My GS430 and BMW 5 Series Shopping Story
06-28-01, 08:47 PM
#1
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Recently helped my parents buy a 2001 BMW 530i Premium (NON Sports Package). I really enjoyed this car and wanted to get it with the SPORTS PREMIUM PACKAGE. Looked so sweet.
Then I saw the Lexus Commercial with the guy driving and then he stops and has to get out of the car to catch his breath. And I thought Lexus V8 Power - 300HP, how could I resist? The BMW 540 is up there, not enough HP, but could hit the $60K range, which was too expensive.
The BMW's interior was OK, but not as gorgeous as the Lexus. NO where close. Premium Sound System was OK, but not as good as Lexus. BWM Exterior is beautiful, but you keep hearing horror stories about the reliability of the BMW's.
Lexus was perfect then, immense power, great reliability, what more could you ask for. Sure better handling, but the ride was so comfy, I liked it.
People say the exterior of the GS is unusual, I like it, especially with the 17" Stock Wheels and Summer Tires. It was beautiful and the clear choice.
I made a great decision and choice and love the car. It looks different from all those 5 series out there, that all look the same from the 525-540 series.
Lexus all the way!
Then I saw the Lexus Commercial with the guy driving and then he stops and has to get out of the car to catch his breath. And I thought Lexus V8 Power - 300HP, how could I resist? The BMW 540 is up there, not enough HP, but could hit the $60K range, which was too expensive.
The BMW's interior was OK, but not as gorgeous as the Lexus. NO where close. Premium Sound System was OK, but not as good as Lexus. BWM Exterior is beautiful, but you keep hearing horror stories about the reliability of the BMW's.
Lexus was perfect then, immense power, great reliability, what more could you ask for. Sure better handling, but the ride was so comfy, I liked it.
People say the exterior of the GS is unusual, I like it, especially with the 17" Stock Wheels and Summer Tires. It was beautiful and the clear choice.
I made a great decision and choice and love the car. It looks different from all those 5 series out there, that all look the same from the 525-540 series.
Lexus all the way!
06-28-01, 09:53 PM
#2
Lexus Champion
I got a story for you I went into the BMW dealership and was just looking around ( one of my hobies looking at new cars 
) when the lady comes up to me and asks me :
salesperson: how are you doing are you just browsing or are you looking for something in spacific?
me: actually I was looking at the M5 since its one of the few sedans that can actually beat my car
salesperson: really what kind of car do you drive?
me: a GS400
salesperson: HAHAHA the 540 6-speed will beat your car in a heartbeat
me: HAHAHAHA thats funny, aaaahhh NO!!!!
salesperson: from our stats the 540 6-speed is faster in every way I know I take them out all the time and they are fast.
me: I have 57k right now and am looking for a new car to buy ( didnt have it said it just for kicks ) if you can prove to me that the 540-6speed is faster than my car I will buy it right NOW!
salesperson: hold on
so she goes and talks to the store maneger for a few minutes and both of them come back
storemanager: How do you want us to prove to you that our car is BETTER than yours?
me: we can go out and race them ( the dealer has an empty strech of road next to it where you can try out the cars preformances)
after a few minutes of going back and forth the manager agreed and were off
by the time I hit 4th gear I was about a 1 1/2 car lengths ahead of the 540 and laughing my a$$ off when we got back the look on his face was priceless and I just looked at him and told him
me: how does it feel bieng beat by a car that has an automatic tranny
manager: :eek:
me: thank you for convincing me mot to buy your car almost made a mistake there
manager: :eek:
manager: how much does one of those cost
me: way less than that crappy BMW, it costs 52k out the door
manager::eek: can I look inside
me : sure
manager: I need to get me one of these
well that was my experience with BMW (sorry it was long but hoped you enjoyed it )
) when the lady comes up to me and asks me :salesperson: how are you doing are you just browsing or are you looking for something in spacific?
me: actually I was looking at the M5 since its one of the few sedans that can actually beat my car
salesperson: really what kind of car do you drive?
me: a GS400
salesperson: HAHAHA the 540 6-speed will beat your car in a heartbeat
me: HAHAHAHA thats funny, aaaahhh NO!!!!
salesperson: from our stats the 540 6-speed is faster in every way I know I take them out all the time and they are fast.
me: I have 57k right now and am looking for a new car to buy ( didnt have it said it just for kicks ) if you can prove to me that the 540-6speed is faster than my car I will buy it right NOW!
salesperson: hold on
so she goes and talks to the store maneger for a few minutes and both of them come back
storemanager: How do you want us to prove to you that our car is BETTER than yours?
