Before you invest in your dream car, it’s important to not only consider the initial cost but also what you will spend over the years to maintain the car. Some cars are cheaper to buy, but expensive to maintain in the long run.
Mercedes and Lexus are both luxury cars. However, Lexus vehicles are cheaper to maintain than Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The cost of maintaining a Mercedes-Benz may be almost triple that of maintaining a Lexus over the same period. That’s why it’s crucial to consider all factors before purchasing the car of your dreams.
Both Mercedes-Benz and Lexus offer small cars, sports cars, midsize cars, SUVs, and hybrids. When compared head-to-head, Mercedes vehicles are more luxurious, comfortable, durable, and better performing vehicles. On the other hand, Lexus cars are reliable, affordable, and easier to maintain.
Our focus today is not comparing different Lexus and Mercedes vehicles, but to find out which brand among these two is cheaper to maintain. You will also find out which car is cheaper to repair over a five-year period.
Mercedes versus Lexus: Overall maintenance costs
Being a branch of Toyota, Lexus is way cheaper to maintain than Mercedes-Benz. But in the first few years of ownership, this may not be true. This is because Lexus requires maintenance after every 6 months/5,000 miles, while Mercedes requires maintenance after 12 months/10,000 miles.
But after a few years of ownership, you will find that maintaining a Mercedes-Benz is way expensive than maintaining a Lexus. For instance, it will cost you around $9,700 to maintain a Lexus RX 350 for 5 years, while it will cost you over $10,200 to maintain a Mercedes-Benz GLA 350 for the same time period.
This shows that maintaining a Mercedes-Benz is slightly more expensive than maintaining a Lexus. While you will save some cash, the difference is not that considerable. When you compare this with other luxury car brands like BMW X3, you will find that it’s even more costly to maintain than the Mercedes GLA.
Both Mercedes and Lexus cars require regular or on schedule maintenance to continue running smoothly and avoid costly repairs in the end. Some of the regular services you will have to take care of on your Lexus are oil changes, new tires, spark plug replacement, and brake pads.
Lexus has scheduled maintenance at 10,000 miles. Mercedes has service A and B. Service A takes place after 10, 000 miles, while service B takes place after 20,000 miles. Other Mercedes regular services include an oil changes and tire rotation.
Mercedes versus Lexus: Repair costs
Aside from maintenance costs, Lexus also has cheaper repair costs. As a matter of fact, Lexus is way cheaper when it comes to repairing costs. In a five-year span, it will cost you at least $3,200 to repair a Lexus RX 350, while it may cost you over $9,500 to repair a Mercedes GLA 350.
Regardless of which car you choose, both of them have common repairs that you should be aware of. For instance, Mercedes C240s normally require water pump replacement after a while. While the Lexus RX 350 usually has water pump and cabin air filter issues.
Among the three popular German luxury brands, Audi has the most expensive repair costs compared to BMW and Mercedes. BMW has the cheapest repair costs, but the highest maintenance costs. Overall, Lexus is still the best when it comes to maintenance and repair costs.
Mercedes versus Lexus: When the warranty ends
All Mercedes-Benz vehicles come with a new vehicle limited warranty that lasts for 48 months/50,000 miles. Lexus also offers a 48-month/50,000-mile warranty. When both vehicles run out of warranty, Mercedes becomes very expensive to maintain compared to Lexus.
Mercedes replacement parts are far more expensive than Lexus parts. Lexus vehicles are made by Toyota, so not only are their parts more widely available and cheaper, it’s also easier to get your car repaired. Mercedes vehicles need to be taken to an authorized mechanic that specializes in Mercedes, which is much more expensive.
Lexus vehicles also have a better reliability rating, so you will probably end up needing to fix your Mercedes more often.
Comparing luxury car brands
Which one is more reliable – Mercedes or Lexus?
When it comes to reliability, Lexus has a considerable edge over Mercedes. Lexus is the luxury line of Toyota. According to J.D. Power Market Report, Lexus is among the most reliable cars on the market. It falls within the first five spots in different reliability ratings.
On the contrary, Mercedes is not even in the top ten most reliable vehicles. Other German luxury car brands such as BMW and Audi rank higher than Mercedes in terms of reliability. So, if you desire a reliable luxury car, Lexus is the best choice.
Which one has lower maintenance and repair costs – Mercedes, BMW, Audi, or Lexus?
When buying a luxury car, some of the things that you have to consider are the repair and maintenance costs. Even though Lexus offers the least luxurious features, it’s the cheapest to maintain compared to Mercedes, Audi, and BMW, which cost over $1,800 annually to maintain.
BMW is the most expensive to maintain, followed by Mercedes, and finally Audi. In terms of repair costs, Lexus is still the cheapest to maintain as it can cost you under $900. German luxury car brands, on the other hand, may cost over $1,600 to repair on average, which is quite high.
Which car is better – Lexus or Mercedes?
It depends on what you’re looking for. If luxury, comfort, and durability are what you’re looking for, you will love Mercedes-Benz. But if you want an affordable, reliable, and fuel-efficient vehicle, then Lexus wins. Overall, both are excellent car brands with some of the top luxury vehicles.
Is Lexus on the same level as Mercedes, BMW, and Audi?
No, it’s not. Although Lexus is the luxury line of Toyota, it’s nothing close to the high-end German luxury car brands, such as Mercedes, BMW, and Audi. Lexus may be beautifully designed with top-notch features, but its vehicles are nothing close to those of Mercedes or Audi.
If luxury is what you’re looking for, Mercedes is the best. It’s followed closely by Audi, and then BMW. There’s a reason why Mercedes is considered the epitome of luxury and high-end engineering. This is evident when you test drive all these cars and have a feel of being in each of them.
Final thoughts
Overall, it’s cheaper to maintain a Lexus than a Mercedes-Benz. When you total up the initial buying cost, maintenance costs, and repair costs for five years, you will find that a Lexus is way cheaper to own and maintain than a Mercedes-Benz.
So, if you want to save some cash and have fewer visits to the mechanic, go with Lexus. But if you’re ready to spend to get high-tech engineering, comfort, luxury, and great overall experience, Mercedes is the way to go.