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BMW 3-series vs Lexus IS

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Comments

  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    You might be right, but we'll just have to see how the world looks in 2 years. Brand loyalty is not one of my virtues. I'll look at everything that gets past my filter.
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    Funny thing... Back in early '01, the LS was near the top of my short list. Regrettably, none of the local LM dealerships wanted to make it possible for me to test-drive a car with a manual. One salesman stopped just short of telling me that I was mentally ill. (Well, I am, but I don't want to hear that from a car salesman.) Another suggested that I drive 3 hours upstate, where I might find a dealer with a suitable demo. After my test-drive, I should then come back downstate & order a car through him. While he's telling me this, he's leaning against an LS that's sporting wide whitewalls & a dealer-applied faux convertible top. It was pretty clear that this fine car wasn't getting the corporate or dealer support that it deserved. It was sad.
  • vegaszenvegaszen Member Posts: 3
    I am buying 335 07 over Lexus.

    Better feeling, handling, and strong engine.
    I know without a doubt can handle my very very very fast speeds with absolute confidence.

    I test drove Lexus, really liked it a lot. I tell other people they should buy one.
    But for me and my 'spirited' driving; only BMW.

    If BMW ever really pisses me off.
    I would buy that IS in a hearbeat.
    Realy good looks, AIR comes THROUGH their seats! that was really cool.
    decent power, nice interior.

    Just doesn't ride or corner as good as BMW.

    K
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Not in the suspension performance.

    Regards,
    OW
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    OK but it's not about brand loyalty. It's about the best performance. If the 335 had a Caddy badge, it would still rate at the top, IMO.

    Regards,
    OW
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    My crystal ball is broken, so it's hard for me to say today what will move me 2 years from now. Given that the 3-series has been the top dog in the handling department for what seems like forever, it's reasonable to assume that not much will happen during the next 2 years to change that.

    But the E90's styling does not move me at all. It's certainly not a bad looking car, but in my eyes it's a step backward from the E46. The first time that I saw that generation, back in 1999, I was filled with lust. I had to own that car. And looking at my 2001 330i still gives me great pleasure. I still look over my shoulder as I walk away from it. By contrast, when I see an E90, I think, "Well, that's nice". It manages not to give offense, but that's about it.

    Because my BMW is a weekend fair weather pleasure ride, the miles are low. And that means that 2 years from now, I may well decide that all I need is a new set of tires to keep me happy for another 2 years.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Jimbres, good stuff. I get your drift. The styling is great but I don't thik that will chnge in 2 years for the E90. I liked your car better as well.

    Here's hoping you stay happy and have fun in the hunt!

    Regards,
    OW
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    Thanks for the kind words. Hope you're enjoying the same perfect spring weather that we're getting today in the NY metro area. There's a fine stretch of winding 2-lane road not far from here, & I'm off for a drive.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Yes, outstanding weather and was up and down the GSP today with the family.

    Tomorrow I wash the 330.

    Regards,
    OW
  • fl_xy001fl_xy001 Member Posts: 3
    My wife and I drove the Blue ridge parkway, in our is350, a little more than a month ago from Fancy Gap, VA to its Southern end in NC. I have to say that the paddle shifters were absolutely great (made it a breeze to change gears). The car handled exceedingly well and we drove the parkway with minimal braking.
    I also hear how the 3 series BMW blows the IS 350 away in the handling area. The drivers of all the BMWs we encountered on the parkway were always braking hard at turns and on inclines.

    ... so much for the BMW's great handling capabilities. :P
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    Maybe your IS350 is superior to "all the BMW's," but I doubt it. More likely, your wife is the most talented driver south of the Mason-Dixon Line...
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    "... so much for the BMW's great handling capabilities." :P

    Then again, I blew away an IS350 on a double wide freeway ramp this weekend, and I was driving my wife's minivan.

    ...so much for the vaunted handling capabilities of the Lexus IS twins. :P

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • louisweilouiswei Member Posts: 3,715
    Shipo, maybe the one that you blew away is an IS250, which ain't hard to do. :P
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    "Shipo, maybe the one that you blew away is an IS250, which ain't hard to do."

    True I'm turning 50 next week and haven't started wearing corrective lenses yet, but my eyesight ain't that bad (I'm one of those types that needs longer arms to read the paper but have no problems reading road signs a mile away).

    As you probably surmised, my point was that a 1966 VW Beetle (the most diabolical handling car I've ever driven) will blow away a Ferrari in a turn given enough difference in the drivers.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • louisweilouiswei Member Posts: 3,715
    Yeah...

    A 1966 VW Beetle could also blow away a Lambo if that Lambo driver was just out for a nice Sunday cruise.
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    A '66 VW Beetle? I wrecked one of those on Route 17 (upstate NY) near the Rock Hill exit in September, 1968. Rolled it over 2 1/2 times. Car was totaled, but I walked away. Not a scratch on me, but I was constipated for the next week.

