In the old days Benz's were built like tanks and were indesctructable. BMW has always notoriously been unreliable cars but I think they've actually improved. That being said, you should get what you want. I think everybody and their mother has a 3 series BMW and Mr. Bangle destroyed the looks of the 5 series. When I looked for a new car, I looked for reliability first, looks and performance second. The car I bought, I needed to be able to drive for around 130,000 miles relatively trouble free. The only choices on my list in my price range were the G35, the TL, and maybe the CTS. In the end the TL won out. Other people may want something else out of a car, so it's really up to them. Keep in mind, I honestly don't think you get a "real Benz" until you start forking over $40k+.
Thumbs down. For that price, get yourself a manly vehicle, such as the '04 F-150 Lariat SuperCrew 4x4 5.4L.
the new seven series look like ass, and the new five series looks like a pontiac. I'd get the 2004 Highest Ranked Mid Luxury Car in Initial Quality. The Lexus GS 300. Why? Because NO other vehicle at this price point (especially not a Chrysler) will retain as much of its value when it comes time to sell it. That and the fact that it's a great looking and smooth driving car--and that initial and long term quality thing is pretty nice as well.
Two thumbs and two big toes up! Now that an SUV is out of the question, I'm also considering this car.
how much are the G35 and TL? "nicely equipped" haha... i was really thinking about getting a 3 series... but since everyone and their grandma has one, then... i definitely don't have enough money yet for a real benz. anyway... i don't start my job until september anyway. it pays well... but i mean you know i may as well get a cheaper car and save money too. driving a pickup is an awesome idea, i wanted to do that when i was little, but it would be kind of weird to drive one around in boston.
You know, I'd probably go for a Lexus...Very luxurious and if you want a higher end car, get a pre-owned with very low miles... That being said, the sedans do make you look and feel older... If you want something luxurious and sporty, I'd go for the Infiniti I30...
They are comparable in price for the sedans. Everything other than the navigation unit is standard on the TL. Each has 1 or 2 things the other doesn't. It's a personal choice... I came down to choosing between the two and went with the TL because I liked the interior and techno-geek stuff built into it. You'll spend anywhere from about $32-$35k or so + TT&L for either one. The G35 coupe may run a bit higher. You get more bang for the buck over most 3-series BMW's with either of these sedans.
if you're looking for a sedan, consider the motor trend car of the year (and imho the car of the decade), the toyota prius.
I say thumbs down. First, I wouldn't buy a Chrystler product(Alright, if someone gave me a Crossfire, I would consider), because of their reliability. I also wonder how well this car handles...just looks like a clunker. I wouldn't recommend a lower-end Mercedes, because, like you said, they are often pretty stripped down, but the Inifinti G35, Acura TL, and Lexus GS are all good options. I personally prefer the G35 and TL over the GS(The Lexus drive is just too bland), but the Lexus dealerships can really hook you up with the bells and whistles if that's what you're interested in.
Crazy - exactly what I was going to say. I looked at beamer's. mercedes as well. I ended up with the IS300 because at the end of the day, I can drive that car to 150,000+ miles if need be without a single problem. The only problems I've had in the 28 months I've owned it have been completely my fault (who put that pole in the parking garage?)
I think they are redesigning the 05 model. Some people like to wait a year after redesign to get the kinks out, but as has been mentioned, Lexus generally has fewer kinks. I can say that when I see a new TL or a G35 coupe I say damn it'd be cool to have that, but I'd do that with any car I own (considering I'm not a millionaire)...buy it and then a few months/years later say darn, I should have gottens omething real cheap for the time being and waited for [fill in the blank].
OK...so I had to see for myself, so I went and test drove a 300C this afternoon. I've owned 2 cars in my life. A Pontiac Bonneville SSEi, and a Mustang GT. The Pontiac drove like a sedan (a fast sedan). Had power with the turbo charged engine, but not much agility with the handling. The Mustang GT packs a punch, zips around, and handles very well. Its a sports car...handles like a sports car, turns like a sports car...and carries groceries like a sports car (not that well). Anyways, the 300C I drove had the HEMI and the all wheel drive. This thing was a monster...it would have blown my Mustang away off the line, and it handled *almost* as well as the Mustang. This is from a car that probably weighs twice as much. I loved the way it drove...didn't drive like a sedan at all. So I get back to the dealership and the guy informs me that they are selling like hotcakes and says he can't go a dollar under MSRP. I told him I'm not interested in a dealership that doesn't deal and walked away. I'm not worried anyways, i get the fleet price through my company 1% under invoice or something like that...but I decided to wait until more car companies release their 2005s to see if anything else catches my eye. I can wait. Might still go for a Tahoe. My Mom just got one and I really like hers, I just don't want to have to fill that thing up all the time.
Supermac34, You can get a hell of a deal on Tahoes/Yukons right now. The wife and I bought an Armada, but turned it back in a few days ago and got a Yukon. Fully loaded Moon roof Tow package V8 5.3 Leather/Heated seats 3rd row Rear entertainment system (DVD) On-Star XM Radio Basically everything but the Navigation system. We got it for $32,000 (was cheaper than the Armada, which had only the basics, like cloth seats). You can get a basic Tahoe/Yukon for mid $20s.
Beck & Masten is where we got ours. They have a big ad in the Chronicle every week advertising the special ($11,000 off MSRP or something like that). I think most of the dealers are offering the same type of deal though.
