owm

Hi all,

Just wondering whether any member has experience with the 2?

I test drove the 735i today and came away impressed with the level of electronic sophistication available. Auto-closing boot, electrically-controlled rear sunshades (side and rear windscreen), iDrive system!, voice-aided help, most adjustable seats I have come across, total memory settings stored in the key etc.

However, I still find the interior of the LS430 more luxurious and exclusive compared to the more spartan and space age looking BMW.

I was also told that the BM servicing interval is every 21k km. How about the LS? My current GS goes for servicing every 10k km!

Why am I comparing the 735i and the LS430? Because they both cost around the same price here in Singapore, S$325,000 approx. US$181,000.

Thanks!

Lvangundy

$181,000? That's pretty high. Can you double check your numbers? Here in the states they run about $60,000.

pongydoo

The price of the car in most asian coutries are very high. In Thailand, for 900,000bath or around US$23,500 you can only buy a brand new bottom of the range Honda City(1.3 liter without any option! not Civic but City). The LS430 cost around 9,000,000 bath or around US$200,000 and for Mercedes-Benz S280 not even S500 cost around the US$212,000. For the price of the LS430 here ($70000), you can only buy BMW325i, mercedes benz C180, Toyota Harrier(similar to Lexus RX300) in Thailand. But for Lexus RX300 cost around us$120,000!!! So that is why all the cars in the US are a lot cheaper than cars in most Asian countries!!

Static911

Yes, that number sounds correct. We have a family friend living in Singapore...whenever he comes to the States, he give him my 1993 LS400 as a car to get around....he finds my car much more smooth compared to his 1980's car he uses in Singapore

Isn't there like a 200% tax on cars in Singapore?

BTW, I would choose the LS430 over the 735i because it IS more luxurious. My $0.02

Static911

JohnsRX

If they are priced around the same, i would definitely choose the bimmer in ur case. Im sure the 735i has a little less power than the LS, because we dont have the 735 in the states. And power isnt really that important in singapore.....u know what i mean. Taiwan just released the 7 here too, but i dont know the hp numbers yet. I would choose the new 7 over the LS anyday, simply because its newer, and since u had a lexus already aint it fun to move to something different??


[QUOTE]Originally posted by owm
[B]Hi all,

Just wondering whether any member has experience with the 2?

owm

Hi Static911,

The ARF (Additional Registration Fee) used to be 200% but it has been reduced to 140% of the car's value. Besides the ARF, there is the :-

1. COE (Certificate of Entitlement) : Basically it is a piece of paper that gives you the right to own a car (1 COE for each car you have). Current price is around US$17,000 for cars >2000cc

2. Registration Fee of US$78

3. Customs Duty that is 31% on the value of the car.

So the value of a LS430 in the States is US$60,000, plus all the above fees you end up with a grand sum of around US$180,000.

owm

The BMW is rather appealing except for the fact that there is a HUGE options list that will add to the $$$ cost. Xenon lights, rear aircon and audio controls, dynamic drive, electronic damper control, alarm system, auto-dazzle function for rear mirrors etc.

However, the LS is more roomy and at least comes with all options factored in. But the BMW has a lot of cool gadgets missing from the Lexus flagship. Another thing I am worried about is the reliability. Continental cars do not age well here in Singapore.

Sigh...well, at most I stick with the GS for another few years and see


[QUOTE]Originally posted by JohnsRX
[B]If they are priced around the same, i would definitely choose the bimmer in ur case. Im sure the 735i has a little less power than the LS, because we dont have the 735 in the states. And power isnt really that important in singapore.....u know what i mean. Taiwan just released the 7 here too, but i dont know the hp numbers yet. I would choose the new 7 over the LS anyday, simply because its newer, and since u had a lexus already aint it fun to move to something different??

Cary1952

i have owned both BMW's and Lexi. We have traded in our 2000 BMW for a new LS430. The luxury and quietness, ride, are much better in the lexus. I can see myself owning a lexus 430 for 5-10 years, but i cant see myself owning a BMW that long. Older BMW's scare me. I would never own a used one, but feel ok with a used Lexus. In fact i just bought a 2nd one (98 GS300) with 45,000 miles on it to be our 2nd car.


Also the new 745i has a wheel type device for nav and radio that i hear is tricky.... also Lexus nav is much much better. (not perfect, but better)

Cary in S.D.