[NaTuReB0Y]

I test drove the IS250 with my little sister last night....
and all I can say is...."WOW!"......the car was awesome!

Interior - Clean and elagant.....Navigation System was better than the TL's....rear camera for backing up was super clear! More gadgets than you can say about the E90. Rear seat was kind of crowded, but Coach Leather is standard. E-shift(wheel paddle shift)....easier to use than Steptronic....computer lets you know when to shift - can be change to own liking.

Exterior - Front facial was very aggressive. Rear half of the car....too close resemblance of the GS, not sporty enough for my personal taste. Dual Exhaust kick ass!

Ride - Extremely smooth and QUIET at 80mph with sports package running 18's. Acceleration was weak because it's only a 2.5L.....but the car itself handles very well. Imagine the IS350!

Final Analysis: Great car....for my little sister.

[abc]

Originally Posted by Ioman

I think the IS350 looks sporty, and is attractive, but IMO the 330i has class.

The BMW 330i is like James Bond, classy, good looking and lethal.

The IS350 is like Jet Li, looks mean and can kick some butt, but missing the refinement and eloquence.

pick another comparison... 'jamesbond' is just an entity... JetLi is a real dude, not played by a evolving cast of actors. And he can kick the crap out of any jb. JetLi is refined and eloquent... his Chinese is perfect... lets see a 007 placed in that basket...

[Ioman]

Originally Posted by abc

pick another comparison... 'jamesbond' is just an entity... JetLi is a real dude, not played by a evolving cast of actors. And he can kick the crap out of any jb. JetLi is refined and eloquent... his Chinese is perfect... lets see a 007 placed in that basket...

hah I think you get the idea.

And sorry, but I don't even think Jet Li knows that a martini is

[NaTuReB0Y]

Stop the non-sense........

James Bond is English - BMW is German

Jet Li is Chinese - Lexus is Japanese

Can we get some better comparison........

[Ioman]

Originally Posted by NaTuReB0Y

Stop the non-sense........

James Bond is English - BMW is German

Jet Li is Chinese - Lexus is Japanese

Can we get some better comparison........

LOL I wasn't comparing nationalities, I was comparing persona!

I think you are following my threads....night stalker!

[Accounting4Speed]

Want a comparison, hmm...how about this:

Driving a BMW is like listening to Rammstein, fast paced, crazy, intoxicating, but a whole hell of a lot of fun.

Driving a Lexus is like sitting in a temple, practicing Taoism, serene, and some sort of metaphysical bs.

[lux.sh]

James Bond and Jet li. LOL.

Sorry. BMW > toyota. Even in japan. Ask japanese in japan, see what they say.

ok, now I sound real biased. I still love lexus.

[Nay330Ci]

Its funny seeing all the biased bimmer owners falling down to 'xfactor' and 'just drives better' as differenciating factors to try and trump the competition.. when really what they want to say is 'the E90 is better because it has the BMW badge'.

Same is true with most magazine reviews. The E90 and IS come very close in ratings, then criteria like 'gotta have it' and 'fun to drive' bump the 3 the few extra points needed to grab the top spot.. where in areas that actually matter, the IS scores the same if not higher.

Not to discredit the bimmer's handling ability- If you truly plan to drive balls out on canyon roads full of 'twisties' everyday to work and hit the track every weekend, then yes the differences in the E90 would give it a slight performance edge over the new IS. But for normal people, who get stuck in traffic, get grocercies, and occasionally take the long way back for a spirited drive (ie just about everyone in the upscale sport sedan market..), the IS is the unbiased better choice. More people, however, would rather have 'a BMW instead of a glorified Toyota' , so the E90 will likely outsell the new IS.

I, on the otherhand, want a coupe. So its E92 335i for me unless Lexus puts out something comprable.

[stressdoc]

I think you got the JB/Jet Li analogy reversed. Jet is in control; James is a little sloppy and likes his creature comforts. Older women like JB, but chicks think Jet is hot.

BMW has diesels, M3s, tourings, autobahn+alps handling. The transmissions capture the essential distinction: Lexus has auto-only, imitation-fake w/ paddle shifters. BMWs have manuals and performance focused SMG/DSG. There is no Lexus 'Freude am fahren'.

When Lexus or Toyota markets the equivalent of a E91 335dT I will buy it, unless BMW is selling one in the NA market for a similar price.

Look carefully, real carefully, at all the innards and details of the parts on a BMW vs. a Lexus, and you will see a difference. It boils down to how much that difference is worth to you.

[JBOO]

Originally Posted by Nay330Ci

Its funny seeing all the biased bimmer owners falling down to 'xfactor' and 'just drives better' as differenciating factors to try and trump the competition.. when really what they want to say is 'the E90 is better because it has the BMW badge'.

It's one thing to voice your opinion about a car, but it's a completely different thing to voice your opinion about why you think people prefer BMW's. Do you have some facts to back up those claims?

Originally Posted by Nay330Ci

But for normal people, who get stuck in traffic, get grocercies, and occasionally take the long way back for a spirited drive (ie just about everyone in the upscale sport sedan market..)

Again, any facts to back up this?

