GS250/300H replacement for BMW E60 523i

[superatticman]

Hi all

Pondering selling my 2009 523i and going for a Lexus GS of some description. I'll be honest the E60 was a gamble as I'd heard some horror stories about German cars but I'd say overall its been a fairly decent servant. Never left me stranded although its had quite a few £££ niggles during its time. Electric window motor packed up. Boot wiring loom needed replacing. Flip motor in engine needed replacing. Recently had to replace the rocker cover gasket due to it leaking oil. Not even done 70k. Quite a big increase in items to fix and maintenance costs when compared to my previous 1999 Accord V6 Coupe. Now that car was mechanically outstanding and the best I ever owned. The beemer was a step up when it comes to refinement of interior and obviously its a generation newer. Also ergonomically superb with loads of head and legroom. Owned the beemer for 4 years and just get the feeling some more big bills could be landing on my lap. German cars do have a reputation for emptying your wallet at 100,000 miles or 10 years old!

So would really like to go back to a big Jap. Sadly there's not really much of a selection these days. We've lost the Accord, Camry, Legend to name a few down the years. Logically the mk4 Lexus GS stands out from the crowd as a contender. I did sit in an 15 plate IS250 and found it a bit claustrophobic. Was unable to sit upright, hands on the wheel without my head getting extremely close to the ceiling. I'm 6'4 and fairly long in body. Is the GS much better in this department??? Its a deal breaker really. I know I can easily get comfy in any non sun roofed 5 series, E Class or A6. But I'd rather swerve another German. 

Other than that I like the look of the car and would expect engineering standards and general reliability to be ahead of my E60. 

 

Thanks

 

 

 

[bobmc]

Yeah, the IS250 is on the compact side. If you're 6'4 then I doubt there'd be any legroom for a rear seat passenger behind you.

The GS will be as reliable as you would expect. If you really want to sleep easy then buy a lexus extended warranty (you don't have to buy the car through Lexus)

You need to go and sit in one and test drive it, but otherwise the GS will be a solid bet and worth every penny

 

 

[Zurbaran]

Had my heart set on an IS300h and the main thing that stood out when I went for a test was that it felt claustrophobic. I reckon it was down to the tiny windscreen for me as I’m only 5.9 so I fit in it just fine. Ended up going with a cheaper older gs and couldn’t be happier with the choice so far. Feels better in every single way and also looks better but that is subjective.

 

[LexusIS300h]

You could hold off for a while because the new Camry is making an appearance in the UK in 2019. I loved my Camry, plenty of room, well built and reliable and a decent turn of speed.

i understand that the ES series Lexus and the Toyota Camry are built in the same platform, while the GS series is discontinued.

In the Lexus department have you had a look at an NX? Plenty of room inside? Maybe not quite what you were looking for.

[Vlady]

Adam welcome to LOC!

I am like you have had an e60 525d, 2009 and had the same thoughts like you - the car is getting to that age when it will be asking for lots of money! Saying that the e60 I had was one of the most reliable cars I had (3.5years)! Loved the handling and that 6-cylinders engine was very good!

My 1st impressions on Lexus were that it is much much comfier, steering wheel is much lighter, no diesel vibrations and in general the car was quitter and that Mark Levinson stereo is so much much better than standard BMW audio, I love it! On top of that my Lexus has double Xenon lights, rear blinds and cooled seats!

I still love the shape of e60 but Lexus GS so much grown on me as well, I do find Lexus a very good looking car!

So try it, I am pretty sure you won't regret it!

Keep us updated Adam, good luck! 

[superatticman]

Cheers. Yep I do like the look of the Lexus GS. There's a slight hint of the 91-98 Soarer at the front end. Owned a TT version of one of these and lets just say it was a beast. Utterly reliable and stood up to daily driving in heavy traffic with no problems at all. 

Gonna try a non sunroof GS out for size at Cargiant this week. If I can't get comfy in the correct driving position...then its sadly gonna be a non runner. Had my heart broken by quite a few cars in this department!!!  

Will report back 🙂

[st4]

Gs250 is an amazing car. You’ll love it


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[OldTrout]

Adam,

I will be interested to hear how you get on with the headrest on the Mk4 GS. I too am long in the back and when I had a GS as a courtesy car I had to remove the headrest it was so obtrusive. Felt unsafe driving without a headrest. This feature alone would stop me buying one. I am hoping to find a 450 to see if that is just the same as the 300. It may be that the more configurable seat in the 450 can allow me to get comfortable.

John

 

[superatticman]

Well I gave a GS250 a sit in today and was pleasantly surprise as to how much room there was in there. A lot more than an IS250. No sunroof makes a big difference too. Not quite as much room as an E60 but enough for taller drivers. Definitely worth an audition. Also gave an Infiniti Q50 a sit in. Definitely a bit more cramped, especially in the legroom stakes. 

Just a question for Vlady who had a previous E60. How does the Lexus compare to the E60 for quietness? One thing about the E60, is that its an extremely quiet car as far as road noise and wind suppression goes. Very few interior rattles too. 

 

 

[superatticman]

Have test driven two now. I like this car. Its the obvious choice for me. I've bemoaned the lack of big, robust  (relatively uncomplicated) Japanese cars that have been on the market but have pretty much missed a sitter here! The GS250 is very much 'Ford Granada 2.8 Ghia' mans car. Big, comfy, well equipped, brisk if not fast and reasonably priced 2nd hand. Should be very reliable over time and unlike the German badged cars won't cost an arm and a leg to run. There's really not a lot else like it on the market is there? Save the impending Camry. 

Just a question of finding the right one now. 

 

 

 

 

 

[pork_pie]

Hi Adam, I liked your comparison with the 2.8 Ghia. There are a few GS250 kicking around on the official site and last time I looked there is one in Stockport (ask for Asa Hallsworth) , Glasgow and Twickenham but I could be wrong now. My now 6 Year old GS250  which I bought 8 months ago continues to exceeds all my expectations. It is absolutely amazing on the motorways and wafts through traffic. Driven carefully its not that bad on fuel either. It hasn't skipped a beat and its remains the only car I have owned that puts a smile on my face when driving it. When you find one of your choice, please treat yourself.