View Poll Results: What is the best daily driver?
BMW M3 (E46, that means the current one)
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9
14.06%
IS 350
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45
70.31%
I am with 1SICKLEX, buy a small child to ride on,.just give candy and ride to work!
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10
15.63%
Voters: 64. You may not vote on this poll
Used e46 M3 VS. IS350? Best daily driver?
#1
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Hi, 1st post!
First off, yeah I know they are two totally different kinds of cars, but that's what I'm looking at![Smilie](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
And I know I'll obviously get a bit of a biased response here but that's ok, I'd like the opinions of actual IS350 owners.
So I need a new daily driver and only car. I am in outside sales so I drive alot, about 25k a year, and so I want a nice daily car that is at least mostly reliable. I have read the reliability threads on BMW forums and it seems like the BMW would be alright as long as it's under warranty. I would get a CPO car and extend the maintenance to 100k as well. Basically at that point all you pay for is tires right???
On the M3 forum it seems like a lot of the owners use their M3's as daily drivers and say they love 'em as daily drivers. I guess I am a little concerned about the ride on a daily basis. Because like 95% of my driving is just around the streets and freeways of Sacramento, which are mostly cruddy roads. So I guess I wouldn't use the handling capabilities on a daily basis.
So, trying to put yourself in my shoes.... if you drove like I did, which would you choose and why?
The way I see it:
I love the M3's style, love the interior style, more sporty looking to me. Love the performance.
Love the Lexus's extra options and luxury interior, definitely a little more comfortable. Great performance at least as far a power goes...very close to the M3 on power/acceleration. Like the fact that its brand new and since a Lexus...probably not have to worry much at all.
Oh btw, I do not need a 4 door, it's just an extra convenience. And love the look of the coupe M3.
Ok, thats it for now. I really appreciate any good input.
Thanks,
Tim
First off, yeah I know they are two totally different kinds of cars, but that's what I'm looking at
![Smilie](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
And I know I'll obviously get a bit of a biased response here but that's ok, I'd like the opinions of actual IS350 owners.
So I need a new daily driver and only car. I am in outside sales so I drive alot, about 25k a year, and so I want a nice daily car that is at least mostly reliable. I have read the reliability threads on BMW forums and it seems like the BMW would be alright as long as it's under warranty. I would get a CPO car and extend the maintenance to 100k as well. Basically at that point all you pay for is tires right???
On the M3 forum it seems like a lot of the owners use their M3's as daily drivers and say they love 'em as daily drivers. I guess I am a little concerned about the ride on a daily basis. Because like 95% of my driving is just around the streets and freeways of Sacramento, which are mostly cruddy roads. So I guess I wouldn't use the handling capabilities on a daily basis.
So, trying to put yourself in my shoes.... if you drove like I did, which would you choose and why?
The way I see it:
I love the M3's style, love the interior style, more sporty looking to me. Love the performance.
Love the Lexus's extra options and luxury interior, definitely a little more comfortable. Great performance at least as far a power goes...very close to the M3 on power/acceleration. Like the fact that its brand new and since a Lexus...probably not have to worry much at all.
Oh btw, I do not need a 4 door, it's just an extra convenience. And love the look of the coupe M3.
Ok, thats it for now. I really appreciate any good input.
Thanks,
Tim
#2
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That's almost the exact situation I was in when i bought my 350. My uncle had a 2003 M3 that he was going to sell me at a good price. I drove that car quite a bit around town and on the highway. It definately was a really nice car that I would love to have. But like you said the IS is "almost" just as fast and handles pretty well. In my opinion, the comfort and ride is better in the Lexus. Also, the interior in the IS, from the leather seats to the dash layout is superior. If your going to be doing a lot of city driving and not going out on the back roads, I'd say get the Lexus.
#5
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Originally Posted by Tim Currie
First off, yeah I know they are two totally different kinds of cars, but that's what I'm looking at ![Smilie](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
And I know I'll obviously get a bit of a biased response here but that's ok, I'd like the opinions of actual IS350 owners.
![Smilie](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
And I know I'll obviously get a bit of a biased response here but that's ok, I'd like the opinions of actual IS350 owners.
