Either or. The new one isn't any better than the old one, space-wise.

 

lol, ...... busted .......


As soon as the warranty on the CL is up. In about a year and half. I might find something else I like by then though.

Right now it's the top contender for me

 

 

Sat in the IS over the weekend and I agree it is much too small.
It's really more of a 4 seater than a 5. If you try to sit someone in the middle in the rear, they better be shorter than 5'7" because the hump from the seat cushion really makes it tight. The hump from the driveshaft also occupies about 20% of total rear leg space.

Another gripe I have is the protrusion in the driver side by the gas pedal.
What is that about?

Other than that, a very nice car on the inside. Not too fond of the exterior though.

 

That's the transmission intruding on your leg room.

 

I honestly think people need to jump off the IS bandwagon. Let's face it, Lexus did a good job with this car and I like the stock horsepower on the 350, but everyone's really going overboard with how great they think this car is. Saying that people should've bought the IS over the RL is like saying people should buy a 330i over an RL. How are you going to compare the two?

If I wanted to feel like I'm riding in a go-kart whenever I step into the driver's seat, I'd buy an IS. The RL is a true luxury automobile. Two different things.

 

I totally agree with you... except the part about the go-kart thing.... I wanted a "go-kart" I'd just get a WRX instead... and say fuck the interior...

 

lol...exactly

 

I didn't think the IS350 rode like a go-kart, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion on the car. Ken didn't have the sport suspension, it has the luxury package. It rode very nice.

Reality is, YES people will compare these vehicles when they are shopping in that price range. They are a *bit* different. But not night and day like a lot of you make it out to be.

The IS350 has as much luxury features as the RL and more! The stock suspension on the IS350 doesn't ride like a go-cart.

The RL is so boring from the outside it might as well be a toyota camry. And obviously the IS350's looks are subjective.

And yes, I know the 3 series BMW is probably the best car to compare the IS350 too, but the IS blows the 3 series away in luxury options. However they are equal in price when loaded.

The only car I could think of in the same price range with most of the same options is the RL.

Sure Acura classifies the RL as a top end luxury car (refer back to my camry comment) The RL is nice, but it's kinda in a class by itself.


Think about it, your not in your 50's your 25-40 years old you have 45-50k to spend. Your staring at a loaded IS350 and a loaded RL your about at your mid life crisis. Are you going to buy the mushy riding toyota camry looking vehicle?

 

I asked ya this in the other thread.. but what does the IS350 have in terms of options that cant be had on the 3series. Again im not too familar with the IS350 which is why i ask.

Personally i think its a good thing that it drives like a go-kart. Sorta saying it rides on rails. Thats how i took it anyway.

 

Reverse camera
A/C'd seats
DVD playback in stock NAVI
power window shade controls

Are some I can think of off the top of my head. lol, you caught me off guard in the early morning

 

If i had a family... i would go with the bigger car. 3series and the IS350 have useless backseats. Rather get the GS though.

 

404-not found blown away

 

ya that is true. lol, ya the GS is pimp I agree!

I agree with the "riding on rails' comment too. To me i'd want to drive more if the car handled like a go-cart vs. a boat.

 

AC seats eh? I complained all summer when i drove to see Jen that my ass always got sweaty. Wonder if that option would felt my hairy ass issue.

 

No, but a razor would.

 

Or that thing they use to shave sheep

TMI GUYS!! hahaha

 

interesting...

Powertrain warranty on the IS is 72 months/70,000miles

Rear legroom
330 34.6 "
IS350 30.6 "

Rear shoulder room
330 55.1 "
IS350 52.7
Dont those silly asians know people are taller in america.

pssh, IS350 doesnt have a Trip computer or Residual heat recirculation.

 

no kidding, that's a big difference in numbers. I'll have to sit in the back of Ken's IS350 and see how it is im about 6'. Ken is > 6' I'll have to make him sit back there too.

 

I had an es330 loaner with cooled and man I wish I had those in the RL or any other car I drive - they were excellent.

 

The IS has vented seats not true refrigerant cooled seats

Not sure about the E90 but you could get power window sunshades in the E46, my first E46M3 had it.

 

The E90 has power rear sunshade but manual side window ones.
Does the IS have all rear windows power shades? That be pretty cool.

 

Holy crap. I had no idea it was that small. Kind of killing my ability to get it with having to have a car that can hold kids and car seats.

 

Thats what im saying. Even the A4 is almost the same size in the rear as the 3series. Not like thats great since i tried to put my nephews car seat back there and had to move the passenger side seat up to get it to fit! Hes 4 so the seat is a little larger but still would get hard trying to get him in and out of the A4.

Scary to think how it is for the IS350

Which is why the RL rocks (trying to stay on topic)

 

I really think you can compare any numnber of cars and types you want, so...

I order an IS350 and it showed up without the Mark Levinson system and without the sport package. Not just that, they were looking for over the sticker price. I told them to get f****d and after browbeating, got my money back. I drove one with the sport package when they had their invitation and it handled great, was fast as h=ll, but at it's limits the safety gizmos really did kick in. 95% of the time that was no biggie...

In any case, I went to Acura just b/c I was pissed and I coulda gotten the TL with NAVI for $30,300 + ttl or the RL for $42,700 + ttl. Well, I got a G35c with all the options except navi for $35,270 + ttl...I couldn't pass up the rwd, the modability and lastly, the price.

SO long TL-S, welcome G35c...

