WHICH LUXURY MAKE?? (used cars)

Hello.

I'm trying to figure out my next car move and would love some good advice from people in the know!

I have a 2003 Peugeot 307 at the moment and am looking to take the next step up the ladder.

I'm just wondering how the different luxury cars compare, and what might make me choose one make over another.

I'm looking at pre-owned cars and looking at BMW, Merc, Audi, maybe Lexus and any other suggestions from anyone.

Regardless of model, I'm just trying to get an idea of what one brand can offer me over the other, and also what kind of people drive which car.

Also - how do the used car programmes influence buyer decision. Why would someone get one used car make over another? (Have you always bought same brand, and improved the model over time, or is buying a used car a way to first get into the brand?)

Any suggestions and comments would be great (asap)

thanks!
Ali

i would go lexus, cheap reliable, performs relatively well and actually look good, although it is only a posh toyota!, bmw are looking good at the moment as well. dont go merc in a recent survey they were all near the bottom! as for audi, they are falling behind in respect of engine capabilities and price but they look damn good. as for the other questions, i cant help, im only 17!

My take on these peticular models-

Benz- Their cheaper cars suck. The C-Class is one of the worst cars in its class in terms of driver enjoyment and reliability. In Europe, the other small Benz's are just as bad or worse. As you move up the ladder they become a bit better. The new SLK Roadster is considered to be a great little car. The E-Class is nice, but not great, and I've always liked the S-Class. As a whole, Mercedes reliability is nowhere near as it used to be, and is near the bottom. I would't buy a Mercedes unless I could afford a $50,000 one. They also have a bit of an old man's luxury car stereotype now.

Audi- Good but not great. If you want AWD, this is the only way I would go. The turbocharged engines are great for tuning as well. They also have some of the best looking, modern interiors of any of the luxury makes. They do have some problems... They have lots of issues with turbochargers needing to be replaced and little electrical and mechanical problems. Power wise they are about on par with BMW, but because they weigh so much more they tend to not be as quick. If I lived somewhere where I it snowed alot, I would get an Audi with Quattro over an AWD Benz, BMW, or Lexus. Otherwise, they just arn't as fun to drive as BMW. The TT is one of the worst sports cars on the market right now.

Lexus- Lexus makes luxury cars that are about as fun to drive as a Camry. They are incredibly comfortable, very smooth, and reliable as hell. They are the sensible man's/woman's luxury car, which is great, if you're dead or on your way there. They are boring, plain and simple. The IS200, IS250, IS300, and IS350 are all wannabe BMW 3-series, just not as good. The ES330 is boring, the GS430 is boring, the SC430 is boring, and the LS430 is boring. Basically they are just upper class Toyota's with a bit more power. I wouldn't buy one, but I might suggest one to a 70 year old retiree.

BMW- BMW just recently became the world's best selling luxury make, with good reason. They have virtually everything you would want in a luxury car. They are all RWD (except a few AWD cars I wouldn't suggest). They are all very well built, very solid, great looking, and quick. By far the best part of BMW is the handling. Unlike Benz or Lexus, which are more passenger oriented, BMWs are very driver oriented. The telepathic steering, the absolutely wonderful transmissions, and the perfect power band are by far what I think puts BMW above the competition. I love my BMW, and doubt I will buy any other make (except possibly Porsche). Their reliability is second only to Lexus here. Wonderful wonderful cars. I know its a marketing scheme, but they really are the Ultimate Driving Machine. The only problem with them is they are expensive, and hold their value very well, making them hard to buy used.

i can admire Dinan's loyalty to that one luxury car make that starts with a B. not sure what it is. :p but i think it depends on the individual car. i think some car companies make better midsize cars than other, others make better coupes than others, etc. just my opinion. i like the mercedes e class over a bmw 5 series but i'll take a 3 series over the C class any day. i'll take any audi avant over a bmw or mercedes wagon. just for an example.

Dinan summed it up pretty nicely though i thought he was a bit harsh on lexus. i think lexuses are fine cars. not as fun as bmw, nor as handsome with as nice interiors as audi nor as prestigous as mercedes. but otherwise good cars overall. lexus is the safe bet IMO, but not necessarily the best bet if you know what i mean. like i said before, pick a particular category and it'll be easier for me to make a suggestion.

i'm going to take the lazy way out and just say that dinan pretty much took the words right out of my mouth

Dinan you driven the new IS350? I drove the IS350 back to back w/the '06 BMW 330ci and the IS350 is faster.

