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Old     (sidekicknicholas)      Join Date: Mar 2007       05-09-2012, 2:34 PM Reply   
So in the past 2 years I've owned a IS250 (loved it but slow as all hell) so I got myself an IS350, which I love... I recently had my car in for some service and noticed an IS-F that they had just taken in... I asked how much if I was to trade my IS350 for it.... long story short the trade offer is insanely awesome they said would apply for the following cars:
09 IS-F w/ 50k miles
11' CTS - Coupe (V6) they got on a trade -25k miles
New GS350 (don't want this car).

So I'm really tempted to trade the IS350 for either the IS-F or the CTS Coupe... but cannot decide. (No other suggestions on cars please, it is between the two).

Lexus has been good to me on the last two cars, and the only Cadillac I've ever owned was a 94 Eldorado ETC, which died at 150k (it was my first car at 16) so I don't think its fair to use it to compare the two.

I've driven them both, the creature comforts are great in both, and obviously the IS-F has a lot more zing in it.... just wondering if anyone has input on either of these two cars?

Thanks!
Old     (polarbill)      Join Date: Jun 2003       05-09-2012, 2:54 PM Reply   
I don't really have any input other then is that the Lexus with the quad tailpipes? If so I hate that. It looks so cheezy with the pipes stacked on top of eachother. Why not just have one big pipe on each side? Other then that I like the IS-F though. Not a fan of the CTS coupe's looks at all plus having 4 doors would be nice vs the 2 door cadillac. I would dig a GS350 over either but it doesn't sound like you like it.
Old     (timmyb)      Join Date: Apr 2007       05-09-2012, 2:55 PM Reply   
The IS-F is a bad azz car! I don't think the 11 CTS is really in the same category...the CTS-V would be but not the regular one. Good luck, sweet ride!
Old     (tyler97217)      Join Date: Aug 2004       05-09-2012, 3:01 PM Reply   
ISF is pretty bad a$$. Those miles are high as hell though for an enthusiast car. Resale will be real tough on it unless you plan to really keep the miles down. The CTS is not bad, but not in the same league. Compare it to the CTS-V like TimmyB said. I really dig the new GS350 and would certainly check it out a bit more. Less speed and a bit more luxury.
Old     (nitrousbird)      Join Date: Sep 2008       05-09-2012, 3:13 PM Reply   
CTS-V > IS-F > CTS V6

Though I'm sure there are other deals out there for trades if you look. If one dealer is offering you something, I'm sure another is as well. Dealers are in the game to make money.
Old     (timmyb)      Join Date: Apr 2007       05-09-2012, 3:20 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by nitrousbird View Post
CTS-V > IS-F > CTS V6
Fo Sho! My dad has a '09 6-speed CTS-V and dang that car is fun to drive!
Old     (sidekicknicholas)      Join Date: Mar 2007       05-09-2012, 4:01 PM Reply   
Quote:
CTS-V > IS-F > CTS V6
What I'm thinking too... its all based off this trade offer and being able to sneak it past the Mrs.... she would notice the cost of the "V" and good thing for me they don't have on at the dealer
Old     (ixfe)      Join Date: Aug 2008       05-09-2012, 4:08 PM Reply   
Get the IS-F. The wifey might not even know it's a different car.
Old     (ralph)      Join Date: Apr 2002       05-09-2012, 6:39 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by sidekicknicholas View Post
So I'm really tempted to trade the IS350 for either the IS-F or the CTS Coupe... but cannot decide. (No other suggestions on cars please, it is between the two). Thanks!
Have you considered a new MB Sport.......... Sorry couldn't resist
Old     (trdon)      Join Date: Sep 2007       05-09-2012, 7:24 PM Reply   
CTS v6 is a poor car in the sense that the accessories are junk and everything electronic goes bad too quickly for its age. I have known 2 people with the same problems and if you look up the dependability, you will see it is exceedingly low, especially when compared to the Lexus. you really cant go wrong with lexus in general.
Old     (espritv8)      Join Date: Dec 2009       05-09-2012, 7:39 PM Reply   
Go with the lexus. This one is fun to drive and you get better resale value and reliability.
Old     (05sante)      Join Date: Jun 2011       05-10-2012, 5:21 AM Reply   
Aside from the fake quad tailpipes and no manual tranny option I like the ISF. Its probably cheap because it just ran out of warranty. Assuming the ISF has no common failure points that are expensive to repair, I'd probably choose it over the V6 CTS.
Old     (MrPeepers)      Join Date: Aug 2011       05-10-2012, 5:41 AM Reply   
I know you said not to mention other vehicles, but an M3 seems like the obvious counterpart to the IS-F.
Old     (jeff_mn)      Join Date: Jul 2009       05-10-2012, 5:51 AM Reply   
IS-F and it's not even close.
Old     (sidekicknicholas)      Join Date: Mar 2007       05-10-2012, 5:51 AM Reply   
Quote:
I know you said not to mention other vehicles, but an M3 seems like the obvious counterpart to the IS-F.
I didn't want other suggestions because the situation is this... I had taken my IS350 into the dealer for safety recall / change spark plugs and saw an ISF on the lot... asked a few questions and what mine was worth for a trade-in towards that exact car.... the salesmen did his thing and the number he gave me was higher than what I paid for the car (private party) plus the cost of the little mods I've put on the car... so naturally I got excited. He said he could apply that trade-in price he gave me to any 1 of 3 cars on the lot -
the ISF
a CTS coupe they had taken in on trade a few weeks back
GS350 - which was brand new, and I hate being the guy to take a hit on a new car

