[neanderthal]

very good write up but theres a few you forgot

ride quality.
over bumpy streets and so on. just about a tie with the benz having a slight edge

long distance comfort.
benz over bimmer for his one. bimmer handles better but is more twitchy and "nervous" when affected by such things as crosswinds
interior volume. about the same. both have big trunks

fuel economy.
BMW. easy. also doesnt require premium fuel.

amenities.
BMW. has a standard trip computer thing. benz has standard climate control, dash button to lower rear headrests. BMW wins with better (upgraded version on both cars) factory stereo.

aftermarket parts and modifications.
BMW. not even close. wheels, brakes, suspension, engine tuning, LSD, exhaust parts.

durability.
benz. not even a competition. that BMW transmission you like will go boom at some point.

the BMW is better in many many objective ways. the benz gets the nod in that subjective thing we call "tank like quality."

my twin brother had a titanium (a grey brown metallic colour) 525i that i drove regularly enough to compare to my champagne (metallic beige) coloured 300E 2.6. same year (1990) . his had leather, mine has MB Tex. his interior was falling apart; headliner peeling off, drivers seat backrest at a permanent angle, tattered leather, sticking switchgear, but its still went like a dream. beautiful transmission, shifted as though it read your mind, immense brakes, killa lights, phat stereo that just thumped and thumped, not a round the block window rattler but it stirred your soul. it was great in many ways.
it just needed a whole new interior and better engineering. it started nickel and diming him to death and he got rid of it.