530i M sport v Mercedes E280 Avantgarde
Discussion
I had a 535d sport touring, this was from 6 months old until 45k miles.
It was an 05 model so pre 2007 LCI.
It was a very nice car.
I needed more room so after years of BMWs I bought an E320cdi Avantgarde estate, this was 3 years old and had done 60k miles already.
Being a 56 plate it was a facelift model btw.
I very nearly called the dealer the day before collecting the Merc to say I just wasn't ready for one yet, still only being mid thirties!!
However, I needed the space and so went ahead.
I always keep my cars for 12 months or 40k miles, whichever comes up first.
But I fell for the Merc bigtime, hand on heart it has bee the best all round car I have ever owned.
The BMW seems a bit hollow build wise in comparison, is no where near as refined or comfy, and just doesn't feel as special.
It is however a little more focused to drive. But we are talking about family saloons and estates here, not track weapons.
I didn't get the attitude on the Merc forums when I got it, they seemed very dismissive of BMWs in general, not knocking them like the Audi boys do, just a bit nonplussed about how BMW owners think their car is so much better. They couldn't really care.
At 12 months I couldn't find anything that I wanted more, at 100k miles and 20 months I am the same.
In fact the only reason I have just sold it was because I am not replacing it.
My daughter is off to Uni and I am going to sell the Merc and the X1 and buy something cheap and cheerful for the next 3 years.
I thought the 535d sport touring couldn't be bettered, however the E320cdi beat it hands down for me.
Not saying you will feel the same, but it is worth trying both.
The main thing was I was always looking for the next step with the BMW, bought an M3 as a second car, then looked at an M5 touring to do both jobs, and then an Alpina B5s touring etc. etc.
With the Merc I was just happy with it, wasn't looking at anything else, and that was very refreshing for me.
PS. If I could have found an E350 petrol I would have jumped on it BTW.
It was an 05 model so pre 2007 LCI.
It was a very nice car.
I needed more room so after years of BMWs I bought an E320cdi Avantgarde estate, this was 3 years old and had done 60k miles already.
Being a 56 plate it was a facelift model btw.
I very nearly called the dealer the day before collecting the Merc to say I just wasn't ready for one yet, still only being mid thirties!!
However, I needed the space and so went ahead.
I always keep my cars for 12 months or 40k miles, whichever comes up first.
But I fell for the Merc bigtime, hand on heart it has bee the best all round car I have ever owned.
The BMW seems a bit hollow build wise in comparison, is no where near as refined or comfy, and just doesn't feel as special.
It is however a little more focused to drive. But we are talking about family saloons and estates here, not track weapons.
I didn't get the attitude on the Merc forums when I got it, they seemed very dismissive of BMWs in general, not knocking them like the Audi boys do, just a bit nonplussed about how BMW owners think their car is so much better. They couldn't really care.
At 12 months I couldn't find anything that I wanted more, at 100k miles and 20 months I am the same.
In fact the only reason I have just sold it was because I am not replacing it.
My daughter is off to Uni and I am going to sell the Merc and the X1 and buy something cheap and cheerful for the next 3 years.
I thought the 535d sport touring couldn't be bettered, however the E320cdi beat it hands down for me.
Not saying you will feel the same, but it is worth trying both.
The main thing was I was always looking for the next step with the BMW, bought an M3 as a second car, then looked at an M5 touring to do both jobs, and then an Alpina B5s touring etc. etc.
With the Merc I was just happy with it, wasn't looking at anything else, and that was very refreshing for me.
PS. If I could have found an E350 petrol I would have jumped on it BTW.
Interesting comments gizlaroc. I've been looking for the right 535d touring for a good few months now but I'd just not seriously condidered the Merc due to it being a bit "old man", the performance not being as good as the 535d on paper and the 'official' economy figures not being as strong... I haven't even bothered driving one, but having read your comparison I think I will.
How did you find the performance of the E320 after the 535d?
BMW manage to get ridiculous official MPG, but how did you compare the them?
Also, I've had a nagging doubt that the BMW's boot just isn't that big. I have 3 children under 7 so it needs to be a good size - the merc would give me a bit more freedom.
