Ok, before you dyed in the wool blue oval fanatics chime in with: 'I'd take a Lariat over a Bentley' let's be realistic.

Had you the option to buy either of these vehicles which would it be?

Before I'd ridden in a BMW 7-series, I'd always prefered Mercedes Benz' over BMW's. I still do when comparing the E-Class to the 5-series BMW's, but in the full-size arena- I think the Bimmer reigns supreme.

BMW 745Li-


Mercedes S500-


Lexus LS430


After driving them all, I rank 'em like this:

1.) 745Li (Best over all feel, best accelleration, damned!)
2.) LS430 (Good accelleration, thoughtful touches, very user-friendly, great ride)
3.) Mercedes S500 (Solid, tank-like (secure) ride, plain interior, not what you'd expect from the luxury champ)

 

I'd take the 7.

One of my buddy's has a 2003 model and HOLY HELL that thing can fly. I hate the radio/nav dial thing they have going...waaaay to much work for the so called 'convenience'.

I'd still go with the 745 though.

 

7 series. Others wouldn't even be considered.

 

Well, far from being a Blue Oval Fanatic who would take an F150 over a Bentley, I have had the opportunity to go from both to both . . . I traded my first Lexus in on a Lightning, and I traded my second Lightning in for a Lexus.

That said, and trying not to be as closed minded as dzervit, here’s my humble opinion.

Choosing between these three vehicles is really going to come down to what TYPE of car and driving characteristics you want. While all three are big luxury sedans they are each very different kinds of automobiles. And, besides their differences in the way they do their jobs, there is a considerable difference in prices too.

First, the BMW.

I’ve made no secret in other posts that I believe the 745 to be hideously ugly, but that aside, it certainly has its pluses and minuses. While they claim to be the ultimate driving machine with an amazing feel for the road, that claim has become somewhat diluted with this current model. The new 7 does not have the road feel or sense of performance that the previous model did, however it still has the most road feel of the three cars you list. The build quality is pretty good, and I was impressed with the interior in terms of detail. In terms of ergonomics however it fails miserably, and the iDrive system is a nightmare to use and it has been the Achilles’ heel of the car since it’s introduction. BMW has had an avalanche of problems with it. It fails quite often and there are just a ton of electric gremlins in the new 7. I know three folks who have the 7 series (all leased) and the “owners” want to get rid of them but are stuck. I have not meet a satisfied 7 series owner yet. The interior is harsh too (not as comfy and “soft” as the Merc and especially not as comfy as the Lexus. I know a lot of people might say “Who cares!?!?! It’s an awesome piece of engineering!” Yeah, well so in my computer, but I wouldn’t want to drive it. A luxury automobile is about the TOTAL experience, and if things like interior, details, etc. aren’t totally to your liking, why would you dump 80 grand on it? If you’re just looking for go fast performance with grin factor, buy a Lightning with its *****ty ABS plastic interior and low grade carpet. I’ve had two and I’ve got to tell ya, it’s the most fun vehicle I’ve ever had, but when you’re talking about Luxo Cruisers then you’ve got to take everything into consideration.
The 7Series certainly has the best “sporty” feel, best oomph! And go fast experience. . . but so what . . . in my opinion it’s too problematic, and harsh, and ugly.

The S Class.

I’m with you on this one, awfully plain interior. It’s big, doesn’t handle as great as the BMW (and in my mind it doesn’t handle as well as the LS) If you get the S430 it’s underpowered. The S500 is the proper engine for that size. Like the BMW, lots of problems with the electronics. The COMMAND system is proving to be almost as big a nightmare as the iDrive on the 7 series. Ever since the acquisition of Chrysler, Mercedes quality control has fallen considerably. What with all the new models and them trying to be all things to all people, they have lost focus. However, I am still a fan of the S500. Of the three it is the best looking. I like the feel, not as harsh a ride as the BMW, but then again not as soft as the Lexus (this is perfect for most people). Handles well, and for the most part it’s pretty solid. Kinda sparse interior though. I like the BMW interior better, and that’s saying something. The big problem though is you are paying a considerable amount of money for that Three Pointed Star. At around 100K it’s the most expensive of the three and you really do NOT get what you pay for.

LEXUS LS430

OK, I’m biased here. I own one of these.



While I believe it to be an all around great automobile, it is certainly not anything like the two German cars, it is of an entirely different mindset.
While both the BMW and the Merc are more “drivers” cars in that they have a feel for the road, more sporty suspensions, fell to the engines, etc., the LS is a Sensory Deprivation Vehicle. It’s an amazingly smooth ride . . . so smooth you almost don’t know you’re driving. The build quality is amazing (however, a few elements do have Toyota switchgear feel to them). It is super comfortable . . . cushy . . . soft . . . too soft for many people. Me however, that’s what I think a luxury car should be about. (Want a sporty sedan . . .get a Marauder, save 60 grand in the process).
The Lexus may not have the feel of the German Cars, but don’t let it fool you, it’s got pep. I’ve caught myself ripping down the 10 in the desert around Palm Springs doing 115 (however it feels like you’re doing 35) Some find that disconcerting, I like it.
And quite frankly, it handles pretty well too . . . it’s no beemer in the handling department but it handles better than one might expect for a vehicle of its type and tuning.
Plus, it’s got the best damn sound system you can get in any car, OEM or Aftermarket, if you get the Mark Levinson Sound System Option, and overall I believe it to have the best build quality of any of the three. Also, the service is second to none. It is however, pretty boring in terms of appearance. (although note that the LS in your picture and mine are 03s. In 04 they redesigned the front end and the rear end. They are subtle and hardly noticeable but there is a difference. It helps the appearance) Keep in mind also the Lexus is the cheapest of the bunch.

