NYKnick101

BMW's are definitely more car and it would probably be cheaper to purchase than your current IS250. You would probably get more power from the car

The biggest difference you will see between the IS and BMW is maintenance. Other than tune up's I have yet to do any big replacement on my IS. Every BMW owner that i know have done far more in fixing parts that break especially when the car is out of warranty

MWIS350

BMW you cannot do any maintenance yourself, everything you have to go to Dealer $$..

Stereorob

hideously unreliable. after warrantee period you need to run screaming.
cheap fit and finish, very disappointing
plastic electronic stick shifter (seriously wtf is that about)
weather stripping goes bad quick
paint goes bad quick
they rust
they drop value faster than a boulder rolls off a cliff
BMW drivers are mostly asshats, not the same sense of community as lexus drivers
they look dated and stupid after a few years unlike lexus that is timeless

sure BMWs are fun to drive, keyword is WHEN they can be driven
Big Money Wasted.

stick with Lexus. unless you hate yourself, and love to be broke

also, if you decide to get a BMW, I suggest you stop by the local animal shelter and pick up a dog, so you have a friend to walk home with when it leaves you stranded on the side of the road, and it will.

that is all.

A_Grasso

iTrader: (13)

I recently leased a '15 335i and still have my is350 for daily driving. Main reason why I got the BMW is because I wanted something more fun to drive, and also have a car that I can very easily tune (jb4). The n55 engines are far more reliable than the older twin turbo n54's. If you can, try to get at least a 2012 year model with the single twin-scroll turbo. Other than that I would say go for it.

DVS

I have a 2012 IS250 F Sport and have been driving my girl 2014 BMW 320i for almost 2 weeks straight. The car has this sport mode button and it will out handled my Lexus plus I think it's faster as well rating only 180 hp with turbos feel like a V6

I say get the BMW brand new or CPO - definitely once the warranty run out then get rid of it

Gville350

iTrader: (10)

Sorry to thread-jack, but why a single turbo vs twins?

A_Grasso

iTrader: (13)

I'm not exactly sure why but my salesman told me that the single turbo engine has far less problems than the twin turbo. The old n54 twin turbo had really bad fuel pump issues lol And just for reference, my friend has a '12 cpo e92 m3 with 55k miles and it hasn't had a single issue. I think it's just how you maintain the car

coolsaber

If your buying an ole e90, and like to mod DIY, then go with the N54 beast.

If your buying, an e90 or f30, and want power with some sacrifice in reliability N55 (twinscroll single turbo)

If your buying an f30 and want the best reliable motor bmw makes then N20 4 pot. SA recommends this engine as being a deceptive little reliable beast. Yes the sound it makes isnt nice, its a 4 cylinder blah blah, but the damn thing has been bulletproof

Ice350

iTrader: (1)

I wouldn't dare try to talk you out of it. I want you to try BMW.
Then I want you to realize the mistake and come back.

A_Grasso

iTrader: (13)

Let's just put it this way- Lexus= buy and BMW= lease. At least you'll have the newest model every 3 years . BMW also lets you hop into a new car after 2.5 years instead of 3 years with their pull ahead program. In my opinion, and if you can afford it, I would keep the is250 and lease a new 335/340i. You'll have the best of both worlds! I love both brands

Tro209

Like everyone else is saying . If you can afford a warranty or extended warranty or whatever, then get the BMW. I still miss my E46 330i to be honest. Even though my IS350 is superior in almost every regard from interior to reliability, I still miss the feel of the BMW. My main complaint about Lexus , at least for our 250/350 cars is that the steering is to soft and numb so road feedback is basically non existent. The fact that your currently in an IS250 makes it understandable for why you may already be bored with your vehicle.

But all in all, I'm far happier with the IS though since it hasn't failed me yet and I've been fixing her up little by little which is something I couldn't do on the Bimmer due to it always needing repairs. The addition of coil overs has also helped to fight off any dullness I may experience in my day to day and I soon plan to purchase my sway bars for further "enhancement". But, Not gonna lie though.. if I could afford another BMW and get an extended warranty id have an e92 M3 in a heart beat. Probably even over an ISF... Until the warranty runs out of course lol.

redspencer

iTrader: (1)

You can easily fix that issue by upgrading to the 11-12 or 13-14 IS-F Steering ECU and/or changing out the front LCA bushings to something stiffer. It's amazing how much tactile feedback you get through the steering wheel with these two simple mods.

aj289

I have an '08 IS250 and just picked up a CPO '13 328i. The is250 has been rock solid but I couldn't get over how small and non-sporty it feels. The 328i fsport with the twin-scroll single turbo is incredible, handling is excellent, power is excellent. Much more exciting to drive.

I will say this tho... Every time I get in the BMW, I pray nothing goes wrong. Maybe it's just in my head but I never felt that way about the IS250 and I am way out of warranty on the IS. The 328i is under warranty but I still get that feeling.

Tro209

I had a feeling someone was gonna mention changing the steering ecu lol. Yeah I've thought about it but I'd figure I'll go with sway before I spend the $500 (I think) for the ecu. I've never heard about swapping out the LCA though.. If you were to choose only one of those mods to improve steering feel, would you recommend the LCA or the ecu first?

redspencer

iTrader: (1)

Steering ECU would provide the greater improvement in steering feedback. You can also adjust the level of steering assist depending on if you're on normal or power mode. Lastly, your VDIM parameters would be revised to a sportier setting to allow you to corner with a higher yaw rate before the system intervenes.