I seriously considered a C55 before setting on a 5. I basically wanted the fastest 4 door sedan for my money. Not wanting my possible C55 to be seem by others as just another common everyday C class, I went for the 5 instead.

 

E46 M3 or E39 540i M-package 6 spd, 540i was such a blast to drive liked it more than e60 but design was too outdated. Even my wife said no it looks old get the 530i but new and thats I what I did and no regrets.

 

Good Thread.


Strongly considered e320 cdi. I think overall its the best benz for the buck. Very strong engine. Relatively quiet. Good mileage. With no BMW diesel here in the states, for me its one of the few pluses benz offers. It appears I'm not alone. Its been rumored the new S and GL will have diesel options in the next year. That said, the drive/fun factor is night and day. Its funny, my old man has a beautiful SL500 white w/ red interior. This is supposed to be the sportiest of all benzes (wont count the SLR). I can drive it all day, hop back into my e60, I dont miss a beat. Suspension, handling, engine response is right there, plus 4 seats and 30k in my pocket.


Considered the A6 for about a second. Have a couple of friends who own this audi, but no comparison. Buy a VW passat and same yourself 15k. Living in miami, no hills or mountains to climb, quattro doesnt make much sense. Burns more gas, weighs more, slower, all audis from the front look alike from the A3 to the A8...etc.


Ironically the only car that has made me second guess my decision to purchase the 545, is the 6 series. I love it. Still makes my head turn more than two years after being released. One thing I cant figure out is how such a large coupe has no back seat. 3 series coupe has more leg room in the rear. Oh well.

 

Considered Audi A6 quattro as the only alternative. Too noisy with winter tires, exterior design lacks character.

 

Both and the E60 won hands down. The BMW has a better product. In 4 years the Lexus will look old like the people that drive them. Mercedes will keep its looks but have mechanical issues out the tail pipe.

BMW will have looks and good maintainance ( I know had 185K on my last one) Plus I personnally like the ride a lot more than either choice. Besides I don't have the bliue hair that most Lexus drivers seam to have.

 

I didn't really consider anything else. People did tell me to look at the Mercedes E class, but having lived in Italy for a while, the limo service I used to get to and from the airport regularly were all using Mercedes E class vehicles, so as far as I was concerned, the E class was just a taxi. And there's no way I'm driving a taxi!

 

I had 2 choices only - the 535d and the Audi A8 4.0TDI. i test drove the Audi and it felt nimble but still too big.

e60 felt just right.

 

Audi RS6 - couldn't find the right one (secondhand)

MB E320CDi wagon - when I turned up at the dealer at the arranged time the car had a flat battery. After an hour's unapologetic trying to fix it I lost interest and left. :thumbsdown:

Land Rover Discovery - I don't know what posessed me, but I escaped in the nick of time.

Lexus GS - Boring, no folding rear seat and a letterbox sized boot (trunk) opening; I still need to carry things

 

That time, 2,5 years ago, I was considering btw. E60 which had just been introduced, Audi A6 which was getting old and a new model to come out little later, and MB C-klasse which was too small and E-Klasse which was too expensive and always reminds me of Taxi. So the decision was VERY easy

Hartsa

 

The M5 and the B5 were not out when I bought mine, and my wife didn't wanted the Quattroporte, so I bought the 545i. No regrets.