Depends on what you want, bro. And is now the time for me to bring up that there's nothing quite like driving a fire-breathing American V-8, either???
I think you have to compare by Class. I just got a brand new 325xi and I test drove the Mercedes C-class. The 325 was far better. I like BMW overall and like all their models of cars.
Comsumer Reports has trashed the Mercedes line for the past three years. Apparently, they've developed some serious quality control issues.
BMWs are better for people who really want a car that drives well. If you're just looking for a status car, and don't care about having to do a decent amount of maintenance work on it as long as you have lots of buttons to push, a Mercedes is fine. My best friend's fiances parents got a new Mercedes and it was laid up in a garage after only a few months with problems, meanwhile my dad bought one new in 1990 and I don't think it had any problems until about 5 years ago. It helps having drivers who know a lot about how the car works as well, but still. I drive an 89 325ix. Considering how much I drive it, and how hard I drive it, it has held up really well.
Depends if you want to appear as a successful grocery store owner or a young yuppie @sshole... Well, finally it's a little bit like Renault v Peugeot...The first prefers cosy and confortable cars and the other stresses the driving experience... Kidding aside, both brands make highly desirable coupés.
If you want a really comfortable car that drives well... BMW by miles. Personally I'm with Audi though. But I don't own a car. Don't need one here.
i would say BMW, though i might be bias, since my father works for BMW, and we have 3 in my family. I myself drive an 89 325i. Even built in 1989, the motor runs pretty good, and its still the most fun to drive. I think the quality put into BMW's is much higher also. They have almost an exact 50/50 weight distribution in most new models, going so far as to putting the battery in the back of the car. Long story short, BMW for me
Mercedes makes excellent drivers cars too, but they aren't their most profitable, hence the focus on innovation and luxury, and with the exception of a few years of influence by Chrysler, their focus on quality. BMW does what it does really well...but that is only for a limited number of people. If I want a drivers car, I'll get myself a Cayman or an Elise. I feel no need to get a compromise between sport and luxury/comfort.
i bought a 2003 Honda Accord coupe new. it has 55K miles and is cosmetically in decent condition. it is worth about 50% of what i paid for it. a 2003 Mercedes Benz C230 is worth approx what my Honda Accord is. and the Honda gets 26 mpg; the MBZ gets 22.
The Benz is still worth more, has a better interior, rear wheel drive, and is safer. What was the point of your post?
it isn't worth more as a percentage of the cost. the interior of the Honda isn't cheesy. rear wheel drive is a preference. it's smaller, but i guess it's safer if you say so.
Safer as in More air bags and more money spent on crash testing. And I don't even think the depreciation between the two cars was that far off. With all luxury cars there is a drop as soon as you drive it off the but after that the value remains consistent. Rear wheel drive is not only a preference its also superior. Front wheel drive is something you settle for because its easier and cheaper to manufacture cars that way. I used to own an Accord and I don't even like Mercedes so I am not biased at all. But you cant really compare the Mercedes to the Accord. The Accord is a Econobox meant to get you from point a to point b, and the C is an Entry level luxury performance sedan. There is a world of difference between them and if you don't understand that then you're better off buying the Accord.