Luxury German cars

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

MB does have a wide variety of models. But at least the naming conventions are getting consolidated, with all SUVs having "GL" followed by the class name of A, C, E, S, plus the G wagon

I think everyone hopped onto the "4-door coupe" bandwagon when Mercedes demonstrated that it was a style of vehicle people liked. BMW has their 6-series Gran Coupe, and Audi has the A7. This really speaks to another layer of choice that the luxury brands offer buyers, which is lacking from non-luxury brands, or even luxury brands like Lexus, Acura, and Infinity. The myriad of body types, engine choices, and etc. In MB's case, the AMG line adds yet another layer of frosting.

This shows what a mess it is:

http://www.eurobethesdamercedes.com/new-inventory/index.htm

Click the Model bit on the left side:
B
C
CLA
CLS
E
GLA
GLC
GLE
GLS
S
SL
SLC

FOUR different GL model variants? TWO CL variants? It's a mess just to figure out which is for you.

I don't think so. I think it makes perfect sense. The GLA, is the raised version of the CLA (cheapest), then the GLC which competes with the X3. The GLE is the SUV version of the flagship E class and the GLS is the sub version of the S class.

So waht's the CLS then? The S-version of the C-class?

No, the CLS is a "4-door coupe" variant of the S class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two guys in my office own BMWs and one or the other has his car in the shop at least every other month.

My Honda is not as luxurious but it has never been in the shop except for oil changes and other maintenance, and it is almost 14 years old. I like reliability.

+1. I’ve had many Honda’s and none of them have caught on fire.

Honda recalled 1.2 million cars for battery fires three months ago.
http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/342011-honda-recalls-12-million-cars-over-battery-fires

LOL!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...

Aw, maybe this will bring the BMW owners and Honda owners together. Just each bring a car and some chestnuts.

At least the Honda owners paid a lot less for their cars that catch on fire. If not quality, I'm not sure what you're paying for with a BMW.

You know, that same question can be answered by the Honda guys if they did a comparison against Kia, who also happens to be higher ranked in reliability than Honda (gasp, I know). Hey, at least the Kia owners paid a lot less for their cars than Honda, right? And if not quality, I am not sure what you're paying for with a Honda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two guys in my office own BMWs and one or the other has his car in the shop at least every other month.

My Honda is not as luxurious but it has never been in the shop except for oil changes and other maintenance, and it is almost 14 years old. I like reliability.

+1. I’ve had many Honda’s and none of them have caught on fire.

Honda recalled 1.2 million cars for battery fires three months ago.
http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/342011-honda-recalls-12-million-cars-over-battery-fires

LOL!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...

Aw, maybe this will bring the BMW owners and Honda owners together. Just each bring a car and some chestnuts.

At least the Honda owners paid a lot less for their cars that catch on fire. If not quality, I'm not sure what you're paying for with a BMW.

You know, that same question can be answered by the Honda guys if they did a comparison against Kia, who also happens to be higher ranked in reliability than Honda (gasp, I know). Hey, at least the Kia owners paid a lot less for their cars than Honda, right? And if not quality, I am not sure what you're paying for with a Honda.

Kias and Honda’s are much closer in price than Honda’s and BMWs. Duh.

[Anonymous]

We had the Audi Q5, then got the Q7. Just traded that in for the VW Atlas. Will never purchase a "luxury" car again. The rate of depreciation is shockingly high. We went with a super reasonably priced lease.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two guys in my office own BMWs and one or the other has his car in the shop at least every other month.

My Honda is not as luxurious but it has never been in the shop except for oil changes and other maintenance, and it is almost 14 years old. I like reliability.

+1. I’ve had many Honda’s and none of them have caught on fire.

Honda recalled 1.2 million cars for battery fires three months ago.
http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/342011-honda-recalls-12-million-cars-over-battery-fires

LOL!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...

Aw, maybe this will bring the BMW owners and Honda owners together. Just each bring a car and some chestnuts.

At least the Honda owners paid a lot less for their cars that catch on fire. If not quality, I'm not sure what you're paying for with a BMW.

