Test drove IS350 and BMW 330i (yes again!!!)
12-14-05, 08:28 PM
#31
I've had an E46 for 6 yrs going on 7 soon, still runs as solid as when I bought it, service was ok the first couple yrs but 3rd & 4th yr your no longer special. If you keep a BMW over 4 yrs and don't have warranty, you must use an independent shop that specializes in foreign models otherwise dealer will soak you dry for repairs.
The E90 exterior is ok, but doesn't light my fire like my E46 does.
The E90 Interior is ugly, all wrong, I could never sit for 4 years and drive looking at that plain dash dating back to the 70's. What happen to all the nice curves & warmth that the E46 brought, it's missing in the E90. A car can drive like a dream but if the interior is
then it's not for me. What's with the huge instrument panel dials for tach & speed, I mean they are 2 huge dials compared to the E46.
The E90 exterior is ok, but doesn't light my fire like my E46 does.
The E90 Interior is ugly, all wrong, I could never sit for 4 years and drive looking at that plain dash dating back to the 70's. What happen to all the nice curves & warmth that the E46 brought, it's missing in the E90. A car can drive like a dream but if the interior is
then it's not for me. What's with the huge instrument panel dials for tach & speed, I mean they are 2 huge dials compared to the E46.
12-14-05, 08:42 PM
#32
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well.. reliability is really big for me... so that throws BMW out the window... i mean coming from a VW.. i know... also.. cost is higher...
but i agree about the sports shift.. i'm coming from a stick.. and well it doesn't do it for me.. i tried the DSM auto on Audi.. and wow... now you can't shift faster than that... the speedometer just goes up in one smooth motiion.. they did it right...
but i agree about the sports shift.. i'm coming from a stick.. and well it doesn't do it for me.. i tried the DSM auto on Audi.. and wow... now you can't shift faster than that... the speedometer just goes up in one smooth motiion.. they did it right...
12-14-05, 08:44 PM
#33
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I just cannot get past the 1970 style dash on the interior of the E90. It reminds me of my father's old wood panelld stationwagon. If they keep that interior on the 335i or M3 then I'll definitely go IS 460.
According to a recent article from Autospies titled:
Interior car design the key factor for most people's buying decisions?
...The styling research also revealed that interior design is often more important than exterior styling and may be, in many instances, the key factor in the purchase decision.
"New and interesting exteriors draw consumers to showrooms, but it's the interior styling that closes the deal," said Carrannanto. "For the consumer, a vehicle interior is a lot like a living room and they have to like it before
they'll go through with the purchase."
Methodology
The A.T. Kearney study was conducted by comparing information contained in the 2004 J.D. Power Appeal Survey, 2000-2005 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study and the 2000 -- 2004 Ward's North American Vehicle Sales Summary.
According to a recent article from Autospies titled:
Interior car design the key factor for most people's buying decisions?
...The styling research also revealed that interior design is often more important than exterior styling and may be, in many instances, the key factor in the purchase decision.
"New and interesting exteriors draw consumers to showrooms, but it's the interior styling that closes the deal," said Carrannanto. "For the consumer, a vehicle interior is a lot like a living room and they have to like it before
they'll go through with the purchase."
Methodology
The A.T. Kearney study was conducted by comparing information contained in the 2004 J.D. Power Appeal Survey, 2000-2005 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study and the 2000 -- 2004 Ward's North American Vehicle Sales Summary.
12-14-05, 09:37 PM
#34
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Decent review. The IS' steering feel is perhaps its worst characteristic to me. Too much power assist maybe. I also believe the IS a full second faster 0-60 but that is not the best part of the IS to me. The luxury features (and quieter, smoother) are just so strong on the IS!
Styling is always subjective. I like the 330i's interior. Maybe not as much as the IS350's... but enough. I sat in a new Audi A4 and, let-me-tell-you, for a brand that wins all sorts of interior design accolades I thought it was bland as can be, a solid wall of black. Both Lexus and BMW break up the colors better.
Styling is always subjective. I like the 330i's interior. Maybe not as much as the IS350's... but enough. I sat in a new Audi A4 and, let-me-tell-you, for a brand that wins all sorts of interior design accolades I thought it was bland as can be, a solid wall of black. Both Lexus and BMW break up the colors better.
