Lexus iS 200 vs 328i Touring

[Wilson325i]

I am looking to replace my miss's VW polo and initially was looking at a Lexus iS 200, this was based on what i have read on most reviews, i.e very safe and you get good equipment with it and all. but i do not know much about these cars, i.e ease of working on them and parts.

Now after reading Johnnos thread about his touring and getting about 30mpg and most people on here running them as daily cars and being reliable and all got me thinking if she will be better of with a car that I know quite a bit about. what i am saying is would you guys give 328i to a woman to run as daily car?

She is pretty clued up on the cars if anything goes wrong she can expalin it etc. she has been driving for just two years but with her on my insurance i got a quote for £480 in inner london and £980 on the Is 200.

LOL reading this back it seems like i have answerd my question in a way

But what do you zoners think?

[whiterhino]

wilson phone me bro i got insurance covered .also 328i auto round our way makes sense

[capri_rob]

With snow and ice here in the next few weeks no way I'd be giving someone with only 2 years driving experience who's used to a FWD polo a 200bhp RWD car - especially if she's on your insurance and manages to stuff it.

Johnno's car has LPG - you'd need to be very gentle to get a proper 30+ MPG from any M52 engine - and if its a daily hack which is sitting in traffic low-mid 20's is more realistic.

I do about 50 miles a day, 40 of which is motorway and could only get above 30mpg in my 323 touring if I really concentrated on driving for economy.

They're a great car - well built and very pokey - but as a daily hack unless you're doing economical Motorway or Dual carriageway driving with little or no traffic they are too thirsty unless of course you're loaded - or get one with LPG.

[Jhonno]

With snow and ice here in the next few weeks no way I'd be giving someone with only 2 years driving experience who's used to a FWD polo a 200bhp RWD car - especially if she's on your insurance and manages to stuff it.

Johnno's car has LPG - you'd need to be very gentle to get a proper 30+ MPG from any M52 engine - and if its a daily hack which is sitting in traffic low-mid 20's is more realistic.

I do about 50 miles a day, 40 of which is motorway and could only get above 30mpg in my 323 touring if I really concentrated on driving for economy.

They're a great car - well built and very pokey - but as a daily hack unless you're doing economical Motorway or Dual carriageway driving with little or no traffic they are too thirsty unless of course you're loaded - or get one with LPG.

My car has LPG yes.. However the injectors have failed, so have been running it in petrol for a bit whilst I try and sort getting it fixed. In petrol it is giving me 30+mpg, and I tend to put my foot down a bit. That is mixed dual carriageway/a road/traffic use.

On LPG it gives the equivalent of 45+mpg..

Mine is an auto also. My old manual 328i Saloon was better on fuel.

[bss325i]

No matter how i used to drive my E36 328i or E46 328Ci it always averaged 28-30 mpg with mixed driving.

350-400 miles to a tank.

My mrs daily is an E36 323i saloon and has been for the last 3 years. Its getting replaced by another with less than half the mileage and in better condition cosmetically.

[gooner1]

They're a great car - well built and very pokey - but as a daily hack unless you're doing economical Motorway or Dual carriageway driving with little or no traffic they are too thirsty unless of course you're loaded - or get one with LPG.

That is the one reason I'll be sticking with my E30
316i touring, for now.

[e30kev]

They're a great car - well built and very pokey - but as a daily hack unless you're doing economical Motorway or Dual carriageway driving with little or no traffic they are too thirsty unless of course you're loaded - or get one with LPG.

That is the one reason I'll be sticking with my E30
316i touring, for now.

dude, my e30 316i touring was only about £5 a week cheaper than my 328i touring covering 300 miles, 90% motorway driving and both cars had fbmwsh from new, and thats why i got rid of the e30 sadly

[e30kev]

when I say 90% motorway driving, thats stop start forth bridge/city bypass madness, destroying eco driving

[gooner1]

Thing is Kev, i'm doing about 50 miles per week atm, and about a 5th of those miles are
purely to make sure the engine reaches operating temp.
Fine on a little, rough sounding but willing 316i, not so good on an engine
that would suffer from very short journeys.

[e30kev]

Thing is Kev, i'm doing about 50 miles per week atm, and about a 5th of those miles are
purely to make sure the engine reaches operating temp.
Fine on a little, rough sounding but willing 316i, not so good on an engine
that would suffer from very short journeys.

ah I see, yeah the m52 doesnt seem to like short journeys

[Wilson325i]

thanks guys your input is much appreciated, i think i will be looking for a e36 to replace the polo

@Whiterhino you have pm.

[zaust]

I have a 328 auto for sale (e dirty 6) touring

[Wilson325i]

I have a 328 auto for sale (e dirty 6) touring

Hey marc how is it going, thanks for the offer but there is no way i will convince her to drive an auto, she prefers stick "weird huh"!

[MattTheHat325]

M52b28's are a suprisingly economical engine. They love being looked after. I was pleasantly suprised with mine when i first bought it, consumption wise. I let it run well overdue for its latest service and had noticed it's consumption increase noticably. After a well needed inspection 2 the difference is blatant, back to a smooth, powerful 2.8 which is waaaaay more economical than it should be!

With regards to the inexperience/RWD thing, make sure she has the ASC on and she should be alright. I have mine switched off permanently but it's a good enough system to keep her on track in passable conditions as long as she doesn't drive like me