    A predictable occurrence, given the combination of a fundamentally unstable vehicle & a young, stupid driver.

    Apologies for the digression...
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    "A predictable occurrence, given the combination of a fundamentally unstable vehicle..."

    Yup, I'm thinking that "diabolical" may not have been a strong enough adjective to describe how that car behaved on roads that were straight as an arrow as well as those that were Route 17ish (or worse). BTW, I leased my two BMWs from dealerships on Route 17 (New Jersey), and drove them quite often on 17a west of Sloatsburg. Lots of fun!

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Happy B'Day in advance Shipo!

    I've got you by 2 years and my arms are still long enough to read but approaching the extent of focus, so to speak.

    I think spiritinthesky had both IS350 and 335 in his hands on a recent test at an old airport runway and can probably provide the best feedback on the better performing car (as opposed to the official editor expert reviews). His family owns both and is selling one for a people mover. Guess which one is being sold?

    Let's assume the Asians are getting better but not there yet in the best handling category. That's an opinion I'm sure will be a quite heated debate.

    Regards,
    OW
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Thanks. ;-)

    Yeah, I'm still within focus most of the time for most things, however, I needed to send my RAZR in for service last week and I needed to read the IMEM (or some such) number off the label behind the battery. Uh-huh, not happening, time to get the cheaters out. ;-)

    Mrs. Shipo on the other hand lost the ability to read children's books (big type and all) when she was 41, and it drives her nuts that I'm still not wearing glasses (yet of course). If for no other reason than the fact that she's irked by my eyesight, I'll hold off on spectacles for as long as possible. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I'm developing a system for those of us driving enthusiasts of a certain age---prescription windshields!.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    How the heck can I hold the windshield the the proper distance?? ;)

    Oh, heck, I get it...just adjust the seat, silly me!

    Regards,
    OW
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    yes we'll have Lexus develop radar-focus for the power seats----great idea, LOL!
  • chanmakchanmak Member Posts: 2
    I own 2006 IS-250 AWD and I regret buying it because its tight interior space. Specially rear seat is absolutely useless for adults. Buy it only if you dont expect it accommodate average size 4 adults. I know my next would be a BMW 3-series.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    I wouldn't be surprised if future variants of the IS get bigger. That seems to be a major issue with some owners.

    I owned Lincoln LS and the 3-series is "cozy" in comparison but livable for 4 on most drives. It's far from a long-trip cruiser for 4.

    I would buy another 3 just for the driving dynamics.

    Regards,
    OW
  • louisweilouiswei Member Posts: 3,715
    Didn't you test drive the car? Why did you buy it in the first place if the big issue is rear seat space? I can understand it's the driving dynamics that you don't like after own it a while but now almost 2 years and you complain about rear seat space? Sorry I just don't get it because it isn't making any sense.

    Also, why are you posting the same post at different IS boards? Even the IS-F one? What does it have to do with the IS-F? :confuse:
  • habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    Maybe it shrank more after he washed it? ;)
  • louisweilouiswei Member Posts: 3,715
    Oh well then he better get the 5-series instead because after a wash it'll become 3-series size.

    ;)
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Listen, how do you think they got the 1-Series? Gave the 3'er a shower and put it on a low-fat diet!

    Regards,
    OW
  • louisweilouiswei Member Posts: 3,715
    Oh darn, now it all makes perfect sense...
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    Lets not get into his shrinkage :shades:
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Oh boy!

    image

    Regards,
    OW
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Ya got the wrong discussion, that's a photo of the new CTS. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • louisweilouiswei Member Posts: 3,715
    LOL, that's brutal.
  • caminacamina Member Posts: 31
    I looking to buy a new luxury sports sedan really soon. I have been driving a 1988 BMW 325. I want something sexy but I am concerned about gas mileage and reliability. Power is not one of my priorities although I prefer to stay with a 6 cylinder. My top 2 choices are an IS250 and BMW 330. I also like the C300 and CTS but they are not good on gas. The TSX is a 4 cylinder but doesn't offer that much better gas mileage than the IS250 or 330. The IS250 gets 21/29 and the 3 series gets 19/28 for automatic. So, right from the start the IS250 has a slight edge. I live in Boston and wondering if there is a major difference between the 2 in terms of winter driving. I don't want the AWD on either so I can get better gas mileage. Please give me your unbiased opinions on each or suggest another car altogether.
  • louisweilouiswei Member Posts: 3,715
    1. BMW doesn't make 330i anymore

    2. IS250 is more comparable to the 328i in terms of performance and pricing
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Uhhh, pricing maybe (depending upon how they're configured), however, in the case of manual transmission versions of these cars, the 328i will mop the floor with the IS250. I know the stats look kind of close on paper, but after you drive them it will be quite obvious that the IS250 is considerably slower with regards to its acceleration, and its numb handling just makes it seem all that much slower.

    That said, if the OP is looking for a cushy boulevard cruiser, then the IS250 is probably the perfect choice.

