Soon to sell the vr4

i'm soon here gonna be makin the big move of buying a house
so what i'm gonna do here is sell the vr4 for around 7-8 grand, take 5 grand and keep it as part of the downpayment...then with the remainder i'm gonna get another car

since i've really slowed down with racing and all, i've had my eyes on mercedes and bmw's...leaning more toward the mercede's

i see them used from 16-20 grand with 50-60,000 miles on them
my question to you guys is this, without throwing random opinions out that mean nothing, give your input on the reliability of mercedes.
my vr4 last me up till 170,000 before i had to do any real work on it
vr4 parts are expensive and expensive to fix. i know mercedes is to but how bad is it?

i need you guys help:frown:

i'm soon here gonna be makin the big move of buying a house
so what i'm gonna do here is sell the vr4 for around 7-8 grand, take 5 grand and keep it as part of the downpayment...then with the remainder i'm gonna get another car

since i've really slowed down with racing and all, i've had my eyes on mercedes and bmw's...leaning more toward the mercede's

i see them used from 16-20 grand with 50-60,000 miles on them
my question to you guys is this, without throwing random opinions out that mean nothing, give your input on the reliability of mercedes.
my vr4 last me up till 170,000 before i had to do any real work on it
vr4 parts are expensive and expensive to fix. i know mercedes is to but how bad is it?

i need you guys help:frown:

Let me put it this way, I am not touching another german car after i get rid of the jetta. I know mercedes is a different build but if you want a luxury car to last you you have to pay quite a bit of money. Especially with a mercedes. Basically I wouldnt get a C-class as that is the lowest of the mercedes, but the E-class can up run you a pretty pennie.

If I were to get a BMW it would either be the 335 twin turbo or the 500 series, not a big fan of the 325's my step dad has one and i have sitting in the car, its not comfortable to me at all.

Get a diesel powered Benz... I had a neighbor back in Charlotte that sold cars. He used my front yard to sell 1 car at a time in. He sold 2 of the older diesal Benz's with extremely high mileage. Point is the people would come to my door and I would talk to them about the car and let them test drive them. Alot of people looked at those cars and spoke very highly of them and they didnt last long. Sold with-in a couple days.

I give the mercedes a thumbs up for overall engineering and reliability... A 2003 230 Kompressor is in that price range you said, but its not diesel its SUPERCHARGED, and thats diesel....

You need one of these. We can go riding sometime.

http://www.retropedalcars.com/images/Marx-Big-Wheel.jpg

^^:rofl::rofl:^^

A close friend leased an E320 Benz (early 2000's) and loved it. Now he leases a current 525i and says its much better. Having said that, another friend has a 328 (e36) and it has given him nothing but headaches since day 1, when he got it in 96 or 97 (i think).

I know MB has been focusing on their reliability issues recently. What MB/BMW cars are you looking at?

i cannot vouch for mercedes, i just heard they are a pain. There was someone on another board who got it brand new, within a month, something went wrong, the next month, something else went through, it never ended. Just to let you know, he's on his third tranny, and he's only got like 20-25k on the odometer.

Last thing I remember actually hearing about Mercedes, because I don't much care for them, is that their service and customer satisfaction percentage was extremely low. To me, it sounded like they were just out to make a buck and disregarded all their customers.

My family (i.e. me and my 'Rents) have owned an ML430, C320, C240, S600, E320, and for a short time my mother drove an SLK. We also have Cassie, owned a E39 5, and my dad at one point had an E36 M3 sedan. All but the 5, I have driven. My dad is about to pick up a 535. Therefore, I think I can speak with some expierence. And note, I truly will speak without bias here.

Mercedes makes some excellent cars. Really, they do. However, ever since the merger with Chrysler, they have gone down hill. Almost as if they lost their way. They spent so much money trying to save Chrysler and build them up, that their products went down the shitter. I can only hope that after dropping the dead weight, they will again return to their normal quality and service.

BMW makes some very nice cars, just as nice as Benzs. However, they are not to be compared. I know everyone tries to have Bimmers go up against the Benzes, but besides the 7/S, they really do go after a different market segment. BMWs are much sportier, and even some of the fully loaded ones are still spartan inside. They really do focus on the driver, and in fact most of the cockpits seem to angle towards the driver.

The Benz is much more about luxery and comfort. They are designed to be ridden in, not driven. And they are all amazingly comfortable. Great sound systems, comfortable seats, very soft, nice ride.

