Tell him to test drive. I know lots of people with 328is on e90post who at least claim they "don't care" about straight line power. This very same issue came up in one thread, actually, I'll paste the few responses they gave with regards to IS 350 vs 328i, all sparked by this initial post by a guy in a 335i (name TiAg335i) -


"Not sure why people would get the 328 over the IS350. In my opinion the interior in the IS350 blows it away, has a much more powerful engine, and costs probably about the same.

Can you say "badge *****s?""



Here were the responses from people with 328is -


"My guess would be that people get the 328 over the IS350 because they prefer the 328. It would, of course, logically follow that people get the IS350 over the 328 because they prefer the IS350.

CA"

"Because the steering and handling feel of the 328i is much better than the IS350.

When i was shopping i crossed the IS350 off the list right away."


And..that's all for responses. A few people sarcastically responded with "badge *****" as per his request but yeah, no substance there.


So to summarize the only guy who gave actual feedback said he chose the 328 over the IS 350 due to "steering and handling"


To him clearly steering and handling is more important than straight line power. It all depends on what you want.

To me, handling is important, but the better handling of the 3 series (and yes with an IS 350 I still say stock for stock the 3 series handles better) is NOT enough by any stretch of the imagination for me to get into the 328i.

I would not mind the 335i at all and probably would've gotten it were it not for the twin turbo vs NA reliability issue (given that I need this car to last 10 years).

The vast majority of 335i owners on e90post at least also agree that the 335i is NOT the car to keep for these extended periods of time. It's a 3 year lease then move onto another lease type of car.


One day when I have more cash and can afford to just lease for 3 years and then move on, I'll get myself in a BMW. I plan on driving one vehicle from every major luxury brand at least once in my life.

But for now in my very very early 20s (given that I won't be making any real cash until I'm in my early 30s, i.e. 10 years) the IS 350 just perfectly satiates my needs.

 

honestly even with the new idrive i still very much prefer the system in lexus

but overall between 328 and is350, i think it really comes down to what the owner wants. the two brands are just so different in terms of what the cars offers, except that the cars are on the same "league" and "price", they are so different. comfort, speed, handling, drive, luxury, quietness, smoothness, etc... i see goods and bads in both of them

 

the 328 should be pretty reliable. engine is basic. no turbos to break.

and i hardly hear of any electrical complaints, even in the last generation 3 series.

bmw materials are definitely cheap on the inside. the way they sew the leather is also cheap.

but advantage goes to bmw for having fold down rear seats and usb port.

 

Thanks for all the input guys! It certainly helps and I'll relay this back to my friend. Just to be clear, I'm not starting a debate on which car is better (Sorry for the misleading thread title) I just want to make sure that I didn't miss anything in the bmw that commands a higher premium.

Looks like the free maintenance is certainly a factor for him, and he is actually leasing it so he's not worrying too much about reliability (Except wasting time to take the car for free repairs if needed).

Despite the economy, it looks like the deals for the IS and the 3 are not the greatest. The discounts are actually kinda similar. I went over the the bmw forums and verified that most people are getting similar lease deals.

His family has a couple of Lexuses so he wants something a bit different for styling, and he likes the BMW for lease because he would never buy it to own long term. However, since he's not an enthusiast, I actually think the IS fits him better for comfort, luxury, and features for the price. Nevertheless, I'm encouraging him to test drive before purchase.

Again, I'm not really swaying him one way or another, I just want to make sure he is well informed. Additional feedback is welcomed!

 

he's leasing.

bmw. no brainer.

free maintenance. drive it like it was stolen.

 

yea get the bmw, bmw leases are awesome

 

i'd be surprised if he can't get better lease on the 328 than the is350? seriously, if he's leasing, do the bmw. it's so much better. and he doesn't have to worry about reliability and maintenance. that's one big reason why we got the m3, what a deal

if he can wait, give it another month or two. when the 2010 start to flood the dealership, there should be good deals on the 09. that's how i got my 08

 

Does he really have a hard limit on price? The reason I ask is - most people I know who can truly afford a $40k car can also easily afford a $50k car. Using everything you have (after normal living expenses) to make car payments is probably not a great idea.

And, if this is indeed the case (if he can afford $50k) then I say leasing the 335i will be his best bet.

I mean leasing the 328i is alright, but the 328i is just such a worthless car for the price. I would hate myself if I leased/purchased a 328i when in the back of my mind I knew I could've gotten a much more powerful vehicle (IS) for the same price.

If he's going BMW tell him to highly consider the 335 if he can. Maintenance/reliability isn't an issue now if he's just leasing for 3 years and then getting rid of it.

 

I can't believe people are willing to drop 42K on an entry level BMW.
If you want an auto transmission then IS 350 > 328i
If you want a manual transmission then G37 > 328i

If you still pick the 328i, then you're a badge w h o r e.

 

What? There is more to a car than just outright HP and Speed. That is for magazine ricers/racers.

If he is going to lease I suggest the 328. I also will ask what is the cars purpose for. If speed is not an issue, the 335 or IS 350 would be wasted. The 328 has PLENTY of pep and STRONG horses.

As for the G37 it is the best "value" but the question is between 328 and IS 350.

 

hahhahaha

328i is a plain blah looking 3 series....I would never get one.

 

This has nothing to do with magazine racing; the only small advantage the 328i has is handling/feedback. It's totally outclassed in all the other areas.

Now for 5K more, the 335i is a different animal that I would pick over the IS350.

 

I'd have to agree that for leasing, especially if the monthly payments are similar, then free maintenance is a big draw. It's still a bit insane IMO that BMW can set their base MSRP as the competition, but then the car lacks basic features that you'd expect (Like folding rear seats, electronic seat adjustment, auto-dim mirrors, etc.).


Yea I told him to wait too. But the dealers are saying that the 2010s are not coming out until Oct/Nov. Is that true? Cuz he wants a car by the end of summer.

Actually the 335 is just above his price range, unless he gets the base model. But you're right, the G is def. a better bargain esp. the sedan, and I did tell him to look into that one. The styling doesn't seem to appeal to him though.

Yea he's not an enthusiast, so the 328 has plenty of power for him. But if he can get a bigger engine for the same price in the IS, it's like a bonus for him.

 

it's really hard to say, all cars are different. but i believe for 09, they arrived at dealerships around sept time frame last year. i'd imagine about the same time line this year too.

 

Man... prices must have really gone up. I have an 07 335i with all of the options that car has (well some of them were standard, but still) except comfort access, plus I have several other options like the 13-speaker HK stereo (was standard on my car), sport package, backup sensors, cold weather package (headlight washers, ski pass through, heated seats). My xenon lights swivel with the steering too... I can't remember if that was an option or not. Anyhow... sticker was 47,xxx which seems like a bargain for only 5 grand more for everything it came with extra (especially that extra hundred or so horsepower)

The best value presented for most BMW models is the base model with no options added. Get a base 335i or base 328i but just be happy without the options because they're overpriced.

With both cars going for 42k I say it's a no brainer to go with the IS350. Far quicker, nicer interior, better reliability, etc. The only point I'd consider the 328i vs the IS350 in that configuration is if you're talking about leasing because despite the similar sticker prices you'll find BMW has excellent lease rates and Lexus is average at best if not worse than average compared to other lux car companies. Plus at that point who cares about reliability anyway.