Guest

HI everyone,
I am facing a hard decision. I am getting a new car next month , and i am deciding on GS300. TL-S or BMW 330CI. This is too hard to decide, as they are all good cars in the market. I was wondering what u guys think, since most of u already own TL-S. What are you guys' opinions? Thanks.....

CarFreak

BMW 330ci!!!!!!! If you can afford that, get it! Its an expensive small car, but its very nice!

VipeR-ACR

I don't think the GS300 can live up to the TL-S, but the BMW certainly can. Performance wise the BMW is quite close with the TL-S. The BMW may handle a little better. As far as seating room hands down the TL-S. BMW's are a little squishy in the back. If you arent set on the BMW, for the value the TL-S is an acceptional car. If you aren't worried about a few extra bux for the bimmer, then maybe its's your choice. 330ci is a very nice vehicle. Unfourtanely i havn't been lucky enough to pull up beside one yet, but I'm on the lookout . From what i hear they perform very closely off the line. Hope that helps, Good luck!

my2sense

330ci definitely. 5spd. sport and premium packages.. very nice.

Guest

The Lexus is very nice, but is really meant to be a very smooth luxury sedan. The BMW and the TLS have more sporting pretensions. I would give the bimmer a slight edge in performance and the TL-S an edge in reliability. Clearly, in terms of performance per dollar, the TL-S is vastly superior. However, if you must have the bimmer, than go for it (I guess....;-)

Regards,
Mitch

Jax

330ci... awwww i love that car its so nice... that what i would get if i could trade in my TL and throw down some extra cash. white on black or silver on grey... rather have it over GS3 and TLS its more sporty

BlackShadow

Looks like $$$ is no problem so go for the BMW 330CI.

Mike

I have to agree go w/the 330 esp since you live in Cali. rwd + 50/50 weight distribution =

if you get the 330 i want to race after it's broken in I'm up in cerritos at least once a month.

ssk0771

Depends what you want.

Luxary, go for GS300

Performance/Sporty, go for 330ci

Combination of both, Go for TL-S

Personally, I like 330ci. Its fast and looks great and I probably would have bought 330ci if it wasn't for two thing I had to consider.

1.Car is little too small (Not too important)
2. (VERY IMPORTANT) Buying a BMW for $40K is not a problem but you need to ask yourself can you afford the maintenance? That is the question.

I am not putting BMW down but I have lot of friends who have BMW's including my sister and they all have one thing that they say in COMMON. Its too dam expensive to maintain. Parts are very expensive. Even for little things

Example: My sister got her brakes pads replace and it cost $700 because they had to replace the rotors also. The dealer says that BMW's have soft rotor so when you change brake pads, You have to change the rotors also.

As for as GS300 for luxary, I rather put little bit more money and buy Infiniti Q45 or GS430 (Both very luxarious and awesome performance)

Heres my 2 cents!

Good Luck.

lilboykorea

juss like what others said, gs-for high way "CRUISING" soft riding luxury car...tl-s for value, combinations, and this FORUM!!!(all u gus rock!)...330s are very very sharp cars...fast, handles well... always about the price tag tho... if u could afford a sport pakage and the premium, its a great ride! but if u cant afford it, TLS the best..good luck finding one!

AKRY

If you can afford a 330Ci, go with it... don't bother with GS300 and TLS.... 330Ci w/Sport/Premium/5-Speed is one hella car!!! Or better yet, get 330CiC....

Andy Kuo

VTEC

If u can afford ........330CI w sport/premium/5-speed,and don't foget that Xenon head light........SWEET

hemants

BMW's are overpriced IMHO.

