[gonelaxin]

Looking for a forum opinion. I currently have a loaded CPO m sport e90 335xi. Car has ppk but is otherwise stock. I have it financed through BMW financial at a nice .9 over 60 months. I have owned the car for 7 months. Payoff is 26.5. I stopped by lexus dealer the other day and drive a rwd loaded is350 f sport. Must say it was an impressive vehicle. Not as fast as my 335 but more luxurious and much newer tech. Dealer offered to wipe my payoff even though the galves on my car is 23.5. Got a great money factor (.00079) and the residual is high(71%). I would basically be paying 10 bucks less on the lease with only first month out of pocket. Jump on the deal or just ditch the RFT's on my car and get some KW coilovers. There is my conundrum. It's a 27 month lease FYI.

[1NS0MN1A]

If it was faster....much faster... I would bite.

[gonelaxin]

It was not faster at all but it handled 100% better and the ride was a night and day difference. The lf-a gauge cluster is also a thing of beauty.

[techwhiz]

Me? Nope, it's still a Toyota.

[mashimarho]

I doubt the ride and handling was better. Not to sound bias, but the whole point of a BMW is the driving experience. The IS-F drove like a cloud to me. I like feeling the road more.

[gonelaxin]

Like I said there is no gun to the head decision. It was appealing in the fact that I could get out of my finance so easily without taking a huge bath on the trade. If I could lease a 335 rwd m sport for the same price as the lexus it would be a no brainer. I find the suspension on the xdrive e90 to be just awful and the hydraulic steering getting a little too old.

[Stupenal]

Originally Posted by mashimarho

I doubt the ride and handling was better. Not to sound bias, but the whole point of a BMW is the driving experience. The IS-F drove like a cloud to me. I like feeling the road more.

Have u driven the new 3rd gen Lexus IS? Its a much different handling car compared to the previous generation. Lexus focused on driver enjoyment and changed the chassis and suspension to provide greater handling.

I helped my girlfriend get the new is250. It drives well, and the tech is very nice (heated/cooled seats, blind spot monitoring, rear camera, backup assist to notify you if a car or person is screaming down the parking aisle, Bluetooth and Pandora, cm free first 12 months, led headlights, led drls, the list goes on). The new seats are comfortable, interior is eons better than BMW(except the door card storage area feels and looks cheap), and its a Lexus so you know reliability will be these. However, the nav unit mouse thingy is a bitch and not as easy as I drive to use. There's no physical radio preset buttons. The unit won't let u change the volume or turn off the radio when u first start up the car as its still booting up(although u can load ur own startup picture so at least you have something to listen to as your ears are bleeding BC u forgot to lower the volume last night after a night out, and its now 7am on a Monday morning...)

Personally I still enjoy the BMW driving experience better for an e82/9X, but compared to the f30 I'll take the new is any day. It drives better without a doubt. I went to A test drive event and ran the is350 vs f30 335i back to back around a mini autox course and found the Lexus to drive better. Same went for the gs 350 f sport with rear wheel steering vs. The 535i m sport. The new Lexus cars have really stepped it up. The funny/surprising thing is that the ct200h f sport was the most fun around the autox course due to the short wheelbase and slender proportions. Too bad its dog slow.

[mashimarho]

Originally Posted by Stupenal

Have u driven the new 3rd gen Lexus IS? Its a much different handling car compared to the previous generation. Lexus focused on driver enjoyment and changed the chassis and suspension to provide greater handling.

I helped my girlfriend get the new is250. It drives well, and the tech is very nice (heated/cooled seats, blind spot monitoring, rear camera, backup assist to notify you if a car or person is screaming down the parking aisle, Bluetooth and Pandora, cm free first 12 months, led headlights, led drls, the list goes on). The new seats are comfortable, interior is eons better than BMW(except the door card storage area feels and looks cheap), and its a Lexus so you know reliability will be these. However, the nav unit mouse thingy is a bitch and not as easy as I drive to use. There's no physical radio preset buttons. The unit won't let u change the volume or turn off the radio when u first start up the car as its still booting up(although u can load ur own startup picture so at least you have something to listen to as your ears are bleeding BC u forgot to lower the volume last night after a night out, and its now 7am on a Monday morning...)

