SimTide985

Wow, that's some bold advice.

I've driven both the GS350 and IS350 and the cars drive and behave very differently. A lot of drivers care a little bit more about the driving experience than just $$ and luxury.

With that said, there's definitely no harm in checking out both cars to see what's right for you.

porsche986

I just wanted to thank everyone for their response. I started to lean towards the F-sport except I learned the wait is now 8-10 weeks. If I wanted extra options, such as ML, it would be an additional 4-6 weeks. This certainly complicates matters. I'm not sure I want to wait until October, in which case I mine as well wait an extra month and get the ML and extras. Decisions...decisions...

azmojo

I had an 08 IS350 with the luxury package and I loved all of the luxury features. For that reason I was intent on getting the non-F IS350 luxury. But then I went to the dealer to check out and compare the two and I had to have the F-sport. The gauges, the navigation differences, the seats, the front end, and the VGRS convinced me to give up on the luxury features. I guess I can turn the wipers on myself when it rains and stick to the seat on long drives.

My hope is that in 3 or 4 years they'll update the engine and make all of the features available in a super car that I can trade in for.

BTW I ordered mine ~ June 14 and it is supposed to be here in a few days and it is Fsport with every option available including ML.

jcatl

I test drove both a Luxury IS350 and a Premium GS350. After comparing the interiors, I could never buy an IS350 (no offense meant, it's just not for me). Still not even sure my next car will be a Lexus but the salesman made the same argument, for IS350 money + a few grand you're into the GS350 which is just a much nicer car. Maybe not as tossable but I want my next car to be more comfortable for day to day use so needs vary.

FWIW I thought the handling in the non-FSport IS350 was "good enough" for my needs. I'll be leaving behind a 335i with sports package and so nothing's really going to feel like that car at this point, in fact finding anything that inspires me to loosen up the $50K at this point isn't easy.

Tone2002

I'm not sure what all the surprise or confusion is about. It's an ENTRY level luxury sports sedan.

natnut

I think the AVS in the IS350 F-Sport and the GS350 F-Sport/Luxury is a huge game changer and it alone is worth the upgrade.

To be clear :
ONLY IS350 F-Sport gets AVS (Adaptive Variable Suspension)
GS350 F-Sport and GS350 Luxury get AVS with different tunes


FWIW, Car and Driver recently rated the IS350 F-Sport as a better driver's car than the F30 BMW 335i M-Sport. You might want to test-drive an IS350 F-Sport on a winding road : you might be pleasantly surprised how it tackles corners better than the 3 series.

The days when the 3 series was the unchallenged driver's car is long gone. It probably isn't even the 2nd best driver's car. Nowadays the pecking order in terms of driving appeal is :

Lexus IS F-Sport <---> Cadillac ATS fighting for top spot
3 series <---> Audi S4 fighting for 3rd and 4th spot

flippd

That's weird. I didn't want the MLs but the Fsports here all had them tacked on (all 3 nearby dealers). I guess it depends on the market.

Fizzboy7

I'd go with the luxury. Something that has a deeper meaning and content than exterior flashiness. One pleases longterm while the other is more of a flash in the pants. Everything else here is subjective.
P.S. I love the IS350 Luxury rims.

Scnoob

Also with the NuLux on the F sports, they only have the heated option. The seats are injected with a foam to keep the shape and they can't get a fan to ventilate the seats. Currently the GS F Sport has ventilated seats, but the GS F Sports costs a lot more compared to the IS F Sport.

Being in AZ, just moved from Mesa to Phoenix, my butt will always be toasty even with the ventilated seats. We maybe use the heated seats two months out of the year?

jcatl

I had a 2013 328i Sport/premium loaner for 3 weeks and while it's a nice car, it's lost that inherent BMW feel that is ever present in my current car, thus my willingness to shop other brands. Additionally the interior materials have been noticeably cheapened. It's still on my short list due to exceptional fuel economy for a fairly sporty car (I don't drive any more than 4/10s of any car's capabilities during my daily commute anyway).

Best bang for the buck of any car I've test driven is the 2014 Audi A4. It's not the best at anything but is very good at most things, and is a mature model with higher predicted reliability by Consumer Reports than most Audi's.