me: we can go out and race them ( the dealer has an empty strech of road next to it where you can try out the cars preformances)
after a few minutes of going back and forth the manager agreed and were off
by the time I hit 4th gear I was about a 1 1/2 car lengths ahead of the 540 and laughing my a$$ off when we got back the look on his face was priceless and I just looked at him and told him
me: how does it feel bieng beat by a car that has an automatic tranny
manager: :eek:
me: thank you for convincing me mot to buy your car almost made a mistake there
manager: :eek:
manager: how much does one of those cost
me: way less than that crappy BMW, it costs 52k out the door
manager::eek: can I look inside
me : sure
manager: I need to get me one of these
well that was my experience with BMW (sorry it was long but hoped you enjoyed it )
06-28-01, 09:54 PM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
Lexguy,
you just summed up the experience i had in the past 7 years and after having 3 lex in my garage.
one vital advantage you forgot: maintenance and the nice service techs at lex-most of them treat you like royalty. BMW is just no comparison. i actually lost count of the # of bmw defectors on this board. IMO, bmw's exterior is not bad, but the reliablity issue scares me. i know, i had a 735i before.
with the $$$ you saved on getting the gs, put it to good use. welcome.
william
you just summed up the experience i had in the past 7 years and after having 3 lex in my garage.
one vital advantage you forgot: maintenance and the nice service techs at lex-most of them treat you like royalty. BMW is just no comparison. i actually lost count of the # of bmw defectors on this board. IMO, bmw's exterior is not bad, but the reliablity issue scares me. i know, i had a 735i before.
with the $$$ you saved on getting the gs, put it to good use. welcome.
william
06-28-01, 10:39 PM
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735i ARGHHHHH
Yes, you are absolutely right GS4Willl, i had a 735i too ...OH MY GOD!!! EVERYTHING that can possibly break was broken. I lived with no air cond for one whole year in southern california..!!! Finally when the exhaust muffler and all that good stuff on the bottom of the car fell (dragged it on the freeway with sparks flying, the only thing that was holding it up was a thick rubber band that corroded) I got rid of it.
The dealer was such an fu***** a$$**** .... They ripped me off a grand or two i forget, didn't fix the problem.....ughhh i don't even want to talk about it. It was my first car ...my parents just had to punish me.
Now I have a 400...ahhhhhh....what a great car.......the service is impeccable....couldn't ask for more...i never knew why people loved the bmw (i gotta admit when everything works..it's a great car..and the new 5 series look very nice) ....everybody i know that has one says there are a lot of problems and it's really expensive to fix too. Plus the inside is all red...kinda looks like a chinese temple...only thing missing are incense and buddhas.
my 2 cents
The dealer was such an fu***** a$$**** .... They ripped me off a grand or two i forget, didn't fix the problem.....ughhh i don't even want to talk about it. It was my first car ...my parents just had to punish me.
Now I have a 400...ahhhhhh....what a great car.......the service is impeccable....couldn't ask for more...i never knew why people loved the bmw (i gotta admit when everything works..it's a great car..and the new 5 series look very nice) ....everybody i know that has one says there are a lot of problems and it's really expensive to fix too. Plus the inside is all red...kinda looks like a chinese temple...only thing missing are incense and buddhas.
my 2 cents
06-28-01, 10:42 PM
#6
HAHAHAH
that story is sooo funny
wish i was there!
way to go biggie
god i hate bmw dealerships
they wouldnt talk to me or take me seriously till they found out what i did for a living
then they wouldnt leave me alone
kept calling me and bugging me
told them to go F themselves
and told them lexus treated me like a king
that story is sooo funny
wish i was there!
way to go biggie
god i hate bmw dealerships
they wouldnt talk to me or take me seriously till they found out what i did for a living
then they wouldnt leave me alone
kept calling me and bugging me
told them to go F themselves
and told them lexus treated me like a king
06-28-01, 10:50 PM
#7
Lexus Champion
Bow to Biggie!!
Biggie,
Great story.. I could just see you talking to the salesperson and laughing your head off.. I'll second Will's statement for CL MEMBER OF THE MONTH!!
Thanks for sharing!
Great story.. I could just see you talking to the salesperson and laughing your head off.. I'll second Will's statement for CL MEMBER OF THE MONTH!!
Thanks for sharing!
