2009 BMW 3-Series face lift
July 11, 2008 by George Skentzos
Only a few short days after revealing the new 7-Series, BMW has also unveiled its face lifted 3-Series sedan and touring variants due to make their first public debut at the Paris Motor Show.
Only mild styling tweaks have been made to the 2009 3-Series, with the apparently controversial front and rear design receiving special attention.
New BMW design trademarks have also emerged which coincide with the new 7-Series, including a more sculpted front end design, with significant changes made to the rear tail lights.
The cabin has also received a slight refresh, with new trim combinations, a revised arm rest and a more ergonomic version of BMW’s iDrive controller which includes a new high-resolution 8.8-inch colour screen.
Unfortunately the engine was one of the key areas which did not receive any enhancements, however not to worry seeing as how much of the range is powered by BMW’s award-winning six-cylinder engines.
Australian specific details are yet to be released.
Looks better than the 2009 7 series. It looks good
Rear is still ugly!
Nice, but no doubt 30% overpriced in this part of the world, just like it’s predecessor (and its German rivals).
I think I liked the old one better…
Its slightly more changed than porche would have managed, but its sort of like the missus coming home after spending too much money and time at a hairdresser.
“Oh, your haircut, yes it looks fantastic, yes its beautiful, um what do you mean, what did you change? um, ah, you made it shorter?? Love you.”
I hated the old rear lights, they cheapened the look of the car, these are an improvement.
It still looks ugly. They should have never replaced the E46 3-Series.
Technically good car, but with the badge premiums, and the import tarrifs and luxury tax propably not a smart buy!! Most propably still popular for badge posers!!
Badge posers Tomas ? You mean car enthusiasts dont you ,so you see BMW owners as badge posers but not Audi or Merc lovers,I guess car enthusiasm is hard for you to understand being a Toyota owner!
I hope their updating the rear of the Coupe too cause it looks too tame and dated .Changes are typically subtle so not to take too much value from the first of the E90s……..Seems the only mechanical change is the intro of the 7 speed DCT in the 335i Coupe and Convertible!
I wonder if they will improve the standard features as well with the new update? It is desperately needed to make up for that woeful 2 litre 4 cylinder engine.
True the 2.0 litre is pretty average compared to what they can extract out of their 6 cylinder range but comparable and better than most othr car manufactures 2.0 liters,but considering its BMW it should be much better.
Good news is that BMW have big plans over the next 10 years with their 4 cylinder range.I was reading recently an article on Klaus Draeger the R&D boss of BMW and the man who may turn the vision Z hybrid supercar into a reality. He still sees a role for petrol engines in 2018 and has plans for 300hp twin turbo 4 cylinders in the future. When that maybe I guess we will have to wait and see but at least its being discussed!With plans from BMW to include steer and brake by wire eliminating a steering column and complicated brake hydraulics they are ahead in their thinking as usual !
The 4-cylinder engines should NOT be used in a BMW, its as simple as that. Any BMW enthusiasts would never consider buying 4-cylinder option IMO.
The tail lights still don’t gel for me, it looks like the boot has been taken off a different car altogether, and they couldn’t be bothered making them match. The old model looked more cohesive. Don’t get me wrong, if it was all of a sudden delivered to my driveway….I reckon I would take it!!! Yes, you can call me a hipocrite, but it’s just my opinion.
Bavarian Missile, No i don’t mean car enthusiast, i mean badge posers!! I’m not taking a swipe at your m3 here, but you got to admit that the 3 series, especially the entry level trims, tend to be popular with posers!! Especially the wannabe rich types! Much more then the mercs or the Audies!!
I wonder with the introduction of 1 series, if they will stick with the 3, or got down to the one!!
^Badge snobs you mean?
Tomas79 Says:
“July 11th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Technically good car, but with the badge premiums, and the import tarrifs and luxury tax propably not a smart buy!! Most propably still popular for badge posers!!”
Yes the 4 cylinders are underpowered but mated to the superb 6 speed auto it works fine if performance is not what one was looking for.
Tomas79 Says:
July 12th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
“Bavarian Missile, No i don’t mean car enthusiast, i mean badge posers!! I’m not taking a swipe at your m3 here, but you got to admit that the 3 series, especially the entry level trims, tend to be popular with posers!! Especially the wannabe rich types! Much more then the mercs or the Audies!!”
Your comment is somewhat true, but you also have to consider that Mercs don’t handle as well, and Audis are FWD in that price bracket.
Badge snobs exactly,
What I’m gonna say is bit off topic, so if you are interested in the new 3 series skip this post.
But I know a guy who is a prime example of this; he keeps on going on how he drives a bond car, and what a brilliant sport car his 7 year old 2.2L z3 roadster is. He keeps on arguing with me how it is still worth nearly 50K (he has seen one being sold for that much at a Holden dealer…) even though he bought it for 36 grand years ago…. To shut him up, I even took him on at the lights in my previous 4.0L 6I (slightly tunned) XJ Cherokee. Ofcourse, the 1.5Tonne modded Cherokee duel/fuel which was wearing muddies at the time, kicked his arse (yeah, it is 4.0L vs 2.2L, but the Cherokee is not intended as a sports car!!). Anyway he keeps on going on what a serious sport car it is, since he can only uses RON95… offcourse he never used it on track, and I was the first person who actually informed him it only had 125kw and 210nm. I also informed it was a straight 6, and not a v6!!
Also his regular counter argument to non-car related discussions was “… and what car does he drive? …. Well I drive a BMW z3!!”.
My point is some people would buy a kia, and claim it was the best car ever to grace our roads, as long as it head a BMW badge on it!! Entry level BMWs tend to popular with these muppets.
A resent argument I’m heaving, is that the z3 is actually assembled in Spartanburg, south Carolina!! He claims in germany, but I can’t find any information supporting that
So Tomas your basing your OPINION on one idiot and tar every one with that brush…….thats like me saying all 4WD owners are d i c k s!
