1SICKREVIEW!! Taste of Lexus (the brakes and tires are still smoking)...
10-24-05, 11:50 AM
#31
Lexus Fanatic
bit......while I respect your opinion, I gotta agree with 1SICK here.......he has a good point. Like him, I also get tired of this more power, lower stance, stiffer tires and suspension, and "sport " trim stuff all the time. We don't all drive like Michael Shumacker......and don't need cars designed for that. You bring up the point that low-profile tires help handling and accident avoidance, which is true.......no argument there.........but low profile tires also increase the chances of a tire blowout or wheel failure over sharp bumps because the tire and wheel doesn't have much impact protection.....and tire blowouts can be very dangerous, particularly on a front wheel at speed.
10-24-05, 11:54 AM
#32
Lexus Fanatic
Sucks that I have to wait till 11/06 for the driving event @ SF. And then there came your AWESOME review, or a preview for me.
Now it just can't get any more detailed and better than your write-up except for actually going there and drive myself.
Now it just can't get any more detailed and better than your write-up except for actually going there and drive myself.
Last edited by XeroK00L; 10-24-05 at 12:43 PM.
10-24-05, 12:41 PM
#33
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Originally Posted by mmarshall
bit......while I respect your opinion, I gotta agree with 1SICK here.......he has a good point. Like him, I also get tired of this more power, lower stance, stiffer tires and suspension, and "sport " trim stuff all the time. We don't all drive like Michael Shumacker......and don't need cars designed for that. You bring up the point that low-profile tires help handling and accident avoidance, which is true.......no argument there.........but low profile tires also increase the chances of a tire blowout or wheel failure over sharp bumps because the tire and wheel doesn't have much impact protection.....and tire blowouts can be very dangerous, particularly on a front wheel at speed.
10-24-05, 04:15 PM
#34
Guest
Posts: n/a
Originally Posted by mmarshall
Thanks, Mike. As always, great job. 
You've already desribed the IS250's handling......What did you think of its ride? The AWD version, if still in production, will be a serious contender for my next set of wheels...although that will be probably several years down the road. I was interested in the 2006 AWD at first but was very unimpressed with Lexus dropping the 55-series all-season tire option this year. This year we're stuck with the 45-series tires...I was wondering how they ride on the new car...I have not driven it myself yet. The last IS300's standard 45-series were a little stiff for my taste...one reason why I got the 55's.
You've already desribed the IS250's handling......What did you think of its ride? The AWD version, if still in production, will be a serious contender for my next set of wheels...although that will be probably several years down the road. I was interested in the 2006 AWD at first but was very unimpressed with Lexus dropping the 55-series all-season tire option this year. This year we're stuck with the 45-series tires...I was wondering how they ride on the new car...I have not driven it myself yet. The last IS300's standard 45-series were a little stiff for my taste...one reason why I got the 55's.
10-24-05, 04:17 PM
#35
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Posts: n/a
Originally Posted by DrDrilZ
good write-up! i was there too on sunday afternoon. couple of things to consider though about the lexus event. the road course was really short. it took literally 10 maybe 12 seconds to finish the road course, before you had to slow down at the staging area. definitely not enough time to really get a feel of the cars.
i will add that i was also impressed with the 330i. i thought it felt the best on the "course"
and the is350 was definitely the fastest car there. in first gear anyway, because thats all the room you had and the course
food and antomosphere was good as usual. lexus does this the best.
i will add that i was also impressed with the 330i. i thought it felt the best on the "course"
and the is350 was definitely the fastest car there. in first gear anyway, because thats all the room you had and the course
food and antomosphere was good as usual. lexus does this the best.
Yeah, the course was short, that is why I drove multiple times. I stayed till 6, from 5:15-6, some cars had no lines, so I could really wring them out.
10-24-05, 04:25 PM
#36
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Posts: n/a
Originally Posted by bitkahuna
Hmm... Loved your write-ups as usual but disagree with your conclusions here. While most never drive on tracks or find even close to the limits of their vehicles, having great handling is a joy even at low speeds and also contributes to safety (accident avoidance).
Sure if you drive in bumper to bumper traffic ALL THE TIME then there's little point in having Porsche-like handling. But even then, if you take a sharp turn at 5mph in an RX330 (because any faster and it feels tippy), 10mph in a GS300, and 20mph in a BMW 330, which is more fun? Seems like a small thing, but otherwise we should all just drive the most comfortable vehicle we can afford. How about lane changes on the highway or exit ramps? Sure we don't all weave aggressively all the time (and shouldn't) but passing or other lane changes are less nervewracking when the steering is precise and there isn't much body roll. The LS430 still drives like the "perfect Buick" - a wonderful car no doubt, but it couldn't be my only car - it's like a library with wheels (and high profile tires).
As you said, you drive aggressive, but which would you honestly prefer to have day to day - an ES330 or an IS350? If you say ES330 then you ARE getting old.