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06-28-01, 10:51 PM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
AMLin,
your AC broke too? my ac had HOT air came out and my grand parents almost had stroke from that heat.
ya, i kept incense in that car to prey that i can arrive home safely.
no offense to members who also have beemers, just my bad experience.
will
your AC broke too? my ac had HOT air came out and my grand parents almost had stroke from that heat.
ya, i kept incense in that car to prey that i can arrive home safely.
no offense to members who also have beemers, just my bad experience.
will
06-29-01, 04:01 AM
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740iL too
Me too! i used to had the 97 740iL before.
I remember when i drove to the first time service(can't remember 5k or 10k maintenance) i ask for the loaner car that i can drive home, they say.....NO..... we don't have that kind of service :eek: I payed 70k for the car and get this kind of Fxxx service.( I owned a 95 ES 300 same time but i can get loaner car from everytime service)
Finally i have to walk to nearby car rental and drive a Corolla home
I only owned the car for a year and sell it for the Lexus.
Don't ..........Don't ever waste your $$$ to buy BMW.
EdgarG4
I remember when i drove to the first time service(can't remember 5k or 10k maintenance) i ask for the loaner car that i can drive home, they say.....NO..... we don't have that kind of service :eek: I payed 70k for the car and get this kind of Fxxx service.( I owned a 95 ES 300 same time but i can get loaner car from everytime service)
Finally i have to walk to nearby car rental and drive a Corolla home
I only owned the car for a year and sell it for the Lexus.
Don't ..........Don't ever waste your $$$ to buy BMW.
EdgarG4
06-29-01, 04:35 AM
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I traded a 95 540i for my 01 GS430. The main reason was reliability. I was afraid to take the 540i out of town on road trips because of all the things that kept going wrong with it.
06-29-01, 06:47 AM
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Would love to go back and smoke some stuck up BMW salespeople that I have delt with over the last 12 months. unless they want to give me an M5 for the trouble of beating their 540 and keeping my mouth shut.
06-29-01, 07:41 AM
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Hmm..
If they gave me an M5 for the price of a 540, I'd sell the M5, buy a GS430, and have mad cash left over to make the GS faster than the M (with Swift Racing's help), and STILL have money left over.
HAHA..
HAHA..
06-29-01, 08:28 AM
#13
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Re: Hmm..
Originally posted by MrHorse
If they gave me an M5 for the price of a 540, I'd sell the M5, buy a GS430, and have mad cash left over to make the GS faster than the M (with Swift Racing's help), and STILL have money left over.
HAHA..
If they gave me an M5 for the price of a 540, I'd sell the M5, buy a GS430, and have mad cash left over to make the GS faster than the M (with Swift Racing's help), and STILL have money left over.
HAHA..
Where is that freakin' Turbo or SC kit???? HMMMM...I am dying to get one for the GS4.
Biggie: So you are saying our GS4 with exhaust and SRT HFI/ECU can beat a 540 stick? I thought performance-wise they are neck in neck? Maybe the dealer can't drive stick... Otherwise, I would have to say a 1.5 car length by 4th gear is awesome!
Brent
Last edited by BLiu; 06-29-01 at 08:32 AM.
06-29-01, 09:21 AM
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BMW's POOR AUDIO !
My friend had a 1994-1995 BMW 325i, and I gotta tell ya, its the worst sound system that I heard in ANY CAR. If you put the bass to "3" the whole speaker starts cracking and making hissing noises. I thought it was only in his car but I heard some other 325i's and it was the same thing. !!
I have a better sound system in my *stocked* computer speakers.
I have a better sound system in my *stocked* computer speakers.
06-29-01, 09:31 AM
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M5..
BLIU, yes, the M5 is no joke, but it ain't got 700 HP. The Swift GS4 does. For $15 grand more (than a stock GS). Consider the price of a new M5. Take a GS4, add $15K worth of mods, and you have a GS that's faster than the M5 and STILL costs less. Also, you get a Levinson sound system, a sweet NAV installation, and the looks of the GS.
Don't get me wrong. I think the M5 owns. A friend of mine has one. He moved up from the 540. But, he would have gotten a GS4 had it been available in stick shift. When the M5 came out, he was one of the first in the US to have it. A friend of his owns a BMW dealership in NJ. The M5 is essentially a 540 with body, intake, exhaust, and engine mods. And, a better gearbox. It's not a Ferrari. Or a Lamborghini.
Don't get me wrong. I think the M5 owns. A friend of mine has one. He moved up from the 540. But, he would have gotten a GS4 had it been available in stick shift. When the M5 came out, he was one of the first in the US to have it. A friend of his owns a BMW dealership in NJ. The M5 is essentially a 540 with body, intake, exhaust, and engine mods. And, a better gearbox. It's not a Ferrari. Or a Lamborghini.