finally glad they re-did the rear tail lights on the 3. i think the 3 is more handsome car and better lease value. IS just does not thing for me at all. I think I'll take ES over IS (b/c I'm family man).

 

I agree. Haha if you think e90post is "rough" you would be awe struck at endoftheinter.net (a private forum of which I am a part of). Total chaos. A single main board, thousands of users simultaneously active at any given time. At least one new post and/or topic per second. No rules.

I think it's rather interesting to be honest. It's interesting to see how people act when they are given free anonymous reign on the internet.

I'll tell you right away it's not pretty.

The funny thing is, there are private meetups all over the united states from users on this board, and things in person are vastly different. Once you meet people in person, your demeanor/attitude towards others changes. They become friends in real life, and then subsequently friends on the boards, forming little "cliques" that stick up for one another.

You start as anonymous enemies, you meet in real life and become friends, and you end as friends (in real life and by virtue of that, online as well).

 

well said. You are 100% right

 

IS350 is miles better than 328i. I just don't get why people choose 328i over IS350. May be posers?

 

Not necessarily. While the IS350 sedan is much better than 328 sedan, at least in my opinion, the 328 is also available in coupe, convertible thats not a mess, and it has AWD and manual option though the entire range.

 

328i also rides smoother while offering handling arguably on par or better than the IS350 depending on if it has the sport package and what aspects of handling you value more than others (absolute grip vs composure and predictability, etc).

Don't forget about the free maintenance on the BMW... add up how much a Lexus costs to keep running for 4 years and 50k miles at the dealer and it can quickly change the true price difference in the two cars.

After all of the above, if I was buying I'd STILL go with the IS350, but I'm just trying to provide both sides.

 

Shouldnt you be comparing the IS250 with 328i they are easier to compare then the IS350. IS350 has almost 75 more horsepower and your saying the guy doesnt really care about straigh line speed. So a IS250 would be a better comparo then the IS350, right?

 

I dont see the BMW "free" maintenance as a big deal when its 4 oil changes, wipers, and brake pads. Especially when you pay much more for a similarly equipped. I got 2 years free oil changes on my new Lexus, and oil changes after that are $50 at the dealer.

 

I tend to agree but contrary to internet popular belief, most BMW owners (like most car buyers) are car inept. Free maintenance shows this and helps those people stay on track. We all know he majority of BMWs are leased and with free maintenance during the lease period, its a smart decision for those that are not gear heads but want a nice car. I totally understand the appeal.

 

Exactly, the dollars and cents or the economics of the free maintenance (during the warranty period) is not enough to make or break the deal. On the Lexus there is only one major service in that period at 30K miles, averaging $500 at the dealer.

The choice of the 328 vs. IS350 should be made on other far more substantial criteria than that.

 

In addition to oil changes (which are expensive since they use synthetic and use quite a bit of oil on BMWs), brake pads, and wipers, my 335i has had air filter and cabin filter replaced already before 30k miles. The car's computer is recommending spark plug replacement and coolant flush well before 50k miles, too, which my dealer told me is normal... they don't use 100k mile plugs or coolant in the turbo engines... not sure about the 328i. That's only what I'm aware of... there might be more recommended and then of course there's also brake rotors if you are hard on your brakes.

Never did I say it was enough to make or break the deal. I did say it was worth considering. Unless $1600-1800 dollars (my best estimate for what an IS350 will cost you if you bring it in to the dealer for all scheduled maintenance in the first 50k miles) is chump change to you?

I consider all factors when car shopping. A smart shopper would also consider finance rates if they plan to finance, expected depreciation, expected repair costs, fuel economy, insurance rates, etc.

 

I think that you guys must be on a different Club Lexus site the the one I've been visiting. I would say this board is just as biased as any other board out there.

With regards to BMW boards, maybe it is the 3-series boards that are immature? I can say that bimmerfest (in the 5-series/M5 area) and e60 do not seem to fit your description.

I don't want to start a board war here (pretty sure that is against the rules), but like I said, maybe there is a different Club Lexus board?

 

CL has some amazingly biased members and some amazingly levelheaded members, and most are somewhere inbetween IMO.

Based on my limited experience in the Bimmerfest and other BMW forums' 3-series forums, there's far more bias and general douchebaggery over there. So many people out there can't accept even the possibility that BMW might have flaws in their vehicles.

But you are right, my experience on those BMW forums is 90% limited to the 3-series area. My experience on CL is 90% limited to car chat, so maybe that's the difference. Maybe if I went to the BMW forums' equivalent to car chat (if they have one) and compared it to the IS forum here, then I'd have the opposite point of view. I can definitely see that happening.

 

I'm a little late to the party on this thread, but I'll toss in my $.02. Most of the significant points have already been made here, so there isn't a whole lot I can add to it, except for a couple of things. Being in CA, I assume you're in a part of the state that doesn't get snow/ice and will need AWD? Both the 3-series and the IS250 (but not the 350) have AWD options. But the IS250 AWD is sluggish; maybe a little too much so for your friend. And both are now also available in convertible models.

As far as leasing goes, I agree to consider the BMW.....it also has the advantage of free maintenance. But the IS will give better reliability, especially in electronics. I've driven a number of examples of both cars, and the BMW is definitely the better chassis/steering feel. Both have nice brakes. For a straight purchase, though, the IS350 probably gives you a little more for your money, especially in the powertrain department. It also has a noticeably better paint job and nicer leather on the seats than the BMW.

 

Both 1SICKLEX and I do regular car reviews, and we both try to be as thurough and objective as possible, although he makes no bones about the fact that he dislikes several things about today's Acuras, and I make no bones about the fact that I dislike harsh suspensions/tires and a stiff ride. But we both look at the vehicles from the point of others as well; not just ourselves.

Most, (though not necessarily all) of the other posters in CAR CHAT are level-headed and objective....unlike with some other sites, the moderators here and at the rest of the CL forums don't let things get out of hand.