Get me started with BMW or maybe Lexus IS350!!!

[BillyIdol]

I have a 1991 Black NSX and I love it. But at times, it is not so practical. I like to play tennis a lot. Getting a ball hopper and bag in there is not possible. I drive in stop and go traffice in LA, and the manual transmission is getting tiresome. The suspension is taut, so it does make me more tired. The NSX is more race car, and I know that. So, I am looking for a car with more luxury and yet is also a performance car.

I also have a 2002 Camry. Automatic transmission. Easy to drive. Reliable. Real comfortable. Cushy suspension. Big trunk. Practical. But, let's face it. It's boring. I guess I want to morph the NSX and Camry to what???????? I am thinking BMW M3(2000+) or Lexus IS 350 (2005+).

I guess I have been considering BMW M3 or other 3 series cars. I have never driven a BMW, so I guess I need to. But I also need some guidance.

1-What exactly is SMG?
2-Sequential Manual Gearbox?
3-How is SMG to shift?
4-Is SMG like F1 paddles?
5-Is SMG easy to use?
6-Is SMG easier to use than a standard manual trans
7-How big is the trunk?
8-What does E36 or E46 mean?
9-How soft or harsh is the M3 suspension?
10-I tend to like the look of the 3 series, are there any BMWs that I should look at?
11-Which BMWs break down a lot?
12-Which BMWs are more reliable?
13-Any other advice before buying a BMW?
14-What is the performance like of an M3?
15-What other advice would you give me before buying a BMW?

I basically do like Toyota. But I want more luxury and performance. So naturally, I thought of the Lexus IS350.

16-What is the ride of the 350 like?
17-How do those paddles shift?
18-Are the paddles easier to shift than standard manual trans?
19-How big is the trunk?

I guess I would rather not get a standard manual trans, but I don't want the automatic. So I think the paddles would be great.

20-Based on the above information, which car would you recommend to me and why?



Thanks!
John

 

[WingZ]

1. SMG stands for sequential manual gearbox
2. It's a six speed manual where the computer controls the clutch giving you the advantage of an auto mode where the computer will do all the shifting for you. It's not an auto ,but it can act like one if you need it to.

3. Shifting once you get used to it is great especially on the track. It works best ( smoothly ) when your driving it hard. In regular cruising it can buck and jerk. Takes practice to get it smooth.

4. Yep F1 paddles or a knob you can shift ,but it's not as much fun.
5. Yes it's very easy to use ,but it does take a little practice.
6. It can be.
7. Very large in the E46 not sure on the E36
8. Not sure. Better to let a true bimmer fan chime in on this.
9. Suspension is very sporting not too stiff. Might want to switch it out for track work , but even in standard form it does very well on the track and fast street driving.
10. Any that you like
11. I bought mine new and didn't have any serious problems ( radio got replaced once ) avoid buying black as the paint would scratch if the wind blew.
12. LOL
13. Can't help you there as I wouldn't recommend buying used one unless it's from someone you know or has really low miles.
14. Great performance on the E46 M3. Faster than a NA1 and will give NA2 a run for it's money. Cornering is good ,but not like a mid engine. Brakes are good , very linear and firm.
15. Drive as many as you can so you can tell which ones have problems.

16-19 Not a Toyota fan as generally you can't turn off all the safety nannies . Performance wise the IS350 isn't far off the M3 ,but it's nowhere near the drivers car the M3 will be and there's a big difference between the SMG and an auto for performance.

 

[MJK]

Wingz covered most of it. My $.02

8. It is a platform code name. E92 is the newly released 3 series. E46 is the one before that, MY2000-2006. Generation before that is E36.

11. All of them
12. New ones
13. If you buy used, look HARD for one that has been babied.

15. They drive great, but be ready to pay. Depreciation if you buy new, maintenance if you buy used.

20. 2007 335i Coupe. Maybe an E39 M5 or an E36 M3 4dr if you are feeling lucky with maintenance costs.

BMW is probably a pretty good compromise for what you are looking for. Great suspension, brakes, manual trans, rwd, nice features. Everything has a quality feel to it, until it breaks. Personally, I would look at the latest 335i coupe. About the same performance of the old E46 M3 plus you get a warranty. You WILL want the warranty based on my 3 series experience.

I'm a huge toyota fan, but BMWs are MUCH more fun to drive. If you are willing to pay for the fun, definitely get one. I wasn't and traded my 3 series for a Lexus GS. Not as much fun, but bulletproof so far. I would do it again. If I didn't have a fun car too, it would not be sporty enough for me. Maybe an IS350/IS-F would be, but I have not driven one.

Ever thought of keeping the NSX and trading the camry for something more fun and still cheap(er)?

 

[steveny]

I bang my head everyday trying to figure out the answer to your question. So far I have come up with, I need a pick up truck, sports car, and SUV. i haven't found any vehicle yet that does all in one.

