Two years in, life with a Mercedes is a lot like life with a Lexus...just a little +$
01-14-23, 02:55 PM
#497
Lexus Test Driver
You're tempting me but I won't talk anymore about screens here, at least I'll try my best. haha
Ok, so this thread compares high end models- "Two years in the life".
BUT- what if we compare somthing less than a high end model and maybe that will change the equation.
Like say a GX vs the MB & BWM, etc equivalent.
Or and ES vs the MB and BWM, etc equivalent.
Maybe there is no good fit comparison for these so I don't know but so far we have been talking about high end flagships for comparison and this thread has been an eye opener for me.
Ok, so this thread compares high end models- "Two years in the life".
BUT- what if we compare somthing less than a high end model and maybe that will change the equation.
Like say a GX vs the MB & BWM, etc equivalent.
Or and ES vs the MB and BWM, etc equivalent.
Maybe there is no good fit comparison for these so I don't know but so far we have been talking about high end flagships for comparison and this thread has been an eye opener for me.
01-14-23, 02:58 PM
#498
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
You're tempting me but I won't talk anymore about screens here, at least I'll try my best. haha
Ok, so this thread compares high end models- "Two years in the life".
BUT- what if we compare somthing less than a high end model and maybe that will change the equation.
Like say a GX vs the MB & BWM, etc equivalent.
Or and ES vs the MB and BWM, etc equivalent.
Maybe there is no good fit comparison for these so I don't know but so far we have been talking about high end flagships for comparison and this thread has been an eye opener for me.
Ok, so this thread compares high end models- "Two years in the life".
BUT- what if we compare somthing less than a high end model and maybe that will change the equation.
Like say a GX vs the MB & BWM, etc equivalent.
Or and ES vs the MB and BWM, etc equivalent.
Maybe there is no good fit comparison for these so I don't know but so far we have been talking about high end flagships for comparison and this thread has been an eye opener for me.
That will change though as they become more complex…
01-14-23, 03:13 PM
#499
Lexus Fanatic
01-14-23, 03:14 PM
#500
Lexus Champion
So far what I'm getting from my Mercedes service guy is help on trying to save me money. I also need a windshield washer reservoir cap, he won't charge me to put it on (I mean, I could) just like the tail-marker bulb on order, those I wouldn't mess with.
I may maintain mine at the dealer exclusively versus indy, possibly. So far I'm not blown away by crazy prices for services. Pricey but nothing outrageous.
I may maintain mine at the dealer exclusively versus indy, possibly. So far I'm not blown away by crazy prices for services. Pricey but nothing outrageous.
01-14-23, 03:58 PM
#501
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
For maintenance the dealer probably isnt that much more expensive, but if you should ever need a repair its probably another matter...
01-14-23, 05:13 PM
#502
Lexus Champion
Let's hope that day never comes....lol. Platform, engine and transmission are faultless and reliable (for the most part) so there's that at least. There's no way in hell I'd buy a 21 year old BMW V8 no matter how much I had to have the car or how low the mileage.
01-14-23, 05:18 PM
#503
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
But, its still 20 years old, things are going to need to be repaired at some point...you gotta find a good independent to have for those situations. The independents also probably know the car better than the dealer because the dealer never sees those anymore I bet...
01-14-23, 05:34 PM
#504
Lexus Champion
The Indy has a great rep and there are lots of old and newer MBs on the lot. How much does an oil change run you? Is it 10k interval? 10k is too long even on synthetic, even on an old, pretty simple V8.
IDK if you/Benz still use the service A and service B setup but I'm surprised how easy it all is. Let's see how this journey goes.... lol.
01-14-23, 05:48 PM
#505
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Its hard to say because they put it inside the A and B services. My A service was $535. B Service was $935, second A service was $524.74. My guess is if you just went in and said "change the oil" it would be $250-$300. 10K intervals
For the brakes the dealer quoted $1,200 for just the pads, and I paid the independent $2,000 for pads AND rotors, when you figure the rotors are $900 in parts, all in I probably saved $400...if you figure they would have hit me for another hour labor to replace the rotors...$400 and I paid $70 to rent a car, so $330...its not nothing but its not huge.
