View Poll Results: Which to Choose?
2006 Mercedes Benz E55 AMG
39
51.32%
2006-08 Lexus GS430/460
33
43.42%
Find something else..(Post your Opinion below)
4
5.26%
Voters: 76. You may not vote on this poll
Help me Choose.. 3GS or E55
I thought that warranty is limited to the original owner and non transferable. Well least that's what i was told. I still think the W140 is the best built Benz there was, the newer stuff looks cheaper and cheaper built. After reading all the horror stories on the benz world forums on various models, i stayed away. Before settling with my GS i shopped at many different kinds of Benz models and could not find anything worth buying in the price point. I still think the C63 AMG is hot but damn, $$$
mb is definitely not cheap to maintain especially when something breaks, that's why i strongly suggest the warranty. and i have done my hw too, 03 and 04 are to avoid, 05 and 06 are very solid.
also, for others who don't notice, 05-06 e55 with reasonable miles and condition, they are going for mid 20s to maybe low 30s. an 07 gs430 or 08 gs460 (i personally won't consider 06 gs430) cost about the same. for the money? the e55 is more of a car imho
Pole Position
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 346
Likes: 2
From: CA
the warranty is fully transferable. i see a lot of e55 for sale with the warranty and i think for a little cost (or non, i forgot), you can carry over with the warranty. check out mbworld.org, tons of e55 on there. i was checking on them 2 months ago.
mb is definitely not cheap to maintain especially when something breaks, that's why i strongly suggest the warranty. and i have done my hw too, 03 and 04 are to avoid, 05 and 06 are very solid.
also, for others who don't notice, 05-06 e55 with reasonable miles and condition, they are going for mid 20s to maybe low 30s. an 07 gs430 or 08 gs460 (i personally won't consider 06 gs430) cost about the same. for the money? the e55 is more of a car imho
mb is definitely not cheap to maintain especially when something breaks, that's why i strongly suggest the warranty. and i have done my hw too, 03 and 04 are to avoid, 05 and 06 are very solid.
also, for others who don't notice, 05-06 e55 with reasonable miles and condition, they are going for mid 20s to maybe low 30s. an 07 gs430 or 08 gs460 (i personally won't consider 06 gs430) cost about the same. for the money? the e55 is more of a car imho
Driver
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
From: FL
Here is a interesting question, for those of you who voted a Benz E55 over a GS, with that option available for nearly the same cost, what was the reason to buy a GS? For me historically and personal experience Lexus/Toyota has has a solid reputation for reliability. And the fact that i own another Toyota product prior myself and very familiar with build quality, reliability and craftsmanship id buy another Lexus/Toyota in a heartbeat.
Why? Because I know the answer quite easily.
Also, u already mentioned one big reason, reliability.
Now lets add more money for fuel, more money for maintenance, more money for insurance, etc, all adds up to a bigger bill with the E55. And u get a bigger thrill!
But heck, thats why I said to the OP, if u have the extra cash and the right state of mind, go for the E55 as the obvious choice.
And talking about toyota reliability, I am a proud owner of a Tacoma, and when I say proud about it, it is because it has been extremely reliable.
Pole Position
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 346
Likes: 2
From: CA
Well for me it ain`t an interesting question per se.
Why? Because I know the answer quite easily.
Also, u already mentioned one big reason, reliability.
Now lets add more money for fuel, more money for maintenance, more money for insurance, etc, all adds up to a bigger bill with the E55. And u get a bigger thrill!
But heck, thats why I said to the OP, if u have the extra cash and the right state of mind, go for the E55 as the obvious choice.
And talking about toyota reliability, I am a proud owner of a Tacoma, and when I say proud about it, it is because it has been extremely reliable.
Why? Because I know the answer quite easily.
Also, u already mentioned one big reason, reliability.
Now lets add more money for fuel, more money for maintenance, more money for insurance, etc, all adds up to a bigger bill with the E55. And u get a bigger thrill!
But heck, thats why I said to the OP, if u have the extra cash and the right state of mind, go for the E55 as the obvious choice.
And talking about toyota reliability, I am a proud owner of a Tacoma, and when I say proud about it, it is because it has been extremely reliable.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: FL
I have a friend who has a C63 and that car is awesome. But, he is a former Lexus owner and constantly talks about going back to a GS to avoid the minor issues that seem to constantly plague German cars.
Don't get me wrong the E55 is awesome, but, you will pay a price for the looks and performance.
Pole Position
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 346
Likes: 2
From: CA
BMW 335 convertible with numerous electrical problems that the dealer was never able to fix. It got to the point where I never drove the car because I had no faith that it would start or stay running. Maybe just my bad experience, but, I would be very hesitant to buy another German car especially reading on the BMW forums about all the issues that people have with them.
