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Zoomin Dan

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Everything posted by Zoomin Dan

  1. Ha, my dealer told me that Lexus doesn't build RWD IS250s any more; they're all AWD. I think what he meant to say was, "We don't have any RWD IS250s on our lot, and we don't like ordering custom cars."
  2. I also looked at these cars. The only things that I'd add to the above is that Lexus has a strong reputation for quality. If you keep your cars for a long time, I'd lean toward the Lexus. Especially compared to the 335, with the first BMW turbo engine in 20 years. Yikes! The 328 is a safer bet in this regard. On the other hand, I found the BMW to be more practical with the bigger, folding back seat. Although the BMW has a more plain interior, the Lexus has a few surprisinging disappointments that the BMW doesn't. I tested the IS350 at night, and was shocked that many of the secondary controls aren't lit. And the buttons on the doors are lit only with little dots, so you can't tell them apart visually. Also, I liked the BMW's uniform interior lighting scheme better than the IS's mish-mash of blues, whites, and greens. BMW has a few gadgets that the Lexus doesn't. These include the electronic blinker stalk, the auto-drying / fade-compensating brakes, and the cooled cup holder. At least the Lexus has ventilated seats, more useful cupholders, and a touch screen. By the way, the engine noise you heard outside the car was probably the ticking of the direct injection. I've heard that all direct injection systems make this sound. My final opinion is that the IS350 is a better bargain and a safer choice in terms of reliability, but the BMW is a better car.
  3. The mark-up on Lexus is crazy. I believe Lexus also has a 2% dealer holdback on top of the difference between MSRP and Invoice. If you option out an IS350 and pay MSRP, you've put in around $8,000 in profit into the deal just on the sale of one car.
  4. I'm looking at these 3 cars as potential commuting cars (about 37 miles per day) and for business-related road trips. Did anyone else look at these, and why did you---presumably---choose the IS? My thoughts are: The IS ranks first in terms of quality / reliability, and engine. However, it is also the most cramped. It is in the middle on gas mileage. It is the most user-friendly car in terms of ergonomics. In my area, the luxury package, navigation, and parking assist are essentially standard; any other options must be factory ordered. The G35 is biggest, least expensive, and has the most features in terms of electronics. Most owners are reporting poor gas mileage. It is considered less luxurious than the other brands, although it is a big step up from the previous model. It is also usually considered more sporty than the IS, and on par with the BMW. The 328i is the least powerful by far, but records good gas mileage. The driving experience is supposedly the best of the group, although some people complain about the run flat tires. When equipped with the features found on the other two cars, it is the most expensive. It is bigger than the IS, and the back seat folds. iDrive can work well for an experienced user, but is a big turn-off for visitors to the car.
  5. I used to have an Audi A4 with AWD, a car with a great reputation in snow. Since I had the factory sport package, I had 16" rims and 205/55R16 Dunlop SP8000 sport tires. Even with AWD, the car was truly scary in snow until I started using snow tires. 4 times 0 traction is still 0. Although I could get moving, I could barely turn or stop. Bottom line: tires make more of a difference than drive wheels. Tests in car magazines have shown that a RWD car with snow tires will out-brake and out-turn an AWD car with all-season tires on snow; acceleration is around the same. When in doubt, get snow tires and be safe.
  6. I have driven two similar cars that am considering: the 07 G35 Sport versus the IS350. I also tried the G35X. The biggest difference between the cars you are looking at, IMO, is the engine. The G has a lot of power, but will also get much worse fuel economy, especially if you use the extra power frequently. My opinion of the IS250 is that it needs about 30 more HP. By today's standards, the IS250 AWD is dog slow. But if the IS250 has enough power for you, then you might as well save the gas. On the luxury side, I feel that Lexus is overrated. The green digital clock and silver plastic center console don't exactly scream "luxury" to me; the styling reminds me more of a $20 Wal-Mart clock radio. In terms of electronic features, you can easily get a number of options for the G that either aren't available at all (real time traffic display, integrated hard drive) or can be hard to find (name-brand audio, adaptive cruise control) on the IS. Also, the configuration of the auxilliary audio/video inputs and the 12V power socket in the arm rest are much more useful in the G than the IS. On the other hand, I would trust the Lexus build quality more than Infiniti's, and the Lexus has a quieter and smoother ride. It also has a few exclusive bells and whistles of its own such as ventilated seats and rain-sensing wipers. The Lexus controls are simple and generally intuitive; the G35 on the other hand goes for a busy arrangement of knobs and buttons. In terms of driving feel, I found that the G drives like a large car, whereas the Lexus feels smaller and more maneuverable. The G35X felt softer than I expected; I liked the Sport more. The G gets its handling prowess the old fashioned way: a good, hard suspension. The Lexus has a more European feel, with a more compliant ride that is still offers very good control. The size difference is more than slight. If I recall, the G is 7 inches longer. In car terms, that's a lot. If I recall, the IS is technically a sub-compact and the G is a midsize sedan. The G has a much more useful back seat. The Lexus suffers from a puzzling packaging problem; it's actually 2 inches longer than my old 99 Audi A4 and yet officially has less rear leg room and a smaller trunk. Its back seat is one of the nicest, most luxurious torture chambers that you'll ever see. Unfortunately, neither car's back seat folds. This is a tough choice. By many criteria, the G is both sportier and more practical, but Lexus has some intangible benefits that are hard to ignore. I'm still on the fence and hope more people will chime in.
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