NINEZeRO

I have three choices, all looking for used models as I don't want to spend much more money after trading in my 08 S5.

IS-F
2008 models ranging from 45-50 grand. 4000-13000 miles. I could potentially do an even trade with my 08 S5 and owe nothing (other than my remaining balance on the S5).

Pros: reliability, functionality of technology, fuel economy, PRICE
Cons: worst in reviews out of the 3 cars, slowest, and design that I don't like (and sick of since I already had an IS 350).



C63 AMG
2008 models ranging from 50-55 grand. 4000-15000 miles. I would have to pay 3-6 grand after my trade in.

Pros: Fastest in straight line, best exhaust note, most powerful
Cons: RELIABILITY, rough handling (might not be a con)



M3
2008 models ranging from 50-60 grand. 3000-12000 miles. I would have to pay 50-10 grand after my trade in.

Pros: Best all around performance, steering/drive feel, quality
Cons: PRICE

pbm317

I think you can find pretty well equipped 08 M3's for $50K now. And it's the only one that comes in a manual.

Sytfu_IS

iTrader: (4)

I'd go for the m3 too, you can find one in your price range. Just keep trying lol but since you don't like the is-f styling, C63 or M3 it is. I would've went m3 haha

kit cat

iTrader: (6)

Whats wrong with the S5?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

lol i am driving a m3, so there you go

you should be able to find m3 for very competitive price now

and also, keep in mind about depreciation. the c63 came out quite a bit AFTER the m3 came out. if you can get one for cheaper than m3 now, to me that means it will depreciate faster?

NINEZeRO

Everything about the car is perfect, except the performance. The car is not a sports coupe and therefore the driving experience is not exactly breathtaking.

NINEZeRO

Wanna trade?


Do you know anything about 2008+ model Mercedes reliability?

biggie27

a few of my friends have all three cars listed here and honestly we all came to the conclusion the ISF is pretty much the best of the bunch ( the CTS-V would be the winner here but its not listed so out of the question ) it truely is the best of both worlds its faster than the M3 by far ( real world testing ) and is neck and neck with the C63 ( again real world testing ) its the most comfortable of the bunch......the M3 is a good car but its not as good as the e46 m3, and the c63 is a beast but it can be too much at times especially with that loose rear end.......drive all three ur taste could be diffrent from ours but from my experience u cant go wrong with the IS-F.........unless u get the caddy then the fun really starts

DASHOCKER

iTrader: (2)

If you are looking for a car that delivers driver involvement without modification, the M3 is your car. You may regret selecting something else.. I remember sometime last year when you were trying to decide which performance car to buy & the collective convinced you to purchase an Audi S5 based on aesthetics alone.. IS-F, IS-F... Your dilemma will be revisited

NINEZeRO

hehe, actually when I was in the market for my current car (S5), the M3, IS-F and C63 were all not available yet. Therefore I only had a choice between the S5 and the 335 coupe. They were about 3 months away from the first models arriving so in my mind I had to wait 6-9 months total including wait/order time. If I had the choice back then there's no way I would have chose the S5 over any of the three based on performance.

kit cat

iTrader: (6)

Then the M3 gets my vote.
I test drove a IS-F and a 335i...the IS-F probably was faster but didn't feel like it for some reason (and my dumbass didn't have the sport mode turned on). The 335i felt more like I was driving (or coulda been a false input by its thick and small steering wheel) so I could only imagine what the M3 feels like. Not sure how the C63s are but I heard they are insanely fast.
Just my 2cents. I only drove the two like 25mins each though. I'm sure there are IS-F owners here that could give you a better input . Or, pull up in your S5 and I'm sure they'd let you test drive those models.

DASHOCKER

iTrader: (2)

This may get you pumped.. Check out this M3 Individual ordered by an M3post member (not me ). Everything you see was custom ordered including the beautiful paint which makes Alpine white look dull in comparison. Stunning!