You know, that same question can be answered by the Honda guys if they did a comparison against Kia, who also happens to be higher ranked in reliability than Honda (gasp, I know). Hey, at least the Kia owners paid a lot less for their cars than Honda, right? And if not quality, I am not sure what you're paying for with a Honda.

Kias and Honda’s are much closer in price than Honda’s and BMWs. Duh.

Not really. A 320i starts at 34,900. An Accord EX-L starts at 34,500. A Kia Cadenza starts at 31,900.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two guys in my office own BMWs and one or the other has his car in the shop at least every other month.

My Honda is not as luxurious but it has never been in the shop except for oil changes and other maintenance, and it is almost 14 years old. I like reliability.

+1. I’ve had many Honda’s and none of them have caught on fire.

Honda recalled 1.2 million cars for battery fires three months ago.
http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/342011-honda-recalls-12-million-cars-over-battery-fires

LOL!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...

Aw, maybe this will bring the BMW owners and Honda owners together. Just each bring a car and some chestnuts.

At least the Honda owners paid a lot less for their cars that catch on fire. If not quality, I'm not sure what you're paying for with a BMW.

You know, that same question can be answered by the Honda guys if they did a comparison against Kia, who also happens to be higher ranked in reliability than Honda (gasp, I know). Hey, at least the Kia owners paid a lot less for their cars than Honda, right? And if not quality, I am not sure what you're paying for with a Honda.

Kias and Honda’s are much closer in price than Honda’s and BMWs. Duh.

Not really. A 320i starts at 34,900. An Accord EX-L starts at 34,500. A Kia Cadenza starts at 31,900.

I really hope no one is paying mary for a Kia!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not really. A 320i starts at 34,900. An Accord EX-L starts at 34,500. A Kia Cadenza starts at 31,900.

Maybe so, but their not all equipped the same. The BMW 320i is the base model, etc...

Regardless, a PP pointed out - and I agree - that German luxury cars suffer massive depreciation during years 1-2, after which the depreciation curve becomes much less steep. Thus, the sweet spot is a car that's been turned in after a 2-year lease expiration. However, BMWs start having issues around 60k miles, so an extended warranty is a must. That said, if you're looking for 6-8 years of worry free driving, then you're still better off buying a Honda or Toyota. It all depends on what's important to you. Cars designed to be driven hard aren't usually designed for longevity. The days of German engineering designed to last for decades ended with the models that came out before the early-to-mid 1980s. There was a point in time that German taxi drivers would buy a Mercedes 300D as a cab because the diesel engine was good for 350k km (or more), the bodywork was thicker steel and they were relatively easy to repair. Not so much today with all of the complex systems and electronics. If you can find a German luxury car from that era with low miles, buy it now and keep it in a garage. It will likely appreciate in value.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not really. A 320i starts at 34,900. An Accord EX-L starts at 34,500. A Kia Cadenza starts at 31,900.

Maybe so, but their not all equipped the same. The BMW 320i is the base model, etc...

Regardless, a PP pointed out - and I agree - that German luxury cars suffer massive depreciation during years 1-2, after which the depreciation curve becomes much less steep. Thus, the sweet spot is a car that's been turned in after a 2-year lease expiration. However, BMWs start having issues around 60k miles, so an extended warranty is a must. That said, if you're looking for 6-8 years of worry free driving, then you're still better off buying a Honda or Toyota. It all depends on what's important to you. Cars designed to be driven hard aren't usually designed for longevity. The days of German engineering designed to last for decades ended with the models that came out before the early-to-mid 1980s. There was a point in time that German taxi drivers would buy a Mercedes 300D as a cab because the diesel engine was good for 350k km (or more), the bodywork was thicker steel and they were relatively easy to repair. Not so much today with all of the complex systems and electronics. If you can find a German luxury car from that era with low miles, buy it now and keep it in a garage. It will likely appreciate in value.

