ostrich

Hi everyone,

I am really having a tough time making a decision here so I would appreciate your advice.

Some of you may think that I am out of my mind, trying to cross-shop between these two sedans. The truth is, I was doing the usual comparison between the TLX, 3 series, A4, IS 350 etc. and then the TLX SH-AWD Elite came out on top.... my heart was set on it, until I saw the E250 Bluetec 4Matic!!! Since it's the end of the 2014 model year for the E250, MB is offering some amazing deals. One could fairly easily get $9000 off of this $70K sedan, and then there's the 0.9% finance rate for up to 5 years! That makes the monthly payment only about $100 more than that of the TLX SH-AWD Elite for a similar 5 year term!!!

I test drove the E250 and really liked how it drove. It was smooth, quiet, rock solid and the fuel economy is amazing. Furthermore, the interior fit and finishes just oozes class and elegance. That said, the technology in the E250 is clearly behind that of the TLX SH-AWD Elite. I do also worry about the potential reliability and maintenance issues of MB, but then I have never owned one before, so I don't know if my worry is justified or not.

Given the relatively small monthly payment difference, I am just really tempted to get the E250 Bluetec 4Matic rather than the TLX! However, if I want to go with a lease, then the amazing TLX lease program right now (with 0.9% lease rate after 2% loyalty bonus, and a 60% residual for a 3 year, 20,000km/yr term) will make it much, much less expensive per month than the MB.

Am I going out of my mind? What do you think? What would YOU do here? Please help me make an informed decision! Thank you very much indeed.

ATLPatrick

The E class is clearly a very nice car and I honestly don't think you could go wrong with either choice. I have never owned a Mercedes so I can't comment on the reliability, but I have owned 2 BMW's both with awful reliability. However Mercedes does have a history of making some very reliable diesel engines. Your payment as you said will be higher with the MB, but it will also get better MPG than the TLX. If you care about performance the TLX will be the clear winner considering the E250 has 6 less horsepower than even the 4 cylinder TLX, however it shouldn't feel slow with its massive torque number. Honestly if it were me, and I was only planning to keep the car for a few years I would go for the Mercedes just because i've never owned one, but if I planned to keep it longer as I do then the TLX is probably a safer bet, and the clear tech winner. Either way good luck in your car search!

ostrich

Thank you so much, ATLPatrick! What you said made a lot of sense. I need to decide as to how long I will plan to keep this car for.... honestly, I was really drawn to the 3 series Touring before, but the reliability issues just scared me away. So I am glad that you just verified that for me!!! Thanks!

krio

Take the Merc, it's a better car in every aspect.

JustinZ

Isnt the next E class gen coming out soon?

JT4

I'm not going to compare the cars features, but after owning Acura's and Mercedes vehicles here is my simple suggestion / opinion on this.

If you're planning to finance and keep the car buy the Acura.. I would never own an MB out of warranty so if you're planning on leasing get the MB.

Stew4HD

In every aspect? You have driven both?

krio

Not before the 2016.
It is however the better car (interior, luxury feeling).

ATLPatrick

Well considering in the US the E250 starts at $51K and goes up to over $70k i would hope it would be a better car than TLX. But performance and reliability wise the MB will lose to the TLX every time.

smoooov

Mercedes' are very nice cars but you have to pay to own one. The regular maintenance costs are much higher than Acura. Oil change and inspection at dealer is $300. The next service that changes oil, filter cabin filter and maybe air filter is $500. I'm thinking the diesels will run forever but they require diligent maintenance. The new car warranty will cover any problems but out of warranty repairs are very costly. For example, my 09 E350 with 66,000 miles had 1 of the 2 horns go out. That was $344 to replace. The hydraulic motor and tranny mounts collapsed. That was $1350 to replace. I had an extended warranty on the car that covered the repairs. It costs about $2100 for 2 years coverage. Luckily I'll be getting some of that money back since I've traded the car. Acuras extended warranty is about half that. Mercedes are very refined, solid luxury cars and nicer than an Acura. You just have to be willing to pay for the privilege.

