BMW vs. Mercedes

. . . We Should Find Out Any Day Now



With the champion of the past 11 years, Toyota's Lexus, hobbled by the fallout from Japan's March 11 earthquake-tsunami-nuclear meltdown disaster, the two Teutonic giants are going at it head-on to snatch the crown, a highly visible symbol of automotive supremacy.

The 2011 race is closing in a genuine side-by-side, wheel-to-wheel sprint to the finish.

I never considered and never will consider Lexus a "luxury" brand. They are cheap and I feel like I am riding in a soda can. Any little accident means certain death.

To mean luxury involves an over-the-top design of features, implied necessities and solid construction. Lexus is just a feature rich Toyota.

__________________
1991 560 SEL / 185k miles
1992 750il / 17k miles - project car

There's luxury outside of/aside from the car. I'm treated better at a Lexus dealership than at a BMW or MB dealership even though I've never bought a car at any of those dealerships. I don't even fell welcome at the MB parts counter.

Sixto
87 300D

Lexus is luxury for people who hate driving.

__________________
1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

Touche! There's driving and there's commuting. I'll take a Lexus for the drudgery of getting to and from work, to and from the grocery, etc. I don't need to feel every bump in the road and I don't want to hear the thumping bass of the hip-hopper in the next lane. If I can afford luxury, I can afford a second proper car for when I want to drive rather than commute.

Sixto
87 300D

Apparently you never drove an LS400 like my late father used to have - his was a '96 and my '87 300SDL, though a fine car in itself, felt and looked like a donkey standing next to a thoroughbred in every aspect except maybe for engine itself which to me is still a masterpiece in my SDL. Honestly, not even a comparison of fine quality features and over the top design in that car.

Their attention to detail may have deteriorated with time and maybe the later models are not as fine but I have always been impressed with dad's Lexus right down to the day we had to sell it.

__________________
1987 Mercedes 300SDL; SOLD
1985 Mercedes 300D; SOLD
2006 Honda Pilot - wife's ride; 122K;
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser - 3X locked; 182K

Hyperbole I think. Lexus vehicles have a very good record in crash testing and real world accidents. Sales records 11 years on a row, at their price points, wasn't luck.

The SC300/SC400 is actually a pretty good car as well. Would not mind owning one but other that those two and the IS-F and LFA I dont care for a Lexus at all.

__________________
2015 ML350 4Matic. Wifes DD
2015 GLK350 4Matic. My winter DD
2012 E350 4Matic. Road Trip car
2009 CLK350 Coupe Designo.Kleemann Tune For nice days/DD
2006 CL600. V12.Eurocharged Tune. Enough said
2005 CLK55 AMG Coupe.Kleemann Tune. For the sound and style
2004 CLK320 Cabriolet. 2005+ Interior swap. For the sunny Florida days & beach days

I'll take a train for that purpose, and skip the sensory deprivation box on wheels!

Unfortunately in suburban California the train doesn't run between where I live and where I work... yet. I hear light rail might bridge the gap in five years or so. The bus takes over an hour plus a mile-and-a-half hike to go 7 miles. And I need my car to visit clients.

And a Lexus is definitely more luxurious than a commuter train

Sixto
87 300D

My first thought is that the industry publications that I have have luxury brands AND premium brands. BMW and MB are considered premium and Cadillac and Lincoln are luxury brands.

Can't complain there!

The driving experience of the Mercedes is vastly superior than the Lexus! Although I will say that the SC400 makes for a perfect unassuming daily commute.

Plus, it's reliable, which is what you want from a daily driver...something that doesn't call itself to attention.

__________________
2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

The comments people who don't ride motorcycles make about the relative safety of different cars amuse me.

__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

I do. I also extreme mountain bike. We are talking about cars here, not any activity involving a road.

__________________
1991 560 SEL / 185k miles
1992 750il / 17k miles - project car

Its a real shame because alot of these Lexus SC couples are either beat too bad to where its not worth buying and fixing or the owners bastard it with midifications. For example many years back when my father bought one for his neice for her sweet 16 she sold it after College when she got married. Now she wants one again but is having an awful time trying to find one in half way decent shape. Unless its a CA car or somewhere in the southwest they seem to be hard to come by. Definalty not alot around where I am in NY thats for sure.

__________________
2015 ML350 4Matic. Wifes DD
2015 GLK350 4Matic. My winter DD
2012 E350 4Matic. Road Trip car
2009 CLK350 Coupe Designo.Kleemann Tune For nice days/DD
2006 CL600. V12.Eurocharged Tune. Enough said
2005 CLK55 AMG Coupe.Kleemann Tune. For the sound and style
2004 CLK320 Cabriolet. 2005+ Interior swap. For the sunny Florida days & beach days