spinner747 Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 Hi everyone, Need your help to decide which car to buy. I have an opportunity to buy 2 cars: 2001 Lexus LS430 or 2003 BMW 330i, both with 100000km on them in exc. cond. for the same price($14500CAD) I know that this car are completely different category but I like the look of BMW and completely unfamiliar with LS430 Please help me to decide or even convince me what to choose. Thank you all
SW03ES Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 *I* would buy the LS430...no question. They are however completely different cars that appeal to a very different driver. Do you want a sporty car or a supremely confortable and smooth highway car?
spinner747 Posted June 21, 2009 Author Posted June 21, 2009 I just sold my 2001 IS300 just because we going to have a baby and i was looking for something bigger . I certanly like the looks of BMW but think that LS430 is more reliable and will be better in a long run. Another thing is that I am 30 years old and not sure if i going to look good driving LS430. Again all this guessing because i am unfamiliar with LS430 series. Thanks for your replies
SW03ES Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 Well the 3 series BMW is no bigger than your IS300. The LS430 is a great car for a baby because the rear seat is so roomy. I'm 28 and I'm shopping for an '05 or '06 LS430...
jainla Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 Well the 3 series BMW is no bigger than your IS300.The LS430 is a great car for a baby because the rear seat is so roomy. I'm 28 and I'm shopping for an '05 or '06 LS430... Steve is right these are completely different cars. The LS430 is more a 7 series fighter than the 3 series. It's quiet and safe; and extremely comfortable and refined. Aside from the very quick V8 engine it's not much of a drivers car; at least not in the way the BMW is. The 3 series is a fun car; I've driven several in my time. All the BMWs are very athletic and very capable; they tempt you to really push the limits (which to me explains why so many owners of them are aggressive drivers...the car makes them feel that they can do anything). The LS430 however is a more serene; relaxed car. It's the Lexus flagship; which means the feature level will probably exceed the 3 series in question; and the build quality is the best there is. The ride and comfort level will also far exceed the 3 series; and i can say from experience that strapping my little nephew into the back of the LS (and carrying around all his associated gear) is far easier than my brother's Vibe or my mom's Camry. The trunk on the LS430 is enormous. The LS will also be more reliable and I expect cost less to own over the longer term; both in repairs and insurance; and it's gas mileage for such a large heavy car is actually quite good. While BMWs have certainly gotten better you can still expect more things to go wrong and to pay more to fix them. i was 31 when I bought the LS430 and I must confess here in car obsessed LA people take me a little more seriously after they see it roll up to the valet stand. It's a very grown up, serious car.
Will B. Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 I bought my '04 LS when last year when I was 29, and I would have bought a 335i if it were cheaper. I took a bit of heckling about driving an old man's car, but most are impressed with it when they actually ride in it. That being said, it's now about 16 months later and my sister just bought a 328i. I feel real cramped in her car - I've grown accustomed to the bigger LS and don't think I will ever feel "right' in a small car again. Who knows though - I'm really tempted by the mid-sized Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan hybrids :) Drive them both and go with which one you like more. The BMW will cost more for routine maintenance - you'll run through tires and brakes more often since it's a sports car. Both cars are fairly reliable assuming they were properly cared for - any advantage the Lexus has is likely washed out by the age difference.
IS400 Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 The Fusion/Milan are mostly made in Mexico if that means anything to you. The auto workers around her call it Ford's foreign car line. B)
da_fugative_7 Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 I just sold my 2001 IS300 just because we going to have a baby and i was looking for something bigger . I certanly like the looks of BMW but think that LS430 is more reliable and will be better in a long run. Another thing is that I am 30 years old and not sure if i going to look good driving LS430. Again all this guessing because i am unfamiliar with LS430 series. Thanks for your replies If it's any consulation to you, I've had my 91 LS 400 since I graduated college back in 91...so I guess that gives you and idea of my age... <_< ...but to me, I like both--but if you have a heavy foot, want a sporty look and like excellent grip when you are in the corners, then get a BMW...but if you like a smooth reliable luxuary car with speed and power, then the LS 430 is an excellent choice...but whatever decision you make, you can't go wrong with either...good luck...
curiousB Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 Hi everyone,Need your help to decide which car to buy. I have an opportunity to buy 2 cars: 2001 Lexus LS430 or 2003 BMW 330i, both with 100000km on them in exc. cond. for the same price($14500CAD) I know that this car are completely different category but I like the look of BMW and completely unfamiliar with LS430 Please help me to decide or even convince me what to choose. Thank you all Not really a good comparison. The LS430 compares more to the BMW 7 series, it eclipses the 3 series. If you like a sporty suspension and more connected to the road the BMW might make you happier, if you enjoy a luxurious soft ride where you can barely detect the road then the Lexus. Lexus will be far more powerful and quicker despite being a larger car. I won't give the BMW a very serious consideration but that's my taste.
spinner747 Posted June 21, 2009 Author Posted June 21, 2009 Thank you very much for your suggestions, I bought Lexus LS430 :) I hope it will be reliable and serve me and my family well .
