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2003 MB E320 vs 2002 LS430

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Old Jan 13, 2004 | 02:39 PM
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Default 2003 MB E320 vs 2002 LS430

Hi,

I am in the market for a fairly new used car. My budget is about $50000 including all the fees and taxes.

I am considering a used 2003 MB E320 or a used 2002 LS430 Base model. They come out to be about the same price.

Which do you think is a better buy? and why?

Thanks

I have been a owner of a 97 E420 and a 95 LS400. Both are great cars. Lexus LS400 is problem free but the MB E420 was more fun to drive.


Ed
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Old Jan 13, 2004 | 02:58 PM
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Well if your looking to stay problem free stick with lexus but if your looking to be in a new body style, higher status vehicle, that is more fun to drive than go with mercedes. Make sure that if you do go with the benz, be sure to sell before the warranty ends. Also the LS is alot bigger in size for if you have a family and it probably will mantain its value better over the years.
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Old Jan 13, 2004 | 07:49 PM
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Default Re: 2003 MB E320 vs 2002 LS430

Originally posted by cabby850
Hi,
I have been a owner of a 97 E420 and a 95 LS400. Both are great cars. Lexus LS400 is problem free but the MB E420 was more fun to drive.
Ed
My previous 93 LS400 also was problem free. Reliability is more important than handling so I would pick the LS430. If I am spending $50K, I want a V8 and not a normal (non-turbo, non-supercharge) V6.
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Old Jan 13, 2004 | 08:12 PM
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I've owned the E class and between that and the lex, if you want a car that'll spend more time on your drive way and less time at the dealer being fixed, stick to the lexus.
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Old Jan 13, 2004 | 08:17 PM
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I would def go with the Lexus, not only because of all the other reasons posted prior, but because it is a flagship sedan as opposed to the Eclass which is an intermediate model.

Trust me, CL has all the handling mods you need to suck the doors off a stock eclass in the twisties!!
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Old Jan 13, 2004 | 09:56 PM
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Newer Mercedes are nothing but trouble. Stick with the 430.
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Old Jan 13, 2004 | 10:11 PM
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the older benzes are nothing but trouble as well.
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Old Jan 13, 2004 | 10:34 PM
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cabby,
i agree, the mercedes E class is more fun to drive than the LS.
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Old Jan 14, 2004 | 04:49 AM
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Default Re: 2003 MB E320 vs 2002 LS430

Originally posted by cabby850
Hi,

I am in the market for a fairly new used car. My budget is about $50000 including all the fees and taxes.

I am considering a used 2003 MB E320 or a used 2002 LS430 Base model. They come out to be about the same price.

Which do you think is a better buy? and why?

Thanks

I have been a owner of a 97 E420 and a 95 LS400. Both are great cars. Lexus LS400 is problem free but the MB E420 was more fun to drive.


Ed
These two really aren't comparable except in price. You get much more car with the LS, and it's also faster than the E320. If I look at a family sedan, the fun-to-drive factor shouldn't be a priority.
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Old Jan 14, 2004 | 08:49 AM
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Why the negative comments on the E-Class? This vehicle has some of the highest ratings from Consumer Reports, especially over the long-term (rated Best Value). I agree with what you all have stated regarding choosing the LS to the E-Class, but find the comments about repairs on the E-Class surprising.
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Old Jan 14, 2004 | 10:14 AM
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Default Re: 2003 MB E320 vs 2002 LS430

Originally posted by cabby850
Hi,

I am in the market for a fairly new used car. My budget is about $50000 including all the fees and taxes.

I am considering a used 2003 MB E320 or a used 2002 LS430 Base model. They come out to be about the same price.

Which do you think is a better buy? and why?

Thanks

I have been a owner of a 97 E420 and a 95 LS400. Both are great cars. Lexus LS400 is problem free but the MB E420 was more fun to drive.


Ed
I would go with the LS. It has a bigger engine, more standard features, is a larger vehicle, has a much better record of repairs and holds it's value better. I test driven E class vehicles over the years (320, 430 and 500) and am not sure that there is that much of a difference in the "fun factor".
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Old Jan 14, 2004 | 10:20 AM
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Originally posted by Jayson
Why the negative comments on the E-Class? This vehicle has some of the highest ratings from Consumer Reports, especially over the long-term (rated Best Value). I agree with what you all have stated regarding choosing the LS to the E-Class, but find the comments about repairs on the E-Class surprising.
I believe they are referring to the previous generation E-Class in CR. The 03 E320 Cabby is referring to just came out a little more than a year ago & there are no long-term ratings for it.

Last edited by Gojirra99; Jan 14, 2004 at 10:22 AM.
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Old Jan 14, 2004 | 10:24 AM
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Reliability or fun?

I'd go with reliability any day. As one CL memebr stated, there are goodies to make it handle. Besides that, there are not gobs of LS's being tuned so it IMO is a more unique car if you choose that route.
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Old Jan 14, 2004 | 11:01 AM
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FYI , customers who bought a 2003 E Class w/o Nav, with the promise that Nav would be added to their cars in January 2003, were given BRAND NEW E class cars in summer / fall of 2003 due to the fact that Mercedes couldn't work the kinks out of the Nav system and retro fit them into the customer's cars. Knowing that they would be turning their cars in, I wonder how many owners actually babyied their cars after that announcement. This is substantiated on the MBWorld.org site to great extent.

I traded a Mercedes in on my 2004 LS430, and although Mercedes is a good car, Lexus is a GREAT car.

I literally test drove the E320 for 2 hours, and then drove down the street to test drive the LS430 also. No comparison. Rides ALOT nicer, Nav system is totally more advanced, seats are 100% more comfortable, etc., etc.

Mercedes has a great warranty dept., great lounges, loaners, etc. But = I don't need to be in the service department anymore.

Just my 2 cents.

Jennifer in Chicago (JENLEX 1)
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Old Jan 14, 2004 | 12:04 PM
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I'll bet you're surprised to hear all of the recommendations for the LS430! I would also go with the LS430. My friends is a Benz tech and the techs all call the new E class (211 chassis) the two-a-lemon. There are problems with the NAV, but aparently also some things that the techs find annoying as far as little problems here and there.
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