Lexus IS250C or BMW 323iC

[Nus24]

Lexus is about to release the IS250C convertible in Singapore next month.

Yesterday went down showroom and the salesman gave a brochure and say it will cost about $168k.

 

At this price range, its similar to the BMW 323iC convertible that some PI are selling.

 

So the question is, which will be a better buy if one is looking for a convertible for daily drive? Is Japanese convertible still deem as 'lower' prestige level compared to a BMW convertible?

 

I see from the Lexus Brochure (no real car yet)......the IS250C has the exact same interior set-up as the normal IS250.

No navigational screen like the GS300.

Nothing new or special on the dashboard on the new IS250C. Seems like only the folding top is the new novelty.

The front seat belts is NOT integrated onto the front seats like the BMW does!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Flight_skoda]

Lexus is about to release the IS250C convertible in Singapore next month.

Yesterday went down showroom and the salesman gave a brochure and say it will cost about $168k.

 

At this price range, its similar to the BMW 323iC convertible that some PI are selling.

 

So the question is, which will be a better buy if one is looking for a convertible for daily drive? Is Japanese convertible still deem as 'lower' prestige level compared to a BMW convertible?

 

I see from the Lexus Brochure (no real car yet)......the IS250C has the exact same interior set-up as the normal IS250.

No navigational screen like the GS300.

Nothing new or special on the dashboard on the new IS250C. Seems like only the folding top is the new novelty.

The front seat belts is NOT integrated onto the front seats like the BMW does!

 

Although I also owned a GS300, but a Beemer for me anytime.

 

 

[Skinky]

BMW, u wun regret it. The inline 6 with the superb build quality and the excellent handling. Only thing is the parallel import workshops, that's gonna be a tough one. Don't pay 170k for a jap cabriolet. It's a good brand definitely, but is it worth 170k ? Have you seen the clock in the car ? it's manually adjusted with plastic buttons like what i had in my previous rav4. That turned me off the moment i sat inside, you're paying 4 times the amount of a normal jap sedan yet they still give you a clock like that and the plastic buttons of the entire panel. I pray they wun repeat the same mistake in the 250c. But if you said its the same as the non-cabrio version, then im sure they're sharing the same parts bin.

 

Anyway, its a bmw. How many kids grow up dreaming to own a bmw or a merc. Not many grow up wanting a lexus unfortunately. Very good brand and make, but hardly desirable when placed next to a german rival.

 

My advice is visit whatcar? or other car review sites to do your comparison. Let the professional reviewers give you the heads up you need instead of my possibly poor and uninformed opinion :)

 

 

 

[Hermitage]

Stick with the germans it you're looking for overall build quality, handling, performance and street cred. But the Lexus will offer far more options, value for money and the backing of a main dealer. I've heard many good things about the aftersales service at Lexus...

[inlinesix]

R u sure there is E93 323??

 

For a lifestyle car, u should consider E93 335 due to additional weight from retractable roof. Let's look @ d weight of 325 (obtained from BMW UK) below:

E92 (Coupe): 1,525kg

E93 (Cab): 1,840kg

 

There r some owner of E93 325 regretted & change to E93 335.

 

Lastly, Lexus IS250C looks like its bro, Lexus IS250. Moreover, E93 is sexier especially those wif ///M body kit.

[Whatupz]

If you can afford to buy a beemer, why get from PI? Better get from AD. Worries free!

[Kennietengs]

Forget about the IS250C. Go for the BMW.

[Kongkongwolf]

Forget about the IS250C. Go for the BMW.

Ya loh, afterall still Toy-yota.

[Ucrano]

Think both so-so only. SLK better...

[Billcoke]

Lexus is about to release the IS250C convertible in Singapore next month.

Yesterday went down showroom and the salesman gave a brochure and say it will cost about $168k.

 

At this price range, its similar to the BMW 323iC convertible that some PI are selling.

