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Which Car Lexus IS350 or BMW 328I

Lexus or BMW

  • Lexus

    Votes: 16 38.1%
  • BMW

    Votes: 23 54.8%
  • Keep the hummer

    Votes: 3 7.1%

  • Total voters
    42
  • Poll closed .

Konabumm

Konaboner
Jun 13, 2003
4,383
87
Hollywood, Maryland, United States
So I have narrowed my search down too these two cars - I'm sure either one will look great with a Downhill bike strapped to the top (or back)

If you had to choose which would you want ?

BMW


Lexus


Right now I really like the Lexus - I'm going to test drive both next week.
 

amishmatt

Turbo Monkey
Sep 21, 2005
1,263
396
Lancaster, PA
I think you have to be at least 80% asshole to drive a bmw - ask the dealer, they must have some kind of certification.

Purley based on appearance, I vote IS.
 

Sherpa

Basking in fail.
Jan 28, 2004
2,240
0
Arkansaw
No Lexus unless it's one of the new hybrids. The new Beemers are cool, but look at the new Mercedes C-Class.
 

hokie77

Chimp
Dec 5, 2007
60
0
Virginia
I used to work on cars a couple of years ago. FWIW, I saw more bimmers than lexus in my time there. That doesn't mean it's always the case, but my personal observation. Typically, it afflicted the higher end models for some reason. One of our customers had a flagship, (I forget the model), but it had the credit card-style ignition key and the owner had to take it to BMW to reboot the computer system. Five trips to the dealer in a brand new car 7 months old. Just a warning. Be different and get a Caddy with a northstar. Or the lex... I haven't seen too many problems with them. And living in Richmond, half the kids at high school either drove their parents old bimmer, lex, or mercedes. Myself, I drove a Specialized Hard Rock. Good luck with the choice, either one blows away my POS '90 Bronco.
 

Konabumm

Konaboner
Jun 13, 2003
4,383
87
Hollywood, Maryland, United States
I used to work on cars a couple of years ago. FWIW, I saw more bimmers than lexus in my time there. That doesn't mean it's always the case, but my personal observation. Typically, it afflicted the higher end models for some reason. One of our customers had a flagship, (I forget the model), but it had the credit card-style ignition key and the owner had to take it to BMW to reboot the computer system. Five trips to the dealer in a brand new car 7 months old. Just a warning. Be different and get a Caddy with a northstar. Or the lex... I haven't seen too many problems with them. And living in Richmond, half the kids at high school either drove their parents old bimmer, lex, or mercedes. Myself, I drove a Specialized Hard Rock. Good luck with the choice, either one blows away my POS '90 Bronco.
Thanks for the feedback - I use to drive a Bronco, there is something very liberating about driving a POS! I miss mine -
 

hokie77

Chimp
Dec 5, 2007
60
0
Virginia
Thanks for the feedback - I use to drive a Bronco, there is something very liberating about driving a POS! I miss mine -
I do love that heavy old thing, gas and repair bills just have dictated its demise. Last four wheeling trip cost: set of locking hubs, upper and lower ball joints both sides, universal joint-pass. side, and turn warped rotors from hitting a creek with brakes too hot. Haha.

I'm sure you'll make a good choice once you get to take them out for a drive.
 

Mr Tiles

I'm a beer snob
Nov 10, 2003
3,469
0
L-town ya'll
toyota avalon and I'm being serious. I've had an 04 M-B (bought new), and three bimmers over the past decade and the toy takes 'em all hands down value wise. My wife has an 06 and it's the best car *by far* we've ever owned. I'm a bimmer fan at heart (and still want an 88-90 m3), but we're so happy with the avalon.
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
I'm no car guy - but the lexus has 306HP and 0-60 in a little over 6 sec.

That's slow?
306HP and only a 6 second 0-60mph time is pretty sad. My FWD Jetta, when it was pushing 225HP could do it in that. It speaks volumes of all the electronic babysitters the Lexus has on board.

Allow me to suggest an Audi S4 or S4 Avant? CPO or new, of course...Big V8, 340hp, 0-60 in 5 seconds, nicer interior than the Lexus or BMW.



