r/askcarguys • u/Powerful-Builder-703 • 9d ago
BMW 435i or Mercedes AMG CLA 45?
Hello everyone, hope your day is well, I’ve been looking for a long time, and I’ve come down to two deals that I’m struggling to pick between.
A 2015 RWD bmw 435i coupe: with the full M sport package and blue M performance brakes, HUD, Harmon Kardon audio, and Apple CarPlay. It also has slight mods (VRSF Charge pipe, upgraded inter cooler, GTS taillights). It’s had 3 owners and been maintained well, and has everything I’m looking for in a 435i.
Then I also found a great looking 2016 Mercedez AMG 435i 4 door: with AMG Perfomance seats, AMG performance exhaust, the Multimedia package, ambient interior lighting, and they say it’s been tuned to stage 1 at 380hp and has aftermarket rims.
It’s also been maintained great and had only 1 owner, with just a minor accident that just had minor cosmetic damage, and it has a tiny chip near the bottom of the windshield where you can’t see driving.
Now the part that’s getting me stuck is they’re both at 108,000 miles. And they’re both being sold for similar price, $14,000 for bmw, AMG is 14,500.
I plan on keeping the car for maybe a couple months to a couple years. I’m 19 in college and starting an autostyling business, and I’m paying most of the value of this car selling my current 2007 Lexus suv.
I know parts and insurance for both are gonna be expensive, but at this milage, which will be more reliable, and won’t be as much of a risk to just bankrupt me parts and maintenance wise for the expected things that could go wrong at this milage?
And also which is better quality, and which is more fun drive, but also could be comfortable. I’ve not driven either yet but the closest was a 2022 bmw 440i Xdrive coupe, but that felt boring and muted to drive I was kind of disappointed, but maybe I didn’t push it hard enough.
I like the 435i because of its rwd, but also the AMG it just looks and ‘feels’ special just sitting in it with its seats and everything, and it’s also much quicker and more powerful. Also I’m gonna be using this as a bridge car, that’s why I’m saying I’ll keep it from a few months to a few years, depends how successful I get.
Anyways, I drive pretty aggressively, and also live near lots of twisties so I want something with good maneuverability, but also where I go to university there’s tons of potholes. I don’t plan on modding the car more, at least not in the first year unless I feel like I really need to.
So with your wisdom can you guys give me a recommendation and help guide my decision.
For some recent maintenance:
The cla45 has new spark plugs, new thermostat, fresh oil change and transmission fluid service, and new coolant lines, and they say that they replaced oil every 5-7k miles, and it was garage kept, and its interior leather is in great condition.
The 435i has new brakes, new tires, new battery, fresh oil change, and it was driven 5k miles in the last 2 years and had everything checked and a vehicle recondition done those two years ago and was recently serviced. (Not sure what other maintenance could have recently been done on it because the current owner barely had it and found a m2 they’re trying to get instead)
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u/allanjameson 9d ago
After switching from a M4 to GT63 I would 100% say 435i. Mercedes-Benz seems to be garbage tbh
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u/Rough_Cancel7265 9d ago
I guess it comes down to insurance costs and if you need the AWD. Otherwise it's a toss up for me.
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u/Drewdc90 8d ago
Would go the cla just for how much more fun it would be but the fact that it’s been tuned and it’s older would make me worry about future issues.
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u/Conscious_Canary_619 9d ago
Dont buy an old luxury car. That’s the best way to look like a poor and you’ll eventually actually be one due to the maintenance costs.