would you rather have your ES or have a convertible bimmer
 

would you rather have a 97-01 body style es3, or pay a few G's on top of your ES and get a 96-97 bmw 328 convertible (with the hard top ;) ) ?

the bimmer would be a few G's more ($4k cdn/ $2.5k USD) and it would be a couple of years older than the es. (97 bimmer vs. 99 es3)

just curious, thought crossed my mind, i haven't driven a 328 convertible though so i dont know how they feel, ride, and drive... it better be damn good because so far the ES is simply lovely :)

this is how the 328 conv. looks like

http://photoserver1.trader.ca/autotr...2iht24-02.jpeg

this is how mine looks, minus the chrome rims.

http://photoserver1.trader.ca/autotr...2sjg01-04.jpeg

id stick with the lexy

lex es all the way. 00-01 preferably just because i like the clear middle bar on the tail's :)

My aunt and uncle have an '02 ES and an '03 325 conv. I got to drive the bimmer on Thanksgiving. It's stiff and very small inside.
The car is tighter in the turns and a little better on the accel. (it's got the inline 6). I have to note that it seemed very plastic-ey inside. I was also concerned that the doors didn't sound closed...i'm sure its cause of the rag top.

I'll keep the lex.

sj

Personally, I won't consider any BMW's (or any European cars) that's out of warranty.

They tend to be problem prone and cost OBSCENE$$$ to fix.

That lexus is from autotrader.ca right? :D My mom's lexus is EXACTLY like that one...I'd say stick with lexus, better drive in the winter since it's front whell drive and since u live in TO.
Plus, the engine is sooo smooth

dude....give me the lex anyday...even tho i dont exactly like that paint combo for the es3...i realli like my golden pearl combo for my coach ed. 99 Lex....it's sooo pretty...the contrast between the upper and lower panels is much more subtle than the one in the pic, which just looks so stark naked...:)

Well, the FWD will be a definite plus in the bad weather. So in that regard the ES300 has an advantege. Other than that, it mainly comes down to whether you want more performance or more luxury, and whether you want an automatic or manual.


The ES300 has a silky-smooth ride, quiet interior, and is halfway decent on the fun-to-drive scale. I bet you could add some nice mods and make it more fun. Also, the BMW auto transmission is problematic. It is more fragile than most, and almost always needs a rebuild around 100-120K miles. In this regard, Lexus is more dependable. Plus you can't overlook the ES300's huge edge in interior/cargo space.


On the other hand, BMWs are a lot mroe fun to drive than an ES. With RWD, excellent steering, and a sport-tuned suspension, the E36 ('92-98) BMW 3-series cars are very very fun to drive. Try and get the manual, these cars are not nearly as fun with an automatic, plus the autos are fragile, as above mentioned. Don't forget that there is also a HUGE aftermarket for BMW, unlike our ES300.


As far as overall reliability, Lexus is clearly better, but BMW is certainly not that bad. Many Japanese car owners overexxagerate BMW's reliability problems, supposedly because they would like to feel better about their purchases. Coming from a family that has been driving BMWs for years, I can tell you that BMWs are actually quite reliable cars. Not up to Lexus-level, but definately above average. The engine in any BMW should be good for at least 250K miles. If you are willing the slight reliability trade-off for the BMW's increased fun/performance, then the BMW seems the way to go. If you want luxury and reliability more, then go for the Lex.

What would I do in your situation? Well, as much as I love the Lexus, if I had to choose between a second-gen ES and the Bimmer.............I'll take a '98 Avus Blue/Dove Grey BMW 328iC manual, please.
:)

What he said...I'd go with the Bimmer.

I had a 96 328IS E36 (five speed) but ended up trading it in for my 97 ES300 (auto).

The BMW is truely a performance car. It was able to hug corners much better then my Lex. But the Lex gives you a much smoother, quieter, comfortable, and overall nicer ride. The BMW tends to give you a rougher ride and is harder to handle in the snow.

Also I thought other drivers on the road were quite nasty to a BMW driver. People were always flipping me off, trying to race me, my car was keyed, and one night I came out to my car to find spit all over the drivers side! I have found no nasty attitudes towards me in my Lexus.

The reason I traded it was because I spent $5000 in maintenance in eighteen months and it still needed much additional work. I needed a car that was more reliable and not always in the shop.

I really didn't want a Lexus but a great deal came my way that I couldn't refuse. Now after driving one for six months, I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love it and wouldn't consider going back.

definatly the ES

thx for the feed back...

i thought long and hard... and i made up my mind.

drum rolls please......

lex will stay w/ me. :D

yeah! it's the way it should be lexusation....F*** em bimmer owners...no offense or nothing...LOL....anyways...actually...i've been second guessin my decision to stay lex....i dunno...bimmer does sound good....:(

I'd go with the Bimmer. You'd turn heads and have a *****load more fun. Having both Lexos and BMWs in the family, I must say BMW is the ULTIMATE DRIVING machine.

If you wanna save cash and avoid trips to the mechanic, stick with the Lex.

id go wit the es