BMW 318 SE vs Mercedes C180 with Richard Hammond

Join Richard Hammond as he puts two German cars to the test - the BMW 318 SE and the Mercedes C180, looking at their performance, practicality, and design. Which car would you rather drive? Tell us below!
[This clip is from Motor Week: Season 8, Ep. 12, originally aired 26/04/2001. The full episode can be watched here: • Motor Week: Season 8, ... ]
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[@nopy99]

Someone forgot to tell the camera He was filming a review and not a rave .

[@nestorkozak]

🤣🤣🤣🤣on point

[@wp8022]

Man, that's the early 2000s.

[@konstantinospanolis1464]

It has luxury It has class But most importantly it is Mercedes

[@V59971]

Even in 2019 that Merc is still beautiful

[@erarexh1127]

Been 10 years using W203manual. Really strong vehicle!

[@V59971]

@@erarexh1127 how many miles is on the clock

[@erarexh1127]

@@V59971 Hmm i got it in kilometres! About 270,000 KM

[@V59971]

@@erarexh1127 wow

[@zenekmartyniuk8286]

@@erarexh1127 you right Very strong car i have 2006 2.2 cdi manual 295,000 km on the clock reliable car i love it

[@IceMan-il7dx]

W203 = wildly underestimated.

[@NokiaHumanForm]

Anyone watching this during the quarantine?

[@Mehmet-gy7rn]

Mercedes forever 👍👍👍

[@germanempire859]

Mercedes is more luxurious, strong and a good engineering car.Mercedes looks very nice even if they are 15 year old.💪💪💪🔥🔥🔥✨✨✨⚡⚡⚡⚡

[@adaletaspasojevic6586]

Same with bmw both cars are good

[@AdamAus85]

Interior not as nice, but the 4 door C class looked better than the 4 door 3 series. E46 coupe though, beautiful car.

[@bekabeka71]

Any coupe is beautiful look at the new c class coupe way cooler than m3

[@MrGugashavla]

Mercedes

[@TheJoeMB]

This exhausting to watch with the constant panning and zooming in and out. Sigh.

[@IceMan-il7dx]

The Mercs have proven themselves over time. 15yrs later get the Merc. Doesn't look too dated.

[@IHATEYANKS41]

Ice Man that merc will have rotted to death by now surely

[@ililiililliliill9498]

IHATEYANKS41 umm or not i have one and it is almost completely rust free - and i live in finland where the roads are full of salt in the winter..

[@tineshganesan2369]

@@IHATEYANKS41 I disagree with that brother.....it still run perfectly....a bought a used one six months ago from today.....the only repair I've done are the tyres😄and aftermarket touch screen multimedia

[@IHATEYANKS41]

PUBG Bounty Hunter fair play to you man. I bought a BMW 728i in January, had to have a few original parts replaced bushes starter motor etc but other than that a cracking cruiser, hope the Merc proves a great companion ! Which model is it?

[@tineshganesan2369]

@@IHATEYANKS41 great choice mate on that 7 series Mine will be the e320 2003 and I really appreciate the previous owner who takes a good care of his car

[@IHATEYANKS41]

Big merc fan but you couldn’t stop bmw at this time when they had the holy trinity of E39 5 series, E46 3 series and E38 7 series

[@aquaboy1650]

IHATEYANKS41 Dont forget big little brother E53 :)

[@aquaboy1650]

W203 looks beautiful, but E46 has more appealing and soul also timeless design. Don’t forget e46 was created where BMW was in the best era with E38, E39 and E53.

[@raihanuhibbuka2897]

E65 sucks tho

[@MartinJones123]

And the Mercedes was created in the dark ages of the brand, when it was owned by Chrysler

[@TheAviationChannel]

Definetely one of those childhood favourite cars we had on my drive. The mercedes W203 was a legend and was a big leap from the mercedes w202

[@stefanbabic4450]

to be realistic here for a minute, there is no BMW driver who would drive a Merc, and no Merc driver who would buy a BMW

[@michaelharman362]

stefan babic - my daily driver is a c180; weekends... E46s 330ci convertible!!!

