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Sedans BMW 3-Series BMW 3-series vs Lexus IS
1527 messages, Last post on May 20, 2009 at 1:33 PM
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Replying to: nyccarguy (Aug 11, 2008 6:57 pm) 
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Replying to: fedlawman (Aug 11, 2008 7:51 pm) As far as the TSX, I tested it a couple of years ago and didn't like the 4 cylinder feel. The car gets about the same gas mileage as an IS250 which is a 6. This should not be. Plus, I found the quality of the TSX to be kind of cheaply made but yet only a few thousand less than an IS250 and even a 328 for that matter. For example, I thought the doors were very light and tin'y. In fact, I thought the Accord V6 Coupe was a higher end car than the TSX. Again, I'm not looking for power just a nice looking car and decent gas mileage. Keep in mind, my 325 is only 127 hp and is cramped in the back seat too.
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Replying to: camina (Aug 12, 2008 8:43 am) The current model TSX was redesigned from the ground up. It's a completely different car than the one you test drove 2 years ago. But if you want a V6, then it's off the list. "The car gets about the same gas mileage as an IS250 which is a 6. This should not be." Why not? Both engines are basically the same size and displacement. You know, the 4 cylinder Accord, Camry, and Sonata also get basically the same mileage. Speaking of the Sonata, have you looked at it? With current incentives, you can get a 2009 V6 Limited with all the bells and whistles (Satellite navigation, heated leather seats, Infinity audio system with XM radio and iPod jack, bluetooth, etc.) for between $25,000 and $26,000. It's a very nice car with a smooth powerful V6 (it's 20% more powerful than the Lexus yet gets about the same mileage), refined road manners, excellent quality, and a luxurious interior. With today's economy, saving $6,000 or $7,000 can't be a bad thing...  
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Replying to: fedlawman (Aug 11, 2008 7:51 pm)
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Replying to: nyccarguy (Aug 12, 2008 7:25 pm) |
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Replying to: shipo (Aug 11, 2008 9:18 am) I then replied saying that the IS250 is more closely compare to the 328i in both performance and pricing. Was I wrong? 
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Does anyone know the ground clearance of a new 328? Lexus web site lists the IS 250 as 5.7in. I have a steep driveway and don't want to have the bottom of the front of the car hit the driveway. Thanks.
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Replying to: craigw1 (Aug 27, 2008 7:57 pm) Also...if your steep driveway straightens out (which I'm assuming) then you may also bottom out the middle of the vehicle too...so wheelbase length may matter as well. Of course you could take the approach at a 45 degree angle and after one wheel is on straighten out (also assuming the back end doesn't scrape) Best to take the test vehicles and try it out on their cars before you get either. |
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I am looking at a used certified IS 250. I think it is very overpriced - 28k for 21500 miles automatic with all basic amentities. Think it should be closer to 22k. Anyone have an idea? thanks! |
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Replying to: camina (Aug 10, 2008 8:51 pm) I think those 3 cars will get fairly similar gas mileage. If you plan on driving the car for more than a decade than Lexus or Acura might be cheaper to maintain than the BMW. The Acura is a bit wimpy and I kicked myself for not waiting for the Lexus IS250 before buying that, but mostly because i think the IS looks nicer, rear wheel drive, sportier, etc... The TSX has very little low-end power - that means you have to really step on it to get it to go faster. Not that my wife races it, but acceleration can be viewed as a safety and comfort issue. I have strong opinions about the way the cars look but those are my personal opinions. I thought through this similar bunch of cars as I was buying my 335 and here are some of my conclusions. - Lexus might save you a significant amount of money depending on the model & options. - Lexus might have better technology, navigation, etc... than BMW, although the 2009 BMW's have a greatly improved iDrive (navigation) - Many people think BMW interiors are a bit plain, but some call it a classic look rather than the cluttered, techy, LED, stuff ages really fast. And it actually looks good to me anyway. - I think Lexus is the nicer of the Japanese luxury cars, but I still don't think any of them have quite the stature of BMW - BMW's generally outperform Lexus at each price range - even if you don't like to drive fast - it handles better, more fun to drive, etc... I ended up buying the 335 partially because the IS350 doesn't come in a manual transmission which is a requirement for me, but I understand I am a minority here. But mostly because of design, when you spend $50,000 on a car you're not just buying some piece of industrial machinery, you're buying a piece of art, and to me at least, the IS just isn't as beautiful as the 3-series coupe. I also considered the Inifiniti G37 and Audi A5 (2 door coupe). The Audi A5 actually was a little tempting, but the fact that Audi share most of it's components with Volkswagen ruins the brand for me. It was also overpriced compared to the 3-series. The A4 and A5 are basically Passats and I've also heard too many mechanical horror stories with them. So if you ask me and you're in the IS250 price range: 1 - BMW 328 Coupe (2009) 2 - Lexus IS250 3 - Infiniti G37 Good luck.
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