2006 IS350 or BMW 330ci Convertible?
 

Hi,

Just wondering what your opinions are on these two cars. I'm thinking about importing a used one from the US, and am having trouble deciding. Haven't come across anything on the web with a direct comparison.

Cars:
2006 Lexus IS350 fully loaded 40,000 miles
2006 BMW 330ci convertible (1999-2005 model year 3 series) (20,000 miles)

The lexus has 81 more horsepower (306 vs 225) than the bmw. I love convertibles, but i also like reliability. Plus the bmw has very little trunk room for golf bags. but then again, there's also driving experience of a bmw that is second to none, and i usually drive my cars pretty hard. The bmw would give me a better driving experience i'm sure, but then i don't want it to break down b/c i'm driving it too hard too often. Does anyone know anything about the reliability of this model in particular?

Which car would you choose? they are roughly the same price. I'm really torn between the two as my left brain is saying, be conservative, you can't afford the maintenance on bmw's, they're a headache if they break down, the lexus is a nice fun car to drive and looks great and it's got great interior features. But then my right brain says, screw being logical and conservative, you only get to live once, get the bloody convertible and live already.

One other option would be to get the lexus for 3 years, then trade it again for a 3 year old lexus IS350 Convertible that's coming out this next month.

wow, that is pretty low mileage bimmer.

with only 20K, I'd say the bimmer. But if you do drive as hard as you say, I'd think IS350 would last longer with little maintenance needed.

But then again, at 40K miles, its almost even.

If power > handling to you, IS350.

If handling > power, 330ci. :D

Personally, I'd go for 330ci, since you said you will consider the IS350 convertable 3-4 years from now. :D

well, if i get the 330ci converitble, i'd probably have another year of warranty left on it. then i'm stuck with no warranty for at least 2 more years. i just don't want to end up paying $2-$3K a year fixing/maintaining it. cuz that's just a pain in the ass. i say i'd consider upgrading to a IS350 convertible in 3 years, but still want to plan for an option where i don't and can keep a car i buy today for 5-6 years without much trouble. i know i'm sounding like i'm leaning towards the IS, but damn, that BMW test drive got me all messed up. the drive is so nice....compared to my crap 93 accord i have right now.

Its a no brainer to me.

Bimmer's handling is far better than the IS. Go test drive both at dealerships and you will see.

bmw interior is a turn off tho. I dunno how well these ragtops r made. Possible leak/rattle? Please chime in

it's not just about handling for me. it's the whole package. interior comfort, reliability, 0-60 (which i do believe the IS beats out the bmw by a full second), among other things. Unless the handling of the IS horrible, i may be willing to give up some of that for benefits in other areas. Again, just playing devils advocate here.

well my DD is a POS car with ONLY handling is mind; to me the driving pleasure is the handling of the vehicle, nothing else matters...you will get different opinions here.

my DD = lotus elise

like u said, the voice of reason would vote for the lexus, but if u have deep pockets then the bmw gets :thumbsup:

if I had deep pockets I probably wouldn't be trying to import a used vehicle from the states. I'd probably lease a new 335i convertible. :p

Can anyone enlighten me on the long term reliability of a 3 series BMW? Are they more reliable towards the tail end of the model run? (i.e. in a 1999-2005 model run, will the 2005 vehicle be more reliable after 4 years of driving than a 1999 vehicle after 4 years?)

bimmer

This is a weird comparison. Normally, I would say the BMW330 > IS350, but the convertible is far less stiff and not as nice of a drive.

...I think you need to define how hard you drive your cars...

if its a daily, you'll appreciate the IS350 more for sure. The handling at all like people say, you just have to test the one with sport suspension.

The IS actually drove a lot better than I thought it would, felt pretty nice and solid, but i tested a base 250 dunno if 350 is any different.
Both cars are all over the place, but the bmw has pretty timeless styling. Neither have very good rear seats but I would hope the IS is better. How about a used G35/37?

ya, i dunno why i'm just not feeling the G35. I guess if it came down to it between infinity and lexus, i'd go with the lexus for reliability and brand reputation. and if it were between the infinity and the bmw, i'd go with the bmw for handling. what does the G35 have to offer?

in terms of how hard i drive it, well, i wouldn't be taking on a track or anything. i just tend to drive aggressively when in vancouver traffic cuz it pisses me off how slow pple drive around here. so it'd mainly be weaving in and out of traffic, and a few higher speed turns, whatever i can get away with i guess. definately not street racing or anything.:D

good point, i will make sure to test out the sport package, 18'' rims, lowered springs. i will probably use it mostly for daily driving. i'd probably be driving to kelowna every now and then for work. but i guess that just benefits the IS as it's good with straightline acceleration?

well, guess i'm still leaning more towards the IS for practicality i guess. interior features, good acceleration (straight line anyways), less reliability problems, lower maintenance costs, and more cargo space in terms of rear seats and trunk. just wish it came in a convertible model earlier. now have to wait 3 years at least for the price to come down a bit on the new IS-C's...

An IS should be more than plenty for aggressive city driving, combined with the excellent reputation of quality and better fuel economy?
Any idea if insurance is gonna cost more one way or the other, probably around the same I would imagine.
by the time the IS-C's price comes down u'll be able to afford a 335ci...in which case theirs no competition...

that's true. but then again, in 3 years time, there will still be the problem of reliability of older bmw's, where there probably won't be an issue with the is-c. but i'm hoping by that time i'll be able to afford to lease a new 335ci. then i don't have to worry about that at all.

anyone have any clues on insurance costs for the two vehicles?

05 330 already hv the 25x hp with the zhp package, so straight line accel are pretty close. But i would buy IS350 over 330 cuz of the body style. E46 is nice, but still its last generation. If its the e90 style..... then just buy a used 335 instead lol

call your autoplan agent. tell them you want a quote comparsion and they will give u a rough estimate over the phone once they get your insurance basics.

why not a 335i sedan, then it'll definitely be the best of both worlds

if you can sell me one for under $30K, i'd be happy to get that :thumbsup:

yeah if u could get a 335 for the price of an IS who wouldn't...
how about a 328 coupe? still pretty expensive though

330ci cab doesnt go under 30k either. All the 2nd hand ones I see are at least 35k. Am I looking in the wrong place?

IS350, more parts to mod!

U can probably get an 04 M3 for around 30k