I have just driven from South Manchester to Sheffield (just got there in the nick of time) to look at a W reg GS 300 Sport that has just come into their garage. It is Platinum Ice with Andorra leather. It's the most gorgeous car I've ever set eyes on. The condition inside is like new in the showroom (unused at the back). The dealer said it hasn't even been valetted yet ! The leather on the front seats seems nearly new as well and the dealer said it can be made to look even newer after he has treated it. It has 18" alloys and parking sensors. It is also the sat nav version which I want.

I have first refusal on this motor and I have until tomorrow close of business to tell the dealer my decision. It has 89000 miles on the clock and is for sale for £16,000. However he will only give me £7000 for my S reg BMW 523i SE Steptronic (100,000 miles). The previous owner of the Lexus is a Sheff Wednesday director and all he used it for was to travel from Cheshire to Sheffield every day.

Please can somebody convince me that I am doing the right thing by committing to buying this car. Also I was unsure (strangely enough) about the 18" alloys and asked him whether it was possible to put the 17" alloys on. The dealer said if I did that he would give me four completely new tyres and alloys ! Am I mad to want him to change the alloys ?

I used to own a Lexus GS 300 Mk1 and was so happy with that - I've never felt the same about the BMW (too common and not half as luxurious as the Lexus).

Please help !

Regards,
Gary Culpan
Manchester

I would buy the lexus but tell them you can not pick it up for a few weeks and in that time you should be able to sell bmw for a least 9k as the px price is pants.Also i would keep the alloys they look so much better with 18,s

Well I can't convince you to buy it with a load of technical stuff because I don't have a clue (for obvious reasons, look at my name) but come on, they look gorgeous so why not

Sounds like a beautiful car, hopefully you won't take much persuading!

Anyway, it has to be worth getting it to join the Lexus Owners Club, I'm not sure you'll get as friendly-BMW owners club!

What's the problem with the 18" wheels? I don't think they harden up the ride too much. They look better than the 17" wheels but take alot more effort to clean in between the spokes!

By putting on 17" you will have wiped £1500 of the value of your car as that is what it will cost to change it back into a proper sport model.

If you don't like the sport then why not just get a SE? That will save you some money and there are more to choose from.

Go for Lexus mate

• More exclusive than BMW
• More goodies than BMW
• A great owners club
• Get 15% off parts, servicing and labour by being a gold member of the Lexus Club
• Guaretee youll never go back

the list is endless my friend.

Dude!

know how you feel. when I went to try mine out at 11am on the saturday morning I knew it was my car. I took it home at 4pm same day!

I could waste words with techy stuff but suffice to say. I am 30. I have had 73 cars. the lexus is car 71. I can't imagine what would replace it. they are simply the best. Buy it and enjoy it. f the part ex bothers you. ask him to charge you £19k for the GS (its worth it as you know!!) and give you £10k for your beemer, easy!!

You know its the right car, or you would not have asked a bunch of random enthusiasts to endose your choice. I am looking forward to seeing you at club meets in it!

ps. this is mine!! little special...

little bigger....

Well thanks everyone. I just needed confirmation on what I already thought I knew !
I shall ring Chris at Sheffield Lexus in the morning and tell him it's going to be mine !
I remember the feeling of total joy when I bought my first Lexus and never felt the same about any other car.

Oh and apologies for being a (temporary) Lexus owners club imposter.

I wouldn't have joined if I wasn't going to defo get one again -honest !

Sleepless night I think !.........

PS. Like the car Loz ! (wonder if Chris will throw in gold badges ?)

Deal done ! It's mine !

Well done - enjoy.

Did you better the P/X or get anything else thrown in ?

congratulations mate.........

and a big welcome to the club

Part ex - they offered £7500 for mine but the car stays at £16,000. Or I can go and sell it privately and then they'll sell the car for £15,000. So I'm going to take loads of piccies of it and stick it on eBay for a week. I'll take delivery in two weeks so if I don't sell it by next week I'll have to accept the dealer trade-in. They didn't throw anything in but I've asked them to make perfect a couple of things I noticed. If they do as promised the car will look as new !

Now I'm ready to sign up for the Gold membership and be really posh !

Congrats Mate!!

See you at the midlands mini meet then? Sunday in Stafford 5:30pm Shires Pub then up to stoke for the select few "hardcore" enthusiasts...

Loz

welome , welcome

I am sure that this will be a great car, but be aware that with high mileage on it, depreciation will be a lot steeper than a lower mileage one. Remember vehicles with 100K+ are quite difficult to sell at a reasonable price, whatever the condition. I would not be in such a rush, a bit more money and lower miles would probably be cheaper in the long run. I have made the same mistake, mileage is everything unless its a banger that you are going to throw away afterwards. If you do decide to buy, make sure the cambelt/major service has been done, 63K I think.
Happy hunting

i hope im right but i think at 16k thats to expensive as i purchased a black x reg gs sport privately with 32k on the clock in april03 for £19300 it had a couple of minor stone chips and due to children the seats were not mint but i had the private plate on it valued at £2500 once the car hits 100k i reckon you may be looking at least a 3 to 4k loss in value.

I don't think it's too dear personally as long as it runs well for the three years I keep it. No one can tell it's done 89,000 miles but me. When people see the condition of the car inside and out they'll think "Wow - how much did you pay for that ? £30,000 ?" . Put it this way most of the depreciation has gone (cost £38,000 new). Perhaps I should have bought a new Mercedes like a colleague at work. Four years ago he bought £34,000 C230 Kompressor. He wants to sell it and now it's worth £8,000 !!! Right boxy load of crud it is too. Do you see my point ? My last Lexus cost £14,000 at 84,000 miles and I sold it at 115,000 for £7500. I didn't complain because I had two years of people coming up to me and saying "Wow what a fantastic car !".

yep i agree the attention u get with a lex is worth the few grande depreciation but im very carfull with money it took me 6.5 months to find mine with 30 odd miles on the clock and im def looking to sell it once its in the 50s and move on to something better.i get lots of attention from women must be sex in a lex thing lol

Sex in a Lex?? Hmmm Makes the leather last longer if you rub it in

But seriously. hear what your saying about mileage but I am more like GaryC on this one. My car does a hurendous mileage and I have to live with the depreciation that ensues. I reckon that if I CONTINUE to do 40k a year n her she could be worth very little in part ex against my next one. FINE! I don't want to part ex her. she is my baby and I would be happy to keep her forever!

That said, should the euphoria change, then I accept that I get paid alot to drive her and deprecaiate her. cars a disposable by nature so as an astute used by I have something that I will have got my money's worth out of in 18-24 months and after that she is free motoring or putting me in profit. Cant complain. and she is always gonna be worthevery penny. If she was a luxury toy then I would "protect" the milage and sell when she was getting testy. would have thought the 50000 mile mark is about the least attractive as its due a £800 service at 63000. so you can wipe a grand off the asking price with that one in a single breath.

Just my observations and feelings on this fine morning before I go pick the twins up and take them for my first Nos Refil....

Loz