I guess the right deal fell into my lap

[ff]

Received a call from my Lexus salesperson yesterday afternoon. Had an IS250 stick, sport package (18" wheels and performance tires this time) in stock... and it's the end of the month. Make me a deal I can't turn down.

This is a car that doesn't get discounted because there normally aren't any on the lot available for sale. But it's a stick, and again end of the month, so anything is fair game.

I test drove the car, and the proper tires really transform the car. It's not at all unlike the E90 325i SP that I drove 2 weeks prior. Brakes are very good, handling is crisp, and feel is also on-par with the 325. The tires make all the difference in the world, in this respect. I didn't beat the car up, but in normal driving the car is well planted, no noticeable body roll, yet absorbs bumps without a lot of the spine-jarring stiffness of the S.

Right off the top, they knock $1500 off the sticker. Car also had a set of $2200 stock chrome rims installed, but I didn't really want them. "Tell ya' what, I'll split the dealer cost with you. $1000/2 = $500 for the rims." Jeez, OK. I typically don't care for chrome rimz (yo!), but these look pretty damn good on a white car. That's another $1700 off the sales price. Lease rates still smell like a rotten gym sock, but they have acceptable finance rates, so we decided to just buy it.

One thing that I really like about going this route, is that so many of the things that BMW rapes you for, are standard on the Lexus. Leather seats, iPod hookup, bluetooth, metallic paint, real tires, comfort access, HID's, dual zone climate control, sunroof (not that I actually want the sunroof though), etc etc etc.

I'd been considering the E90 325i lately, but have been hesitant in pulling the trigger because of 1) Tired of the snobby dealerships and salespeople, 2) Tired of fighting to get the service department to fix something that requires fixing, and 3) I don't seem to have the best luck with reliability of BMW products. The Lexus experience is so much better in absolutely every respect, and that's definitely worth something.

Anyhow, the pics are crappy because it's early in the morning, and not enough room in the garage to get a decent shot. This weekend, I'll venture out and take some better ones.

[zach]

Nice car! I hope you enjoy it for several years.

Originally Posted by ff

One thing that I really like about going this route, is that so many of the things that BMW rapes you for, are standard on the Lexus. Leather seats, iPod hookup, bluetooth, metallic paint, real tires, comfort access, HID's, dual zone climate control, sunroof (not that I actually want the sunroof though), etc etc etc.

Sunroof and dual zone are standard on the e90, unfortunately.

[FC]

Congrats! I echo z's comments that you may enjoy it for some time.

[bren]

Glad you found something that you can enjoy...

Originally Posted by ff

One thing that I really like about going this route, is that so many of the things that BMW rapes you for, are standard on the Lexus. Leather seats, iPod hookup, bluetooth, metallic paint, real tires, comfort access, HID's, dual zone climate control, sunroof (not that I actually want the sunroof though), etc etc etc.

That's called having a choice. I'll never understand why anyone likes to have options/features forced on them.

[FC]

Originally Posted by bren

That's called having a choice. I'll never understand why anyone likes to have options/features forced on them.

Product line simplification reduces manufacturing and logistic costs. Having choices comes at a cost. If you actually covet the equipment, then you end up ahead. Most (Lexus) people covet that equipment, so Lexus makes a lot of people happy.

An extreme example of course, is Porsche (crazy mark-ups nonwithstanding). $600 to cover your sun visors in leather, $300 to light up your foot wells.

...Ah, the power of choice.

[ff]

Originally Posted by bren

Glad you found something that you can enjoy...


That's called having a choice. I'll never understand why anyone likes to have options/features forced on them.

If it's stuff that you normally would've optioned for anyhow (leather, sunroof, etc), then being able to choose the options is still going to cost you far more. In this case, a stripper 325i w/ no options is still more expensive than the IS that already has all the "goodies".

[JST]

How does the power in the IS250 compare with the 325?

[bren]

Originally Posted by ff

If it's stuff that you normally would've optioned for anyhow (leather, sunroof, etc), then being able to choose the options is still going to cost you far more. In this case, a stripper 325i w/ no options is still more expensive than the IS that already has all the "goodies".

It's not stuff I would choose.

[rumatt]

Originally Posted by ff

If it's stuff that you normally would've optioned for anyhow (leather, sunroof, etc),

I sure don't want that stuff, and absolutey hate it when car manufactrers force me to get it.

In this case, a stripper 325i w/ no options is still more expensive than the IS that already has all the "goodies".

BMW's are more expensive.


Nice car. Hope you it fits your needs. I assume the s2k is gone?

[ff]

Originally Posted by JST

How does the power in the IS250 compare with the 325?

The IS250 seems to put power to the pavement better at lower RPMs. The broken-in 325 that I drove (9000 miles) took forever to rev, and didn't feel like it was doing anything until the tach swept up beyond 5000 RPM. My guess is that there's a real difference in gearing there. To really compare, I'd have to drive the two back-to-back though.