Sure if you drive in bumper to bumper traffic ALL THE TIME then there's little point in having Porsche-like handling. But even then, if you take a sharp turn at 5mph in an RX330 (because any faster and it feels tippy), 10mph in a GS300, and 20mph in a BMW 330, which is more fun? Seems like a small thing, but otherwise we should all just drive the most comfortable vehicle we can afford. How about lane changes on the highway or exit ramps? Sure we don't all weave aggressively all the time (and shouldn't) but passing or other lane changes are less nervewracking when the steering is precise and there isn't much body roll. The LS430 still drives like the "perfect Buick" - a wonderful car no doubt, but it couldn't be my only car - it's like a library with wheels (and high profile tires).
As you said, you drive aggressive, but which would you honestly prefer to have day to day - an ES330 or an IS350? If you say ES330 then you ARE getting old.
Oh no, in the 30-40k Lexus class, IS 350 all the way, its not even close. We are not sacrificing any build quality or luxury anymore, in fact, it may have less wood than the ES but more features.
Again, my observation but here is a perfect time to drive the crap out these cars and people were cruising around the course like they were crusing looking for parking. I even caught a couple people who were going slow b/c they BROUGHT a CD, so they could listen to it.
Lexus has SUCH A TOUGH JOB proving it can built sporty cars. Lexus could build the LF-A and its like, people would just cruise in it.
I am not saying its "bad" to build cars the way they are nowadays. I just find it funny, since people won't drive them like they should or don't have the ability too,especailly in America.
But I will say, I feel 100% safer in a sportier car than say an ES or a non-sporty car b/c the car is just better to manuever through emergency changes.
I would love to ring the IS 350 out on the highway. TIme to call VVTi and Hennessy Lexus
For instance Bit, we both have driven on the dragon. Its like the only time these cars can be driven like that, to really make you grin, is AT THE DRAGON
And we as a group go once a year. It would take a dedicated person to go up there and really drive the car how it was meant and/or join the SCCA and/or track the car.By no means am I turning into Ralph Nadar.
10-24-05, 07:52 PM
#39
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Originally Posted by 1SICKLEX
Oh no, in the 30-40k Lexus class, IS 350 all the way, its not even close.
Again, my observation but here is a perfect time to drive the crap out these cars and people were cruising around the course like they were crusing looking for parking. I even caught a couple people who were going slow b/c they BROUGHT a CD, so they could listen to it.
yeah that's crazy but hey, whatever floats their boat. If Lexus can satisfy those that want something 10 notches up from a Buick or something 5 times as reliable as a BMW then they've really done something!
Lexus has SUCH A TOUGH JOB proving it can built sporty cars. Lexus could build the LF-A and its like, people would just cruise in it.
To REALLY FEEL GREAT, the steering, brakes, sound, smell, feel, and suspension must feel truly unified and very capable. You know exactly what I'm talking about. And Lexus is REALLY close! The new GS sounds MUCH better than the 2nd gen GS. From what I've read (including your review) the new IS handles better than any Lexus to date. But it's not about parts, it's about the whole. BMW is off the deep end in terms of feel, so far so that non-driving control ergonomics are an afterthought - iDrive just saves them a bunch of money in buttons! Mercedes is probably the most vulnerable, with 'funky' feel on many of their models and weak ergonomics. But as you say many customers are nowhere near as aware of the models and differences of various brands as people on CL are, and many buy on brand alone which is up to them.
I am not saying its "bad" to build cars the way they are nowadays. I just find it funny, since people won't drive them like they should or don't have the ability too,especailly in America.
But I will say, I feel 100% safer in a sportier car than say an ES or a non-sporty car b/c the car is just better to manuever through emergency changes.
I would love to ring the IS 350 out on the highway. TIme to call VVTi and Hennessy Lexus
For instance Bit, we both have driven on the dragon. Its like the only time these cars can be driven like that, to really make you grin, is AT THE DRAGON And we as a group go once a year. It would take a dedicated person to go up there and really drive the car how it was meant and/or join the SCCA and/or track the car.
And we as a group go once a year. It would take a dedicated person to go up there and really drive the car how it was meant and/or join the SCCA and/or track the car.
By no means am I turning into Ralph Nadar.
10-27-05, 01:18 PM
#41
It's funny that you mention how impressed you were with the IS250, because it was the one car that I was most impressed with at the end of the day. Sure the IS350 is an absolute animal but as far as driveability and balance, I really enjoyed the seat time that I had in the IS250. It's definitely a quick car, a lot quicker than you might think for 204HP, but it was also very firmly planted and stable, I enjoyed the handling, possibly due to the AWD. The IS350 felt absolutely wild in every regard, and while not incontrollable, the IS250 just felt more stable...maybe because it was easier to manipulate through the road course with less power under the hood.
I had a great time at the event though the food and roadcourses from last year were a lot better. Anyhow, I think that Lexus has absolutely hit a homerun with the new IS. The 250 is literally the perfect car IMO, and the 350 brings it a step further for performance enthusiasts, but I could do very easily with the 250.
-Michael-
I had a great time at the event though the food and roadcourses from last year were a lot better. Anyhow, I think that Lexus has absolutely hit a homerun with the new IS. The 250 is literally the perfect car IMO, and the 350 brings it a step further for performance enthusiasts, but I could do very easily with the 250.
-Michael-
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