08 GS350 -vs- 08 BMW 535i -vs- 08 MB E350
06-01-09, 05:50 PM
#31
Not everyone wants a "sporty" feel to a car. I think the GS actually is too sporty for city driving...the suspension is pretty hard for a Lexus and the steering wheel needs to be held with a death grip while going over bad roads unless you want to go in random directions. I constantly have to slow to a crawl when I see potholes or a when the road suddenly has a elevation difference in order to avoid losing a kidney. On the highway none of this occurs, but I rarely ever go on a highway around here...
The ES is way too much like a boat for me, so that was never an option.
As for a 5 series interior, I find it overly sparse and ancient. IMO the GS has the best one with the touch screen controls even for the base GS.
The ES is way too much like a boat for me, so that was never an option.
As for a 5 series interior, I find it overly sparse and ancient. IMO the GS has the best one with the touch screen controls even for the base GS.
06-01-09, 06:06 PM
#32
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I have the OEM Dunlop SP Sport 2050s, which seem to be gradually producing a harsher ride as they wear out.
06-02-09, 05:35 AM
#33
Lexus Test Driver
Well said 1sicklex, people are so obsess with buying the best, they have to have the best performance even though they will never use it. How about a car that is best in compromise, that would be a great car in my opinion.
06-02-09, 07:34 PM
#36
I agree with the post above...ha ha...butttttt, my friends drive Beamers and Benz's...buddies M3 always has problems...and benz has electrical problems...my car has been great (gs430) .I drive the only Lexus(toyota) in the group....only hear good things about lexus too...lots of compliments on my car....
06-02-09, 09:44 PM
#37
Lexus Fanatic
forget about opinions
go test drive them yourself..... preferably near a beach with some babes.
honk at each babe you see, and judge their responses.
regarding maintenance. the GS will be very expensive to maintain. Oil changes already cost $70. Forget about the 30k and 60k mile maintenance. That thing will require you to sell your babies.
Parts are super expensive.
If your side view mirror motors break after warranty, that will cost you $2000.
if you accidentally break your inside mirror, that will cost you $1200.
there are many other parts inside the GS that will require you to sell your body organs to finance.
the bmw and benz have already been out for over 4 years. so electrical problems should mostly be resolved.
the GS on the other hand, keeps having problems crop up. and that's ongoing:
1st year everything is fine. then 1 year later BRRRRRRRRRTTTT. engine snort.
so i don't have really high hopes for this car. In the end, all the mechanical problems in the GS will probably cost as much or more than any electrical problems the benz or bmw might have.
really though, you should go read the big bmw forums. that will give you an idea of what kind of problems they have.
and the GS is probably the nicest looking of the 3......... when fixed up.
go test drive them yourself..... preferably near a beach with some babes.
honk at each babe you see, and judge their responses.
regarding maintenance. the GS will be very expensive to maintain. Oil changes already cost $70. Forget about the 30k and 60k mile maintenance. That thing will require you to sell your babies.
Parts are super expensive.
If your side view mirror motors break after warranty, that will cost you $2000.
if you accidentally break your inside mirror, that will cost you $1200.
there are many other parts inside the GS that will require you to sell your body organs to finance.
the bmw and benz have already been out for over 4 years. so electrical problems should mostly be resolved.
the GS on the other hand, keeps having problems crop up. and that's ongoing:
1st year everything is fine. then 1 year later BRRRRRRRRRTTTT. engine snort.
so i don't have really high hopes for this car. In the end, all the mechanical problems in the GS will probably cost as much or more than any electrical problems the benz or bmw might have.
really though, you should go read the big bmw forums. that will give you an idea of what kind of problems they have.
and the GS is probably the nicest looking of the 3......... when fixed up.
Last edited by dunnojack; 06-02-09 at 09:50 PM.
06-02-09, 10:08 PM
#38
executive matchup
^ so you say the GS sucks, other people say BMW and MB sucks...they all suck! maybe we should just get a beater or take public transit...it would save alot of grief for everyone. 
06-03-09, 05:06 AM
#39
Have you driven the 5 series they sell the most off? The old 525, now called the 528 in stock form? Its as sporty as eating a jelly sandwich and costs more than a GS. The GS is not the sportiest car in the bunch but it can more than hold its own. Its not some Town Car like so many people want us to believe. 
You can have your opinion about the GS and 5. Every single review has said the GS strong point is its interior, many regard it as best in class. The 5 has gotten dismal marks for its interior. I actually like the look of both but prefer the more driver oriented cockpit than the BMW. Odd that the sportier car has a more living room dashboard.
So not sure why you are going 100% against what the experts have said.
Oh want to know a fact. One main reason BMWs went with the flat dashboards instead of the old angled drivers oriented ones in the past was to cut costs. Its easier to swap sides with the newer dashes for LHD and RHD markets.
You can go on and on about how the GS isn't sporty etc but if you read what the OP said, that is NOT on his list of requirements. I suggest re-reading the first post.