 

For the record, I know it's different for everyone, and this is the opposite end of the spectrum, but I'll probably be stepping into an RL in about 4 months and I'm 20 years old. The lease rates are very low for a car that's $50k, and insurance wouldn't rape me with a 6-cylinder family sedan. I'm looking at the RL against another very sporty car, not even an IS350. Everyone I speak to with the RL praises it because it's just a brilliant technological vehicle. It basically has everything you want in the interior (without options!), it's comfortable, and quite frankly I don't need my license suspended because my car is too fast and I can't handle it. How many idiots do you see these days with super-fast cars that can't drive them anymore because they have too many speeding tickets? The RL has enough power, especially for highway driving. Sometimes I have enough problems controlling myself with my TL-S. As for the IS, not everyone could justify buying that car, especially since I need a year-round vehicle. It can't be the middle of February and my car is sitting in my driveway and I can't drive to school because there's 10 inches of snow on the ground. Plus, as Jesal was saying, not everyone would feel comfortable in that car - some people are over 5'5'', you know.

 

You say people will cross shop the RL and IS but then your whole post says why no one would bother looking at an RL.

 

?!?!

My opinion is the IS350 > RL. Anyone who is shopping would obviously go checkout both vehciles as I have. And a bunch more! I gave my reasons as to why I prefered one to the other.

My posts showed why the IS350 has more luxury features than the RL. And is more appealing to a younger crowd. However other people may have other needs as some people brought up. Such as rear seating space.

Anyone who goes into a market with lots of competition and only checks out one product in the price sector they have chosen is foolish.

I don't understand where you were going with your response.

When it comes down to it, I find the RL boring and it's not appealing to <40-45 year olds. Sure some 20 year old "ballers" may go buy it, but it doesn't have any appeal to the majority of younger folks. The TL really falls into that range. Comparing the TL to the IS350 is probably a batter comparsion from a 10,000 foot view, but really the TL is seriously outclassed by the IS350. Not to take anything away from the TL... it's a fantastic vehicle.

It's just kinda wierd that Lexus's baby luxury vehicle is almost on par with the RL. With lexus Luxury basically starts with the IS and you have 2 vehicles you can go up from there. With Acura your at the end of the line... Once again I'm not taking anything away from the RL, it has it's advantages as many have suggested.

 

I really don't get the whole thing. I see what you're saying about looking at cars in the same price range, but I can't see going car shopping and just having no idea what I want in a car to the point where I'm comparing large sedans to compact sedans etc other than just for fun.

As far as it being weird that Lexus's baby luxury vehicle is almost on par with the RL, look how on par the Is350 is with the Gs430 loaded up and the prices.

 

Not like it matters but when i was car shopping two years ago i was all over the place.


Looked at M3, Supras, 540, Jeeps, 350z.. etc... they were all different sizes. I would guess most dont know what they want till they look at the cars up close.

 

What was the logic behind testing such a wide variety of vehicles? M3 vs Jeeps, hey, that fine for you, but it doesn't take a test drive to know what each vehicle can do and I doubt a test drive would resolve the question of what vehicle to buy with such a large group, thats not what test drives are for.

For me, like I said, I'd test drive them for the fun of it, but not being serious in what I actually wanted.

 

i work at lexus.....i own an acura. so here it goes:

They had a test....04'tl. bmw 525i(i think) and the Is250.

Why ....same class.

Now who won...shouldn't be suprising with all wheel drive right.
Now compare the Is250 with the RL, both AWD.....RL wins.

Also for sport, RL will win hands down again and again. Have you even tried the paddles shifters on the IS250/350..BS!!! They suck! You rev to 5500rpms in 1st hit the upshift paddle and..........wait for it.........you have to let off for it to shift or wait period. It is way to controlled and all Lexuss' are now. Even the GS. Car and Driver and others have said so repeatedly.

So unless you know the trick to disable the VDIM etc the IS350 is no fun.

 

interesting...

 

So 98clchick and I went to the lexus dealer in hopes to drive the IS350. They didnt have any to drive but they did have a 250 awd. But we didnt care to drive it so we drove nothing.

We sat in the car and its really small. I had the seat all the way down and my head was close to the roof, im not even tall. (5'9)
Also i hate where they put the e-brake, my foot kept hitting it there but maybe im just not use to it. Backseat wasnt as small as i thought it would be but its still small. (as it should be in this class).

Interior is MUCH nicer in person than in pics though. I thought the plastic would feel cheap but not too bad. Layout rocks and everything was within reach.

Thats all.

 

yuk it has a foot pedal e-brake

 

At least the IS250 awd did.

 

did you happen to see the green interior lights inside the IS300? looks like your driving a ford taurus. dont get me wrong, the exterior is gorgeous but the interior alone would make me not wanna buy it.

 

? there are no green lights in the interior. There are some blue LED's to see what your doing though. Similar to BMW's driving interior lights.

And it would be a IS350, IS250 not a IS300.

Or are you bringing up the previous generation into this converation?!? if so then ignore the rest of this thred.

If not...

Pass the crack pipe.



yup, i see the similarities... they both have a steering wheel and a shifter and some gauges...




P.P.S

note the IS350's dash illumination is NOT GREEN.... it's white. Easily seen on the trip computer and clock. However you were correct that the Ford is green.

Don't misunderstand me, the IS350 isn't gods gift to cars. But comparing it to a Ford Taurus is just rediculous man.

 

Oh comeon, they both have pedals also