12-15-05, 12:34 AM
#36
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Agree with the steering feel of the IS. I too like the interior. It's simpler with far fewer buttons than in the IS350. Styling is definite subjective. Some hates the 330i exterior, I find it very sharp and distinctive. The IS350 exterior is very nice too, but sometime I think it looks too much like the Scion TC at some angles.
No one has answerred me about the driving dynamics after VDIM is disabled
Looks like the main reasons for choosing IS350 over 330i, are power, styling (which is subjective) reliability(which is questionable). Anything else??? Com'on this is a Lexus forum
No one has answerred me about the driving dynamics after VDIM is disabled
Looks like the main reasons for choosing IS350 over 330i, are power, styling (which is subjective) reliability(which is questionable). Anything else??? Com'on this is a Lexus forum
Originally Posted by Penforhire
Decent review. The IS' steering feel is perhaps its worst characteristic to me. Too much power assist maybe. I also believe the IS a full second faster 0-60 but that is not the best part of the IS to me. The luxury features (and quieter, smoother) are just so strong on the IS!
Styling is always subjective. I like the 330i's interior. Maybe not as much as the IS350's... but enough. I sat in a new Audi A4 and, let-me-tell-you, for a brand that wins all sorts of interior design accolades I thought it was bland as can be, a solid wall of black. Both Lexus and BMW break up the colors better.
Styling is always subjective. I like the 330i's interior. Maybe not as much as the IS350's... but enough. I sat in a new Audi A4 and, let-me-tell-you, for a brand that wins all sorts of interior design accolades I thought it was bland as can be, a solid wall of black. Both Lexus and BMW break up the colors better.
Last edited by Xs2kGuy714; 12-15-05 at 01:50 AM.
12-15-05, 07:18 AM
#37
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Originally Posted by Xs2kGuy714
Agree with the steering feel of the IS. I too like the interior. It's simpler with far fewer buttons than in the IS350. Styling is definite subjective. Some hates the 330i exterior, I find it very sharp and distinctive. The IS350 exterior is very nice too, but sometime I think it looks too much like the Scion TC at some angles.
No one has answerred me about the driving dynamics after VDIM is disabled
Looks like the main reasons for choosing IS350 over 330i, are power, styling (which is subjective) reliability(which is questionable). Anything else??? Com'on this is a Lexus forum
No one has answerred me about the driving dynamics after VDIM is disabled
Looks like the main reasons for choosing IS350 over 330i, are power, styling (which is subjective) reliability(which is questionable). Anything else??? Com'on this is a Lexus forum
Originally Posted by 05RollaXRS
"A 9 year old Lexus LS400 in general has less problems in it's record book than a 6 month old BMW 7 series"
- Consumer Guide Most Reliable Vehicles
- Consumer Guide Most Reliable Vehicles
12-15-05, 10:32 AM
#38
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Originally Posted by Xs2kGuy714
No one has answerred me about the driving dynamics after VDIM is disabled
Looks like the main reasons for choosing IS350 over 330i, are power, styling (which is subjective) reliability(which is questionable). Anything else??? Com'on this is a Lexus forum
Looks like the main reasons for choosing IS350 over 330i, are power, styling (which is subjective) reliability(which is questionable). Anything else??? Com'on this is a Lexus forum
If you cut the brand fanboys out of the equation (which is hard to do -- we all have our biases), then realistically, the IS350 and the 330i should appeal to two different types of drivers. Let me put a disclaimer in front of this next section by saying that the differences I'm about to describe are those of *degrees*, not of *tiers*. Both of these cars are truly excellent, and when I say that one "handles better", I'm talking about the difference between Sprite and 7-UP, not Coke and sewer water. And it should go without saying that this is my subjective opinion, but I've driven both cars a great deal -- one of my good friends has a 2006 330i (with sport package) that I got to push around a fair bit when I was making my buying decision, and I've already put 3300 miles on my IS350.
For people who take the car out on the track (or use public roads like a track) on a regular basis, the 330i is probably a better choice. The car offers better feedback from the road, tighter steering, a stability control system that's less intrusive without being completely off, and overall better handling in tight turns. The car was designed first and foremost to rule the Autobahn, and it shows.