So entry level Lexus Merc and Audi owners aren’t badge snobs….there are snobs that drive all types of cars simple as that! Why don’t you just say you dont like BMWs and be done with it!
No Bavarian missile, I’m not basing this on one idiot!!
I know few more (6 that I can thinking right now) that fit the same profile, although not all that strongly!!
And all of them drive a 3 series!! And the merc drivers i know personally are far from it. Sure some flash wankers will get a merc, and other prestiges brands. But in general they tend to love 3 series!! Like i said, maybe they will move on to the 1 series in the near future!!
Anyway, this is not intended as an insult for series 3 drivers, if some one buys it cos they genuinely love the car and thhe handling good for them!! But lot of people (especially *cough cough* emigrants) dont buy it for that reason!
Quote [Tomas79]: Bavarian Missile, No i don’t mean car enthusiast, i mean badge posers!! I’m not taking a swipe at your m3 here, but you got to admit that the 3 series, especially the entry level trims, tend to be popular with posers!! Especially the wannabe rich types!
True there are probably a few of those who own an entry level 3 series and pretend that its an awesome M3 or something higher up the range.
However; its more common with the really basic cars such as your beloved Toyota. for example I’m sure there are those who drive around in a poverty-pack Aurion pretending its an Lexus IS-250.
The same goes for most other manufacturers including Commodore owners pretending they drive a Clubsport
Falcon owners pretending they drive a GT etc
Virtyually every make of car has its fair share of posuers and w–kers; particularly [in recent years] those in 4×4s.. who have bought it not because it suits their needs but because they are so image conscious – worried about what others think of them and their car
Tomas79, you have only beaten the retarded Z3 driver! I use to own E46 320i (2.2L Straight-6 Manual) and it was hauling a$$. The 6-cylinder Bimmers would tear you a new a$$hole if you took them on in any type of race with your 1.5tonne 4WD. FYI I also use to own V8 Jeep Grand Cherokee so I know that you would not stand a chance, especially not against manual Straight-6 3-series BMW.
It is sadly true that there are plenty of drivers/posers in their small 318i who think that they have the fastest cars in the world, those like them are giving the rest of us a bad name. Your friend with a Z3 is a real retard, and a$$hole like that is making all of us look bad!
FYI I own ‘02 E46 BMW M3 and have nothing to prove here.
Good points Wheelnut and so true!
So you dont like the people that drive BMWs then Tomas…..nothing to do with the cars it seems!
Hey dear one!
Tomas79, my take on it is this. Yes, those people do exist. I don’t think they’re badge snobs, they’re more like badge wallies. Perfect proof is that he thinks his Z3 is made in Germany. You’re right on that one.
But what about a young or middle-aged aspirational accountant or other professional who suddenly realises that after years of student penury they are now in a position to reward themselves with a BMW, even if it’s a 318i?
They’d hate to be thought of a badge snobs, in much the same way you’d hate to be considered a 4WD knob.
They’re just enjoying some of life’s little pleasures, and who can deny them that?
I can spell that name…..is that Thomas or Tom Ass. Sorry but gotta laugh guys as not much that on here. JOKING THOMAS OK!!!!
Golfschwein Says:
July 12th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
But what about a young or middle-aged aspirational accountant or other professional who suddenly realises that after years of student penury they are now in a position to reward themselves with a BMW, even if it’s a 318i?
—————————————————————————————————————–
Well I guess its certainly a step up from driving a fridge on wheels Camry or Corolla, but usually the types of people who buy a bottom of the range BMW didn’t buy it because of the handling but because they just want the badge. It really is a farce how in other countries this sort of car is priced more competitively with say a Subaru Liberty for example, but in this country we have to pay through the nose for the BMW while the Subaru is relatively cheap, but thats a story for another blog.
Chucky, you are right.
That is exactly what i have ment with my first post.
Chucky and Tomas79, the people I describe don’t deserve derision, I feel. If they’ve studied, worked hard, or both, and find themselves in the mid-fifties affordability bracket for a new car, who are we to sneer at their choice of an entry-level Merc or Beemer? I don’t, I applaude them, as a matter of fact.
I know exactly this type of person, and I’m hesitant to label them as badge snobs.
On the other hand, I’m with you totally on the bloke with the Z3. Sad Twats, I think is what they’re called.
Thomas 79 – perhaps it aint badge snobbery, how about they want a decent RWD small engined car thaat handles well and consumes less fuel than a 6 cyl engine.
If you want badge snobbery look at those dicks iin the Merc A Class. Usually retired middleclass nobs with not enough money and no sense.
Tomas69,Tomas69 u don’t get it do u?
U sound like a bit of a badge snob yourself with your quip about KIA and your idolisation of Toyota on other threads.
Truth be known most new Toyota owners think they have a vehicle better than a MERC or BMW anyway. Now that is badge snobbery!ha ha ha.
Had a Real estate agent tell me one day not to trust Agents driving Red sports Cars. I asked him what the red z3 was parked in my driveway. He said it was his wifes.
BTW, just out of curiosity what sort of discounts can you get on a brand new 3 series? Do they give fleet discounts?
I completely agree No Name. There is nothing wrong with wanting handling and RWD without bad economy. I dont think there is anything wrong with BMW 4 cylinder engines. There still fun to drive and sadly, alot of real BMW enthusiasts maybe cant afford a six? And no im not saying that real car enthusiasts dont have money. Im just saying that some might not have enough for a 325i.
Tomas79 – can you honestly say that if you happened to win or someone offered you a poverty pack 3 series or even a 135i that you would either knock it back or sell it on to someone else.. If that is the case you aren’t really that much of a car enthusiast.
Because even though it mighn’t be the top of the range M6 etc.. there are still a number of features in cars like the Toyo-arse kicking M3 that have found their way into the entry level Bimmers.. same goes for Merc and Audi etc
Toyota claims that in regards to the Yaris that they have put all their smart ideas into one car – therefore; why wouldn’t/shouldn’t BMW do the same.
