BMW to a Lexus - New owner thoughts
06-22-12, 07:34 AM
#16
I too am a refugee from 12 years and 4 different models of BMW's. To be brief, my reasons for switching to the Gen4 GS350 were:
1. Run-Flat tires....you can't buy a BMW without them. Terrible, harsh ride and high failure rates.
2. 4-cylinder engine in 328 and 528 models.
3. Start/Stop "technology" on new engines.
4. Hesitation problems during acceleration on most engines.
5. Lack of steering feel compared to older models.
6. Steering pulling to the right in new models.
7. Constant upgrading of software in vain attempts to fix problems.
8. Battery charging system that requires a trickler charger if car is not driven 30 miles/day.
I have been pleased with my new GS350. Performance meets or exceeds that of the new 535i with a smooth, powerful, non-turbo charged engine with none of the issues that the new BMW's are experiencing. In addition, the interior, Nav and Audio systems in the GS blow those in the BMW away. I still have a 2008 (E60) 528i that has been trouble-free and drives like BMW's used to drive. It has been an excellent car. I regret that BMW is no longer building "The Ultimate Driving Machine."
1. Run-Flat tires....you can't buy a BMW without them. Terrible, harsh ride and high failure rates.
2. 4-cylinder engine in 328 and 528 models.
3. Start/Stop "technology" on new engines.
4. Hesitation problems during acceleration on most engines.
5. Lack of steering feel compared to older models.
6. Steering pulling to the right in new models.
7. Constant upgrading of software in vain attempts to fix problems.
8. Battery charging system that requires a trickler charger if car is not driven 30 miles/day.
I have been pleased with my new GS350. Performance meets or exceeds that of the new 535i with a smooth, powerful, non-turbo charged engine with none of the issues that the new BMW's are experiencing. In addition, the interior, Nav and Audio systems in the GS blow those in the BMW away. I still have a 2008 (E60) 528i that has been trouble-free and drives like BMW's used to drive. It has been an excellent car. I regret that BMW is no longer building "The Ultimate Driving Machine."
06-22-12, 07:47 AM
#17
glad to hear your overall impression is positive. i am enjoying the hell out of my GS F-SPORT. i have ML,,, it's a good system but it does have its faults.... not major. am/fm channels,,, volume has to be turned up, sounds better when switched to SAT. bluetooth audio streaming is when the ML really shows it's ***. sound is very good, however the speakers start to vibrate at certain bass frequencies. overall not bad,,, could be better. as far as your cornering experience,,,, your tail doesn't swing around the way you want it is because you have an AWD like me. i've noticed it also. i think the RWD W/DRS will give you the tail swinging you seek.
I also agree with you on the handling. I drove both versions on the track.
I will say that the premium sound system in the 4GS is substantially better than the one on the 3GS.
06-23-12, 06:35 PM
#19
Welcome to Lexus. I have had many cars in my lifetime. I enjoyed driving my '09 BMW 538ix, but the reliability of the fuel injectors bothered me. In my three years owning the car, the car drove wonderfully, when it was not in the repair shop.
I looked at 2012 new BMW, the driving feel of the car just wasn't there, the steering was more detached and the run flat tires really were a deal breaker.
I had a 2006 last generation Audi A6, the car was great in snow and handled well, but the 3.2 naturally aspirated engine did not accelerate well in traffic conditions and was very front heavy.
I drove the Porsche Panamera, wow what a nice handling car, but is at least 40,000 more than the Lexus GS configured well.
The GS is a great car, handles precisely, but with a well balanced front nose. I have the AWD base 350, the accelerates like a dream and is especially well balanced in corners. The sport mode really pushes the car and makes it fun to drive. It definitely compares very well with the German competition.
I have the car for 3 weeks, place about 1300 miles on her, and enjoyed the ride. The stereo is exceptionally good for a base model, and the music I play, I do not miss the premium stereo. It is at par with the HK Mercedes and BMW, and is much better than the Bose that are in the Audi's. It is not as good as the high end B&O that Audi places in the A8 or the Burmeister that Porsche puts in their high end models.
What has amazed me is the reliability of the voice commands, a major improvement over my prior 2005 model.
Lexus has placed themselves firmly into the sport sedan market. A great car which will only get better. Despite the minor electronic bugs with the Enform/eDestination system, there are very few first year introduction bugs!
I looked at 2012 new BMW, the driving feel of the car just wasn't there, the steering was more detached and the run flat tires really were a deal breaker.
I had a 2006 last generation Audi A6, the car was great in snow and handled well, but the 3.2 naturally aspirated engine did not accelerate well in traffic conditions and was very front heavy.