Will B. Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 Lexus will be far more powerful and quicker despite being a larger car. Bull. Pulled from consumer reports 2003 LS430 (should be similar to 2001) 0-60 - 7.1s 1/4 mi - 15.6s Avoidance Maneuver - 49mph 60-0 - 134ft 2001 330i (should be similar to 2003) 0-60 - 6.6s 1/4 mi - 15.1s Avoidance - 55.5 mph 60-0 - 131ft The Lexus has a lot of things going for it, but let's be realistic - it's not the same class of car as the 3-series, which makes this an individual choice more than anything. Can't go wrong either way.
keithkiely Posted June 22, 2009 Posted June 22, 2009 I just sold my 2001 IS300 just because we going to have a baby and i was looking for something bigger . I certanly like the looks of BMW but think that LS430 is more reliable and will be better in a long run. Another thing is that I am 30 years old and not sure if i going to look good driving LS430. Again all this guessing because i am unfamiliar with LS430 series. Thanks for your replies
keithkiely Posted June 22, 2009 Posted June 22, 2009 I just sold my 2001 IS300 just because we going to have a baby and i was looking for something bigger . I certanly like the looks of BMW but think that LS430 is more reliable and will be better in a long run. Another thing is that I am 30 years old and not sure if i going to look good driving LS430. Again all this guessing because i am unfamiliar with LS430 series. Thanks for your replies Don't worry about looking good, you have a baby on the way and you do not need to throw big money into repairs for the 330i. Save a bunch of repair cash, keep your baby safe, enjoy the comfort of the LS430 and you will still look good driving one of the best cars ever built. Good luck with the baby. ;)
jcrome04 Posted June 22, 2009 Posted June 22, 2009 3 series is FAR from the quality of an LS430.. If you're comparing an LS to a BMW. You'd need to look at the 7 series. However.. if you want a small, sporty, unreliable car, go for the BMW B) hahaha
Will B. Posted June 23, 2009 Posted June 23, 2009 3 series is FAR from the quality of an LS430..If you're comparing an LS to a BMW. You'd need to look at the 7 series. However.. if you want a small, sporty, unreliable car, go for the BMW B) hahaha A 2003 330i is rated with average reliability from Consumer Reports. While it doesn't compare to an LS (well above average), it's far from a clunker.
spinner747 Posted June 23, 2009 Author Posted June 23, 2009 Bought LS 430 , can't wait to pick it up on Saturday :)
nc211 Posted June 23, 2009 Posted June 23, 2009 Good choice ;) True, the BMW is a fun car to drive, and that German engineering can't be duplicated by any other car maker. But over the long haul, I think you'll find more enjoyment with the LS430. The BMW really scratches that itch when you want to zoom zoom around, take corners like a teenager, be seen as "cool" by your buddies, etc. But after that all wears off (and you realize what fatherhood does to your soul), smooth, quiet, and comfortable is the key. Especially when you realize one of the only places your child doesn't scream, kick, and cry is when riding in a car. Put him/her in a sports car setup, and you'll be watching for every bump in the road to avoid. Trust me on that one! My son rode in our former Mazda 3GT but a handful of times, and every time, he was not a happy camper. Put him in the 4runner, and it's lights-out! Plus, even if you could have gotten the car seat, along with the anchor system, and the little mirror toy that sings hooked up to the head rest for him/her to look at and play with, the diaper bag, the extra pairs of socks, passies, elmo dolls, blankets, and such, in the BMW, you still have to get the kid in there! And let me be the first to tell you, the more room you've got to work with when doing that chore, the BETTER! After about the umpteenth hundredth time of doing that, you'll see the wisdom of the SUV world, and even moreso, the minivan world. Plus, the leather in the LS isn't that perferated stuff, which makes clean up a hell of a lot easier! You think your shop vac is the bomb of the neighborhood? Think again when trying to get little crumbs from those Cheesy Puffs out of the cracks of a perferated leather seat! PS: One other note of wisdom to pass along: Use a towel to set your car seat on in the back seat. This will prevent the edges of the car seat base from making permenant dents in the leather.
denslexusgx470 Posted June 23, 2009 Posted June 23, 2009 Congrats on the LS430 purchase! I should have noticed this thread earlier to give some input. The 3 series is a lot smaller than the LS430 and if you are looking for size because of your baby, then the LS430 is a better pick. BMWs, honestly, I just got a 528i and it's a really REALLY fun car to drive, but when the clock hits over 50,000 miles I believe I'm going to lose trust in the car. They're fun and really sporty, but it may be a little "rough" for your little one. Now if it was a 7 series versus a LS430, then there would be a better comparison. But I wonder, why does the 3 series cost as much as the LS430, considering that they have the same amount of miles??!?! (roughly)... Enjoy the LS430! Once that kid's in college and out of the house, then get yourself a BMW ;)
dcfish Posted June 23, 2009 Posted June 23, 2009 Congrats on the purchase Welcome to the finest Lexus forum on the planet B)
snakehead Posted June 24, 2009 Posted June 24, 2009 BMW is a great car , I was looking in to a 2002 M3 , throw on some rims lower it down a hit the canyons or go with the a new 530 with rims and lowered but then i thought wait a minute i would be getting tickets left and right and i have been thru the el camino , nissan 240 sx red top turbo pushing 300hp to the wheels stage already , Why not roll in class with some window tint and luxury , And the people that know will know you made the right choice. Plus its the smarter choice all the way around. safety, gas mileage, class, mechanics , price etc...I can't wait to buy my LS430.
SW03ES Posted June 24, 2009 Posted June 24, 2009 Plus, the leather in the LS isn't that perferated stuff, which makes clean up a hell of a lot easier! You think your shop vac is the bomb of the neighborhood? Think again when trying to get little crumbs from those Cheesy Puffs out of the cracks of a perferated leather seat! Actually it is perforated in the LS430...VERY perforated...
Will B. Posted June 24, 2009 Posted June 24, 2009 But I wonder, why does the 3 series cost as much as the LS430, considering that they have the same amount of miles??!?! (roughly)... BMW's hold their value better (i.e. more demand), I imagine - especially the 3-series. Some of those lease offers on 3-series are incredible.
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