Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

I will soon be buying a new sport sedan. My initial choice was the Lexus IS 350 because I liked the 306 HP and 4.09 gear which makes the car go fast. I also really like the exterior style. However, I live in Minnesota and even though the past 5+ winters have been mild, I am cautious about buying a rear wheel drive car. The BMW 335i comes in All Wheel Drive (xi) in addition to Rear Wheel. I test drove a 335i yesterday and was impressed with its acceleration, particularly when shifting the automatic transmission. The IS 350 includes paddle shifters as does the 335i (xi does not).

So, can I get some opinions on IS 350 vs 335i(xi)? Also, should I get AWD which basically limits my choice to the BMW?

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

Rear wheel drive is FUN FUN FUN in the snow! Go with the Lexus.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

It depends how small your penis is. Go with the pricier one.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

both

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

I have a 335i, which I love. The 300hp turbo is fun to drive. It's not all that bad in the snow, but I drive our SUV when the roads are really bad, since it has AWD.

I didn't test drive the Lexus, so I can't make a comparison between the two.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

Have you looked at the Infiniti G35/G35x at all?

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

If you have the money, get the 350 obviously, it's, what, 15 better?

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

I've only driven the IS, what, 330 I think. Too small for a tallish(6'2") guy -- my head presses the roof and I have to drive in a bit of a slump. Initial pick-up is slow, but the steering is nice and tight and feels natural. The car goes where I will it to go. Above 60, it comes into its own. Feels extremely good at 80. Not knowledgeable about cars, but I guess the 350 is a step up from the 330. So you'd hope it would have at least the 330's virtues.

How's the room and the initial pick-up in the BMW?

Drive both and see how you feel. I'm curious at the difference between the 330 and 350 myself.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

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Drive both and see how you feel. I'm curious at the difference between the 330 and 350 myself.

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Maybe you're referring to the old model, but the IS comes in a 250 and a 350.

I have the 250, and love it. I'm 6'4" and find it very comfortable, but then again, I prefer smaller cars. My head does not touch the roof while driving. I drove the BMW and found it nice, but it is a firmer ride - BMW's are just designed that way. Just drive both and see which one you like more.

D

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

335i for one reason. it comes in a stick
also, if you buy the 335i rwd (which is infinitely better) you can buy an after market lsd to install. it is night and day the traction you get in winter.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

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[ QUOTE ]
Drive both and see how you feel. I'm curious at the difference between the 330 and 350 myself.

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Maybe you're referring to the old model, but the IS comes in a 250 and a 350.

I have the 250, and love it. I'm 6'4" and find it very comfortable, but then again, I prefer smaller cars. My head does not touch the roof while driving. I drove the BMW and found it nice, but it is a firmer ride - BMW's are just designed that way. Just drive both and see which one you like more.

D

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It is an old one. SC 300.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

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Have you looked at the Infiniti G35/G35x at all?

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Yes, I have. The G35 series is comparable in power and price to the Lexus. I preferred the IS 350 styling over the G35.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

The g35 is definitely cheaper than both the IS 350 and 335xi. I am checking out new cars right now for my Mom and trying to get her to at least test drive the g35x. Fully loaded for about 38K whereas the IS will be about 6K more and the BMW is about 12K more. The G has everything but I'm not so sure that I'm sold on the exterior either.

In your case, I would go with the 335xi if winter could be a problem. It won't be any fun at all being caught in snow with rear wheel. If I lived somewhere warm year round then I would go with the 350. It's amazing they only made all wheel on the 250 [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

I'm sure they both drive really well. I'd go with the IS 350 because the design is superior the BMW. Also consider that BMW's have notoriously high maintenance costs. Lexus is Toyota so I'm sure they are more reliable.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

[ QUOTE ]
The g35 is definitely cheaper than both the IS 350 and 335xi. I am checking out new cars right now for my Mom and trying to get her to at least test drive the g35x. Fully loaded for about 38K whereas the IS will be about 6K more and the BMW is about 12K more. The G has everything but I'm not so sure that I'm sold on the exterior either.

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Damn, the BMW dealer you're working with sounds overpriced. We got a 335i, with the sport suspension, nav system, bluetooth, winter package, etc. for $43k. I am not sure, but I think the 335xi would have run about 2-3k more, with the same options. Spending $50k on a 3 series seems way overpriced to me.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

With the BMW, you pay more for leather and metallic paint. AWD is an extra $2000 on the BMW. At some point, I have to draw the line on what I can afford. Someone I met last night at a bar said an oil change on a BMW is $1000 (10000 mile interval). I'm trying confirm that.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

[ QUOTE ]
With the BMW, you pay more for leather and metallic paint. AWD is an extra $2000 on the BMW. At some point, I have to draw the line on what I can afford. Someone I met last night at a bar said an oil change on a BMW is $1000 (10000 mile interval). I'm trying confirm that.

