Rezno

iTrader: (1)

So I owned my car for a little bit over a week now and just wanted to share some thoughts to anyone who is in the market for one or just wants to read someone else's experience with the car. I put about 800 miles on it so far.

First off, I had a lot of options and things I really wanted to get and it was difficult narrowing down the choice, but I'll list the options of what I wanted to get below (I drove all except the IPL/370/IS-F):

-2009 Nissan 370z (due to it being the lightest one of the 370Zs apparently)
-2011-2013 Infiniti G37 IPL (Best looking and sounding 2 door ever for under 25k!!)
-2010+ Infiniti G37S (Revised gauges and suspension and 7 speed automatic, significantly better than old gen 5 speed)
-2009+ BMW 335i (Very fast and definitely the best handling among all except IS-F)
-2007-2008 Acura TL Type S (Most reliabile of the bunch and more than enough power than you'll need on a daily basis, amazing reliability)
-2008 Subaru Legacy GT (Most fun to work on, for sure)
-2007+ Lexus IS350
-2008+ Lexus IS-F (Budget M3 with much more reliability that won't require you to take out loans for parts)

I can safely say I did way too much research, really more than I should have, before I came to my final decision to go with the 350. I didn't care too much for a 2 or 4 door car, although my dad, who also occasionally drives my car, wanted something a bit more practical, wanted a 4 door car, which immediately canceled out the 370z and the IPL. A shame really because they both look absolutely gorgeous and are pretty quick (4.5 and 4.9 0-60 respectively). Because I am 18, insurance would obviously be an annoying factor with this choice and guess which one had the highest rate *cough* 370 *cough*. So those two were out of the picture.

I really loved the 335i and its huge aftermarket and its very underrated engine (It DEFINITELY makes more than 300hp, anyone who has driven one knows this) but what made me shy away from it was the maintenance and the problems with it. I mean, if the parts came cheap, I probably would have given it some more thought, but considering I would be doing or paying for most of the maintenance, I had to pass on it. Also, its insurance rate was also ridiculously high in comparison to what I got as an estimate with the other cars in the list. It is definitely the fastest and best handling car on this list (aside from the IS-F) but I did not want to deal with excessive costs. Also, I heard its harder to actually work on it yourself in comparison to the other cars on this list.

I actually almost got a Legacy GT for dirt cheap back in May 2016, and honestly I'm very grateful I didn't. Its not a bad car by any means (It does by far have the worst interior of any of the cars on this list though), but similar to the BMW, its a money pit. Not that its unreliable or too expensive to maintain, but you buy this car (and the WRX/STI) for modification. No one keeps these cars stock and of course, that means reliability is going to take a giant hit. I had a build to push out about 400whp that costed about $11,000 with all the engine components and suspension tweaks I could ever really ask for, but more research told me that its basically hit or miss with engine reliability at that amount of HP (and to be honest, unless you're racing or rallying the car, you'll never really need it) and full engine rebuilds are very expensive and sometimes will die out after 20k miles after the build if you really push it. The amount of money and time I'd spend on this car would be more than I would spend enjoying it, which made me decide not to get it. Also, I probably would not have been able to actually drive the car for a long time while it was being built.

I found a 2010 G37S with about 60k miles from a dealer who really wanted to get rid of it back in early January of this year. It was on his site for at least 3 months, so I decided to give that car some more thought and research, and I loved it. It handled very well for a car of its weight and I LOVED the 7500rpm redline, and it definitely was the best sounding car that I drove on this list (yes, I know the IS-F sounds better, but I never actually got to drive one). And if you thought the BMW had a giant aftermarket, this one is almost even bigger. Many many different supercharger, turbo kits, tunes, exhausts, etc. Really the one thing that made me shy away from this car was that the dealer sold it before I could make my final decision and I couldn't find a similar car for the rest of the time before I got my IS (Sport package with under 70k miles). The other thing too is that they depreciate ridiculously quickly. I can't count the number of G37s with over 110k miles that go for under 10k. Unlike the IS350, IS-F, and TL S, it just doesn't retain its value as well, no idea why. I loved this car so much, it just wasn't there when I needed it... (which I am also grateful for as I'll explain when I talk about the IS350)

