craig john

Did you read Patrick Bedard's column in C&D this month? He places the responsibility for gas mileage performance on the feet of the driver. Obviously, the vehicle has some inherent gas mileage limitations. Howerver, the the driver interactions with the "go" and "stop" pedals will have a significant influence on the final result. Bottom line, your driving style may have as much impact on your realized mileage as any other pertinent factor. (Oh well, there goes *my* gas mileage!) :) Craig

To be honest, I'm dissappointed with the level of activity on this forum. There are only a few new posts per day, and usually by the same posters. Is there another, more active Lexus forum than this one? Surely, there must be a large group of internet savvy Lexus owners out there. Where do they all hang out? Craig

Matador Red over black for me. I *really* like this combo. The red is a deep, rich red with a very small metallic flake. It's not a dark burgundy red and it's not a bright, hot red. It's kind of a deep candy-apple/cherry/crimson red, depending on the light you are viewing it in. I'm not sure how many coats of clear are on top of the paint, but it seems the paint is an inch thick. I was originally thinking the cashmere interior, but I saw the GS with this combo and it didn't work for me. From outside the car, the cashmere draws the eye away from the exterior. On the inside it added an extra color to an already full palate. You've got the browns of the wood trim, the black of the dash and center console surround, the "aluminum-look" surround of the nav display and chrome on the door handles. Throw tan leather seating and some trim bits into this mix and I just felt it got too busy. The black leather interior draws less attention to itself and allows the beautiful red paint to stand out. At night, the black totally disappears and lets the cabin lights be the eye draw. Whatever color combo you get, it'll be a great car. Craig

My last 2 cars were BMW M3's; a '97 5-spd and an '01 6-spd. I have been looking for a replacement for my M3. My comfort point for price is ~$50K. In my search process, I have driven the following cars: BMW E46 M3 BMW E90 330i. BMW 545i MazdaSpeed 6 Mazda RX-8 Honda S-2000 Acura RL Acura TL Audi S4 Audi TT C6 Corvette Saab 9.3 Aero Volvo S60R Nissan 350Z Infiniti G35 Coupe After driving all these cars, I bought the Lexus IS350. I had said I would never buy a 4-door car or one with an automatic transmission. However, the IS was just too good to pass up. It's not quite as fast as the M3's, but it is significantly faster than the 330i, and what it adds in luxury, refinement and ergonomics makes it a no-brainer, (at least for me, at this point in my life). Comparing directly to the BMW 330i: -The acceleration is much better. -The seats are better. -The driving position is better. -The visiblity is better. -The acceleration is much better. -The stereo is better. -The displays are better -The controls are much more intuitive and easier to use. -The acceleration is much better. -The styling is much better, (except for possibly the sculpted tailights). -Did I mention, the acceleration is much better. In terms of handling and road feel, I don't think the differences between these cars are as distinct as the reviews have portrayed. The IS350 doesn't "beat" the BMW, but it is very close to being its' equal in handling. The BMW is somewhat more communicative and has better steering feedback and road-feel, but again, these edges are slight. More importantly, the acceleration edge of the Lexus is so great that I'm sure I could get the IS350 around a track quicker than the 330i, especially a track with some long straights where the increased hp and torque could really improve lap times. This edge in acceleration may be narrowed next fall when BMW introduces the 335i, but for right now, the Lexus holds th upper hand. The technologic toys in both of these cars are incredible. The difference is that, in the Lexus, they are MUCH easier to use. BMW's i-Drive system is not at all intuitive; whereas the IS350's user interface is quite logical and intuitive. Without looking at the manual, my daughter and I had the whole nav system figured out in about 5 minutes. I spent a half-hour with the BMW salesman and never did get the hang of i-Drive. As far as the VDIM is concerned, if the VDIM is kicking in, it means the driver is doing something wrong. For example, when exiting a turn, if the driver punch's the "go-pedal" too early or too hard, the VDIM will reduce the throttle input to an acceptable level. It may even apply the anti-lock brakes to slow the vehicle down a little bit. It will do all this to keep the vehicle "in shape" and under the driver's control. Lexus's VDIM is very similar to BMW's ASC, (Automatic Stability Control). The BMW system is a little less intrusive than the VDIM, and on the track, this can be a problem. The Lexus system won't let you "drift" the car through corners. It won't let you "hang the tail out" and it certainly won't let you do donuts. For this reason, many reviewers find the BMW system to be less intrusive and, therefore "better." However, for the VAST majority of street use, the VDIM can and will keep many drivers from exceeding the limits of their cars' handling capabilities. I am told that there is a procedure available to completely shut the system off. However, it should probably only be used under two very strict criteria; 1) on a track and, 2) with a very experienced driver at the helm. Short of these criteria, the VDIM should probably be left in full-functional mode. Overall I found the IS350 to be as much fun to drive as my M3's. The acceleration is great. The handling is everything I could ask for. It's a definite step up in refinement, luxury and technology. The bottom line is this: if you want a slower car that will provide better "road-feel", get a BMW. If you want a car that will do EVERYTHING ELSE better and easier, and look better doing it, get the IS350. Disclaimer: These are just my opinions, and should be viewed as such. Craig

