Schomp BMW

No Dealer Handling Charges or Additional Hidden Fees at Schomp BMW.  Unlike most Dealers, Schomp BMW never charges dealer handling fees.  Dealer handling charges and hidden fees are simply additional profit to a dealership and usually add $300-$600 to the price of a vehicle.

Safety
A passive infrared night vision system optional on the 5 Series Sedan helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The GS Series doesn't offer a night vision system.

 

The 5 Series Sedan's optional lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. The GS Series doesn't offer a lane departure warning system.

 

The 5 Series Sedan offers an optional side-view and top-view cameras to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The GS Series only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn't help with obstacles to the sides.

 

The 5 Series Sedan's optional blind spot warning system uses digital cameras monitored by computer to alert the driver to moving objects in the vehicle's blind spots where the side view mirrors don't reveal them. The GS Series doesn't offer a system to reveal objects in the driver's blind spots.

 

Both the 5 Series Sedan and the GS Series have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding and available all-wheel drive.

	5 Series Sedan	GS Series
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Head Restraint Design	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Distance from Back of Head	52 mm	68 mm
Distance Below Top of Head	4 mm	62 mm
Dynamic Test Rating	GOOD	MARGINAL
Seat Design	Pass	Fail
Torso Acceleration	12.8 g's	13.9 g's
Neck Force Rating	Low	Medium
Max Neck Shearing Force	0	116
Max Neck Tension	215	1044

(Lower numerical results are better in all tests.)

 

Warranty

 

The 5 Series Sedan's corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the GS Series' (12 vs. 6 years).

 

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 5 Series Sedan for 4 years and 50,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotation, lubrication and any other scheduled maintenance. Lexus doesn't pay scheduled maintenance for the GS Series.

 

There are over 77 percent more BMW dealers than there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier to get service under the 5 Series Sedan's warranty.

 

Reliability

 

The battery on the 5 Series Sedan is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures which can degrade battery life. By keeping the 5 Series Sedan's battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The GS Series' battery is in the hot engine compartment.

 

Engine

 

The 5 Series Sedan has more powerful engines than the GS Series:

	Horsepower	Torque
535i Sedan 3.0 turbo 6 cyl.	300 HP	300 lbs.-ft.
550i Sedan 4.4 turbo V8	400 HP	450 lbs.-ft.
GS350 3.5 DOHC V6	303 HP	274 lbs.-ft.
GS450h Hybrid 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid	340 HP
GS460 4.6 DOHC V8	342 HP	339 lbs.-ft.

 

As tested in Car and Driver the 535i Sedan 3.0 turbo 6 cyl. is faster than the Lexus GS Series (automatics tested):

	5 Series Sedan	GS450h Hybrid	GS460
Zero to 60 MPH	5.4 sec	5.5 sec	5.5 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	6 sec	6.1 sec	5.6 sec
Quarter Mile	14 sec	14.1 sec	13.9 sec
Top Speed	155 MPH	134 MPH	150 MPH

 

For more instantaneous acceleration and better engine flexibility in any gear, the 5 Series Sedan's engines produce their peak torque at lower RPM's than the GS Series:

	Torque
528i Sedan 3.0 DOHC 6 cyl.	2750 RPM
535i Sedan 3.0 turbo 6 cyl.	1200 RPM
550i Sedan 4.4 turbo V8	1750 RPM
GS350 3.5 DOHC V6	3600 RPM
GS460 4.6 DOHC V8	3600 RPM

 

Fuel Economy and Range

 

On the EPA test cycle the 5 Series Sedan gets better fuel mileage than the GS Series:

		5 Series	GS Series
2WD	528i/Auto	22 city/32 hwy	22 city/25 hwy	GS450h Hybrid
	535i/Auto	20 city/30 hwy	19 city/26 hwy	GS350
	550i/Auto	17 city/25 hwy	17 city/24 hwy	GS460
AWD	535i/Auto	19 city/29 hwy	18 city/25 hwy	GS350

 

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the BMW 5 Series Sedan uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The GS Series requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

 

The 5 Series Sedan has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the GS Series Hybrid's standard fuel tank (18.5 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

 

Transmission

 

The 5 Series Sedan offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and fuel economy. The GS Series doesn't offer a manual transmission.

 

Brakes and Stopping

 

For better stopping power the 550i Sedan's brake rotors are larger than those on the GS Series:

	550i Sedan	GS Series
Front Rotors	14.7 inches	13.1 inches
Rear Rotors	14.6 inches	12.2 inches

 

The 528i Sedan's standard brakes have 25% more swept area (the area covered by the brake pads) than the GS Series (590 vs. 473 square inches), so the 5 Series Sedan has more braking power available. The 535i Sedan's brakes have 48% more swept area (the area covered by the brake pads) than the GS Series (701 vs. 473 square inches), so the 535i Sedan has more braking power available.

 

The 5 Series Sedan stops much shorter than the GS Series:

	5 Series Sedan	GS Series
70 to 0 MPH	163 feet	182 feet	Car and Driver

 

Tires and Wheels

 

For better traction, the 5 Series Sedan has larger tires than the GS Series (245/45R18 vs. 225/50R17).

 

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the 5 Series Sedan offers optional 19-inch wheels. The GS Series' largest wheels are only 18 inches.

 

Suspension and Handling

 

The 5 Series Sedan offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The GS Series doesn't offer an active sway bar system.

 

The 5 Series Sedan offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Lexus doesn't offer an active suspension on the GS Series.

 

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 5 Series Sedan's wheelbase is 4.7 inches longer than on the GS Series (116.9 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

 

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the 5 Series Sedan is 2.6 inches wider in the front and 3.5 inches wider in the rear than on the GS Series.

 

The 535i Sedan handles at .86 G's, while the GS450h Hybrid pulls only .81 G's of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

 

Chassis

 

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the 535i Sedan is quieter than the GS450h Hybrid (41 vs. 42 dB).

 

Passenger Space

 

The 5 Series Sedan has 2.7 inches more front headroom, 2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the GS Series.

 

Cargo Capacity

 

The 5 Series Sedan's optional rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The GS Series doesn't offer folding rear seats, only a ski pass-through.

 

Towing

 

The 5 Series Sedan has a 4409 lbs. towing capacity. The GS Series has no towing capacity.

 

Ergonomics

 

The 5 Series Sedan offers an optional heads-up display which projects speed and other key instrumentation readouts onto the windshield, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The GS Series doesn't offer a heads-up display.

 

The power windows standard on both the 5 Series Sedan and the GS Series have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the 5 Series Sedan is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The GS Series prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

 

The 5 Series Sedan's rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The GS Series' standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

 

While driving with high-beams on, sensitive light sensors available for the 5 Series Sedan detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low-beams. The GS Series doesn't offer automatic dimming high-beams.

 

The 5 Series Sedan's standard power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The GS Series' power mirror controls are on the dash, hidden behind the steering wheel, where they are awkward to manipulate.

 

The 5 Series Sedan's optional Parking Assistant can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The GS Series doesn't offer an automated parking system.

 

Model Availability

 

The BMW 5 Series comes in sedan and four-door hatchback bodystyles; the Lexus GS Series isn't available as a four-door hatchback.

 

Recommendations

 

The BMW 5 Series outsold the Lexus GS Series by almost five to one during the 2010 model year.