Afrosheen

Sounds like you want a GS with the Luxury package, not the F Sport. Luxury will give you square fitment wheels and cheap tire replacement (well, cheapER) while maintaining adjustable suspension and some other goodies that the F Sport brings, along with a slightly softer ride in Normal mode. You still get the super adjustable seats that the F Sport gets (18 way with thigh extension) along with heated and cooled seats which probably come in handy in swampy NC.

I'd also spring for the ML stereo option. It takes an already good sound system and makes it great.

y2tony3

It looks like all the "pros" you gave about the IS is more of a looks thing...


I think the GS has a great and aggressive sports look, pretty quick and responsive and it is also a good family car. In your situation I would choose the GS 100%.


don't let that mid-life crisis hit you yet... at least not with an IS.

sdiver68

I got 8.4% plus $2k off my 16 IS350 FSp and left just enough meat on the bone to make it a fair deal. In the Mid-South which is not nearly as competitive as some markets. So deals are out there for IS. I dont think I could have touched a GS Fsp for just under $40k like my IS.

Ended up leasing due to .9% interest and guaranteed residual on the lease with enough lease cash to make the numbers come out better than buy.

Personally have trouble understanding the GS. It doesnt feel or drive sporty enough to not just go ES.

Afrosheen

You have to drive it hard in Sport+ to understand it. It has a brilliant chassis that makes the car shrink around you when you push it. Mine has the rear wheel steering option as well and it begs to be whipped around every corner at speed.

The rest of the time it's docile and effortless while hauling you and 3 other people around in comfort. I'm a giant and my friends are giants, and if our arms touch on the center armrest, the car is too small. This doesn't happen often in the GS but in my buddy's E46 M3, I can't even use the console armrest. For the people that I've let drive it (with me inside) they always gripe about how big the car is because of the hood view...until they hammer it on the highway and we're pushed back into our seats laughing, or we take an off-ramp clover at double the speed with no complaints from the Pilots. The GS is a hidden gem of a sedan that tricks most people into thinking it's boring, slow, and incapable of handling business, and that's the real ace. It's not a cop magnet.

sdiver68

Nice reply, sounds like you love yours Ive been buying the small sport sedan for 20 years and average about a car purchased per year just could never jump to the GS, 5 series, E-Class, 6 etc they always feel big to me. But we use an SUV for hauling around lots of people and Ive yet to hang my tail out with others in a car ;-) Well except my track instructor on my solo check out, ha!

Afrosheen

Drove a CLS550 AMG once, it was definitely too big. The hood raised up like a boat under acceleration on the highway, big turn off for me. 5 Series are also too big and bloated with dead steering, which is why the current M5 is dying on the vine. I totally get what you mean about stepping up to a larger sedan, but this one is like the middle porridge in Goldilocks, just right. Which is why, if I can swing it, I have a GSF in my sights.

mrpink13

well yeah the is is gonna be way more tossable in corners and lighter. but its like a toyota tercel compared to the gs. its what arrmenian kids get from their parents in high school around here. just returned my loaner is200t. regardless of the engine it felt like a massive step down quality wise. but if you want it feel more sporty and nimble the IS is gonna win that. it also has a nice small steering wheel.

herkster

I ran into the same problem.

I'm 6'3" and the GS just fit a bunch better. the IS seemed quicker BUT the GS had all the bells and whistles in it. It just is a better car than the IS for the price.

I wanted to bigger screen, the electric steering wheel that moves away when parked, the wider feel and the room! I came from a 2007 G35S that was a stick 6 speed and would have loved to have that option (manual) but even infiniti wont offer that. The IS was a close size option to the G35S but seemed entry level in comparison to the GS.

I looked at the Q50S and it was a faster car but the Lexus was more refined, better fit quality and didn't feel stale like the new Infinti.

When we drove the Q50S it was FAST but offered no driver feedback like the last infiniti we had. You stomped on it and the world went by fast but with no feedback as to what was going on. The electronic steering was like a video game. The Lexus was just better overall. it was like the infiniti folks took the performance feedback out and made it more of a luxury car.

In the end, the wife has a RX350 so adding the GS was a good fit. I have not been disappointed. Sure its not the fastest car out there but for interstate cruising, that i do a fair amount of, its great.

JayRo354

At your height, I would definitely go with the GS over the IS. The GS has better capacity than the IS and will make for a more comfortable ride if you are the main driver for the GS.

djrabbi

iTrader: (2)

I think GS350 is better