NovaIS350

He just made a bad purchasing decision thats all..no need to rub it in his face. No sense in beating a dead horse. Just look on the bright side...at least it isn't an audi. j/k

MLevinson

..or an Infiniti

lexuslover

lol, i love my audi i think ff is giving good advice - clearly he's owned both lexus and BMW and just b/c his preference is not w/ lexus in this category doesn't mean he isn't entitled to post his opinion. ff gave some great advice to me when i was considering the IS250 manual vs. the Audi A4Q Manual. i appreciate opinions on Club Lexus that are not just i-love-lexus but real-world experience (even though my nic is lexuslover )

to the original poster - i think you can get within $500-$1500 to invoice on the IS right now. check w/ the larger dealers in LA for inventory - the VN w/ sports pkg shouldn't be "out of reach" in terms of allocation to dealers. when i was shopping in September there were lots of 350's loaded that way on the lot. i almost special ordered an IS250 Manual loaded, and didn't find that the price was much more than getting one off the lot. they are still willing to deal on special orders, just gotta find the right one. i remember Tustin was doing $1200 over on any special ordered IS. good luck w/ your search!

homer4598

I hope to find out soon

sdbrandon

You are not going to get objective opinions. Afterall it is a Lexus forum. Personally I only compare Japanese cars to Japanese cars. German to German, etc. It really comes down to what type of car you want to drive. Each country does their own thing and never the two shall meet.

Irishfan

My IS does exactly what I want it to do: be a safe, reliable, quick car. If you want to have more fun in a car, buy a second one without as many performance compromises. Miatas, S2K's, E36 M3's, and even some older Evo's can be bought for dirt cheap.

jjwalker

That goes both ways doesn't it?

You're going to tell me the 350 handles better? Same type of suspension, same electronic steer, except more weight. I don't think so. Again I'm not talking about straight line power.

ff_

First, we weren't talking about interiors, but as long as you brought up the subject, I don't see how the IS's interior is any less "sucky" than the BMW's. Neither are anything special from an asthetics standpoint, or from being a driver-centric setup.

Second, who said I paid $37K for my IS? I paid under $30k, which was one of the big reasons that I went that route. It's a hell of a lot of car for the money, which is worth something. I just didn't think, as I got used to the car and it was broken in, that it'd be such a lifeless drive. There's only so much you can deduce from the test drive.

I could see if I was someone that kept their vehicles for 10 years, but I'm not. I like to try different types and makes of cars, and the IS is just one step in the ladder for me. I find that fun, even if it's an expensive habit.

sdbrandon

+1, if the 350 was significant over the 250, Lexus marketing and TV commericals would have emphasized this. The reality is, Lexus are not performance cars no matter what they name them. They are focused on Luxury and ample horsepower.

Although you can take a Lexus and tweak the components to make it handle better, this is cleary not lexus' direction.

Technique

Well, I don't know much about the IS250, but having more power helps handling in a rear wheel car, you can throttle up to oversteer...

The IS350 should have bigger brakes, which again, helps performance...

So, the above two will definitely help when tearing it up through twisties...

But ya, I mean, as far as body roll, etc, the IS350 and IS250 should be nearly identical, especially if they have the same wheels/tires...

NovaIS350

until someone proves me wrong, I'm going to say yes. What is the weight difference anyway? do you know cause I don't...probably not much. And I did mention that you couldnt compare the two unless you got to push both vehicles pretty hard...which I did. So from that I was able to formulate my own opinion, the 350 is not only faster, but a better handler.


wow we are really veering away from the original topic here.

IronPhoenX

Exactly. Good luck in finding a car that's a jack of all trades. Everybody buys a car based on what they need and what they prioritize as important. Whether that be for fun, reliability, or whatever. For me, I got the IS250 AWD cause I get snow in this area. Handling the snow was my first priority. I could've gotten a IS350 for the same price, but speed was not my first priority. So, who has the right say... "Oh, why did he buy that? It's so... blah blah. He should've gotten... blah blah." Everyone has their reasons. BTW... Anyone want to race me with their IS350 in the snow?

jjwalker

Actually coming from a RSX Type-S when I first got the IS it felt like a boat the IS is 600+ pds heavier, but eventually you get use to it. Although I didn't buy the IS for performance, mostly I like how it looks and it is comfortable with enough sportiness.

Those who recommend you should have bought the 350, the thing is with power,(if that is what you're after) you find that you can never have enough. How many of you 350 owners are now thinking about the IS-F???

jjwalker

Yes my apologies to the OP.

Here's the link the CD article.
http://www.caranddriver.com/shortroa...xus-is250.html

sdbrandon

Interesting. They liked the 250 as much as the 350. The 250 is light and tight, where the 350 gets more horses but does not handle as well due to weight.

"The IS350 weighs 135 more pounds than the 3465-pound IS250, and with extra weight carried over its handsome nose, the 350 understeers more than we’d like. Also, the more powerful car’s suspension feels a bit overdamped and overzealous, whereas the 250’s feels composed and tight."