If you are looking for a car that will be fun to take on the back roads yet maintain as a DD, go with a BMW. The BMWs are much easier to push around the twisties, and are, IMHO, a bit more nimble on the highway when it comes to dodging traffic.

The Benz will be a great lux ride. And if you get an open highway, you can just drop it and go. However, all of the ones I've driven seem to be a bit floaty. Not in a bad way, mind you, but they don't feel as tight as a BMW. The BMWs feel much more secure. However, when I have to drive more than a three or four hours sustained, I'd rather be in the Benz.

It really comes down to weather you want a sporty, fun car, or something more luxurious. Its all your call. Based on what little of you I know, and reading your races, I'd stick with a BMW. I think you might be disapointed with a Benz, that it just won't be as sporty as you want. Also, if you plan on modifying, and that includes just some basic bolt ons, don't waste your time with the Benz at all. Their aftermarket is virtually nil, and what is out there makes the BMW aftermarket look cheap.

So, if you want a super comfy, lux, soft ride, go with the Benz. If you are looking for something that is still lux, but a bit sportier, go with the Bimmer. Honestly, neither will let you down.

Oh, and on reliability, none of the BMWs we've owned (including the ones before I was born) have had a problem. The C320 has been ok thus far, had some electrical problems for a bit but we got them taken care of. The ML was so so, but it was a first year run. We never had a single problem with the S600 (and its what I learned to drive on), the SLK was a nightmare. The E had a radio problem early on, but was nothing major.

My parents have an older E300 and it has been great. 170+ and no major problems. The most expensive thing we changed was the starter so far. Lots of our friends have them also and pretty much we have heard nothing but good things about them. They are all pretty good but their diesels have a ridiculously good reputation and with gas the way it is I would say definitely go for a diesel if you can.

i cant really say anything good/bad about mercedes. my uncle has owned a 3 series bmw mid 90s i think up until now and hes had very little maintenance or major problems. and i know its well north of 100k miles.

so i'm hearing more the bmw is the more reliable car
from opinions and experience depending on model of car
i am looking for the more relaxed cooled out vehicle than i am looking for sport
but i'm also looking for reliability

its hard to choose this
http://www.modernracer.com/images/bmw330i2002front2.jpg



over this, as far as looks is concerned

http://www.modernracer.com/images/mercedesbenzc230front1.jpg

i'm even thinking of a lincoln town car http://www.lincoln.com/towncar/img/feat_intaccents.jpg

because thats how serious i am about comfort and luxury. also mpg is a factor

If MPG is a factor, a Towncar isn't going to help. Around town it'll do bad.. highway, might do alright if you cruise it.

with luxery comes weight, and weight doesnt help mpg. have u thought about audi, maybe an a6 or a higher a4 with the v6.
i've heard a lot of electrical issues with benz, so idk.
my sis fiancee has a 330ci(or something like that) he hasnt had a problem with it, nor has his mom when she drives it.
every company has problems with cars, even 1 out of 100, they still have issues.
my cousin just bought a merc gran marquis, he wants exactly wat u want, luxery. he's very happy, especially because parts area dime a dozen.
maybe even check out the ford crown victoria, i've never heard of problems with them, and they are cheap and easy to find, and very luxerious.

as for the vr4, whats been done to it, like maintance other than the tune ups, oil, brakes, ect. wat's the milage now, options?

My folks have a TownCar (not the latest) and besides the obvious of being a boat, they can actually squeeze 20mpg on the highway. But my dad drives like his students... vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrryyyyyyyyy ssssssssssssssssssssllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll loooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwww
:lol:

I can't help with the Benz opinion but if you have any questions about a Buick Lucerne (amazing luxury) which might possibly be Buick's finest achievement yet, i'll be happy to tell you about it.

