ok, I know here we have lexus's but what do you guys think of benz and bimmers? would you ever trade your lex for one.how is the life expectancy compared to lex? mine just hit 148k and rides like brand new! I ask this b/c my dad just bought a 2005 530i and for my next car was wondering to go with bmw or mb.thanks in advance

 

Only BMW I will buy would be a M3 and MB not a fan at all, only to look at, life expectancy not close to a lexus

 

I heard that the BMW 5 series had some engine cooling problems that would leave you stranded. But these cars have some of the nicest lines for a sedan, IMO.

 

I just got rid of my Audi A8 and got a GS 300 awd. Must admit the Audi blows away the Lexus for handling. However reliability and costs were so bad on the Audi that I was willing to trade off a little handling for reliability.

 

it depends on what type car.(entry level or higher new or used, performance or comfortable)

for entry level 3 series are the best overall
for SUV MB's GL is ONE of the best SUV now.
for mid size luxury saloon i think GS is the best(compare 5 series and E class(not CLS)
but for highest level couple sedan (SL S class CL) MB is the best.

for speed i think non bmw & lexus (include e92 m3 & is F) can beat C63 AMG(0-60 3.8 car & driver) in drag race.

however, for used car, lexus is the best.(much higher resale value, don't have lots of problems) that why i want to get my first lexus GS(second JDM car) i do like MB but for the same price BMW & lexus are better choice.

 

I had a 2004 545 awsome car but it broke down on me twice. The only Lexus I liked was the 2GS. I found a good deal on one about 21/2 years ago problem free (except when I sprayed the engine down) MB and BMW makes some nice looking cars but I guess I have grown out of looks and look at a car that will get me from point A to B that's reliable. My GS meets that criteria.

 

Beside my GS, i have a 325CI. It is 2005, has 44K miles and has NEVER brokedown or given me ANY problems in the 1 year ive owned it. My brother-in-law has a 2004 530I, 72K miles, has NEVER given him problems.

People are just afraid of BMW and MB.... they are actually reliable BUT is definitly nowhere near a Lexus as far as high miles goes. Lexus is Toyota & toyota is a monster as far as reliability goes.

 

Two different types of cars. Lexus is more for those that like luxury cruisers. BMW is more for those that like to drive. I had 4 different Lexus cars and enjoyed most of them. I had 2 BMWs and enjoyed both of them. 1st one had some problems, but my E46 so far has no major problems. For me, I can't live with just one brand or the other. Each manufacturer out there offers something different and has its strengths and weakness. I buy the Lexus for the family cruiser, and the BMW for my personal compromising fun car. I say compromising because right now my wife wont let me buy the 2 seater sports car I really want

 

If you are planning on keeping an MB or BMW past its warranty period, do not do it, get a Lexus instead. I had a 1st gen GS and a 2nd gen GS into the 120k mile range with minimal problems. What ever problems it had, the parts are cheap because you can go to a Toyota dealer and installing is not too expensive.

Now, I have a 335i and an E63 on lease. The 3 has not had any problems and I got the current version with the oil cooler (early versions of the turbo engine had overheating problems). I do not foresee any problems with the 3 and if there are any, the warranty will cover it.

The E63 has not had any problems either, but I just got it a couple weeks ago. I have been reading the MB forums and there don't seem to be too many problems with it especially since the current E class has been around for a few years now and MB has had time to fix them.

So, Lexus for long term, MB and BMW for short term.

 

My '00 323i is coming up on its 8th birthday. I have had exactly three problems with it, all minor:

1) bad window regulators--affected EVERY German car from 99-01, repaired under warranty.
2) final stage resistor failed, making the HVAC act wonky. Cost $60 for part at the dealer, took 90 minutes to install because it's in an awkward place.
3) Original battery failed at 6 years old--probably should have replaced it beforehand, oh well. Cost me $65.

So I'm out of pocket a total of $125 for repairs over 8 years. Add in maintenance, brakes, tires, etc, and it's right around $1200 total, which includes replacing all the "lifetime" fluids (coolant, power steering, trans, diff) at least once, and buying the service manual ($90) and special tools. So total cost for ALL repairs and maintenance has been $150/year, even though I've done much more maintenance than indicated in the schedule.

 

I like all three brands, can't tell which brand I like the most, depends on the model. I like IS and LS from Lexus, 3-series coupe/convertible/sedan and 5-series sedan from BMW, S-class and SL-class from Mercedes-Benz.

 

I currently have one car from each brand. Even though my Lexus has close to 250k miles and neither my Mercedes nor BMW has more than 60k miles, I personally would trust only the Lexus for daily commutes.

Mercedes tends to be more expensive to maintain because of certain parts such as the suspension pump, and other components unique to this brand. Truthfully, all car parts have their own life expectancy. It just turns out that certain Mercedes and BMW parts tend to be considerably more expensive than their Japanese competitors'.

Thus far, I am glad that I've gotten my Mercedes' suspension ABC pump, struts, and some wearable engine components replaced prior to my factory warranty expired. I might as well as buy myself 2 more used SC400s if I had to fix them without a factory warranty.

You can still keep a Merc or BMW for a while, as long as you get everything fixed prior to the expiration of the factory warranty.

Jon

 

BMW and Lexus are very close in residual per ALG
http://ir.dealertrack.com/releasedet...leaseID=271133

However go check out real world residuals in terms of leases and Lexus can't touch BMW.

 

My 1997 M3 has 158k on it. It has had some niggling problems (door lock actuators, brake switches, air pump) but no spectacular failures. Most problems are well documented and can be dealt with easily. And even still it's an amazing car.

My dad sold his 1993 740iL with 175k and is about to hit 100k on his 1995 525iT. They are great cars if you take care of them properly.

 

MB OMDB Over My Dead Body unless it is from the early 70's up to about 1981
BMW no way way to much steering vibration and I had a BMW engineer tell me it is normal also got that from some owners to.