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BESTDASHBESTSEATSMercedesConfusingBttonsoncx1fntrx1fconsolx1farx1fpoorllabx1fllx1fanawkwartosx1fPedalsdrivingpositionismorx1fosx1ftthanthx1fBMx1cx19swhichcolcasx1fcomortissx1fsBMWQualityx19ot-tochmatx1frialsabonanthx1fashboariswx1fllpttogx1fthx1frControlsx19witchx1fsarx1fclx1farlmarkx1fanx1fastointhx1fsx1fbttonsarx1fidrivx1fshortctsbecausetherex19slotsofadjustmentinthedriverx19sseatandthesteeringwheel.BycomparisonthefrontseatsintheC-Classalwaysfeelasthoughtheyx19retiltingforwardx13evenintheir1attestpositions.Manualversionsofbothcarsareblightedbyoffsetpedalsbutitx19snotsomuchofanissueintheseautomaticmodels.TheMercx19ssteeringwheelstillfeelsoffsettothelefthowever.Theold3SerieshadtheedgeovertheC-Classforqualitysoitx19snosurprisethisnewmodelleavestheMercwaybehind.EverythingintheBMWoozesclassfromthedensesoft-touchdashboardtothewell-dampedswitchesanddials.TheMercx19scabinlacksthatdeepingrainedclassandthedesignofitsdashboardisfairlysombrebutatleasteverythingfeelssolid.Itisnx19tonlyqualitywherethe3SerieshasanedgethoughbecausetheBMWx19sdashisalsothemorelogicalwithwell-positionedself-explanatorycontrols.SomeofthoseintheC-Classareunnecessarilyobtuseparticularlythoseonthecentreconsolewhicharepoorlylabelledandawkwardtouse.Thenew3SeriesgetsabasicversionofBMWx19sexcellentiDriveinfotainmentsystemyoucanupgradetoawidescreenversionwithsat-navfor1995.Eitherwayyougetanintuitiverotarydialandasimplemenusystemwhichcontrolssomeofthecarx19sfunctionsincludingthestereo.TheMercx19sCOMANDsystemisalsocontrolledbyarotarydialbutthesoftwareisnx19tasquicktorespondtoinputsandthemenusarenx19tasinstinctive.WilltheybreakthebankBMW3Seriesx0MercedesC-Classx0WEx19x15ETESTINTx1dESEcarsasautomaticsandthatmeansthe3Seriesisthecleanercaremitting118gkmofCO2comparedwithitsrivalx19s125gkm.Thatmightbearelativelysmallnumericaldifferencebutgettingunderthecrucial120gkmmarkmeanstheBMWwillhavemuchlowercompanycartaxbills.Itx19staxedonjust13ofitslistpricewhileMercedesbuyerspaytaxon18oftheircarx19svalue.EvenwhentheovernmentrevisesallcompanycartaxbandsinAprilthe3Serieswillstillbethecheaperoptionbecauseitwillbetaxedon17ofitspricecomparedwith18fortheC-Class.TheBMWischeapertoleasethantheMercedestoo.The3Serieswillalsosaveitsownersmoneyatthepumpsitaverages62.8mpgagainsttheMercx19s58.9mpg.Attodayx19spricesthatamountstoan81savinginfuelevery12000miles.The3SeriessitsinalowerinsurancegroupthantheC-ClassThe320disadelighttohustlethroughbendsitx19seasytogetcomfortableTherex19smorebodyrollintheMercedesfrontseatstakeawhiletoadjustBESTTODRIVETWINTESTBMW3SeriesvsMercedes-BenzC-ClassfeBx1bux1dx1by2012whatcar.comandwillcostyoulesstoservice.x1doweverbothcarsareexpectedtobeworth43oftheiroriginalvalueafterthreeyearsandtheC-Classisthecheaperprivatebuybecauseyoucanhagglemorethan2500offitspriceatMercedesdealers.Atthetimeofgoingtoprintourmysteryshoppershadnx19tmanagedtohaggleapennyoffthenew3Seriesanditx19sstilltooearlyforonlinebrokerstoofferdealsbutwex19dexpecttoseeBMWdealersofferingdiscountsinthecomingmonths.Bothcarscomewithdual-zoneclimatecontrolBluetoothconnectivityandaUSBsocketasstandardbuttheC-Classhassevenairbagsincludingadriverx19skneex19bagtothe3Seriesx19six.x18EverythingintheBMWoozesclasstheMercx19scabinlacksthatdeepingrainedqualityx19