[/ QUOTE ]
Definitely not true even at the Dealer. Besides they never do just an oil change, since it's every 10k, you get tune up, fluid changes, rotate tires, etc... If nothings broken at an independent mechanic might run ~$500.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

[ QUOTE ]
With the BMW, you pay more for leather and metallic paint. AWD is an extra $2000 on the BMW. At some point, I have to draw the line on what I can afford. Someone I met last night at a bar said an oil change on a BMW is $1000 (10000 mile interval). I'm trying confirm that.

[/ QUOTE ]
I have a BMW and my yearly maintenance (they tell me to only change the oil once a year) is around $400 at a dealer. That includes a lot more than an oil change though.

Considering that my old car required an oil change every 4000 miles or so, the BMW system really isn't that much more.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

335xi cause of snow

if you didnt have snow, lexus all the way (better deal, sweet tranmission, as fast or faster)

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

omg BMW and it's not even close

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

I have a 330i and live in Ontario. The snow wasn't too problematic without winter tires even. Get winter tires and you'll be fine.

If I were you I would get the 335.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

Why not buy a real car and get at least a BMW 5 or Audi A6? Audi has v good AWD.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

G35x ftw. My '05 has been aces through two Colorado winters. And the '07 looks even nicer than the '05 (and has a paddle shift version). You'll save thousands over the BMW in both purchase and maintenance cost, it's as powerful as the Lexus, and I haven't had a lick of non scheduled maintenance on mine, and I'm over 45k miles.

BMWs are very nice, but frankly, the current generation doesn't look nearly as nice as the previous, imho.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

Disregard the advice in this thread, because it's probably all [censored]. My very first car was a BMW, and it was horrible. I ran it into a ditch going 45mph, totaled it and was ecstatic to get it replaced.

Seriously Bimmer's are some of the most over-rated cars on the planet, and they aren't luxurious and don't excel at anything. They are basically a generic car that have a good name just because they are imports.

If you go to Germany, EVERYONE has a BMW.

If you want to get a luxury car, get a [censored] Benz.

Fwiw, I've driven 7 series Bimmers, 911 Turbo Porsche, and 3 of my sisters drive Lexxus SUV's (2 are in the shop getting repaired atm).

The new Lexus definitely have some cool new interior features, but we've had some pretty bad experiences with our three as far as reliability.

Oh, and the 3 series BMW's are a joke. Might as well get a Ford Taurus. You want a real car?

http://www.mercedes-benz.com/content...te/en/com.html

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

The 335 will most likely blow the doors off whatever you are driving. So not all 3 series are jokes. I just don't see any way I'm ever paying 50K for the 335 when the g35 is right up there in all categories for like 12K less. OH, and the 50K price tag didn't even inlcude navigation...

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

And all new BMW's come with a 4 year maintenance free warranty. You don't have to pay for anything except for tires and few other normal wear and tear parts.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

[ QUOTE ]
If you want to get a luxury car, get a [censored] Benz.

Fwiw, I've driven 7 series Bimmers, 911 Turbo Porsche, and 3 of my sisters drive Lexxus SUV's (2 are in the shop getting repaired atm).

The new Lexus definitely have some cool new interior features, but we've had some pretty bad experiences with our three as far as reliability.

Oh, and the 3 series BMW's are a joke. Might as well get a Ford Taurus.

[/ QUOTE ]
lol at you saying that a benz is better than bmw or lexus and implying it's better because of reliability. benzes are well known to have more problems than both lexus and bmw, and lexus is known to be very reliable. my family owns nothing but toyotas and lexuses and we've never had any non-scheduled maintenance on any of them. my friend owns a 2001 lexus rx300, lives in tahoe (mountain driving, + snow in the winter) and has put 170k miles on it, and has had no non-scheduled maintenance on it.

oh, and fwiw i've driven just about any car out there (i was a valet for 2 years) and i'd go with a bmw or lexus over benz. benzes don't age well (get more computer/electrical problems than either bmw or lexus) plus lexuses have the best designed interiors (in terms of ergonomics and the user-interface). i-drive is tough to learn, and benz is switching to an i-drive-like system that also isn't very good.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

lol at 3-series being a joke. the new 335 will scrape the paint off our car when it whizzes by.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

If you want overall reliability, go w/ toyota/lexus.

Now, the -old- 3 series was kind of a joke. Way underpowered, etc. However, the new 335i is turbocharged, and does 0-60 in around 5 seconds flat. For comparison, that's faster that mustangs and camaros of recent years.

Many people here are recommending the G35, a car which I very much like, but it's totally outclassed by both the 350 and 335i in power and performance.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

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The 335 will most likely blow the doors off whatever you are driving. So not all 3 series are jokes. I just don't see any way I'm ever paying 50K for the 335 when the g35 is right up there in all categories for like 12K less. OH, and the 50K price tag didn't even inlcude navigation...

[/ QUOTE ]

335 0-60: ~4.8 - 5.0 sec
G35 0-60: ~5.2 - 5.5 sec
IS350 0-60: ~5.5sec

*** note: I just realized that 2007 model G35's have considerably more power than 2006 & earlier. The 2006's and back do between 6.0 and 6.5s 0-60, so it's actually a lot closer.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

What's this with the dissing of Benzes? Is this widely supported by an OOT consensus?

