I Want To Be A Lexus Owner - Have Questions

[elbee-in-la]

Hi all,

I want to get a Lexus for my husband. He currently drives a 2001 BMW 325i. The BMW has been a solid car, but my husband has long commutes and I would like to see him in something bigger (for safety). At the same time I don't want something that gets terrible gas mileage. So I am thinking about getting a GS. First question: which one gets the better gas mileage (300 series vs. 400 series)?

I always buy used and I want to get a car with nav. At least with the 300 series it looks to me that 2003 was the first year that they put NAV in the cars. If this is the case I will probably be looking for an '03. My second question is do these cars take synthetic oil?

Thanks!

[jmanlang]

GS300 is a V6 and GS400 is a V8 engine. Therefore, V6 will get you a better gas mileage. However, I would go with the GS400 because it provides more power (300hp vs 225), and probably has a better ride handling than a GS300. In addition, GS400 is more comparable to a BMW 540 series, but the GS400 is probably priced at a 3 series.

Yes, they do take synthetic oil.

Good luck.

[Benjamin Tang]

yes the 3-series competed with the lexus is series.

the gs was in the same category as the 5-series, but the 5-series is a better car to drive from a performance point of view... but i cannot say the same of it's reliability however. what you enjoyed with your 3-series does is not reflected in the 5-series' breakdown and repair history.

if you want to go synthetic, do not get a high mileage car like i did... i went synthetic after almost 60-70k mi of dealer oil changes with conventional oil and it smoked on me :cries:

[new big400]

GS300 is a V6 and GS400 is a V8 engine. Therefore, V6 will get you a better gas mileage. However, I would go with the GS400 because it provides more power (300hp vs 225), and probably has a better ride handling than a GS300. In addition, GS400 is more comparable to a BMW 540 series, but the GS400 is probably priced at a 3 series.

Yes, they do take synthetic oil.

Good luck.

yes the 3-series competed with the lexus is series.

the gs was in the same category as the 5-series, but the 5-series is a better car to drive from a performance point of view... but i cannot say the same of it's reliability however. what you enjoyed with your 3-series does is not reflected in the 5-series' breakdown and repair history.

if you want to go synthetic, do not get a high mileage car like i did... i went synthetic after almost 60-70k mi of dealer oil changes with conventional oil and it smoked on me :cries:

No they do not take synthetic.Alot of people choose to use synthetic though.And buying a higher mileage car and using synthetic oil should not cause it to smoke.

[apatrules]

With a GS 400, I get about 19.8 in city driving and have gotten as much as 29 on the open road (something that is non-existent in LA). Also GS 400 mandates premium fuel.

[SunshineState]

As far as your husbands size, I have an '02 GS 300 and I am 6' 3" 230lbs. I find the ride very comfortable even with passengers.

[TexLexus]

As a former Beemer 5 series owner, I can tell you that they're two different animals. There are really positive things aout the BMW's. However, the best way to buy them is brand new, or with an extended warranty, the parts are so pricey and you have to stay on top of it. Mine seemed to love the shop, I'm very picky though. still, it's a wonderful handling vehicle.

Now, as a 4 time Lexus owner after the Beemer, currently with a GS300, I find it an absolute charm to drive, very comfortable, I'm 6'5" at 205 lbs and it's got what I want. Very reliable and I support the claims by Toyota that Lexus vehicles are built to perfection. The quality and craftmanship are unbelievable.

I once had a 95 LS400 that I sold when it had 289,000 miles, no oil drips and everything worked, windows, stereo, transmission, suspension, etc. Spent maybe 4,000 bucks for replacements/preventive repairs after warranty had expired (This of course, by doing some of the preventative stuff myself and on big items like timing belts, etc. by using a 3rd party shop, not dealership)

My beemer had 173,000 miles when I sold it, It had gone through 4 water pumps, timing chain broke at 110,000 miles, all new suspension at 130,000 miles and a complete electrical failure at around 150,000 miles. Spend a lot of jack on that car once warranty had expired, maybe around 10,000 bucks total (also at a third party shop).

Good luck!

Tex