For me it's Mercedes Benz.
All cars have their pitfalls, but BMW seems to have more.
At least the American one do.
BMWs are just cramped and over complicated. They're difficult to get service information and diagrams. They also seem much more prone to engine mechanical problems than a Mercedes-Benz.
Mercedes are also, in my opinion, easier to wrench on too. Except for those God forsaken MLs.
It also seems like they offer a much wider drivetrain selection, through out the models. They seem willing to jam any engine in any body... I like that.
B12 bi-turbo station wagon? You got it!
V8 AWD minivan? No problem!
Plus, am I the only one who thinks that bolting a modern Hemi V8 into a station wagon called Magnum (which looks very mechanically derivative of a comparable Mercedes Benz E class station wagon) paved the way for the 300, which was the catalyst for the rejuvenation of the Chrysler brand image in America?
From a salvage yard perspective, I see far more BMW 3 and 5 series an than I do C and E class cars.
Mercedes small car have models have done real damage to their reputation in Europe, but BMW don't have the gravitas of Mercedes and never will they also seem to engined shoe-horned without leaving enough room.
BMW have also made some fairly major errors with some of their engines, but from the point of a DIY want to keep an older model running the BMW is a better option loads of forum support out on the net and in Europe at least parts supply is good and cheap.
" We're trying to plug a hole in the universe, what are you doing ?. "
(Walter Bishop Fringe TV show)
Mercedes small car have models have done real damage to their reputation in Europe, but BMW don't have the gravitas of Mercedes and never will they also seem to shoe-horn engines in without leaving enough room.
BMW have also made some fairly major errors with some of their engines, but from the point of a DIY want to keep an older model running the BMW is a better option loads of forum support out on the net and in Europe at least parts supply is good and cheap.
" We're trying to plug a hole in the universe, what are you doing ?. "
(Walter Bishop Fringe TV show)
I'm hoping you're right about BMW being not too bad. My limited experience with them has been pretty negative but I have high hopes for the next Supra/z4 vehicle being a biased Toyota fan. Time will tell I guess.
I guess I'd go with Mercedes, mostly 'cause I'm still salty about the last few BMW's I've worked on. Plus, once I heard about their issue when the front driveshaft U-joint fails and punches a hole in the crankcase, I was done.
I have no idea what's up with the naming strategy for the current Infinity vehicles...
and I've grown steadily disappointed in Nissan vehicles over recent years.
As far as the Asian luxury brands, I'd rather work on (and consequently would rather own) an Acura than anything else. But that is admittedly venturing a good way out of the Mercedes Benz hemisphere.
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:lol: