diablo1

You can't take this guy's reviews too seriously, folks. Read his review of the Subaru B9 Tribeca. He just goes for shock value and is not a legitimate car reviewer. I'm not saying that because he didn't like the IS. I'm saying that based on having read many of his other reviews. He just likes to stir it up and say controversial stuff.

BTW, anyone who thinks he has "euro fever" or whatever should read his review of the new M5. He didn't really like it!

stangd1909

I drove both....and IMO I liked the Is 350 more thats why I bought it!

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

And that's what it'll come down to. No one is going to spend $40k and not test drive the cars. People will find out for themselves what they want, and in the end, performance will be a small factor to the whole buying experience.

Langdell

Well, not necessarily. I test drove only the IS350. There was no reason to test drive anything else in its class because, for various reasons having nothing to do with how they drive, the other cars were far less appealing to me. And my test drive confirmed what I already knew--I love this car! No need to waste my time driving a new 3-Series because, among other things, the car looks so ugly I would never buy it.

That's actually my normal practice when car shopping--i.e., decide on the car I like first, test drive that car, and get it if I still like it after the test drive. I really don't see the point of test driving several different cars unless you are really undecided between them. For me, it's like shopping for a pair of shoes (albeit with a lot more passion)--if I see a pair I like and it fits, I don't go around trying on a bunch of pairs I don't really like just to see how they feel.

newr

impressive regardless.. but I hope you are aware that for Autoxing, it's more of the driver skill than the car itself.

Oh... and real men don't dance around cones..

Foxberry

Totally agree! I was actuallly chuckling while reading it

newr

I think what he meant was that "no one is going to spend $40k and not test drive the cars that he/she intended to buy"

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

That's what I meant... Thanks.

dkaplan435

I liked it more too, that's why I purchased it. That doesn't mean the BMW doesn't handle better. It does. It's just that the for me, the 350 was a car I liked more, so I purchased it.

Langdell

My bad. Sorry, Philip. I do agree with that, obviously.

But I have heard many people say that it's crazy to buy a car before test driving several others. To me, test driving alternative cars only makes sense if the test drive is going to be the tiebreaker or else you find you don't like the ride of the car you thought was your first choice. (I will confess that my habit of falling in love with a particular car even before driving it is not the best strategy when it comes to negotiating price. Hard to haggle when you blurt out, "I want one!!!" to the salesman even before price comes up. Anyway, I do not expect to have to relive the car shopping dilemma for a long, long time now. My 350's a keeper.)

dkaplan435

I'm glad you caught that (BTW, anyone who thinks he has "euro fever" or whatever should read his review of the new M5. ) The guy is hilarious. I really enjoyed the article.

clubfoot

Well I'm probaly the odd one out here for purchasing cars since I did not actually drive an IS350. I did drive the IS250 AWD around the block just to make sure I fit comfortably in it. What I really wanted was another AWD vehicle with M/T and if I had not seen the IS350 at the Taste of Lexus I would have bought a Subaru Legacy GT Ltd. Edition B' spec. My wife was the deciding factor, she said GET IT,...end of story game over The only stipulation was I had to have ML and NAV.

OH, and by the way, the car is a blast to drive

Wid IS350

Actually, I didn't test drive ANY of the cars in my current stable prior to purchasing.

350 is a fine car, much better than the 330i - but c'mon - it's no M3!!!!

diablo1

I only drove the IS350 at Taste of Lexus. No dealerships in the area had any in stock that were not already sold, so they weren't letting anyone test drive the 350 when I got mine (early November). So, I did a road test of the 250 AWD, and I was like, I want a car just like this, but faster. Sold!

(yes, I know technically it's not that simple, since the 350 doesn't have AWD, but you get the idea...)