I mean If we all waited until we could afford the car of our dreams; we would all be using public transport
lol Badge Snobery =P
I think generally speaking we can conclude that the German’s generally do it better than the Japenese when it comes to making their cars perform, no?
Now with that said, that doesn’t mean that the Japenese aren’t good, it just means the German’s are better, even if it’s just that tiny bit.
Given this, take this scenario into consideration. Why would ANYONE that wanted something NICE to drive buy a 320i over an IS250?
The 320i may handle better (somewhat) and have slightly better fuel economy but in which other areas can it beat an IS250?
The IS250 (let’s talk base model on base model so the IS250 prestige with the options pack that add things like nav and the 320i executive + innovations pack) is faster in a straightline, it’s quieter (subject to criticism this lol), it’s smoother (V6 vs. 4 cyl.), the engine sounds better, it comes with more standard features, you get Lexus after sales service (free car during servicing etc.), metalllic paint doesn’t cost extra and servicing and parts is generally cheaper than the BM. Some may even debate that the reliability and build quality may even be better but that’s a different story.
Now tell me why you’d buy the 320i over the IS250?
Even i admit that the 320i probably drives better but do you get the same enjoyment out of being able to use paddle shift (however dodgey it may be) for the sake of it and be able to listen to a V6 engine noise that rivals that coming from a 350Z while also beating the 320i to 100?
IS250 vs 323i/325i(now gone)?
That’s different because now we start to see where the German’s truly shine.
Didn’t Car Advice review the 135i recently and didn’t it get 5 stars/wheels… infact I recall the reviewer said that its got simiar features and characteristics etc as the [old] M3 – including the engine for half the price.
[excluding BMWs extensive list of options of course]
After reading the review He was so impressed that he asked given the 135’s perfromance why you would buy an M3
PFTTTTTTTT,Lexus BMW………!
Still that argument!
Build quality Lexus…hahaha what about all those IS-250 recalls!
No thanks,stick to the Germans or Swedes thanks!In that price bracket and ya talking luxury and quality Volvo thanks!
BMW are the first in house performance gurus in Germany, that tells you enough! Motorsport, still the king ,the rest can play catchup! Lexus are yet to catchup to the likes of Merc and Audi let alone the M logo!
If you took half a second to read one line.
“Some may even debate that the reliability and build quality may even be better but that’s a different story.”
What was the first word in that sentence?
Maybe even consider the forth word too.
I sense badge snobery, no?
The way you degrade some car brands is rather odd for a “car enthusiast”. A car enthusiast should love a car for what it is, not for what it isn’t.
I saw a brand new Mercedes C63 AMG today. Its number plate read AMG 2NV. Owner verdict? Sad tosser.
Camski, I’ve pondered your question. Would I have a Lexus IS250 or a BMW 320i?
I’d have the Beemer, because I aspire to it, for all sorts of intangible reasons that don’t make sense for some. I just don’t aspire to the Lexus, despite its tangible triumphs.
Wheelnut, Yes if I would have won a poverty pack 3 series, i definitely would have sold it!! Not that it is a bad car, but there is a stereotype associated with it, and there are other cars that interest me more!!
The same thing goes for the BMW135, sure it might be a good car with a brilliant engine, but to me it just looks too small, boy racer. Besides the 1 series in general, is a girls/womens car according to the European car sites. By the way, the guy with the z3 is now looking forward to getting the bmw 135.
Seriously, if I were to a go 2wd sedan type car, I would probably go the c-class, but once again i wouldn’t really wanna look like a poser in my social group, so i’d propably wait for an awd skoda superb diesel, once it arrives. Sure they might not have the sporty handling of a bmw, but they appeal to me more!!
Realcars, you muppet, your still quiet on that question i asked you on a number of threads?!!
Also, I do worship the big T, but it isn’t toyota, nor tata… I guess an ignorant hick like you would never guess!!
“If you want badge snobbery look at those dicks iin the Merc A Class. Usually retired middleclass nobs with not enough money and no sense.”
Totally agree with you No Name! What d*ck would pay $35,000 for a small A class Mercedes Benz!? And it’s the base model that costs that much and it is only a 3 door!
You’ve got to pay a minimum of $37,500 to get 5 doors!
Rather buy a Mazda 6 or save a few more grand and buy it on a larger car and is value for it’s size a Calais.
this model 3 series was hit with the ugly stick the styling has never taken off in australia the lexus is250 range is a way better looking car! the new isf will be here in october and pre-ordering has been huge like in the “states” the m3 is a good car but the styling is terrible, lexus is sure to take even more sales from m3 with the new isf!
bavarian missile WHAT IS250 RECALLS my wife has owned 2 is250 sport luxury’s since they came out and NOT ONE RECALL DID YOU HEAR ME NOT ONE so stop making up stories to cover your own terrable love of bmw’s! lexus makes a way better car than bmw FULL STOP!!!!!!!!!!!
Burt check your facts before you open your mouth mate!An apology will be accepted but I doubt that will be happening!
Burt Lexus over BMW or any of the other German manufactures is your opinion so your more than welcome to it.
QUOTE
“Toyota Motor Sales USA said it is recalling approximately 34,400 2006 Lexus GS 300, IS 250 and IS 350 models to fix faulty fuel pipes in the engine compartment. The recall involves both two-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive models.
It is part of a larger global recall by Toyota Motor of some 215,020 units of the Lexus GS, Crown and three other high-end car models in Japan.
Toyota Motor Sales USA spokesperson Nancy Hubbell told Inside Line that “we’ve seen only one occurrence [of the problem] in the U.S.” with no injuries or accidents reported. The recall is being launched in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
In a statement on Wednesday, Toyota’s U.S. sales arm said, “A possible crack may form over time in two specific fuel pipes in the engine compartment in the affected models.
“The condition is due to high-stress areas that may have been created in two specific fuel pipes in the engine compartment during the manufacturing process,” it said. “Combined with other factors such as the presence of corrosive agents in the fuel, a crack may form in the high-stress areas over time that could lead to fuel leakage.”