Do you track your car? Do you drive hard 100% of the time? Do you drive a manual? I am unsure why people continue to shout "sport wins everytime" if their driving habits are sedate and more Town and country mini-van than GT3.
You can have your opinion about the GS and 5. Every single review has said the GS strong point is its interior, many regard it as best in class. The 5 has gotten dismal marks for its interior. I actually like the look of both but prefer the more driver oriented cockpit than the BMW. Odd that the sportier car has a more living room dashboard.
So not sure why you are going 100% against what the experts have said. Oh want to know a fact. One main reason BMWs went with the flat dashboards instead of the old angled drivers oriented ones in the past was to cut costs. Its easier to swap sides with the newer dashes for LHD and RHD markets.
You can go on and on about how the GS isn't sporty etc but if you read what the OP said, that is NOT on his list of requirements. I suggest re-reading the first post.
Do you track your car? Do you drive hard 100% of the time? Do you drive a manual? I am unsure why people continue to shout "sport wins everytime" if their driving habits are sedate and more Town and country mini-van than GT3.
06-03-09, 05:52 AM
#40
forget about opinions
go test drive them yourself..... preferably near a beach with some babes.
honk at each babe you see, and judge their responses.
regarding maintenance. the GS will be very expensive to maintain. Oil changes already cost $70. Forget about the 30k and 60k mile maintenance. That thing will require you to sell your babies.
Parts are super expensive.
If your side view mirror motors break after warranty, that will cost you $2000.
if you accidentally break your inside mirror, that will cost you $1200.
so i don't have really high hopes for this car. In the end, all the mechanical problems in the GS will probably cost as much or more than any electrical problems the benz or bmw might have.
really though, you should go read the big bmw forums. that will give you an idea of what kind of problems they have.
and the GS is probably the nicest looking of the 3......... when fixed up.
go test drive them yourself..... preferably near a beach with some babes.
honk at each babe you see, and judge their responses.
regarding maintenance. the GS will be very expensive to maintain. Oil changes already cost $70. Forget about the 30k and 60k mile maintenance. That thing will require you to sell your babies.
Parts are super expensive.
If your side view mirror motors break after warranty, that will cost you $2000.
if you accidentally break your inside mirror, that will cost you $1200.
so i don't have really high hopes for this car. In the end, all the mechanical problems in the GS will probably cost as much or more than any electrical problems the benz or bmw might have.
really though, you should go read the big bmw forums. that will give you an idea of what kind of problems they have.
and the GS is probably the nicest looking of the 3......... when fixed up.
06-03-09, 06:57 AM
#43
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I've had a GS450h for 2.5 years, and I will be replacing it with a BMW 535i after my lease expires. There are a number of reasons for this. Here are some:
1. The rattles, creaks and squeaks are killing me, and the dealer is now refusing to fix them. I've searched BMW 5-series forum at bimmerfest.com and found almost no rattle complaints. I drove the 535 and 550 and found them to be rock-solid, a lot more so than the GS even before all the noises began.
2. The handling of 5-series even without the Sport package is greatly superior to the GS.
3. I HATE HATE HATE not being able to use the navigation system or address book while driving in my GS. There's no such problem on the BMW.
4. I hate the weak-*** climate control system on the GS compared to the BMW's one. It takes forever to cool or heat the GS interior because of very weak air flow. Furthermore, the BMW climate control system is significantly more customizable; you can adjust flow to various parts of the car very precisely.
5. My lease payments on a BMW priced HIGHER than GS would be $150 a month lower than for the GS. That's because of BMW's high residuals and low money factors.
6. FREE MAINTENANCE. Need I say more?
7. I find the interior to be more luxurious than on the GS. The Dakota leather beats GS leather hands down. One minus is that 5-series has a lot less internal storage than the GS. I will have to learn to live with that.
There are couple GS features that I will miss: steering column that gets out of the way automatically when you turn off the engine, cooled seats.
1. The rattles, creaks and squeaks are killing me, and the dealer is now refusing to fix them. I've searched BMW 5-series forum at bimmerfest.com and found almost no rattle complaints. I drove the 535 and 550 and found them to be rock-solid, a lot more so than the GS even before all the noises began.
2. The handling of 5-series even without the Sport package is greatly superior to the GS.
3. I HATE HATE HATE not being able to use the navigation system or address book while driving in my GS. There's no such problem on the BMW.
4. I hate the weak-*** climate control system on the GS compared to the BMW's one. It takes forever to cool or heat the GS interior because of very weak air flow. Furthermore, the BMW climate control system is significantly more customizable; you can adjust flow to various parts of the car very precisely.
5. My lease payments on a BMW priced HIGHER than GS would be $150 a month lower than for the GS. That's because of BMW's high residuals and low money factors.
6. FREE MAINTENANCE. Need I say more?
7. I find the interior to be more luxurious than on the GS. The Dakota leather beats GS leather hands down. One minus is that 5-series has a lot less internal storage than the GS. I will have to learn to live with that.
There are couple GS features that I will miss: steering column that gets out of the way automatically when you turn off the engine, cooled seats.
06-03-09, 08:06 AM
#45