Both BMW and Mercedes are recognized for their high-end, high-performance automobiles; yet, because of the engineering intricacy, should something go wrong, this could result in pricey repair work.
According to the J.D. Power 2021 Vehicle Dependability Study, the most recognizable brands in the world’s 2018 models were evaluated for the number of issues per 100 vehicles. With a score of 108 problems, BMW placed 11th. Mercedes-Benz came in at number 15 with 122.
In This Article...
Which Brands Require More Upkeep
AM-Online has conducted research and created a number of infographics to show which German brands are the most dependable and affordable to repair. The study compares maintenance requirements for BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz under six years of ownership, after six years, and after twelve years. As a result, this generally illustrates how each automaker’s models are over their whole lives.
Under six years, the cost and dependability of every car is relatively the same. This is due to the fact that the vehicles are relatively new, often have less than 100,000 miles on them, and come with a factory-backed guarantee, meaning that there won’t be many significant problems.
Audi still has the most issues and requires the most money to fix, though. Mercedes is the most dependable and, therefore, the most affordable vehicle, placing BMW in the center. Things start to alter after six years. The cars do have a tendency to break down as they accumulate more kilometers and perhaps more owners.
The least dependable and priciest of the three manufacturers is still Audi, while Mercedes continues to be the market leader and BMW remains in the center. Twelve years later, though, things usually settle down again because the automobiles are so old and most customers choose to ignore minor issues.
But when you get down to the smaller particulars, things get a little messier. It wasn’t as simple to compare different car classes, such as the 1 Series/2 Series class, 3 Series class, and 5 Series class. The brands’ positioning didn’t change, but the expenses to repair various models did. For instance, the less priced models of both BMW and Audi were less expensive to fix, which seems relatively normal. However, Mercedes-more Benz’s expensive models were the cheapest to repair, probably due to their greater build quality and dependability.
Security and dependability
It’s difficult to choose between Mercedes-Benz and BMW in terms of dependability and safety.
A
With 12 quality and dependability awards from J.D. Power between 2019 and 2021, BMW stands out for its vehicles’ overall dependability. In contrast, Mercedes-Benz only won two accolades for dependability and one for quality throughout the same period. A
In contrast, Mercedes-Benz barely beats BMW in terms of safety ratings. Mercedes-Benz had four vehicles chosen by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) as Top Safety Picks in 2021, including three Top Safety Pick+ winners, thanks to the abundance of driver aid equipment that comes standard on most models. Only three of BMW’s Top Safety Picks received the coveted a+a rating in the same year. A
In other words, if top-notch safety technology is important to you, a Mercedes-Benz is a better choice—especially the C-Class, E-Class, and GLE models, which received top IIHS ratings. However, BMW is your friend if you’re searching for a vehicle that will endure the test of time without necessitating numerous costly trips to the repair. A
Reliability
The subject of car reliability, or lack thereof, is always brought up in discussions between BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and even other German companies like Audi and Volkswagen.
Every time you bring up German luxury, individuals will share their own horror stories from having a German vehicle. Undoubtedly, there are instances of German automobiles breaking down as soon as they are driven off the lot. The same narrative, however, applies to expensive Japanese or even American automobiles.
In actuality, when you invest in the idea of ultimate luxury, you are asking for difficulties and experimental engineering that hasn’t yet been used in industry. Manufacturers invest unfathomable amounts of time and money in research and development to incorporate the newest technologies into their vehicles.
Luxury automobile manufacturers need to offer innovations and amenities that aren’t available anywhere else in order to compete. Due of this, high-end automakers have begun to heavily use vehicle networking, which has led to a rise in the amount of delicate electronics seen in contemporary vehicles.
Chains with more links in them are more likely to break. It appears as though luxobarges breakdown more frequently and earlier. The advantage is that these ground-breaking innovations gradually filter down into the entry-level models and proliferate among manufacturers.
When you look at reliability ratings, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are right around the industry average, which makes this readily clear. Having said that, BMW has a significant lead over Mercedes-Benz in the 2022 Vehicle Dependability Survey conducted by JD Power.
If you look at a different survey conducted by WhatCar, Mercedes-Benz behind BMW as well. Both brands are roughly comparable to one another. Although the evidence is conflicting, it is reasonable to conclude that both manufacturers deliver comparable reliability.
The unvarnished truth is that if you buy a Mercedes-Benz or a BMW, you should be able to afford the pricey maintenance and sporadic need for repair care. There will be tasks that only experts can complete, and they bill extra for their services.
In the 1950s, Mercedes-Benz and BMW set the standard for dependability. However, as customer expectations for luxury and technology have increased over time, this reputation has become irrelevant.
This is a credible conjecture, but if reliability is what you’re looking, look elsewhere. In the majority of assessments on brand reliability, both manufacturers have trouble earning high marks.
To be the devil’s advocate, it’s important to note that BMW once again outperforms Mercedes in JD Power’s 2022 Customer Service Index (CSI) survey. In the Premium Brand category, Lexus is currently in the top.
We have investigated which German vehicle is the most dependable. Visit our article to learn more.