Owners of the affected vehicles in the U.S. will be notified of the recall in early December. Lexus dealers will replace the fuel pipes with redesigned ones at no charge.
The recall casts a pall on what has been the largely sterling reputation of Toyota’s upscale brand. It is yet another blow to the Japanese auto giant, which is still smarting from its plunge in October in Consumer Reports’ 2007 reliability survey.
The consumer watchdog said it no longer recommends the V6 version of the best-selling 2007 Toyota Camry or the four-wheel-drive V8 version of the 2007 Toyota Tundra because of below-average reliability. The all-wheel-drive version of the Lexus GS sedan also scored a below-average rating and is no longer recommended. Toyota fell from 1st to 5th place in the Consumer Reports ranking for 2007, behind Honda, Acura, Scion and Subaru.
and where is BMW or Benz or Audi? 30th plus something ?
Burt……Caradvice even did a story on it last year so looks like Lexus are doing a great job informing you of recalls hey,what fabulous customer service they have given you!
Jerry that depends on what survey you read!
Quote
” Mercedes Benz, BMW and Audi Seen as Top Three Car Manufacturers in Terms of Overall Brand Quality By Europeans, According to New Harris Interactive Survey
LONDON AND ROCHESTER, New York, September 13 /PRNewswire/ — Harris Interactive(R) has conducted new research to understand the values that adult consumers from Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain associate with 21 major automobile brands ahead of the firm’s attendance at The 61st International Motor Show (IAA) Cars in Frankfurt, Germany.
Key findings from the study include:
— In the five European markets surveyed overall, consumers regard
Mercedes Benz (#1), BMW (#2) and Audi (#3) as the top three car
manufacturers in terms of overall brand quality. Fourth on the list is
Volvo, the only non-German brand to make it into the top five on the
overall list, while Volkswagen takes the fifth spot overall.
— Only two of the European markets surveyed have Japanese brands in
their top five lists for overall brand quality (Lexus #3 in the UK and
Toyota #5 in Italy).
— Among the 21 automobile brands measured, Fiat is considered to be the
worst brand for overall quality in the five European markets surveyed
except in its home market, where Italians have only a poorer opinion
of Skoda. Skoda is amongst the worst five brands across all five
European markets, as is Hyundai. Citroen escapes this dubious
distinction in France alone. In most countries the indigenous brands
are rated more favourably. However, a notable exception is the United
Kingdom, where Rover follows closely behind Fiat as the second worst
brand in terms of overall quality.
— Prestigious German cars, including BMW, Mercedes Benz and Audi, are on
the overall top five lists for brands that convey the values of
success and financial security; however, they do not make the lists
for brands that convey the values of family, freedom or sociability.
— A third (33%) of European adults surveyed believes Alfa Romeo conveys
a sense of freedom to consumers. After Alfa Romeo, it is mainly the
Far Eastern brands, including Honda (27%), Mazda (26%), Toyota (24%),
Hyundai (20%), which signify freedom to consumers.
BM, last I checked we were in Australia, so this USA recall has nothing to do with the cars sold here…
Golfshwein – “Camski, I’ve pondered your question. Would I have a Lexus IS250 or a BMW 320i?
I’d have the Beemer, because I aspire to it, for all sorts of intangible reasons that don’t make sense for some. I just don’t aspire to the Lexus, despite its tangible triumphs. ”
I respect that much at least, you have a GOOD reason to want the BMW, even if it’s a 320i. Not just because “BMW IS BETTER THAN LEXUS!”.
Also the C63 AMG… err you in NSW?
What colour was it?
I took the only test driver C63 in NSW out. It was black but don’t remember the number plate. That was one monster =D
I guess Burt and I were unaffected by that pipe recall however I do remember it happening. Opposites of the world huh, IS250 vs C63 =P
i will say i again we have had NO RECALL’S IN AUSTRALIA that artical referes to america! do you live in america! and dont start this bull s**t about not havig any problems with bmw crap crap and more crap bavarien! my wife owned a 2002 320exec before the lexus and you will never see her in a bmw again after owning a lexus! the looks,the driving, the finish, the equipment level’s everything about a lexus is far superior to bmw! who would own one off these butt ugly new 3 series! and lexus service is also was better than bmw thank you!
BMW competes mainly against Merc and Audi for market share in the new car market, partly because the majority of people cannot afford to buy them at the prices that they charge, or do not want to settle for a base model with a 2 litre engine in the BMW 320, a 1.8 litre engine in the C200 and Audi A4.
Some people would also object to the $1,900 Merc charges for metallic paint ($1,600 by BMW and Audi for metallic paint).
When Merc had the latest C200, it reduced the price by around $10,000 because sales had been falling (fewer people were prepared to pay that kind of price for a base model that did not even have alloys as standard).
I think motoring journalists should inform more Australians how over-priced these German brands are in Australia. The base BMW 3 series in USA is the 328, priced around US$30,000 (slightly less than the Lexus IS250), while the base Merc C-Class is the C300 priced around US$32,000.
If Australians boycott buying the 3 Germans for a year, their prices might fall. However, some of the rich people (the ones who can afford to buy them at whatever the price) probably do not care much about paying the premium price. That’s ok, we live in a democratic society, do as you please.
Hey Jbot hows things babe?……..Actually as I said they were as per caradvice article last year.
So Burt you need to check your facts before you abuse me again!
Quote
” Lexus will recall 264,000 cars- including 927 in Australia – with GS and IS sedans affected .
The issue relates to cars built between December 2003 and December 2005 which may have a faulty fuel pipe that could lead to a fuel leakage. Lexus says no accident has been reported as a result of the issue but 39 defects have been reported by drivers
The recall affects 215,020 cars in Japan. About 49,000 other vehicles will also be recalled worldwide, in markets including the US, Britain and Canada.