Now…that said…I will provide the following caveat. Not all BMWs have electronic gremlins…nor do all the Mercedes. While all three of the guys I know who have the BMW are not happy with it, I know there are plenty out there who are. I know some folks who have S Classes and it’s about 50/50 in terms of problems vs problem free. I’ve had a couple of Lexus vehicles. The first was perfect. And all my friends who have Lexuses have never had a days worth of problems . . . however, my most recent is a 2003 LS and I have had Navigation Screen problems, a problem with the computer, and a problem with the brakes. It appears they finally have got everything perfect now, but there was a time I wanted to trade it in on a new one. So no matter what you get, there is a chance of problems . . . and when you’re paying this much money, do you want that possibility? Then again, that also said, I would still buy another Lexus becasue I know that the problems I had with mine were the exception (and from what I can see, the rare exception) and not the rule.

Regardless of which vehicle you consider getting, I think it's worth noting that the majority of the problems, regardless of mfg., are electronic/navigation/computer related. That’s something to consider here. These luxo sedans have all the latest whiz-bang toys, and quite frankly, I don’t think all these toys are ready for prime time yet. There has just gotten to be way too many computer controlled aspects to these vehicles. They are so overly complicated for the sake of being complicated that it’s both impractical and a recipe for disaster. Keep in mind also that the cost to repair is excessive once the warranty is gone.
Personally, I’ve almost reached the point where I don’t believe it’s worth the money for these things. Sure, it could be a case of “been there done that”, but quite frankly, in the final analysis, it’s still just a car, and that Blue Oval FX4 really can do more and work just as well for a lot less money. And for that matter, the Lightning looks better every day.




k

 

Very valid points Kobi- I agree with you on most- if not all of them- except for the fact that I love the Bimmer-

Aside from that, we agree.

I'll always be made that I didn't spend the extra $3,000 in 1994 to get the first Impala SS to hit the showroom in Killeen, TX- now, it's "the one that got away". You can get a great looking car, for a lot less money.

The LS- was awesome, the S-Class is nice- but pricey; too pricey; whereas if you play your card cheaply, you cen get an LS for $54,000. S-CLasses start around $80,000 for the S430, it looks like every engine upgrade after that adds $15,000. ($95,000 S500, $110,00 S600 & S55).

Then there's the Bimmer- I've been hooked since 2002. I don't think the I-drive is complicated at all- it takes some getting used to; but- once you have everything set- the car is a dream.

Of the three though, I've got to tell you- the "Go Home" feature in the LS430's navigation system, is a very nice touch. If you're every somewhere, and you don't know the best route out; just tell the Lexus to "Go Home", and she'll take you there.

 

Bighersh -

Funny you should mention the go home thing:

I entered in "home" into the nav. but the more I thought of it I realized that every valet and carwash guy, with a touch of a couple of buttons on the screen in the POI menu, cold find out exactly where you live.

that made me a bit nervous. I eventually removed the destination point. If I ever get that lost I can just enter the address manually.

Oh, and as a post script - right now my favourite car, and if I were in the market for a new sedan - would be the new E500 mercedes.
Yup, overpriced, and it's smaller than the bigger sedans, but if you fit comfortably in it, the engine in that midsize puppy KICKS A$$. It's one heck of an engine for a car that size. TONS OF TORQUE!!!
It's just a kick to drive. I also like the interior much better than the S Class.
Downside, a little cramped, ingress and egress a little cramped, lousy sound system compared to the Mark Levinson, no real cups holders to speak of...just one tiny inconviently located thing (yup...it's important . . . remember, total experience)

 

I was thinking the same way...

The E500 is very nice- I couldn't test drive one that day because Ewing only had one, and it still had the shrink wrap on it, plus it had been ordered for someone else- but, they did peel away some of it and let me sit in it, crank it up, and listen to the radio...

It feels (and looks) smaller than the old body style...

If I could get what I want, I'd get an old 1987 AMG Hammer, and let Mercedes redo the engine & components...

That's the E-Class sedan that was timeless, as far as I'm concerned... I saw a nice 300E the other day; still looking good in 2004.

 

The BMW is ugly...Bangle screw them up. Styling is important to me, so I couldn't drive this one.

I won't own Asian vehicles, so the Lexus is out.

That leaves the Mercedes. My wife could drive it...I'll vote for the Mercedes.

If I were really in the market, I'd buy a new Chrysler 300.

MR