TRDFantasy

I agree with what others have said.

Although I do not want to get into the midst of it, and I don't even know where to start to correct all the bias, inconsistencies, and just plain wrong information posted in the article, I will say I disagree with almost everything this review states.

Not to mention the writer contradicted himself several times ... and I though the Edmunds comparison was bad. This though definitely takes the cake as the worst review thus far of 3 Series vs IS.

RON430

Comparos between Lexus and BMW tend to be just that. Rather than about individual models, they compare the approach that one takes in any given segment to another. After all, let's be honest, the things that make a Lexus so much more livable on a day to day basis and a bimmer so much more annoying, either never make it into these reviews or are dismissed with little thought. Lexus and BMW build different cars, anyone not clear on that?

doug_999

Why is it that every review says basically the same thing and yet everybody says there is bias, inconsistencies, and wrong information in every one of them?

Seriously, the review is dead on - as the guy points out, Lexus will sell every IS they make because it is the perfect car to meet most people's transportation needs. Is this a bad thing?

and the BMW is more fun than the IS, I really believe this is true, but once again, not everyone, in fact, MOST people don't put that as their top priority in purchasing a car.

The IS is selling like hotcakes now - it is a sweet package, It is not a 330 however. This is a good thing, because if every car were the same, we would have nothing to talk about

edit: OMG - I think Ron and I just said the same thing!

spwolf

is because it is stereotype article you could write without ever driving the cars....

spwolf

p.s. IS350 is an appliance now? hahahaha.

RON430

Hey Doug - Maybe we've both been around long enough or too long, depending on how you look at it. Bimmer was and is the best sports sedan and wherever they compete with sedans, they set the standard for the definition of sports sedan within that category. I own two Lexus and will probably own more, and I have owned five bimmers in the past, but let's just admit that. bimmer defines sport sedan But that doesn't mean they get all the sales at any price point and never will. By the BMW definition of sports sedan, Lexus does not make any competing models. But by the Lexus definition of sedan, I don't think bimmer makes any competitive models and I have great doubts whether they will ever offer the value of Lexus. We all know the reasons why they are lumped together but anyone who would use these comparos to base their purchase decision on rather than going out and trying each one (extensively at this price) for themselves is a fool. And in reality, I think there are a lot more bimmer buyers who are buying what they believe is a status symbol than those who appreciate the driving dynamic. In that comparo, and I have absolutely nothing to base this on other than knowing a handful of Lexus and bimmer owners over the years, I believe there are a lot less Lexus owners who made their purchase decision based on status than equivalent bimmer buyers. To each his own. Long live competition and our ability to choose what we want from whatever vendor we want.

LEXUS FAN!

all these IS vs. 3er reviiews bug me b/c i feel as though these reviewers are so biased towards the 3 series...ie

there are some things that Lexus is clearly better in and has the upper hand, yet it seems like it is hard for them to give credit where credit is due...the interior and power are obviously superior, yet they seem reluctant to admit it

spwolf

rule #1. Power is not important unless BMW has more of it.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

im with him

Och

iTrader: (3)

lol, good one

doug_999

Ron, what I don't understand is, where does BMW get the status symbol label from? Couldn't the same thinking apply to Lexus? Mercedes? Audi?

A friend of my wife’s just bought a car - she looked at an A4, TL, IS250 AWD and 325ix. When she decided on the BMW, I asked her (cause Och and I have discussed this in the past), what made her go with the BMW? Was it the name? She pointed out that it was just more fun than the others and she really didn't see a difference between them as far as social status.

Therefore, I really believe that in the 80s, BMWs did hold some sort of magical cachet, but that is gone today and a Lexus gets just as many "you drive a what?" as BMW and Mercedes do today.

PS - she actually ended up in an IS250 after I asked her to go re-test drive it. Long story.

PPS - SPWolf, I hate to tell you, but Toyotas and Lexuses are often referred to as appliances. I could get into the reasons, but I think we all know them.

Seraph

I would like to know the reasoning behind this. GM and Ford vehicles are often as "appliance-like" as anything on the road, yet somehow they are always exempt from that label. The RAV4, Matrix, IS 250/350, GS 300/430, tC, Tacoma, SC430, FJ, Land Cruiser, and 4Runner are all far from appliances.

Hameed

That's the beauty of being human - everyone has an opinion.

I consider a Camry to be an appliance - but tell that to a Camry owner who loves his/her Camry and some will agree and some will not.

Bottom line? It doesn't matter what you or I think regarding a car being an appliance or not. What matters is what the owner thinks the car is. Plain and simple.

spwolf

i can understand someone calling old camry an appliance... But IS350 is an appliance? Thats just funny.

Ichigo

Too bad this article echos the numerous reviews that preceeded it. I wonder what the CL community would say if someone actually wrote an article saying that the IS350 trumped the 3series across the board? Would that writer be a genius for finally writing the "correct" article, or would the writer be considered crazy because the article didnt mirror all of the rest...?