I drove the Porsche Panamera, wow what a nice handling car, but is at least 40,000 more than the Lexus GS configured well.
The GS is a great car, handles precisely, but with a well balanced front nose. I have the AWD base 350, the accelerates like a dream and is especially well balanced in corners. The sport mode really pushes the car and makes it fun to drive. It definitely compares very well with the German competition.
I have the car for 3 weeks, place about 1300 miles on her, and enjoyed the ride. The stereo is exceptionally good for a base model, and the music I play, I do not miss the premium stereo. It is at par with the HK Mercedes and BMW, and is much better than the Bose that are in the Audi's. It is not as good as the high end B&O that Audi places in the A8 or the Burmeister that Porsche puts in their high end models.
What has amazed me is the reliability of the voice commands, a major improvement over my prior 2005 model.
Lexus has placed themselves firmly into the sport sedan market. A great car which will only get better. Despite the minor electronic bugs with the Enform/eDestination system, there are very few first year introduction bugs!
06-23-12, 10:38 PM
#20
I love the voice commands, edestination concierge service, open table booking, movietime, pandora, bing search, and the way everything is integrated more flawlessly then my 2011 BMW 5. The steering is more natural and connected to the road and the ride is more fluid and adjusted very well with the road condition (AVS) compared to my standard suspension 5 series on runflats.
06-23-12, 11:07 PM
#21
...
The Drive:
Nice drive, controlled body roll which is not excessive, adequate power and decent steering feedback. The initial turn in of the front wheels into a corner is impressive but the rest of car doesn’t seem to follow that nimble front end into the corner with the same ease. Don’t get me wrong it isn’t bad but this is definitely not the pinnacle when it comes to this department. But given the size and purpose of this car I think it does a solid job on this front. Sports + mode helps further reduce body roll though I wish it was even more aggressive. While there is a difference from the standard mode to Sports and Sports + it isn’t a drastic change. Overall, considering the mission of the car I have no issues on the handling front and I am pleased with the ride. If I came across as critical it was only to temper the excitement so nobody walks into this car thinking it handles like an M5. Eco mode – I have used it a few times when I am sitting in traffic and just cruising on the highway. No real comments on the eco mode… it seems fine and the car feels a bit more relaxed.
I am hovering around 800 miles today so I have had a few chances to push her though I have not yet red lined her. Wanting to take it easy it for awhile longer before I start diving into that area. The few times I did press on the accelerator you get those nice “zoom zoom” sound piped into the cabin. Nice touch and adds a bit to the sporty character of the car. My first impression is that the engine could use some more power and torque. That right here right now feeling of being pushed to the back of your seat is so so. More torque would help address this issue and make the drive more engaging. Perhaps a mid cycle refresh will see a supercharged or turbo GS? On the flip side the engine is smooth but the nature of that smoothness is very different from a BMW inline six. I think I like the sonic profile of the BMW a bit better but then again you don’t have any whines of the turbos spooling up with the GS unlike in the 335i. The brakes are solid and provide confident stops. I hope they don’t lose any of their stopping strength with time.
...
The Drive:
Nice drive, controlled body roll which is not excessive, adequate power and decent steering feedback. The initial turn in of the front wheels into a corner is impressive but the rest of car doesn’t seem to follow that nimble front end into the corner with the same ease. Don’t get me wrong it isn’t bad but this is definitely not the pinnacle when it comes to this department. But given the size and purpose of this car I think it does a solid job on this front. Sports + mode helps further reduce body roll though I wish it was even more aggressive. While there is a difference from the standard mode to Sports and Sports + it isn’t a drastic change. Overall, considering the mission of the car I have no issues on the handling front and I am pleased with the ride. If I came across as critical it was only to temper the excitement so nobody walks into this car thinking it handles like an M5. Eco mode – I have used it a few times when I am sitting in traffic and just cruising on the highway. No real comments on the eco mode… it seems fine and the car feels a bit more relaxed.
I am hovering around 800 miles today so I have had a few chances to push her though I have not yet red lined her. Wanting to take it easy it for awhile longer before I start diving into that area. The few times I did press on the accelerator you get those nice “zoom zoom” sound piped into the cabin. Nice touch and adds a bit to the sporty character of the car. My first impression is that the engine could use some more power and torque. That right here right now feeling of being pushed to the back of your seat is so so. More torque would help address this issue and make the drive more engaging. Perhaps a mid cycle refresh will see a supercharged or turbo GS? On the flip side the engine is smooth but the nature of that smoothness is very different from a BMW inline six. I think I like the sonic profile of the BMW a bit better but then again you don’t have any whines of the turbos spooling up with the GS unlike in the 335i. The brakes are solid and provide confident stops. I hope they don’t lose any of their stopping strength with time.