[@georgetoplichvili8637]

I’ve got a c240 and am looking into a bmw lool

[@liviucipcico]

Merc fan growing up but my first car was a bmw, it was an opportunity and i did't hesitated.

[@mikeh2006]

Currently have this shape merc c320cdi and have previously had an e46. Quite honestly, they're both decent. And since the merc only cost me £1650 2 years ago and has only needed a battery and aux belt, I imagine it will remain with me for a while longer.

[@love2understand]

He should have driven the C180 Kompressor (supercharcer). It has a 1.8 liter engine that produces 143 hp.

[@geoffdundee]

i just bought a 2007 c180 Kompressor Avantgarde 1.8 auto and im impressed how fast it goes......ive always owned Volvo before now..........have never ever looked at a BMW and would never buy one........im happy with my merc.

[@zahkam7322]

Just trying to understand this , If you never ever looked at a BMW , why would you not buy one? This same can be said about other brands as well , its a very stupid ( maybe im using the wrong word sorry ) way of thinking , You should try them all out before making a decision . Its kind of fun test driving all the new cars out there before making a decision . You might be surprised at what you find . Some cars are really nice , brand should mean nothing to us common folk if the car makes you happy , I mean they dont pay us to be brand loyal haha . Love the new Volvos though! We have both Bmws and Benz vehicls at home , both have their plus and minus points , I have always found the Benz to be more comfortable , but will never come close to the sporty drive or feel of the BMW the car just feels like its on rails, the BMW on the other hand wont come close to the comfort and smooth ride of our Benz. I love them both for what they are .

[@robgw]

love2understand we got two of these in the family. Superb engines. Designed to be high miiliage cars

[@Featherface01]

@@geoffdundee Just bought the same car a week ago. 55,000 on it. How is yours holding up? Don't tell me if it's dead lol.

[@geoffdundee]

@@Featherface01 ......LOL i kept it 2 years and got a volvo :) ...enjoyed mercedes while i had it but spent a fair bit on it replacing parts (wear n tear)....had around 85k when i sold it..still on the road as far as im aware.......went from an 07 to a 16 plate volvo but changing this year to either another volvo or a lexus hybrid

[@3x3cofi]

bmw better looking, but interior is better in mercedes. in my opinion bmw interior look so plastic and cheap

[@aquaboy1650]

center twelve No no no E46 was born during the best BMW era, which has the best quality inside and out. Meanwhile, w203 was created during the dark period of Mercedes

[@arlindselimi7767]

Wrong !! Its the opposite actually

[@robgw]

We have. 2003 and 2005 c class still going from new in our family! Never broken. We been also through 2 Land Rovers in that time.

[@mattthewfigueroa8731]

I want the one with a star not the flag one..... jajaja

[@soundseeker63]

I still like the look of this C-class even 15 years on, but it was from the era when Merc was partnered with Daimler/Chrysler, and its build quality was not good. Body rust and electrical problems are known faults for this generation C. For this reason the BMW was still the better car as BMW never cut corners on build quality like Mercedes did in the mid 90s/early 00s.

[@donkgated8074]

+soundseeker63 LOL you have never heard of the subframe chassis issue in the BMW E46? And cooling system in Merc will easily outlast BMWs which are made of plastic. Not saying you're wrong about Mercs - though rust isn't a common issue by the time the W203 came out. You're right about electrical problems affecting 1st-gen C-classes - MY05 update fixed this. And you're right about general build quality dropping in this era of Mercs.

[@soundseeker63]

donkgated Well maybe I am biased as I have owned 5 BMWs including a '00 318i like we see here and never had any serious issues with it apart from central locking/alarm and stereo issues, which are all minor electrical niggles. I do remember that Mercedes was ranking very lowly in owner satisfaction surveys around this time and a few acquaintances also said they were disappointed with their build quality. Which is why I consider early 00s Mercs best avoided. More recent versions seem to be much better, and I find BMW too common now so would actually take a new C-class over a new 3-series.

