Audi vs Merc vs BMW vs Japs

[VinceM]

Guys,

I'm keen to hear from past or current owners of other non BMW cars what's their take is on
1. Handling + steering feel (road connectness)
2. Reliability
3. Performance (overall)
4. Dealer service levels
5. Ownership costs post Motorplan

The one thing that put me off Mercs was the gearbox on what I test drove, they tended to be clunky and the change was in many instances prolonged (in auto boxes)

I must say the B8 Audi dsg auto box was sublime, just never got to like the smaller accelerator pedals "hanging from the roof".

From BMW, i was attracted by how the car feels on the road, hugs the tar, and corners extremely well. The motors produced best economy vs performance compared to competition (that was a few years back, now things have changed - stiff competition now). I also like the simplicity of the interior whilst providing best seating (on sport seats).

Having owned an Alfa and a Renault, BMW any day on reliability but obviously Audi and Merc are miles ahead of those, any views on reliability

On dealerships, I realized it boils down to the owner, Auto Glen in Jhb south was better than Alberante (well it closed down). They even offer a soft drink whilst you wait (everyone is not a coffee drinker), very friendly and courteous staff. Sandton Auto is inconsistent , depends on who the service consultant is.

Any views on ownership costs

 

[Carbon]

To classify an entire brand has never made sense to me.
A M3 is nothing like a normal 3 series to drive, nevermind a X5.
Reliability is also relative, Renault RS models are way more reliable than the rest of their models (not that I would call them unbreakable)

Each car has merits and drawbacks, and these differ from person to person as well.

To me modern electric power steering is so devoid of feel that I struggle to find a car I like, but then again, I tolerate uncomfortable bucket seats and racing harnesses and stiff coilovers on my car just because I like the increased feedback.

Everyone is different, and specific cars have specific traits.

If you want ultimate reliability, buy a 1HZ Landcruiser, everything else is not as clear cut.

Sent from my ANE-LX1 using Tapatalk

 

[peanut125i]

To classify an entire brand has never made sense to me.
A M3 is nothing like a normal 3 series to drive, nevermind a X5.
Reliability is also relative, Renault RS models are way more reliable than the rest of their models (not that I would call them unbreakable)

Each car has merits and drawbacks, and these differ from person to person as well.

To me modern electric power steering is so devoid of feel that I struggle to find a car I like, but then again, I tolerate uncomfortable bucket seats and racing harnesses and stiff coilovers on my car just because I like the increased feedback.

Everyone is different, and specific cars have specific traits.

If you want ultimate reliability, buy a 1HZ Landcruiser, everything else is not as clear cut.

Sent from my ANE-LX1 using Tapatalk

Agree on the modern steering feel and for me it goes with any and all new cars. They are all crap. That's why I still drive a E82 135i that along with the last E series M's is the last hydraulic steering cars BMW made.

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

 

[yush1]

It's quite difficult to answer a question like this. Jap cars are normally the most reliable and cheapest to maintain but don't have the quality of the German brands. As for the big 3 Germans, BMW has always being the ultimate driver's car, Merc the most comfortable and Audi the best made. Choosing between them will always come down to personal preference.

 

[MR_Y]

It's quite difficult to answer a question like this. Jap cars are normally the most reliable and cheapest to maintain but don't have the quality of the German brands. As for the big 3 Germans, BMW has always being the ultimate driver's car, Merc the most comfortable and Audi the best made. Choosing between them will always come down to personal preference.

What he said

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Just to add, from the Japs (ignoring the hardcore Scoobies and Civic Type R), Mazda has injected its cars with some handling balls. Pushing my CX5 to the limits is actually fun, not nerve wracking.

 

[Woodies]

BMW is the best just because

 

[msm]

On dealerships, I realized it boils down to the owner, Auto Glen in Jhb south was better than Alberante (well it closed down). They even offer a soft drink whilst you wait (everyone is not a coffee drinker), very friendly and courteous staff. Sandton Auto is inconsistent , depends on who the service consultant is.

Any views on ownership costs

Can't really compare brands. The Japs make some excellent higher end stuff, like the GTR, new Supra, Honda NSX, etc. BMW makes some rubbish low end models too. So it's not really an apple to apple comparison when you compare brands.

However, after owning several brands, including Merc and BMW, the one that puts the rest to shame when it comes to customer service (specifically) is Lexus.

 

[MHN]

We have 3 Toyota Corolla's : GLX 1990, GL 1991, 160i GLE 2004

(Actually sold the 1991 model today for R44k)

They are excellent when it comes to being light on fuel and being low on maintenance. They also have great resale value.
The 2004 one feels about 65% as smooth and comfortable as my 318i E46.
They're not built for performance, the acceleration is not that great but they cruise at high speeds fairly well.

No major work has been done on the cars but water and oil leaks were fixed though. Batteries were replaced.

The 318i drives as smooth as silk and really gives me Sheer Driving Pleasure.
I love the increased power, the stronger brakes and how it handles turns

The power/fuel economy balance is great - was getting 4L/100km at 120 km/h and it looks like it would've dropped further if I continued - That's almost better than the Corolla's which all have 1.6L engines vs the 2L in the BMW.

For Handling + Steering feel and Performance. The BMW is far superior.

For Reliability and (low) Ownership costs. The Toyota is the best choice.

The Corolla is actually the best selling car in history, mainly for those reasons

Not sure about Dealer service levels because I take all the cars to an independent mechanic.

 

[VinceM]

That's excellent consumption from your 318i.

Nice write up. Toyotas have stood the test of time
No other taxi brand has lasted as long as them.

 

[Captain_Stealth]

i dislike the amount of plastic the german guys are using on their motors and engine related parts and they seem to be pricey and troublesome after the warranty is over.

BMW motors are amazing before the warranty is done. Just take the n46, n54 and s65 motors some of them have low km and they give issue that arent really cheap to fix