Hey guys, I'm planning on getting a new car beginning of January but I'm stuck between the RC350 or the 435i. The main thing I'm concerned about is the maintenance. I was leaning towards the BMW because of the 4 years free maintenance. But i really like Lexus because i believe Japanese cars are more reliable than German cars. For all you RC350 owners, how is the maintenance on the car so far? Are the services performed on the vehicle pretty pricey? Thanks for your time.

 

theres not much you really do to either car maintenance wise. So 4 years of free maintenance isnt a whole lot of stuff. I believe both companies have 10k mile oil changes. Then every 15k is the usual engine air filter and cabin filter which you can do yourself in under 10 minutes. on my 3IS, my dealer gave me 2 years of free oil changes so about 2-3 oil changes. The only thing the BMW maintenance has is they will replace brake pads and windshield wiper blades which lexus doesnt cover. Which arent a big deal to begin with since these are also easily changed yourself. If you look at either car, most of the service items are "inspect" type services and hardly any actual work and replaced parts

 

If you're worried about maintenance, I came from a german car (Audi) to Lexus. After warranty my engine had so many problems.

On another note, BMW's don't have dipsticks.

 

These are obviously two very good cars. I thought about the 4 series also. I considered the 4 series GT but here in the Northeast having RWD only is not so good. The styling of the 4 series is classy but not too much of a departure for BMW. They put a swoosh on the fender and call it a new model. But it does look nice. The interior is pure and dated BMW. Sometimes I think BMW mails it in as far as their interiors are concerned. When are we going to see something really different? I have had a 3 series coupe 2008. A fine car but somewhat over engineered. Every month some annoying warning flashed on the dash that required a service appointment. Most were very minor like "headlight not coming up to full brightness" or "low tire pressure". Drove me nuts.

The Lexus RC makes a bold statement with its styling. It is typical Lexus reliable. Sure it could use more power and no car I've owned has nailed the infotainment interface. I chose the RC this time. I'm a happy camper.

 

Having owned a BMW 328i, and if it wasn't for the extended warranty I would have been broke. My 65 Ford Mustang broke down way less than the BMW did. My wife has a 2004 Lexus ES330 that has 98K miles and it still runs and looks new.

Having looked at both the BMW and Lexus I wanted to drive the car, and not live at the dealership for repairs even if they were free. I chose the Lexus. The new look is better, and you get noticed a lot more, in a good way.

 

Thanks for the reply everyone. Ive been reading what you guys have been writing and have been doing research on my own. I've made a decision and will hopefully be picking up a RC350 in January. =)

 

This is actually a must-read for someone who plans on keeping a BMW for an extended period. Some hold up well. Some don't. It's the luck of the draw...

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=815477

In fact, 75% or more of the posts on the 3 Series first page concerns maintenance issues.

 

Here is a comparison of the two cars you mentioned from Australia



http://www.caradvice.com.au/324491/l...arison-review/

 

Great to hear, stick around theres a lot of info we have here

 

if you plan to drive it a lot ---> get the RC
if you plan to keep it over 5 years ---> get the RC
otherwise i'd get the 435i or the 440i for model year 2016

 

i'm pretty much in the same boat as you

i will probably never track my car so i'm going purely on looks here

i think the RC350 F-Sport has the 435i beat slightly i actually like the side of the BMW better but I like the front and rear of the Lexus...super aggressive and neck breaker status

 

Between the two, I would get the RC350. Have you looked into the Audi A5 or S5? Both are great cars if getting new. Earlier A5's with the 2.0 turbos had oil burning issues.

 

These threads are kinda dumb.
Go on a BMW forum and they will say get the 435.
On a Lexus site they will say get the RC350.
Doesn't accomplish a darned thing.

 

I've been a bimmer driver for over 20 years. Ive had a z4 a couple of 3 series a few five series and my last 135 with the power chip. I saw the RC in the showroom and I just had to have it. Bmw was getting "old" and sedate in their styling. This car is anything but sedate. My 135 is quicker with 330hp and 330ft lbs of torque but my Lexus is more luxurious and quiet while still providing the sports car feel. I chose obsidian black with Rioja red interior. Whoa! Beautiful! The Technology in this car is amazing. The Owners manual is larger than war and peace. You really need to get behind the wheel and play with it. I would like to see a little more horse and torque out of this car and will probably see if I can get it tuned. The Seats are amazingly comfortable and the ride is solid. Crazy good looks imho. Not too thrilled with the touch pad; surprisingly, I use voice commands more often. I've had it a week and it's a fun car and a nice departure from Bmw. I did get AWD which is great here in NJ. But, you lose 2 gears going from 8 speeds to six. No biggie. Oh! My wife picked up the LS 460 the same day leaving her binmer 550x drive behind. Lexus family now

 

great to hear, welcome to the Club