My friend had a Acura TL Type S (car got totaled, so he bought a G37x) and I drove that car quite a few times and I have to say it is one of the best bang for buck used cars you can buy. His car had about 60k on it, but I drove another one with 170k and it drives like it just came off the factory. It is an amazing car, and really my excuses for not getting it are a bit petty, but I just didn't like the FWD layout and wanted to try something new. My dad drives a 2006 Civic, and yes you can't really compare the two at all, but if you really push the car to its limit, its easy to tell its FWD (lots of understeer). If you drive it at 8/10ths, you'll never know a thing because it grips and handles so well. It also wasn't as fast as the other cars on this list, only beating the Legacy GT in a straight line. And yes I know straight line speed isn't anything, but I wanted something that you would just never be able to tell how fast it actually is. The TL Type S is, in my opinion, the best looking 4 door car on this list (aside from the IS-F) but it just gives off too much in comparison to the IS350, which you can't ever tell how fast it is just by looking at it. The Type S, with the changed bumper, side skirts, 4 exhaust tips (which look awesome, don't get the wrong idea), and other details around the body just give it a bit less of a sleeper look, which is something I really wanted due to all the ricer Civics, VWs and Subarus in my area. I can't actually count the number of times they revved at me for no reason.. The lack of a huge aftermarket with this car didn't bother me at all as this car was a perfect package the way it was. Could use another 40hp, but other than that, its near perfect. The TL Type S is also a bit rare, but I happened to be looking for it at a good time. I found several with under 70k miles, but they just costed too much (between 19-23k) and for that less than that, I got my IS350.

Now before I go into the 350, I was really really considering an IS-F. I really just absolutely loved the way that car looked and sounded and it was just amazing. Really the one thing that turned me away from it was the MPG. And yes I know that makes me sound like a wimp, but I was going to daily drive whatever car I got, and 18 MPG combined wasn't really appealing, Yes, you can get over 25 on road trips, but I drive in areas where traffic can get really obnoxious, so that just made me say no. It was also heavier than every car on this list aside from the Infinitis. Definitely the best sounding and the fastest and by a hair over the TL, the best looking. Also like I said with the Legacy GT, you're never really going to use 400+ HP on the roads. Sure, at a track or drag strip it would be awesome (and also the transmission in the IS-F was by far the best one out of all in the group based on what I researched) but in the real world it is just not necessary. And even if I really really wanted it, I didn't quite have the money for it and would have to keep saving for a few more months. Which leads me onto the last car, the 350...

The Lexus IS350 is, in my opinion, the best car on this list. And here's why:
1. The most 'sleeper' car on this list: In my area, EVERY IS I ever see is a 250 AWD. And that sort of annoys me. Not that the 250 is a bad car, but it just doesn't have enough power, and especially on the used market, you can get a 350 for little more and an extra 100hp and its worth every penny. Most websites that review this car estimate a 0-60 of 5.1-4.7 seconds and a 1/4 mile of 13.9-13.1 (yes, I know it is not that realistic, but still. And that is bone stock, no tune or weight reduction.) And with some light mods some people were able to do 0-60 in 4.5 and the 1/4 in 12.9. Unlikely to consistently repeat, yes, but still impressive that it can possibly happen for a stock sedan in 2007. Simple mods and weight reduction could get those times even lower. And it is even faster than the 3IS. And more importantly, it doesn't look like it is that fast at all. Yes, the 335i and 370z are both faster in a straight line, but if you look at those cars, even someone who doesn't know anything about them will look at them and know they put down amazing numbers. A Genesis coupe and even to the common person's eye, a FRS/BRZ, 328i, C350 or WRX looks faster but if you ever actually race an IS350, good luck winning with any of those cars. Its off the line traction and first 2 gears are incredible. Just incredible.
2. The nicest interior of all these cars, hands down: The quality of the leather and the feel of the steering wheel and shift **** are just better than all the others. The center console looks the nicest, the cooled seats are an amazing option to have (yes I know they are not actually cooled seats, but how many other cars had this feature in 2007?) and the Luxury Package wood trim looks very high quality. Yes, the seats don't go as far down and yes, there is very little leg room in the back, but all minor complaints. Aside from the TL S and the G, which are close seconds in my opinion, nicest interior you can get in any of the listed cars, no contest.
3. Gets the best MPG of all these cars: Because it is a daily driver, MPG is a bit important to me. yes, gas is cheap, but I'd still rather spend less money on it. That being said, in the time I drove it, I achieved 24.3 MPG combined and 22.4 in city driving. The Acura is a close second. I was able to get 23.7 combined when I drove that car for a few days. Considering this has been proven to get over 30 MPG on road trips, definitely something that made me favor it over the others.
4. The second lowest insurance costs: What?! No way! Way. Compared to the other cars aside from the Acura, this car was the cheapest to insure in my area for whatever reason. Definitely a huge plus, because who wants to spend more money on insurance?
5. That engine: Remember when I said the BMW engine is underrated? This one is too. 306 HP from an NA 3.5 V6, but it feels like it makes a lot more. Also, the fact that the exhaust is restraining about 20 HP just proves this engine has so much more to give.
6. It feels the quickest: This one might cause a bit of disputes, but in my opinion this car felt the quickest of the ones I drove. Probably because of the traction off the line and the fact it hits 60 in second gear. The BMW is faster, but it doesn't feel as quick as this one for whatever reason. Am I delusional?
7. Best ride of all the cars: Yes, it doesn't corner as well as the 370z or the 335i, but it is the best riding car of all of these. It feels very comfortable and even if you start to push it, you're not sacrificing it. And plus, with simple mods, you can make it handle a lot better and even maybe as good as the 370 or 335i without removing the comfort aspect of it. Yes, the dash rattles are a bit annoying, but it is a small price to pay for an amazing riding car.
8. Small aftermarket = Saved money: I love cars with huge aftermarkets, but it just is an endless spending cycle. The IS350 has one of the smallest aftermarkets, along with the TL of all the cars on this list. And yes I love working on the car but the few performance parts that exist for it help narrow choices down and prevent you from spending an excessive amount of money on aftermarket parts. The car has enough power the way it is, but I will surely make sure to add just a little more.
9. It holds its resale value: In my area I see IS350s with over 120k miles still go for 12k. The one I got, with about 73k, was 16k, but I'm sure when I sell it years later hopefully, I won't take too much of a hit financially.
10: It looks awesome: Might cause a bit more disputes, but this, aside from the IS-F and the TL-S, is the best looking 4 door car here. Especially from the side, it just looks incredible.
11. BULLETPROOF RELIABILITY: Need I say more?

