8speed

+1


IS-F's are going for 45-50k (well below invoice) and I don't know anyone in their right mind who would pay more for a 335i than an IS-F

And I don't drive "generally" on the street...........I treat it like Thunderdome baby! Two saloons enter, one saloon leaves

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

he called out the is-f fake exhaust tips

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

the is-f is what you'd expect given how it was developed by enthusiasts as a back room project at lexus, who wanted to drive the snot out of it, and maybe they're fans of subaru wrx's or mitsubishi evo's, given the kinda tacky plastic add-ons and uncompromising (stiff) ride.

the m3 is simply a successor to a loooong line of M3's and i think bmw knows most owners have to live with the car in boring driving too. the prior m3 was STIIIFFFF, and prior ones to that were definitely pretty uncompromising too! the latest is somehow more refined yet still has the BALANCED COMBINATION of steering, transmission, brakes, suspension and weight distribution that Lexus has a way to go to catch up to.

nevertheless, the is-f is a more than a toe in the water, it's half of lexus' leg.

8speed

I know right.......it's funny however, I don't hear anyone complaining about the Audi R8's fake exhaust tips though

Interesting...........how much seat time do you have in the M3 and IS-F to base your observations

CDNROCKIES

I think the M3 is also an amazing car and certainly holds the upper hand as far as suspension and weight distribution is concerned. The steering in the M3 is better, but only marginally imo.

However, I would disagree that the transmission and brakes of the M3 are superior. I also spend a fair amount of time over on M3post, and both seem to be the top complaints of current owners. The DCT has been well short of expectations and there are many issues with brake problems.

mmarshall...that's cool We're each entitled to our opinion, and you know that I respect yours. I have never said that the F cruises like a luxo-barge (think CLS 550), but then again I don't expect it to.

The aesthetics are, again, subjective, but I do find it amusing to listen to all the derision over the F hood bulge....when the M3 has, what can only be described as, a huge pimple on the hood that actually appears in your line of sight. Just so we're clear, the hood bulge is not visible from inside the F.

8speed

And where is the looooooong line of performance lineage from BMW when their new DCT transmission was recalled because the engine was stalling under hard braking? Funny how you don't hear any of that from Jeremy Clarkson and his band of village idiots! He's too busy complaining about how 8 gears is too many in the IS-F

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/20/b...lutch-gearbox/


me thinks Fail

mmarshall

You probably wouldn't HAVE to pay more. The 335i I reviewed listed for 47K....the IS-F for 57K. If IS-F's are going out the door well below invoice, than the 335i is likely, too. Almost any way you look at it, you could probably get a new 335i for less than an new IS-F.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...exus-is-f.html

mmarshall

While 8 speeds aren't necessarily "too many", any more than 600 HP is if you don't use it, a good argument can be made they are overkill. Once you get around 6 speeds or so, for the most part, you really don't need any more gears....IMO, they just add needless cost, weight, and complexity to the transmission. I think Lexus and Mercedes developed the 7 and 8 speed gearboxes just to try and one-up other automakers in the PR department.

And as far as Clarkson's reviews go, I'm not going to throw any stones at him because I (and 1SICKLEX, here on the forum) review cars ourselves, but I will say that Clarkson doesn't impress me (a lot of comedy and politics is mixed in), and a lot of people don't take him seriously.

CDNROCKIES

The M3's DCT has 7 speeds as well. Both the M3 and C63 get brutal gas mileage, in spite of the additional gearing. At least we get excellent mileage (for this class), with the 8th speed.

8speed

Whether or not Lexus and MB are trying to one up each other is conjecture on your part and no one can be sure at this point. Regardless of the impetus behind the R & D the truth remains that I average over 21 mpg (28 mpg fwy) because of the low RPM cruising ability due in large part because of the 8 speed gearbox. And we have already discussed ad nauseam that the IS-F is the only car in its class that doesn't implement a gas-guzzler tax.

Some say overkill, I say kudos to Lexus for giving its owners a reliable and fast production car that can more than hold its own in the four door uber sedan car segment while achieving awesome gas mileage!


Good insight as always mmarshall........ I agree with 99% of your reviews!

8speed

Quit plagiarizing me Rockies


I get so tired of explaining this to people that it makes me want to dig a hole in the park and sit there until supper!

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

drunk_dave, f=ma, cdnrockies: I would like for you all to exit this thread please. This type of personal commentary and response to that commentary is not appropriate for our forum.

ffpowerLN

iTrader: (1)

I just love how people who have never driven both the IS F and e92 M3 before are commenting like they are the experts in this topic, and to be honest, judging a car based on the tail-pipe design is nothing short of being ridiculous...

I've driven the IS F on the track before but haven't got the chance to drive the e92 M3 so I'll reserve my judgment of the video.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

god..... hard to believe this video can cause this.... it's just a review, a data point, watch it for fun...

i have the new m3, and i have driven the is-f extensively including track. i think they both have their goods and bads. one car will win in some areas and the other win in some. i don't think there is one that's a "true" winner so it goes back to a lot of personal preference.

take it easy... i have new m3 but i don't put down the is-f at all. it's still a very nice car and i don't mind having it too

I8ABMR

I am a huge fan of Japanese cars and loved my G35 so much I rolled around with I8ABMR as my license plate. I will admit the first time I drove the 335 compared to a new 2nd gen G35 sedan then I understood why they always beat the G35. Its a hair better in almost every aspect. Just a hair, but its better. I am assuming the same goes for the Lexus and the M3. The Lexus is in its first generation of the first sporty sedan they have ever done. The M3 is obviously going to be the winner here