M3 vs ISF

7372 Views 15 Replies 12 Participants Last post by pat.ross, Mar 29, 2010

ekorre

Discussion Starter · Mar 25, 2010

Guys, I just wrote a 2 page long reason why I wanted this comparison. It logged me out and I cant retrieve it. I ll just be brief.

Could you please tell me why you chose the IS F over the E90 M3, if you drove it?

Ill be a dad in 2 months, selling my 06 ZCP m3 and buying one of the two above. Having a hard time choosing, Im sure some of you had the same situation.

Could you please tell me what did it for you? And thank you in advance, and also forgive me if this has been asked, I searched to the best of my abilities and couldn't find this point of discussion. thank you.

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

phlabrasca

· #2 · Mar 25, 2010

Honestly, if you are buying these types of cars, money is not a concern. It's the fact that I do not WANT TO MAKE TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP UNLESS ITS FOR STANDARD MAINTENANCE. I know too many BMW owners that spend far too much time at their dealership. I've read from several sources that the M3 transmission loses it's luster as miles are put on, and it almost becomes "hesitant" when accelerating. We all know BMW's electronics are horrendous, their interior doesn't really do much, and the M3 marginally handles better than the IS-F. You can easily slap on a chip on a 335 or an M3 and outperform an IS-F, so if that 1 in 10000 chance of running into a chipped M3/335 concerns you, then by all means, buy a BMW. They are both easily improved engines though... I guess if you live on a track this matters, but I use my IS-F daily and tenths of a second performance has no impact on me. Neither does driving like a douchebag and trying to race every person at a stoplight. I haven't been to the dealership for anything aside from standard maint... Meanwhile my business partners driving around in 750s and 745s are always complaining about the maintenance... I also believe the M3 lacks personality and the styling is incredibly dull.

Plus... In Chicago, BMWs don't get me VIP parking at sporting events. I thoroughly enjoy the convenient parking in the Lexus only section when attending a Bulls game. If I bought the M3 I'd be parking with the rest of the steerage.

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matadorBP2

· #3 · Mar 25, 2010

i drove the M3 3 or 4 times before buying my F

i drove a 6sp M3, in both 4dr and 2 dr

reasons i like the F:
-smoother(as in the motor, drivetrain ect, not so much the suspension)
-quieter
-interior quality and design
-more comfortable for me
-more torque(easier to cruise around town i feel)
-felt like around town and in traffic it would be better/easier to drive
-japanese reliability and resale value
-cheaper
-seemed to me like everything was just easier to use and more user friendly

like I said i drove manual trans M3s, didnt have a chance to drive SMG, and the car I had before the Lexus was an 07 Acura TL Type S, 6sp, so i am actually partial to manuals, but for some reason i really liked the fact that the F was an auto.

granted for track purposes the M3 is probably a little faster/better, i just felt for my everyday driver the F was a much better choice. and have not been disappointed at all with my choice. I hated the interior of the BMW, it looked dated, heard horror stories about the iDrive, and just all around liked the F better, not to mention, it saved me some money, i think the M3 is a little over priced.

i plan on keeping the car for a long time, so maintenance, and reliability were big to me, and being a Lexus just seemed to be a better value for me for long term.

The m3 is a great looking car(coupe), but my F gets a ton of compliments!

-

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ekorre

Discussion Starter · #4 · Mar 25, 2010

phlabrasca said:
Honestly, if you are buying these types of cars, money is not a concern. It's the fact that I do not WANT TO MAKE TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP UNLESS ITS FOR STANDARD MAINTENANCE. I know too many BMW owners that spend far too much time at their dealership. I've read from several sources that the M3 transmission loses it's luster as miles are put on, and it almost becomes "hesitant" when accelerating. We all know BMW's electronics are horrendous, their interior doesn't really do much, and the M3 marginally handles better than the IS-F. You can easily slap on a chip on a 335 or an M3 and outperform an IS-F, so if that 1 in 10000 chance of running into a chipped M3/335 concerns you, then by all means, buy a BMW. They are both easily improved engines though... I guess if you live on a track this matters, but I use my IS-F daily and tenths of a second performance has no impact on me. Neither does driving like a douchebag and trying to race every person at a stoplight. I haven't been to the dealership for anything aside from standard maint... Meanwhile my business partners driving around in 750s and 745s are always complaining about the maintenance... I also believe the M3 lacks personality and the styling is incredibly dull.

