Definitely lease those. Enjoy.

 

Beautiful cars with up-to-date tech but reliability and maintenance costs will shock you. That red Lexus back there will most likely last forever and go up in value vs the BMW. On a lease you're paying the dealer depreciation costs upfront, they then turn around and resell the car at the end of the lease at full market price having lost nothing because you already paid them. You in turn have nothing to show except maybe some good times for 3 years.

 

It's a tough call keep the IS500 for 1 more spring / summer season & sell to lease the M3. This is my 3rd IS500 it's a cool car for sure & the re-sale value is amazing & obviously better than the Germans. But I've always wanted to experience the whole euro German car with a M3. Plus I sometime miss the manual my last car with a manual was the '21 STI that I traded for my LE almost 2 years ago.

 

There's no doubt you would enjoy the M3 with the turbos, manual trans, stiffer suspension, latest tech and interior.

 

Apexi - I got it thanks to this video. This is how it should have come stock IMHO.

 

Thanks, I definitely expect it to be the best car I have ever owned and I have owned over 30 cars. I will post ALL the pics

 

Lets just say I have owned multiple BMW's and Benz cars but i will just say this, I will never buy another one again... I wouldn't lease it either unless you have cash to burn...

 

In my experience, all the things that are attractive about them end up making you feel pretty sour when it’s in the shop for repairs for the third time in 12-18 months… my most recent German was an Audi, and is the car in question. It was quite a frustrating experience. Think I’m staying with Japanese (most likely Lexus, or at least Toyota) for good at this point.

 

I wasn't going to say anything because I don't want to be a hater, but now that it's been quoted a few times and I keep skimming by this pic, I'll say it:

I can't believe the IS gets so much flack for an "outdated interior" when the G80 M3 interior looks like that.

I hate the "tacked on, zero integration effort" tablet trend in interiors, much less two of them together. It just seems like such lazy, unoriginal, uninspiring design. I think the dash is non-descript and basic, and I do not like the design of the steering wheel and buttons, stalks and levers, stitching, carbon fiber and inserts. It's incredibly busy.

I have major respect for BMW M engineering and performance, but their design has completely lost the plot inside and out.

All of that to say, life is short, lease German cars, have fun, etc.

 

"That" is exactly what soccer moms and zoomers want. Touchscrens everywhere. More screens = more modern, they think. It's cheap for car companies so its a win-win. It's why people are buying pieces of s*** Hyundai and KIAs like never before.

 

@Moonman89 I just picked up my M3 this past Tuesday. Like you, I've mostly owned Japanese cars but never a German so figured I'd try it out. From what I've read, the engines on the M3 (S58) are very reliable compared to past motors. At the end of the day (or a few years), if I don't end up loving it, I'll trade it for something else.

 

I owned a 2022 M3 and sold it after owning it for 4 months with 4200 miles on the clock. It was a great overall package and met most of my expectations across categories (looks, performance, practicality) which i would expect from a BMW or a M vehicle but was lacking the overall driving character. I felt the vehicle was too refined for my liking and steering feel was a let down. Also i rushed into placing an order for a 2022 as i dont prefer the iDrive 8.

Based on my experience, G80 M3 is an amazing grand tourer and a perfect daily driver (this vehicle was not my DD). I am sure that BMW developed G8x platform this way for a reason - to cater a wider audience and attract new customers before the M platforms became a hybrid. There is a poll in Bimmerpost forum where 60% of the respondents say G8x is their first M vehicle and i think they have achieved their target.

 

^^ Nice to someone one here let alone from my same state (MI) that owned a G80 that can provide us feedback! Are you in the market for a IS500?

 

Early this year, I replaced the M3 with a Camaro ZL1. Due to family needs, i have to replace the ZL1 next year with a sedan and IS500 is one of my top contenders.

 

Jeez...3rd IS500 in <2 years and already trying to sell it. Either you live very wealthily in MI (whatever state that is, who cares), or you're just the biggest fool here. In either case, you have car ADD but worse you're soiling nice brand new IS500s. This guy needs to be banned from Lexus.