Comparing Mercedes & BMW

[shipill]

Hi everyone ,
I am very disappointed with interior of bmw comparing with mercedes .
My best friend bought a new 2007, E350 couple of days ago , Interior of that car is amazing !!! they put everything in a right place , and when I am comparing the interior of that car with 3 and 5 series , I can see a huge differences and BMW doesnt have any thing to say! I would like to hear from you guys , if i am wrong correct me . just mention that , personaly i dont like mercedes and I love BMW !!!!

[SANK_CH]

If you like MS-DOS 3.0 & keyboards go with the E350
if you like Vista and the latest logitech mouse, take a 5 or 3 series...

[GregL]

Originally Posted by SANK_CH

If you like MS-DOS 3.0 & keyboards go with the E350
if you like Vista and the latest logitech mouse, take a 5 or 3 series...

Could you further elaborate on that?

[wushuhsu]

Shipill, I agree with you. I love how the BMW handles, but it just doesn't feel like I spent $40,000 on a car when I sit in it. My dad's Lexus doesn't drive as well, but the interior quality is so much better. Mercedes interiors are also far superior to BMW. I suspect it's because BMW is trying to cut costs, so they used cheaper interior material and parts, not that BMW can't build a high quality interior if they wanted to.

[sinnet112]

Originally Posted by SANK_CH

If you like MS-DOS 3.0 & keyboards go with the E350
if you like Vista and the latest logitech mouse, take a 5 or 3 series...

I think he's referring to the fact that the Mercedes center console is laden with buttons that are complicated and overly difficult to use. BMWs is intuitive and looks much sleeker with the absence of many useless buttons that have been integrated through other means. MB doesn't look like they got rid of their abysmal COMAND system, and the dash shows it...I personally favor the simplicity of BMWs.

[KL2DC]

If you're talking about interior build/design/materials, Audi trumps BMW and Mercedes. Mercedes interiors are hit and miss. The W211's interiors is pretty robust but the W164s or even the W203 is lacking. Comparing the W203 to the E90 and I must say the E90's feel better screwed together and the materials are richer. Jury's out if MB has addressed this with the new W204.

[FirstClass]

BMW is a sports car the happens to be luxurious.
Mercedes is a luxury car with big engines.

[SANK_CH]

Originally Posted by GregL

Could you further elaborate on that?

yes:
"new" interiors of BMW design can bee seen as wide waves, wide curves. it's clean (not too much buttons just what you need, and not more...).
I travell a lot with my 5 series and everytime I enter in it, I don't have the impression to enter in a car... It's more like entering in a lounge space that move... Entering in a Mercedes as a driver, however it's more luxus and classic, will allways remember that you are in a car, ok a mercedes, but in a car... that's the difference.

[STE92VE]

Originally Posted by wushuhsu

Shipill, I agree with you. I love how the BMW handles, but it just doesn't feel like I spent $40,000 on a car when I sit in it.

Do you stand up when you drive? Remember, BMW is the Ultimate Driving Machine, not the Ultimate Living Room Couch.

[SANK_CH]

By the way if i can add, you should go on BMW germany for those who understand german. Then check under models the press tests. In the E vs 5 (and some time A6) most of the time the BMW win... and this is the opinion of the german press. ))))

[GTGeo96]

this cant be a serious thread? have you seen the quality of the wood grain in BMW trim?? its not plastic pinted to look like wood like in the mercedes, its real wood, and lets not even get on the topic of the quality of the leather. The bmw design has gotten very simple, maybe thats what gives people who cant tell the difference between qulity and design that feeling. But as far as QUALITY, both build and materials, it does not compare...sorry but you are just plain wrong on this one. ask another bmw tech who gets to see how your interior is put together, and how it looks from the inside out. you may like the design of the mercedes beter (i actually do too) but the quality isnt even on the same level as bmw.

[JoeS]

Mercedes, Audi, Lexus and BMW are vehicles that are designed to engage you. The biggest difference is how they engage you.

Mercedes, Audi and Lexus engage you when the traffic light is RED.

The BMW engages you when the light turns GREEN.

Best Regards,
JoeS

[Russellnyc]

They're both driver's cars, they just have slightly different orientations. My feeling is, interior quality is probably the same, ergonomics probably differ by personal preference. After owning MB, BMW, and Audi, I'd say Audi interior quality is probably superior to both in terms of materials and fit and finish. Design is personal preference, so not really worth arguing about.

[BK]

The BMW interior grows on you. Most everything is placed in a nice position (except for the long reach window controls), it feels very solid, the materials feel fairly rich, and the look is clean.

IMO, it's an excellent interior and photos don't do it justice. When I was looking at cars, the BMW interior photos always looked "meh" compared to Lexus and Acura. But now that I own one, it has really grown on me.

I have to admit, as much as I like BMW, I like Audi and VW interiors better.

[Russellnyc]

I love the look and the layout of the BMW interior, but the materials do feel about 20% cheaper to me than they do on the comparable Audi. The aluminum trim feels about 100% cheaper -- I like the way it looks with red, but if I had to do it all over again, I'd probably get a different color leather and go with wood (even though I love red leather, I don't think any of the wood choices look very good with t)

[Iguy]

BMW = Performance
Mercedes = Luxury
Lexus = Durability

[GTx08]

I went from a 2003 C320WZ to an 07 335i. The difference is that BMW is more sporty, MB is more luxurious. I loved my interior in my benz, i love the performance of my BMW.

[CoralRedPlz]

I like the way it looks with red, but if I had to do it all over again, I'd probably get a different color leather and go with wood (even though I love red leather, I don't think any of the wood choices look very good with t)

u dont like the coral/gray poplar?

[ironic]

i think w/ the mercedes interior you get more buttons and it looks like you get more, but w/ the bmw interior it's more minimalistic and you only have as many buttons as you relaly need

also, the build quality on the bmw interior is much better i think, the mercedes interior feels like plastic despite the rubberized coating on their buttons.

my parents have an r500 and the interior, the quality and feel just isn't there

[carlson335]

Originally Posted by ironic

i think w/ the mercedes interior you get more buttons and it looks like you get more, but w/ the bmw interior it's more minimalistic and you only have as many buttons as you relaly need

also, the build quality on the bmw interior is much better i think, the mercedes interior feels like plastic despite the rubberized coating on their buttons.

my parents have an r500 and the interior, the quality and feel just isn't there

This gives me an idea. You know those tacky stick on bullet holes, well how about stick on faux buttons and controls.

Like all high end stuff, at this point in the game you're also buying fit and finish. I prefer the BMW approach; its why I bought one. I've never sat in a Mercedes or Audi come to think of it, didn't need to. After the test drive of my 335, I was hooked. My last car was a 2001 VW GTI which was pretty nice for a $20k car, but its no Bimmer.

By the way this is my first post - hello all.

[John 070]

There was a phrase my grandparents used to use when I was a kid, to refer to kids who could never see the bright side of what they've got, "spoiled brats." This thread brought that phrase to mind.

The BMW 3 Series is not the greatest car ever built, and it's not perfect. But to be able to buy one and just complain about how it isn't an Audi, it isn't a MB, that phrase comes to mind.

[0700700]

newet Mercs (post MY2005) have really upped their game... The interior is WAY above anything BMW currently has to offer, and the ride is getting better as well