.... sure an M3 or C63 would makes sense to compare to a ISF but just isn't part of the deal.

Quote:
Have you considered a new MB Sport.......... Sorry couldn't resist
I thought fairly long and hard about a new boat, but just recently I sold our boat to my brother - so I pocketed 16k and can still use the boat whenever I want, only now when **** breaks its his problem!... best boat deal ever.


What is sparking this is the following things falling into place:
Boat payments are gone - $200/mo. opened up
I've hit my "wedding savings account" benchmark laid out from the Mrs. - $1000/mo. opened up
School Loans just paid off - $500/mo. opened up
IS350 paid for a few months back which opened up $300/mo.

.... I'll have a nice influx of money coming to me on top of what I used before to live on, I figured I should spoil myself a bit with something fun.
Old     (MrPeepers)      Join Date: Aug 2011       05-10-2012, 5:59 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by sidekicknicholas View Post
I didn't want other suggestions because the situation is this... I had taken my IS350 into the dealer for safety recall / change spark plugs and saw an ISF on the lot... asked a few questions and what mine was worth for a trade-in towards that exact car.... the salesmen did his thing and the number he gave me was higher than what I paid for the car (private party) plus the cost of the little mods I've put on the car... so naturally I got excited. He said he could apply that trade-in price he gave me to any 1 of 3 cars on the lot -
the ISF
a CTS coupe they had taken in on trade a few weeks back
GS350 - which was brand new, and I hate being the guy to take a hit on a new car

.... sure an M3 or C63 would makes sense to compare to a ISF but just isn't part of the deal.
Gotcha. Well then, I would vote on the IS-F. 50,000 miles is nothing on a normal Lexus. I don't enough about the IS-F to know if it has longevity problems. I would certainly skip the tamed Caddy.
Old     (h2ohangtime)      Join Date: Aug 2002       05-10-2012, 6:34 AM Reply   
IS-F--no-brainer.
Old     (nitrousbird)      Join Date: Sep 2008       05-10-2012, 2:39 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by sidekicknicholas View Post
I didn't want other suggestions because the situation is this... I had taken my IS350 into the dealer for safety recall / change spark plugs and saw an ISF on the lot... asked a few questions and what mine was worth for a trade-in towards that exact car.... the salesmen did his thing and the number he gave me was higher than what I paid for the car (private party) plus the cost of the little mods I've put on the car... so naturally I got excited. He said he could apply that trade-in price he gave me to any 1 of 3 cars on the lot -
the ISF
a CTS coupe they had taken in on trade a few weeks back
GS350 - which was brand new, and I hate being the guy to take a hit on a new car

.... sure an M3 or C63 would makes sense to compare to a ISF but just isn't part of the deal.


I thought fairly long and hard about a new boat, but just recently I sold our boat to my brother - so I pocketed 16k and can still use the boat whenever I want, only now when **** breaks its his problem!... best boat deal ever.


What is sparking this is the following things falling into place:
Boat payments are gone - $200/mo. opened up
I've hit my "wedding savings account" benchmark laid out from the Mrs. - $1000/mo. opened up
School Loans just paid off - $500/mo. opened up
IS350 paid for a few months back which opened up $300/mo.

.... I'll have a nice influx of money coming to me on top of what I used before to live on, I figured I should spoil myself a bit with something fun.
Again - dealers are in it to make money. What are they giving for your IS350 and what are they asking for the IS-F?