First of all, the present 330Ci is an E46, not an E90, which means its a 6 year old car, nearing BMW's 7-year redesign. The E90 330i is faster then the 330Ci right now because of the 255hp engine v. the older 225hp engine. So really you compared the wrong cars to start with.

Second, yes, I have driven the IS350, as well as almost every BMW sold in the US since the late 80's.

Ill give you the fact that the IS350 is a very fast car. I never said it wasn't. The IS350 really is the biggest hope for Lexus' future, because it has something that sets itself apart from the crowd as far as driver experience. That 307hp engine is great in all respects. In a straight line, you can't beat it in a luxury sedan unless you buy something much more expensive. To go with that amazing engine is the fit and finish you expect from every Lexus, not to mention the reliability. All of that makes the IS350 a very solid car, probably my favorite Lexus ever.

Now the problems-
1) I hate the transmission. The BMW 3-series, Infiniti G35, Audi A4, Acura TL, and Cadillac CTS all offer manual transmissions. Even the Benz C350 can come with a manual, and Mercedes loves their automatics. For some reason Lexus doesn't offer one on the IS350 at all. In an attempt to make up for this, they gave you those nice little paddle shifters, except they were still attatched to an automatic. Now they get to tell customers that don't know better, "look, we have paddle shifters just like the BMW M-cars, the Audi cars with DSG, and the Ferraris." Here is my equation...
Paddle Shifters + Sequential transmission = F1 Transmission = cool
Paddle Shifters + Automatic transmission = F1 poser = not cool
So not only do they not offer a manual, they try to make the automatic transmission look better then it really is.
The L in Lexus is for :loser:

2) Its handling isn't very great either. It just doesn't feel as good as the 3-series. C&D pulled .85 on the skidpad, compared to .89 on the BMW. You can't turn off traction control. Its a little twitchy. Plainly, the steering felt fake; less sports car and more Camry. Hundreds of automotive journalists say about the same thing, so sorry for the cliche, but the BMW 3-series feels like an extention of your body. The car does exactly what you tell it to do, and I like that feeling alot from a sports sedan.

3) This really isn't a biggie for me, but it is a problem for sedan fans. You buy a sedan over a coupe because it has bigger, more usable back seats. The IS350's back seats are tiny, the smallest in the class. So the comfort factor that I usually say is the best feature in any Lexus, doesn't apply to the back seats of the IS350.

On paper the IS350 should be the better car, but it isn't. The acceleration and power numbers are best in its class, by alot. When the IS350 owner compares his car to the 330i, he gets to talk about his 307hp 3.5l V6, the Lexus quality of fit and finish, their reliability, their paddle shifters..., and their 1/4 mile time. The BMW owner only really needs to reply, "but I get a bigger smile when I drive my car," and that makes all the difference in the world to me. You buy the Lexus to impress your passangers, your friends, and the average Joe driving next to you. You buy the BMW so that it can impress you every time you hit the start button, and I would take that feeling over what you get from the Lexus eight days a week.

And to note...I did drive the 255hp 330ci not the 225hp

:headshake no, I'm afraid you have not. You are confused, or have been mislead, or something.

The new 255hp engine in the E90 330i sedan isn't in the coupe (330Ci). The 330Ci still uses the older engine from the E46 cars that produced 225hp, with the exception of the performance package cars, which produce 235hp.

There will be a 255hp 330Ci within the next year, but all anyone has so much as seen so far is spypics. Nobody but BMW test drivers in Germany has driven a 255hp E90 330Ci.

If you do not believe me, check out BMW's website. Compare the power numbers of the 330Ci and the 330i.
www.bmwusa.com

Oops you are right...it was the 330i DOH!

Dinan, your specialty in one subject never ceases to amaze me. While your opinions are biased, when it comes to BMW, you know of what you speak.

But my question is, where is he writing from? I have never seen a Puegot execpt for in video games. Over seas, you might have more brands then I know of.

And how much were you looking to spend?