martinav

Dear Lexus friends,

I have been a BMW 5-series lover since 1995. My last installment of BMW 5-series is a 2005 545i. A wonderful car - when it works. Its exceedingly complex, and very expensive to keep running. I have run out of time and money to keep going with this thing. I am looking for a suitable alternative to this type of vehicle. I like all the toys, power, etc. I work on my own cars, but I cant make a career of it. I have heard that a GS 350 f sport might be one to consider. So, is the grass greener over here?

I appreciate some good objective opinions on the matter.

Thank you!

BMGS

iTrader: (1)

Welcome, I always loved the 5 Series as well. You probably will get more responses out of the 4th GEN 2013-2020 forum since I think that is when the F Sport started. I think you will be pretty happy with a GS350 F Sport. The engine and drivetrain are rock solid reliable and the handling has been compared to the 5 series a few times in the past.

When I was looking for a GS as my first Lexus I wanted the latest 2016+ body style but also the best deal possible. I ended up with the GS200t 4 cyl model because for my daily commutes, I wanted more low-end torque versus the V6 engine. I also came from a V8 with 575hp and the 4 cyl engine surprisingly keeps me happy. I am a constant tinkerer so I like the turbocharged option to have room to add more power once my warranty runs out. I currently have a piggyback tune which delivers 30ft/lbs more peak torque than the V6, which is further magnified at those low rpms that I spend the most time in.

I also opted for a non-navigation model because the nav systems are dated to begin with and I knew I could easily install a screen mirroring or Carplay/Android solution to have the latest and greatest. With the 4cyl and non-nav options I saved over 10k versus the V6 models.

Either way, the GS is a solid choice and a great value.

aznxenon

Heh you're one of the few with the 200t. I remembered thinking what are they thinking????? when they released a lower hp version of the GS. Glad you enjoyed yours

martinav

So what is the closest in size/power to the BMW 545i?

BMGS

iTrader: (1)

All are the same size, the GS350 makes the most peak horsepower (311) but a closer analysis of the dyno chart shows that between the GS200t and GS350, the horsepower difference is only revealed above 5000rpm and the GS200t with an easy piggyback tune has a 30-50 ft. Lb. Lead in torque under 4000rpm. Furthermore, Lexus gave a 6.5% steeper rear end/final drive ratio to the 200t which means 6.5% more torque to the ground at any rpm when compared to the GS350.

If you spend more time in the higher 5000+ rpm range then go with the GS350. I spend about 98% of the time below 4500rpm therefore the 200t was the better choice for me.

BMGS

iTrader: (1)

Yeah same here until we bought an NX200t for my wife and I liked it a lot. I always liked the GS and I was sold when I saw the prices of the 200t compared to the 350. I know that many finance or lease these cars so it's not that big of a difference there but as a cash buyer, saving 10k over its counterpart was a great score. Now that I have the tune and the upgraded infotainment by means of screen mirroring, I've shot ahead of what I would have gotten in a GS350.

See my post above, horsepower dosent tell the whole story like it used to, especially if you just use the car for commuting. A key component is the 8 speed transmission which keeps the engine in its optimal peak torque range.

ibidu1

iTrader: (1)

GS is the closes in size, jump on a 07-up GS350 08-up has new front end and a lot better tech with aux and better nav screen. That way you will sleep better at nights. All are super reliable either rwd or awd. If you plan on lowering the suspension avoid the awd. Preventive maintenance just make sure you replace the water pump before 90k miles as they are known to fail and when they fail and not looked after, that can destroy the head gasket.

F-sports are 2013-up, the 3GS 2006-2011 F-sport they did not offer that edition, but only offered accessory bits.

These cars are simple and overbuilt compared to BMW, for instance the transmissions are from a tundra pickup truck. The engine have been available for many years and just minor tweaks. These are make for good daily cars, you wont have the same corner handling as the bmw, nor the braking but the engines are no slouches. GS350 easily slays old mustangs of the same year.