Mercedes or BMW, which is superior?
BMW remains the overall champion when it comes to luxury performance, even if the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class is one of the best-performing large luxury sedans on the road right now. Customers should choose a BMW automobile if they want performance and style in one convenient package.
Are Mercedes and BMW less expensive to maintain?
BMWs are by far the most expensive car manufacturer to repair, claims Your Mechanic. The competition is not even close. With an average maintenance cost of $17,800 over ten years, BMW comes in #1. Mercedes-Benz came in second with an average maintenance cost of $12,900 during a 10-year period. In contrast, the typical Toyota only cost $5,500 to maintain during a 10-year period because they are recognized for requiring less maintenance.
According to Your Mechanic, such high maintenance costs are usual in German premium vehicles. Audi comes in sixth with an average $12,400 maintenance expense over a 10-year period. This is primarily a result of the pricey, high-end parts that these luxury vehicles require. Naturally, it will cost a lot of money to fix those pieces when they break or need maintenance.
However, while being premium vehicles, they also have ongoing problems. For instance, according to Your Mechanic, a BMW is four times more likely to not start than a typical automobile. It was ranked seventh overall as a result. Additionally, the window regulator on the BMW required replacement 18 times more frequently than the window regulator on the ordinary car.
Is BMW or Audi superior to Mercedes?
Audi frequently beats out rivals if you want to put appearances above everything else. BMW is the best option if you want a joyful, exciting driving experience. Mercedes remains the king of power, safety, and speed.
Long-term reliability of BMW
BMW’s overall reliability outperformed that of high-end rivals including Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Lincoln, and Acura. the J.D. Power A 2019 study assessed how frequently 3-year-old vehicle owners encountered mechanical issues over the course of a year. In this study, BMW reliability also performed better than average.
BMW superior to Porsche?
The reliability of the vehicles is where the two manufacturers’ divergent philosophies are most visibly felt. BMW is ranked eighth among the most dependable brands by J.D. Power for 2020. (4) Porsche! While BMW is fine, Porsche is superior. Furthermore, Porsche is able to project a more upscale image than BMW thanks to its superior reliability for extremely sporty automobiles.
Furthermore, the present battle between BMW and Porsche on Montreal’s South Shore is mostly focused on each brand’s SUVs. The 2020 Porsche Macan and the pair of BMW X3/X4 models are the protagonists squaring out in the premium compact SUV sector. Thanks to a 248-hp 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 273 lb-ft of torque, the Macan easily beats the X3 and X4 at the basic level in terms of performance. Only 258 lb-ft of the same power are present in the Bavarian counterpart (248 hp). In the initial trim level of the competition between the 2020 BMW X3 and the 2020 Porsche Macan, the Porsche prevails.
Next up are the races between the 2020 BMW X5 and 2020 Porsche Cayenne, as well as the 2020 BMW X6 and 2020 Porsche Cayenne Coupe. These deals are fairly comparable in this regard. In fact, the 2020 X5 and 2020 X6 each have access to the identical bodywork, whereas the Porsche Cayenne is available as a classic SUV and a coupe SUV. But the differences stop there. In reality, the 2020 Porsche Cayenne/2020 Cayenne Coupe duo definitely outperforms the vehicles from Munich when it comes to engines. Both Porsches are driven by a hybrid system that combines an electric motor and a turbocharged V8 to produce 670 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque in their most potent configuration, the Turbo S E-Hybrid model. BMW’s turbocharged V8’s 617 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque can’t match with these numbers.
The comparison between the 2020 BMW Z4 and 2020 Porsche 718 Boxster is still up for debate. Although both cars are rear-wheel-drive roadsters, there isn’t much more similarity on this issue. The 2020 Porsche 718 sports a mid-rear engine, whilst the 2020 Z4 has a traditional front-engine setup. This architectural distinction reveals a lot about the function of each vehicle. The Boxster is more focused on performance while the BMW offers a driving style designed for dynamic cruising. In fact, the engine’s position, which is identical to that of a Formula 1 car, delivers the best balance for the ideal performance on the track. With outputs ranging from 300 horsepower for the base model with a flat-four turbo (compared to 255 horsepower for the 2020 BMW Z4 sDrive30i), to 414 horsepower for the razor-sharp 2020 Porsche 718 Spyder, dedicated above all to the track with its incredible flat-six screaming through the laps, the Porsche also prevails in this round (382 hp for the 2020 BMW Z4 M40i).
There is just one option if you want a luxury brand with a racing-inspired background and models, and that brand is Porsche. The Zuffenhausen vehicles offer uncompromising sportsmanship that is nevertheless practicable on a daily basis while remaining true to heritage. Therefore, stop by Porsche Rive-Sud, your preferred Porsche dealer in St. Hubert, today to learn more about their inventory!
BMW versus Mercedes, which is more expensive?
In reality, you might be considering whether Mercedes-Benz is superior to BMW. Mercedes-Benz new cars frequently cost less, especially at the entry level. Not to mention, you’ll get more features, power, and efficiency for your money.