2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 or 2009 BMW 335i Convertible?

April 16th, 2010 | by admin |

My husband and I are about to get a new car and I would really like a convertible. We’ve test driven the SLK350 and really liked it, but we recently came across the 335i convertible and would like to consider that as well, mainly because it has more space. We have no kids, so we can live with the SLK350 as far as space goes, we just want to make the best choice as far as ride and reliability goes.

Thank you for any advice.

The BMW 335i is a little more reliable than the Mercedes SLK roadster, it’s has a nicer interior fit, more room, better steering feel, and a much nicer, more powerful, smoother twin turbo inline 6 cylinder engine.

But if you "just want to make the best choice as far as ride and reliability goes", You should be looking at Japanese. Nothing can compare to a Lexus, Acura or Infiniti.

  1. 7 Responses to “2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 or 2009 BMW 335i Convertible?”

  2. By Pioma M on Apr 16, 2010 | Reply

    About 2009 Mercedes-Benz can be read in http://best-answer-blog.blogspot.com/?q=2009%20Mercedes-Benz
    References :

  3. By Calvin W on Apr 16, 2010 | Reply

    From my experience, BMW seems to have it down:D
    Mercedes is still great quality, but in the long run, the 335i is more satisfying.
    References :

  4. By mikeysim18 on Apr 16, 2010 | Reply

    the bmw anyday, but why not concider the z4? you should test drive a z4. bmw customer service and reliablity is much better than mercedes anyday. but the 335i is nice aswell but its not really like the slk or z4. trust me drive a z4 you will love it!
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  5. By Nikesh on Apr 16, 2010 | Reply

    Even though I have loved Mercedes my whole life while my rival brother loved BMW his whole life, I would still go for the 335i. Also space always comes in handy, plus the Mercedes now days is just for the sake of "I own a Mercedes", its reliability sucks so hard its not even funny. Plus the BMW is faster, and way more fun to drive. Plus in my opinion the new SLK class looks so ugly, (i used to love it before it was re designed).
    So in my opinion, go for the BMW for everything! And i don’t know if you care, but i would choose a black color on any of those cars,
    good luck
    References :

  6. By Randy on Apr 16, 2010 | Reply

    If your two highest points for purchasing this car are ride and reliability, you need to look at a few points.

    I am going to say now that I have heard a lot more information about the 335i, so I will be giving this opinion with a slight bias from what I have picked up via automotive writings.

    But firstly, please test drive both cars to do your own comparisons! That will ultimately solve your question about how the car rides.

    When it comes to reliability, just know that BMW usually runs a bit higher than M-B in reliability. I just did a bit of digging, here is what I have come up with.

    http://www.thetorquereport.com/jdpowerdepend1.jpg
    -Link to JD Power dependability for 2007
    (BMW – 182 problems per 100 vehicles, M-B – 212 problems)

    http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/
    -Link to autoblog.com about Consumer Reports excerpt about 2007 picks
    (BMW – not listed as a good or bad pick, M-B SLK V6 listed as bad pick)

    Apparently the engine in the 335i has won a very big award.

    http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=126116
    -International Engine of 2008 award, BMW 3.0 liter twin turbo 6-cyl

    Another thing to factor in, 3 series BMWs has a higher sales volume than an SLK due to its target audience (family car vs. sports car, assuming the cabriolet parts are similar to the sedan / coupe). That will make finding a mechanic and parts easier for you in the future.

    My advice: do not disservice yourself by not testing the BMW 335i. Perhaps the SLK 350 is better suited for you, that may be the case. However the 335i has won many awards, and the engine has been acclaimed by many motoring magazines as brilliant. Although these are all opinionated results of what I have come across, it’s hard to disregard that BMW has a hit with their new 3 series. Weigh your options, find a great price, and motor on!
    References :
    http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=126116
    http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/10/domestic-models-gain-major-ground-in-consumer-reports/
    http://www.thetorquereport.com/jdpowerdepend1.jpg

  7. By chris2EM on Apr 17, 2010 | Reply

    The BMW 335i is a little more reliable than the Mercedes SLK roadster, it’s has a nicer interior fit, more room, better steering feel, and a much nicer, more powerful, smoother twin turbo inline 6 cylinder engine.

    But if you "just want to make the best choice as far as ride and reliability goes", You should be looking at Japanese. Nothing can compare to a Lexus, Acura or Infiniti.
    References :

  8. By depaulballa on Apr 17, 2010 | Reply

    the 335i, it seats 4 and is cheaper. Just in case, you want friends to take along.
    References :

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