VR1

TLX. Couldn't pay $55k+ for a car that takes 7.8 sec to get to 60.. Not to mention 4,600 lbs.. TLX will have a larger aftermarket support aswell.

Quandry

There are many variables in play and only you can determine which are most important.

First there is the prestige factor and the MB is the clear winner. Remember that "on the road" the E-class will be compared to an I4 TLX.

Then there is the total cost of ownership, and the planned length of time that you plan to own the car. The lease cost and repair cost will be higher with the MB. The only $100 more per month is a financial trap. You could also say that it is only $50 on a biweekly basis, less than the cost of a tank of gas or diesel. If you can afford it then this is not an issue.

Are there any technical feature that important or must have? List them side by side and to try to rank their value/importance.

Almost done! The color selection in the close-out sale for the MB may be limited. Can you get one that you will be happy with?

Finally, considering all these items, when you drive the car, and get in it every day for the next few years will it excite you and bring a smile to your face?

jayb082

TLX all day - Personally not a fan of MB at all. My wife's 08 C300 had a steering column problem at around 50,000...tire pressure sensors went off often, headlight sensors went off when bulbs were fine, and then some other safety sensory (I think airbag) sensor was going off when she was selling the car. All this within 65,000 miles. Not to mention, the radio buttons on the dash wore off...very poor quality IMO. While this is only one car - my coworker bought the same car (09) and had the same issues with the tire and light sensors going off very often.

Also, I've driven my father in law's 2011 E350 and do not like it at all - it feels very big, has very poor acceleration (it's so heavy) and the steering feels very loose and disconnected.

My TSX (I had before my new TLX) had 134,000 miles and not one issue with it - just replaced wheel bearings that got loud around 100,000+.


I'd NEVER buy a MB myself.

Nedmundo

I'd probably go with the TLX for all the usual reasons, but if you do lots of long distance driving, the mpg and range of the MB diesel could be a big advantage. I used to take many long distance road trips, and thought an MB diesel would have been ideal. With the E Class several years into this generation, the reliability shouldn't be too bad, but repairs will be expensive over the long haul, which partly negates the durability advantage of diesel engines.

But this is all rational. I'd say that if you prefer driving the MB and it's not a financial stretch, why not? But if you find the TLX more fun to drive or can't decide between the two on that basis, no reason to take on the costs and reliability risk of the Benz.

mrstak

iTrader: (1)

man i wish i could scoff at a 100 dollar difference in car payments and not think it's a big deal. 1200/year...5 year lease...6000 dollars. you can do a lot with 6k...

Stew4HD

Stop making sense! You'll never get away with it!

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

Other than the points above, for me, the biggest drawback of getting the MB is that it is already a dated design. The 2015 has a much different rear end. On the other hand, the TLX is a brand new model with a brand new design.

But the E Class does have much better road presence.

For me, I'd pick the TLX for its newer design, features, reliability, lower repair cost, and performance.

cbptls

I think it really boils down to how long you plan on keeping the car. Planning to keep it a long time and you will get hit with the high maintenance costs, with the TLX, you will probably save a bundle.

Momyc

What about instead of E250 the new C300 4Matic. I don't think is big difference in size vs TLX and the price is close (vs V6 TLX AWD...of course)

LaCostaRacer

I always find these type of threads interesting. The best decision is based on the priorities of the OP and not us who respond. Below are some priorities that come to mind:

Prestige
Performance
Luxury
Technology
Cost of Ownership
Reliability
Looks
Fuel Efficiency
Safety
Interior Space/Utility

If prestige is the top priority, then MB is clear winner. If Cost of Ownership is then the TLX is. Order the priorities and score each car on how it meets these priorities and you get your answer in an objective way.

