Wonderfully OT: '03 Bonneville or '01 Lexus GS430?

consider this: what would you rather pay to fix when something Inevitably breaks down?

That photo is made in a studio. Note the view out the windows -- flat, uniform gray, everywhere. Probably from an automotive website. I'd be very wary.

EDIT: Second dead give-away: the color of the side mirrors. White or silver paint. The exterior photo is a dark gray.

And its not even close.

Shouldn't you be asking Pete Carrol?

Does the Bonneville have the "Heads Up" Display that projects the speed and radio stations and everything on the windshield?  If it does I would go with the Bonneville for that reason alone. I have a Bonneville SSEI and the windshield display is one of the coolest safety features I've ever seen in a car.

As much as I hate to say it, I think you've gotta go with the Lexus.  Toyotas were just made so much better during that time.

Short answer:  avoid both.  At 115k miles, you shouldn't pay much more than trade in.

you never hear a girl say " check out that guy in the bonneville"

I had really bad experience re: a Pontiac Grand Am I owned some years back. Won't go into details, but it prompted me to sell the car and swear off Pontiacs forever (despite the fact that I really loved that car). It was really more the dealership, but still. The dealer is the primary point of contact for the driver. Eh... I better stop there before I go off.

Also... isn't the Pontiac brand going away?  Don't know if this would be a consideration regarding future repairs. With 115K, you probably wouldn't have the car for that long I'm guessing.

Well, I think my vote is clear. Good luck!

I used to work in a body shop that catered mostly to luxury cars so I've driven a lot of different brands. Lexuses (Lexi? Lexa?) are probably the tightest, smoothest driving cars I've ever been in. I wouldn't worry at all about how it drives. If you get the Lexus, I'm betting you'll love it.

Only two years older and the insurance cost is basically the same?  Even without the radio and nav unit, I say get the Lexus.

is a NICE car. I'm sure the Lexus is too, but Dad had several Bonneville's for years, and always has been sad since the company stopped chipping in so he could afford one.

I've owned a '99 GS400 forever, and at 150k miles it's problem free and solid as a rock.  The handling isn't going to make you think you bought a sports car, but straight line acceleration is impressive.  The gas mileage is really the only negative, but when I'm driving the car, the gas being consumed feels like money well spent.

I previously had an Acura I thought I loved, but this Lexus blows it away.  I've been so impressed with it (in every way) that when my daughter got her license, I bought her a *very* old LS400, and it's also been a great car.  When the time comes in a few years, I'll hand the GS down to my son and buy another Lexus, although I do recognize the Lexus reputation for quality has been tarnished in recent years.

If you're at all interested in modding your Lexus (I'm not) or getting maintenance tips (I am), Lexi in general have a very enthusiastic user community -- www.lexls.com (LS400-centric, but just about everything applies to the GS400, and the same goes for LS/GS430s), www.clublexus.com and www.lexusownersclub.com have been tremendously useful to me.  I don't know if the Bonneville has such an active owner/user community.

I'm going for the Lexus! It's too good an offer to pass up. Thanks for the input, everyone.