Strange choice: BMW 335D or Merc GLE

[sjbquattro]

HI there.
For the first time in my petrol head lifetime, I find myself with a really strange choice to make.

Just sold my daily driver (530D M Sport) and my weekend toy (911 Carrera 4S) as I need to put some money into my business for a while. Therefore I am going with a short (ish) term lease for 12-24 months until I buy another car.

Short term leases seem to not provide much choice. I'm after something that will fit a large dog in the boot, get me to meetings in comfort and if it puts a smile on my face then I will consider it a bonus. Has to be German (BMW, Merc, Audi etc).

All I've found so far for sensible money is the following:

BMW 335D M Sport XDrive Touring. Standard spec. No choice on colour or spec. (it's in the Estoril Blue).
Mercedes GLE 250CDI Sport. Standard spec. Black or Silver.

It sounds weird asking for opinions on which to go for as they are such different cars but I see pro's and con's of each.

I like the idea of an SUV. It's more practical by far but with the 2l engine I am worried I will get bored and frustrated with it when I am used to higher powered cars. It's not the AMG Sport so not very sporty to look at. Never owned a Merc before.

I like the 335D but the boot is smaller, it doesn't have many toys on it and I have read the standard suspension is not great (no M Sport suspension on the x drive). Looks like a decent engine though.

Can't find anything else on a short lease that ticks the boxes.
What would you choose and why please?

Thanks, Stuart

[Deerfoot]

Short term lease?

Out of those two I'd be going with the cheapest over the term.

[QuartzDad]

I'm 12 months into a 24 month lease on the same 335D, same colour, same base spec. The engine is brilliant - 30 to three figures never fails to make me smile.

[sjbquattro]

Thanks for the replies.

The 335D is approx £60 per month cheaper so not too much in it.

Quartzdad.... How do you find the standard suspension? So much controversy on this.
I'm driving one later today but it's got the optional 19's on it.

Thanks.

[QuartzDad]

I'm not a driving God at all and most of my miles are motorway - I find it completely fine.

[Deerfoot]

sjbquattro said:

The 335D is approx £60 per month cheaper so not too much in it.

We have a winner!

To be fair I'd have gone with the 335 anyway, the fact it's the cheaper option makes it a simple decision in my mind. Not a massive fan of the colour though but for 2 years I could live with it.

[spookly]

I'd go for the 335d too.

Not a fan of the GLE anyway, so the thought of paying more to lease one when it is slower than the alternatives is completely alien

[mclwanB]

Genuine question: what do lease companies say about dog "contamination "? My red lab's hairs are pretty much unremovable even with a full valet and ano there's going to be an interior scratch or two. What are lease companies like about that?

Can't believe that you are worrying if the 335 suspension isn't great when pitting it against an suv- it will be in a different class to the suv even I'd it isn't quite as good as an M sport.

[sjbquattro]

Thanks all.
An update...

Been to drive a 14 plate 335D XDrive Touring this afternoon. Standard suspension. Also a 535D M Sport Touring with loads of options incl adaptive drive. Both cars surprised me in a number of ways.

I expected the 5 to be my favourite as I have had a 530D saloon before and loved it. In comparison to the 335 it felt like a large barge. It was so much quieter and smooth but it just felt too big after the 335. Both went like stink but the 3 was more sporty and gave me a bigger smile.
What I didn't like so much on the 335 was the tyre roar. It was on optional 19's so that probably didn't help matters. I can live with that and the lease comes with standard 18's anyway.
It was pouring down on both test drives and the x drive gave me so much more confidence. Loved it.

The 335D on the lease is only a 12 month term so I can definitely live with it for that time.
My other choice is go with a PCP on the 335 I drive today. Ok it's. It brand new but I'd at least be gathering equity on it over a couple of years.

The Merc is out. Looked at a couple and I think I would regret it. The only thing that works in it's favour is the boot space.