 

So the question is, which will be a better buy if one is looking for a convertible for daily drive? Is Japanese convertible still deem as 'lower' prestige level compared to a BMW convertible?

 

This is the same as comparing Seiko and Tag Heuer, both make excellent watches, but if both are priced the same, which would you get?

Edited May 29, 2009 by Billcoke

[Kongkongwolf]

This is the same as comparing Seiko and Tag Heuer, both make excellent watches, but if both are priced the same, which would you get?

TAG is not really an expensive watch and some Seiko are not cheap either.

 

http://www.righttime.com/rt/seiko_spring_drive/sps003.htm

[Ucrano]

Ya...I think wrong comparison lei...Better to compare btw U-Boat and Bell & Ross...

[Billcoke]

Lexus is about to release the IS250C convertible in Singapore next month.

Yesterday went down showroom and the salesman gave a brochure and say it will cost about $168k.

 

At this price range, its similar to the BMW 323iC convertible that some PI are selling.

 

So the question is, which will be a better buy if one is looking for a convertible for daily drive? Is Japanese convertible still deem as 'lower' prestige level compared to a BMW convertible?

 

As a owner of 3-series, my only complain is its high maintenance cost, but then there are workshops whom can maintain BMW too, need not to send it back to PML.. And I like the 50-50 weight distribution, so when cornering at high speed, you wouldn't feel the car under/over steer.

Edited May 29, 2009 by Billcoke

[Knht]

"TAG is not really an expensive watch and some Seiko are not cheap either."

 

Ya, i like the Grand Seiko series but it's not cheap

[Jolie888]

This is the same as comparing Seiko and Tag Heuer, both make excellent watches, but if both are priced the same, which would you get?

 

Huh? What so great about Tag Heuer? I had one in the late 80s (its first diver's watch model, after the brand was revived) ..... junked it a few years later.

To me, its the Swiss equivalent of Japan's Seiko.

 

Here you are trying to put an analogy between comparing Lexus and BMW.

I am sure you can do better, by referencing a 'better' Swiss watch to compare against a Seiko.

[Yattokame]

Just buy what you want -- it's your money.

[Miketow]

Huh? What so great about Tag Heuer? I had one in the late 80s (its first diver's watch model, after the brand was revived) ..... junked it a few years later.

To me, its the Swiss equivalent of Japan's Seiko.

 

Here you are trying to put an analogy between comparing Lexus and BMW.

I am sure you can do better, by referencing a 'better' Swiss watch to compare against a Seiko.

 

So I suppose you trying to advertise to all of us that you trot around with one of those silly, plasticky overhyped B&R or U-Whatever $15,000 watches and "feel" so above everyone for it.

 

 

Edited May 29, 2009 by Miketow

[Picanto]

BMW, u wun regret it. The inline 6 with the superb build quality and the excellent handling. Only thing is the parallel import workshops, that's gonna be a tough one. Don't pay 170k for a jap cabriolet. It's a good brand definitely, but is it worth 170k ? Have you seen the clock in the car ? it's manually adjusted with plastic buttons like what i had in my previous rav4. That turned me off the moment i sat inside, you're paying 4 times the amount of a normal jap sedan yet they still give you a clock like that and the plastic buttons of the entire panel. I pray they wun repeat the same mistake in the 250c. But if you said its the same as the non-cabrio version, then im sure they're sharing the same parts bin.

 

Anyway, its a bmw. How many kids grow up dreaming to own a bmw or a merc. Not many grow up wanting a lexus unfortunately. Very good brand and make, but hardly desirable when placed next to a german rival.

 

My advice is visit whatcar? or other car review sites to do your comparison. Let the professional reviewers give you the heads up you need instead of my possibly poor and uninformed opinion :)

 

agree with the part on reading more foreign reviews. after that go and test both cars. those local reviews can forget about it.......the reviewers needs advertisment revenue to survive, so its very biased one...........

 

anyway, you cannot judge a new lexus model by a piece of paper. when the real car arrives, then can judge.