Dragon Boat West

Thinking about getting a car.  Narrowed it down to the Lexus IS250 AWD and the Infiniti G35 sedan.  But can't really decide.

Lexus IS250 AWD
Pros: Legendary Lexus reliability, overall interior layout, fuel efficiency in the city
Cons: Price, less power than the Infiniti, less space

Infiniti G35 sedan
Pros: More power than Lexus (306hp vs. 204hp), overall look, more interior space, price, fuel efficiency on highway
Cons: Average reliability, interior layout (navigation screen too far forward), fuel efficiency in city

Test drove both and I found that the Lexus is the more smoother ride, whereas the Infiniti has more power but is a bit more stiffer.  Any opinions on either cars?

Lexus IS250 AWD
[img width= height=]http://www.planetlexus.com/lexus-is250-is350/lexus-is250-is350-front.jpg[/img]

Infiniti G35 sedan
[img width= height=]http://us.i1.yimg.com/ca.autos.yahoo.com/newcars/photos/INFINITI-G-2008-4SA-4-385.jpg[/img]

I say buy both, which ever you don't like, you can give to me!  :lol:

Hahaha, I wish I could get both.  Leaning towards the Lexus a bit more.  Although the Acura TSX isn't that bad either.  More fuel efficient, but only a 4-cylinder.

Are they about the same price?  And AWD car will definitely help in the winter time or if you hit the slopes.  That said, you will probably need snow tires for either car.

I've driven both cars and while the Lexus has a nicer interior and better quality materials, the drive was kind of boring.  The engine seemed to lack power and you really had to whip it to get going.  The G is faster, better handling, and  a more involving drive though  the fuel economy will likely be worse.

If it were me, it would be the G.

How do the two compare in terms of reliability and running costs?

 Hands down Lexus !  the quality and finish are better ,the resale is better,extremely reliable and if your worried about the ponies then buck up for the 350 . The more horsepower the worse the gas mileage and to be honest unless your planning on racing it then why be concerned about the horsepower ...... You see far more Lexus 250 and 350's on the road than the Infinity and there is a reason why ...the infinity is not as appealling in the looks dept  ....

Hmmmm ,  I see a trend here ....typical d/b paddler .....always wanting more power to finish first  :lol:

i haven't driven the infinitis but i've driven a few lexus'... i think you'll find in general lexus' are built stock for a more "refined taste" if you will... acceleration is almost always slow and deliberate, yet powerful.  its smooth, its ... well, refined.  The infinitis by comparison visually seem to be made to appeal more to a younger crowd who want a combination of performance and elegance.  I don't know about the track record of nissan engine platforms though i'm sure its probably top notch, but toyota engine platforms are legendary as i'm sure we all know, and of course they only put their best in the lexus lineup.

having said all that, i personally am a big fan of the G35.  if i could afford one i'd buy it.

Yeah, because right now, styling and power are important, I'm more concerned with safety, reliability, and fuel efficiency.  Any opinions on the Acura TSX or the BMW 3-series?

So it pretty much comes down to style OR power.   Style = Lexus.  Power = G35  Everything else is secondary.  I mean you can compare every last detail, but in the end they are both  quality cars made by reliable car makers with great reps.  So just choose the one that makes you drool more!

Which one makes you drool more?

 The G35 coupe is nice....the 4dr version your showing isn't . If you are looking for a 4 door ,the lexus hands down is better looking ..look at the pics ,the Ininity is no where near as appealing .Its the coupe everyone oh and ah's about ,not the sdn

 On the other hand I'd probably go for a new 3 series Bmw before I got either of these .

I test drove the BMW 328i and I must say I was impressed.  But I've also heard that parts and servicing for BMWs cost way more than other cars of its class such as the Lexus IS-series or the Infiniti G35.  Any thoughts on that?

Does anyone know anything about either the Acura TL or the Acura TSX?  Considering those ones as well.

http://www.motortrend.com/index.html

http://www.canadiandriver.com/

Thanks to everyone for their input.  Right now as it stands I'm probably going with the Lexus.  However, it's not guaranteed I'll be getting it, as it will be a "gift" from my parents, all dependent on my academic performance this semester.  Time to hit the books.   :(

Wow, nice gift!  Do you think your parents would adopt me?  I could go back to school and get high marks for a Lexus!

We'll see what happens in January.  They were deliberately vague when it came to what academic standards I have to achieve before I can get the car.  Although with the price of gas, the Camry hybrid is looking a bit more attractive.

so, what did you end up getting?

A pinto

I guess if people are going to be reading this thread again, I may as well toss in my 2 cents about the lexus after I had the pleasure of throwing one around a small circuit at a driving event. 


..........BBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Horrible acceleration both from a stop and a roll, huge amount of body roll in turns and brakes that wouldn't be able to stop you in any hurry.  All together making for a rather boring ride. 

which one did you drive, colossus.. and don't say the PINTO  :P

I think the OP got neither

I drove the Lexus 250 awd.  boring as anything.  I think my neon accelerates faster! (it doesn't, but it feels like it sometimes)

Hey Zeph, where did you get your cage done?  I have a friend up in Squamish that can build me one to club racing specs for $2-3000.  As soon as I get a place with a garage, the interior of the SHO is coming out and caged.

ughh... yeah... I can believe it to be boring.  I've driven a similar power/drivetrain layout vehicle and it was a gutless...it was so gutless that I compared it to when I had my SMART.

as for the cage... I got the cage with my koni yellows (4) for.....$800!   Labour... free.   hehehehehe

The cage is a bonafide Player's Challenge cage, too. 

Konis weren't even a full season used.