For the price of a loaded 330CI you could probably pick up an Audi S4 that would be better in every respect.

eazy_d23

I say if money's not an issue... and you don't have the need
for the extra room... go with the 330Ci with sports package..
I drove one..its really sweet.. more performance based than anything...

but for something wit a even distribustion of luxury/performance/cost go wit a TLS

GS300... not worth it unless you gonna go for the 400

good luck

evolaerok

afford the maintence and the car, go for the BMW. The bimmer's nice, but too small for me. Since you live in Cali the rwd is no concern. Go for the bimmer. Although I would love to have another member here......

ming 2.7T_RENAMED

to throw a wrench into it. Have you even considered a S4? About the same price range as the GS and the 330. Just wondering. Had to stir the pot some. If you want some background on it please email me, I dont want to clutter up this post with that info unless others wish to know too. jjstuess@collins.rockwell.com
Out of that group of 3 - TLS,GS,330 the TL-S best bargain, GS has more room, good reliability, 330 fun to drive, I think all inclusive warranty, but lemming potential.
S4 size of the 330, all inclusive warranty, fun to drive, not as spiffy looking as 330, S4 faster and should hold resale but not like GS and 330. Nice quality and nice interior.

oops just saw hemants response about "get the S4'. Sorry
And one other thing - even if your in Cal AWD is a very forgiving platform fr the average driver on the streets. keeps you out trouble even on the dry/wet uneven, dirty/sandy pavement.

DJ Iceman

I'm surprised to see all the pro-330 posts in our board--apparently Acura owners aren't as closed-minded as some of our attackers would like to believe!

Personally, I have been much more impressed with Acura than BMW, in terms of build quality, reliability, customer service, and overall attitude. The only thing I really see the BMW having an advantage is in terms of snob appeal--you'd be driving a Bimmer whereas driving an Acura doesn't garner the same prestige.

edgalang

I definitely agree about the prestige remark. I've definitely considered it myself, but for me, money was the #1 issue. I needed a car that would give me the most bang per buck and is reliable enough to take me to 200,000 miles without tripling the total cost of the car due to maintenance. Correct me if wrong, but I did a quick calculation on what the TOTAL cost of having the privaledge of owning/driving the TLS for 5 years at a rate of 30,000 miles a year and having an APR of 5.75 and it came around to 78k-79k. Now imagine the 330 with a selling price of 40k, then add in maintenace and operating costs. I would imagine for me it would definitely hit at least 95k since the extended warranty (if i chose to even buy it) would only last me for 2 years. But....if I was well off........I wouldnt even buy in the first place cuz I'd want to change cars every 2 or so years and just lease. If I ever come across needing space for the kiddies, then I'd just lease me an SUV also.

tgif

Well, I had a horrible experience with the 3 series. So, I won't recommend it. Lexus and Acura will be nice.

Guest

Thanks everyone for all the valuable opinions. Yea, BMW has the better performance and look. As for the service and maintainance, my family is very closed to one of the BMW dealer in LA. So the dealer wont charge me any cent as long as the car is under Wart. Free oil change, brake pad, lights, everything is free in 4 years period. So... i dont know.. i know TLS is very good car.... Keep posting, i am looking forward to all your information, thanks....

1000bpm

I must admit I'm very surprised to see all these pro-330 votes and hardly any votes for the TLS votes. In the TLS forum!!! What's going on guys? Disillusioned already ;-)

Anyway, like many who posted above the main reasons why I picked the TLS over the 330 were price, size & VALUE. Its difficult to beat that combination.

I've made over 20 trips to O Hare & back in the the last 3 weeks and trust me I am extremely thankful for that trunk space. That's my practical side kicking in. Having said that, for pure handling, while good ...the TLS is outshone by the the 330. Must also add that contrary to what Acura reliability is built up to be, I've had several minor problems ever since driving off the dealers lot. All minor but nevertheless, major irritation factor.

So it boils down to this: if you want value go with the TLS. At that price point nothing comes close. But if youre the type who craves true sport handling and dreams about tearing down mountain twisties (and are willing to pay for it) then go with the 330 or even better, the S4.

Its your money, and reviews & forum opinions aside, make your decision based on what's important to YOU.

DJ Iceman

Yeah, and you'll personally become very close to them too if you buy the BMW...

1SICKLEX

Have u driven the 3? They drive so different. What are u looking for in your next ride. 330 is a very sporty car but very overpriced to me. TL-s is sporty in s fwd sense and much cheaper than the other 2. GS is also sporty (for those that have not driven it and believe fast=sporty) but not as fast as the tl-S OR 330.

Technically speaking the GS 300 won the 35-45k comparo 3 years ago and placed 3rd 1 year ago (528 won, then A-6) because it was a SPORTS SEDAN.

