Hi All,

I recently graduated college and got a job. I want an E500 but cant quite afford one yet. I have tentatively narrowed my car choice down to 2 vehicles. I am asking here beacuse one is an American car (but with an E-class platform) and one is Japanese, so I figure a german car site might be less biased.

My 2 choices are Charger SRT-8 (E-class platform w/ 425 hp Hemi) $43000 sticker (test drove it and loved it) or wait for the next-gen g35 coupe $40000 sticker.

Bear in mind I am married w/ one child.

Suggestions? (Even other cars.)

 

Hey! First post here so go easy on me!

I am 23 and graduated to the Mercedes from 2003 Turbonetics single turbo 350z and before that a Range Rover 4.0SE so I have gone from big and slow, to small and fast, and now what I like to call the happy middle. I have a E320 CDI and love the turbo whine/lag and the very respectable traffic light to traffic light pickup.

Now the 2 cars you are comparing are apples to oranges in every aspect. Unless they offer the next gen G class with a turbo/twin turbo or the 4.5L V8 from the M45 I think you will be dissapointed with the pickup of the G. It handles very well and has a good solid feel, but coming from the slightly (very slightly) quicker cousin of the G class, It's not a cheetah...It is simply a solid mid range performer across the power band. What you gain in performance and whatnot is at a serious sacrafice to comfort/functionality. I have a few friends that have the G. I can't say anything "bad" about the G but I can say it's good at every single thing you can think of but is only great in reliability.

As for the Charger. I like the car I do...If I were to buy a mid-size sedan based on pure straight line performance It would be one of my top picks for the price range. Being from TN and really trying my best to remove the redneck population, one farmers daughter at a time, I just could not do the Charger. Maybe the 300, but It's very common around here. Other than that I can't comment on it.

Now I did some local races and whatnot in my Z so a lot of what I have to say is that the flat torque line of the natually aspirated Z/G leaves a LOT to be desired when it comes to "thrills" which you will get out of the Charger's big Hemi. Thats Why I went turbo. Throw a little more info out. It's hard to really give you serious advice without knowing what exactly you are looking for. From the cars you listed it looks like you are trying to blend performance and comfort/style. The downside is that the vehicles you listed are very much different. Help me/us help you


P.S. I am happy with the CDI...stop light to stop light it competes with almost anything and people never see it coming. The torque is nice It does die off in the upper prm range/gears...so just let us know what you are looking for.

 

Im leaning toward the Charger at the moment. I have heard, like you said, the current g35 isn't the quickest. However the general consensus is the next gen g-35 coupe will provide "significant upgrades to the power train....and will make well over 300 hp." I currently drive an 03' Mustang gt w/ significant mods. So I'm prepared for some (hopefully small) downgrade in quickness. I think the Charger is more practical (4 doors, family sedan.) However, I prefer coupes. When it comes to interior style and quality, the next g35 isn't going to be a mercedes, but it will be better than the Charger. I guess I'll just have to wait for the next g-35, so I can test drive. My overall concern is a balance between quality/style/practicality, however since I'm used to driving a car with *****, it would be hard to drive a car w/o any.

 

I was going to say go with the g but I just read you had a kid...you have a family now...charger all the way...I think a family in a next-gen g35 would just look awkward...just adding my two cents...

 

yEAH i think youll be better off with the charger and just do engine mods, i think just like battlecat said a family in a G35 is going to be awkward unless theres like 3 cars in the family and your G35 is the car you drive by yourself or when you take the misses out..

 

SRT-8 because you do need 4-doors with a child.

 

How about 2003 E320?

 

Have you checked to built quality, fit & finish, noise/vibration suppression, material quality of a Charger????
IMO, a real disaster. Have you checked the price of used Chrysler? That thing depreciates like icecream under the sun.
For a similar amount of money, I'd look for a nice 2003 E500 and have a car that will drive like a real car, will have better mpg, better handling, better resale value, better comfort, better safety,

 

get a used e350...safety 1st!

 

E320/350 don't have enough ***** for me (350 is a maybe, but I would like 1/4mi. in <= 14sec @ >= 100mph.) I would need the E500 (Or E55 All Mighty God ). My concern w/ a used one is no warranty. Good point about the depreciation, but SRT-8 should do a little better than an average Chrysler (limited production etc.) Also fit/finish/materials are better than normal Charger (I compared both via test drives). Also the Charger Srt-8 out performs the 2003 E500 in all performance related areas you mentioned, except mpg is about even: SRT-8 mpg 16, E500 18, SRT-8 0-60 4.8 E500 5.5, SRT-8 skidpad .90g E500 .80g, braking 60-0mph SRT-8 120ft E500 127ft, 1/4 mile SRT-8 13.2 E-500 14.1 (Source: Motor Trend) Anyways, it is superior in objective performance and built on the same platform. However, I agree it has, to varying degrees, inferior materials/fit/finish/style/safety/comfort/everything non-objective than the Benz, but it will be new w/ warranties etc. I really want a new E500 or CLS 500 but I can't afford it. What is the newest E500 I could get for $40000-$45000? Any other new car suggestions?
Should I just keep my modded Mustang to satisfy my need for speed and buy a new 4-door Honda Civic outright for use as a daily driver, and wait until later in life when I can afford a new 500?