BMW 335 vs. Lexus IS350?

[bblair0826]

I own a 2001 BMW 325i. Need to unload it because maintenance costs are killing me (ave. $350/month). Paying those high service bills makes me want to stay away from BMW, but I must admit that my BMW is a fun car to drive.

Do the newer BMWs seem to have fewer problems? Does anyone have any comparative information on the BMW 335 vs. Lexus IS350 on performance, reliability, etc.?

[mryakan]

Well they have free scheduled maintenance and warranty for 4 yrs 50k miles now, so you won't have t worry for a while.

[galahad05]

Lexus is almost always top of the line in reliability.

Consumer reports lists the IS350 as "excellent", for example.

The 335 is listed as "average", which is not as bad as it sounds--"average" is a lot better than it used to be, since everyone has gone up in reliability over the years. Compared to, say, the 90's, for example.


Various car mags have done comparos between the IS350 and the 335i. The IS350 does well, but the 335 has won every contest I've read/seen, in performance and of course in that subjective category: driver fun.

[mryakan]

I still view Lexus as a Toyota with a bit of added luxury and some reverse engineered German technology. But what do I know, I've never driven one because I never cared to.

[335eye]

Edmunds is the best.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=120903

[awise1961]

I traded in my 2001 Lexus GS-300 (with 85K miles on it) for my 335i last November and I could not be happier.
The BMW full service is a big bonus.

Al Wise

[adrianpl]

maintainence on a e46 i that much?,

[kaymax22]

I test drove the IS350 4 times before ever test driving the BMW 335. I got a call from my SA and my 335 is now in Production!!! From everything that I've seen and read, Lexus wins in the luxury and reliability department. I NEVER had issues with my Lexus IS300 before selling it. I guess you just need to weigh the two cars and factor what is most important to you.

[Jay Slay]

take it from me. I had a 2006 IS350 for a yr and half..great car in terms of reliability. Didn't have 1 issue at all. Fast and smooth..but recently sold it to get the 08 335 coupe..I want something a little more geared towards harder driving..plus it has the $0 maintance for 4yrs..so depends on what you want. You can def get a better deal on a IS350 than a 335 coupe..for damn sure.

[RudolphDiesel]

The handling of BMWs is where competitors fall short, Audi A4, Infiniti G35 they just cannot keep up, especially in the slalom course. What a testament to German Engineering.

[leerambler]

two totally different cars. i hate driving our lexus, feels much more cadillac like... very reliable though for the most part. though so have all my bmw's been

[RBrylawski]

Lexus cars have always been reliable. They have lot's of bells and whistles. The fit and finish is impeccable. But, for my taste, they are boring boring boring. They have tried to build some character into their driving dynamics, but they have yet to figure out how to. Like mryakan said, they are really just Toyota's that are a bit gussied up. Well he didn't say they are gussied up, I did. I had an LS400 for a grand total of 8 weeks. It was solid, quiet, smooth, powerful and the most boring thing I've ever driven in my life. I was more than happy to take a financial hit to get out of that boring sedan. I think I would have had more fun taking my family room sofa for a drive. LOL

Still, both cars are well built and engineered cars and you should get the car that feels the best to you. If I were you, I'd drive them both as soon after each other if you can. And make sure you drive them where you'll experience some twisty roads. There, you'll likely see why the 335 will beat the pants off the IS350.

Good luck with whatever you decide to buy.

[335eye]

The handling of BMWs is where competitors fall short, Audi A4, Infiniti G35 they just cannot keep up, especially in the slalom course. What a testament to German Engineering.

And the 335i looks real nice too.

[mryakan]

And the 335i looks real nice too.
BMW looks age well, Lexus looks seem to get old quickly. The previous IS300 started to look outdated 1 year from introduction (at least to me). On the other hand I still find the e30 looks stunning!

[bOOsted335]

I also drove the IS 350 before buying the 335 and I also feel the same way. But I got to tell you Lexus is much agressive in pricing than BMW.