Plus... In Chicago, BMWs don't get me VIP parking at sporting events. I thoroughly enjoy the convenient parking in the Lexus only section when attending a Bulls game. If I bought the M3 I'd be parking with the rest of the steerage.

thank you phl, really appreciate the time you took to inform me. I think you and the fellow below have convinced me. It is SO TRUE, these fancy BMW's, alot of them have issues. The SMG III on the M5 is a good example. I havent seen any big issue yet with the DSG in the M3, but...time will tell!!

matadorBP2 said:
i drove the M3 3 or 4 times before buying my F

i drove a 6sp M3, in both 4dr and 2 dr

reasons i like the F:
-smoother(as in the motor, drivetrain ect, not so much the suspension)
-quieter
-interior quality and design
-more comfortable for me
-more torque(easier to cruise around town i feel)
-felt like around town and in traffic it would be better/easier to drive
-japanese reliability and resale value
-cheaper
-seemed to me like everything was just easier to use and more user friendly

like I said i drove manual trans M3s, didnt have a chance to drive SMG, and the car I had before the Lexus was an 07 Acura TL Type S, 6sp, so i am actually partial to manuals, but for some reason i really liked the fact that the F was an auto.

granted for track purposes the M3 is probably a little faster/better, i just felt for my everyday driver the F was a much better choice. and have not been disappointed at all with my choice. I hated the interior of the BMW, it looked dated, heard horror stories about the iDrive, and just all around liked the F better, not to mention, it saved me some money, i think the M3 is a little over priced.

i plan on keeping the car for a long time, so maintenance, and reliability were big to me, and being a Lexus just seemed to be a better value for me for long term.

The m3 is a great looking car(coupe), but my F gets a ton of compliments!

-

thank you also. You know, I too coudl care about encounters, I really just love driving for personal reasons, not vehicular contest with others.

I think you also hit the nail on the head, and honestly, the ISF has a lot more torq on hand at any moment, anytime, so theoretically the ISF would actually be superior for putting or romping around town. By the time I wind out the 8400 rpm in second, Ill already be in exhibitionist territory on surface roads. The ISF just moved so effortlessly on the test drive, and power was sufficient.

Guys, I look, but beyond exhausts, I dont see any upgrades for the engine. are there new software maps "chips" or any other mods that make a noticeable gain in hp?

thank you again. can already tell, you guys are head & shoulders more agreeable than the M3 guys, man they have so much to prove, but to who? themselves? Douchebags. But the car is awesome, cant smear the car's integrity.

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oarngemig

· #5 · Mar 25, 2010

I had my eyes set on the M3 but when i test drove it I was disappointed. Torque comes in way late and you need to drive it at high rpm to appreciate. When I tried the ISF, I knew it right away. The smile meter needle was all the way to the right. I bought the very unit I tried. I was simply impressed. For me it's a no brainer.

oarngemig

· #6 · Mar 25, 2010

And the Bulls don't even play here.

BigMikeISF

· #7 · Mar 25, 2010

To help you out I have found a few threads for you regarding the M3 vs. IS-F topic. They're good reading and offer various viewpoints from owners of both vehicles and as well as from those who considered and seriously looked at purchasing both cars. Hope these help

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-f/485902-convince-me-to-get-an-isf-over-the-e92-m3.html

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-f/485793-need-help-with-those-familiar-with-both-is-f-and-e92-m3.html

2URGSE

· #8 · Mar 26, 2010

oarngemig said:
I had my eyes set on the M3 but when i test drove it I was disappointed. Torque comes in way late and you need to drive it at high rpm to appreciate. When I tried the ISF, I knew it right away. The smile meter needle was all the way to the right. I bought the very unit I tried. I was simply impressed. For me it's a no brainer.

This is pretty much what made me want to go the IS F way.

The BMW V8 can rev higher (shorter stroke) but the torque comes in much later in higher revs, my Stage 2 STi felt faster than that car.

The IS F was just brute force from the get go. Punch it and you're gone.

Flipside909

· #9 · Mar 26, 2010

ekorre said:
Guys, I just wrote a 2 page long reason why I wanted this comparison. It logged me out and I cant retrieve it. I ll just be brief.

Could you please tell me why you chose the IS F over the E90 M3, if you drove it?

Ill be a dad in 2 months, selling my 06 ZCP m3 and buying one of the two above. Having a hard time choosing, Im sure some of you had the same situation.

Could you please tell me what did it for you? And thank you in advance, and also forgive me if this has been asked, I searched to the best of my abilities and couldn't find this point of discussion. thank you.

Congrats on the incoming!!!

I actually considered the E92 M3 and the ISF. What did it for me was the reliability and warranty factors that Lexus offers. Plus Lexus offers loaner vehicles while your car is in for service. BMW may have free maintenance but you will have to pay for the loan car if needed. Plus being in and out of dealership service deparments for work, I see too many new BMW in service departments with their engine, trans or wiring looms pulled out due to warranty issues. Don't get me wrong, I think the E92 M3 is a fantastic car...especially in a driving sense. However common sense tells me the Lexus will be reliable in it's lifetime in comparison to it's Euro counterparts.

phlabrasca

· #10 · Mar 26, 2010

Flipside909 said:
Congrats on the incoming!!!