The Lexus sacrifices track performance in the service of a safer and more comfortable ride for your daily use. The road feel (and noise) is more damped and the car leans more in turns due to more sound padding, a softer suspension (which is very noticeable if you drive both cars on bad roads, like the teeth-jarring nightmare that is the 405 between Garden Grove and Long Beach) and a slightly greater weight (about 100 lbs). The steering is a little softer because that tends to be easier for a non-race driver to control. The stability control system is designed to prioritize safety rather than letting you push your car right to the danger line. This car is designed to run on a track, but first and foremost, it's built to drive day in and day out, and keeping the passenger safe and comfortable over the long haul is the highest priority.
Once you start looking at luxury features, the focus of the Lexus becomes more apparent. The navigation system is clean and easy to use compared to the submenu-hunting game of i-Drive, even while offering a better feature set. The car has intelligently designed storage spaces and cupholders, very comfortable seats that are easy to climb in and out of (and are not only heated, but cooled -- a very nice feature here in SoCal), and comes standard with a lot of convenience features that jack the price up very quickly on the BMW. (Keyless ignition, garage door/gate transmitter, etc.) Oh, and this may be a small thing, but I like the fact that everyone's brother's cousin's uncle's roommate's pet hamster isn't driving an IS. Around Irvine, at least, you could tally the national debt by counting 3-series.
And let's not forget that the Mark Levinson sound system is probably the only OEM package out there that can truly claim to be audiophile-grade. (Ask around at car audio shops if you don't believe me on this one -- anything with the letters "B-O-S-E" in it will generate snickers.)
Reliability was already mentioned, so I won't harp on this, except to say that the maintenance problems of BMWs are not an urban legend or a Lexus sales pitch -- they're quite real, you just won't get a BMW fanboy to admit it. But they tend to be long term, so you won't likely see many issues if you're trading the car in after 3 years.
In the end, I chose the IS350 over the 330i because while I enjoy a performance car, the number of hours I'm going to spend on a track pales in comparison to the number of hours I'm going to spend in SoCal traffic. And let's be realistic -- on a track, all of us are gonna get burned by the guys in M3s and other $60k+ cars, so I'm not too worried about my car's performance being marginally behind the 330's around corners. I'll burn 'em on the straights anyway. =)
12-15-05, 10:35 AM
#39
Originally Posted by 4CYLNDR
I think that is some horrible reasoning.
By the same logic, you could say that a company that provides a basic warranty for their cars (e.g. Lexus) is indicative of the fact that the cars will break down more than a car made by a company that offers NO WARRANTY AT ALL.
By the same logic, you could say that a company that provides a basic warranty for their cars (e.g. Lexus) is indicative of the fact that the cars will break down more than a car made by a company that offers NO WARRANTY AT ALL.
people don't know about cars wouldn't think about these kind of stuff... it's all about marketing.
i think leasing a German car would be the best. if you have problem within first 3 years.. return it.
if your car is good then it's a keeper..
12-15-05, 10:37 AM
#40
Originally Posted by tim817
U may wanna call ur Lexus dealer tommorow and ask. They might be difference there but i'm pretty sure they'll wash them for u for life as long as u still own the car if u buy or service from them.. 
the new lexus dealer that's opening up maybe next year, the one by fletcher jones in newport, that place will offer free car wash.
that's what my SALESMAN told me so..
12-15-05, 10:39 AM
#41
Originally Posted by chiawei
Depends on which dealer.
I can get decent BMW loaners as well. BMW of Fremont gave me a brand new 325i with navi as loaner when my M5 went in for suspension work. Other times if they ran out of loaners, it would be POS enterpise rental car.
Fletcher jones mercedes only use POS enterpise rental. But service is actually quiet nice.
Lexus in fremont always give lexus as loaners.
All three will give you car wash. But i always avoid it as its machine wash and simply scratch your paint.
I can get decent BMW loaners as well. BMW of Fremont gave me a brand new 325i with navi as loaner when my M5 went in for suspension work. Other times if they ran out of loaners, it would be POS enterpise rental car.
Fletcher jones mercedes only use POS enterpise rental. But service is actually quiet nice.
Lexus in fremont always give lexus as loaners.
All three will give you car wash. But i always avoid it as its machine wash and simply scratch your paint.
my friend has CL500 and when he went to fletcher jones, they give him an altima
they said that if you guy the car from them they'll give you a
car... 
