[M52tu25]

As you may have guess from my handle, I drive a BMW 3 series. I hang out at www.bimmer.org's E46 forum all the time, I post there as "The HACK".

Let me first preface this by saying this is in NO WAY intended as a flame, in anyway. Just thought I drop by sometimes to check out the competition. By the way, my best friend just bought a brand new IS300 and I must say, I'm fairly impressed with what Lexus' first attempt at a sports luxury sedan turned out.

My question, and this unfortunately does not relate to the IS300 at all, is that do you guys here at the is300.net get a lot of trolls coming from BMW's side of the fence posting flames a lot? I spend a lot of time on the E46 boards and unfortunately, we constantly get these immature morons who comes to post comments like "Why do you guys bother getting a BMW?" and use handles like IS300 RULEZ or 1 PHAST IS or BMW SUXZ...This is on a DAILY basis.

Quite frankly, I hope none of those posters also participate here.

 

[ckolsen]

we don't get many flames here from BMW people. I like BMWs but I think the E46 board is a waste of time, even the serious posts are just about appearances, not performance. It sort of parallels the E46 cars, which are soft and cushy compared with older BMWs. At my BMW/Audi track event this weekend, out of 80 cars, there were no E46 BMWs, NOT ONE! That's ridiculous.
I do use the E36 board which is a lot better.

Originally posted by M52tu25:
As you may have guess from my handle, I drive a BMW 3 series. I hang out at www.bimmer.org's E46 forum all the time, I post there as "The HACK".

Let me first preface this by saying this is in NO WAY intended as a flame, in anyway. Just thought I drop by sometimes to check out the competition. By the way, my best friend just bought a brand new IS300 and I must say, I'm fairly impressed with what Lexus' first attempt at a sports luxury sedan turned out.

My question, and this unfortunately does not relate to the IS300 at all, is that do you guys here at the is300.net get a lot of trolls coming from BMW's side of the fence posting flames a lot? I spend a lot of time on the E46 boards and unfortunately, we constantly get these immature morons who comes to post comments like "Why do you guys bother getting a BMW?" and use handles like IS300 RULEZ or 1 PHAST IS or BMW SUXZ...This is on a DAILY basis.

Quite frankly, I hope none of those posters also participate here.

 

[Fishiest1]

Uh, look at the is300 vs wrx thread and your question will be answered!

P.S. Your car sux!

just kiddin and welcome!

<((><

 

[Risk3233]

I don't know if you will get anyone to admit to trolling on other boards.

Personally, I like BMW. I like their presence in motorsports and I think they are the standard to strive for in the competitive sport compact sedan class (i.e. the M3). Watching the M3s at Mosport yesterday w/the V8s is simply amazing.

I looked at a '91 M5 and various 2000 3 series sedans among other cars before choosing the IS 300.

 

[IStheBest]

I drive a 330ci, and I find this board more enoyable/informative than bimmer.org Dtmpower and e46fanatics are a touch better but none are as lively as this one =/

ckolsen,
not to start a fight but you are saying my 330ci w/ sport package, manual tranny, and the new retrofitted steering (225 hp, 0-60 in 5.9)is "soft and cushy" compared to your mighty 1995 325i (189 hp, 0-60 in 7.8)? hmmm.... on the track or off I see no comparison, even suspension/handling wise. Sorry

(all info is re edmunds.com)

[ August 20, 2001: Message edited by: IStheBest ]

 

[ckolsen]

IStheBest, thank you for illustrating my point. Buyers of the 330 look at the 0-60 times and HP rating and think they're getting a great sports sedan, but by that standard, the new Nissan Altima (240 hp) would also be attractive. Or the CL-S. The body roll on your 330 is terrible for a 'sports package' BMW, and I don't know how good a track car it is cause the owners are too busy primping to come to the track. I've been to 2 BMW track events and seen only 2 E46 cars, and they were both slow!
Oh, by the way, my lowly 325i did not need a steering retrofit to give it steering feel, that's sad. As someone on bimmer.org asked, "Is there an IS300 steering retrofit for the E46?"

Originally posted by IStheBest:
ckolsen,
not to start a fight but you are saying my 330ci w/ sport package, manual tranny, and the new retrofitted steering (225 hp, 0-60 in 5.9)is "soft and cushy" compared to your mighty 1995 325i (189 hp, 0-60 in 7.8)? hmmm.... on the track or off I see no comparison, even suspension/handling wise. Sorry

(all info is re edmunds.com)

[ August 20, 2001: Message edited by: IStheBest ][/QB]

 

[IStheBest]

ckolsen,
the SP 330's suspension is sprung tighter, lower, and the slalom AND braking numbers along with acceleration are far better than that of your E36 325i. I do not see your point, perhaps you saw bad drivers at the track? And after the retrofit the steering feel is the same if not better than that of the IS... I owned one!

 

[Eddy]

i remember seeing a vid of a 330 at a track and there was little body roll. i never driven one though.

 

[IIIseries]

GREAT response. Keep in mind the little pompous one probably only uses his mommy-bought 330 to cruise to the mall anyway.

Originally posted by ckolsen:
IStheBest, thank you for illustrating my point. Buyers of the 330 look at the 0-60 times and HP rating and think they're getting a great sports sedan, but by that standard, the new Nissan Altima (240 hp) would also be attractive. Or the CL-S. The body roll on your 330 is terrible for a 'sports package' BMW, and I don't know how good a track car it is cause the owners are too busy primping to come to the track. I've been to 2 BMW track events and seen only 2 E46 cars, and they were both slow!
Oh, by the way, my lowly 325i did not need a steering retrofit to give it steering feel, that's sad. As someone on bimmer.org asked, "Is there an IS300 steering retrofit for the E46?"