If you don't mind hunting around or an older car, a CPO low mileage e39 (2003) M5 could be a great deal, too.
 

amishmatt

Turbo Monkey
Sep 21, 2005
1,263
396
Lancaster, PA
You are asking a guy who drives a Hummer if he's a big enough asshole? :rofl:
Yeah, I realized that after. But, I was trying to be polite and keep it to stereotypes and broad generalizations rather than personal attacks.

I'm with Blue on the S4 rec. Power, AWD, and the smug satisfation that you have better taste that the average bimmer driving sheep.
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,519
7,067
Colorado
On the lexus, how tall are you? If you're over 6'2" your head will hit the ceiling.
 

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
toyota avalon and I'm being serious. I've had an 04 M-B (bought new), and three bimmers over the past decade and the toy takes 'em all hands down value wise. My wife has an 06 and it's the best car *by far* we've ever owned. I'm a bimmer fan at heart (and still want an 88-90 m3), but we're so happy with the avalon.
i have to say you are on to something there..

My mum has an '04 Avalon and whist it looks like a grandma car it runs great, is very roomy and has an awesome ride and gets decent gas mileage. She even got hers with a 60/40 split bench seat up front instead of the usual bucket seats, so her 96 year old grandma can get in and out easier.



The new generation of Avalons dont look like grandma cars at all.
 

maddog17

Turbo Monkey
Jan 20, 2008
2,815
105
Methuen, Mass. U.S.A.
i cant see spending the money on the Lexus when it's just a dressed up Altima/Maxima. granted it has more hp, but the 6cyl Altima i think was rated at 275hp. i got the 4cyl Altima and love it. i guess if your looking for the luxury aspect, then the Lex is the way to go. what about an Acura? my last 2 cars have been Acura's and i loved them. i only went with the Altima because Acura discontinued the Integra/RSX platform.
 

Mr Tiles

I'm a beer snob
Nov 10, 2003
3,469
0
L-town ya'll
The new generation of Avalons dont look like grandma cars at all.
I'll try to grab a pic of my wife's limited. It's definitely pimp for a grocery getter and I think it brings like 260 hp and has been averaging 28mpg. It does WAY better on highway trips...
 

DirtyDog

Gang probed by the Golden Banana
Aug 2, 2005
6,598
0
toyota avalon and I'm being serious. I've had an 04 M-B (bought new), and three bimmers over the past decade and the toy takes 'em all hands down value wise. My wife has an 06 and it's the best car *by far* we've ever owned. I'm a bimmer fan at heart (and still want an 88-90 m3), but we're so happy with the avalon.
I don't think someone looking at BMW's and Lexus's (Lexi? :D) is using value as the primary decision-making criteria.
 

CBJ

year old fart
Mar 19, 2002
12,862
4,159
Copenhagen, Denmark
I have an 07 X3 3.0si - better engine than the 328i, still 7.1 to 60, lots of cargo space (will fit several bikes, decent milage (26/19), good rear leg room and its really really fun to drive. BMW has great lease deals and great deals on off lease ones.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,031
7,550
mazdaspeed 3! woo!

good looking, quick, and don't even need a rack to bring your bike around.
i second this recommendation.

MancilG, how did you come this short list? what are you looking for that your H2 doesn't provide? :D
 

skatetokil

Turbo Monkey
Jan 2, 2005
2,383
-1
DC/Bluemont VA
In my driveway right now I have an 03 325ix (my new ride) and an 06 is250.

I think the Lex looks better than the new bimmer, but there are a couple things to consider. The lexus has a painfully tiny back seat, might as well be a coupe. The 3 series is far from large but its more reasonable to expect an adult to sit in it.

Basically you're choosing between straight line speed (which the Lexus wins hands down) and cornering speed (which the BMW wins by far).

The Lexus is like a guided missile on the highway, it pulls toward redline real hard and it feels like you have instant acceleration from a roll. Low end torque is not great, but not pathetic either.

For twisty roads, the BMW, even mine without sports suspension or the big wheels, feels much lower and more connected to the road without being harsh. Just feels "right." They clearly put a lot of thought into the suspension linkages and geometry.

The Lexus is a stiff enough platform that it's perfectly stable at speed, but I've never liked the steering (tends to oversteer) and it feels kinda top heavy to me.
 

mntbiker2

Monkey
Jun 30, 2007
515
0
you should go for the bmw 328 xi sport coupe 2008..such a nice car and very fast..0-60 in 5.4 seconds