Lexus Australia has initiated a safety recall campaign on a range of Lexus IS250 and GS300 models that were built between December 2004 to November 2005. In all about 927 vehicles are involved in Australia.
According to Lexus Australia, there is a possibility over time on certain vehicles that a small split may appear in the fuel pipe.This is due to a weakness created in the pipes during manufacture, combined with natural corrosive agents in the fuel and fuel pressure pulsations.
The recall is the second in a just over a month for Lexus’s parent company, Toyota. In October Toyota recalled about 470,000 cars in Japan to fix problems with their fuel and steering systems.
Burt Ive owned 6 BMWs and as Im a car enthusiast and look for performance you’ll never find me in a Lexus! Hows that Lexus service going for you mate! Apology still accepted?
what the hell do i need to apogize for!if your telling me i am not a car enthusiast your the one who needs to apogize to me buddy! i have not said this yet but i have ordered a new lexus ISF it will be here in november for my wife i wont even get involved what i drive! SO DONT TELL ME I AM NOT A CAR ENTHUSIAST i will buy lexus over bmw any day and that is my choice RIGHT! i wont cope anyone telling me that my choice of cars is wrong thank you! if you have owned 6 bmw’s i feel sorry for you and if think the new 3 series is a good looking car you have been brain washed!
hahaha,seems you need to take a deep breath mate.I didn’t say you weren’t a car enthusiast did I ?
Why do you feel sorry for me owning BMWs ???????? Never had any problems with them and thats over a period of 20 years how long has Lexus been going for? So you’ve order a new IS-iF and? You have read the write ups on the the current E90 M3 over the IS-iF……..M3 still on top. Seems you have an anger problem through reading your last post and you need to turn the caps lock button off oh.
That apology would be for being wrong about the recalls, so you man enough to say your wrong or just ready to ramble back at me again? Either way seems your embarrassing yourself……..Another bloke that has a problem it seems being told by a female their wrong !
yes i have read the writups on the isf vs m3 and that is why i am buying the isf! way better looking car and quicker more torque better to drive way more wow factor and better equiped!
B. Missile drives an old M3 that is worth much less than any Lexus IS250.
Hey Tony what does the value of my M3 have to do with anything let alone comparing it to a YAWN…IS-250 . Change feet Tony you too are embarrassing yourself,grow up!
Seems you both cant accept facts so are prepared to devalue this thread by any way you can ,unsubstantiated insults! I am waiting for my last post to be ,moderated so you can be wowed at the IS-F verses a E92 M3 and a Merc C63 I guess you know what wins………not the Lexus 3rd! Toyota lovers…….geez seems you suffer from inferiority complexes!!
IS-250 IN THE SAME SENTENCE AS BMW. Ha Ha Ha.
TOMAS69 U ARE A BOGAN.
make sure you research all posts with your m3 vs isf because everyone i have read (and thats a lot) have different results so dont give me this m3 is better crap because i have read them all as well and everyone has a different outcome! who the hell is this realcars guy what do you know jurk! i owned a bmw 320i (yes i did own a bmw) and you want YAWN it is no where compared to a is250 it was gutless at least the older bmw’s looked better than the current model 3 series!
Are they still built in Africa? I’d want my german car built in Germany. Not that it would stop me from buying one if the need arose. I’d Rather the 135i over anything below a 335 anyway.
I see Thomas79 is still digging himself into holes again.
If it aint Toyota…its Lexus (Toyota’s with more plastic wood, thicker glass and more sand in the firewalls)
In all seriousness though, I cant see the point of updating a model every 5 minutes…Does hurt on the resale.
Where’s Ernie?
Why don’t Burt and Tomas69 take their Toyota Loving to another thread.
Comparing Lexus to BMW give me a break please!!!!!
May as well buy a Toyota Burt.Must have been something wrong with “your” 320 or a figment of your imagination!Ha Ha Ha.
BMW are the innovators.
Lexus are the imitators.
Get it Burt/Tomas69?
Burt, get your head out of your a$$ and accept the facts! Lexus (IS250) DID have a recall in Australia due to faulty engine fuel pipes (29/11/2007) Ref.2007/9683
For your reference:
http://www.recalls.gov.au/sear.....EXUS+IS250
IS-F has nothing on the new E90 M3, so quit your b!tching!
Burt, get your head out of your azz and accept the facts! Lexus (IS250) DID have a recall in Australia due to faulty engine fuel pipes (29/11/2007) Ref.2007/9683
For your reference:
http://www.recalls.gov.au/sear…..EXUS+IS250
IS-F has nothing on the new E90 M3!
hahaha……Realcars !
Fenno 4 cylinder poverty pac stuff is made in South Africa 6 cylinders are made in Germany!
Make sure I research my posts……you have to be joking thats just what I do Burt…….If you did the same you would have worked out you wifes Lexus is due to go back to the dealership for its recall!
Read them all have you Burt so I guess this one?
Car and driver extract for you BURT
” In every performance test of note, the M3 outgunned the Lexus, yet it didn’t trail in refinement or comfort. The BMW’s suspension, like the Lexus’s, will never be accused of pampering its driver, but it absorbed every bump without upsetting the chassis.
Maybe BMW hasn’t gotten this generation of iDrive right, but the rest of the car has no equal among many peers. “”
Shall I keep finding them for you Burt cause you provided nothing so far into today posts including that apology!
Quote [Camski] I took the only test driver C63 in NSW out. It was black but don’t remember the number plate. That was one monster
So I take it you live near Parramatta then; – the nearest dealer being Marshalls on Auto Alley…. my mate saw one there last week
Burt – I find it ironic that you have ordered an IS-F for your next car.. mainly because when you say IS-F it sounds like AS IF… which you could use in the following sentence
“A Lexus is better than an BMW M3?…. AS IF!”
Whereas “M” division is much more apt “BMW?…. MMMMMM!”
