremely expensive to deal with too.

 

[whirlcool]

Expensive Cars Are Expensive Period...

I got my first surprise when I had a brake job done on my BMW X5. $1500 for a brake job! It seems that the rotors and pads on the front wheels are "matched sets", so that accounts for the high price.
When you look at a dealers used car lot, you'll see plenty of two year old luxury cars on it usually. Quite a few of them will be on the edge of needing a major maintenance which could run a few $K. So buyer beware.
If a car is pricey up front, it'll be pricey when repairs are needed.