[@donkgated8074]

soundseeker63 You're right about early 00s Mercs. It's a shame the electricals weren't done right, because otherwise the mechanicals are really robust - most of the engines and transmissions will go 400k kms relatively trouble-free without needing rebuild. I wouldn't count on engines in any new car today doing that!

[@MrSatrab]

+soundseeker63 thats right, got w202 and i have problems with rust and electrical.. How is it in e36 ?

[@MisterAki069]

+soundseeker63 noway !!!!!! my w203 c180 from 2003 is very good no electrical problems and no body rust amk

[@almighty9662]

c180 for sure

[@berendoldenburger]

I have a 2000 C240 Mercedes and I absolutely love it to bits. It’s lovely to drive, has good equipment, everything works but the ride is a little on the firm side. I think it’s magnificent and I can’t imagine the 3 Series being any better.

[@216-i6p]

You'd be suprised, i have a 2000 manual 330i saloon. The cars perfect!

[@LUGER1985]

i love the c180 looks much better that the bmw

[@ansett7687]

***** all those c180's have cloudy opaque from headlights now, and look like shit (Benz must have cut back the budget on sourcing headlight plastic). The Beemer has held up better with age.

[@LysergicCasserole95]

LUGER1985 I don't think so, BMW set timeless benchmarks in design

[@toyonda1]

MERCEDES-BENZ DA BEST

[@the8419]

Hammond is right.. Those ugly bmws are way too common but the Mercedes are more exclusive

[@computername]

The BMW sign coming from a propeller is a myth :)

[@hardcorehardo]

computername yeah it's not that way actually. It's the Bavarian flag BMW=Bavarian motor factories in german

[@LOTPOR0402]

20k for a low to mid spec e46 ! back in 2000 thats expensive .Also not many years after this the BMW became a bit of a chave car which was a bit of a shame .The merc never got that image for some reason ,and is still perceived as an upmarket car

[@carolasmx2516]

+Mark cbay might have something to do with the fact that 90% of BMW owners drive like twats.

[@carolasmx2516]

***** i took a sample of california drivers

[@LOTPOR0402]

carolasmx And british ones

[@carolasmx2516]

***** yeah I don't deny owning a BMW is a great feeling, just some guys seem to think they are their car. You know the type; middle aged, slightly chubby men in dress or business casual attire who's highlight of their day is to do 95 on the freeway.

[@carolasmx2516]

***** lol yup, most those guys can't drive for shit, but owning a sports car gives em a chance to feel like a racing driver

[@AFCAWorldBodybuildingArchive]

E39 vs W210 i give it to BMW. But e46 vs W203 i give it to Mercedes 🤗

[@turboZ3]

The benz looks much better, has kept its appeal and dareisay looks better than some lower end cars put out today. I have an 01 C320 and get plenty of compliments.

[@amolay3419]

mb benz To be honest the W203 looks like nothing compared to an E46 LCI

[@theodor12]

20+ years later, you still see E46s everywhere. Those old Mercs though.... they've all rusted away. The mid nineties and early 2000s were a massive low point for Mercedes.

[@oguaghambauchenna9218]

Speak for ur self homie

[@V59971]

Thats a lie

[@soundseeker63]

E46s definitely rust too! But I think people try to keep them going because they are so fun to drive and look great, wheras the C-class is just a forgotten car that grandad used to have. They also had crappy electronics too so they became expensive to fix pretty early on.

[@hassanbinshariq5420]

Mercedes Benz c180 exterior and interior is more attractive and sleek than of BMW.

[@jaykamali2197]

Hassan Shariq - You have to be joking, BMW always had better interior that Cheap tatty Mercedes

[@hassanbinshariq5420]

Jay Kamali every one has its own choice... I respect your choice..

[@jesuschrist2287]

@@jaykamali2197 you're biased on bmw. mercedes interior always was better than bmw from w116 era. bmw just keep putting same cheap plastic as they putted in early 00s. now in they nowadays cars putting plastic with fake wood trim in interior

[@MrBoukea]

1000 years???? The 2001-2006 models rusted away in 10 years...