When I bought my car, I was deciding between a TL Type S with about 34k miles that was maintained by a couple who barely drove it. One owner and it looked brand new, not a single paint imperfection. However, it was 21k. I was eventually able to negotiate down to 19.5k, but that was the lowest it could go. The other was a 2007 IS350 with 73k miles, but it was 16k only. The car came with the Luxury and Premium packages and had the rear sunshade and headlamp washers and immediately when I saw it, I had to get it. I loved that TL but this car just suited me better because of the reasons I listed above. I absolutely love my IS350 and I am not planning on getting rid of it anytime soon. It really is the complete package of any used small sports sedan you can get for the money nowadays. I had very high expectations of the car when I bought it and I'm glad to say it has met or exceeded every single one. No complaints aside from the dash rattles. I will hopefully do another update on this as I put more miles on the car.

SeanO

iTrader: (1)

Glad to hear that your liking it - good choice going with a 350 and not a 250

Rezno

iTrader: (1)

Thank you! Yeah I drove a 250 and its just too underpowered, a more extreme version of me would say its not much faster or doesn't feel much faster than my dad's Civic. Plus 250s are everywhere here and I like having something a bit more rare.

Tro209

Nice write up! Should be very helpful for any one else in a similar situation. But at the end of the day it all comes down to test driving all vehicles being considered, and go from there. Oh and maintenance and general costs to own.

Glad to here you like your is350! I cross shopped between an STi, C5 Corvette, and G37. I also considered a ls2 GTO but never test drove one as I decided I would prefer to have a corvette if I was going domestic. At the end of the day all these vehicle were very different and it came down to me wanting the is350. Why? Because it's a sleeper like you said, it's got a great interior, and most importantly its RELIABLE. That means a lot to me coming from the mess that was my E46 330i BMW. No regrets on this car and can't wait to have it tuned!!

Rezno

iTrader: (1)

Thank you! Yeah I hope this does help anyone in the market looking for similar cars.

I never actually thought of buying a domestic car just because most performance versions will get terrible mpg and aren't as fast as they should be due to traction problems off the line and such. Plus the insurance for a Corvette or GTO would probably be even more than the 370. Like you said those three things basically just sealed the deal for me. Its a complete sleeper and no one suspects it. I thought a little bit about getting an STI or an Evo X, but the interior is terrible in comparison and again, they're cars made to be worked on, broken down, and repeated (and also I didn't have the money and by the time I'd save up for one, the IS-F is looking much better for that money). The interior looks like it could come off a brand new car today and still look better than new interiors. and I don't have to worry about problems after 170k. Its the complete package. Can't wait to start my build this summer myself, very excited!

Also I'm sorry you ever got that E46 330i. My friend's roomate had one and it was literally in the shop every other week. He ended up selling it and getting a 2006 TL. One of the reasons why, after my research, I didn't even consider the 335i.

