Please i need detailed advise on these two cars, either from previous owner, professionals or people with information on them.
I have a 1998 toyota camry which i have used for so long 5yrs precisely, im tired of it though still in very good condition with very thing working perfectly,im just tired of having it for so long so im looking for a whole new experience hence my decision to sell it and get something else.
Im a Toyota fan no doubt because my Camry has served me very very well through broke and bouyant periods, But my request for a new experience plus the new craze in the price of Toyota and Honda probably because of the rate of demand has pushed to to looking at the Bmw 1999-2001 323i and 1997-2000 Mercedes c class c230.
So please i kindly need detailed information on cost of routine maintenance, cost Procurement and avaliability of parts including skilled personnel to work on it,durability and finally Resale Value.

Anyone with information will be highly appreciated thank Very much.

P.S i realized the c230 its an I4 while the 323i is a v6. I am really scared of v6 because of the complexity and a lot of quarks we have around.

The C class is a great car. Fuel economy is above average depending on the car's condition. Luxurious defines the C class. Better suspensions. Great handling and stability on the road. What more do I need to say. Except that you don't buy a mercedes because you want to save money .

i think there are more Merc Technicians out there, and the Merc may probably have better resale value 'cos of its popularity,compared to BMW. But you'll have more pleasure driving the BMW because it's a 6cyl...not a V6 but inline 6. The Merc you talked about has the Kompressor version....C230k. Specify your choice. I had a C220 which i sold, i prefer my '93 BMW 320i to that ride because the BMW is smoother, less road noise, my 2000 323i coupe is even much better. Maintenance has been easier so far with my BMWs compared to the Merc. I changed alot of parts in the Merc...much than i ve done with the BMWs. The BMWs engines have been running strong with no issues. Both are good cars so you can't be wrong either way. Fuel consumption, my 323ci does 13l/100km. Impressive, despte the obscene traffic situation in Port Harcourt.

yungboss: i think there are more Merc Technicians out there, and the Merc may probably have better resale value 'cos of its popularity,compared to BMW. But you'll have more pleasure driving the BMW because it's a 6cyl...not a V6 but inline 6. The Merc you talked about has the Kompressor version....C230k. Specify your choice. I had a C220 which i sold, i prefer my '93 BMW 320i to that ride because the BMW is smoother, less road noise, my 2000 323i coupe is even much better. Maintenance has been easier so far with my BMWs compared to the Merc. I changed alot of parts in the Merc...much than i ve done with the BMWs. The BMWs engines have been running strong with no issues. Both are good cars so you can't be wrong either way. Fuel consumption, my does 13l/100km. Impressive, despte the obscene traffic situation in Port Harcourt.

I'm talking about the 4cyl inline engine, im trying to make the transition from Japanese to German easy.
still a little scared to big engines, I guess the only way to find out is to find out. did realize the BMW has 6cyl inline.
thanks for clarifying.

@yungboss please don't start that argument of which is better. Cos in my view beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.

smartchoice: @yungboss please don't start that argument of which is better. Cos in my view beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.

Smartchoice, did you bother to read the last few lines i wrote? The 4th line to the last? I said "both are good cars you cant be wrong either way" it was you who mentioned the Mercedes has "better" suspension not i. I only stated my observation from my personal experience of both cars.

My bad. Respect Yungboss.

yungboss:
Smartchoice, did you bother to read the last few lines i wrote? The 4th line to the last? I said "both are good cars you cant be wrong either way" it was you who mentioned the Mercedes has "better" suspension not i. I only stated my observation from my personal experiance of both cars.

smartchoice: My bad. Respect Yungboss.

thank you sir. I will go for any of them cos i'm a fan of both.

kompressor* badged W202s hv above average engine related issues. try to go for a naturally aspirated variant like the C280..
*the presence of a kompressor badge on a mercedes signifies the presence of a supercharged engine.