BMW 428i vs Mercedes E400

SquirrelMadness · 6 Apr 2017 at 22:33

Both 14 plates, which is the better car in your opinions?

After driving an old focus for over 2 years I've pretty much narrowed it down to these as my second car (unless there is a better alternative?). Any issues I should be aware of?

They are both around the 20k mark but the BMW is a manual. I'm just looking for a good looking specked out sporty car with good acceleration and a nice comfortable interior. Focus returns about 35mpg average so need something to be as good or better than that.

Dis86 · 6 Apr 2017 at 22:39

Bet you won't get 35mpg in the merc. Also cheapest e400 on auto trader is 26k

crinkleshoes · 6 Apr 2017 at 22:45

2014 era E-classes are woefully vile... unpleasant seats, unpleasant ride quality, poor seating position, other ergonomic issues... an engine that sounds fun on paper but isn't and you will struggle to average 30mpg - let alone 35mpg.

2014 428i is a good car, beats the Merc in every aspect other than cylinders. Considering the small change in mpg - I would recommend spending the extra on a 435i - you can find a good one for £24-26k

435i can hit 40mpg on a motorway cruise, but will likely average 30-34mpg depending on how heavy your right foot is.

SquirrelMadness · 6 Apr 2017 at 23:04

Dis86 said:
Bet you won't get 35mpg in the merc. Also cheapest e400 on auto trader is 26k

Gaddamit it's been sold :mad:

there was one for £20,800 in the next town from me with 47k miles.

Forgot to mention the BMW is also around 50k milage.

Dis86 · 6 Apr 2017 at 23:06

That sounds way too cheap for the merc. Cat d? C?

SquirrelMadness · 6 Apr 2017 at 23:07

crinkleshoes said:
2014 428i is a good car, beats the Merc in every aspect other than cylinders. Considering the small change in mpg - I would recommend spending the extra on a 435i - you can find a good one for £24-26k

The 428i is circa 18k so it's 6k difference making the 435i way out of my budget.

SquirrelMadness · 6 Apr 2017 at 23:08

Dis86 said:
That sounds way too cheap for the merc. Cat d? C?

No just quick sale. She said outstanding finance but will be paid off on the day (the price of the Merc was the cost of the bubble payment at the end of the finance term).

crinkleshoes · 6 Apr 2017 at 23:10

Is practicality important?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...m-badge-engine-size=3.0&sort=sponsored&page=2

SquirrelMadness · 6 Apr 2017 at 23:12

Yup I need a 4 seater with a decent boot. Really gutted the Merc's not there anymore.

Joe T · 7 Apr 2017 at 06:12

crinkleshoes said:
2014 428i is a good car, beats the Merc in every aspect other than cylinders. Considering the small change in mpg - I would recommend spending the extra on a 435i - you can find a good one for £24-26k

Is the mpg really that close given the increased number of cylinders?

dalepearson · 7 Apr 2017 at 06:49

I test drove a few Mercs when changing car and decided on a BMW 428, fantastic car and for me much better than anything Merc had on offer at the time. Just over 2 years old now and still loving it.

crinkleshoes · 7 Apr 2017 at 08:29

Joe T said:
Is the mpg really that close given the increased number of cylinders?

Yes - that BMW 6 cylinder is a very impressive engine and the mpg is very similar to the 428i.

Only time you would see a noticeable difference is if you're driving like a nutter.

crinkleshoes · 7 Apr 2017 at 08:30

SquirrelMadness said:
Yup I need a 4 seater with a decent boot. Really gutted the Merc's not there anymore.

Don't be, whoever took it did you a favour as it's a horrible car. 428i is in a different league.

TS7 · 7 Apr 2017 at 08:50

I'm a Merc fan and love the shape of the E Coupe. The E400 engine is superior to the 428i in my opinion. However I'd be wary of spending well excess of 20k (the one you found for 20k is an exception) on what is essentially a car released in 2009 and has now been replaced with an all new model. The 4 Series is a current model only been out a few years.

[TW]Fox · 7 Apr 2017 at 10:50

crinkleshoes said:
Don't be, whoever took it did you a favour as it's a horrible car. 428i is in a different league.

I think you are vastly over rating the 4 series there. Whilst no part of me wanted to own the E class rental i had once it wasn't that bad and the 4 series doesn't escape the interior criticism unscathed either. I think it's probably a better choice but it's not as big as you say.

rG-tom · 7 Apr 2017 at 10:58

[TW]Fox said:
I think you are vastly over rating the 4 series there. Whilst no part of me wanted to own the E class rental i had once it wasn't that bad and the 4 series doesn't escape the interior criticism unscathed either. I think it's probably a better choice but it's not as big as you say.

Surely you've got to factor that the 4 series is a generation newer? Unless i'm mistaken, that merc is fundamentally no different from the competitor to the e92? having driven a 12 plate pre-facelift E class coupe (which to my understanding is identical to a 14 plate bar a melted front end) and a 4 series GC extensively the 4 series is hugely better IMO...i think i'd rather an LCI e92 over the E....

[TW]Fox · 7 Apr 2017 at 11:46

It's not a generation newer, it's just newer.

That E class was 2009 to 2016 and is thus F series gen.

MeAnBoY · 7 Apr 2017 at 13:30

Having driven the 35i and 28i engines in a 1&2 series quite a lot i found the 228i quite underwhelming in comparison, understandably. It just feels like there is no go at all, I thought I had it in eco mode but nope it just doesn't feel quick even though it has over 200bhp. Also as others said, the mpg isn't all that, i was hoping it would.

Jez · 7 Apr 2017 at 14:44

That is an incredible price for the Merc, if legitimate then your choice is already made. LOL@the prospect of that BMW as a manual, dont even bother, the autobox is the BMW selling point.

SquirrelMadness · 7 Apr 2017 at 15:14

Jez said:
That is an incredible price for the Merc, if legitimate then your choice is already made. LOL@the prospect of that BMW as a manual, dont even bother, the autobox is the BMW selling point.

It's gone. I messaged them and it's sold. I've been banging my head against the wall all morning. The E coupe being my dream car (aesthetically speaking), it being in the next town (walking distance), it being a petrol version of a model that's 99% diesel in the same week that news hits of diesel taxes/fines increasing, and the lower price was a strong buy signal and I failed it