Saw a billboard ad for the new M3 it said “M3 – At the Heart of every BMW!
which proves my earlier point that even though their are those who can only afford an entry level BMW such as an 135i it’s still gonna have similar features to those higher up the tree
if you still believe that all BMW drivers are badge snobs including those who own a poverty pack BMW like a 318i
then surely the same goes for those poor people who own an Echo Starlet or Yaris as you could say the only reason they drive a Yaris is so they can be seen in a Toyota as ATM its Australias most popular make of car.
When in actual fact its more likely to be that its all they can afford or is most suitable to their needs – the same applies to most other car owners except of course 4×4 drivers the majority of whom drive a mbiel fortress purely because of the image it conveys…. they are the real posuers
Burt it seems that you’d get on well with UK celebrity Alan Partridge…. he is a fan of Lexii [Plural; you know]
Unlike your average family sedan when it comes to premium performance cars – looks has very little to do with it as most owners of such performance cars buy performance cars because of their performance [funnily enuff]
For example look at the Ferrari Enzo for example or the Alfa Romeo Schigera; not the most attractive car but it performs really well and goes fast as it was intended to
I mean you don’t look at the mantle whist stoking the fire.
Well I know you don’t look at the mantle place when your poking the fire babe……….
Burt you are not a car enthusiast if you think getting a Lexus with a big engine is what makes you one and I think its time you backed out of this message board seeing as most people dont agree with you. Lexus has no personality. In a big Top Gear test between the M3 the ISF the C63 and the RS4 top gear said that the Lexus is best for going in a straight line but not if you want to have alot of fun. The M3 is a better car. The M3 and C63 mainly have alot of personality because they are not perfect. The lexus isnt either but you feel cold getting out of a Lexus and the steerings a bit dead for such an expensive “performance car”. And Im not saying the 3 series is pretty but the IS is hardly pretty either. And i have never had anything but reliablility from my BMW. And I have a 1992 3 series and it hasnt broken down once! And like Wheelnut said. Lexus is for Alan Partridge! And what does it matter where the recall was? Theyre all built in the same factory! And if the 3 series didnt take off here then why did I see so many being driven around ADELAIDE today? Way more than I saw of the IS! And theres a reason for that. Id prefer to look like a poser than an accountant or lawyer any day.
Fenno how M I digging myself into a hole??
I give up, this site is is obviously being ruined by a bunch of loud mouth, badge upsest bogans, who blab their ignorant views on everyone, regardless whatever it goes against the statistics or common sense!!
Tomas because you dont like the facts and base your opinions on stats not facts that doesn’t make the rest of us bogans cause we’re correct ! Everything Ive stated is fact and in most cases Ive backed up with evidence seems the Toyota lovers don’t like facts just surveys!
Oh and this site has been ruined by Toyota extremists in the past thats why all the regulars get sooooo annoyed when people start sprouting on about the worlds most boring brand!Toyota!
If you notice thats why your mate Dingo gets deleted each time!Cause hes too extreme and then starts to insult people when they don’t agree with him!
I had a 540i BMW – wonderful to drive, comfortable to cruise between capital cities but reliability shocking. A colleagues M5 here on the Gold Coast not much better. Own two lexus vehicles never had a problem and the service is superb.
I know BM; Not only do the Toyo-philes find it hard to accept facts from reviews etc which show/prove that there are infact other cars around which [shock horror] are better than their beloved Toyotas/Lexii
But over the weekend I got on a few topics and made the same repetative comments as to how the rising fuelprices will affect Toytoas sales and the popularity of 4×4s – mainly Landcruiser and Prado which are the most popul;ar in Oz
This also infuriated Tomas who asked me to refrain from just getting on here and spruiking my supposedly narrow minded “anti toyota rhetoric” .Yet I did it for no other reason than to see how the Toyo-Philes liked it when the shoe was on the other foot.
Judging by his reaction they dont particularly like that either
“Now tell me why you’d buy the 320i over the IS250?”
Resale.
“Besides the 1 series in general, is a girls/womens car according to the European car sites.”
And what do you think the general consensus is amongst Aussies about Commie and Toyota drivers?
Bill if you think the epitome of in house motor tuners sounds like a girls car you must be driving a door slammer!
Lower revving you said it, and 1 litre more than the M3,not to mention it needs to go on a diet to match the M3s power to weight! M3 chassis pffffffttt, nothing comes close!
Give me a break………….if there wasn’t M3 the Lexus IS-F wouldn’t exist !Typical Toyota trying to gain more performance luxury ownership,thing is their not ahead of BMW,MERC OR Audi……..TOYOTA THE FOLLOWERS!
Will we go on cause I havent started yet!
Funny that when we discuss our local manufactures the Toyota camp come out in full all 4 of them………hahaha
Then when we discuss the epitome of in house performance manufactures the Lexus supporters come out to defend the follower Lexus!
Get over it,get used to chasing the innovators!
Wheelnut…………I guess the rest of us Ford fairies will have to continue to protect this site from Toyota and Lexus extremists.
Your a Holden supporter that drives a Subaru and I’m a Ford supporter that drives a BMW……seems we’re not extremists that have anything to prove but the truth!
What we do agree on is that Toyota and Lexus are not what they try to exhume as Burt worked out today when he found out Lexus have recalled cars here!Do we get an apology? NO!
Bill and what did 5th gear say? Tiff is a BMW fan and would still prefer a M3!
Jason show me where Lexus is matching performance and better quality………..sick of you Lexus supporters ranting on with your own opinions not fact!
Is there any truth to the claim that Lexus utilise the Camry platform?
You talk pure garbage bavarian missile we are talking basic daily drive cars here i have a IS250 sport and a lot of my wealthy clients have them also if we want cars to handle and fly we have a whole garage full of race cars to fly around on my race days i want a car that i enjoy on the road and listen to the brillant mark levenson system while im in city trafic so go back and drive your dinki toy yes i had bmw and its been in bmws workshop for faulty parts 5 times in 6 months which i got rid of it for the lexus and yes i can afford any car i disire but my race cars are my passion.
