New Is350 Member

[wrxhoon]

Happy to say after extensive road tests, I had the F-sport for a day and the sport luxury for 2 days, I put an order for a sport luxury IS350 last Thursday, picking her up next Tuesday, looking forward.. Unlike the 335I , no options offered..

Coming from the dark side, currenly own a BMW335I.

[Lexus Nerd]

Welcome to the club, wrxhoon, and congratulations!

What was the biggest influence in going for a test drive? For example, were you due to replace your 335i, and you read online comparison reviews? Or recommendations from friends or ...?

[Gunnar]

LOL nice that you say that and have the username WRXHOON.

Curious to know the above factors as well in the sway over. I'm assuming you also have owned a wrx in the past too?

[wrxhoon]

Thanks Lance.

I was going to replace my 335I when the new F30 model went for sale in Australia. At the time I drove the old model IS350 but I thought she was way to old, the interior looked very dated, 6 speed auto when others had 7 and 8. When I realised a replacement wasn't to far, I thought i would wait and see.

I would have to say the 335I is still a drivers car more so than the Lexus, she is quicker , lighter and handles better with even weight distribution front to back and I prefer turbos over NA .

I chose Lexus because she has lots more gear, all standard and even if I optioned the BM some stuff you can't get.

At least $20-25 k cheaper, made in Japan in one of the best assembly plans, if not the best on earth and very reliable . The Beemer on the other hand is made in Sough Africa, yes you pay German money and the sell you SA built car, not even near the finish of the IS and they come standard with built in oil leaks as well as other faults but I love the way they handle mild oversteer never understeer unlike the IS.

[wrxhoon]

LOL nice that you say that and have the username WRXHOON.

Curious to know the above factors as well in the sway over. I'm assuming you also have owned a wrx in the past too?

In my younger days I had several STI's and standard WRX's, mostly worked and I tracked them.

[Cuts]

Nice,glad to hear you're coming back over to the good guys.

What made you chose the sport luxury over the Fsport?

[wrxhoon]

More fruit in it and I don't have look for an optioned up F-sport, ah the other thing F-sport doesn't have analogue speedo ( I could live with that), the last I remember about digital only speedos was in the mid 80's when all upmarket cars had them.

It would be best to have both, like some cars do, BMW has, even my LC200 has both, why not Lexus .

I guess buying a car is always a compromise , you like some stuff on one brand and other stuff on another brand.

i'm still saving heaps buying a Lexus though...

[Gunnar]

Nice, what WRX/STI's did you have and what have you had done to them? I'm a former WRX owner myself; I didn't mod it. Were you in the wrx club or on Rexnet?

Funny I think the interior of my car (2IS) is dated but I much prefer the seats in mine to the new one; so much more side and thigh bolstering. I do wish I had vented seats though. What you said about not going a 335 is why I went Lexus as well - save a lot and everything is there from factory.

[wrxhoon]

Thats a long time ago,I bought one of the first WRX's to come to Aus (1994 hatch), 1999 sedan 2000 STI, 2002 sedan and 2003 STI, the 2000 STI had the most work, she was fairly quick in her day. All of them had some work, turbos are so easy to power up. I haven't had a WRX for a long time now but my wife had a liberty tuned by STI until 3 years ago. I had a few Nissan GTRS as well, one of them with heaps of work , around 800 hp, sus and brake work ,very quick car.

I was going to replace my 335I when the new F30 came out about 18 months ago when I realised I coudn't buy a German built car, I couldn't bring myself to pay $110k for a SA built car so I waited for the new IS to come out . I would have liked an ISF but the BM is long overdue for replacement, maybe next car??

[MR11]

Happy to say after extensive road tests, I had the F-sport for a day and the sport luxury for 2 days, I put an order for a sport luxury IS350 last Thursday, picking her up next Tuesday, looking forward.. Unlike the 335I , no options offered..

Coming from the dark side, currenly own a BMW335I.

Hi lucky you, taking it that is the new shape ?

Howd you manage to get one for the day, let alone 2 days, & what dealer did you choose, see theres 8 odd in NSW ?

[wrxhoon]

Yes of course the new shape..

BMW gave me a car to test , why wouldn't Lexus? I wanted to drive both the F-sport and the sport luxury because nobody could tell me for sure if the suspenssion is the same.

I bought the car from Lexus of chatswood but that's not where I tested the cars.