One thing holding me back from the GS350 is the gas mileage (I know as a purported enthusiast I shouldn't care but...). That's one area where the Germans are still beating the Japanese marques. I keep my cars 6-7 years and I have concerns about locking myself into a car with sub-par gas mileage. I think in the next couple of years Infiniti, Lexus and Acura will jump on the turbo 4 bandwagon and finally catch up to the Europeans.

yycdave

Maybe I'm just "too young", but the styling on the GS just does nothing for me. It looks more like a "typical Lexus" and more like an ES than the IS. I looked at it the complete opposite from you -- I look at what I get for the IS and ask why anyone would buy the GS for more money? The stuff it seems to have are things I've no care for -- an optional HUD, a 12" LCD, etc and it lacks things I do care about - an aggressive appearance, the LFA tach, etc.

Ice350

iTrader: (1)

These questions are always kinda weird because so much depends on personal taste.
Me, I want the best possible performing or handling car with some pull. That would be the IS350 F-Sport all the way. Others don't care as much about handling and prefer toys. I don't need navigation or other toys but would take them if they came in a package. I love good music but that requires aftermarket additions to get it where I like it. If I had a gazillion friends maybe I would be different. I have no one to impress but myself.

For those worried about the Nuluxe seats....don't. It's more durable than leather. Will keep it's shape longer and keeps the price down some. Lexus has been using it a couple years in the CT200h with great results.
BMW and Mercedes have been using leatherette for years and it looks new 10 years and longer. It's about time Lexus offered an alternative.
I also think Lexus should produce more models without sunroofs. Many customers are put off by not having the choice.

IanP

Re the original question: go for the car you want. Four weeks fly by, but you'll be stuck with your choice for years! I would never buy a car knowing there's a better one only four weeks away! Talk about regret...

Re IS v GS: they're different cars. Sure, if you want a family cruiser, the GS is hard to beat. But if you want a car that drives well and looks sporty, it's the IS even at the same money.

GeorgeHill

This is what i think, I can't afford the price tag on the IS 350 F-Sport. So my option is the IS 250 Luxury cause for me the F-Sport package on the 250 is silly, why would you want an F-Sport package on a slowwwww 200hp car? Mid life crisis? Boy racer look? ... and to be honest, like someone already said, the only part of the F-Sport package i really like is the LFA Instrument Panel.

IS250 Luxury > IS250 F-Sport
IS350 Luxury < IS350 F-Sport

If Lexus get rid of the 2.5L V6 and go with the industry standard 2.0L Turbo engine THEN i can consider the F-Sport package on the IS250, probably the IS200 lol.

FYI: I'm 33 years old! lol

Glashub

To me the flashiness are the so called luxury items that are used irregularly (my last car even had hill assist & electronic parking -- does the Lexus offer this?) -- the deeper meaning is found in what is never irregular when I'm behind the wheel -- connected to the road through the car. Check out the tech that really matters --- the 2IS doesn't have it.

You 2IS owners really are something else -- apparently willing to go to any lengths to justify a car (the 2IS) so docile, so placid and safe in it's style and handling that is the entry luxury leader in preference by women in 2011. Check out the True Car report. About 80% of the men preferred BMW and Audi and only about 20% women preferred those brands while - Percentage preference by women - Lexus IS 51.8%

http://blog.truecar.com/2012/04/23/m...car-com-study/

I'm not judging -- I'm just reporting data. The 3IS changes that dynamic imo.

The 3IS is a better looking car than the GS imo -- the design concept is more complete. I look at a GS and I see ES with an aggressive front end. I drive the GS and I am haunted by a desire for more power -- the 6 is good enough for an IS -- not the GS -- particularly when an R-spec delivers an 8 cyl with 429 hp for 42K.

Oh and you guys keep saying the difference between the 3IS and the GS is a few thousand dollars. I priced them out -- the 2013 GS optioned about the same as the 2014 IS350 Fsport is about $7,000. No fair applying discounts to the GS and keeping the IS at MSRP. I got 3K off of my Fsport and another fellow reported getting 4K off of his.