12-15-05, 10:41 AM
#42
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Originally Posted by Cypren
When you disable VDIM, the steering doesn't get any tighter. Mostly what you'll notice is that you can drift the car more easily (you can drift with VDIM, too, but you have to ease into it -- with the override, you can throw the car around as much as you want) and that you can really throw some power into a sharp turn as you pass the apex. (Normally VDIM takes a second to catch up and will cut your throttle if you're faster than it is.)
If you cut the brand fanboys out of the equation (which is hard to do -- we all have our biases), then realistically, the IS350 and the 330i should appeal to two different types of drivers. Let me put a disclaimer in front of this next section by saying that the differences I'm about to describe are those of *degrees*, not of *tiers*. Both of these cars are truly excellent, and when I say that one "handles better", I'm talking about the difference between Sprite and 7-UP, not Coke and sewer water. And it should go without saying that this is my subjective opinion, but I've driven both cars a great deal -- one of my good friends has a 2006 330i (with sport package) that I got to push around a fair bit when I was making my buying decision, and I've already put 3300 miles on my IS350.
For people who take the car out on the track (or use public roads like a track) on a regular basis, the 330i is probably a better choice. The car offers better feedback from the road, tighter steering, a stability control system that's less intrusive without being completely off, and overall better handling in tight turns. The car was designed first and foremost to rule the Autobahn, and it shows.
The Lexus sacrifices track performance in the service of a safer and more comfortable ride for your daily use. The road feel (and noise) is more damped and the car leans more in turns due to more sound padding, a softer suspension (which is very noticeable if you drive both cars on bad roads, like the teeth-jarring nightmare that is the 405 between Garden Grove and Long Beach) and a slightly greater weight (about 100 lbs). The steering is a little softer because that tends to be easier for a non-race driver to control. The stability control system is designed to prioritize safety rather than letting you push your car right to the danger line. This car is designed to run on a track, but first and foremost, it's built to drive day in and day out, and keeping the passenger safe and comfortable over the long haul is the highest priority.
Once you start looking at luxury features, the focus of the Lexus becomes more apparent. The navigation system is clean and easy to use compared to the submenu-hunting game of i-Drive, even while offering a better feature set. The car has intelligently designed storage spaces and cupholders, very comfortable seats that are easy to climb in and out of (and are not only heated, but cooled -- a very nice feature here in SoCal), and comes standard with a lot of convenience features that jack the price up very quickly on the BMW. (Keyless ignition, garage door/gate transmitter, etc.) Oh, and this may be a small thing, but I like the fact that everyone's brother's cousin's uncle's roommate's pet hamster isn't driving an IS. Around Irvine, at least, you could tally the national debt by counting 3-series.
And let's not forget that the Mark Levinson sound system is probably the only OEM package out there that can truly claim to be audiophile-grade. (Ask around at car audio shops if you don't believe me on this one -- anything with the letters "B-O-S-E" in it will generate snickers.)
Reliability was already mentioned, so I won't harp on this, except to say that the maintenance problems of BMWs are not an urban legend or a Lexus sales pitch -- they're quite real, you just won't get a BMW fanboy to admit it. But they tend to be long term, so you won't likely see many issues if you're trading the car in after 3 years.
In the end, I chose the IS350 over the 330i because while I enjoy a performance car, the number of hours I'm going to spend on a track pales in comparison to the number of hours I'm going to spend in SoCal traffic. And let's be realistic -- on a track, all of us are gonna get burned by the guys in M3s and other $60k+ cars, so I'm not too worried about my car's performance being marginally behind the 330's around corners. I'll burn 'em on the straights anyway. =)
If you cut the brand fanboys out of the equation (which is hard to do -- we all have our biases), then realistically, the IS350 and the 330i should appeal to two different types of drivers. Let me put a disclaimer in front of this next section by saying that the differences I'm about to describe are those of *degrees*, not of *tiers*. Both of these cars are truly excellent, and when I say that one "handles better", I'm talking about the difference between Sprite and 7-UP, not Coke and sewer water. And it should go without saying that this is my subjective opinion, but I've driven both cars a great deal -- one of my good friends has a 2006 330i (with sport package) that I got to push around a fair bit when I was making my buying decision, and I've already put 3300 miles on my IS350.
