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Old 12-08-2018, 09:33 AM
Russianblue Russianblue is offline
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My wife has a 2015 e350 wagon and I have recently been underneath it and started figuring out the maintenance routine etc. REMARKABLE how similar the brakes, suspension and other systems are. There are some differences though and many are in the Benz' favor.

Interior design is in MBs favor. Just seems to make more sense to me and reduce the likelihood of annoying BMW-esque rattles etc. Their COMMAND NAV system is the worst of the worst though. literally a 3 on a scale to 10 IMHO. If that.

But one thing I've noticed with regard to long term ownership is that 1) MB parts are generally only available in Genuine flavor (no Lemforder tension struts for half the price and 2) the community of DIY folks (and general DIY resources) pale in comparison to BMW. That may very will be because they break less, so there is no resource where none is needed.

I think it depends what one's goals are. In my case it's long term cost of ownership and driving quality. I'm cheap and don't like to spend a lot of money on cars but insist on a tight suspension and quality driving experience. Looks are important but not paramount. For the OP, safety was at the top of the list. We all have our particular motoring-neuroses.

When test driving MB, I did get sense of greater 'quality' than with my BMWs to be honest. If money were no object, I probably would look at a higher end MB with certain customizations to fit my ultimate goals. But for me as a DIY guy, BMW represents a much better value. I've grown up believing that 75k mile disposable water pumps are the norm along with perpetually leaking valve covers and oil filter housings. It's all I know at this point. I might feel disconnected to my beloved car if there wasn't always a little something wrong with it!
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