Acuraelin

Want to get some opinions

BMW has the free maintanance program

racinghart

i acutally was comparing the bmw and the is when i was shoppin... i even threw in the acura tl to compare... i couldnt be much happier with the IS250 i finally got... sure maintenance is free for a couple of years but if you can afford a bmw or a lexus, you should not have an issue with spending a couple hundred bucks on maintenance every now and then.

now... if we are talking about the bmw 335 turbo one... thats a different story haha

khoongy

i think with the money spent on a 328i , you could probably get an is350 =) ...which would make you happier than getting the 250 or the 328. beamers are expensive ! however, i do think the new 3 series coupes are nice. i just like mine better =D

CLS2GS300

My buddy test drove both and I went along. The BMW's interior was lacking in my opinion.

gsrthomas

iTrader: (1)

I wanted the new 328i too. But the new BMWs dont even have an oil dipstick!!!

That was a total turn off because i'm a huge DIY guy and that is so stupid for BMW not have have an oil dipstick for the engine.

I turely believe they did this so you HAVE to go to BMW for repairs after the warranty expires so more $$$$$ for them.

eddo1

BMW recommends oil changes every 15000 miles, meaning you'll get about 3 oil changes total during the free maintenance period. Throw in maybe a set of brake pads and possibly rotors and wipers. All of which doesn't account for very much, but it sounds nice. But of course, expect your car to be in the shop for many other things besides scheduled maintenance as little things tend to break down easily (don't know if they have fixed these in the newer models) This is experienced from owning a M3, 525 and 325. The interior has not changed significantly from the 10 years ago.

Gtidan

With engines that hold six or more quarts of oil and are built like a BMW or Mercedes (yep, no oil dip stick) what's the point? There is a warning light on the dash should a problem arise. And on the Mercedes you can check the oil level on the dash using the onboard computer. Dip stick? How 90s is that?

AS for free maintenence.......other then oil changes (what is it now, 10,000 miles) the rest is a joke. Free wiper blades!, Brakes maybe, since every BMW owner I know has had problems with BMW rotors and pads. Even the boys at Mercedes dropped the free out of maintenence. NO big deal.

newr

328 all the way... and I wish Lexus had free maintainance..

kickin8

iTrader: (1)

if you plan to sell cars ~3 years, then BMW is not a bad choice.....
if you plan to drive the car for 5+ years (or 100K+) then u should get the IS as BMW maintenance kills after their free maintenance expires (unless u wanna get $1200-2000 out of the pocket first to get their "extended" service).

kickin8

iTrader: (1)

BMW OEM wiper blades cost like $20 each !

neova

haha, free maintenance NOW, but get ready to be raped by maintenance costs AFTER warranty expiry. Even if it's free maintenance, you'll probably bring the BMW in for warranty repairs more than on the Lexus.

If you're getting a new car every 3-4 years, go with what you want. If you intend to keep your car beyond warranty expiration, then go for the IS250.

Price/features wise, the IS250 can only compare to the 323i. 328i has more power and standard features (such as leather).

newr

gotta to pay to play..

G35TOIS350

+1 if its one thing i hate about bimmers is the interior. hate the thick hard leather also.

Redpaste

iTrader: (4)

have you considered buying a used IS350?

acsan

Ask yourself, "Which car do I like better?"
As you've seen from what other experienced members have said, the free maintenance probably isn't worth a whole lot to make a difference.
So you should go with the car you personally like best...don't let the free maintenance sway your decision nor let our albeit valuable input highly influence your decision.

In the end, it's all up to you.