Originally Posted by Nay330Ci

Same is true with most magazine reviews. The E90 and IS come very close in ratings, then criteria like 'gotta have it' and 'fun to drive' bump the 3 the few extra points needed to grab the top spot.. where in areas that actually matter, the IS scores the same if not higher.

If you've seen any recent BMW reviews (5 or 7 series, Z4) you'll find that magazines do not automatically rate BMW's higher. Even the G35 was rated higher than previous 3 series, so that theory is garbage.

So far, none of the reviews of the IS have stated it was better than the new 3 series. It's a good car and a equal competitor, but still does not have enough to consistently be chosen as better.

You talk about being BMW owners being biased and then you throw out a post of slanted views like this? Please.........

[human]

In my opinion, Lexus has a potential winner in the IS. I haven't driven the IS, but I've read all the major reviews as well as many user reviews. It has performance that approaches BMW in some areas, and beats (gasp!) the BMW in others (acceleration, braking). The number of available features is amazing (esp. the many standard features), it has a beautiful interior, and the exterior looks very sharp, all at a price that is below a similarly equipped BMW. NOW, with all that said, does it really matter to most drivers that the IS doesn't come in manual shift, or that the traction control can't be turned off? Look, I don't take my 330 to a track, and I use steptronic because I have a long, traffic-heavy commute. Besides, steptronic provides plenty of fun in sport and manual modes... and my point is that the Lexus, with paddle-shifters, probably delivers the same sense of control and fun as a steptronic, and the vast majority of buyers wouldn't consider a manual anyway. I realize that this messageboard has a high concentration of manual-drivers, so plz don't jump on me, this is just my opinion. In case you are wondering why I don't just buy the Lexus... I really do enjoy my 330, and probably won't even test drive the Lexus. There are certain interior features that seem more "feminine" about the Lexus like it's too pretty for a guy to own, also Lexus represents "comfort" and "floaty" driving to me, and I hate the Lexus logo - "L" is for "Loser."
Ok, BMW, come back and kick some a $ $ !

[stressdoc]

Broken record: Give us the E90 335i.

[roburado]

Originally Posted by JamieA

I know they are the owners and this is their right, what it really shows is that VW don't know sh!t about Brand management.

Yeah...I know that must suck for the Audi owner, but it's great for a Passat owner like me, knowing that I have lots of A4 bits and pieces in my car. I can get a chip and reprogram the ECU, reprogram the transmission, and my Passat comes closer to the A4, albeit a B5 A4. That represents added value for me, and money doesn't grow on trees.

[roburado]

Originally Posted by Nay330Ci

Its funny seeing all the biased bimmer owners falling down to 'xfactor' and 'just drives better' as differenciating factors to try and trump the competition.. when really what they want to say is 'the E90 is better because it has the BMW badge'.

Same is true with most magazine reviews. The E90 and IS come very close in ratings, then criteria like 'gotta have it' and 'fun to drive' bump the 3 the few extra points needed to grab the top spot.. where in areas that actually matter, the IS scores the same if not higher.

Not to discredit the bimmer's handling ability- If you truly plan to drive balls out on canyon roads full of 'twisties' everyday to work and hit the track every weekend, then yes the differences in the E90 would give it a slight performance edge over the new IS. But for normal people, who get stuck in traffic, get grocercies, and occasionally take the long way back for a spirited drive (ie just about everyone in the upscale sport sedan market..), the IS is the unbiased better choice. More people, however, would rather have 'a BMW instead of a glorified Toyota' , so the E90 will likely outsell the new IS.

I, on the otherhand, want a coupe. So its E92 335i for me unless Lexus puts out something comprable.

Well, I think that Lexus, Acura, etc. have compelling products if you look at things on paper. However, what sets BMW apart is that "x-factor." How can one quantify driving feel? So, I don't think "bias" is really the correct word to use. This choice is going to be based on subjective factors.

[peakpro]

Saw the new IS350 commercial last night. In red the car looked awesome.

It will not drive as well as an E90 but it won't be far behind.

The negative I keep hearing about it is the small rear seat.

[Ioman]

All I have to say is read the magazines, there is a reason why the Is350 is not winning these comparisons. Small back seat, bland styling, no manual transmission, does not handle as well.

You can add all the features you want to the IS350, but if you are a true driver, you would stick with the BMW. If you want to argue otherwise, spend some time at the track. Lets see how many IS350's show up there.

I think they would get laughed at for the paddle shifter alone.

[Ioman]

Originally Posted by stressdoc

I think you got the JB/Jet Li analogy reversed. Jet is in control; James is a little sloppy and likes his creature comforts. Older women like JB, but chicks think Jet is hot.

BMW has diesels, M3s, tourings, autobahn+alps handling. The transmissions capture the essential distinction: Lexus has auto-only, imitation-fake w/ paddle shifters. BMWs have manuals and performance focused SMG/DSG. There is no Lexus 'Freude am fahren'.

When Lexus or Toyota markets the equivalent of a E91 335dT I will buy it, unless BMW is selling one in the NA market for a similar price.

Look carefully, real carefully, at all the innards and details of the parts on a BMW vs. a Lexus, and you will see a difference. It boils down to how much that difference is worth to you.