For the brakes the dealer quoted $1,200 for just the pads, and I paid the independent $2,000 for pads AND rotors, when you figure the rotors are $900 in parts, all in I probably saved $400...if you figure they would have hit me for another hour labor to replace the rotors...$400 and I paid $70 to rent a car, so $330...its not nothing but its not huge.
Last edited by SW17LS; 01-14-23 at 05:53 PM.
01-14-23, 06:43 PM
#506
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
analog gauges have no software behind them so in that sense, they're WAY cheaper.
i've had some experience with MBUX lately (someone i know just bought an mb with dual side by side screens), and the flexibility in the displays, through software is amazing. the 2 normal round gauges on the screen behind the steering wheel can display usual speedometer and tach and other typical indicators, or they can display NEITHER, with other info (nav, car info, economy, media, etc, etc) and if neither, the speed is a number between them. you can also change the style/colors of all that too. i'm not explaining the flexibility fully, but it's off the charts amazing.
having said that i love my LC because it's so minimalist, the main gauges AND the center display are both digital, and there's some physical controls, but it's still simple, and even the main gauge cluster has the moveable physical ring on it, which is very cool, if useless
A lot of popular consumer trends are just a result of marketing and lack of knowledge/expertise with high end stuff.
01-14-23, 08:28 PM
#508
Lexus Champion
i believe you're mainly a 'hardware guy' but either way, even if screens cost NOTHING, you've ignoring the enormous cost of developing the software behind them.
analog gauges have no software behind them so in that sense, they're WAY cheaper.
i've had some experience with MBUX lately (someone i know just bought an mb with dual side by side screens), and the flexibility in the displays, through software is amazing. the 2 normal round gauges on the screen behind the steering wheel can display usual speedometer and tach and other typical indicators, or they can display NEITHER, with other info (nav, car info, economy, media, etc, etc) and if neither, the speed is a number between them. you can also change the style/colors of all that too. i'm not explaining the flexibility fully, but it's off the charts amazing.
actually yes there is. again, it's software, information display flexibility, and allowing huge amounts of control which if it was all buttons, *****, etc., would be a nightmare.
having said that i love my LC because it's so minimalist, the main gauges AND the center display are both digital, and there's some physical controls, but it's still simple, and even the main gauge cluster has the moveable physical ring on it, which is very cool, if useless
that "just code" costs millions to develop. i agree a lot of implementations have been cheesy, and i pretty much hated most 'tombstone' screens sitting on the dash, but things are improving rapidly. i've been in new bmw's, mercedes, and other cars that are really figuring it out.
'better' in your opinion.
that's absolutely true, plus obviously the phone/tablet/laptop effect has massively influenced cars now.
yup, my LC500 has 'em, i got a good chuckle out of seeing those once i learned what they're for. there's 4 of them under the hood.
analog gauges have no software behind them so in that sense, they're WAY cheaper.
i've had some experience with MBUX lately (someone i know just bought an mb with dual side by side screens), and the flexibility in the displays, through software is amazing. the 2 normal round gauges on the screen behind the steering wheel can display usual speedometer and tach and other typical indicators, or they can display NEITHER, with other info (nav, car info, economy, media, etc, etc) and if neither, the speed is a number between them. you can also change the style/colors of all that too. i'm not explaining the flexibility fully, but it's off the charts amazing.
actually yes there is. again, it's software, information display flexibility, and allowing huge amounts of control which if it was all buttons, *****, etc., would be a nightmare.
having said that i love my LC because it's so minimalist, the main gauges AND the center display are both digital, and there's some physical controls, but it's still simple, and even the main gauge cluster has the moveable physical ring on it, which is very cool, if useless
that "just code" costs millions to develop. i agree a lot of implementations have been cheesy, and i pretty much hated most 'tombstone' screens sitting on the dash, but things are improving rapidly. i've been in new bmw's, mercedes, and other cars that are really figuring it out.
'better' in your opinion.
that's absolutely true, plus obviously the phone/tablet/laptop effect has massively influenced cars now.
yup, my LC500 has 'em, i got a good chuckle out of seeing those once i learned what they're for. there's 4 of them under the hood.
01-14-23, 08:30 PM
#509
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