 

[ckolsen]

IStheBest, where are you getting the suspension setting comparison with the E36? I'd put my brakes up against your heavy 330 any day, especially after 5 hot laps. Sure the E46 is a good car, but if BMW had focused more on performance and less on safety and female buyers, it coulda been a great car. In fact, BMW engineers plan to go backwards with the E46 replacement, to reduce the weight bloat and make it a driver's car again.
At the Mont Tremblant track this weekend I drove with E30s which on paper have outdated suspensions, yet are much better driver's cars than the E46, and they prove it at the track. Or would, if any E46 owners would bother to show up. There was even a Lexus LS430 owner running, at a damn BMW event! And no E46. Then again, the E46 target buyers are more likely to be found at Nordstrom's than a track event, I guess.

Originally posted by IStheBest:
ckolsen,
the SP 330's suspension is sprung tighter, lower, and the slalom AND braking numbers along with acceleration are far better than that of your E36 325i. I do not see your point, perhaps you saw bad drivers at the track? And after the retrofit the steering feel is the same if not better than that of the IS... I owned one!

 

[H1ghf1del1ty]

I thought this was a Lexus IS300 board, not a bimmer one. How come you guys are fighting over which Bimmers are better?! heheh..Take it over to Bimmer.Org!!!

 

[ckolsen]

Well, I think the IS300 is a better sports sedan than the E46 BMW actually, though some things are better on the BMW, like the sport seats and interior, and steering feel on the '99 and '00 cars. But those things are nowhere near worth the $8000 premium.

Originally posted by H1ghf1del1ty:
I thought this was a Lexus IS300 board, not a bimmer one. How come you guys are fighting over which Bimmers are better?! heheh..Take it over to Bimmer.Org!!!

 

[IStheBest]

You are right, I will no longer argue which bimmer is better here on the IS300 board.

Let me just say, there is not an $8k premium for the E46 over the IS300.
My IS300 = $31k sticker
My 330 (minus the moonroof) - $34k sticker including sport package

Thats only $3k more for a 330, let alone a 325!

 

[Sentinel]

HAHAH I have NEVER seen a 330 in a dealership for 34K.

 

[Sentinel]

OH idle point, from the salom numbers/skid plate the is300 out handles the new m3. Any opinions on this?

 

[JW]

I think the registration requirement of UBB curtails random troll activity. It appears only the most determined troll takes the time to register and post here.

Oh, I'm sure you're familiar with the biggest troll of all on bimmer.org: Chris Blessing (j/k!). He posts here as webguyIS occasionally.

Originally posted by M52tu25:

My question, and this unfortunately does not relate to the IS300 at all, is that do you guys here at the is300.net get a lot of trolls coming from BMW's side of the fence posting flames a lot? I spend a lot of time on the E46 boards and unfortunately, we constantly get these immature morons who comes to post comments like "Why do you guys bother getting a BMW?" and use handles like IS300 RULEZ or 1 PHAST IS or BMW SUXZ...This is on a DAILY basis.

Quite frankly, I hope none of those posters also participate here.

 

[ckolsen]

Yeah, at $34k the 330 becomes a real attractive car - I got quoted $34k for Euro Delivery of a Sport, leather, no moonroof, metallic paint. Throw in a Schnitzer suspension and fixed steering and the 330 would be great. But most people pay $40k for theirs.
About skidpad numbers, remember that understeering cars get higher numbers cause when the rear end breaks loose, that ends the test. So some heavy understeering handlers like the CL-S get high skidpad numbers. Slalom is a better measure of handling.

Originally posted by IStheBest:
You are right, I will no longer argue which bimmer is better here on the IS300 board.

Let me just say, there is not an $8k premium for the E46 over the IS300.
My IS300 = $31k sticker
My 330 (minus the moonroof) - $34k sticker including sport package

Thats only $3k more for a 330, let alone a 325!

 

[M52tu25]

Just as a comparison, I like the format of the bimmer board a little better...I guess just because all the threads are out in the open. Anyway, it's hard to judge a book by it's cover and I've not had EXTENSIVE time in the IS before. I've got the old generation E46 (323Ci) and none of the slushiness involved with the newer E46es (the lifeless Drive by Wire throttle, the overboosted steering...etc).

One thing I did notice on the IS is the throttle behavior is somewhat odd...Non-linear. The first third of the pedal travel is very light, but after that it's like standing on a brick! Definately something to get used to coming from the BMW's go pedal. Other than taking both cars out onto a track I can't feel a big differenc. I guess my car felt sharper but I've done some brake and suspension mods on it already, as well as the fact that it's a stick.

Another thing that contrast the two cars is the styling...I guess it's a love it or hate it thing. There are certain aspects of the car's design that's very attractive (the dash layout for instance) but I can't get myself to love the tailight and the front of the car. Otherwise the proportions are just about right.

If Lexus can take what they've done and improve upon it then it'll be a hard decision for me to make in a few years regarding which car I'll choose--Assuming BMW stands still on their design philosophy. But from what I've read the next generation 3 series will be designed from the ground up to be a sports sedan, not a luxury car. That's something to look forward to.

One last thing...Man, you guys are civilized.

 

[JW]

Wait till you look at the Parking Lot! It's probably not as crazy as the E46 Lounge on bimmer.org, but we do have our share of nutjobs here.

Originally posted by M52tu25:

One last thing...Man, you guys are civilized.

 

[scoot557]

i think its funny, and highfidelity put it best, that bimmer people were fighting on the IS300 board....LOL

i did go over to the E46 board once, and posted a question as to why they bought their car over the IS300, actually a question, not a sarchastic rhetorical question....i got flamed a bit, but there were some good responses overall...i still dont think their will ever be peace among the Lexus -vs- BMW owners as a whole

nice to see u are open-minded though