Tro209

Yeah the E46 was a great car.. Till it broke. But then again what is one to expect when he buys a 9 year old car with 100k+ miles and without a warranty too...

Really its all my fault for being such an uneducated buyer. At the time I was barely getting into cars in general and just bought that car out of gut instinct. I very vary lightly researched and I completely regret buying it. However I guess some lessons are best learned the hard way. Now I know too never own a used European car out of warranty and to always research as much as possible before buying another car.

Gville350

iTrader: (10)

Beautiful write-up! Should be sticky'd!

I had very similar vehicles I looked at for my purchase; however, because it was back in 2011, the newer, more expensive Infinities were not on my list.

The IS350 just gives one the "full pkg"! Great resale value, fun-factor, reliability, and timeless looks. When I found mine, I was hooked!

Minh93

OMG!!!! You got me, I'm in the same situation, my list as your list: g37, 335i, 370z, is350, ISF. When I sold my 06 TL, I talked to myself that my next move is is350. I was looking for an is350 awhile but can't find any, then I give up and then change my mind to get an ISF but I still have no luck with an ISF that in my budget, I mean I do see some in my budget but the car get beat up kinda bad.
This is ridiculous, when I change my route for an ISF, I see an is350 pop up at local dealer, 97k miles 13.9, I believe I can get it at 11.5, it has been sitting at that dealer almost 2 months, and now I'm stuck with between is350 vs ISF. The F just grow up on me so bad, I'm worry that I will get regret when I get the is350 if I want the F so bad. I really don't know what to do now.
1) Get the is350 right now.
2) Save more money and get the F.

MWIS350

Nice write up Is350 is sleeper for sure 80% IS I seen on the street is IS250 so I'm feeling little special. Mod the IS350 so it'll look different and get more attention.

MWIS350

Get the ISF that thing is rare and special. Pay little more but it's worth every penny

Aspect

I too was after Infiniti's, but they seem to disappear like magic every time I go to see one. Mainly looking at G35 coupes but was also lusting after a G37X, even took a look at TSXs. Man the power of the G37 was addicting but couldn't get the right deal on it so I ended up getting my IS250 AWD. In love with the 2IS looks since highschool and finally got one.

Minh93

It is...every time I see it, I can't stop turning my head at it.

Tro209

Trust me on this one... Get the ISF. You'll always regret deep inside when you see one if you don't. If your gonna get a 2IS you might as well go all out if you can. However only do it if you can actually afford it. Maintenance costs are a little higher, as well as insurance costs and fuel consumption. However I would say the ISF is worth it in the long run for those who can afford it.

For me, I originally was going to upgrade to an ISF this coming year but decided to just keep modding my is350 instead since I'm already about halfway where I want it to be. Instead I'll switch up to an AMG, M3, etc once I'm more financially stable in the future. Till then I LOVE my Is350 but if I had the money to get an ISF when I purchased, I definitely would have been in an ISF.

redspencer

iTrader: (1)

I've said for years that while the IS-F is the Lexus equivalent to the E9X M3, a properly tuned 2IS350 is the Lexus equivalent to the highly-acclaimed E46 M3. Both platforms share very similar physical dimensions, weight distribution, and the exact same wheelbase. The additional curb weight of the 2IS350 can be mitigated by the omission of the spare tire kit and lighter wheels (in which BMW had already done for the E46 M3).

0-60 and 1/4 mile times between the 2IS350 and the E46 M3 are also comparable to one another and with the ECU tune, the 2GR-FSE can be made into a high-revving motor with a highly usable powerband throughout the entire RPM range.

Handling wise, it's been documented that with the proper suspension parts (e.g. the OEM TRD F-Sport suspension package), skidpad and slalom figures match and/or surpass what a stock E46 M3 is capable of (Skidpad- 0.89-0.90g; Slalom- 71mph). The all-important steering feel can be greatly improved using the '11+ IS-F Steering ECU. The only kink in the armor to the 2IS350 is the laggy auto upshift of the transmission while in manual mode (which doesn't compare to the responsiveness of the SMG transmission in the M3). On the plus side, the 2IS350 is a much more reliable platform.

All in all, a stock 2IS350 is quite impressive out of the box based on what others have already stated and with a few key performance upgrades, a tuned 2IS350 can be quite the sleeper on the streets, the drag strip, and on the track!

Tro209

Agreed with everything you said redspencer! The 2IS is a hell of a platform once you start modding it a bit. I still don't have the F sport sway bars and suspension bits or even the tune, but in the near future once I'm down with my aesthetic build I shall have them all. That way my Is350 will keep me happy until I can get a more powerful car.