BMGS

iTrader: (1)

Its hard to know exactly which year the OP is looking but since he mentioned F Sport, I'll assume 4th Gen 2013+. For those years, in the F Sport trim, I'd say the handling is at least as good if not better than the E60 5 series and the braking as well. The F Sports have a 14" two piece rotor with a 4 piston fixed caliper up front. With that hardware, its more reliant on the tires for stopping so I don't think the vehicle would disappoint compared to the 545. A quick test drive would probably answer those questions as a lot of it is subjective. Some drivers may look for less body roll or brake dive versus the feedback in a turn.

imjohnphan

I really like my 3rd gen GS a lot and is my favorite GS. They are very reliable cars and both my 3rd gen GS and 4th gen GS are around 150k miles with no real problems.

martinav

Great replies, friends. I'm not sure on years here. I do like all of the later tech stuff. I want at least andoid auto, and an adaptive cruise control. Those probably push me into newer models.

I did see a turbo version out there. Not sure exactly which model. I know the twin turbo bmw (E60 and Fxx models) had wastegate issues, and it was a $5000 for a turbo rework. I'm curious if you lose much reliability on Lexus models with their turbo.

I'm in the early stages at this point. I first have to sell my 2005 545i. Its in very good working order (now) "ONLY" 3 codes. Its clean, and at its peak to sell. I drive it much more and it wont be.

Anyway, posting here is helping me formulate a plan. I do want to try a Lexus, or even an Acura. I have 3 hondas, and never owned a Toyota sedan (sienna yes..)

Oh... the AWD version. Speaking of Seinna... I had an AWD Sienna and it was horrible. Tires were run-flats, since there was no room for a spare givne the extra driveshaft. Tires ran horribly. Wore in under 20,000 miles and it was going to be like a $600 to replace two. Cant just do one... That gave me quite a bad taste for AWD. However, its a nice feature in specific circumstances.

Lastly, a waterpump was mentioned. That is the kind of information I need. Those typical issues are the things that I will need to anticipate. I didnt get a good profile with the E60, and it has a slew of big issues like that (coolant transfer pipe, and valve stem seals for instance...).

Again thanks, and please keep the comments coming!!!

BMGS

iTrader: (1)

The GS never came with Android Auto. You can add it with an aftermarket solution. I went with screen mirroring instead and I like it alot.

There are no big issues with these cars. They are a world apart from BMW in terms of reliability. I have the turbo model and I researched the engine thoroughly as I own two Lexus models with the same engine. There are no major issues to be afraid of.

The biggest issue that most have with the later models is the infotainment (not reliability). Luckily that's an easy fix with various aftermarket solutions that can be installed in a few hours.

Hugh9591

I feel your pain. I owned a 1999 Audi A4 2.8 Quattro. I loved that car, but I sold it to a friend in 2015 when I was leaving the country for a few years. When I got back, I wanted to buy it back, but he refused. I miss the smooth shifting manual transmission. The 180 horsepower was not much to brag about, but I am not a great driver and it was good for me. I was always a little light on the throttle for fear of losing control, so I would stall out sometimes. I did even worse the few times I tried driving a more powerful manual shift car. I missed the chance to test drive a 2009 BMW 5 series Xdrive with a manual. Sigh.

I have a 2008 GS-350 AWD and I am pleased with it. I hear it is mechanically more sound than the BMW and there is no shortage of parts. The navigation system is a bit crude.

martinav

Huh, I would have guessed it would have. Especially by now! I gauge that just from the fact that my Honda has this. I was guessing this was something most auto manuf were doing. Ok. Good to know! Thx for the info.

BMGS

iTrader: (1)

Yup they were late to the game and just started in the past years. The GS never made the cut for any of the capabilities but the aftermarket stuff works well. See below I found from the Lexus website:



Which Lexus vehicles support Android Auto?

The following Lexus vehicles will support Android Auto™:

2020 model year: RX, RC, UX, and select ES* and NX*

* On the 2020 ES and NX, available on select vehicles from October 2019 production



Which Lexus vehicles are compatible with Apple CarPlayŽ?
The following Lexus Vehicles are compatible with Apple CarPlayŽ:



• 2018*: LC, LS, RC, RC F, NX

• 2019: LC, LS, UX, RC, RC F*, ES*, NX*

• 2020: LC, LS, UX, RC, RC F, ES, NX, RX



* 2018 LC, LS, NX, RC, and RC F and the 2019 NX, RC F, and ES (without factory navigation) produced before October 2018 require an available multimedia enhancement for CarPlay compatibility. For further information regarding the Apple CarPlay | Lexus+Alexa Multimedia Update, please click HERE.

martinav

@BMGS,

Yea, I found that too. Also stumbled on the fact that the GS is going away after 2020. So, time is limited.