I've seen dealers offer huge amounts of money for "trade in" value, but the cost of the car they were selling was overly high as well; just another trick of the trade to get a sale - in the end, it is all the same money to them.
Old     (timmyb)      Join Date: Apr 2007       05-10-2012, 3:24 PM Reply   
Where's the pics? Did you pick it up yet?
Old     (david_e_m)      Join Date: Jul 2008       05-10-2012, 3:40 PM Reply   
I drive a black on black CTS 4-door. It is 3.5 years old with less than 20K miles on it. The V-6 is all the power I need and this is my first V-6 as I have always had a V-8. The V-6 has got good low end pull but not quite that of a V-8. I will say this. This is the first car I have ever driven this long without getting bored with it. I still enjoy it as much as the first month after I bought it. I would really like the V-8 coupe or 4-door version as long as I didn't have to accept the wire front grill which looks ghetto to me. In 18 months I'll get something else. The only thing keeping from another version of the CTS is having two cars so similar over a total ten year span.
Old     (kstateskier)      Join Date: May 2002       05-10-2012, 6:35 PM Reply   
I agree with others that you are going to be able to get the same "deal" at a number of other dealerships. There is no reason out there that one dealer is going to "help you out" by giving you some huge amount more for a trade in. They do these high trade offers so someone like you all of a sudden starts to think about trading up. My guess is they are pocketing a huge amount on those 3 cars at the price they offered them to you for.
Old     (kstateskier)      Join Date: May 2002       05-10-2012, 6:35 PM Reply   
Oh, and get the Lexus hands down. I'm not a fan of that particular model personally but know of about 3 people that want to dump their CTS because they are a piece of crap.
Old     (MrPeepers)      Join Date: Aug 2011       05-11-2012, 6:01 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by kstateskier View Post
I agree with others that you are going to be able to get the same "deal" at a number of other dealerships. There is no reason out there that one dealer is going to "help you out" by giving you some huge amount more for a trade in. They do these high trade offers so someone like you all of a sudden starts to think about trading up. My guess is they are pocketing a huge amount on those 3 cars at the price they offered them to you for.
Agreed. I wasn't going to get into it because what the OP spends is none of my business, but if the dealer is limiting your trade-in to only a select few cars on the lot, then he is probably NOT giving you a great deal. The dealer is limiting you to his vehicles with big markups.
Old     (sidekicknicholas)      Join Date: Mar 2007       05-11-2012, 6:24 AM Reply   
Quote:
Agreed. I wasn't going to get into it because what the OP spends is none of my business, but if the dealer is limiting your trade-in to only a select few cars on the lot, then he is probably NOT giving you a great deal. The dealer is limiting you to his vehicles with big markups.
FWIW the deal is basically this -
I would trade my car + 10k to get either of these vehicles.... I paid 20k for my car (got a great deal) and the trade offer was for 22k for whatever, but if I used it towards the ISF he said, my car + 12k = ISF.... the ISF isn't offically on the lot yet (inspections/detail/etc) but will be listed for right around 40k.... so a total of 6k off the sticker, which seems great to me on a 40k car. It would also come with the CPO warranty.

Since I don't currently owe anything on my car it would be me shelling out 12k and getting the ISF.... with that said I would be getting more zippy but also worse MPGs (not a huge deal), more expensive everything else, but essentially the same car as I have now. This is certainly more of a want than a need, but heck... seems like its a sweet deal.
Old     (MrPeepers)      Join Date: Aug 2011       05-11-2012, 6:50 AM Reply   
$34k sounds like a pretty rockin deal for an '09 IS-F.
$22k for your vehicle is a decent trade-in. I wouldn't say he was doing you much of a favor there.
Overall, not a bad deal for a cool car, imo.
Old     (timmyb)      Join Date: Apr 2007       05-11-2012, 7:22 AM Reply   
Sounds like a decent deal but not a drop everything to get the car kind of thing. It's a cool car though, you should pick it up!
Old     (slipknot)      Join Date: Aug 2001       05-11-2012, 7:23 AM Reply   
ISF hands down, no question.
Old     (grant_west)      Join Date: Jun 2005       05-11-2012, 8:05 AM Reply   
^^^^^ Agree lets see the IS-F
Old    LR3w8kbrdr            05-11-2012, 8:07 AM Reply   
Some hot chick in my complex has the isf and drags her front facia all over the parking blocks every damn day. One day she'll rip that sucker right off.
Old     (sidekicknicholas)      Join Date: Mar 2007       05-11-2012, 9:05 AM Reply   
Quote:
Some hot chick in my complex has the isf and drags her front facia all over the parking blocks every damn day. One day she'll rip that sucker right off.
I put a front/rear lip on my IS3 right now and it scraps like crazy and I'm not lowered at all, better a $200 lip than my bumper though.