 

[Khiladi1020]

I just let go of my BMW and we also have an IS in the family. The Bimmer is a fantastic car to drive no doubt. But, be prepared as mentioned before, that you WILL have to pay to play if you plan on keeping it for at least a few years, especially with the M models. You will get annoyed at some of the things which will require service and attention and to keep everything in top order, especially since you come from a Toyota/Honda background of cars like I did. If I had to get another one, I would either buy new, get the free maintenance/service for 4 years/50K miles, and perhaps sell at that point, or if you buy used, definitly get a Certified Pre-Owned Car WITH warranty. Remember this if nothing else: "high mileage" in a BMW is not the same as "high mileage" in a Lexus or Acura.

Take a browse around bimmerforums.com and you'll get a good glance within 5 minutes of what you're in for.

The Lexus IS, though not as engaging for the driver as a BMW, will definitley not give you headaches if its a daily driver, and can still be good fun. Plus, the bimmers look spartan inside when compared to the current Lexus models.

Good luck!

 

[Big_D]

^^^^^^+1

Don't buy a BMTroubleU out of warranty...or pay big $$$$

The Lexus is pretty sweet..it even has a backup camera. Lots of gizmos.

Funny, I have a '91 NSX and an '03 Camry and know exactly what you are talking about. I was considering trading mine on an s2000, but its too small for me. My wife has a Pilot for the family and my oldest daughter is driving a Camry also, so I can go with a 2 seater for my daily driver. Hmmmmmmmmm

 

[Deltron Zero]

I consider the E46 M3 one of the best performance cars with a usable back seat. It's a fun car and looks really good. I would never get one with the SMGII system. I like shifting myself. I heard the SMGII can rev match like a pro around the track, but in a straight line a human can shift faster. Like everyone said, they're not Honda reliable and pretty expensive to repair. They require a valve adjustment at 50k miles. Brakes are really expensive. I've had some small random problems with mine. I guess they're worth it though. I love the LSB color.

Oh yeah, don't let anyone tell you the 'sport' button ads 30 hp. I almost soiled my pantalones when the guy I bought it from told me that.

 

[sahtt]

Cost vs benefit as a DD I'd take the IS350 over a comparable BMW. If we were talking about weekend or track cars, I'd have to reconsider. Maint. costs are a reality and a concern, otherwise you'd be driving an Aston Martin to work right? The more sport oriented BMW's are without exception expensive to maintain. I've never owned one but one of my best friends drove nothing but BMW sports cars for many years. He now drives an SL55 but previously drove an E46. At 35k miles, just before the warranty went out, the car received 9k$ in warranty work. The clutch, rear end, throw out bearing, and a couple minor suspension problems were the jist of it. They covered half the cost of the clutch because some faulty part caused it to prematurely wear. The SL hasn't been any better. It's already cost him 1200$ out of pocket and it's still under warranty. He travels a lot and it seems like every other time the car sits for more than a couple weeks the batteries [there is one for the top and one for the rest of the car] seem to go haywire on him. I actually changed the standard one because he was so fed up with the MB dealership, go figure!

 

[steveny]

Cost vs benefit as a DD I'd take the IS350 over a comparable BMW. If we were talking about weekend or track cars, I'd have to reconsider. Maint. costs are a reality and a concern, otherwise you'd be driving an Aston Martin to work right? The more sport oriented BMW's are without exception expensive to maintain. I've never owned one but one of my best friends drove nothing but BMW sports cars for many years. He now drives an SL55 but previously drove an E46. At 35k miles, just before the warranty went out, the car received 9k$ in warranty work. The clutch, rear end, throw out bearing, and a couple minor suspension problems were the jist of it. They covered half the cost of the clutch because some faulty part caused it to prematurely wear. The SL hasn't been any better. It's already cost him 1200$ out of pocket and it's still under warranty. He travels a lot and it seems like every other time the car sits for more than a couple weeks the batteries [there is one for the top and one for the rest of the car] seem to go haywire on him. I actually changed the standard one because he was so fed up with the MB dealership, go figure!

There is a problem with his SL55 that needs to be fixed at the dealer and it should be no charge to him. If you leave the SL for a few weeks the car itself should shut down different parts of the cars system to reserve car battery life.
After a couple of weeks of sitting you can expect any SL to be sitting on the floor, suspension bags fully deflated. Also you won't be able to put the roof roof down sometimes even the windows and other electrical function of the car won't work until the battery is charged up.

 

[NSXFRIEND]

There is the 1 series coming out in Spring. Prices will start around 28k for a 128i same engine and drivetrain as 328i. I would not recommend any twin turbo 335i as they are prone to problems according to our local BMW technician. If you are buying a E46 M3 buy a mid year03+, as BMW outsourced for the oil pumps which failed and caused engine failures on many models. Even ones that have been replaced under warranty has no gaurantee that it will not fail again. Also the SMG moves at a very high rate and has not been perfected yet. For the 1 series or 3 series I recommend standard auto over SMG.

http://members.roadfly.com/jason/m3engines.htm

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10057

 

[da3dalus]

Based off what you're looking for I would say the IS350 would be perfect for you. A true luxury car (the interior is AMAZING IMHO) with some balls to back it up from time to time.

