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is250 vs. 325i
Lexus Discussions about Lexus cars and trucks (alt.autos.lexus)
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#21
 
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Re: German car? no thanks (was Re: is250 vs. 325i) -
08-15-2006
, 07:07 PM
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In article <elmop-E6C5D5.13431614082006 (AT) nntp3 (DOT) usenetserver.com>, Elmo P. Shagnasty <elmop (AT) nastydesigns (DOT) com> wrote: In article <ebq4g4$v23$1 (AT) news (DOT) datemas.de>, richard (AT) news (DOT) vrx.net (Richard Sexton) wrote: I don't know why people say that BMWs are expensive to maintain. This is the way my father in law explained it to me 30 years ago: "the Germans are quite up front about maintenance costs. The Japanese want you to believe their cars are cheaspre cheap to maintain but in reality they cost about the same". I wouldn't buy a German car with YOUR money. (Been there, done that.) And yes, I "get" German cars. German cars are the expensive, pouty, and high-maintenance mistresses of the road. Damn, they are a fine, fine ride... ....but then the maintenance and pouting kicks in. At some point, without unlimited funds, you are at a decision point: continue the high-priced, high-maintenance fun, or go back home and enjoy your reliable Lexus wife of a car, patiently sitting there waiting for you to get over the midlife crisis. Oh sure, she's not as sexy as the German car, and she doesn't handle at the edge like the German car. She's also not as fickle and high maintenance and pouty, and she agrees with you much more of the time. She's always there and never complains, and you come to realize there's more to life than a high-maintenance relationship with a pouty, high-maintenance woman--no matter how sexy she is or how fun the nights out with her can be. Because when she lets you down and demands more of you than you have to give, and treats you like dirt, you're standing there all alone outside the club, looking and feeling like an idiot. Your Lexus wife would never, ever do that to you. Try buying a German car that's not thrashed. I've had new Japanese cars and old German cars and the Germans cars have been far far cheaper to maintain. Just another data point. -- Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org 1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net 633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net |
#22
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According to Edmunds.com, the cost per mile for the 2003 Lexus IS 300 is .60 cents, while a 2003 330i is .63 cents, averaged over 5 years of ownership while driving 15,000 miles/year. epbrown |
maintenance. In other words, it probably assumes no repairs.
It would be interesting to see cost of ownership statistics that factor
in the well-known difference in repair history between Lexus and BMW
and/or MB.
But dollar cost isn't the only measure. I put a significant value on
the time I spend in the repair shop and the stress that time adds to my
life.
You guys talk about the "driving experience." My "driving experience"
is greatly diminished when my car is in the repair shop. Also, when
both cars are operating properly I *prefer* the Lexus ride.
#23
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"E Brown" <three1983s (AT) att (DOT) net> wrote in message news:jeo1e2hcp1ih8e1un4es3n6ltt083irmu7 (AT) 4ax (DOT) com... According to Edmunds.com, the cost per mile for the 2003 Lexus IS 300 is .60 cents, while a 2003 330i is .63 cents, averaged over 5 years of ownership while driving 15,000 miles/year. epbrown I suspect that this statistic only includes regularly scheduled maintenance. In other words, it probably assumes no repairs. |
broken out on the web site, included both maintenance and repairs. I
don't know about Toyota's warranty, but for the 2003 330i there
shouldn't be expenses for either for another couple of years -
maintenance and repairs are covered by the respective warranties. I
went to the dealership recently to get a bulb for my left headlight,
and everyone kept trying to convince me to bring it around to the
service department to fix it.
Quote:
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It would be interesting to see cost of ownership statistics that factor in the well-known difference in repair history between Lexus and BMW and/or MB. I'd be interested as well. I currently keep Excel spreadsheets for |
been fuel, insurance, and 4 light bulbs (one turn signal on the 325i,
the Z4 driver's side headlight mentioned above, and two Philips bulbs
when I decided to go with brighter headlights on the Z4).
Oh, I also added the Auxiliary Audio Kit to both cars to play my
mp3 player through the stereo, which was ~$100 for the kits - I
installed them myself.
epbrown
--
"Everybody wants a normal life and a cool car;
most people will settle for the car." Chris Titus
2003 BMW 325i Black/Black, 2003 BMW Z4 Black/Black
#24
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As far as parts prices, BMW parts are really no more expensive than for any other make, as far as my observations are concerned. The problem with BMW is reliability. Except for the engines (which may be the best in the world), BMW owners can expect failures in other systems, and often. |
I've not had 'failure in other systems, and often' - even if I knew what
that was. ;-)
All makes need replacements from time to time. The difference is how
frequently this occurs which may be where the reliability surveys come
from. But they don't mean *every* car in that range will be the same.