[@markoseries]

Both hold a special place in my heart.

[@scorpios8460]

W203 a legend for real men E46 is good but not like the MB

[@soundseeker63]

You're joking right? The E46 has a massive cult following and is probably one of the most loved cars of the 2000s. Only grandads drive this shape C-class now, and most of them have died from rust some years ago.

[@abdullahbouhamdan9666]

The c class is an amazing car only if you take care of them, my parents have a c240 it was a good car with a good engine but because lack of care we destroyed, but we didn't throw away the car we replaced the engine with a w203 c320 engine, which iam greatful that happend lol we paid 500$ for it and it was worth it, the car is relatively fast 0 60 in low 7 high 6 secs, and what j love about this engine it can keep running even if something is broken in it the car sometimes shutsoff but if i just turn it off and on it comes back to life for the whole day, but these days iam taking care of the car since i have a driving license, the car is running as if its new, the only problems i have with it now is the egr valve, and the interior needs a bit of work and its a bit rusty on the outside but besides that its an amazing car

[@terp8373]

Still hanging onto my '07 C350. It's not perfect, but it's painful for me to contemplate the day when it bites the dust. Easily the best car I've owned.

[@viktor45511]

Now you can buy them for £900

[@stephentbn2619]

Got 1 for 150😂😂

[@davisdesigns1153]

video about 2 sensible German cars Editor: *RAVE MUSIC!!!!*

[@Gloria-a-Dio-in-eterno]

Mercedes is much better!

[@tom80cruse]

MY EYES! MY EYES!!!

[@raphaelfalsch2706]

Bought a 2003 E46 316i sedan 2 years ago with little mileage. Honestly? Well, yeah, only 115hp. But it looks timeless both outside and inside, especially from the inside... it looks as if it was designed 5 years ago. It has one of the most beautigul steering wheels I have ever seen - the sports multifunction one from the facelift. I mean, yeah, the engine really isn't powerful, but it has soul, if you know what I mean. It needs to rev high, and when you're in the right gear on mountain roads, that 16 valve howl in high RPM is really engaging when you put the pedal to the floor. At a certain RPM range on the highway, you can really hear the vanos when it "roars" between 3k and 4k rpm. Still puts a smile on my face, even if it's slow. Oh, and rather good MPG. Only 6,5-7 liters per 100km on the highway which is geat for such an old car. Oh, and the handling? Goodness, I have new tires and new OEM Bilstein suspension + springs. When I drive on winding roads, it's as if it is glued to the road although I have no sports suspension or anything. It really is great to drive. Reliability? Well... that's a different matter. Mine needed a lot of work in terms of new gaskets to combat oil leaks and general repairs, like a broken crankshaft sensor or a broken ignition coil. I did it all myself, so it was only the parts - essentially dirt cheap. But if you'd have to bring it to a shop, it could end up costing a lot. The Mercedes, on the other hand, has a lot of issues of rust, which the E46 facelift doesn't gor the most part. You can pick your poison, but I am happy with my E46. It's the kind of car that makes driving a fun experience where you are focused and enjoy it - which contributes to safety 😛 And I want to stress the interior again: It looks a) extremely timeless and b) the materials are great. Lotsa quality.

[@krox17]

thats facelifted n42 engine and its dogshit. The one in the video is m43, no vanos, slow but reliable as hell

[@georgeb5262]

I just wanna add for information for these, looking for this type of Mercedes, that the facelift of the Benz w203 in 2004 decreased the rust problem and if you buy lower trim model like the C180, electrical failures are much rarer.

[@krzysiekkrasuski7911]

TYLKO W203😍😍

[@xvvtfffhjbvc9592]

well no one drive benz from 2000 to 2005 the shame ages quick thum up bimmer

[@DominicMadbull90]

+arthritis Yard Visit europe you will see there has tons of c class 220 2001 also bmw diesels

[@KirkTheGod]

Am I the only one who misheard him say "Hungry for your tick"...?

[@bmwe60bmw59]

E46

[@TheKenjoje]

yeah, r4elability of bmw was great, right....