I just took delivery of an IS350. No spoiler. :) Craig

Is this only a problem if you change wheels? Putting snow tires on the existing wheels won't cause a problem, will it? Craig

I'm picking up my IS350 tomorrow morning. (Matador Red, Black Leather, Nav). Does the IS350 have a beak-in period. If so, what are the recommendations? RPM limitations? Top speed limitations? Don't drive at constant speed? How many miles till the drivetrain is broken-in? Thanks. Craig

Get the IS250, then drive in the right lane and let the 350's go bye. (spelling intended) :) Just kidding, of course. I've driven both cars, back to back. The 250 was an AWD, automatic, which is probably the slowest and heaviest version of the car. It was a little too sluggish for me. (I'm coming out of a BMW M3.) However, it had a very solid ride quality, very BMW-like. It handled great, cornered with grip and tenacity and felt very solid and secure. Since you're in Austin, TX, you probably don't need AWD. The RWD version is probably a few hundred pounds lighter and so should be quicker. If you can deal with a clutch and a shifter, the manual should be a little quicker still. If your driving style is truly as you describe it, I think the 250 would be the more appropriate and practical car for you and your wife. However, for me, the addition of 100 hp in the IS350 simply takes the car to another level. It was absolutely a hoot to drive. I found myself slowing down, just so I could speed up again. Powering out of the apex of a corner was thrilling. I found it to be as much fun to drive as my '97 M3 and much more solid, luxurious and technologically advanced. My IS350 is scheduled to arrive between Jan. 3rd and Jan. 6th. :) Good luck and let us know your decision. Craig

Lexusfreak How about the Pirelli Winter 240 Snowsport? My local tire dealer (a good friend and a fellow M3 owner) is recommending these in the 18" size and just swaping them on my wheels fall and spring. thesaintjim, are these the tires you have? If so, what sizes did you go with? Also, how do you like the dry/wet handling in addition to the snow capabilities? Thanks. Craig

Good luck Craig! B) The Nitto's you were talking about earlier......were they summer or winter tires? I could not find anything on their website about winter rubber as I was under the impression they did not make such a tire. ← Lexusfreak, They are the Nitto NT-SN1 Winter Tire. They have an interesting tread pattern with a large center channel, lots of small sipes and some water shedding large sipes. Here's a link to the Discount Tire Direct website with these tires: DTD site If it doesn't work you can go the DTD website and search for winter tires for the IS. Craig

Thanks guys! I checked both Tirerack (sold out for season on Blizzack's) and Discount Tire Direct. DTD is where I found the Nitto's. They also have some wheels pretty reasonable. I also have a local tire dealer I'll check with tomorrow. I can't wait to get my IS! Craig

Lexusfreak, Which tires qualify as winter tires? Are their snow handling capabilities the same as "snow" tires? Zinfandel22, I agree that slightly narrower tires will push less snow. The Blizzack's on my M3 are 225/16's. They work great. I was thinking of a non-staggered setup for the IS. Do you have any suggestions for wheels/tires and sizes? Doing some on-line searching, I have found some Nitto's, 225/45/R17's with a VR speed rating. Is anyone familiar with these tires? Wet, dry and snow capabilities? Thanks. Craig

I will be getting an IS350 just after X-mas. I am coming out of a 1997 BMW M3. The M3 was horrible in the snow until I put a set of Blizzack's on it. The differnce was night and day. Working on the assumption that the IS with "summer" tires will be just as bad as the M3 in the snow, I'm planning to get snow tires for the IS. I'm wondering if anyone else has done so and what wheels, tires and sizes you got? How good is the resultant traction? My IS will have 18" wheels, so I'm thinking I will need wheels as well as tires, probably 17's. Will 16's fit? Does anyone know the bolt pattern, offsets, etc. for the 350? TIA, for any help. Craig