RA110323

Hi All,

I’m a current BMW 335 coupe owner and amconsidering either the IS350 or RC350. I’ve driven both and like both, andunderstand there is a bit less edge compared to the BMW. That being said, I’mleaning a bit more toward comfort and quiet. Just seeing if there are anyrecent BMW converts and what your experience with Lexus has been thus far.

Thanks in advance for any input.

Bearcat

Yes, I've had both and will never go back to BMW due to having to go back for repairs over and over. With Lexus, just not an issue.

stevez2

Traded in my 2012 BMW I-135 m package convertible for 350RC F sport. Not even close.
The bimmer had a bit more oomph and sound but was trouble from day one and rarely ran right and had multiple warranty repairs and recalls. The RC is a delight in comparison although I wish it had a more manly sound with pedal to the floor

GearHead69

If you want more of a manly sound put in a CAI like I did. You get all the sound you need when you mash the pedal, no drone, and best of all cost less than $400. Here is a link to my CAI sound. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rc-1st-gen-2015-present/791408-takeda-cai-sound-clip-2015-rc350-f-sport.html

I also had a BMW 328i that was a pain from day one. I spent more time in the shop with the BMW than I did with my 50 year old Ford Mustang.

Canesguy

I've had 4 BMW's, two of each, 3-Series and 5-Series. My BMW's were all obtained new, and perhaps I was lucky, but not a problem with any of them. I was hesitant to, and therefore did not keep any of them past their warranties. With all that said, as you can see by my signature, I've had the most Lexus' of any car brand, and there's a reason for that. Not only are they reliable and luxurious, but they are smooth and quiet. I find that as I get older, those two qualities appeal more to me than sporty driving. In that department, BMW is superior, but less so than ever before.

MelF1fan

I went from '02 E46 2006 E90 '12 G37xS Coupe .... and now RC 350 F Sport / Atomic Silver.

All the above were leases except I now still own the E90. The BMW I would say has been above average reliability especially for a first year. Only bad issues were with the first generation run-flats where I eventually switched to regular go flats.

When I moved to the G, I wanted a coupe but something different as the 3 coupe would seem too much like getting the same car. Let me just say the G was a blast to have. I drove it very spiritedly and never a complaint where the Bimmer would want a time out. I suspect if I still had it for a few more years, it would only require minimal maintenance. I figured let me take the next step and go RC 350 F Sport as I really dug the design. The driving experience is surprisingly nice though very quiet (may need to add CAI) above 4000 rpm it makes a nice sound.

Apart from - it would be nice to have more power (yes, we want a Twin Turbo or some kind of update to the existing V6).... I am very satisfied with the car and don't have any new BMW envy.. well maybe the M2 lol.

IF next time... if it ain't a Porsche / Jaguar / AMG or ever a New Supra - I wouldn't hesitate for another F Sport.

Adoc

+1
Also no problems with either 3 series or 5 series I have owned but wouldn't trust them out of warranty...Agree completely here...when I had my 3 series 10 years ago I drove all competitors in the class...nothing came close to BMW's sportiness...that gap has closed over the years, IMHO, and as I age Lexus' characteristics are more appealing to me...quiet, composed ride, and again IMHO, luxury....lastly, love it or hate it, the RC styling is something DIFFERENT....I can see those who gravitate towards BMW defending their choice based on acceleration, and to a lesser degree handling, but I will NEVER understand choosing one for looks....neither I've owned were bought for that reason...lovers will say the styling is "understated".. I disagree...without the propellers it's one BORING car from an aesthetic standpoint, inside and out...and has been for years.. Just my 2 cents

tfischer

I have never had a BMW, but my daughter has had a X5 for a few years (her husband was a BMW guy for a while) and she is not happy, for many of the cost and repair issues listed above. She is looking to replace it (she had two daughters under 3) and both RX and GX are on the short list. There are no BMWs on the list.

RA110323

Thanks, all. I've had more BMWs over the past 15 years than anything. Never had major problems, just some annoying warranty issues, and never kept out of warranty.
Your comments echo my thoughts - power, sound deficits but luxury, reliability and styling gains. Appreciate the feedback and if I can gracefully exit my current car, I may be in your ranks.

RickHansen

Interesting read. I certainly hope I can be as pleased soon. I went from a 34GTR to an E46M3 to a E92 335i to a RC350, basically that's exactly my order of displeasure. 34GTR pinnacle jap legend, M3 German legend, 335i, a bit of a try hard M3, Lexus RC350...V6 camry. I really hope it grows on me.

