Ok, I know that the answers in this forum may be biased, but I am in a quandry.
I have a BMW '07 E92 335i Coupe. Great car, wicked fast, and tons of fun to drive. But there are a number of problems.
1. Fuel pump went out, took 3 weeks to fix.
2. Oil runs REALLY hot, had to convince BMW of North America to retro-fit my sport package with an oil cooler.
3. Even with the new oil cooler, it still runs hot, just not as hot as before
4. iPod adapter is crap. If you turn the car off for more than a few minutes, when you come back it starts back at the beginning of the song instead of where you left off...if your'e lucky. Sometimes it resets completley and goes back to to the first song on the first playlist.
5. Comfort access key fob works about 50% of the time. I should be able to walk up to the car with the key in my pocket and unlock by touching the door handle, but doesn't work all the time.
6. Yesterday I went to get into it for lunch and it wouldn't start. All electrics come on, but won't start when I touch the start button. I call home and have my daughter bring me the extra key, and it won't start either. Have to have it towed on a flatbed to the dealer and get a loaner car.
I must stress that I really like this car, but it's getting on my nerves. Granted all these fixes are covered under the warranty and don't cost me anything...except a LOT of my time.
So I am shopping around, and the IS-F has come up as a top contender. I have owned (2) E46 M3's (2003 and 2006), and liked them both for the track, but were not too keen on them as a daily driver, which is 99% of my time in them. I go to the track a couple of times a year, and am getting pretty good, so I need something that I can bang around the track, but use as a daily driver most of the time.
I have also owned a GS430, SC430, and ES300 in the past. Love the Lexus brand, and you can't beat the touch screen navigation system or the Mark Levinson sound.
So here are my questions.
1. How well does the iPod interface work? Do you get song and track data on the touchscreen while playing them back? Does it pick up the track where you left off when you stop and restart the car?
2. How well does the car do for the occasional track weekend? I have one coming up at Daytona at the end of October, so I need a good track car.
3. Any direct comparisons with the M3 sedan? That one with DSG would be my other choice. Price wise, they are pretty close, with the Lexus coming in slightly lower, but not much. I have read the car mags and they all put the M3 on top, but that's mostly as a track car and not a daily driver. Plus with the problems I have had with my 335i, I am tempted to jump brands.
4. BMW's no charge maintenance is a big plus too, how does the IS-F compare on maintenance costs for the first 20-30K miles?
Thanks!
I have a BMW '07 E92 335i Coupe. Great car, wicked fast, and tons of fun to drive. But there are a number of problems.
1. Fuel pump went out, took 3 weeks to fix.
2. Oil runs REALLY hot, had to convince BMW of North America to retro-fit my sport package with an oil cooler.
3. Even with the new oil cooler, it still runs hot, just not as hot as before
4. iPod adapter is crap. If you turn the car off for more than a few minutes, when you come back it starts back at the beginning of the song instead of where you left off...if your'e lucky. Sometimes it resets completley and goes back to to the first song on the first playlist.
5. Comfort access key fob works about 50% of the time. I should be able to walk up to the car with the key in my pocket and unlock by touching the door handle, but doesn't work all the time.
6. Yesterday I went to get into it for lunch and it wouldn't start. All electrics come on, but won't start when I touch the start button. I call home and have my daughter bring me the extra key, and it won't start either. Have to have it towed on a flatbed to the dealer and get a loaner car.
I must stress that I really like this car, but it's getting on my nerves. Granted all these fixes are covered under the warranty and don't cost me anything...except a LOT of my time.
So I am shopping around, and the IS-F has come up as a top contender. I have owned (2) E46 M3's (2003 and 2006), and liked them both for the track, but were not too keen on them as a daily driver, which is 99% of my time in them. I go to the track a couple of times a year, and am getting pretty good, so I need something that I can bang around the track, but use as a daily driver most of the time.
I have also owned a GS430, SC430, and ES300 in the past. Love the Lexus brand, and you can't beat the touch screen navigation system or the Mark Levinson sound.
So here are my questions.
1. How well does the iPod interface work? Do you get song and track data on the touchscreen while playing them back? Does it pick up the track where you left off when you stop and restart the car?
2. How well does the car do for the occasional track weekend? I have one coming up at Daytona at the end of October, so I need a good track car.
3. Any direct comparisons with the M3 sedan? That one with DSG would be my other choice. Price wise, they are pretty close, with the Lexus coming in slightly lower, but not much. I have read the car mags and they all put the M3 on top, but that's mostly as a track car and not a daily driver. Plus with the problems I have had with my 335i, I am tempted to jump brands.
4. BMW's no charge maintenance is a big plus too, how does the IS-F compare on maintenance costs for the first 20-30K miles?
Thanks!