Well Chappy how do I talk garbage? If you think an M3 and an IS-F is a every day driver then I want your pay packet!hahaha
Realcars……why not, the rest of these guys are just providing their own opinions lets say yes!
Top Gear Time………..let look out for Lexus on the COOL WALL!
Wheres my prove? I guess when you can speak English Ill come back to you…..in the interim the Aston DBS is still s e x y……………Astons my dream car,reliability? Crap I don’t care or do other buyers waiting 5 years for an Aston why? cause we’re car enthusiasts not survey lovers!Jason get some passion!
On that note its good night from me and good night from him!
I think that these surveys should actually expand on what sort of problems the cars have instead of just saying X brand is more reliable than Y brand. At least then it will shutup the tools who think that having your car higher up on the list means that its less likely to break down.
Jason, Chappy, Burt you guys are waisting your time with these ignorant bogans…
It’s time CAR ADVICE cleaned up this site, and deleted their one eyed rhetoric. If they are such self proclaimed car enthusiasts, why do they spend so much time on here??
A real car enthusiasts goes for a drive, just for the sake of it!! But these guys don’t. Bavarian’s missiles 10 year old m3 is probably out of action anyway!!
And the rest of the losers, are to afraid to say what they drive!!
I asked for proof Jason!
The IS-F doesn’t match the M3 what else can I say but Google your proof if you don’t believe me!!
Lexus address a market for Lexus not taking away the prestige crown off the number 1 in house car tuner…………..simple as that! Catchup for Lexus to Merc and Audi before you think you can over take over Motorsport baby!
Tomas you have seen my BMW M3 one of only 3 in the country so stop waffling on! Seems to me you Toyota drivers are afraid of bogans at the end of the day no matter what they drive,grow up Tomas!
You live in the same City as me so I cant wait to line you up in Perth one day,you go to the drags,more than happy in your what…..Prado STOP pretending to be a performance car driver cause so far today all Ive seen from Toyota and Lexus owners is what? Im going to get a…. and you cant beat Lexus!hehehe
You guys have no idea what fast is! Ever driven 702 hp? Nope didn’t think so! Lexus wouldn’t do it,and Toyota would charge you too much,me, simple as a 671 on an old pushrod 351 Cleveland in a XA GT Coupe!You ever twisted a tail shaft from burnouts? Nope thought so!
Blokes like you hate being nailed by chics don’t you? Car enthusiasts……..hahahaha yep right!
You know what BM? I agree with you. BMW is a great, fun, sporty brand and Lexus is boring, reliable and bland but its very hard to agree when you just keep ranting on the way you do. And Thomas79 – everytime someone on this website says what they have someone says yeah right and an argument starts! I, like Chappy, could have any car I desired and I have a garage full but if I said what any of them were, someone would say that If I had that sort of money I wouldnt be sitting on a computer forum!
One thing im curious about is why so many people think the IS is better looking than the 3 series. Im not saying the 3 series is a beautiful swan but the Is looks good from the back and front but they dont match each other. The back is boxy and practical but the front is sporty and coupe-ish. They just dont go. At least the 3 series is consistent.
Bavarian Missile, when the f**k did i say , or pretend to be a performances car driver??? And when did i say i was a toyota lover??!! I do drive a Toyota prado, but thats after considering every other car in it’s class, and i got it, even thoguh i had to wait well over 6 months for the delivery!!
Also to car enthusiasms, there is much more then just going fast on a straight!!! But i guess thats way above your bogan mind set!!
And as one of 3 M3 in Australia, don’t make me laugh!!! what was so special about??
Anyway, I hope one day you win the loto or something, and will be able to afford a brand new lexus!! then you will be able to know, what driving pleasure and luxury is about!!
Anyway I’m off to a site, so Bogans dont bother me!!
well bavarian missile it seems there is more than 4 supporters who think you are WRONG! CAN YOU SAY THAT WRONG! so now your a drag racer as well how do you find the time to do all these things when you live on caradvise rubbishing everyone who does not drive a 10 year old 3 series bmw (remember a lot were made in africa) your w**ker mate realcars gee i would love to know what he drives if anything, maybe he drives a top fuel car with you over in perth! you pair make us all laugh with your garbage! you are not the only one with an opinion on this site remember that!!!!!!!!!!!
and the aurion drag car has 1800hp it is owned by tony wedlock it has run 6.4 sec qtr mile and is powered by a toyota supra 2jz 3.2 litre 6 cyl!
People like Bavarian Missile are the ones who make BMW, Benz & Audi can charge top dollar for their entry model piece of sh1t. Stubborn fanatic. They always think BMW is better than lexus no matter what happen. well, it’s up to them if they want to be ripped off.
Aurion in name only Burt. U have just lost all cred sighting this bullshit exercise. If u can’t see that well u really are a Toyophile and this would account for the rest of your dribble on this thread. Ha Ha Ha..
Where’s Ernie?
Tomas69 calls anyone that isn’t infatuated with Lexus and Toyota a bogan.Ha Ha Ha .
Seen some bogans driving both. Ha Ha Ha.
Yeah but the 1800Hp Aurion drag car is highly modified and very little of it is actually off an Aurin… it’s RWD for a start.
Whereas CAPA get 1400Hp from their Holden Drift Ute just by simply bolting a supecharger onto a the standard Holden V8 – Drifting is far more skillful than drag racing s because as Tomas says there is much more then just going fast on a straight!!!
Whereas Ben Brays Holden Drag ute produces 2500Hp and it still looks like a VZ Ute
Oh and CAPA get 1400Hp from their Holden Drift Ute just by simply bolting a supecharger onto a the standard Holden V8 –
Drifting is far more skillful than drag racing s because as Tomas says there is much more then just going fast on a straight!!!
How is it, we can go to a BMW story and still have the regular array of Toyota-philes (scary word that…very similar to another, more disturbing disorder) jump on and quote every irrelevant fact (“Aurion powered drag car” or “nascar”) to try and bring any other brand down.