How did you find the performance of the E320 after the 535d?
BMW manage to get ridiculous official MPG, but how did you compare the them?
Also, I've had a nagging doubt that the BMW's boot just isn't that big. I have 3 children under 7 so it needs to be a good size - the merc would give me a bit more freedom.
Edited by CrazyHorse on Saturday 24th March 21:21
We had the E320 Estate as a family car.
The boot is huge plus it has a 7seat option. It can shift when you put your foot down but won't be as sporty as a BMW. Mechanically sound, lovely auto box and interior but suffers electrical issues.
Ours was packed with electrical gizmos which were expensive to fix. A grand for an active headlight,etc
The boot is huge plus it has a 7seat option. It can shift when you put your foot down but won't be as sporty as a BMW. Mechanically sound, lovely auto box and interior but suffers electrical issues.
Ours was packed with electrical gizmos which were expensive to fix. A grand for an active headlight,etc
CrazyHorse said:
Interesting comments gizlaroc. I've been looking for the right 535d touring for a good few months now but I'd just not seriously condidered the Merc due to it being a bit "old man", the performance not being as good as the 535d on paper and the 'official' economy figures not being as strong... I haven't even bothered driving one, but having read your comparison I think I will.
How did you find the performance of the E320 after the 535d?
BMW manage to get ridiculous official MPG, but how did you compare the them?
Also, I've had a nagging doubt that the BMW's boot just isn't that big. I have 3 children under 7 so it needs to be a good size - the merc would give me a bit more freedom.
Mine has the Brabus D6 III box fitted so it's 272bhp. It is slightly quicker than my 535d was stock, but then I had my 535d mapped by DMS and it was then quicker by around .5 seconds. How did you find the performance of the E320 after the 535d?
BMW manage to get ridiculous official MPG, but how did you compare the them?
Also, I've had a nagging doubt that the BMW's boot just isn't that big. I have 3 children under 7 so it needs to be a good size - the merc would give me a bit more freedom.
Edited by CrazyHorse on Saturday 24th March 21:21
My 535d was before the lci 57 plate model, so MPG was terrible. It was the one thing that really let it down. Often saw 22mpg over half a tank and less than 25mpg from a full tank.
I did 9000 miles in the first 12 weeks, that was from Norfolk to Paris, back home then to Geneva, back home, then Euro Disney, back home and then down to St. Tropez, even on the autoroute, which is billiard table flat sat at 85mph it was still only 32mpg.
Best I ever got was Norwich to Heathrow in the middle of the night sat at 70mph and no traffic, managed 36mpg from that run, but get to 80mph and it drops by about 15%, get to 85mph and you loose another 10%.
However the later lci model with the beter zf gearbox gives me around 32average and 40 on a run, 42 if I am really steady. Massive difference.
My e320cdi is averaging 36mpg, and can see 48 on a steady run sat at 60mph.
I would avoid the pre facelift E Classes, before the late 2006 builds they were a bit iffy electrics wise, after that it is basically a new car and pretty much bullet proof.
gizlaroc said:
My e320cdi is averaging 36mpg, and can see 48 on a steady run sat at 60mph.
I would avoid the pre facelift E Classes, before the late 2006 builds they were a bit iffy electrics wise, after that it is basically a new car and pretty much bullet proof.
Wife has a 55reg e320cdi 90k miles, her 3rd e class.Averaged 33mpg over the last 50k miles.Always get 45mpg on motorway 80-100mph.I set cruise at 65mpg on an hour run to sister in laws down m25 yesterday,I got 60.2 mpg.Did it a few months back and got 63mpg or there abouts.Wife loves it ,I dontparticularly; but fair play, Its done 90k miles,never breaks, does well over 600 miles out of a tank on a run.I wouldnt change it.I will say that changing the air filter makes it far less economical and I stick the expensive shell stuff in every 3 tanks.I would avoid the pre facelift E Classes, before the late 2006 builds they were a bit iffy electrics wise, after that it is basically a new car and pretty much bullet proof.
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