[@sp1tf1r321]

If maintenance was done on time there pretty bulletproof.

[@TheKenjoje]

sp1tf1r321 no. speaking of bmw, driving style does add to it more than in most other car makes, but still, not good

[@sp1tf1r321]

+TheKenjoje as an e46 owner I can say they are reliable.

[@TheKenjoje]

sp1tf1r321 you are not representative, or, more precisely, yours is not. you can not say THEY are reliable, only yours is. e46 not quite good. www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/bmw/3-series-e46-1998/?section=good

[@izil1fe]

+TheKenjoje Ever heard of propaganda ?

[@StalloneSRB]

Mercedes here

[@luckys1227]

I don’t even have to say it

[@Menandmotors]

Well said.

[@rascal462]

2000 CLK430 & 2000 BMW323CI .Both have been running strong no problems for the last 7 years. I have had S class .And 5series but 535i Had problems Also So yeah I like Them both . Depending on the model

[@n--r--s--7___9___6]

Amiamo questi 2modelli ,ciao.

[@lucianferaru2972]

Bmw have a old style ,but *Mercedes is more luxury than bmw, bmw for student's, mercedes fore luxury, sportiness, and design. My mercedes forever*

[@amolay3419]

Lucian Feraru E46 has got a better design and build quality and it’s also much more sportive. W203 rusts everywhere and the electronics were horrific

[@Mortalomena]

Yea sure that merc looks and rides fine as new, but its basically Chrysler garbage because of the merge at 1998.

[@mustsilm]

Lol Hammond looks like a schoolboy here

[@samsparks1849]

The merc will hold its money more and out live the bmw my years and miles

[@greathey1234]

Not anymore. Mercs are worse than Korean cars these days

[@imjihan1319]

Hey

[@cockshield]

Not THIS Merc, no way, no how!

[@WhiteSlift]

The Merc is rusting away today.

[@LOTPOR0402]

Neither of them have held there money like all cars ,and they rusted maybe the merc a little bit more than the bmw

[@justicetheartist6386]

But they got a better version of Mercedes, this one is the first version

[@Cykelpump33]

Beat is kicking hard!

[@humfyb2544]

The shots are dizzying.

[@patelmatombe1290]

tell me somethng guys hw is bmw 318i e46 1999 model is it strong and farst

[@vonsauerkraut]

Mercedes Looks much better

[@ajdexter4195]

The mercs headlights look childish 🤷🏼😳

[@naseerp313]

I have one 2002 model c200 . I like the shape of this car than BMW. but the car eats by rust. I think in the quality BMW better than Mercedes

[@mkbrahimi8954]

Yes you're right but w203 after 2004 no concern by rust

[@ademaksoy5882]

Where is the player musiccc?? E46 💪

[@zflorentinzonez8184]

Jumping up and down in that E46 , is it what you call sharp handling ????? :))))) I drove a lot of BMW and Mercedes I even oned a few. And I always wondered how much Is the BMW paying all this jurnalist to say pretty words about their terrible suspension work. :)))

[@aidan1585]

1:00 what is this song! It is a great song.

[@bobratu9029]

Never heard about BMW "SE"

[@josearroyo8419]

So who won? He never clarified lol

[@mustsilm]

Not in Albania 03:30

[@savagegtalks5912]

Hamster at full height lol

[@miguelcarvalho2897]

Comparing Mercedes to a Bmw its an insult for all car enthusiasts... Owned both, Mercedes is so much better.

[@trw8777]

I have both these cars😆

[@jesusadigozelov9013]

I need this music name

[@milandesmet3623]

IT SEEMS1 A+ WORN! BLOOD LANGUID 11

[@somalipogba5132]

is the bmw rwd?

[@joeeldridge1422]

Yes

[@IHATEYANKS41]

Does a bear shit in the woods ?

[@sporeasporea]

Mercedes!!!

[@cactuscake1323]

3:25

[@leaderdaco3034]

Bmw very Nice E46

[@Sanpedranoazul]

I`m bout to puke

[@mikecooper7816]

Both cars are off the road now

[@V59971]

The Kompressor is still on the road

[@Kivut]

music is perceft

[@jesusadigozelov9013]

What is name music?

