x838nwy

Okay, I was THIS close to putting down a deposit for a 450h last week. Liquid platinum on black and bamboo.

Then a friend of mine mentioned that BMW (here in Thailand) are going to start selling ActiveHybrid 5's in 4-6 months. So, just for a laugh, I phoned up BMW to ask about the price.

Which is where things got interesting: acording to Thai regulations, hybids pay less tax than 'normal' cars. BUT only if their engine displacement is less than or equal to 3,000 cc. As a result: I can buy a fully specced ActiveHybrid 5 for 75% of the GS450h.

After taxes, prices are as follows:
The GS450h = 245,161 USD
Active Hybrid 5 = 177,419 USD
with the current exchange rates.

I am right now leaning very much towards to AH5. Can any one give me a reason big enough to get the Lexus instead? Seriously, I really like the GS, but right now, I just don't like it THAT much.

Regards,

Chaiwat Kositkhun

natnut

Test drive both cars before committing. Also what are the specs of the AH5?

x838nwy

Both are near as darnit.
0-60 both are 5.8-6.0 depending which magazine you read.
340 hp combined - again depending how picky you are with units.
Torque is unconfirmed with the 450h but I have a sneaking suspicion that they are exactly the same.

Besically, the AH5 is a 535i with a motor and a 450h is a 350 with a motor. The main difference is that the GS450h has a larger motor but on the other hand, its engine is a detuned version of the 350. The AH5 has the same engine as the 535i in the same tune while using a much smaller motor than the 450h. So, all in all, the 450h is "more hybrid" than the AH5. But in the real world, I don't know if I'll see the difference either way.

It's going to be highly unlikely to test drive the AH5 as it's special order only and the first one will arrive in 4 months time. Oh ar$e. If the difference is less, i wouldn't even consider it...

natnut

No way I would ever commit so much much money without even test driving the car. If they want your business, they'll damn well make sure a test car is available for you.

Patience is your best weapon here. Don't let your desire for a car push you into impulse purchases. 200,000 USD is a huge price to pay for buyer's remorse. i stand by my initial suggestion : WAIT and assess both cars first.

TBQH, if you don't need the power, a GS250 or 520/523i would be adequate. If Thai roads are anything as congested as Singapore, a GS350 or 535i is already overkill let alone a GS450h or AH5.

x838nwy

I hear you, dude. But it's been a really, really long wait for me. I actually got to this point after 2-3 years or so of waiting for a new this, a face lifted that etc. I figured I'd get a GS as it's a brand new model so not expecting a face-lift any time soon etc. It's a lot of money (for me) and I'd rather not spend it on something that will be an old model in the next few months.

Congestion in the city is horrific but I do a lot of driving long distances - I do about 1,500 miles a week just to/from the office and that doesnt' include driving to wherever we have a project going and I do drive rather quickly so for me the 250 is just too meh. It's a great car, but all in all, for that spec, i'd need another car to have fun in probably.

ydooby

Hmm maybe the fact that the GS450h has 13.2 cu. ft. of trunk space versus the ActiveHybrid 5's 8.5 cu. ft. is big enough a reason for you to pay $70,000 more?

spwolf

i wrote this long article and CL died on me...

I would never buy BMW hybrid, at least for next 2 years. It is completely different, inferior and unproven technology and batteries from A123 systems that is proven as unreliable. It has small 55hp electric motor, where Prius has 2 motors, with 80hp in main one. GS has two motors, one of which has 160hp. GSh has integrated hybrid powertrain, BMW shoehorned motor into their 535i. GS has bigger trunk from reliable Nimh batteries, BMW has "cool" lion batteries from supplier that had to recall all of the Fisker batteries (A123) due to bad design and despite it is lion, it has a lot smaller trunk compared to GSh.

Q5 with similar system was tested vs RX450h by german Autobild, and despite on paper being the same, RX450h was faster, bigger and 30% better mpg and much better feel (no jerking).

i think your real option is GSh or simply get high end BMW 535i for less money since taxes are like that. I think you will be much happier with 535i than ActivHybrid which is completely unknown quantity.

RXSF

hybrids do well in congestion!

G Star

iTrader: (2)

Wow...brand new Active hybrid 5 vs Lexus GS450h and it is cheaper? times are a changin!

x838nwy

Great today i just found out about some issues the N55 engine has. Incidentally, this is the same one as in the AH5. Oh dear. Anyone knows if they've sorted this out for the 2012?

Skip

245,000 US Dollars for a GS Lexus? That makes the car cost a quarter of a million United States Dollars? That is just crazy, and way too much money for a car that can be bought for about $65,000 here in the United States.

jkeifer3

I think the original poster forgot to do the conversion math.

x838nwy

Unfortunately no. Our import and excise duties works out around 328%
So whatever it is cars cost in the REAL world, the total amount i (and other thais) have to pay for the same thing is invoicex4.28

The AH5 is cheaper as it is a hybrid and displaces less than 3,000cc meaning it gets taxed at 187% so the total payable is invoicex2.87 so the difference between the two is significant.

It totally sucks. A bentley conti ss here costs about 730k US.

Got PSI

can the average person afford a 240k car there due to the conversion factor? Or is 240k as expensive as it is here in the US ?

Vladi

250,000 a lot of money no matter in which country.

Price difference is way too big to be justified by small amnities, I would say GS450h if you were in US but in your situation I say Beemer.