EZZ

The comparison is a little flawed. The S4 and 340 are about ~$7k more expensive than a comparatively equipped IS350. The Is350 is actually priced about the same as a comparatively equipped A4 and 328. There is nothing in the IS lineup that competes price wise to the S4 and 340.

Mike200T

The only thing I have to contribute is that I don't like BMW's lol ... I don't think the value is there for the money your paying. Sure they make sure some awesome cars and some really high-powered cars but I don't think they are worth the money they charge.

JDR76

To me the biggest advantage that BMW has over Lexus is the availability of manual transmissions. I almost pulled the trigger on a 335i a few years back for the simple fact that I could get it with a manual transmission.

Mike200T

Yes, I'd love the 200t in a manual but I don't want the BMW problems just for a manual lol ... It was also nice that Lexus didn't want any money down to lease the 200t and BMW wanted like $4K+. Not willing to drop $4K on a lease just for a manual.

kyoungjook

Agree, manual would have been perfect. I traded in my 2015 STI for the IS350, and the manual transmission is the thing I miss the most.

Regarding BMW leases, the nationally advertised lease deals always ask for a down payment, but you can negotiate these however you like. Often, you can do better than those nationally advertised lease specials - including putting $0 down. Plus, the BMW's have the advantage of European Delivery, which knocks off about 7% of MRSP, without any negotiating.

2015isboy

2017 audi a4 looks average imo. Interior looks amazing. Overall BMW still do the best job of both.

budman1

I leased an E90 335i prior to purchasing my 15 IS350.

The N54 engine was wonderful - instant torque and zero turbo lag. It would easily outperform the IS350.

I test drove new BMWs with the N55 engine and was very impressed with their performance.

However, my experience with the E90 turned out to be a reliability nightmare. BMW ended up buying out the lease early due to all of the issues.

I am sure you will be more than pleased with the switch to a 340. My advice would be to make sure it is under warranty.

goldengame

If you go for the 340i, be prepared for a difference in sportiness. The engine puts out a bit more power and the transmission is near perfect, but the steering feel and the suspension feel isn't as raw as in the IS350 F Sport. Drove one a couple weeks ago and was very surprised at how muted the steering felt. I could feel barely anything through the steering. I definitely couldn't feel the road surface or camber. The M235i actually felt a lot closer to how my IS350 felt than the 340i.

Personally, I'd choose the IS because of the driving feel, but it all depends on your preferences.

EZZ

Its a German muscle car. Fast in a straight line, capable in a turn, but steering feels dead. For this price range, i would also look at the ATS V-sport. Its probably in the 340 price range with better handling and also be a good deal faster too.

JustBaze1

I cross shopped the 340 with the IS350 a month ago..I'm here so ultimately I went for the 350. I felt for the money both cars are I want a car that feels quality and has enough performance to have fun. The bmw feels cheap inside and pretty boring IMO. I didn't feel like sacrificing the interior for an engine that'll still make me want more just like the IS does..at least I can be more comfortable while wanting a faster car.

And as a side note I think the exterior of the IS is better than the 3 series too so all the bmw has on the lexus is better performance in a straight line, not turns so not worth it for the extra cost that it is.

goldengame

The ATS V-sport is actually a trim level like the F Sport trim. The engine is still the 3.6L V6, which is about as fast as the 3.5L in the IS350.

That said, when I was driving the 340i, you can tell that it has more torque at a lower RPM, but it really didn't feel much faster than my IS350. Also because of the turbo, it spools inconsistently from a stop. I actually almost got in an accident on the test drive because I was going into a roundabout from a stop, and gave it gas but it barely moved at all (only started moving at around 1800-2000 RPM). Also from a stop, the 0-60 didn't feel that fast at first because the turbo has to spool. You won't have these issues with an IS, ATS, or S4 because they don't use turbos.

EZZ

You are right. I was thinking CTS V-sport which has 420hp and is different from the CTS-V with 550 horsepower. The ATS V-sport doesn't have an engine upgrade and the CTS V-sport but instead, the ATS-V has the upgrade to 420hp.

The 335 felt faster to me than the IS350 but the handling was disappointing.

goldengame

Yeah the 335i and 340i are definitely faster, but the difference isn't as big as I thought it would be. I like the extra pull, but I think the turbo issues are a deal breaker for me. I know BMW could do a better job too because the M235i didn't have the turbo spool issues.

kyoungjook

Based on some of the articles I've seen, a bone stock 340i will run the 1/4 mi anywhere from low 13's, to high 12's. That is nearly 1 second faster than a IS 350. Plus, it has nearly 70 lb-ft more torque. So, it is a LOT faster than an IS350 - the difference would be comparable to an IS200t/IS250 vs an IS350, maybe even larger. Also, with the M-sport package, I wouldn't be surprised if it handled better too - at least from an objective standpoint (i.e. figure eight times, skidpad grip, etc). Plus, BMW's have a pretty robust aftermarket, and their turbo motors respond very well to tuning. So, once you run an aftermarket tune, the performance gap will be even bigger.

That said, the 340i is going to cost significantly more than an IS350. Also, the 340i will have less tactile feel than the 350 - this is probably more the subjective component of handling. The IS350's limits may be lower on paper, but you will feel more confident exploring those limits than you would in the 340i.

So, while I think the IS350 is probably a better balanced car, and a better value, I don't think it's really comparable from a performance perspective with a 340i.

EZZ

Actually, I see it a little differently. If you look at the C&D comparo, the IS350 had horrible skidpad figures due to the terrible stock tires but still had the best slalom. Wouldn't surprise me if it could get even better slaloms with tires that were equal to what the BMW had. I believe that in track tests, the much more powerful 335 only beat it by less that 1 second on the track which implies that the IS350 had much better handling capabilities even down on power. I think with equal tires, I'd still put my money on the IS350 to have better handling capability and feel. From a straightline perspective it will never compare to the 340 however, its priced much more inline with a 328. In fact, a fully loaded 328 and A4 are more expensive than a fully loaded IS350.