I think u need to realy drive all 3 cars and see what u want, the 330 will drive like a go-kart to the other 2, the tl be very fast for it's size to the other 2 and the GS is wonderful all around.

ssk0771

Brake pads & rotors are not covered under warrenty on BMW Only if it is defect. My sisters car was under warrently when she had to change the brakes but she had to pay. Only regular schedule Maint. is covered under warrenty. Oil chang, Trans. change, tune up, 15K serv. 30K serv. Regular wear & tear items are not under warrenty like BRAKES. Also, what about after warrenty?

Maint. is an issue on BMW. Very Expensive.

Trust me on this one.

I have7 friends that owns BMW right now including my sister.

Don't get me wrong, I really like BMW. I think they are an awesom car. I just can't afford maint. & all the trips that I have to make to the dealers.

If you can afford $$$, Go for it.

Like I said BMW 330ci is a great performence/sporty car.

hemants

Ditto on the maintenance cost and reliability.

My brother in law spent about $4000 on stupid little things that went wrong within 4 years of owning the car (and after the 3 year warranty was up)

For example, a light bulb can cost you as much as $250.

hemants

Ditto on the maintenance cost and reliability on a BMW.

My brother in law spent about $4000 on stupid little things that went wrong within 4 years of owning the car (and after the 3 year warranty was up)

For example, a light bulb can cost you as much as $250.

2001TL4KCdude

practically go with Acura. you'll get the following
1. reliablity
2. cost efectiveness incl. lower cost of maintenance & parts
3. less pretentious
my $0.02

thejavagod

The 330 may be more expensive but it does offer a much better interior, a true luxury brand name, much much better handling, equal performance (better passing at 70 mph), better braking and there is a day and night difference in safety.

The IIHS rated the accord platform only average while the BMW obiviously gets the highest safety rating.

In terms of luxury/comfort, the interior of a TL is hardly that much different than my previous Accord EX V6. Actually it is a much worse situation because the car has such a stiff suspension that it hurts when you go over bumps - for this trade off you do not even get great handling... there is a lot of understeer and body roll and the turning circle approaching 40ft may as well be equal that of a bus!

The TLS is a nice car but its not in the league of a BMW! Acura tried to make a sports car out of a family sedan...obviously the limitations are apparent.

yee

as long as you plan to get rid of the car in 4 years while it's under warrenty with free maintainance...then go for it...

a friend of mine has a 3 series...while she loved it during the first 4 years...she's been crying ever since...regular maintainance cost from $500 - 1,000 per visit.

of the 3 choices you've mentioned...I would choose the TL-S...
simply because the 3 series is too small, while the GS300 is a great car, I find the interior rather dull.

but you know something...I think that which ever car you end up with, you'll still look at the other one and go...maybe I should've gotten that...BUT you'll never regret your choice!

Steveb

That's funny. One of the main reason I bought the TL-S over the Bimmer was the interior. I thought the BMW's interior was very plain and very unexciting. The dash, console and the gauges all looked plain to me. I think the TL's interior is more luxurious than the Bimmers.

As far as car crash ratings the 3 series and the TL are rated very similar. The test you are talking about is the offset test done by IIHS. You leave out the frontal and side crash test.

If you are concerned about a firm ride then neither a 3 series or a TL is the right car for you. Both have firm rides. The Bimmer has firmer seats.

I do agree with you about the handling. The Bimmer does handle better. It should since it's a smaller and lighter car. But you are exaggerating the differences. In fact your entire post is an over exaggeration of the facts.

Las Vegas TLS

I think alot of your questions will be answered after you drive each one of the cars.
The Germans make alot of real fun to drive cars. I think if I where to buy a 3-Series BMW I would get a 2-door. I think the car is to small to have four doors. Too much door for such a small car. I think knowing the 330 is so less of a perfomance car than is the M3 would realy bother me. Knowing that I just spent 40K on a new 330 and not even coming close to the M3 would eat away at me. If I where to buy a bimmer I would wait a couple of years and buy a used M3 for around 40K. Although if you are looking for a car today this doesn't help you very much.
I agree with the others who said they would get the GS430 over the GS300.
It is very hard to compete with the package the TLS offers for such a reasonable price.

ming 2.7T_RENAMED

Saw the discussion on warranty. If warranty is an issue then cost must be an issue so then through out the 330 because it is much more expensive. TL-S is a nice car to have, dont be worried what other drivers think, you have to be satisfied.
If cost is still not an issue, get the 330 or a S4. S4 warranty does include schedule maintance and oil changes every ??? miles, wiper blades, bulbs, brake pads, rotors, everything but tires. You buy the car and your covered for all but tires(maybe something else cant think of any right now) for the term of the warranty which now is 4 years.

