BlueDiva:

The ML is catching up

Fhemmmy:

ML only wish . . . .
If ML wins, that means Iwu conducted the poll

Ranks007:

Iwu on nairaland ke?

give one reason not to believe other polls on this site wasn't conducted by him?

CHANCEMAN:

Sienna , all of that is just semantics ,it is not proven that a monocoque bodyshell is better than a ladder chassis ,if that was the case it would have become the standard in the market , these cars are off-roaders as well and mud-plugging is part of what we expect from them especially in  nigeria.

BlueDiva:

I choose to be the bigger lady 'cos of Siena.

'an car enthusiast'. . .still laughing  

Fhemmmy:

I think the XC90 is a nice ri but de.
Performance comes with power, and all u have to do is step on that gas and you cld move from 0 - 70M/hr within couple of minutes.
It comes with safety
Roomy
Busy dash with enuf toys for everyone.
Price is not bad at all.

But the great power comes from the huge Engiine that needs gas for her good perfomance.

But still cant be compared with Q7 machine  

Siena:

The Volvo XC90 I haven't included here, as I wanted to compare SUV's with similar engine / transmission layouts. The Volvo XC90 has the engine / transmission mounted transversely (east to west) so is more comparable with a Landrover Freelander, Honda CRV. Toyota RAV 4 or Nissan X-Trail. The SUV contenders here all have their engine / transmission mounted longitudonally (north to south) as is common in rear-wheel drive vehicles.

platinumnk:

You compared it to a RAV4, is that in performance also?

Kay999:

@Siena
Let me first say i'm impressed by your wealth of knowledge about cars, i hope u'll continue to share your knowledge and experience on this forum.
I believe when you started this thread, u wanted people to choose based on their personal preference and/or experience with either of the cars.
But it seems some people are choosing based on sentiments, which has led to some petty arguments and name calling.
In order to make the poll more of objective, can i suggest that u specify some criteria to judge the cars by. E.g. Overall driving experience, off-road capability, aesthetics, maintainability, performance, etc.
Personally, I'll take the beemer anyday. I think they go the extra mile in making their cars more enjoyable for the driver.

Ranks007:

Those toyota cars are fondly found here and even in the US because of its less hassle form of maintenance, affordable cost, low fuel consumption.

Ranks007:

As far as I can remember its only a MB engine can drive up 6months without giving you headache even when the engine oil is not changed. Don't forget MB is the first car that came with the bucket seats. If you have an accident in an MB the chances of severe damages to the human body are so slim even when the car ends up like a rumpled N20 

Ranks007:

Do you have any idea about the origin of the adage below;
There are only two cars in the world an MB and others, before football fanatics started glorifying fav. clubsides with it, t'was copyrighted from a car, no other but MB.

Ranks007:



BOTTOMLINE: So if Nigerians use MB as it is, it  doesn't mean it is cheap to afford or its maintenance is cheap either, but for the ruggedity, respect & elegance, style and class it belongs to. There is an adage that goes though it's not really true, "A man who owns a Benz is rich". It's hard to prove that cos, some folks with little or less money will want to feel among the class benz is known for. Benz is really for the rich.

Ranks007:

I put it to you, if MB is not mainly for the rich, why is every MB car in its class costlier than its counterparts in BM?

hbrednic:

@siena
if you want value 4 your money,just do the right thing 
yes ML  .get it,love it,it wont disappoint.
forget BM with their electrical wahala.

hbrednic:

@siena
if you want value 4 your money,just do the right thing 
yes ML  .get it,love it,it wont disappoint.
forget BM with their electrical wahala.

BlueDiva:

Siena and co are using terminologies to sway the voters
I'm a lay man but i can vouch for the Mercedes brand. A decade  of reliability and performance.
I hope to upgrade to the G wagen soonest.

i'm going to scout for more ML lovers so we can win the poll. . .lol
The ML rocks!!!

Siena:

I get your point, but as a car enthusiast, I would hardly consider fuel consumption as a criteria. I know for some, a car's just a means of travelling from point A to B, and nothing more. I like to get about in comfort, and I like powerful cars. It's not possible to create energy without burning fuel, so I'm willing to sacrifice the extra spent at the pumps.

Maintainance? Japanese cars may have cheaper parts, but the German models may require less frequent replacement of parts - the savings soon add up. You'll often find over time, both the Japanese and German models will have the same spent on them. The only reason the Jap models may be cheaper to look after is the length of time the owners keep them. Some car owners replace their cars every three years.