But choosing between BMW and Benz i would say Benz

the new lincolns looks nice, sporty, and yet retain that luxery that's always been there.
i really like the looks, i mean they have sporty, and most likely power to haul ass, and yet they can probably squeez off 22mpg highway.
i personally dont like benz, too big, and slugish
the bmw's, good power and luxery mix. i personally dnt like the newer body styles, but still nice

i had half the engine rebuilt, and my blocking rings replaced...thats about it for major work

i'm gonna go sit in some bimmers and buicks today, and see what it feels like
maybe test drive a few
lincoln would be perfect if its mpg wasnt so bad
but a marauder might be a good go for me also, since it has some nice power.
i need to check up on the mpg for those also..it being V8 cant be too good on gas i dont think

thte maruader is nice, i can find out watever u wanna know bout it, i work with a guy has one(i'm supposed to race him with my rt tt)
i checked out the town car, they are consistanly giving best in class, and they have more int space than the bmw 7 series or benz s600(or something like that)
check wikipedia, they have a list of the awards it's gotten, but it's expensive for a new one, 43k+

yea i seen one today 23k miles on it for 17grand
also the lincoln ls, sat in it today, like it alot

the maruader get's like 15mpg(but the guys drives it like he stole it)

Hell, for $7000 I'll buy the VR4 from you :-D

Mauruders are dogs till you start modding them...

um no, i got one hell of a ride the other day. the marauder, has 300hp N/A so thats 300hp instantly, it took off like a bat outta hell, and that was only till 3500rpm

According to http://www.albeedigital.com/supercoupe/articles/0-60times.html:

2003 Mercury Marauder
6.9 (0-60)
15.4 (1/4)

And all the research I'm doing pegs them as low 15 to very high 14 second cars. This is from the mags, dragtimes.com, and owners. If you think that a low 15/high14 second Crown Vic is fast...you really should consider taking a ride in a fast car. 300 crank translates to what, 255 at the wheels? Congrats, thats nice in something light. A Maurader weighs about the same as a Crown Vic. Its supposed to be a fast boat, but all they did was make a marginally quick for 2003 boat.

Edit: Motorweek Review:

Clicky (http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/reviews/rt2142.shtml)
According to them, they got a 15.6 at 93mph, with a 7.5 0-60. Wahoo, thats rocket fast.

i'm down to the licoln ls, i'm just trying to figure out if i want the v6 to save on mpg, or the v8
just gotta find the right one

dont sell the vr4, you will miss it too much. at least sell it to a friend, so that you can visit it when you miss it, and drive it, remember good ol days.

personally, i'd take the v8, get a pop charger, and some lighter wheels, and you should be able to pull better milage than the v6, provided your foot doesn't decide differently.

ive also read that they have near 50/50 weight with the v8. that can also be a plus.

lincoln ls is also said to be a mid 15s car in the 1/4. im sure the 3500ish weight can be shed from numerous things to make it lighter....aka 30 lbs wheels, those things must weigh a ton.

yea but i'm done with speed for awhile, i need just a nice cruise with luxury...

eh, it seemed quicker. but if those are the time's it pulls, then i dont even wanna waste my gas running it.
it sounds nice.
as for the lincoln, go with the 8

Trust me, you will not like the mpg over performance. I found out the hard way.

to bad u couldnt find a 99 vr4, not as luxerious as a lincoln, but still comfy, or even an auto sl or something. still sporty yet refined

reading all of this MPG and lux and sportiness i could just see young in a diesel benz

this way he gets great mileage great luxury and if the old days beckon to him hes got diesel torque-o-mania at least in newer ones.
older ones will cost more to maintain especially since its hard to find any without at least 150K miles on it but they are probably the best older cars you will ever find although there engines werent shall we say sporting

newer diesel benzes (1990+) are probably your best bet even newer like 97-03 you can probably find a great diesel.i dont have much experience with these newer ones but from what i do know i would say that one of these newer diesels would probably fit you best judging from all i have read.


anyway you go though good luck and have fun

well all i end up getting a lincoln ls 2004 fully loaded
i love it! even though its a v6 with only 210hp, it is rwd witch i love and is very comfy seats heat up and cool down, navigation, its got it all

no lie guys, i droped a tear when it hit me that my vr4 was gone lol

i didnt think i'd actually do that...but i'm happy and now i can go on with my life in advancement

there he is

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/503/100933didit1.JPG


bye bye vr4 :(

i know wat its like to loose a car that u really like and have done a lot with, it is really sad. i mean i see my stealth in the driveway, and it doesnt run, it gets me depressed knowing i dont have the money for it. but i gave away(50 bucks took it) my 1979 porsche 924, i did a lot with it, mechanically and other things...;)

for serious no one ever listens to me on these forums:attention

for serious no one ever listens to me on these forums:attention

Loaded 04 Lincoln is about on par with an 03 Benz. After the "merger" with Chyrsler, MB forgot why, with even only 1% market share in the US, why they were succesful. I think Young made the right call.

Enjoy it bro, I'm sure you will. And ass coolers are the best things in the world.