Originally Posted by Tim Currie
So I need a new daily driver and only car. I am in outside sales so I drive alot, about 25k a year, and so I want a nice daily car that is at least mostly reliable. I have read the reliability threads on BMW forums and it seems like the BMW would be alright as long as it's under warranty. I would get a CPO car and extend the maintenance to 100k as well. Basically at that point all you pay for is tires right???
Originally Posted by Tim Currie
On the M3 forum it seems like a lot of the owners use their M3's as daily drivers and say they love 'em as daily drivers. I guess I am a little concerned about the ride on a daily basis. Because like 95% of my driving is just around the streets and freeways of Sacramento, which are mostly cruddy roads. So I guess I wouldn't use the handling capabilities on a daily basis.
From an interior perspective, I found the Lexus seats far more comfortable for long driving than any of the seats BMW has thus far put into the E46 or E90. Having ventillation helps a lot for long trips. I think Lexus' climate control system is better implemented than BMW's, and its nav system is vastly superior -- but if you're looking at an older M3, you probably aren't planning to get a nav. And, as one of the Car & Driver editors put so well, "the Germans have yet to figure out how to make a decent cupholder" -- there are a lot of little touches in the interior that Lexus simply gets right, from the center console compartment to the divisions in the glovebox, that make the car so much easier to live in.
Also, the IS is a much quieter car than the M3 and has a great stock stereo (and the Mark Levinson system is one of the best OEM sound systems on the market), so you can listen to music on a drive without having to blast the volume to eardrum-damaging levels.
I agree with you on the M3's exterior, by the way -- the E46 remains one of my favorite car designs of all time. (Not so hot on the E90, and I'm dreading seeing the new M3, unfortunately.) And honestly, the M3 is very much a "prestige car", which may be a subtle bonus to someone in sales. People who know cars will drool over one; the IS may get admiring looks, but it'll never live up to the hype attached to an M, no matter how well it performs.
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#11
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Originally Posted by 4TehNguyen
350 with LMS intake/exhaust already has as much or more hp than a M3
The M3 is the finest sport-luxury coupe in its class; the IS is the finest luxury-sport sedan in its class. Let them have their differences, and respect what each one is designed for.
#12
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For your purposes, defintely the Lexus. The ride of the M3 is a bit too punishing for the amount of use you plan to give it, especially since you said you drive on lots of bad roads.
#13
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Originally Posted by Cypren
The M3 is the finest sport-luxury coupe in its class; the IS is the finest luxury-sport sedan in its class. Let them have their differences, and respect what each one is designed for.
OP: I think you answered your own question when you said you wouldnt use the handling in the cruddy streets, go IS
#14
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As a daily driver, and I must emphasize the word "daily", you are much better off with the IS350. The M3 rides hard, even on standard 18s, and you can only appreciate the performance when you drive the car hard. The behavior is very similar to the S2000, and you can't really feel the dynamics unless you drive it like you've just stolen it. Drive it normally and it feels like a lowered 3 series coupe.
With that said, it's a moot point to soften the suspension. I dont' think coilovers with the softest setting will change the situation one bit, and probably even worse than OEM.
On another note, due to the problem with SMGii trannys, I highly recommend sticking with the 6-spd. It's much less trouble free and hence, much cheaper to maintain.
With that said, it's a moot point to soften the suspension. I dont' think coilovers with the softest setting will change the situation one bit, and probably even worse than OEM.
On another note, due to the problem with SMGii trannys, I highly recommend sticking with the 6-spd. It's much less trouble free and hence, much cheaper to maintain.
#15
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Also M3 is a screamer, gotta really rev to get peak hp, torque is lower than the IS 350 (I think). Also, daily driver means, auto. Not sure where u live but if traffic is bad or avg, a manual can make u want to pull your hair out.
On the other hand, I have 4 kids I ride when it rains (I don't like getting the RX wet) and let me tell you, you buy them fockers a jolly rancher or two, and they'll get you to work faster than an Enzo.
On the other hand, I have 4 kids I ride when it rains (I don't like getting the RX wet) and let me tell you, you buy them fockers a jolly rancher or two, and they'll get you to work faster than an Enzo.