+1. You’re comparing apples to oranges as well. Accords start in the low 20s. You’re comparing the most loaded Honda with the bare bones BMW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not really. A 320i starts at 34,900. An Accord EX-L starts at 34,500. A Kia Cadenza starts at 31,900.

Maybe so, but their not all equipped the same. The BMW 320i is the base model, etc...

Regardless, a PP pointed out - and I agree - that German luxury cars suffer massive depreciation during years 1-2, after which the depreciation curve becomes much less steep. Thus, the sweet spot is a car that's been turned in after a 2-year lease expiration. However, BMWs start having issues around 60k miles, so an extended warranty is a must. That said, if you're looking for 6-8 years of worry free driving, then you're still better off buying a Honda or

Toyota. It all depends on what's important to you. Cars designed to be driven hard aren't usually designed for longevity. The days of German engineering designed to last for decades ended with the models that came out before the early-to-mid 1980s. There was a point in time that German taxi drivers would buy a Mercedes 300D as a cab because the diesel engine was good for 350k km (or more), the bodywork was thicker steel and they were relatively easy to repair. Not so much today with all of the complex systems and electronics. If you can find a German luxury car from that era with low miles, buy it now and keep it in a garage. It will likely appreciate in value.

+1. You’re comparing apples to oranges as well. Accords start in the low 20s. You’re comparing the most loaded Honda with the bare bones BMW.

Sure I am. Wouldn’t you consider a barebone BMW the equivalent to a luxury variant of the Honda or Kia? Seems that is where the similar trim levels are.

[Anonymous]

A Kia should never be more than $15K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not really. A 320i starts at 34,900. An Accord EX-L starts at 34,500. A Kia Cadenza starts at 31,900.

Maybe so, but their not all equipped the same. The BMW 320i is the base model, etc...

Regardless, a PP pointed out - and I agree - that German luxury cars suffer massive depreciation during years 1-2, after which the depreciation curve becomes much less steep. Thus, the sweet spot is a car that's been turned in after a 2-year lease expiration. However, BMWs start having issues around 60k miles, so an extended warranty is a must. That said, if you're looking for 6-8 years of worry free driving, then you're still better off buying a Honda or

Toyota. It all depends on what's important to you. Cars designed to be driven hard aren't usually designed for longevity. The days of German engineering designed to last for decades ended with the models that came out before the early-to-mid 1980s. There was a point in time that German taxi drivers would buy a Mercedes 300D as a cab because the diesel engine was good for 350k km (or more), the bodywork was thicker steel and they were relatively easy to repair. Not so much today with all of the complex systems and electronics. If you can find a German luxury car from that era with low miles, buy it now and keep it in a garage. It will likely appreciate in value.

+1. You’re comparing apples to oranges as well. Accords start in the low 20s. You’re comparing the most loaded Honda with the bare bones BMW.

Sure I am. Wouldn’t you consider a barebone BMW the equivalent to a luxury variant of the Honda or Kia? Seems that is where the similar trim levels are.

No, I wouldn't. A fully loaded Honda or Kia comes with technology packages, leather, safety features, etc... that would add another $20k to the BMW's price. That said, the BMW is designed for a sportier ride no matter what trim level you buy. If you want the BMW badge, sportier handling and don't care about other features, then by all means buy the BMW.

Value is subjective, while price is objective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not really. A 320i starts at 34,900. An Accord EX-L starts at 34,500. A Kia Cadenza starts at 31,900.

Maybe so, but their not all equipped the same. The BMW 320i is the base model, etc...

Regardless, a PP pointed out - and I agree - that German luxury cars suffer massive depreciation during years 1-2, after which the depreciation curve becomes much less steep. Thus, the sweet spot is a car that's been turned in after a 2-year lease expiration. However, BMWs start having issues around 60k miles, so an extended warranty is a must. That said, if you're looking for 6-8 years of worry free driving, then you're still better off buying a Honda or Toyota. It all depends on what's important to you. Cars designed to be driven hard aren't usually designed for longevity. The days of German engineering designed to last for decades ended with the models that came out before the early-to-mid 1980s. There was a point in time that German taxi drivers would buy a Mercedes 300D as a cab because the diesel engine was good for 350k km (or more), the bodywork was thicker steel and they were relatively easy to repair. Not so much today with all of the complex systems and electronics. If you can find a German luxury car from that era with low miles, buy it now and keep it in a garage. It will likely appreciate in value.

