brentweiss

I have an 01 bmw 325i and would like to know from anyone who has had or has drove the same yr/model if the 350 handles worse, about the same, or better. also i have heard about the steering feel being quite dull, how does it compare with the car i currently have?

tsp5

I owned a 01 325 coupe for about a year. Without a doubt, the bmw handled better. The steering on my IS350 is a bit on the soft side with very little feedback. The IS definitely has its advantages though, it just depends on what your priorities are.

ff_

Does your 325i have the sport package? And are we talking about roadholding ability, or "feel"?

Bichon

I have to give credit where it is due: the driving dynamics in the BMW are an order of magnitude better. What you heard about the steering is true; it's a bit too light, with too little feedback, and it periodically reacts with some odd sensations mid turn. Driving an IS350 back-to-back with an '06 330i, I felt the BMW was more fun to drive, despite the huge power deficit.

However, the IS is MUCH quicker than your car, is built from more luxurious materials, is FAR more reliable and cheaper to maintain, and is available with some really well executed electronic toys. While styling is subjective, I like the styling of the Lexus much better, both inside and out. In short, the Lexus offered a much more "well rounded" package for the kind of driving that I do.

brentweiss

haha dont worry im already sold on the is350 i was just merely curious about if the 06/07 is was better in handling and road feel than my 01 325i.....one of the big reasons i have chose to go for the is350 is it is alot more luxurious and im a little tired of feeling every bump in the road not to mention all the awesome gadgets

brentweiss

what i meant was can i take the car as hard in curves and also that certain way when i turn the steering wheel i know exactly what its doing if that makes sense......btw no it doesnt have the sport package.....i have had a 05 loaner that had the sport package though, what a difference

ff_

I concur, Bichon, assuming we're talking about "feel", rather than just roadholding ability. The latter requires an apples-to-apples comparison (sport package or no sport package).

The BMW does have more soul in the twisties. Although the car is designed to be more and more numb/isolated from the road with every new iteration. E30 owners complaint that the E36 feels too isolated. The E36 owners complain that the E46 has even less feel. E46 owners complain that the E90 is even worse yet. And so on. It won't be long, and all the good cars will feel more like a Buick than a true sporty sedan.

brentweiss

i completely agree, the new bmws feel very different.....heavier,not as nimble, horrible blind spots, side mirrors too small to see an 18 wheeler

ff_

Yup, BMW's non-sport suspension and tire setup is pretty bland feeling in comparison to the SP. If you moved into an IS with at least the staggered 18" wheel package, I'd expect it to hold in the corners better than the non-SP 325i.

cdeslandes

You HAVE to test drive the IS350 with stability control (VDIM) turned off to see its soul emerge, It still feels different from a BMW, but is definitely more sporty. Don't like the sterring wheel? Use your right foot! 306 ponnies will turn that car for you!

RyanDe680

I used to have a 2002 330ci. Without a doubt, the BMW handled better, but that is what BMW is known for. Their steering and road handling is superior by far.

The Lexus handling is great, don't get me wrong, but no other car that I have driven hugs the road and allows the driver to feel in total control like the BMW did.

Now, however, adaptive steering is a different thing. I have yet to drive a BMW with the adaptive steering system, which some complain takes away from that BMW handling feel.

ff_

I have, and it does. Active steering is an answer to a question that was never asked.

al503

You're definitely going to have to go for a test ride. The ride in the IS with sport is not very smooth. You will feel a lot of road irregularities in what I call a 'choppy' ride. The non-sport is better but there are some who still feel it isn't smooth enough.

eddo1

I have been driving an 01 325i non sport for the last 3 years and just moved to the IS350 with sport package. I also test drove the 06 330i in the process of buying. The 325i I have definitely doesn't corner as well as the IS350 sport but it does get you better feel of the road, especially in the twisties. It also feels lighter on its feet than the IS350. Maybe I haven't gotten use to the IS350 yet (been about 3weeks new) and am still very careful with the car. Suspension on the IS350 is quite a bit more bumpy than the 325i, maybe even more than the 330i sport. I have been bouncing up and down on the highway and feeling every imperfection on the same road I drove the 325i, but I think I'm getting used to that. Maybe you'll want to stick with the regular suspension and 18 wheels - which held the road quite well on my test drive.

As with the 330i sport - yep, handled better than the 325i of course and also better than the IS350. But I felt the auto transmission was a bit hesitant on acceleration and the engine lacked some power. Not too bad but just isn't as fast as the IS. Of course power isn't everything. That in combination with the crappy old looking interior styling and cardboard rough leather, I chose the IS. As someone said above, much more balanced package. I was set on getting the bimmer based on the drive feel alone before the test drive but I think Lexus has the better and more reliable car this time around. Though at 500miles an my mileage is a crappy 20MPG combined while I'm babying the car. Hopefully it gets better as the car breaks in.

Anyone want to buy an 01 325i with 67k miles?

Oh, one more thing. The IS350 has horrible blind spots. The 330i was a bit better but not by much and is much worse compared with the 325 and way worse compared to my E36 M3.

Bichon

Yes, I am talking feel, and as an a consequence of that, the fun-to-drive quotient. The roadholding ability of my IS could well exceed that of a Bimmer, but if the chassis and steering wheel are not giving me the proper feedback about how hard I'm pushing in relation to the limits of the car, my confidence and enjoyment are shot, and I'm going to back off. This isn't, after all, a video game where mistakes have no consequence.