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

Unless you get a top of the line Benz, you're wasting your money.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The 335 will most likely blow the doors off whatever you are driving. So not all 3 series are jokes. I just don't see any way I'm ever paying 50K for the 335 when the g35 is right up there in all categories for like 12K less. OH, and the 50K price tag didn't even inlcude navigation...

[/ QUOTE ]

335 0-60: ~4.8 - 5.0 sec
G35 0-60: ~5.2 - 5.5 sec
IS350 0-60: ~5.5sec

*** note: I just realized that 2007 model G35's have considerably more power than 2006 & earlier. The 2006's and back do between 6.0 and 6.5s 0-60, so it's actually a lot closer.

[/ QUOTE ]
It's faster now. The new 2008 G37 adds more power.

Bigger Picture Here

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=120061

http://www.carpw.com/pictures/infini...ept_2006_1.jpg

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

i love my 335 and get mad compliments on it.

woolygimp, you sound like an idiot.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

[ QUOTE ]
I will soon be buying a new sport sedan. My initial choice was the Lexus IS 350 because I liked the 306 HP and 4.09 gear which makes the car go fast. I also really like the exterior style. However, I live in Minnesota and even though the past 5+ winters have been mild, I am cautious about buying a rear wheel drive car. The BMW 335i comes in All Wheel Drive (xi) in addition to Rear Wheel. I test drove a 335i yesterday and was impressed with its acceleration, particularly when shifting the automatic transmission. The IS 350 includes paddle shifters as does the 335i (xi does not).

So, can I get some opinions on IS 350 vs 335i(xi)? Also, should I get AWD which basically limits my choice to the BMW?

[/ QUOTE ]

I have a 2007 BMW 335i Coupe (premium pkg, winter pkg, sport pkg, and active steering). It is an awesome car.

But your question really has nothing to do with which car is "better", as they are both great cars. It comes down to your personal needs and taste:

1. If this will be your only vehicle, then a non-Xi 335 most likely won't work for you. Driving in the snow in a RWD car with snow tires is bad enough, with all-season or summer tires (sport package) it's impossible.

2. The two cars are just different. The Lexus is less sexy, more practical, more reliable etc. The BMW is all-out hot, slick, fast, maybe not as practical. Just depends on what you personally want.

Having said that, I would seriously consider the G37. In my opinion it's almost as sexy as the BMW, while being significantly more practical.

If you have any other questions about the 335 specifically, shoot me a PM.

-bigbootch

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

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i love my 335 and get mad compliments on it.

woolygimp, you sound like an idiot.

[/ QUOTE ]


Ditto, for both statements [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

[ QUOTE ]
Disregard the advice in this thread, because it's probably all [censored]. My very first car was a BMW, and it was horrible. I ran it into a ditch going 45mph, totaled it and was ecstatic to get it replaced.

Seriously Bimmer's are some of the most over-rated cars on the planet, and they aren't luxurious and don't excel at anything. They are basically a generic car that have a good name just because they are imports.

If you go to Germany, EVERYONE has a BMW.

If you want to get a luxury car, get a [censored] Benz.

Fwiw, I've driven 7 series Bimmers, 911 Turbo Porsche, and 3 of my sisters drive Lexxus SUV's (2 are in the shop getting repaired atm).

The new Lexus definitely have some cool new interior features, but we've had some pretty bad experiences with our three as far as reliability.

Oh, and the 3 series BMW's are a joke. Might as well get a Ford Taurus

[/ QUOTE ]

Coupled with this: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...;gonew=1#UNREAD

So you have a ton of experience driving BMWs that your Mommy and Daddy bought for you?

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

toyota's impressive growth in the last two years has led to some inevitable quality control issues.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

i dont think anyone is really gonna notice a .5 second 0-60 difference. Get the lexus, youll thank everyone thats mentioned it later.

Re: Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i/xi
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Disregard the advice in this thread, because it's probably all [censored]. My very first car was a BMW, and it was horrible. I ran it into a ditch going 45mph, totaled it and was ecstatic to get it replaced.

Seriously Bimmer's are some of the most over-rated cars on the planet, and they aren't luxurious and don't excel at anything. They are basically a generic car that have a good name just because they are imports.

If you go to Germany, EVERYONE has a BMW.

If you want to get a luxury car, get a [censored] Benz.

Fwiw, I've driven 7 series Bimmers, 911 Turbo Porsche, and 3 of my sisters drive Lexxus SUV's (2 are in the shop getting repaired atm).

The new Lexus definitely have some cool new interior features, but we've had some pretty bad experiences with our three as far as reliability.

Oh, and the 3 series BMW's are a joke. Might as well get a Ford Taurus

[/ QUOTE ]

Coupled with this: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showfl...;gonew=1#UNREAD

So you have a ton of experience driving BMWs that your Mommy and Daddy bought for you?

[/ QUOTE ]

How does it matter how I got it? A BMW is a BMW, and I'll admit it wasn't a 2006. The 3 series back then were absolute jokes, and had lawnmower engines. Thing pulled like a 14 second 0-60, it was horrible.

FWIW, the BMW was a Z3.