'04 Lexus IS300 vs. '03 BMW 530i
 

Hello Fellow Enthusiasts,

I currently own an '04 IS300. My cousin is in the market for a
'02 or '03 BMW 530i (E39)w/ sport and premium package. He asked
me how the 530i would compare w/ the IS300?
So, I thought I'd ask all you knowledgeable enthusiasts.
Does anyone have a friend or family w/ the 530i who has first
hand knowledge about these cars? Anyone has driven both
personally?
How about 0-60mph times? 40-60? 50-70? etc.
Fun to drive factor?
How about reliability on the 530? My IS300 has only had the
seat belt buckle squeak (minor annoyance) that was fixed under
warranty.

Thanks in advance.

Jon

so, those two cars aren't really in the same catagory ... this would seem to be very much an apple v pear comparisson (in that they both grow on trees and both are edible etc)

IS300 - insanely reliable, fun to drive w. good handling, very much a go-anywhere car, lots of mods available, couple minor issues most of us encounter (use search to find those) in general excellent every day car
E39 530i - little less reliable, very stable drive and lots road presense with out being over the top, little bit less versatile depending on where you live, but over all nice upgrade from the IS300

knowing both, i personally start w. the IS300 and trade up to the E39 530i a little later on for a couple reasons. i wouldnt want to miss out on the entry level sized lux car because they are fun little things to mess around with and they're great if you're in a tight squeeze. as i get older i can definitely appreciate the solidness of the 5series but they're definitely a bigger car.

your friend should drive both in similar situations and concider what he wants to do with the car and make a decision based on that. ... or just pick which ever is more conveniant ;)

I think it depends on what your cousin wants in a car. The IS300 is reliable and fun to drive but also has several annoyances as far as performance. The 530 is also extremely reliable but I think the main difference in this category is that BMW charges you an arm and a leg for parts branded with BMW on them.

As far as performance goes, both cars are nothing to really write home about. The IS300 is not exactly fast, especially if you have the auto. Personally I feel that BMW makes a more performance oriented car than Lexus does. Lexus tends to tweek things to make it more luxury at the expense of performance.

In the looks department I think the IS wins. The BMW is a sexy car but I just never really liked the newer style beemers anyways. I'm an E36 guy :D.

Thank you
 

Thank you both for your replies. I will let him read your posts,
and we'll go from there. I have a couple of co-workers who
are interested in purchasing my car. I too like the
last generation 5-series. They are a little bigger, but
that doesn't bother me. I sometimes drive 3 adults
in the back, and w/ the IS300, it's not comfortable
back there w/ 3.
I just find it really hard to let go of my IS. It's been
so dear to me.

Cheers.

i could never part with my IS :D

E39 owner
 

I own both an e39 m5 and the 530i.

I love them both. I couldn't believe how much I started to really enjoy and have fun with the 530.

I signed up for this forum strictly to answer this question. Lol.

I actually am looking to trade my 530i for an IS300. I always loved both cars. I just am bored of owning two e39s lol. And no I'm not selling or trading the M5. ;)
If you are looking for a 2002 e39 530i with 115,000 miles in sterling grey metallic in color with charcoal leather interior. Fully loaded. I'll post pics later.

I'm looking for a similar IS300. Black/charcoal/grey/silver/blue. Similar miles. Dark interior.

Anyone?

Id love to own an is300. I have always wanted one before the 530.