iamkhanz

Ah thats good stuff yea steering is direct bolt on i believe you have to get the steering wheel and airbag though as its different airbag then in your steering..

MikeFoxx

iTrader: (8)

sooooo did anyone in the BMW forums rip you for buying a Lexus? Nice rides btw

mveale

iTrader: (5)

Thanks man!

And I haven't really told anybody yet... I have a good buddy who's had about half a dozen E34's (my body style 5-Series) and I swung the GS400 by his house. He drove it and is now considering buying one, since the head gasket on his '95 525i Touring is soon to be deceased.

In the BMW world, "going to the dark side" is buying a Mercedes. Lexus doesn't get too much hate from the Bimmer crowd. Personally, I'm happy to own both.

MattyG

Well you know that the internet does bring out the fanatic in any brand. What I found with the BMW crowd is that they equate Lexus to Toyota. But there is no Toyota I've ever driven that performed like my GS.

German car fans are usually driven to Lexus by a couple of things: 1) chronic maintenance issues. 2) a serious "crisis" situation repair bill on something that shouldn't have happened.

The E39 is one of my favorites, but it's aging right now and it's not aging well. Same goes for the E class Mercs.

iamkhanz

Agreed e39s dont look that good to me either ne more having owned one.. The e34 is a classic badass car tho man 540 i 6 is rare in e34

mveale

iTrader: (5)

I never really had any catastrophic breakdowns, it's just all the little things that add up.

My 540/6 has been in the family since brand new and was serviced at a dealer it's entire life. One of the most meticulously maintained cars I've ever seen, and it currently has two windows that don't work, a door that has to be locked/unlocked manually, and a sunroof that doesn't like to work when the car is in the summer sun. Because it's a BMW, the parts to fix it are all riveted together, meaning you have to buy an entire assembly for way too much money, instead of just swapping out the faulty piece.

I also do not understand German wiring logic. I installed HID fog lights, and when I turn them on, my tachometer quits working properly and just swings around the dial randomly. Video here: (Excuse the Miley twerking reference, it was a hot topic at the time.)


The other thing I don't love about BMW (or at least the E34 platform) is the lack of aftermarket support and the difficultly of install. For example, there are 2 or 3 companies that make coilovers for the E34, the cheap ones are $900 and aren't known to last that long. The other two are close to $2000. If you want any coilovers to get you any lower than standard lowering springs, you have to remove the OEM strut housing, cut 2.5" out of it, weld it back together, then install coils. From what I can tell by looking on here, bolting on a set of $700 Megan coilovers will get a GS very close to the ground.

I also really like the E39, but it ran for about the same years as a 2GS, and I'm finding that the GS is aging way better. Everyone who has ridden in my GS assumed it was a couple years old and a $15-20k car, not a 15-year-old, sub-$6k car. E39's don't get the same reaction.

MattyG

That's a very good perspective on German car brands. Those dodgy electronics dull the great driving experience and wear a little thin over time. I think the Japanese manufacturers definitely put a lot more effort into durability from their electronics.

But mind you, there have been a couple of recent defections over to BMW from here too so there is still some lust for that special handling driving feel.

I do get bored sometimes and think about a 3 or 5 series but I also don't have the deep bank balance to work out expensive problems, so that's keeping me away.

Sevenevez

iTrader: (2)

Congrats on the GS4! i think you will love it. I went from a BMW 325 Drop to the GS400 and never looked back. I loved my Bimmer too, but i swear everything i tried to fix on it, in my own garage was the biggest pain in the...

I love everything about the GS4. Best "all-around" car i ever owned. and i have owned a lot of vehicles in my lifetime.
Rest In Peace - E46

mveale

iTrader: (5)

Nice looking E46 man! I've always wanted a 3-Series vert to cruise around in the summer.

I am hopelessly in love with my GS4 already. What an awesome car.

MattyG

They are good looking rides... but of course they present challenges. Now it looks like the Takata airbag recall covers a lot of them. 01-05 3 series. It's the last thing a Bimmer owner needs to hear.

Though the Lexus SC430 is affected, it's only in certain US territories or places with extreme temperature fluctuations.

No 2GS cars so that's another plus for folks coming over the Lexus brand.