SpeedRcr

It sounds like you are quite performance oriented, I'm surprised you went with the 350 knowing it trails both the 435 and 428 performance-wise...

walkedu

Here was a post I did from another thread.

"Ill give my honest unbiased opinion, so take it as a grain of salt. Ive had my RC for about 3 weeks now and has 1400 miles on the odometer.

I'm a long time European / Italian car guy, 16 years alone with just BMW's. Ive had and or still own a 335i, 135i, 1M, E92 M3, and a E89 Z4 3.5Sdrive. Ferrari 575M, 458 Italia, 1970 Porsche 911E, 997TTS, and countless other cars. Some have been modded and others have been kept stock. Ive never owned a Japanese car, although family members and friends have Toyotas and Lexus. Never been interested in Japanese cars in general as far as styling goes. Ive always heard good things about them as far as reliability. My fiance has a Toyota Sequoia we take out when we need a larger car. It has 162k miles on the odometer and still running strong.

My daily driver at the time was the Z4, I loved that car got 27 mpg combined. Felt nimble and very sporty, but the ride was a bit too firm for me after long drives and the interior road noise was a little hard even though it was a hardtop convertible. I hit 78k miles on it and honestly things on it started failing. All my cars are serviced regularly and garaged or kept in the car port. Even with the extended warranty on it I didn't have a peace of mind.

I drive quiet a bit for work (150-200 miles a day), so I needed a car that has reliability and creature comforts with good power and driving feel. Before I pulled the trigger on the car I was looking at either the 435i, M235i with all the M performance goodies on it, , and S5. Had to be a coupe since I don't really need a sedan since my Fiance has a 2015 335i and we have other cars for that.

What attracted me to the RFC was the styling. I really loved how the side and rear profile looked on the car. The front I wasn't a real big fan of. All the chrome accents were a bit too garish for me. I got rid of that already though. The interior is amazing I love it, everywhere you touch is soft and great to feel / look at. Honestly probably one of the nicest interiors in a car that Ive had that is sub 100k. There is no contest to the interior of the RC compared to the 4 series. RC hands down beats the 4 series even with the m package. Even the tech in the Lexus is a lot better. Not to mention the Mark Levinson sound system compared to BMW's prem sound is way better.

The drive is very smooth and refined. As far as "sporty" goes... It does ok...

Now here are the downsides...

The car feels heavy, I didnt realize how heavy it felt after actually driving it for a couple weeks. It just doesnt feel nimble compared to the 3 series. Hell I got a IS250 as a loaner and that car felt a lot more nimble than my RC.

I drive it in eco / normal mode daily and the MPG is actually really sad. I average 23 mpg. I drive super conservative also. I would average 27 mpg on my z4 easily.

When I drive my Fiances 335i, or even a 328i loaner car in comfort mode there's a sense of urgency when you drive. The car wants you to drive it. With the RC its more of a cruiser. But if you put it in sport or sport sharp it wakens up a lot. The thing is though I rarely put it in anything over normal mode.

I bought the car for what it is and that's a car that's refined and smooth but still has some sort of sportiness to it. The interior and the styling are IMO a notch above any car in its class right now. Not to mention its a Toyota so the reliability is there also. For my first Japanese car Im pleased for what it does.

Oh Also another reason why I went to Lexus is that I got huge discounts on it. My car is fully loaded with every option and every cargo net / floor mat available. They beat what BMW and audi was willing to offer me. The Lexus at the end of the day was priced out higher than both BMW and Audis and yet they still beat their prices.

Forgot to mention my brother inlaw was so impressed by the car he ended up getting one also. Hes a long time BMW guy too."

I also had a heavily modified e90 335i so I know what those cars are capable of. As far as luxury amenities go the RC wins hands down, driving dynamics the BMW takes the cake. My fiance has a new F30 335i and its a very nice car but in terms of materials used in the cabin of the car the RC is way better.

To tell you the truth, the IS's have been growing on me more and more. I think once I sell my RC I wouldnt mind moving into one if Im in the market for a sports sedan. Im really hoping they come out with a new ISF.

Picture of my e90 335i.

RickHansen

whats a RCFS?

jimmymac30

iTrader: (8)

I'm fairly certain he is referencing RC350 F-Sport

Canesguy

I find that the problem with current BMW's is that the interior hasn't had a major change in close to 10 yrs. IMHO, it is lacking, as well as dated. The add-on screen in many models looks like an after-thought, but is also found on many other cars (Mazda, Mercedes, etc)....just not a fan of it.