Based on the last two cars the OP has had and the mentioning of leasing, I kind of doubt longevity will be a big concern.

ostrich

Thanks, everyone, for your comments!

I am not sure how long I plan to keep the car for, at this moment in time. However, you have some very good points - for the MB, I will probably not keep it for long, so the finance plan is probably not a good one.

I love the fit and finish of the MB, but it does feel a bit dated inside. The TLX interior design is its weakest area, but it also has many more tech features that will keep me happy for many years to come...

Does prestige matter? Sure! However, does it take priority over reliability and maintenance issues? NO.... not in my book anyway. So, at this moment in time, I am leaning towards the TLX SH-AWD Elite....

BTW, I did check out the new C Class. BEAUTIFUL interior! But it was just rather tight inside. Also, I would be a bit scared of its reliability, given that it's the first year of a brand new model cycle! That said, MB has a very aggressive lease program for it right now.

Thanks again for all of your opinions!

ostrich

Thanks for your opinions! Even though it is ultimately my own priorities and decisions, I find people's argument and reasoning to be quite helpful indeed. Thanks!

BTW, I only just started leasing with the current vehicle but all of my previous vehicles were purchased.... and the only reason why I had both the 2010 and 2012 TL SH-AWD was because I moved to Canada in 2011! So I had to buy a new vehicle then. I loved the 4G TL that after I moved up here, I got the 2012 model. I am STILL loving that car.... every time I look at it, I fall in love with it all over again :-)

JM2010 SH-AWD

I once knew a car dealer quite well who sold only German cars. In his words, MBs were his "favorites" because "they always come back to the shop so often."

Rocketsfan

Dude, just get a TLX. Nobody wants to be caught driving around in a 250 anything. JK. If prestige doesn't matter and reliability does... get a TLX. That's under the assumption the TLX will be fairly reliable.
If prestige and reliability both matter, try a Lexus.
If you want some luxury and not pay $55k+ by the time you add the steering wheel as an option, get the TLX.

ostrich

LOL!

Seriously, if the IS 350 AWD F Sport had more interior space, I would have gone for it. If the GS 350 AWD F Sport had fold down rear seats, it would have been almost perfect for me!!! But no such luck.... it's funny how I NEVER wanted a Lexus before, but now with their F Sport introduction, I actually start to like their vehicles.

BTW, I did test drive the RX 350 F Sport last week. To my surprise, it was actually quite nice. I previously test drove an RX 350 before the F sport came out some years ago. I felt nauseous afterwards because it was so soft and floaty! LOL! So I swore that I would never be caught driving an RX but the F sport just changed my point of view. Oh, that cabernet (red) interior of the RX 350 F Sport was very beautiful too..... if only the RX's current model cycle will not be done by next year, it would have been a serious contender too....

oldsnwbrdr

I've driven all four cars (TLX 4 and 6), E250, and the new C300.

Cost no object, I LOVED the C300. Size is perfect, interior is stunning. Give me a sport model with that red leather interior and matte wood trim.

Next choice with be the TLX (6 is my preference as I found it much smoother and quicker. Not so much concerned with tossability of the 4 but the 6 was great in that respect too).

E250 is a beautiful well-built car with astonishing mileage. However, the car I drove had too much vibration coming from the diesel engine, particularly at low RPMs. The engine felt very unrefined to me, ESPECIALLY the stop/start feature.

Note the C300 has stop/start too but it never activated, guess the car wasn't warmed up.

ostrich

Thanks! I appreciate your review. I must say that I somehow did not mind the vibration of the E250 as much - perhaps I was comparing it to the super unrefined diesel of the 3 series, so I had low expectations! LOL

I agree that the C Class looks AMAZING! However, the interior seemed a bit tight for me. Also, I am worrying about buying a first year German car.... I don't know if this is biased opinion or not, but I somehow would rather have bugs worked out first before I go for a German sedan.... perhaps I am wrong!