I am interested in trading my Acura TL, and have narrowed the most likely possible replacements to the Lexus is250 and the BMW 325i, both with manual transmission.
I am interested in whatever input anyone might have. I have owned a number of Toyotas over the years, but no Lexus and no BMW.
I have heard that Lexus takes Toyota's quality and attention to detail to the next level, and that in the long run BMW is very expensive to maintain. I have friends who own both - and swear they wouldn't drive anything else.
Suggestions, pros, cons, all info would be appreciated.
I don't know why people say that BMWs are expensive to maintain. The Camry that I bought my mom has cost about the same as my 330xi. Some parts for my T100 cost *MORE* than the same part for my 330xi - for instance the starter solenoid went out and the entire starter had to be replaced; the O2 sensor is TWICE as expensive as those on BMWs. My wife's Highlander has more often maintenance intervals; in aggregate they cost what it does for my 330xi. And the maintenance on the BMW is free for 4yrs/50K.
I have an 02 manual transmission IS300. From what I understand about the IS250-350, they are fast cars, but not particularly sporty (seems to be a Lexus characteristic, unfortunately). the BMW is probably going to be a bit more of a "driver's car" but from everything I've read, the Lexus will be the more reliable of the two by far.
I would not go quite that far... I think that a prior poster got it right. The BMW is a better driver's car. The Lexus will be a softer ride (mushy) and marginally more reliable. If talking new cars, the maintenance on the BMW will be covered under warranty. But even for cars out-of-warranty I would not expect to save much with the reliable Lexus.
This is the way my father in law explained it to me 30 years ago: "the Germans are quite up front about maintenance costs. The Japanese want you to believe their cars are cheaspre cheap to maintain but in reality they cost about the same".
I wouldn't buy a German car with YOUR money. (Been there, done that.)
And yes, I "get" German cars. German cars are the expensive, pouty, and high-maintenance mistresses of the road. Damn, they are a fine, fine ride...
....but then the maintenance and pouting kicks in.
At some point, without unlimited funds, you are at a decision point: continue the high-priced, high-maintenance fun, or go back home and enjoy your reliable Lexus wife of a car, patiently sitting there waiting for you to get over the midlife crisis.
Oh sure, she's not as sexy as the German car, and she doesn't handle at the edge like the German car. She's also not as fickle and high maintenance and pouty, and she agrees with you much more of the time. She's always there and never complains, and you come to realize there's more to life than a high-maintenance relationship with a pouty, high-maintenance woman--no matter how sexy she is or how fun the nights out with her can be. Because when she lets you down and demands more of you than you have to give, and treats you like dirt, you're standing there all alone outside the club, looking and feeling like an idiot.
Your Lexus wife would never, ever do that to you.
And the occasional fun night out isn't worth what you end up paying for it, both financially and in time wasted while you wait for the German car mistress to be in the mood to play.
Do this: start paying attention to cars with tail light and headlight problems. What brands of cars are you seeing? That's right--VW, M-B, and BMW. And pay attention to how old, or rather how new, those problem cars are.
The reality of electrical issues with German cars make Lucas electrics look reliable.
Now *try* to find a Honda or Toyota, either low brand or high brand, no matter how old, with non-working tail lights. Good luck.
It's a small thing, but it represents the reality of the situation. You want to buy a German car? Just buy a GM car. At least the money you're throwing away stays more inside the country--and you get just as reliable a car.
Speaking of SC400's, I had two of them and I really miss them. Too bad Lexus couldn't have continued them. I understand about "progress" and all, but I sure miss them!
Try buying a German car that's not thrashed. I've had new Japanese cars and old German cars and the Germans cars have been far far cheaper to maintain.
And I don't want women that'll settle for a toyota.
Well, that settles that then.
Yeah it screams "look at me I look a lot like a Mercedes but use even more expsneive Toyota parts that aren't engineered to last decades". What a deal.
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