nano10

That's crazy to see, I have never experienced that and this is my second 335 I have had n54 and n55 engine. Also having the inline turbo engine is a blast especially if you plan to mod.

macmaster

The whole "BMW is more fun to drive" thing is false. Ever notice how they use like 10" wide wheels and their cars are built an inch lower to the ground??? With just a couple mods you can make the Lexus (or any car for that matter) handle as well as a BMW.

DrivenSoul

I have to say the newer BMWs weren't as fun as the older ones. The 2003 I practically learned driving on had one of the best steering feels I've ever encountered. But almost every new BMW to me has steering that just feels REALLY heavy but with no feedback at all.

mrraider

By all accounts, the 330i was a dog, and the IS350 should rape it in every way possible. There's a reason BMW had to slap a blower on the n52.

BLexodus

iTrader: (1)

Agree with mrraider... the 330 is nothing compared to the IS350 in terms of acceleration, handling, or anything really!

The 335 might be faster in a straight line but I personally dont think its better in any other way (though the new 4 series is temptingly pretty!).

Right now the 328 has the 250 beat in terms of acceleration/speed/fun to drive, especially when you consider its MPG advantage, but hopefully Lexus will fix that with the IS200t or whatever they are going to call it.

BLexodus

iTrader: (1)

oh, BTW...

A 'base' IS350 RWD is $39k... Fully loaded NAV+ML RWD F Sport for $48k

A 'base' 335i RWD is $43K... M Sport with leather is $49k... M Sport with options to match Lexus is $59k

Drive the IS350 and 335 back to back and this will be a no-brainer for you... IS350!!!

NYKnick101

Did you drive a 250 AWD or RWD because IMO they are substantially different in power and handling? I have an earlier model AWD and Ive driven the IS350 RWD and my 250 awd cuts into turns a lot quicker even when your mashing the gas. The 350 just felt like it wanted to go sideways no matter what and traction control just wanted to catch it which made it not as much fun... Im not really much into power so make sure you know what you want from the right type of car

Stillhart

What's this IS200t? Google only pulls up the old IS200...

Yup, I tried to get that across in my original post. The $49k IS350 is not only cheaper than the 335i, it's cheaper than a fully loaded 328i too.

I drove the RWD. I recently moved to the desert where there isn't much snow or rain to deal with so I don't really need AWD. Given that it's more expensive, there's more to go wrong, it's slower and less fuel efficient... seems like a no-brainer for me.

I also have a Subaru for my other car so if we do feel like driving up to the snow, that's the way to go.

BLexodus

iTrader: (1)

Lexus has confirmed its working on a 2.0 4cy Turbo Engine, its likely to debut in 2014 as a 2015 model in the new SUV they are producing (rumors say its based on a RAV4 platform and will look a little like a smaller RX).

Another rumor if you read around on here is that the 250 V6 will be gone in a year or so in favor of this new Lexus 2.0t, hence the IS200t or something like that. That will hopefully close the gap between the IS250 v 328 in the HP & MPG department.

But rumors are rumors so who knows, cant go wrong with the IS350!

https://www.clublexus.com/articles/n...future-yes.php

Stillhart

Very interesting. It makes perfect sense, but it seems weird that it's coming out a year after the new body style.

Oh well, doesn't impact my decision in the short term.

dseag2

As the former owner of a 330ci, I can vouch for that.

CUTigers

I loved my e90 335 when she wasnt throwing a hissy fit lol. But you see what brand Im with now. You do get more value for your money with Lexus vs a similar loaded BMW.

DrivenSoul

The 330 had a pretty linear grasp on what power it had. Right away when I began driving the IS (2nd gen) I noticed the different power-band + the handling was way less confident and the absolute lack of steering feel compared to the hydraulic system in the E46.

Even my dad thought the IS felt a lot slower than the BMW b/c he wasn't used to revving up so high to get power. The Bimmer used to feel plenty strong and alive at 3000 rpm and would rarely need to go over 3500 for brisk acceleration. The IS on the other hand is an engine that feels like it needs to be wrung out to produce its power. I'm sure from 1000-3000rpm the IS is still quicker than the BMW, but it doesn't feel that way b/c the power seems to jump after 3000 so much.

On one hand it makes the car feel more exciting but on the other hand it's a little unpredictable and sometimes frustrating when you want power without having to jump down 2 gears. I've had plenty of encounters in Normal ECT mode when I needed to speed up a little at 40mph on the street or 70mph on the fwy. I would have the throttle about halfway down and the car didn't seem to move anywhere. I had to almost floor it to get the gears to change down to finally see the speed pick up. I tried leaving it in power mode but it changes down TOO eagerly. Every time I was on the freeway and barely moved my foot down on the throttle, the car would suddenly want to sit near redline? Hopefully the 3IS took care of some of this.

Also, I've had some situations during spirited driving where I began fully accelerating at around 3000 rpm on a sweeping corner and it first felt like it was lacking the grunt, then towards the end of the turn the power fell in and began making the rear end slip out... Pretty scary lol.

But the BMW after the mid 2000s era seem to have lost a its charming steering feel, they mostly just feel heavy and lifeless now. But I haven't driven the F? series 3 series so I'm talking about the E60/E90 era

Stillhart

Okay, so I drove the IS350 (non-F-sport) and the 335i (non-Sport, non-M-sport). I'd have preferred to drive the respective sport versions but they weren't available. I was lucky to get to drive the IS350 at all.

Anyways IS350: I don't know if it was the non-F-sport or what, but I was unimpressed with the engine in the 350. It honestly didn't feel powerful at all. For the price difference, I'd definitely save the money and go with the 250 if engine was the only difference. However, the variable suspension and 8-speed tranny are important too so it's a tough sell now. I may have to wait for an F-sport 350 to try again and see.

Also the non-F-sport dash was pretty uninsipring. That LFA gauge really adds a lot to the car. Also, the seats in the F-sport felt a lot nicer too.

Th 335i: Holy hell, that's a fast car! The instant torque with no discernable turbo lag was intoxicating! The steering in the non-sport was definitely a step down from the F-sport, but the 328 I drove was a Sport and I can imagine the combo. Even so, it still handled really well.

Also, a lot of the driving I did this time was on normal roads that I'd commute on the honestly, the BMW felt nicer for just cruising. I don't know what it was but I came away from that test drive with no doubts on which was the superior car to drive around.

Of course OWNING the cars is a different story, with maintenance costs and reliability taken into account. The Lexus will likely be the better long-term car. And the BMW is definitely more expensive in the short term, being some 7k more expensive with apples-to-apples setup (more if you add the stuff that Lexus doesn't offer).

I think I definitely need to try the IS350 F-sport model. I honestly liked the IS250 F-sport better than the IS350 base and that weirds me out. Also, I can't imagine why the 350 felt so weak. maybe it's just a peaky engine and needs to be wrung out to get all the power? If so, that may be why I wasn't feeling like 300 horses under the hood.

As it stands now, I'm in lust with the 335i.

corradoMR2

Curious, can you elaborate on the IS 250 F-Sport's impressions? Handling, ride comfort, power, and transmission? Thanks!