Personally I still enjoy the BMW driving experience better for an e82/9X, but compared to the f30 I'll take the new is any day. It drives better without a doubt. I went to A test drive event and ran the is350 vs f30 335i back to back around a mini autox course and found the Lexus to drive better. Same went for the gs 350 f sport with rear wheel steering vs. The 535i m sport. The new Lexus cars have really stepped it up. The funny/surprising thing is that the ct200h f sport was the most fun around the autox course due to the short wheelbase and slender proportions. Too bad its dog slow.

I have not. I guess I have to try the new IS..

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

It's an auto /thread

Lexus does luxury right, not so much sports cars.

[gonelaxin]

My reason for contemplating the switch is on Long Island where am I really using the increased power level of the 335 to it's limits. I figure if I'm in a car that does 0-60 in the low 5's and has much better interior why not make the switch.

[InControl]

If that's your cup of tea get the lex

[Kolyan2k]

Buddy of mine shopped between is350, 335i, and E550 coupe. Bought E550

[Stupenal]

Originally Posted by Some guy somewhere

It's an auto /thread

Lexus does luxury right, not so much sports cars.

BC the e92 is a sports car....

And the new f30 has been compared to a honda accord...

My opinion is just that of another faceless dude on the net (who actually has both the new IS and a e82 128i 6spd in the garage). But read the car and driver reviews, and c&d is probably the biggest BMW 3 series fan boy mag. Road and track also gave the nod to the IS over the BMW. Mind you, both mags did a comparison test so they got to sample them back to back. Motortrend did give the crown to the BMW in their comparo, but again its very telling that two well known mags gave it to the Lexus.

This is all coming from a guy who's on his 4th BMW, and a die hard BMW fan. I even went to the BMW welt to pick up a car and did euro delivery. But if I were to buy a new luxury sports sedan today, I know without a doubt it would not be the f30.

[mike-y]

we aren't driving your commute, you are. if you like the way it drove and felt, and it's seems like a good swap for you, then do it. Everyone has different tastes, so go with what you like

[M.a.r.k.u.s]

Originally Posted by gonelaxin

Like I said there is no gun to the head decision. It was appealing in the fact that I could get out of my finance so easily without taking a huge bath on the trade. If I could lease a 335 rwd m sport for the same price as the lexus it would be a no brainer. I find the suspension on the xdrive e90 to be just awful and the hydraulic steering getting a little too old.

I completely agree with the xDrive suspension being awful and have no doubt the is350 handled better. BUT, I am sure the second you drive the 335 with the KW's it will blow your mind. I hated the suspension on my xdrive but absolutely love it now with the Kw's. The 335 is in my opinion a much better looking car too. I hate that new front end on the Lexus. Looks like it has a big screen tv mounted on the front bumper

[El Cheapo Loco]

The new IS is very nice. But the lack of MT is a deal breaker.

[e92_enthusiast_1]

bump to remove spam from top

[gonelaxin]

I was thinking the same thing with ditching runflats and adding the kw v1's. My only fear is that the ride while definately feel more planted will be harsher to ride on. Am I off base?

[gonelaxin]

Ok e92 enthusiast. It is an Internet forum. I am merely asking for opinions. If you don't have one, no need to add to the sites bandwidth.

[M.a.r.k.u.s]

Originally Posted by gonelaxin

I was thinking the same thing with ditching runflats and adding the kw v1's. My only fear is that the ride while definately feel more planted will be harsher to ride on. Am I off base?

The ride is definitely firmer but not too harsh in my opinion. It feels exactly the way a sport suspension should

[stashtrey]

I have an 08 335xi e90. Suspension was garbage. Felt like an '79 Caddie. Upgrades to koni with H&R sports. Much better.

Then...I yearned for more adjustability and performance. Snatched some KW V3's off a fellow board member paired with some Vorshlag camber plates. It rejuvenated my love affair with this car. It is a different car. Doesn't take much.

[stashtrey]

Originally Posted by M.a.r.k.u.s

The ride is definitely firmer but not too harsh in my opinion. It feels exactly the way a sport suspension should

Not harsh. V3's give you dampening and rebound. Easily adjustable. Can do the damp/bump with wheels on the car in about 5 minutes. Rebound on rears you gotta pull the trunk liner back a bit from the rear but that takes 5 minutes. People....you don't have to remove the entire trunk liner to get to the tops of your rear shocks.

Sorry...end of thread jack.