DJ Iceman

The discussion about maintenance and reliability is NOT about cost. Acura and BMW will both cover you for four years and 50,000 miles. BMW will even pay for scheduled maintenance during that time.

I assume most others are like me, and my time is valuable. It pissed me off to have to go back to the dealer an average of twice a week for the first two months I owned my BMW, and a total of 29 times in the first six months. BMW's attitude is very poor about this--"We build a complicated machine, and it's going to have problems." That is a direct quote from a BMW service manager. For the premium price you pay to have a BMW, I personally expected the pinnacle of quality and customer treatment. Acura and Lexus, as the underdogs, seem to be working much harder to build cars and customer relationships that justify their premium image.

edgalang

once a week? wow! true, time is very valuable since unfortunately you will never be able to take it back, and again, thats the main reason I chose the TLS also since I am an EXTREME mileage driver shooting for 30k miles a year. I wont even make it to the second year before I would have to start reaching in my pockets for maintenance issues involving a beemer.

ming 2.7T_RENAMED

29 times would piss me off!! Even half that in that time period.

1SICKLEX

In all honesty I cannot see comparing these cars against one another they are too different.

thejavagod

Well, thats your opinion and you're entitled to it. I just find real wood and high-grade plastics and more appealing.

The offset crash is the most important because it is most likely to duplicate a real life accident.

A firm ride in exchange for superb handling is an acceptable compromise which is what you get in a Bimmer.

Nope, no exaggeration its just my opinion from owning the TLS and driving the 330ix a lot, with which you differ obviously. I believe the overall build quality of a BMW is comparable to a Lexus and superior to an Acura.

Webologist

The GS300 is a sports sedan and the TL-S is only sporty in fwd sense? In what one single aspect of performance can the GS300 best the TL-S? Hmmm...

The reality is the TL-S is indeed a SPORTS SEDAN and is FAR more deserving of that title then the inferior in all things related to performance GS300... IMNSHO

Webologist

BTW with regards to fast for it's size...

TL-S MIDSIZE
GS300 MIDSIZE
BMW 330CI SUBCOMPACT

Lest you attempt to infer some size deficiency on the part of the TL-S compared to the Similarly sized GS300...

Steveb

I came very close to buying a 330 but chose the TL-S instead. The interior was the deciding factor. The Bimmer has real wood and some might say better plastics(I disagree) but it looks outdated and very plane. Not what I would expect in a 40K automobile. IMO, the Bimmer's strong points are handling and exterior styling.


The offset crash is the most important because it is most likely to duplicate a real life accident.[/QUOTE]

You're right. However, you have to take into consideration all the other test and weight of the car. You also assume that the TL will have the same exact crash scores as an Accord even though the TL weights more and is different in many ways.


A firm ride in exchange for superb handling is an acceptable compromise which is what you get in a Bimmer.
[/QUOTE]

Again I agree but that's not to say the TL-S doesn't have excellent handling for such a large car. Give me an example of a 4 dr sedan in the same price range, of similar size/weight that handles better.


Nope, no exaggeration its just my opinion from owning the TLS and driving the 330ix a lot, with which you differ obviously. I believe the overall build quality of a BMW is comparable to a Lexus and superior to an Acura. [/QUOTE]

Fact is, Acura's are more reliable than BMW's. If a car has a better build quality shouldn't it be more reliable?

So why haven't you traded your Acura in for the Bimmer? It's only a few thousand more. Unless you want power seats w/memory, heated seats, real leather, sun roof, sports suspension, Navi, CD player and Xenon lights. With all those options it's nearly 10 thousand more. But you don't need all that as long as you have your real wood and high quality platics to look at.