[@patrese993]

What does the "SE" stand for?

[@V59971]

Special Edition

[@soundseeker63]

@@V59971 No, special equipment

[@pantera6343]

Iv owned dozens of cars Worst car Iv ever owned 2001 c180 non supercharged Best car Iv ever owned 2002 320ci

[@Uninfluenceable]

it's now 2019 and I still see a half dozen W203's on the road every single day. To be honest I haven't seen an E46 on the road in weeks, and a working E36 probably not in a year while W202's are still very common in the USA.

[@markoseries]

Idk where you live, but this isn't the case in my part of the US. E46s are as common as Toyota Corollas from the same period.

[@josejosejose9459]

The seat toledo 1.9tdi 110cv signum is better than the mercedes and the bmw

[@NcolITALRegna]

BMW

[@tiagobernardo6807]

this c class was so forgettable

[@enriquemalparidabermejo8332]

They should compared this cars with seat toledo 1998-2004 Toledo is soooo much better

[@carmoto-ky5lv]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@enriquemalparidabermejo8332]

@@carmoto-ky5lv?

[@TheLatinGQ]

e46 all day!

[@bebeto6861]

no comparison , bmw is much better than this dull mercedes

[@emilmoe92]

bebeto big money wasted, bruh

[@amopastorcanadense]

my dad had a c180 kompressor but looking these two cars i would prefer the bmw one.for me, there is nothing like the "wave" design on the headlights, for me is so classy and authentic.and the bmw's interior looks better(refined).

[@bsg2621]

My dad had a BMW 550i and then a Jaguar E-Type and now a BMW 340i GT

[@greathey1234]

Hammond always overstates German build quality. The fact is that both lose to any Japanese mass produced car, the end.

[@OlliTho91]

xDDDDD Good Joke Bro.

[@Mikepragland]

Owned a Toyota never a single problem. Bought a BMW, constant issues...

[@nikolamladenoff3516]

***** If you buy second hand cars another factor comes in place and it's called previous owners. You can't judge the brand by all the mess the previous owners have or might have done to your car.

[@soundseeker63]

+greathey1234 That depends what you mean. In terms or mechanical reliability, yes that might be true. However you sit in most Japanese cars and they feel very cheap and made of low grade materials compared to the German cars which look and feel expensive. So Japanese may me more reliable, but German are definitely better fit and finish.

[@greathey1234]

soundseeker63 yeah but how will soft plastics going to help when your Mercedes breaks down in the middle of the Mojave desert?

[@dans8167]

Both are overpriced eurotrash

[@AldousForestTheLast]

Get back to your Plastic Chrysler, hater.

[@dans8167]

I'll stick to my more reliable, cheaper and quicker Japanese car thanks.

[@bijumj2482]

Daniel Sole stick with your cheaper more reliable ugly woman too

[@derbigpr500]

Back to teletubbies, cars aren't you thing.

[@dans8167]

Cars aren't my thing because I don't like Underpowered, plasticky, overpriced and unreliable trash from Europe? Good logic.

[@CynicalBastard511]

The BMW is no longer on the road. The vehicle details for W863 MCF are: 2000 BMW 318i SE Date of Liability 01 02 2013 Date of First Registration 17 05 2000 Year of Manufacture 2000 Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1895cc CO₂ Emissions Not Available Fuel Type PETROL Export Marker N Vehicle Status Unlicensed Vehicle Colour GREEN Vehicle Type Approval Not Available

[@cockshield]

If you bought a Mercedes in the late 90s/early 00s, you were fucking robbed!

[@DeanML576]

+cockshield If you say so...

[@Krezo200]

Red Pill Intelligence this fits today as well

[@cockshield]

Really? I think most mercs today from C-Class up are great cars!

[@cockshield]

@@mislavkonjik2827 Yes. And it's better than all the cars in this segment in later generations, including the subsequent 3s.

[@cockshield]

@@mislavkonjik2827 Yes.