I have a friend who has a C63 and that car is awesome. But, he is a former Lexus owner and constantly talks about going back to a GS to avoid the minor issues that seem to constantly plague German cars.
Don't get me wrong the E55 is awesome, but, you will pay a price for the looks and performance.
I have a friend who has a C63 and that car is awesome. But, he is a former Lexus owner and constantly talks about going back to a GS to avoid the minor issues that seem to constantly plague German cars.
Don't get me wrong the E55 is awesome, but, you will pay a price for the looks and performance.
I have a customer who comes in to service his 09 Nissan GTR regularly who also has a C63 AMG, he says that car is a piece of crap. With only 36k miles he has replaced the transmission, power steering rack twice, and the power steering pump. He says the engine is pretty stout but feels as the car is prematurely falling apart. But like others say its very exciting to drive in which the Lexus just isnt.
Here is a interesting question, for those of you who voted a Benz E55 over a GS, with that option available for nearly the same cost, what was the reason to buy a GS? For me historically and personal experience Lexus/Toyota has has a solid reputation for reliability. And the fact that i own another Toyota product prior myself and very familiar with build quality, reliability and craftsmanship id buy another Lexus/Toyota in a heartbeat.
bottom line, if i don't have the gs350 now and i am in the market for a sports sedan (that meets my criteria). given these 2 choices? e55 easy.
i am pretty sure the e55 won't be cheap to maintain, but at the same time, i honestly think lexus aren't that cheap to maintain anymore either. a lot of my friends (lexus owners) feel the same. this is no 8 yrs ago anymore where lexus were so much cheaper to maintain. and quality wise, i don't really see the gs having superior quality either. maybe better than e55, but not substantially
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I had an E55, which I bought and traded my 06 GS300 for. I now sold the E55 back in Feb, went through a few cars and I'm back in a GS350.
Don't own the E55 without a warranty. The airmatic suspension will fail at some point and will set you back thousands per corner to fix! Chrysler aftermarket warranty is the best. I had it on it and they took care of everything.
Don't own the E55 without a warranty. The airmatic suspension will fail at some point and will set you back thousands per corner to fix! Chrysler aftermarket warranty is the best. I had it on it and they took care of everything.
Pole Position
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 346
Likes: 2
From: CA
I had an E55, which I bought and traded my 06 GS300 for. I now sold the E55 back in Feb, went through a few cars and I'm back in a GS350.
Don't own the E55 without a warranty. The airmatic suspension will fail at some point and will set you back thousands per corner to fix! Chrysler aftermarket warranty is the best. I had it on it and they took care of everything.
Don't own the E55 without a warranty. The airmatic suspension will fail at some point and will set you back thousands per corner to fix! Chrysler aftermarket warranty is the best. I had it on it and they took care of everything.
Last edited by username32; Nov 24, 2010 at 09:16 AM.
AHhah yea, before buying my GS i was considering a 04-05 S class (S430 S500) etc but after reading countless stories of reliability and air-matic troubles with i ran away from buying a Benz. Warranty or not, id rather have a trouble free car with no warranty then a car plagued with problems and a limitless warranty. In the end the warranty is simply a band-aid to a solution and not worth my headache if crap keeps breaking on me or worse leave me stranded in the middle of nowhere.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,806
Likes: 7
From: californication
i am pretty sure the e55 won't be cheap to maintain, but at the same time, i honestly think lexus aren't that cheap to maintain anymore either. a lot of my friends (lexus owners) feel the same. this is no 8 yrs ago anymore where lexus were so much cheaper to maintain. and quality wise, i don't really see the gs having superior quality either. maybe better than e55, but not substantially
that's what I was gonna say.
the 3GS will probably be as unreliable as the merc, and lexus parts aren't cheap.
I've just passed the 25k mile mark on mine, and the thing has become a rattle box. I don't know how much more i can tolerate. It seems for most people, the 3GS just falls apart after 25000 miles.
The 3GS doesn't seem very rigid either. If i go over a speedbump diagonally, the A pillar makes a cracking sound.
I haven't even gotten to the side mirror problems other people have had, but that is because I don't adjust my side mirrors. And everyone knows those cost 2 ********* to replace.
so in the end, I'd say you'll have equal amount of headache with either car.
so for me, it would come down to....
3gs is better looking. But the AMG will stick a shoe way up its ***.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 987
Likes: 1
From: FL
i am pretty sure the e55 won't be cheap to maintain, but at the same time, i honestly think lexus aren't that cheap to maintain anymore either. a lot of my friends (lexus owners) feel the same. this is no 8 yrs ago anymore where lexus were so much cheaper to maintain. and quality wise, i don't really see the gs having superior quality either. maybe better than e55, but not substantially