I have to admit that the 5er doesn't look good... But it's no denying that it feels like a class above the C-Class. I sit in the 5er, I feel like I'm in a expensive car and I just don't feel that in the C. The Benz feels more utilitarian (but just as well-built) in comparison. And as is the case for many countries everywhere, BMW usually offers its cars very well optioned. iDrive is standard here for every 5er, as is PDC.

Thanks all for your views. I'm torn between the C180k and C220CDI really. My head says get the diesel, since I do nearly 20k miles per year. However, the diesel is much more expensive to buy, and seems to have marginally higher insurance and servicing costs. Add to that the fact that diesel itself is more expensive than petrol and I suspect that in the 2 years I'd have the car I'd never quite make back the premium I paid for the diesel.

I guess it comes down to whether I significantly prefer the diesel drive and how noisy it is, which I won't know until I've had a drive in one. I've only driven the petrol so far, which was very smooth and quiet, but did feel like a small engine pushing a big car. Mind you, I was driving very gently and in Comfort gearbox mode, the car had only 1000 miles on the clock, and even then it didn't feel slow. I suspect if I'd put it in Sport and put my foot down it would feel fairly quick.

More worrying is value for money. A decently specced nearly-new C220CDI will be close to £25k. For that I can get a six-month old BMW 325d M-Sport, or possibly a 330d if I haggle or go for a year old one. If I didn't have a 3-series already the Merc would probably lose out - but I fancy a change this time, and to a more comfortable car.

Hmm, decisions, decisions!

I've driven the C200 CDI and C220 CDI. The C220 CDI you're looking at still makes use of an "old engine" which is due for replacement very soon. As it stands now, it is quite refined and zippy. Noise levels are pleasantly low, especially once the engine has warmed up. The replacement engine is according to Auto Motor und Sport a 200-horsepower 2.0 / 2.2-l 4-cylinder for the C220 CDI.

The C180- and C200 Kompressor are also due for an engine swap. Rumors are that the next-generation of 4-cylinders will be turbocharged instead of supercharged.

How do you feel about a V6 C230?

For two years and 40k miles the diesel probably doesn't have an economic advantage over the petrol (here in the UK, at least). I do approx 15k miles a year and will replace in 3 years and the diesel is marginally cheaper on that usage pattern. I just like the way the diesel delivers the performance - which in no way feels like a small engine pulling a large car.But as you don't like the ride quality in the 3-Series, an M-Sport edition would be tantamount to sticking pins in your eyes

There's a reason that nearly-new 3-Series are relatively cheap: you can get big discounts on new ones without trying too hard. The residuals on the C-Class are, and will almost certainly remain, stronger than they are on the 3-Series because although discounts are now there to be had on a new C-Class, they aren't of the same magnitude as those on a 3-Series.

It's fun being in the position to choose though, isn't it?

But that's because it is in a class above the C-Class! The 5er should really be compared to the E-Class. And don't get me started on that awful iDrive...

My heart says yeah I'd love a 6-pot for the noise it makes, but I doubt it would do more than 28mpg in real-world driving and insurance and servicing etc would be higher probably even than the c220. If one came up at the right price I'd consider it though.

I've been keeping an eye on the new engines, but of course neither the dealers nor MB UK (who rang me the other day following up some marketing) claimed to know anything about them. If they show up before I come to change and aren't accompanied with too big a price hike, they'd probably ensure BMW doesn't get my business this time round

when

The new diesel is said to come end of 2008 for the 200+ hp 250cdi, and 2009 for the 200 and 220 cdi.
Don't know about the petrol, only they are very likely to have turbo instead of compressor like Wimmer said.

The diesel will feel more powerful than the petrol, but less refined. Given the higher price of the diesel where you live, it makes the decision even harder... A testdrive is the only thing that could help you to make the right decision.

The good news is that the current C180 Kompressor and C200 Kompressor have very refined 4-cylinder engines. I can't praise them enough how much they've improved. I remember when I drove a W203 C180 Kompressor and how the 4-cylinder engine felt like a 4-cylinder engine: noisy with vibrations. The same engine was then given a major overhaul by Mercedes with TwinPulse (counter-rotating-balance shafts) and a few other modifications and the results are 4-cylinder engines that feel and sound like 6-cylinders. Basically they're very smooth and vibration poor and they have a nice gnarly sporty sound to them when driven hard.

The only downside to the C180 Kompressor and C200 Kompressor's refinement comes at higher speeds (Autobahn speeds) where the engines are very loud. If you live somewhere where you can't take your 4-cylinder W204 past 140-150 km/h, you'll be fine.

Oh, my dealer "doesn't know" when the new engines are coming too.

No final word on it yet, but I expect them to come out when it is time for the W204 C-Class to get a facelift.