mikesrx350

hi all had a nice time off of work to test drive both cars for my wife cpo. couple of things i was surprised at below

the lexus interior is wider but the mouse for nav is outdated, the nav screen graphics look like a 2011 video game and the front seat was just ok
the bmw interior is smaller, more intimate, better front seat comfort and the idrive was fantastic, kudos to bmw

drove the gs city / highway for about 30 miles and got about 18 mpg combined. the 528 was as smooth off the line both have similar power when floored and i got almost 24 mpg combined i do 30000 miles a year i was surprised at the finding.

over all i like the size of the gs better than the 528 i am a 6 foot guy 190. but other than that i give the clear win to bmw

and i know the gs handles better on curves etc.. i am a highway driver and do 100 miles a day looking more for comfort and thing bmw has the lexus beat

for long term reliability its a no brainer lexus all the way but the bmw has 19k and cpo till 100 i plan on selling either car way before warranty

just thought i would post. also the gs 350 base model i drove with nav i looks like the lines of the interior are dated as well, its time for a refresh

chuckNX

With that kind of highway driving, you might consider a 5 series diesel. You will get close to 40MPG highway.

mikesrx350

i heard the diesels are good, but i have to say the 4 cyl turbo was pretty impressive.
had a couple of hours to soak the drives in and
was thinking about the ride. the bmw had run flats rode well, but not as good as the gs.
but the shocking thing to me is the touch points in the interior. the gs has a fine interior but they should be ashamed that they let a product get released and then not upgrade some of the interior items till 2016.. some of it is just not right. i don't know what they were thinking
i think i should look at a cpo 14 ls

Dallasguy1

I donno what options the bmw had but if Ull try the upgraded comfort seats Ull definitely love them, Bimmer in my opinion has sportier drive then the GS but when it comes to reliability it's a NO NO, I have have had M5 and then tried my luck on 535 both very nice cars but I'm sticking to a Lexus for now.

mikesrx350

decided on test driving a cpo ls460, put thought to my test drives and the comfort is not there in the gs for a luxury cruiser and i want that
i also desire the reliability of lexus so not going with the bmw but for around 25 cpo, lot of value there if your a gambler.

kevinxue

u should drive a 535 instead of a 528 cause 535 is the rival of GS350

dchar

Driving a 535 isn't going to change how smooth the car rides, quality of interior, or reliability...which is what OP seems to value.

gflexus

I disagree regarding the comment on the GS interior being dated compared to the 5 series. I just recently crossed shopped both cars, and the 2016 BMW 5 series interior was almost exactly the same as the last 5 series I owned, which was 1998!! Although the GS interior hasn't changed since 2013, it is usually praised as high quality by owners and reviews alike (except for the interface, which certainly isn't as good as the BMW idrive).

mikesrx350

i appreciate that but below is a list of what was striking of the gs interior not befitting of a 55,000 car

noted the 16;s should be better

the arm rests for left arm is a joke for driver
the center armrest i like better than the bmw
the clock looks ridiculous
the lines on the dash it outdated
the wood was nice on the center area they didnt match the wood on the doors by the door locks an power windows=.. details this is lexus thats why its alarming

the maps interface and mouse are a joke it would be nice for a lexus engineer or project manager to chime in what they are thinking with the look and feel of there maps and user interface

the front seats supposedly in the luxury models in 13 and 14 had nice seats.. the 5 had much more support and feeling for highway cruising. i know the gs is made to handle but why skimp on the front seat?

the hump that leads to the mouse interface is not up to the one in the ls with leather looks cheap

point being its a nice interior for a car from 2012 not 2017, and reminds me how acura is only kidding themselves with screen resolution of a 2007 iPhone.. too much cost cutting go on

as i thought today, when i had loaners when my rx was in probably the best ride/ comfort for the money is the ES

chuckNX

I don't know of anyone who was 100% satisfied with any vehicle. Life is a compromise. They are just stupid cars that will be in junk yards down the road. Not worth agonizing over.

OUGrad05

Actually not true, the 535 has different dampers, bigger brakes and is probably the more reliable car, but both engines seem to be reliable. The 535 is the competitor to the GS350 and the turbo 6 is a much better motor for a vehicle of that size than the Turbo4. My wife's X3 has the N20 and it's certainly adequate for a small SUV but in comparison with the turbo 6? Frankly, there is none, my car has bags more real world torque and gets it done on the highway....yes it's a 335i but I've also had an X3 with the turbo 6, a 528i and a 535i as loaners and the I6 is the better motor in the BMW products.

Earlier someone mentioned the 5 series feeling more sporty? I don't agree. The GS is the more sporty of the two in F Sport guise. The F Sport feels better, more dynamic, turns in better, communicates more than the 2015 535i M Sport I test drove last year, and felt a lot better than my buddies 2014 550i. The 550i is a rocket in a straight line but its heavy and you feel it.

When it comes to efficiency in a 4 cylinder? It's tough to beat BMW 4 cylinders but in a larger car, your real world MPG won't be that much different with the I6 and if you drive fast on the highway? You might actually get better MPG in the real world with the I6. I consistently get 31-34mpg on the highway in my car with speeds ranging from 75-90 mph over long periods of time.

w4rjd

We are a house divided. My wife drives the 2013 528. It is very well equipped and comfortable is beyond description. Fit and finish are excellent, drive is excellent.

The 2016 GS350 I drive has almost every option offered including Luxury package and ML sound. I enjoy driving it every time I start the engine.

Now for my views:

LEXUS
Lexus motor is perfection in terms of power and response.
Lexus transmission is smoother and better matched to motor.
Lexus Luxury package seats are excellent.
High level of advanced equipment installed and 'standard'.
Lexus Enform is crap.

BMW
Interior nighttime lighting is excellent.
Cabin space in back seat is better
Far more trunk space.
Rear seat folds.
BMW Apps are only fair but very customizable.
Smart phone apps for sending GPS locations are way easier to use.
4 years of maintenance included
1 year of Sirius radio included.
I like the styling.

Recommendation:

Buy what you enjoy the most, both are excellent products.

charley95

I must agree on the door panel armrests, they are way too narrow. Why they are not wider I have no clue what Lexus was thinking on that aspect. I will still buy one over a BMW any day.

SW17LS

Drive a GS with the luxury package and you'll change your mind about the interior. The interior in my GS was great, great seats. Beautiful wood trim, Better leather than in my LS.

And the the wood on the doors doesn't match the material would the window switches because that material isn't wood, it's piano black trim.

The luxury package makes the GS IMHO. Feels totally different than the base car.

Rozay604

iTrader: (1)

I owned a 2005 530i. For the first 50k no problems, motor was excellent. Then when it hit 75k, that's when it all started. Windows malfunction keeps popping up, starter going, transmission going, I drive problems. Big depreciation, never again will I buy a BMW. Even tho I would lease one but not buy.