+1. You’re comparing apples to oranges as well. Accords start in the low 20s. You’re comparing the most loaded Honda with the bare bones BMW.

I got my accord for under 20K. They're not even in the same league price wise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not really. A 320i starts at 34,900. An Accord EX-L starts at 34,500. A Kia Cadenza starts at 31,900.

Maybe so, but their not all equipped the same. The BMW 320i is the base model, etc...

Regardless, a PP pointed out - and I agree - that German luxury cars suffer massive depreciation during years 1-2, after which the depreciation curve becomes much less steep. Thus, the sweet spot is a car that's been turned in after a 2-year lease expiration. However, BMWs start having issues around 60k miles, so an extended warranty is a must. That said, if you're looking for 6-8 years of worry free driving, then you're still better off buying a Honda or

Toyota. It all depends on what's important to you. Cars designed to be driven hard aren't usually designed for longevity. The days of German engineering designed to last for decades ended with the models that came out before the early-to-mid 1980s. There was a point in time that German taxi drivers would buy a Mercedes 300D as a cab because the diesel engine was good for 350k km (or more), the bodywork was thicker steel and they were relatively easy to repair. Not so much today with all of the complex systems and electronics. If you can find a German luxury car from that era with low miles, buy it now and keep it in a garage. It will likely appreciate in value.

+1. You’re comparing apples to oranges as well. Accords start in the low 20s. You’re comparing the most loaded Honda with the bare bones BMW.

Sure I am. Wouldn’t you consider a barebone BMW the equivalent to a luxury variant of the Honda or Kia? Seems that is where the similar trim levels are.

No, I wouldn't. A fully loaded Honda or Kia comes with technology packages, leather, safety features, etc... that would add another $20k to the BMW's price. That said, the BMW is designed for a sportier ride no matter what trim level you buy. If you want the BMW badge, sportier handling and don't care about other features, then by all means buy the BMW.

Value is subjective, while price is objective.

LOL, technology package? Honda's website is still bragging about alloy wheels. Go enjoy your technology.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

MB does have a wide variety of models. But at least the naming conventions are getting consolidated, with all SUVs having "GL" followed by the class name of A, C, E, S, plus the G wagon

I think everyone hopped onto the "4-door coupe" bandwagon when Mercedes demonstrated that it was a style of vehicle people liked. BMW has their 6-series Gran Coupe, and Audi has the A7. This really speaks to another layer of choice that the luxury brands offer buyers, which is lacking from non-luxury brands, or even luxury brands like Lexus, Acura, and Infinity. The myriad of body types, engine choices, and etc. In MB's case, the AMG line adds yet another layer of frosting.

This shows what a mess it is:

http://www.eurobethesdamercedes.com/new-inventory/index.htm

Click the Model bit on the left side:
B
C
CLA
CLS
E
GLA
GLC
GLE
GLS
S
SL
SLC

FOUR different GL model variants? TWO CL variants? It's a mess just to figure out which is for you.

I don't think so. I think it makes perfect sense. The GLA, is the raised version of the CLA (cheapest), then the GLC which competes with the X3. The GLE is the SUV version of the flagship E class and the GLS is the sub version of the S class.

So waht's the CLS then? The S-version of the C-class?

No, the CLS is a "4-door coupe" variant of the S class.

Actually that is incorrect . The CLS is based on the E class chassis, but slightly stretched. There is an S class coupe that is a 2 door coupe if you can believe it.

If you aren't into cars, than I can see how the different naming conventions could get confusing. But for those who like cars, they make sense 90% of the time. You pick cars based on size, budget, and body style and there is usually only a SUV or sedan that is available in that range. MB and Audi has really learned to slice up their models so there is something for almost everyone.