--
*I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter
Dave Plowman dave (AT) davenoise (DOT) co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
#25
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Fantasy. 90% of the parts for a 50's 190SL are still available from the factory. Try getting a door handle for a 240Z and lemme now how that works out. German cars age well. They're meant to be repaired. There's lots of old ones about. Japanese cars don't age they're recycled into cans. In the short term, say after the warrenty expires to about 10 yrs perhaps Japanese cars are cheaper to maintain (although this wasn't my experience with a half dozen of them) but longer term? Fuggetaboutit. While the warrenty is in effect it's all the same. Keep in mind my newset car is 23 years old. Maybe it's me but I don't see a lot of 23 year old Japaense cars running around. |
got a good point.
But if you're talking about cars built in this century, it's a very
different story.
#26
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In article <ebud0v$9sv$1 (AT) news (DOT) datemas.de>, richard (AT) news (DOT) vrx.net (Richard Sexton) wrote: And I'd hate to think anybody made a decision to buy a Japanese car over one that was more fun because of something stupid somebody said on usenet. And I'd hate to think anybody made a decision to buy a "fun" car over one that made much more sense because of something stupid somebody said on usenet. |
operate (but they probably don't, you just want to think they do)
--
-Fred W
#27
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In article <GLCdnUEVirYGv37ZnZ2dnUVZ_vmdnZ2d (AT) adelphia (DOT) com>, Fred W <Malt_Hound@*spam-me-not*yahoo.com> wrote: Life is too short to drive *boring* cars, even if they cost less to operate (but they probably don't, you just want to think they do) Thanks for admitting that they probably do cost more to operate. Life is full of choices. I'd rather choose the "boring" car that puts a smile on my face every day, knowing that the money I'm saving allows me to do other, MUCH more fun things in life than driving. And let's face it: how much time does the average American spend in his car every day? How much of that is stop-and-go vs freeway or open road driving? There isn't much open road time in people's lives. The German car costs quite a bit of money for what it ultimately offers. I know I shouldn't be sucked into this pissing match, but can't resist. |
matter what the "average American" does. What counts if what I do.
What do I do? I ride a bicycle to work each day. I have an old Jeep
Cherokee for going to the store, drives up logging roads to hike to alpine
lakes for flyfishing. I use my BMW for what it's built for. And no, for
me at least, there aren't "MUCH" more fun things than driving. Driving is
one of the most fun things I do. But that's just me. If others want other
vehicles, I could care.
- Jon
#28
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In article <GLCdnUEVirYGv37ZnZ2dnUVZ_vmdnZ2d (AT) adelphia (DOT) com>, Fred W <Malt_Hound@*spam-me-not*yahoo.com> wrote: Life is too short to drive *boring* cars, even if they cost less to operate (but they probably don't, you just want to think they do) Thanks for admitting that they probably do cost more to operate. |
followed by "they probably don't..."
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Life is full of choices. I'd rather choose the "boring" car that puts a smile on my face every day, knowing that the money I'm saving allows me to do other, MUCH more fun things in life than driving. |
driving enthusiast in the least. People that are driving enthusiasts
*do* enjoy driving as much as, sometimes more, than what you may
consider more fun. I for one enjoy driving cars (and even more so,
motorcycles) much more than I enjoy "saving money for other things".
Quote:
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And let's face it: how much time does the average American spend in his car every day? How much of that is stop-and-go vs freeway or open road driving? There isn't much open road time in people's lives. The German car costs quite a bit of money for what it ultimately offers. |
I do not commute. But I live in an area with a large percentage of
open (rural) roads. I spend as little time as humanly possible in stop
and go traffic. That is one reason that I greatly prefer driving a
manual transmission, sporty handling car over a softly sprung, slush-box
encumbered lux-o box.
The funnies thing is, because you can't appreciate the difference
between these cars you think everyone should drive the same car that you
do. That is just plain silly.
In my opinion, you should continue to drive whatever car makes you feel
best and I should do likewise. In fact, everyone can follow that basic
tenant and they just can't go wrong!!
--
-Fred W
#29
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In article <TK6dnR6FgrTJ137ZnZ2dnUVZ_vGdnZ2d (AT) adelphia (DOT) com>, Fred W <Malt_Hound@*spam-me-not*yahoo.com> wrote: Life is full of choices. I'd rather choose the "boring" car that puts a smile on my face every day, knowing that the money I'm saving allows me to do other, MUCH more fun things in life than driving. So now we get down to the real "crux of the biscuit". You are not a driving enthusiast in the least. I am. Quite a bit. But for a daily driver, and for most people, the German cars come at a much higher expense than what they offer. Period. |
--
-Fred W
#30
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See: http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_co...&x_article=373 Zionist site.... |
The quote is attributed to a reporter who says it's a FABRICATED
LIE!!!!!!!
What's your source, asshole?????!!!!!!!
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