NINEZeRO

I know these cars are not in the same class but they are the two I am considering. I am considering the 335i over the M3 because I know it will be very hard to get the M3 in its first year and I can get the 335i now with a discount. Here are my pros and cons:

IS-F

pros: speed/acceleration without mods (no void of warranty), big brake kit, sporty body kit, nice 19" wheels, superior handling, superior transmission

cons: low empg, high price, untested, have to wait 3-6 months, rear wheel drive (in snow)

335xi

pros: great performance with mod (procede), great handling, great transmission, no wait, awd, tested, great fuel mileage, reasonable price

cons: warranty void with procede, conservative look, not as good in terms of performance (handling, braking, etc)

Unreal

What is the price difference? The 335 should be way cheaper, and you can easily upgrade the handling, looks, braking with the extra money. So then the only downside would be possible warranty issues with the procede and conservative looks which could always be fixed with a lip/wing/wheels, etc.

NINEZeRO

right, but the warranty issue is the biggest problem of getting the 335i, i mean if something goes wrong with the engine or anything associated with it, thats like several thousand dollars out of my pocked. also i forgot to mention that I was almost completely made up on getting the 335i but then realized it would cost just as much to make the 335i on par with the IS-F.

335xi (fully loaded) - $52,000
procede mod and exhaust = 2,500
big brake kit - 5,000
wheels & body work - 5,000
suspension - 500 - 2,000

= approximately 65,000

jimmyjazz

Bimmer available with 2 less door's.

CrazyMPG

iTrader: (4)

when you say have to wait 3-6 months...are you on the waiting list for the car and if so...what position are you? Just wondering cuz I am 15th on the list for the car at Longo Lexus in Cali and I am just wondering how long it will take for them to get me my car...haha

Tekknikal

add a LSD to it and i'd bet that the above 335i -if properly setup- would outperform a IS-F. another issue would be how strong the AWD system is.. can it take the tq? so yes there are issues involved in building it beyond warranty.

personally i think id prefer a 335i just because (1) its a really close decision (2) you may not be able to get the lexus anytime soon at a reasonable price (3) the 335i would likely be more fun and (4) i like modding.

not sure about the X part of it though, as i dont know what the cost is in terms of reliability, options restrictions, or driving enjoyment.

btw
another issue to consider is resale...

NINEZeRO

no, im not in line yet. i was just guessing 3-6 months because my local dealer said they dont have many on list and so if I got in now I would have to wait at least until march but maybe a few more weeks.

dgsvt

What dealer in NJ?

sincityIS

I am proud of all of you for not be biased toward Lexus ::Golf Clap::.

AlexusAnja

I'm no BMW fan... but if the two choices are only the IS-F or 335xi, I'd take the 335xi for driving in NJ. I live in NJ too, and those "few days" of snow here and there having an AWD would be beneficial. You only need one bad day on snow to ruin it for the rest of the 364. The IS-F I can see being a real bear in traffic. With a stick, you can launch from 2nd or 3rd gear, with the IS-F, is there even a "snow" setting to launch from 2nd? Could be hectic.

If there was only a IS350AWD vs. 335xi, forgetabout it... Lexus all the way.

flipside909

Call me biased. IS-F.

Kan-O-Z

I wouldn't be so sure the fuel economy on the 335 is going to be better than the IS-F. You can't just look at a car's engine size and make assumptions. Fuel economy is more affected by a car's weight, drag coefficient, gear ratios, drivetrain loss and many other factors.

You can stick a large V8 in an SUV and get half the fuel economy as you would in a car for the reasons mentioned above. Did you know the Corvette (with an engine nearly twice the size) can rival or even beat a 350Z in fuel economy?

The IS-F has a few things working for it. One is 8 speeds which will make it more efficient. Another is that it's rear drive. The 335 all wheel drive will have more drivetrain loss and suck more fuel than a rear drive.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Lexus is actually equal or even beats the 335 in fuel economy.

Kan-O-Z

Kan-O-Z

Personally I really don't think I would be modding a Bimmer. Let's face it, it's no Supra which was built like a tank which could be modded all day long and still be as reliable as a Camry. Bimmers in general break down a lot more than the Japanese makes and when you throw in modding and voiding the warranty, I would be very nervous. You have to remember that when you mod a car, it is often being pushed beyond what the manufacturers intended it to be. So this means that all the parts are under more stress than they were made for. This means that these parts will fail quicker.

Personally if you want a rock solid car and not have to worry about modding and have peace of mind of a warranty and a brand that is one of the most reliable in the world, you can't go wrong with the Lexus.

If you mod the Bimmer, you will pay more than the IS-F...initially and for maintenance and repairs with the worry that something may happen which is voided under warranty.

CrazyMPG

iTrader: (4)

just lease the bmw 335xi...then add the procede chip...that should be all...lol...my friend just leased a 335i coupe and just added the procede chip since it is only a piggy back and can be taken off when the lease is done... plus it is hidden under the normal place of the ecu in the car...so bmw service people wouldn't really notice it...unless they opened it up...

NINEZeRO

thanks for the input, but if im not mistaken you may be wrong here. i remember seeing test stats for 335i having a better fuel mileage the IS 350. the IS-F from several magazine tests has been tested at 16 mpg vs over 20 for the 335i. even if the 335xi does in fact have poorer gas mileage i wouldn't think that it would be that much lower than 20 mpg.