For people who take the car out on the track (or use public roads like a track) on a regular basis, the 330i is probably a better choice. The car offers better feedback from the road, tighter steering, a stability control system that's less intrusive without being completely off, and overall better handling in tight turns. The car was designed first and foremost to rule the Autobahn, and it shows.
The Lexus sacrifices track performance in the service of a safer and more comfortable ride for your daily use. The road feel (and noise) is more damped and the car leans more in turns due to more sound padding, a softer suspension (which is very noticeable if you drive both cars on bad roads, like the teeth-jarring nightmare that is the 405 between Garden Grove and Long Beach) and a slightly greater weight (about 100 lbs). The steering is a little softer because that tends to be easier for a non-race driver to control. The stability control system is designed to prioritize safety rather than letting you push your car right to the danger line. This car is designed to run on a track, but first and foremost, it's built to drive day in and day out, and keeping the passenger safe and comfortable over the long haul is the highest priority.
Once you start looking at luxury features, the focus of the Lexus becomes more apparent. The navigation system is clean and easy to use compared to the submenu-hunting game of i-Drive, even while offering a better feature set. The car has intelligently designed storage spaces and cupholders, very comfortable seats that are easy to climb in and out of (and are not only heated, but cooled -- a very nice feature here in SoCal), and comes standard with a lot of convenience features that jack the price up very quickly on the BMW. (Keyless ignition, garage door/gate transmitter, etc.) Oh, and this may be a small thing, but I like the fact that everyone's brother's cousin's uncle's roommate's pet hamster isn't driving an IS. Around Irvine, at least, you could tally the national debt by counting 3-series.
And let's not forget that the Mark Levinson sound system is probably the only OEM package out there that can truly claim to be audiophile-grade. (Ask around at car audio shops if you don't believe me on this one -- anything with the letters "B-O-S-E" in it will generate snickers.)
Reliability was already mentioned, so I won't harp on this, except to say that the maintenance problems of BMWs are not an urban legend or a Lexus sales pitch -- they're quite real, you just won't get a BMW fanboy to admit it. But they tend to be long term, so you won't likely see many issues if you're trading the car in after 3 years.
In the end, I chose the IS350 over the 330i because while I enjoy a performance car, the number of hours I'm going to spend on a track pales in comparison to the number of hours I'm going to spend in SoCal traffic. And let's be realistic -- on a track, all of us are gonna get burned by the guys in M3s and other $60k+ cars, so I'm not too worried about my car's performance being marginally behind the 330's around corners. I'll burn 'em on the straights anyway. =)
Very well said Cypren. This was my reasoning too (plus liking the IS350 look better and wanting the "new" factor).
12-15-05, 10:45 AM
#45
Originally Posted by XanaduSC
I've had an E46 for 6 yrs going on 7 soon, still runs as solid as when I bought it, service was ok the first couple yrs but 3rd & 4th yr your no longer special. If you keep a BMW over 4 yrs and don't have warranty, you must use an independent shop that specializes in foreign models otherwise dealer will soak you dry for repairs.
The E90 exterior is ok, but doesn't light my fire like my E46 does.
The E90 Interior is ugly, all wrong, I could never sit for 4 years and drive looking at that plain dash dating back to the 70's. What happen to all the nice curves & warmth that the E46 brought, it's missing in the E90. A car can drive like a dream but if the interior is then it's not for me. What's with the huge instrument panel dials for tach & speed, I mean they are 2 huge dials compared to the E46.
The E90 exterior is ok, but doesn't light my fire like my E46 does.
The E90 Interior is ugly, all wrong, I could never sit for 4 years and drive looking at that plain dash dating back to the 70's. What happen to all the nice curves & warmth that the E46 brought, it's missing in the E90. A car can drive like a dream but if the interior is
then it's not for me. What's with the huge instrument panel dials for tach & speed, I mean they are 2 huge dials compared to the E46.i like German cars but as far i knwo about them or people that i know that have or had them...
if you have no problem with them within 3 years... keep it.
if you have to bring your bimmer or benz to the dealer 5 times in 6/month .... sell them.
i had one before, my ex had one before, my bf's gf has 2 of them.... still having problems....
i do know people that don't have problems with them.. less than people that do