I did just get an email from the dealer saying they took in a 08 335i today too... so this might make things interesting.
Old    LR3w8kbrdr            05-11-2012, 9:12 AM Reply   
But is he including the 335 on the deal?? Hell the 335 is the M3 minus a few things.
Old     (tyler97217)      Join Date: Aug 2004       05-11-2012, 9:14 AM Reply   
335i = fast and fun car to drive....
Old     (sidekicknicholas)      Join Date: Mar 2007       05-11-2012, 9:20 AM Reply   
Quote:
But is he including the 335 on the deal?? Hell the 335 is the M3 minus a few things.
Not sure, we'll have to have that talk, but I would strongly consider this car as well... normally I would write off a used BMW but assuming it passes it will be a CPO car and I'll get the warranty to 100k
Old    LR3w8kbrdr            05-11-2012, 9:34 AM Reply   
Exactly...make it gets the CPO. But the 335 is a fun car to drive
Old     (dbdb)      Join Date: Oct 2005       05-11-2012, 11:31 AM Reply   
I just bought an 09 335i (xdrive / manual trans). It has 31k miles on it and I got it for 27k delivered to Chicago from Detroit. I love the car. It has decent power, and it handles great. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.

Do you live in a colder climate? I heard the ISF does not do well in snow, even with snow tires.

I am also going to take a bit of a different road. Do you need a new car? Why not just keep driving what you have and put a little money in your bank account? As soon as I started working, I didn't spend any unneccesary money, even though I had quite a bit extra every month. Instead, I bought an affordable condo at age 20, and put a lot of money toward principle every month (I had it 70% paid for in two years) which made it real easy to get into a nicer place a few years later. When I was 26 (and after about 9 years of saving hard) , I was pretty far ahead and it was much easier and more comfortable to play with "toys." I guess my point in all that rambling is that a few years of saving will hurt a little now, but it will help tons later.
Old     (dbdb)      Join Date: Oct 2005       05-11-2012, 11:34 AM Reply   
A quick pic of my 335
Attached Images
 
Old     (sidekicknicholas)      Join Date: Mar 2007       05-11-2012, 11:59 AM Reply   
Quote:
Why not just keep driving what you have and put a little money in your bank account? As soon as I started working, I didn't spend any unneccesary money, even though I had quite a bit extra every month.
I very well could keep driving mine, I like the car alot but I also get antsy with toys pretty quickly.

... as far as saving, I'm very good about paying what needs to be paid ASAP.... with that said I've paid off my school loans, current car, 10% to 401k, set side what my fiance' asked for her wedding budget plus 25% (because I know her that well), and have a pretty good house down payment started.... with that said I have paid the car off, the wedding account, and student loans all within the last 2 months so now I will be getting an extra ~$2000 month to my pocket because those payments are gone/done. Most of that will go to savings/house down payment but I figured with my good savings ways since I've been out of college I derserve a treat.... in the form of a car that is fast as balls.
Old     (dbdb)      Join Date: Oct 2005       05-11-2012, 12:38 PM Reply   
Since your mind is made up on getting a new car...I'd say the ISF or 335. The 335 isn't as fast as the ISF, but for less than $600 (new chip and a couple of other bolt ons), it could have close to 370hp at the wheels. If you wanted to get a little more crazy, with about 2k, the 335 can have about 430hp at the wheels.

modded 335 vs 911
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMK6a...eature=related

modded 335 vs Gallardo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg3eI...eature=related
Old     (nautiquesonly)      Join Date: Sep 2007       05-11-2012, 12:42 PM Reply   
Not trying to be a downer, but say you buy the house and lose your job a month later. Do you have any money in savings to pay household bills and the car note if you get laid off. Your job is probably more secure than in my industry, but I finally got my security fund in order and in cash. That is a great feeling knowing that if my job was gone tomorrow I could pay for my house and bills without having to sell anything or worry much. I have watched your threads on here and u seem very responsible when it comes to finances. I just know what it is like to be living check to check with a house bills and toys. I miss the expensive toys but I don't miss the stress they brought me. Take all that for what its worth. Good luck
Old     (sidekicknicholas)      Join Date: Mar 2007       05-11-2012, 1:54 PM Reply   
Quote:
but say you buy the house and lose your job a month later. Do you have any money in savings to pay household bills and the car note if you get laid off.
I don't plan on buying a place for at least a year (until after the wedding)... but assuming I had a $800/mo. payment (average for price range I am looking - we live in a cheap area) I could probably go about 18 months before I start tapping into funds I wouldn't want to.

Quote:
Take all that for what its worth. Good luck
Thank you, I often do get carried away with excitement and a voice of reason is nice to have.... but at this point in my life I am 100% debt free so even with a job loss I could sustain for some time before things got ugly.
Old     (nautiquesonly)      Join Date: Sep 2007       05-11-2012, 5:22 PM Reply   
Go for it!

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