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Old affordable land barge discussion, thinking about buying one of these three
>E39 BMW 540i 6MT
Nervous about 15+ potential issues on a BMW but it is a timeless design and if I could find a 540i 6MT it is the closest thing to a budget M5
>S160 Lexus GS400/430
Lacks the driving feel and engagement of the BMW, makes it up it in comfort and build quality. The 430 does 0-60 in 5.7 seconds and has a great exhaust note, good cruiser but not the sports car an E39 can be. Not many of the 400 or 430's for sale and in respectable shape. Auto only...
>G35 6MT sedan
Least favorite option but deserves a mention considering 2007-2008 sedan has VQ35HR which is a reliable, fun, N/A engine. Also would have the updated interior. I like them but they are cheaply built using a lot of Nissan parts. For the same amount of money a much newer G35 is to be had, which is important because the 03-04 had so many quirks and issues and the 05-06 6MT cars have the VQ35DE-Rev Up which is just a paperweight. DIY friendly
INB4: Lexus is just toyota, it is but Toyota is a much superior manufacturer than Nissan.
Which one would you buy for yourself using your own money and doing most maintenance yourself. Feel free to nominate something not here also.
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>>17856816
used to have a gs400, good car but it handled like a boat, if you dont know how to fix things repair will cost a lot. also drove an g35 auto sedan, i think i had the sport package. handled better that the GS and felt modern but had that nissan quality interior and every middle age black woman in my city drives one. never driven a 540i but i would probably go with that one especially if it has the m sport package. its probably my favorite BMW in terms of looks and configuration.
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>>17856816
Dude don't get the 540i, bmw V8's are fucked and I'm saying this as a lifelong bmw fan.
Get the G35 or get a manual 530i if you want a reliable bimmer that's still fun.
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>>17856816
07-08 G35. Great cars if you can find one in stick-shift, and the 2007+ actually has a nice interior compared to the 03-06s.
The GS400/430 will drive like a barge with no steering feel
The 540i will bankrupt you in costs to own but will be the most enjoyable to drive. Look for a E39 530i 5MT or even a E46 330i if you're not going to race it.
Look into a IS350 too.
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>>17856816
I don't think you should worry about lexus being a worse sportscar than a non M bimmer.
Non M bimmers are not sportscars unless significantly lightened.
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>>17857613
there is not much difference between a 540i M sport and a M5 in terms of handling.
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>>17856816
Roommate has a 540i 6mt thing overheats constantly and now a solenoid is bad so the car dies if you drive it for more than 30 min
They're nice cars but utter money pits
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>>17856889
everyone says this but no one will ever tell me whats wrong with them. stop parroting /o/, i've never heard anything bad about non-M BMW v8s until /o/ suddenly started perpetuating it.
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>>17856889
> plastic radiator fans
> having to spend $3K fixing what BMW should've done in the factory
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