MBTC

Others looking at cars in this range, like me, were also considering cars in the same price range from BMW, Infiniti etc. So, given that you could have spent your $30k-40k or whatever on a different car, what landed you with an IS?

I'll go first since I'm asking the question.

First, horsepower was not as big a consideration for me as gas mileage. My last car was a Maxima and it was a little too fast for me; it just wanted to go fast and I found it doing so when I wasn't looking. I got a lot of speeding tickets, and I don't even really try to drive aggressively. At the same time I just can't have a four cylinder. I need a 6 cyl that runs relaxed and quiet at highway speeds (I just find 4 cylinders too noisy).

In the running for me were BMW, Lexus and Infiniti. The Lexus IS 250 won out for me over the competition (primarily BMW) due mainly to (not in any particular order):

1. Reliability reputation over the BMW
2. Looks of the IS versus a 3-series
3. Better value for the money with all options considered

If performance were a big consideration or I wanted a faster car, I may have ended up with something else, but as I said I need to keep my drivers license and I can't seem to behave in fast cars. I've also seen gas prices over four bucks a gallon and they could go higher than that, so I wanted something that got better mileage than my Maxima did (which I bought mostly for its engine back when gas was dirt cheap). I like the G37 overall but I could not get one for the same overall value the IS 250 gives me.. it would have been probably $4k or so more, giving me horsepower I don't want with poorer gas mileage. If I were going to spend $4k more and wanted horsepower, it would have made it a harder choice because it would mean the G37, the 3-series and the IS 350 would be running very close to neck-and-neck in performance in price.

I honestly did not look at the current model Acuras much because I just didn't like what they did with the exterior styling and that ugly front grill on all models, even though they're good cars. I also decided to pass on non-premium brands (Nissan, Honda, etc) because by the time you equip them half-decently, you are either at around $30k or low 30s at least, and once you enter that bracket, might as well look at a premium brand where I will get a better car and do business with a better dealership getting better service, loaners when needed etc.

So, that's my story -- it's a non-typical one for CL forums because historically I have been happier with cars that sacrifice a little bit of sportiness in favor of "comfort". The IS 250 just seemed like the best car for my needs and a great value.

So what's yours?

llamaboiz

easy: If you're gonna buy a new car whats the best car for your dollars? easy, Toyota. Whats the best Toyota? easy, the Lexus line. Whats rwd/have hp/4dr and automatic? easy, IS350...

I'm going thru my midlife so this is the first time i've ever owned a 4dr/automatic car in my life, before its always been 2dr/standard coupes

blake0387

iTrader: (1)

I'm not sure that the 'better gas mileage' argument really works when placing the 250 over the 350. The difference in mileage is pretty negligable with reasonable driving habits.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

I come from a Ford family, and one day the son of the general manager of Lexus of Pleasanton rear ended my mustang. To keep the accident off the books, the GM gave my parents an RX350 as a loaner while they took care of my bumper (I drove my mom's Explorer). My mom loved it so much that a few months later they ended up buying an 08' RX. My sis got the mustang, I got the Explorer, but I wanted something that was my own. I looked around at SUV's and other 4 door cars (was tired of 2 door), and one day when I took my mom's RX in for service I was walking the lot when I came across the IS. I was immediately enamored by it, and eventually bought one a few months later!

Mv350

iTrader: (23)

the interior. the lines. the color. and the price for the luxury/power/feel. best car i ever test drove. super smooth transmition when shifting. quiet(when stock) stock speaker quality(pioneer). very quick compared to others in the class. i love my IS. just want more power now, ill probably get a 1IS when this is paid off as a second weekend build/warrior.

IS-SV

Luxury, refinement, style and reliability were main reasons for me choosing IS350 over 335 sedan. I like the 335 coupe more from a style standpoint, but the back seat becomes useless with only 2 doors.

rcJten

My LS400 got me through all four years of college and then some, placing it currently at 234,400 miles and still running strong (I still drive it to work). It has been the best car Ive ever owned. So I am just loyal to the brand, and not to mention an IS is SICK! Ive wanted an IS since the first gen.

Raralith

My first car was a Toyota Corolla and honestly, that thing was a beast because I drove it like a madman; MPH meter tops out at 110, I'm sure I've done faster since the thing kept on accelorating. I got less than 20 mpg out of that car since I redlined it wherever I went. While that was the first car I paid fully with my own money, I do make a considerably more now, and I thought I'd treat myself to something with a bit more luxury. I tried a few luxury cars but they lacked the speed I wanted, I tried some sport cars and they lacked the luxury I wanted, and than I found the IS 350 where I thought the package was complete.

soupdawg

i wanted a sedan and the 335i sedan looks like ***. mercedes c350 is pure garbage. audi is way expensive for the specs you get.

Jetfire

iTrader: (3)

4 door,reliable, rwd. the rest was just a bonus.

potatosink

looks, 4 door, rwd, looking for trade for my s2000 cuz I needed 4 seater,lower maintenance than bmw, IS was a good choice.

Deros

iTrader: (1)

You did the same thing I did but for different reasons. I also had a 05 Maxima. When I bought my Maxima, I was still living in CA. When I moved to HI, the Navigation did not work. ****'d me off big time. Lived with it for about 3 years before I got tired at looking at a non-functional Nav.

Anyway - I wanted something unique but not too expensive (relatively speaking). Same or better horse power than my Maxima. Since I live in HI, I wanted a convertible. Soft tops are abundant, so I went with a Hard Top (Something different). The choices were like yours; Lexus SC430, Lexus IS 350C, BMW 335i conv, and Infinite G35 conv. Of course I wanted new.

Here was my issues each of the cars I did not picked:
1. SC430 - Way out of my price range. $70k+ Was looking at a CPO in the Pre-owned Lexus lot, however it had a NAV that did not work in HI.
2. Infinite G35 - For some reason my insurance company was going to increase my rate by an extra $400-$500 every six months. Something about it being labeled as a sports car.
3. BMW 335i - Expensive once I started to add options I wanted. $65K+

IS350C - New series (second year), other than the front end looks different from the IS350, has a little more rear seat than SC430, only increase my insurance by $18 every 6 mths. Owned a GX470 with no problems, so I figured I would get the same from the IS350C. All the options I wanted (NAV, Leather Seats, Ventilated Front Seats, Horse Power, Hard Top, Blue Tooth, IPhone integration, etc [more than the BMW]) for less than $50k.

Hope this helps.

GFM2Fitty

Just the whole look of the IS....it's just sexy!

uz07lex

iTrader: (14)

Here is what led me to buy my IS. I was in the market and I fell in love with the exterior and interior. There to me, is no exterior as beautiful as the IS. Unless its the M3 coupe but its way over priced in my mind and not a 4 door. The Power of the 350 was also an attraction and the fact that its a 4 door topped it off. I had a ES300 and it started to give me some trouble so I started looking around. When I finally bought my IS the ES300 engine blew on me at 209,000 miles the week after. It was as if it was meant to happen. The one thing that told me this car was for me was because I was fighting (NOT PHYSICALLY) for the car with someone else and I laid a flat amount of cash down and that was my limit (BECAUSE IT WAS ALL I COULD OF SPENT). It turned out that did the job.

Hay all I know is from the moment I saw it, I knew it was mine. Kind of like the movie Transformers where the car sales man is trying to sell the guy the old camero and says "The car chooses the driver"(or something like that).

windex

iTrader: (1)

I got pulled over 200 ft away from the dealer for speed it looked good and it was classy