Bmw or Lexus

[TW]Fox;10484534 said:
So you are saying that to the average joe, my facelift looks no different to this T plate 528i, the highest similar spec at the time:

http://i9.ebayimg.com/06/i/000/c2/1c/937e_1.JPG[img]

Obviously becuase the lights are turned off, nobody can see any difference? :P[/QUOTE]

To be honest Fox, no, to someone completely uninformed and uninterested in cars, that won't look very different to yours.

The same as a lot of completely uninformed and uninterested people probably couldn't tell you the difference between a Polo and a Golf, or a Jag X-Type 2.0D and an XJR.

More on topic, E39 > IS200
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[TW]Fox;10484534 said:
So you are saying that to the average joe, my facelift looks no different to this T plate 528i, the highest similar spec at the time:
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"The indicators are a different colour, oh well"

/average Joe turns back to what he was doing/

Also, and I know you're going to cry when I say this, but lets see that picture against a 530i SE. :)

4eba27dz8.jpg


Oh, and it has different alloys, but they are retro fitted anyway, probably to try and improve the subtle facelift :p
 
The headlights are completely different!

Average joe is an apalling benchmark, as stated above, they cant tell the difference between a Golf and a Polo. Infact drive anything from a 3 Series to a 7 Series of any generation past Average Joe and they will say 'oh, a bmw i think. Perhaps a Mercedes'.

We only care about what people with at least a passing interest in cars think.
 
But average joe, appalling as he may be, is the majority population

I know, its sad, but we could conduct a high street survey with two E39 pictures above and ask them which is which.

We could even conduct the same survey commenting on style & looks only with the IS200 and E39 and the results would probably come back in the 200s favour, as much as it sadens me to admit.
 
Then you could park a Maybach up and they'd tell you its a Merc.

Average Joe is so misinformed somebody once told me my Mondeo was 'flash', presumably becuase it was shiney so it must be flash :confused:

It was 7 years old at the time. Their opinions are worthless.

sam83uk is the general population. He asked if an Alfa GT was a Veyron.

I rest my case ;)

Out of interest I wonder what their appraisal of a freshly polished 1997 Porsche 911 996 would be versus a showroom fresh 2007 911 997 ;) To further prove my point we could drive both away and return with a Boxster in the same colour..
 
[TW]Fox;10484810 said:
Then you could park a Maybach up and they'd tell you its a Merc.

Average Joe is so misinformed somebody once told me my Mondeo was 'flash', presumably becuase it was shiney so it must be flash :confused:

It was 7 years old at the time. Their opinions are worthless.

sam83uk is the general population. He asked if an Alfa GT was a Veyron.

I rest my case ;)

Out of interest I wonder what their appraisal of a freshly polished 1997 Porsche 911 996 would be versus a showroom fresh 2007 911 997 ;)
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Good point well made.

Re the porsche, no one would probably have a clue, certainly not from the side or even front profiles.
 
[TW]Fox;10481128 said:
His current one. It is better built, it handles better, it has more standard equipment, it has a better engine, it is no slower than the Lexus.. its just better, full stop.
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My feelings on the matter too.

Although I can't vouch for the handling as I have driven neither, and the rrest of my opinion is based upon hearsay and general ignorance, so.... not something to base your car buying on, really.

If he likes the Lexus best, then let him buy it. It's his life, his money and his vehicle.
 
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The two cars are in different classes. They're for different markets. The answer should be as much down to personal preference as to reliability/performance/build quality.
IS vs. 3 series.
GS vs. 5 series.
LS vs. 7 series. Shouldn't cross-compare.
I would never buy an E39 SE as they're just so round and bubbly and look incredibly dated. (Sport is different altogether, I still love the look of that model). I think the IS looks better. But at the same time, the 5 series is bigger than the IS, and my personal choice would be to always go for the bigger car. Better comfort, safer, and generally more for your money :)
 
Butters said:
4eba27dz8.jpg


Oh, and it has different alloys, but they are retro fitted anyway, probably to try and improve the subtle facelift :p
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Hmm, similar alloys to those on my old 728i although I don't think the ones on that e39 are 18's..... :confused:

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Fox is right, when I had my e38, many a "joe" used to complement me on my nice 5 Series! :rolleyes:
 
I personally prefer the looks of the Lexus to the BMW and would rather own an IS200 than a 5 series, but agree that it would be an odd move for an existing 5 series owner to move to a smaller class of car.
 
I must confess that the look of either of them doesn't do anything for me.

If I had to choose though the BMW would be the car as I am 99.9% sureit would be a much better drive all round.
 
[TW]Fox;10490769 said:
Round and bubbly? Surely not, it's just a big box??

I'd not buy one either, but I'd not change to an IS200 if I had one.
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My post indicated that I too would go for a 5 series given the choice of the two. But there's just something about the E39 SE that just makes it look a lot older than the sport. The drivers I see round here are always older too. Looking at the pic of those two cars together, you can tell which would have the younger driver.
Still better than the lexus but I think that's been established already :)
 
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