User 41924

I'm considering a new IS350 in a couple of months. I'm considering other options too, but my 2011 IS350 was my favorite car I've had, so it's certainly a likely option now. When I got my current car (NX200t), I really preferred the appearance and interior of the new IS FSport, but was disappointed that I couldn't get any of the "luxury" type options I liked so much on my previous IS. I got most of them on the NX, but not worth driving an SUV. I've never been happy with the NX. Things like memory seats, power steering wheel, rain sensing wipers, and ventilated seats that are part of a "Premium" package that STILL isn't available on the IS FSport. While I still prefer the look, seats, and dash from an IS FSport, I want some of the stuff that makes it a Lexus, too. To me, these are the things that you appreciate every time you drive the car. I want it all, I guess. I wonder why I can't have it. Is the compromise of a non FSport worth it so I can have the IS350?

Are people still happy with their IS? Should I be looking at an RC? Is the 350 version (vs the 300) of either worth the extra expense? Does anyone have the Atomic Silver paint? How is it to care for? It looks awesome when it's polished and clean! I probably sound a bit retentive, but I traded my IS in on a CT for practicality's sake. Big mistake! A HUGE mistake I don't want to make again. Then I traded the CT for the current NX. While the NX is light years ahead of the CT (in my opinion), I"m still not happy with the NX drive train. I'm thinking that I could spend a little more, and get a nice truck, and not have to worry about it, but it's so much easier to just get another Lexus. I just want it to be my last new car.

It's a quandry!

E46CT

The best unique feature of the F Sport aside from the obvious suspension and appearance package is the black headliner and the seats.

If it were a choice between 300 F Sport and 350 Non F Sport (if that's what you're asking) i prefer the F Sport package over the engine.

The 350 won't be winning any drag races, even against a BMW 330i (Turbo 4) and will be quite thirsty for fuel. All things being equal I'd take the 350 engine over the turbo 4, but unfortunately all things aren't equal. you will have to choose between the package or the engine if you can't have both.

I had a CT F Sport which I traded it for an IS then regretted it and got another CT F Sport. To me, the 17mpg wasn't worth the sub-par performance of the 200t engine. Also the constant replacing of brakes and tires got old.

I missed the liberating feeling driving the CT. It's a set it and forget it car where everything on it lasts forever with minimal attention. Oil change once a year and tires will last at least 5 years.

I don't mind replacing things and maintaining things frequently but the 3IS performance (engine wise) just doesn't justify that.

I would just be happy with what you got. if i could do it all over again I would have kept my original 16 CT F Sport in blue. it was a hot looker! How many times will you be doing all-out 0-60 sprints vs. how much time will you be leisurely putting around at a constant speed. what's important to you relative to what you do in your car

Pittsy

Just typed a 4 paragraph explaining the pros and cons of both. lost it all. rip.

E46CT

when that happens i usually hit "back" and my texts reappears

User 41924

LOL! But .... I really wanted to know your thoughts!

Burrcold

Move to Canada and get all those niceties in the F Sport models as well!

Tungstn-IS

You have always been able get the power steering wheel and the ventilated seats are now an option. Not having rain sensing wipers annoys me, I mean come on! My 2006 IS350 had it but the new one can't? It's dumb! I have the same feeling about the memory seats, had it in my '06 but can't now. To that point though, I never move the seat anyway so who cares. The one thing I will say, if you had the 350 before and loved it, you're going to be disappointed with the lesser engine.

E46CT

My 2006 (E46) 3series had rain sensing wipers. definitely a cool memorable feature

User 41924

Not having rain sensing wipers annoys me, I mean come on! My 2006 IS350 had it but the new one can't? It's dumb!
Not having things like this feels like they're trying to save money. It feels cheap. I actually liked the way my CT drove, for the most part. I hated the cheap feel of it. The hood was so thin, I was afraid of denting it when I polished it! It had a prop stick! Drove me nuts every time I had to use it. I figured it was a weight saving thing.

I have the same feeling about the memory seats, had it in my '06 but can't now. To that point though, I never move the seat anyway so who cares.
I do. Not a lot, but if they're easy to adjust, I do! My wife adjusts her seat almost every time she gets in the car. Don't forget the mirrors! I've noticed that I slouch more on my way home from work, than on my way into work, to the point where I have to change the mirrors.

The one thing I will say, if you had the 350 before and loved it, you're going to be disappointed with the lesser engine.
That's my fear!

arentz07

In response to your question about 350 versus 300. If it's the 300 AWD, you will get 90% of the experience. What you miss is a little power - not a ton - and the potential to add AVS. Really you should be getting the 350 for the AVS, based on my driving impressions of a 350 AWD versus my 300 AWD. Yeah I noticed the power, but it wasn't as big of a difference as I figured it would be.

VisualEcho

My '18 IS350 AWD F Sport is growing on me, but if I'm honest, I haven't fallen in love with it. I use it specifically as a DD, so it fits the bill fantastically, but I'll always have my eyes out for an un-modded 2005 STi with low miles. And when that happens, bye bye IS350.

E46CT

From what I understand, Subarus of that era had headgasket and syncro issues. I wouldn't want to deal with that. Might look into that to see how people address it today.

I'm a former bugeye owner of that chassis. Great fun but when I was 20. I couldn't imagine driving that today. You might be spoiled by the refined IS compared to an STI

VisualEcho

The 2005's had no such issues. The head gasket issues were 07+, and synchro issues were largely idiots. My '05 was impossibly fantastic in every way.

AtomicAWD

For me it was between the internal features of the Luxury package versus the looks of the F-Sport. Yeah it's crappy not having rain-sensing wipers and I prefer the traditional dash, but the base IS just looks like an old 2IS to me -- plain and uninspiring. Can't have both, so it is what it is. As for the 300, for $600 you can regain the stifled 50HP, but then it's a matter of what other features you can't get versus the 350.

AtomicAWD

And as for the colour. I bought mine in December from 1000kms away, and only found out the colour after the purchase (wanted an IS and got trade-in value I could not refuse). At first I thought it was Nebula Grey and was disappointed, as to me it always looks dull especially in cloudy weather which we get a lot of here, but then it turned out to be Atomic Silver. Ironically the guy who parks next to me in my building just got the same, and I thought it looked great, not boring or typical at all like the grey. Matador Red was probably my preference, but this is a very nice colour and I've had numerous compliments already. Haven't seen it in summer sun yet but the colour is situational and seems to change. It is definitely silver although when next to lighter silvers or charcoals it looks almost sandy. The original ad said "charcoal" but I wouldn't call it that. I've been surprised at how clean it's stayed looking -- despite the winter, it still shines and doesn't really look dirty unless you look closely and then only lower down on the panels. Have heard that from others as well, that it's good for not showing dirt as much as others.