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I cross shopped the E-Class but was turned off when they had significant delays. I liked the exterior looks of the E-Class and the interior is very nice at first glance but looks tacky at night where it has a "Tokyo at night" vibe.
But most importantly the bulletproof reliability of the BMW was in another league compared with the E-Class. As someone who buys my vehicles and drives them for 6-7 years, reliability is a major concern for me. My previous two 5 series were solid as a rock and required virtually no servicing outside of oil changes, alignment and break pads. So far, after a year, my 540xi has had zero maintenance issues.
My friend got the new E-Class and has had quality control issues with it as soon as he picked it up. The heads up display didn't work and the passenger side window didn't go all the way up. My other consideration was the B58 engine (I'd never consider a 4 cylinder engine in a midsized car like this) which is simply the very best mass produced 6 cylinder engine ever made (IMO). To be fair, the newer inline 6 in the E-Class is very good, smooth and powerful, but nothing can compare to the B58. So, in spite of concerns about the exterior appearance of the G60, I pulled the trigger - my third 6 cylinder 5 series. The appearance has grown on me - especially the headlights and rear view. From the side it still looks ungainly and overweight. The E-Class now just looks pleasant enough but is really quite forgettable.
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