Audi, BMW or Mercedes?

[anonymousmoose]

Time to consider the next car. Love driving my caprice yet it's time for a change. Holden has served me well since my first car in 2000 which was an 89 VN with nice body kit and mags. We will forget the EL Ford I had for a shirt while. Then my VX treated me well and my current caprice, whilst not the most refined car, has been real luxury.

for a change, I'm consudering;
Audi A6 quottro
BMW 3 series
BMW 5 series
Mercedes C class
Mercedes E class

All between 2005-2007 and 6 cylinders not 4.

Just want to throw this out there to see what you fellas all think :-)

If there are some mechanics or owners who can warn me off or recommend some of these makes that would also be super!


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[fuzzy2308]

BMW 5 series or merc c class look the nicest to me but the Audi A6 quottro seems nice too, there all very nice cars

[Big_Simmo]

Go to merc C Class They are a damn lovely car to drive (well in my opinion :P)
But honestly go take them for a spin, I find merc more comfy than the bmws and audis that I have driven but I do feel more detached from the overall driving experience when behind the wheel if you understand what i kinda mean.

the Audi had a better driving feel but wasnt anywhere near as comfortable as the merc in my opinion.

[anonymousmoose]

Go to merc C Class They are a damn lovely car to drive (well in my opinion :P)
But honestly go take them for a spin, I find merc more comfy than the bmws and audis that I have driven but I do feel more detached from the overall driving experience when behind the wheel if you understand what i kinda mean.

the Audi had a better driving feel but wasnt anywhere near as comfortable as the merc in my opinion.

I'm surprised, I thought the c class wouldn't be as confutable as an A6. I sat in a few c classes and they didn't even gave standard electric seats. The Es I sat in where more comfortable.

Also to clarify, these are all previous not latest models.


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[kniever]

go the 5 series, they look great and they are a nice car to drive

never been much of a fan for mercs tho and most audi's are front wheel drive so they get scratched off my list straight away

[S.T.K.E]

My Old Man Has a 325I Executive edition which is freaking nice.

[torch]

b4 making your final decision and unless money is no object, have a look at a dealer service invoice for one of these cars!

[blacknight]

For bmw, you can check out their forums at 'unitedbimmer.com' and see what other owners are saying about their 5 series, 3 series. I dont hv experience with Audi cars but imo I prefer the C350 AMG. Regretted selling my 2000 model 535i, would have been good to keep her

[Trayner]

Used to work for BMW as a mechanic , don't buy one lol

[2DIE]

Maybe a bit earlier that you like but I love nearly all of the Mercedes SEC range. No idea what class it is.

[SLE-883]

I currently own a C Class with sports pack and my car before that was an Audi A4. The C Class is nice to drive, very comfortable ride and great on long trips. The Audi was a lot more fun to drive (I had the Turbo Quattro model) and felt a lot more sporty than the Merc. This made the drive lless comfortable than the Merc.

IMO Mercs are more refined than the Audi however the Audi. Both these cars have a big boots but can be a little cramped for rear passangers. the Audi more so than the Merc. 2 adults will fit comfortably in the back but 3 is very squashy.

As for the 3 series. I'd stay away from them altogether. My grandfather has a 320 and it's gutless. The 325 has some nice power (about 160kw) but the boot space and rear leg room let the car down big time. It's also very uncomforable to get in and out of, especially from the back.

If you're coming from a Caprice then either the E class, A6 and 5 Series are good. All are as big inside as the Caprice and very luxurious. Have a look at what is standard in each and what's the better 'bang for buck'. If you're not planning on carrying 5 passangers, I'd strongly consider the Audi A5 Sportsback (5 door not the sports coupe). This is my pick of the bunch.

[rb26dett]

All beautiful cars, im sure you would be happy with any of them.

[Jesterarts]

BMW 5 Series so long as you have a deep pocket fro parts and servicing...

[MasterOfReality]

Whats the difference in servicing costs between a BMW/Merc/Audi dealer and an independant mechanic that specialises in Euros?

I have seen a few of these mechanics around here in Brissy and its really making me think about a second hand AMG.

[CSP]

2 adults will fit comfortably in the back but 3 is very squashy.

I actually don't think that's the case for any of the cars being discussed. Until you get to Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7-Series or Audi A8, rear passenger comfort leaves a lot to be desired. The Mercedes E-Series, BMW 5-Series and the Audi A6 are OK, but you wouldn't want to do Sydney to Melbourne in the back seat of any of them! Mercedes C-Class, BMW 3-Series and Audi A5 are really only comfortable for Adults in the front and children in the back.

[blacknight]

That is true. I'm only commenting on my experience as being a single male in the C350, no gfrens or kids to haul around. Just the occasional kitty carrier and the trip to the vet for the cats, other than that, it doesnt carry anyhting else. compared to my VX, i'd still be using the commodore for daily driving but will leave the vx at home when there are weddings to attend. That the mercs turn to be driven.

[anonymousmoose]

never been much of a fan for mercs tho and most audi's are front wheel drive so they get scratched off my list straight away

Yes, and that's why I wrote quottro (AWD). The front wheel drives also suffer from the CVT gearbox issues which the quottros dont. Going by my research, I would not go front wheel drive for Audi unless it was 10k under maker value because thats what a CVT replacement can cost.



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[anonymousmoose]

b4 making your final decision and unless money is no object, have a look at a dealer service invoice for one of these cars!

I'm aware of the crazy costs associated from dealers. I could afford it but in would be going to an independent anyhow.


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[anonymousmoose]

Used to work for BMW as a mechanic , don't buy one lol

Please elaborate.


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[anonymousmoose]

If you're not planning on carrying 5 passangers, I'd strongly consider the Audi A5 Sportsback (5 door not the sports coupe). This is my pick of the bunch.

Love the A5 but out of my price range. A6 are a fair amount less.




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[VTLS1]

well,i personally wouldnt buy any of them. i have worked in alot of european workshops,panel shops as well as spare parts places both new & used,the parts prices are friggin ridiculous. you will need a 2nd mortgage just too fix the thing if it breaks down on you. examples-a mercedes benz front crossmember bolt,secondhand $120-new $240. a bmw 3 series l/f guard secondhand $300-new $900. a bmw engine secondhand average price $3-4000 or more,can be upto $10000 or more if its an M3 engine-new,you wouldnt even want to know. prices will vary from place to place but they still will be around the same possibly more. if you seriously want one,what i would do is sit down & write a little list of parts you think may break,get damaged etc for one reason or another,from an engine,gearbox,headlight etc. then get prices on the replacement parts,from there figure out is it really worth it. all 3 are nice cars to drive for different reasons but i wouldnt touch one with a ten foot barge pool unless money was never an issue

[anonymousmoose]

but i wouldnt touch one with a ten foot barge pool unless money was never an issue

Thanks for the feedback. I guess that's the price to pay when you want something German. I've been after a German car all my life and I think I will get one. Prices are high yet I know a fair few people with europian cars that havent sent them bankrupt.



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[SLE-883]

They're not that expensive.

My 2000 vectra (worth about $4000) cost me over $2000 for a major service last year. The Merc's major service is aprox $1500 which occurs every 2-3years. The minor service is about $600.

Audi was about the same.
The services may be a little more expensive compared to a commodore but I feel that they're less frequent

[SLE-883]

If you're considering the A6, you'll find this interesting. Official pictures: New Audi A6
Cheaper run-out sale or get the first of the new lot.

[Matty.b]

worked at Mercedes as a mechanic for a while, my favorite car brand when i was in Germany nearly got a job there....awesome cars