    Best Regard,
    Shipo
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,498
    back seat thing. This is where the IS really takes it in the shorts, both for the lack of room & the lack of fold-down seats.

    The BMW 3 (& TSX, by the way) will carry two adults comfortably in the back seat and can be had with fold-down seats, which add immensely to the practical value of the vehicle (IMHO, of course).
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    The back seat isn't as bad as I initially thought.

    I recently helped a co-worker purchase a new car and her top choice ended up being a loaded IS250. The 3 series was too expensive when optioned like the IS, the CTS was too big (and the test car gave a bad impression with a vibrating steering wheel). The IS NAV is also much better than the CTS

    She didn't care about the power of the IS350 and wanted the NAV instead of the extra power (odd concept for me).

    I can squeeze into the back of an IS (6'3")...but others with shorter legs will find that the back of the front seats have indentions that give additional (much needed) space.

    We recently took her car for lunch and 4 of us fit fine (I don't see the middle seat being used by anything other than a child).

    Not my top choice...but a real nice car that she's trilled to own.
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    What's sexier than an 88 325? :blush:

    In your case, I vote for the TSX.

    The TSX and IS250 are pretty much a toss-up on fuel economy and engine output. The biggest difference between them is that the TSX is more spacious and is actually fun to drive. The TSX also has a track record of outstanding resale value.
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,498
    "The TSX also has a track record of outstanding resale value."

    Thank you, thank you sir. I'll take whatever postive reinforcement I can get these days.

    Seriously, with my 5-month old TSX I can certainly tell that it's not RWD, but otherwise (how was the play, otherwise, Mrs. Lincoln?) it's been delightful. My bicycle fits in the trunk & everything else works too, every time.

    Oh, and it gets 28 mpg in mixed driving to work and back.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    your '88 E30 325?

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    I know you - you're imagining all the parts you could pull off of it... :P
  • caminacamina Member Posts: 31
    My 1988 325 is at the led of it's line. I'm overdue for a timing belt and I can't replace the front struts without replacing the housing as well because I was told they are fused together because I haven't replaced them in like 10 years. There are other things too. Sorry, I meant 328 not 330.

    As far as the TSX, I tested it a couple of years ago and didn't like the 4 cylinder feel. The car gets about the same gas mileage as an IS250 which is a 6. This should not be. Plus, I found the quality of the TSX to be kind of cheaply made but yet only a few thousand less than an IS250 and even a 328 for that matter. For example, I thought the doors were very light and tin'y. In fact, I thought the Accord V6 Coupe was a higher end car than the TSX.

    Again, I'm not looking for power just a nice looking car and decent gas mileage. Keep in mind, my 325 is only 127 hp and is cramped in the back seat too.
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    "As far as the TSX, I tested it a couple of years ago and didn't like the 4 cylinder feel."

    The current model TSX was redesigned from the ground up. It's a completely different car than the one you test drove 2 years ago. But if you want a V6, then it's off the list.

    "The car gets about the same gas mileage as an IS250 which is a 6. This should not be."

    Why not? Both engines are basically the same size and displacement. You know, the 4 cylinder Accord, Camry, and Sonata also get basically the same mileage.

    Speaking of the Sonata, have you looked at it? With current incentives, you can get a 2009 V6 Limited with all the bells and whistles (Satellite navigation, heated leather seats, Infinity audio system with XM radio and iPod jack, bluetooth, etc.) for between $25,000 and $26,000. It's a very nice car with a smooth powerful V6 (it's 20% more powerful than the Lexus yet gets about the same mileage), refined road manners, excellent quality, and a luxurious interior.

    With today's economy, saving $6,000 or $7,000 can't be a bad thing...

    image
    image
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    Great,,,peg me as a vulture :P

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    All e30's owners are. The sooner you acknowledge it, the sooner you can begin circling.
  • louisweilouiswei Member Posts: 3,715
    Dude, the OP was comparing the IS250 to the 330i!

    I then replied saying that the IS250 is more closely compare to the 328i in both performance and pricing.

    Was I wrong?

    :confuse:
  • craigw1craigw1 Member Posts: 5
    Does anyone know the ground clearance of a new 328? Lexus web site lists the IS 250 as 5.7in. I have a steep driveway and don't want to have the bottom of the front of the car hit the driveway. Thanks.
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    It's not just ground clearance but approach angle...if the IS250 has a higher clearance but a big nose that sticks out it won't matter that it's higher.

    Also...if your steep driveway straightens out (which I'm assuming) then you may also bottom out the middle of the vehicle too...so wheelbase length may matter as well.

    Of course you could take the approach at a 45 degree angle and after one wheel is on straighten out (also assuming the back end doesn't scrape)

    Best to take the test vehicles and try it out on their cars before you get either.
  • lexgirl1lexgirl1 Member Posts: 4
    I am looking at a used certified IS 250. I think it is very overpriced - 28k for 21500 miles automatic with all basic amentities. Think it should be closer to 22k. Anyone have an idea?
    thanks!
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