Jerry, you cast a slander that people who buy BMW, merc an Audi are being ripped off. Have you checked the Lexus price list lately?
The other ‘philes’ have banded together and are jumping on BM’s back because she’s defending the brand she loves on a post that is about that said brand. Next you’ll all be telling us that the best car ever made was the T-18, or the Tercel, or the V6 Rav, or the ES300…but secretly I know you guys wish that all forums were about YOUR cult hero….The Toyota Avalon.
Wheelnut … Jason is right on the money, the old Toyota / Lexus 4.0 v8 is becoming more popular as an engine to tune for high horses and drag racing. Some examples i have seen easily match or out-power the 2500hp of Ben Bray. Many Japanese engines make good, strong platforms for tuning particular some older versions from Nissan and Toyota. Holden and Ford engines are not the only choice, surely you understand this.
Interesting you talk drifting becuase i follow this form of racing in Australia known as the Australian Drift Championship with the last round held at Eastern Creek only 2 weeks ago. In the current top 10, no Holden or Ford even exsists, it is made up of Nissan (mostly) and Toyota cars only. Beau Yates who drives the awesome Sprinter for Toyota is 3rd. If your Holden and Ford drift cars are so good, then why isn’t there any in the current top 10 … mmm
Fenno … your garbage doesn’t even make sense. Lexus supporters are correct, it’s a better choice. BMW’s have long been overpriced, poorer in quality while the interior design is old, bland and boring. Lexus has addressed alot of issues BMW failed to.
I’ve read some comparisons between the IS-F and BMW and fact is, the IS-F matches the M3 and personally, it would be my choice if i had the money to buy these sort of cars.
A lot of this seems to be between the Lexus IS250 and the 3 series.
For the first time, I went on the website of both last night. For me, it’s the 3 series that looks classic and the IS still scoops the try-hard stakes with a shape so bland that only a dramatic and messy upsweep in the rear passenger door window rescues it, if rescues is the right word. It would be far nicer without.
And have a look at the colour choice for the Lexus. It’s woeful.
Sure, the personalisation available with the 3 series will cost you, but you’ll get a stand-out car at the end of it even if you keep the pen held high.
whhelnut … garbage, pure garbage. If you believe a standard Holden v8 achieves 1400hp just by strapping on a supercharger then you are one, miserable example of a car enthusiast. I’ve been into cars all 39 years of my life and it is people like you why Holden has a name as the car for bogons. I suppose you believe your own sh*t.
Golfswhein … i’m glad they are only your words. Cost, you are correct and way overpriced like all BMW’s. The IS250 and 350 in the States are beautiful looking cars and have a presance on the road and there is nothing standout about a 3 series over a IS250, NOTHING !!
Keating….(Should leave that last name out)…
You just proved my point.
When you Toyota-philes are on the losing hand you resort to irrelevant facts (Surveys from o’seas), motorsport results from unrelated/unrealistic mediums (Nascar??? WGAF?) and then outright insults (when all else fails).
Yep, agree, Fenno. 3 series has made classic status. It’s there already. The Lexus is using its sat-nav trying to find it.
Fenno and Wheelnut, I’ve just had it confirmed that Simon Keating is Dingo. That explains the aggro. So don’t reply or engage, would be my tip.
this artical started off about the face lift for the new 3 series so lets stick with the facts from just about everyone’s point of view the new 3 series is butt ugly FULL STOP! the lexus is250 is however a way better looking car, better built, better to drive has more features and even looks a million dollars standing still!its little wonder the current 3 series is not selling any where near as good as the last model e46!
Ahh, the dingo returns and is after someones baby…
Just about everyone’s point of view, Burt? Come on, that’s a twist of epic proportions!
Burt … couldn’t agree more. The face lifted 3 series is not a pretty car. Lexus deserves credit were credit is due when they designed the IS250 and IS350 and i read somewhere the IS-F will be available in Oz sometime by year end. BMW is overpriced, much better value in a Lexus and better built as you said.
Dingo, were did they come from, Someone help me.
The only twist of epic proportions is any comment that says the 3 series is a nice looking car, the IS250 is much more elegant in design.
It’s classic alright, old design inside and out.
and if you dont believe me there not selling as good as the e46 go to a bmw dealer they are desperate to sell them! BMW suffed up the design of the e90! have a look on the streets there are still plenty of e46s still around and very few e90s! there’s plenty of is250s, good looks on a vehicle of this caliber mean a lot and that is why the is250 is selling well and so will the new ISF.
simon are you from america! my ISF will be here in november.
No questions asked, the IS250 is the better looking example between the 2. And has said, better value, better spec’d and better built … choice of purchase is easy.
And agree, the basic BMW design is aged especially the interior that seems they never moved along with and the IS-F will be a great addition to the Lexus lineup in Australia. Sales of the first F series has received much fanfare elsewhere especially in the US and Canada. A true perfromance with matching quality.
LeXus resale has always been under attack by grey imports.LOL.
Quote [Camski] I took the only test driver C63 in NSW out. It was black but don’t remember the number plate. That was one monster
So I take it you live near Parramatta then; – the nearest dealer being Marshalls on Auto Alley…. my mate saw one there last week
Wheelnut – My local(ish) dealer got it for me. The Tynan near Miranda. The best bit is, you don’t get a normal car dealer go with you, the C63 basically comes with a driver too who pretty much tells you when to floor it =P
Doing this around the Kurnell area (plenty of straights) really is quite interesting, gives you sweaty palms lol
A little harsh as a daily driver though and the M3 sedan with DCT still seems pricey (closed to $150,000 not including on-road). RS4 is pretty much gone so that leaves the IS-F. Styling is funny, you kinda look at it from different angles and either love it or hate it. Regardless, this does seem like a nice alternative though, especially as a daily driver because the general concensus is that it’s not as sharp as an M3, not as hard as a C63 but still more than you’ll get out of anything else like a 335i.