JonBeast

You guys definitely have me going towards a 350...I am leaning AWD however, and I'm assuming 350s don't come in AWD?

I need something that can handle a little bit of snow, how is the 350 RWD in bad conditions?

This may make or break my decision between a 250 and 350...so please be honest with the 350 RWD potential.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

Buy a cheap set of rims, put good snow tires on them (not all seasons) and it'll drive beautifully in the snow.

For most folks AWD is a crutch for people who can't drive or won't buy decent tires....in exchange they add a bunch of useless weight and get crappy mileage. No Thanks.

People drove just fine in RWD cars in the snow most of the last 100+ years.

heyarms

iTrader: (5)

Sure the 250 isn't fast... but you cant beat the 34mpg i get on the highway!

In the end, you'll sure to be happy. Good luck deciding on which model to get... next it's time to pick a color!! Starfire Pearl FTW!!

JonBeast

I can't even get out of a parking spot with my mustang if I am on any sort of slope in the snow...sure RWD can be done in the snow, but it is by no means desirable.

I've driven an is250 before, but I simply babied it around town...I need to drive another one and really see what it has to offer before I start looking into 350s...cause I know as soon as I drive a 350, I'm gonna want it.

JonBeast

I really like all of the colors that are offered...but I am leaning towards a white or gray one (don't know the technical paint terms). A black interior is a must for me, but the white ones are tough to find with a black interior.

syzygy

Not only will the IS350 handle like a champ with a good set of snow tires, it has an excellent "snow mode" that drastically reduces throttle sensitivity and torque delivered to the wheels on partial throttle application as well as prevent the car from going into the ultra powerful (and therefore wheel spin-prone) 1st gear (the ground level is set to 2nd gear).

With snow mode on, snow tires, coupled with the excellent and almost overly-intrusive traction control system imbedded in the car, you really should have no problem.

This is one aspect you may have overlooked when comparing to your RWD mustang - the IS350 is a technological marvel from a safety standpoint. Traction control is excellent, ABS is standard of course, snow mode is also very superb.

I guarantee a RWD IS350 with snow tires, traction control on, and snow mode on will not give you much more trouble than an AWD IS250.


Color wise, it appears as though what you're looking for is "smoky granite mica." Indeed, SGM is one of the most popular exterior colors on the Lexus IS.

JonBeast

Well thanks for the advice guys...you've definitely opened me up to looking at a RWD 350...and yes, the smoky granite mica is an amazing color.

Initial_K

iTrader: (2)

4K for additional 100hp, might be worth it for some. That's a lot of change just so you can feel like a racer.

250IS is good enough for daily driving. I pocket the 4K and put it in buying something else like rims.

iRock

iTrader: (12)

I drive a 250 and I am more than happy with the amount of power it has bec I dont speed often... comin from a GT mustang though I would go with the 350 jus bec its gonna feel a ton slower bec of what u are use to...

Sh0gunkid

iTrader: (1)

AWD is a crutch for people who can't drive? This coming from someone from N. Carolina. Winters there don't even compare the what we get up here in the northeast region, so I wouldn't talk.

Please don't compare your weak winters to ours.

Dude. You already have a RWD power car. If you're looking for a "daily driver" just stick with the AWD. All this other stuff you're listening to is comin from people from Texas and North Carolina. Since they get TONS of snow there. I'm sure their winters don't even compare to what we get up here.

9relude8

the is350 can go no where near snow without snow tires ... I've tried and its not a safe at all. However with the right tires you can run past 4x4's in the snow. If your going to get aftermarket rims first then get great performance tires on them and throw on some snow tires on your stock rims. Easy as pie.... just need some major $$$

mikez

350 with snow tire is driveable.

But my AWD with high performance summer tires allows me to drive down 287 at 75 mph during the blizzards we had in NJ this year. Anyone doing that with a 350 even with snow tires in a blizzard on un shoveled highway would probably end up dead.

JonBeast

When I drove my friend of a friends' 250, it didn't feel like a slug, but like I said I didn't really drive it too hard because the guy who owned it was in the back seat haha I need to drive more.

I'm honestly looking for a nice looking luxury car, but I don't want something that can't get out of its own way...its a judgement call that can only be made with me getting more seat time. I'll keep u guys updated.

My mustang is nothing to write home about speed wise, but its definitely quick, and loud haha. I haven't taken it to the track in years, but I would assume it would run high 13s-low14s...so its not like I'm coming from an 11 second car.

IS-SV

I owned a 96 GT convertible for 4 years, used it as a weekend car mostly.

Only the IS350 will meet your minimum requirements, IMO.

Kurtz

iTrader: (1)

Then your tires suck.

I drove a 1973 Pontiac LeMans with a big V8 for several years in both NY (Buffalo for example) and Canadian winters, both worse than yours, no problem, thanks to good snow tires.



No, seriously, if you're having trouble with RWD then your tires suck or your driving does... I politely choose to blame the tires but I could be wrong.

Again, I grew up in worse winters than you, and had no problems at all with RWD cars.

There's plenty of posts from other people with worse winters (Chicago, Michigan, Canada, upstate NY, etc...) than you with 2ISes saying the same.

As a further FYI, there's parts of NC that get more annual snowfall than parts of NJ...ditto for parts of texas...but I'm sure you knew that, right?

But if you've got any more totally misinformed comments about stuff you know nothing about just based on where I live at the moment, let em rip