Link to this beauty
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=274473

rominl

iTrader: (4)

lol we considered the s5 when we were shopping but i had to pay pretty much the same price to get the s5 (which has the performance of about the 335). no way

if i get mb, i'd only get amg coz' historically they usually have better quality and reliability. but one thing you have to keep in mind is maintenance. and m3 will get you another 3 yrs of free maintenance, so that's something to consider. like someone said, if you want absolute reliability, the is-f is the way to go. but in terms of fun factor, i drove all cars and honestly i think the m3 is the best for me and the others can't really match.

if i were you, drive all 3 first without looking at the prices, and see which one satisfy you the most. THEN you look at the prices and see if whatever the difference is something you can justify. either way you are spending 50+ on a car, you want something you truly like and enjoy

oh and keep in mind, mods for mb and bmw are NOT cheap. feel free to read on mbworld and m3post/mfest on the prices of mods, by comparison modding lexus is like "free"

mmarshall

Your finances, of course, are your own buisness, but, since you asked us our opinions, you're going to take a real bath on 1-2 year depreciation on a 2008 S5, and just because you aren't totally satisfied with its 0-60 or slalom times, IMO, is not much of a financial case for losing many thousands of dollars trading for a brand-new car in the IS-F, C63, or M3 class. We had a CAR CHAT thread recently (I don't remember who) from a CL member who wanted to trade in a year-old S5 for a new Cadillac CTS-V, another car in the class you're looking at. He changed his mind pretty quickly when he found out what the real cost would be....not as he imagined it.

Having said that, though, if you have a well-padded bank account and still want to go through with the deal, first, take advantage of as many financial incentives as you can....you will really need them. Under the new Stimulus Package that was passed in February, you can deduct the new-car sales tax in your state if your state has one (in my state it is 3%). You can deduct the interest on the car payments, if you are financing it. You can deduct lease payments, if you use the car in some types of buisness (on the C63, though, some of those deductions will be wiped out because its huge power level and poor gas mileage subjects it to the Federal Gas-Guzzler Tax). Mercedes, Lexus, and BMW may also have some temporary or local financial incentives on the models you choose, so check with their Customer-Service departments. Additional state and/or Federal tax credits also apply to alternate-fuel vehicles if you choose a Bluetec Diesel model Mercedes or BMW, and today's diesels have a LOT of torque in the lower-RPM range.

But, as to the question of the three cars you listed, I reviewed all three cars last year, and, if you drive on smooth roads most of the time and don't need much of a back seat, I'd go with the IS-F. Its overall build quality, though with some over-plasticized parts inside, seems better than the other two cars. Its torque curve is a a little flat under 3500 RPM, but it shoots forward like a cannon shell from 3600-4000. Its paint job and interior finish is impeccable (clearly better than the other two), and dealer service, in general, beats the other two as well. Its only downsides are a Munchkin rear seat with extremely tight legroom and an overly-stiff rear suspension that, at the recommended tire pressures, kicks the car up and down like a porpoise on sharp bumps and frost heaves. The M3, like most BMWs, has a superb chassis, steering feel, and ride/handling combination (biased, of course, in the M3's case, towards handling). Its build quality, though, is questionable. The new one I reviewed had a second-rate paint job for a $63,000 car, poor interior fit/finish, a rear-seat center armrest that was not attached at all and fell right down on the floor, and a power-driver's seat with on-and-off defective electric-motors in it that took nearly a half-hour to get it adjusted correctly for me before I could drive it. The I-Drive is also, IMO, annoying and takes a LOT of practice. The C63, like all AMG products, is a torque powerhouse and has a fairly sophisticated, well-engineered chassis almost to BMW standards, but also has a stratospheric price, interior/dash controls that are difficult to get used to, and, as I mentioned above, is hit with the Gas-Guzzler tax. The past reliability of the Mercedes C-Class models has been well-below-average, but shows some signs now of improving.

Dave600hL

I agree with mmarshall's post and have to ask this if you are really asking peoples advise here.
Can you give a list, in order of what you consider to the most important aspect when buying this new car?

Otherwise, it is just going to come down to what "other" people think and from my experienceyou will not end up with the car you want. Just my two cents.