Big no to MB hybrids.

Battery replacement issue, have to get extended warranty.
Has poor resale value, worse if no extended warranty
Battery weight = extra wear and tear on suspension, harder on tyres.
A lot of electronics = a lot of expensive things that can go wrong in a hot and humid country, especially with batteries that need cooling. Heat and humidity will mess up a lot of other stuff, like air suspension and anything w rubber seals and gaskets.

Conti cars in general, hybrid and non-hybrid, over 6 years old are a ticking time bomb. Engine/gearbox overhaul, AC system, suspension bushes, struts and steering rack, engine cooling pump, rad and hoses, all sorts of electronic control units and modules, start-stop small battery, and the dreaded sticky plastic door handle curse.

If you can afford, buy a newer petrol conti, with plenty warranty left - downsize if you have to, a 3er or C with a smaller petrol engine. Otherwise go get a Japanese car.

Of course, if you can throw money at problems to solve them, go ahead.

It's not just airmatic, which is a massively annoying and expensive mess, but also typical absorber seals, but of course it's a lot cheaper to deal with than air suspension.

My current pain in the ass is a S400h, and I feel it's just in time for the 6 year itch, and already 2022 log has a week in the workshop for 20k. I like how the old Honda had the same issue, and was in & out in 2 days for 3k. But apples and oranges.

Other than that I'd say a 528i or a 530i - sure not as powerful, but a F10 of a similar age is a bit cheaper and a pre-LCI 530i isn't much more. I've not had issues with either, just a matter of taking care of them a bit. But BMWs may not be your cup of tea. So bottom line is avoid the bluetec, and if you can pay to play, E400. Having a good mechanic you can rely on is of course a big key to this.

This month's 20k wasn't related to absorbers, but that time will come shortly. S400h has a few quirks that simply cannot be diagnosed, stuff like how sometimes the side mirrors retract, and sometimes they just dgaf. Want to replace it, but there's a reason why there's no S580e in the wild even a couple of months after launch, and there won't be for a while - possibly even until July - and same for others like GL, E etc. Until the govt decides on pricing and taxes, they're at ransom and buyers suffer.

F01/02, expect the typical 9k/strut and 5k for compressor when it comes to air suspension. All the other issues apply, especially w 6hp gearbox. Dynamically, F02 is a step backwards from the E66, and it doesn't feel as well put together. G12 is not bad, for now, as long as it's not the e. But ultimately large sedans like this have so much to deal with, and for the first 3-4 years it's absolutely fantastic to own, then for the next 2 it's a little concern in the back of your head, and after that it's just burning chequebooks.

That's mainly why I've been happier with the standard midsize sedans, they're easier to handle when I'm driving myself or if the wifey wants to drive herself. Profile-wise, they're more abundant and attract nearly no attention, while having most of the usable tech one would like to have. Turbo 4 pots are decent for city use, and reliable and a breeze to maintain, and having 600km between gas stops is helpful. Honestly, in a daily scenario, 250ish hp is absolutely fine, and I can say this because the M5 with more than twice the hp has that negated in city use, and I find that the effective range is 450ish km, but the refuel light comes on at 1/4 tank, and it's annoyingly sprung even in comfort mode, and early cold starts wakes up people in the house. Also, compared to the standard 5, the M5 has a terrible turning radius and it also holds the record for the most expensive trip to the workshop I've ever paid. Point is, bigger engines may be enticing, but their application is fairly limited, and any other benefit is simply diminishing returns but the downsides are hefty. Now, 520d is something I've only experienced in BMW events, it's definitely more spritely from a standing start, and less trips to a gas station is always better, and if you don't care about the typical perception of diesel, why not? If kept to the regular service schedule, a 528/530/520d has a good 6 years of worry free motoring from new, and most maintenance after that isn't as bad as an S or 7, or anything with 6 or 8 cylinders. I like that sweet spot, but I guess it's something most people have to find out for themselves, or find out that it doesn't matter that much.

Just read this. The turbo 4 pot BMWs will happily cruise at high speeds in the low 2k rpm range, and should be able to deal with most other cars without too much effort. Even on fairly short runs I find myself sometimes hitting 200km/h+ without even thinking about it. And having driven the 6 cylinder cars on the same KL-PG runs, it's a marginal difference with that power. Unless it's late night or early morning, traffic will be the deciding factor, and unless you're weaving in and out, any distance put between you and the car with 2 less cylinders will be effectively negated with a slowdown in traffic. And running consistently in the 200-300km/h range is pretty scary, plus heaps of windscreen/bumper/headlight chips, and is definitely something I wouldn't be comfortable doing in a car over 4 years old.

Camry to a 4 pot conti is a large jump in itself, and I feel anything more is diminishing returns. Changing car is always a big decision, but given that there are so many other factors, and given your intended use, maybe consider more carefully how much weight you'd want to put into power alone.

There's really no right or wrong answers here, there's only your answer. You just gotta go out there and try em out and see if what you think is validated.

I had my questions too, and I had to find the answers. I thought what was missing was power, so I went and bought a v8 twin turbo M5 with close to 600hp, thinking very few things out there could smoke me. At first, it was fun, giddy with power and being compressed into the seat, riding the wave of torque coming out from toll gates, or hitting 200kmh effortlessly from launch in 12s. But then I found that while I could put distance, I couldn't really shake smaller cars without having to weave in and out, which I wasn't really keen on doing. And I found out that straight line is good and all, but getting overtaken and left for dust going up Genting by an uncle in a 4wd Fortuner of all things isn't fun, even though he sounds modded and he probably pulls 20 runs up a month regularly. And topping out at 275, I couldn't keep up with supercars. And it burnt a litre of oil every month with a full tank every 3 days. Those younger days are gone, and I think my answer to the question of conti ownership is... the one with the least stress haha.

So give it a go, if you're happy then great, if not, then let's hope it doesn't cost too much.

This post has been edited by RL5959: Feb 1 2022, 05:25 AM

If delimited.