You can pick up used ones (<15k miles) for around 30k which i think is a hell of a deal!

Ohh... and if you get bored apparently the car is one hell of a drifter once you disengage all of the electronic nannies!

You asked about the shifter... think of the paddles as a "Top Gear Selector"... Unlike the BMW SMG where you can select a gear, the paddles on the IS will limit the top gear the car can go into in sport mode... so technically you can control the upshifts, but the downshifts are done like a pretty normal auto. It does downshift into corners, etc and actually does a pretty good job at that, but don't think of it as a true paddle shifter.

 

[SoCalDude]

Based off what you're looking for I would say the IS350 would be perfect for you. A true luxury car (the interior is AMAZING IMHO) with some balls to back it up from time to time.

You can pick up used ones (<15k miles) for around 30k which i think is a hell of a deal!

Where do you find them for $30k? I've been looking and only found salvage models in that range.

 

[da3dalus]

Where do you find them for $30k? I've been looking and only found salvage models in that range.

17k miles, 29.9k.
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detai...ional&paId=135098481&recnum=2&leadExists=true

8k miles, 27k.
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detai...onal&paId=247907436&recnum=10&leadExists=true

 

[sahtt]

There is a problem with his SL55 that needs to be fixed at the dealer and it should be no charge to him. If you leave the SL for a few weeks the car itself should shut down different parts of the cars system to reserve car battery life.
After a couple of weeks of sitting you can expect any SL to be sitting on the floor, suspension bags fully deflated. Also you won't be able to put the roof roof down sometimes even the windows and other electrical function of the car won't work until the battery is charged up.

Supposedly the dealer did "fix it". However, under no condition will they pay for the (now) failed batteries. That's the majority of what he had to pay for out of pocket. The problem hasn't occured again but he also gets a friend or family member to drive it occasionally when he's on vacation from now on.

 

[AutoVation]

I just did a spring/wheel/tire install on my IS350. TRANSFORMS the car into the way it should have come from the factory. Handling feel is better than a BMW now (I just test drove one last Friday and my next car may be that or an E92 M3). There is very little body roll now and a slot car kind of feel compared to before.

 

[AutoVation]

I hope I convinced you on which way to go!

 

[da3dalus]

OH. MY. GOD. That is the exact wheel setup I wanted if I got an IS350. I saw those on that white is350 with cut springs back in the day on clublexus and i've been in love with the IS350 since then. I love the new volk progressives! You have FABULOUS TASTE!

 

[KSXNSX]

Watch out for 2001-2003.5 M3s. In fact, I would limit myself to 05s+ only (if there is an 06, i forgot).

They have had engine problems (rod bearing) for years: even after they said they fixed the problem, they broke down again. Many early cars are on their second engine, some are refurbished engines not complete replacements.

Be careful. Those are not reliable cars.

 

[ediddynsx]

Nice wheels....my buddy with an 06 TL has them on his car also. I suggested those wheels to him last year when he got them.

Back on topic though: The BMW is expensive to maintain after the warranty is out so if you don't mind paying for the parts and labor then go for it. Otherwise I suggest Lexus IS350, Acura 07 Type-S manual or auto, or an older Lexus GS400, Infiniti M35 or M45 is nice also,

2 door cars i suggest M3, G37,

 

[NSX7]

Had a similar situation

I had a 91 NSX for 3 years and sold it due to family reasons. None of the sports sedans or coupes that I drove compared to the driving experience of the NSX. Also had an 01 M3

IS350 - the paddle shifters were so slow that made me hate the whole car.

E46 M3 - very stiff car for the street. should have come with adj. susp. for family outings.

I ended up with a 97 4-door E36 M3 manual. Great balance between practicality, sport, and affordability. Had it for six months now. Car has 140,000 miles on it and did not have any issue with it so far. I paid 10K for it and I thought that will more than make up for any fixing that I will encounter later on. Engine will consume oil if driven hard but not much. I had to add 1 liter after 3000 kms. There is lots of aftermarket support for the car as well. The key thing here is watch out for OEM parts that fail more often and replace it with more reliable aftermarket parts. Bimmerforums.com is a great source for these things.

Still looking forward to the day I will aquire a 98+ NSX

 

[CokerRat]

I'm in an E90 335i sedan these days. Fantastic car. Might be outside the price range you set, but man, it's an incredible all-rounder. Great handling without an overly harsh ride, huge torque throughout the rev band without sacrificing drivability (even in the snow, with winter tires), great steering feel, and a decent interior. A 2006 E90 330i has these qualities too, minus some of the power.

That said, I really liked the IS350 as well. Great interior, quality materials, much the same feeling of "precision" as the NSX.