I have to say they are very proffessional, the salesman spent well over one hour with me showing me all the features and how to set everything up he even set my phone!! The cars was supplied with slimline plates ( they are extra money in NSW) and a box full of roses, a gift voucher from roses only, a bottle of French champagne and a box of chocholates!

Never has this kind of service from BMW ....

[MR11]

Yes of course the new shape..

BMW gave me a car to test , why wouldn't Lexus? I wanted to drive both the F-sport and the sport luxury because nobody could tell me for sure if the suspenssion is the same.

I bought the car from Lexus of chatswood but that's not where I tested the cars.

I have to say they are very proffessional, the salesman spent well over one hour with me showing me all the features and how to set everything up he even set my phone!! The cars was supplied with slimline plates ( they are extra money in NSW) and a box full of roses, a gift voucher from roses only, a bottle of French champagne and a box of chocholates!

Never has this kind of service from BMW ....

Wow, have heard chatswood are good, what did you pay, (if you dont mind me asking) & take it the dealer/s who you test drove with price wasnt up to scratch ?

Makes you wonder when you hear BM stories likes yours of a car thats $20-$25k more, yet the finish isnt as good, isnt made in germany & comes complete with oil leaks.

[wrxhoon]

From WA you heard about Lexus Chatswood? I don't want to disclose the price because I named the dealer, I can say that I got a substantial discount to the normal retail price. The dealer that gave me the cars to test wouldn't come to the party on price, not even close .

These cars retail for $93k in NSW, they are a bit more in WA because you have to pay more stamp duty but then again you pay half what we pay on rego per year so over 5 years it works out about the same, besides you guys in the wild west are wealthy, not only you dig up dirt and sell it, we in the east subsidize you with our taxes. I think it's about time this stopped.

As I said before the 335I is quicker that the IS 350 and handles better, the downside, even if you optioned it with everything you can get, it still can't match the sport luxury features.

It's a well known fact about the oil leaks in the N54 engine, they all will leak from the oil filter housing, some with as little as 30k ks and most will leak from the transmission ( 6 speed ZF), I don't know about the new F30 with the 8 speed ZF. Another common failure is the fuel pump, more in USA than here. Check on google BMW335I problems and see what you came up with.

[MR11]

From WA you heard about Lexus Chatswood? I don't want to disclose the price because I named the dealer, I can say that I got a substantial discount to the normal retail price. The dealer that gave me the cars to test wouldn't come to the party on price, not even close .

These cars retail for $93k in NSW, they are a bit more in WA because you have to pay more stamp duty but then again you pay half what we pay on rego per year so over 5 years it works out about the same, besides you guys in the wild west are wealthy, not only you dig up dirt and sell it, we in the east subsidize you with our taxes. I think it's about time this stopped.

As I said before the 335I is quicker that the IS 350 and handles better, the downside, even if you optioned it with everything you can get, it still can't match the sport luxury features.

It's a well known fact about the oil leaks in the N54 engine, they all will leak from the oil filter housing, some with as little as 30k ks and most will leak from the transmission ( 6 speed ZF), I don't know about the new F30 with the 8 speed ZF. Another common failure is the fuel pump, more in USA than here. Check on google BMW335I problems and see what you came up with.

Rather than another 20 posts, slrevolver@hotmail.com if youd ike to chat some more, sounds like you know a bit about WRX's too

[Gunnar]

Lexus of Chatswood are amazing.

I bought my car from Sutherland beacuse that was the only place that had a 2IS 350 F Sport in black left; the others were all gone. My parents bought an RX350 from Chatswood a few months ago and my god was the service better. Sutherland was good but Chatswood was another league away. Chatswood gave them a degustation dinner voucher; I got an umbrella from Sutherland. If I buy another Lexus I know where it will be from.

[wrxhoon]

Lexus of Chatswood has done it again, I had a letter form the dealership owner thanking me for doing business with them and if I choose to service the car with them assuring me they will take good care of her.

I was offered a car free car wash and clean once a month for 4 years ( warranty period) or as long as I own the car provided I have her serviced there.

All I have to do is take the car there and they do her while I wait .

They also offered a free after delivery service ( about an hour), a tech sits in the car with me and goes through everything to make sure I understand how all the features work.

This is the best service I ever had from any dealer by far and this is not the most expensive car I ever bought!!

After 700 km on the clock I enjoy driving the car, still learning how everything works. The only thing I don't like about the car is the sill foot operated ( ala Yank) parking brake. I don't for the life of me understand why they don't have a normal handbrake on the centre console. I wonder if I'm the only one that doesn't like this.