LOL how is James Bond messy? He fights in a damn tux for crying out loud, and still has time to say hi to the ladies. I think Jet Li could actually be gay....has he ever had a sex scene in any of his movies?

BTW just having fun with the comparisons, so hopefully anyone doesn't think I am serious!

[Xens]

I'm sorry but BMWs always had the "x-factor", e46 330i had only 215bhp, how was that gonna beat anybody on paper? e46s also never had more "bang for he buck" than competitors. Last generation TLs with 260bhp had a competitive 0-60 number compared to the 330i. I remember Richard in Top Gear saying when he was testing the e90 320d: "For BMW, you used to get the car, and all of the air inside, that was free too."

BMW had always been more expensive, had less features, little bang for the buck, number-wise they never looked amazing. But the mechanical engineering has always been absolutely intoxicating and the drive is, well down right poison. Frankly all of a BMW's short-comings are actually why I appreciate BMW. I like the attitude of "I don't care what they give you, I give you a BMW and a better drive than ever."

[peakpro]

Bland styling???

And the E90 screams excitement???

[Ioman]

Sorry but there is nothing original about he styling on the IS350 IMO.

[lux.sh]

Originally Posted by Nay330Ci

Its funny seeing all the biased bimmer owners falling down to 'xfactor' and 'just drives better' as differenciating factors to try and trump the competition.. when really what they want to say is 'the E90 is better because it has the BMW badge'.

Same is true with most magazine reviews. The E90 and IS come very close in ratings, then criteria like 'gotta have it' and 'fun to drive' bump the 3 the few extra points needed to grab the top spot.. where in areas that actually matter, the IS scores the same if not higher.

I agree. But you gotta realize, that really works. Gotta-have-it, and
fun-to-drive is a must for anything.
Example, think of Banana Republic clothes and Armani clothes.
Say both made out of same quality, basically same design, but
one has Armani badge with expensive price tag, other has
banana republic badge with slightly less expensive price tag.
If anyone got enough money, they will pick Armani over BananaRepublic.

Thats how life and society is, and it works that way. The fact that
BMW is most people's admiring machine, you gotta pay to play.
And I think thats fair enough. Even though it does seem a bit
biased and somewhat ignorant, but hey, deal with it. You got both
MB and BMW. Why did you? cause its MB and BMW.
For the money you paid for your C55, you could've gotten a TSX,
put lots of aftermarket parts on it, and make it go faster than C55,
and handles much better than C55. But you decide not to, and just
settle for "the MB C55". Cause its better when you say "yeah, I have
a MB C55" than "I have heavily modified TSX".

[shimshimhada]

Originally Posted by Nay330Ci

Its funny seeing all the biased bimmer owners falling down to 'xfactor' and 'just drives better' as differenciating factors to try and trump the competition.. when really what they want to say is 'the E90 is better because it has the BMW badge'.

Same is true with most magazine reviews. The E90 and IS come very close in ratings, then criteria like 'gotta have it' and 'fun to drive' bump the 3 the few extra points needed to grab the top spot.. where in areas that actually matter, the IS scores the same if not higher.

Not to discredit the bimmer's handling ability- If you truly plan to drive balls out on canyon roads full of 'twisties' everyday to work and hit the track every weekend, then yes the differences in the E90 would give it a slight performance edge over the new IS. But for normal people, who get stuck in traffic, get grocercies, and occasionally take the long way back for a spirited drive (ie just about everyone in the upscale sport sedan market..), the IS is the unbiased better choice. More people, however, would rather have 'a BMW instead of a glorified Toyota' , so the E90 will likely outsell the new IS.

I, on the otherhand, want a coupe. So its E92 335i for me unless Lexus puts out something comprable.

Manual transmission for teh win. In the end, people will buy cars that suit their needs.

Originally Posted by lux.sh

I agree. But you gotta realize, that really works. Gotta-have-it, and
fun-to-drive is a must for anything.
Example, think of Banana Republic clothes and Armani clothes.
Say both made out of same quality, basically same design, but
one has Armani badge with expensive price tag, other has
banana republic badge with slightly less expensive price tag.
If anyone got enough money, they will pick Armani over BananaRepublic.

Thats how life and society is, and it works that way. The fact that
BMW is most people's admiring machine, you gotta pay to play.
And I think thats fair enough. Even though it does seem a bit
biased and somewhat ignorant, but hey, deal with it. You got both
MB and BMW. Why did you? cause its MB and BMW.
For the money you paid for your C55, you could've gotten a TSX,
put lots of aftermarket parts on it, and make it go faster than C55,
and handles much better than C55. But you decide not to, and just
settle for "the MB C55". Cause its better when you say "yeah, I have
a MB C55" than "I have heavily modified TSX".

lol, if you have the money for a C55, there's no way a FWD TSX will even be in your list of choices; especially so if you intend to make it handle better. That's similar to the mindset of people who buy Honda Civics, and then talk trash to M3 drivers on how they wasted money. The money they could have saved (which they don't have) they could easily make a Civic hatch handle better/go faster than an M3.

But back on topic: because the new IS and E90 are so close in many ways, it's all down to preference really.