I actually considered the E92 M3 and the ISF. What did it for me was the reliability and warranty factors that Lexus offers. Plus Lexus offers loaner vehicles while your car is in for service. BMW may have free maintenance but you will have to pay for the loan car if needed. Plus being in and out of dealership service deparments for work, I see too many new BMW in service departments with their engine, trans or wiring looms pulled out due to warranty issues. Don't get me wrong, I think the E92 M3 is a fantastic car...especially in a driving sense. However common sense tells me the Lexus will be reliable in it's lifetime in comparison to it's Euro counterparts.

Lexus V8s are bullet proof. That's why you see old LS430s with 150k miles on them still selling for 15k... And SC400s from 14 years ago still selling for 8-10 grand usually with over 100k miles... I'm still amazed to this day that my SC400 is SO SMOOTH... 15 years old with 70k miles now and the leather is perfect(it's a little bit harder but not cracked) and every original electronic function is still working, except the air conditioner went out once, and one of the Nakimichi amps needed a quick repair... Treat a Lexus right and you'll see 200k miles easily.

UNK

· #11 · Mar 26, 2010

Personally, i love my isf but with that said i recently had a friend who was hesitating between both cars and i'll tell you what i told him. The F is a great car and more exclusive. you wont see as many F's as M3's. the only major problem i have with the F is the maintenance is pretty expansive. you got to figure over a 3 year lease it will cost you about 10-12k of maintenance for breaks, tires, and other minor maintenances. Other than that it's a great car. Good luck!

poser

· #12 · Mar 26, 2010

please explain $10-12 k for maintenance. I hear brakes and tires are expensive and wear fast, but what else for the remaining $8000?

cls552isf

· #13 · Mar 26, 2010

UNK said:
Personally, i love my isf but with that said i recently had a friend who was hesitating between both cars and i'll tell you what i told him. The F is a great car and more exclusive. you wont see as many F's as M3's. the only major problem i have with the F is the maintenance is pretty expansive. you got to figure over a 3 year lease it will cost you about 10-12k of maintenance for breaks, tires, and other minor maintenances. Other than that it's a great car. Good luck!

?????????? yes please explain this figure

matadorBP2

· #14 · Mar 27, 2010

UNK said:
Personally, i love my isf but with that said i recently had a friend who was hesitating between both cars and i'll tell you what i told him. The F is a great car and more exclusive. you wont see as many F's as M3's. the only major problem i have with the F is the maintenance is pretty expansive. you got to figure over a 3 year lease it will cost you about 10-12k of maintenance for breaks, tires, and other minor maintenances. Other than that it's a great car. Good luck!

ya i dont really get that either....

tires are going to be pretty much the same for any car that has any type of performance to it?

brakes, i got mine warrantied at 14k miles, because they were "squeaking" and they put all 4 new pads and rotors on for free. lol

and even if they didnt, if you shop around for pads and rotors, and either install yourself, or go to a local shop to have them put on, youll find its pretty reasonable, its not rocket surgery to install pads and rotors, even with the high performance brakes we have, its actually easier than a normal car, the just pop right out.

any tuner shop, wheel/tire place, random repair facility will put the pads and rotors on for pretty cheap i would imagine? you can have the same place that puts new tires on slap them on while theyre doing tires?

I would only go to the dealer for warranty work, or something major , because the prices are outrageous....

maybe thats just me though, because i bought mine used, and dont have the cash to be putting out 2-3grand at the dealer for brakes, that i can get done for 800-1000.00 else where, or 600.00 to do it myself.

shop around people...

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ISFastBigA

· #15 · Mar 28, 2010

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-f...nd-e92-m3.html

I am the person with the second post that has an F and my roommate drives the 09 M. Any questions let me know. I think most everything has been hit.

pat.ross

· #16 · Mar 29, 2010

I have no idea where the $8-$10K 3 year maintenance cost comes from.

My ISF is a little over two years old and has slightly over 48,000 miles on it at this time.

I have replaced the tires once (Vredesteins 245/35/19s in front and 275/30/19s in the rear @ $850) and replaced the front front pads myself with new Ferodos ($275) just before one of three track days - have not yet replaced rotors. I expect I will get approximately another 10-15K out of my tires. So the maintenance cost, including brakes and tires for 60k miles will be around $1125.

Other than changing the oil and filter, no other cost, and no service required.

My wife has a 2008 BMW 335i convert. that has required BMW service twice thus far. She has about 20,000 miles on her car. Last week they replaced the fuel pump.

Pat

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