...
However, when the GS hits the same bump, it is much more compliant with a flatter ride, and better shock absorption???
06-24-12, 06:06 AM
#22
That probably has more to do with the runflats on the BMW more than anything else, although the gas filled shocks on the GS are very compliant over rough payment. It's a pleasure to not have to endure runflats anymore.
06-24-12, 09:38 AM
#23
Same, I got tired of feeling all that road vibration even the finest ripples and irregularities in the road being amplified by those runflats however I still felt too much thump and spongy feel of the suspension hitting the bumps with the regular tires on my 2011 BMW 5. The engineers admitted trying a bit too hard to dampen the bad run flats that it ruins the whole dynamics of the car's fluidity and smoothness with natural handling!
06-24-12, 01:05 PM
#25
I have an '07 GS350 and a '10 BMW 328 Coupe with manual transmission, both purchased new. I considered the M3 and 335 before purchasing the 328, however would be frustrated in the M3 because I couldn't utilize its capabilities, and the 335's HPFE problems were a deal killer. The BMW is my 3rd, and probably my last. It's been problem free since day one, and is primarily a weekend warrior. However, I took it on a 6k mile cross-country trip last August, and it was outstanding. I'm doing a similar road trip this August and haven't decided which car I'll take. I've always enjoyed coupes, but before I would get another BMW, I'd take a long look at a 5.0 Mustang GT (I've had 5 V-8 Mustangs and enjoyed every one). The current GT has almost identical performance numbers to the M3, at about 40k less.
All the above being said, I cannot see myself being without a Lexus, and the GS would definitely be my choice. I appreciate all comments posted here - it just reinforces my decision for the future. Also, apparently there is a rumor the GS may be offered in a Coupe version - that would do it for me!
All the above being said, I cannot see myself being without a Lexus, and the GS would definitely be my choice. I appreciate all comments posted here - it just reinforces my decision for the future. Also, apparently there is a rumor the GS may be offered in a Coupe version - that would do it for me!
06-24-12, 01:26 PM
#27
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I have to agree. In my BMW it was probably a bit worse than the average car since I opted for the 19 inch staggered run flat summer tires. I am sure the ride was probably more bearable with the 17 or 18 inch wheels. Whenever I hit a pothole at speed it always felt like parts of the car were getting torn up and you could definitely feel the impact in the cabin. The GS on the other hand does seem to deal with road imperfections in a much more smoother manner.
06-24-12, 01:34 PM
#28
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Yup - had the same issue. I would always get a low battery warning if I didn't take the car out for more than three days. The service advisor would always suggest I drive it for long trips to ensure I would not get this issue. Right... I am going to schedule my whole life to suit the car's convenience because BMW didn't install a strong enough battery in the car or assess how most people who live in the city drive their cars. It does sound a bit like I am ******* on the BMW... in all honesty I preferred my 2000 BMW 328i sedan over the 2011 BMW 335i convertible. The 2000 model year BMW was more problem free, less rattles and I enjoyed driving it much more.
06-24-12, 01:50 PM
#29
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I have the car for 3 weeks, place about 1300 miles on her, and enjoyed the ride. The stereo is exceptionally good for a base model, and the music I play, I do not miss the premium stereo. It is at par with the HK Mercedes and BMW, and is much better than the Bose that are in the Audi's. It is not as good as the high end B&O that Audi places in the A8 or the Burmeister that Porsche puts in their high end models.
What has amazed me is the reliability of the voice commands, a major improvement over my prior 2005 model.
Lexus has placed themselves firmly into the sport sedan market. A great car which will only get better. Despite the minor electronic bugs with the Enform/eDestination system, there are very few first year introduction bugs!
What has amazed me is the reliability of the voice commands, a major improvement over my prior 2005 model.
Lexus has placed themselves firmly into the sport sedan market. A great car which will only get better. Despite the minor electronic bugs with the Enform/eDestination system, there are very few first year introduction bugs!
Last edited by ego29iste; 06-24-12 at 01:58 PM.
06-24-12, 01:56 PM
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I thought about the new GT as well. Ford has done a great job with the Mustang. I had the chance to drive the new V6 in a convertible form awhile back and enjoyed the experience. One of the few American models I genuinely like along with the current Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT. However, I believe next year the Mustang is being completely redesigned. I have no idea what dealer service is like with these brands in case you need any work done but I am guessing it is not going to be comparable to the white glove service that Lexus provides.
Last edited by ego29iste; 06-24-12 at 02:37 PM.