I'm glad you used the term "as far as you can remember". Because even the cheaper modern cars will do a lot of miles on the same oil before service is due. I work in the service department, and can tell you even a car as cheap as a 2003 Renault Clio 1,4L 16 valve has the oil service every 18,000 miles! 12,00 miles represents on average a year's motoring. 18,000 miles is a year and a half's worth. Cars now run up to 20,000 miles between services, with no oil inspection in between!  So, not sure what cars you're referring to as "giving headache if the oil's not changed every 6 months". If a car needs an oil change every 6 months to be reliable, then that car shouldn't be on the road. Heck, my 2 horsepower lawn mower doesn't get an oil change till the year's over, and still running strong!  

Please show real life incidents where a Mercedes-Benz has been smashed, and the passenger cell has protected the occupants better than an equivalent size car, especially a German one? Crash tests are rated by a maximum of 5 stars, which most modern cars will achieve. If you're talking about safety outside the normal crash testing, in everyday road situations, then I think you'll find Saab and Volvo are hard to beat, even by Mercedes-Benz.  

That quote was indeed used in Mercedes-Benz literature. However, it means little, in the grand scheme of things. It's a marketing strategy, and not an actual fact. Quotations seldom mirror fact by the manufacturers. Mercedes-Benz of today are nowhere near as tough or reliable as their older models - ending with the W124 series (V-boot) last produced in 1995/6. The Mercedes-Benz quote was one that kept owners and loyal fans happy, but beyond that, it means little, even less considering the automobile industry has since moved on.

Respect and elegance, yes. Ruggedness? Hardly. There are tougher cars out there at a fraction of the cost.

We're digressing here - How did we come to be debating if a Mercedes-Benz is for the rich, or if the equivalent BMW model is cheaper or more expensive?

Fhemmmy:


MB is too boring and no fine style till the newer generation ones . . .

D-Onlooker:

Jeez ! ain't anybody here seen the PORSCHE CAYENNE ? Well, we in Germany knows that the Cayenne is the King of all German SUVs and it leads with a big gap ! But then, I'm not surprised, I haven't seen much Porsche Rides in Naija since I've been visiting.
The Porsche Cayenne is the ultimate of all German SUVs, beats all the rest in all categories during the recent SUV tests. Its not for people with class or that want class. Its for the Elite and Style Pioneers.

Siena:

Not using terminologies - using fact. Reliability was one of Mercedes-Benz's finer points, but not of late. Being in the industry allows me to observe what the end user doesn't.

You need to "scout for more ML lovers" to win a poll? Doesn't that tell you something, Diva?

When you say, you can vouch for Mercedes-Benz, what's that based on? Personal experience, or an in-depth knowledge of the product? Is it about sentiment, brand loyalty, or factual technical knowledge? Because, I don't just go on sentiment or brand loyalty, else I'd be rooting for the Audi Q7, as Audi's always been my favourite - I've owned 37 models of the marque to-date.

Siena:

Not using terminologies - using fact. Reliability was one of Mercedes-Benz's finer points, but not of late. Being in the industry allows me to observe what the end user doesn't.

You need to "scout for more ML lovers" to win a poll? Doesn't that tell you something, Diva?

When you say, you can vouch for Mercedes-Benz, what's that based on? Personal experience, or an in-depth knowledge of the product? Is it about sentiment, brand loyalty, or factual technical knowledge? Because, I don't just go on sentiment or brand loyalty, else I'd be rooting for the Audi Q7, as Audi's always been my favourite - I've owned 37 models of the marque to-date.

Ranks007:

Siena, so you had all this knowledge and still wanted advice?

Siena:

Bro, you're missing the point - I didn't want advice on which to buy, ML or X5. I know what I want. I just wanted to know what others would choose, for themselves. I didn't start this thread to help me choose which model to go for.

All in, it's an interesting topic, I'm sure you'd agree.

CHANCEMAN:

Yeah agreed it is expensive being a porsche but the superiority in performance that you are claiming does not justify the price difference with its competition and one thing about cars their resale values will tell you alot about the publics perception of a car and i do not think the resale value of both the ml and x5 i sbetter than that of the cayenne and i thought i just heard they had recalled one of their models recently.

Midas02:

Siena, I have a very interesting proposal that would interest you. I have given it some thought and I think you will like it.
I will appreciate it if you email me. Or you may simply pass me your email.
Thanks.