Debating between Lexus IS 350 vs. IS 500 or separate BMW
Hey everyone, looking for some real-world advice on our household car situation!
Our Situation & Commute Dilemma:
Current Setup: We currently share one car—a 2016 Lexus RX 350 (~88k miles).
My Drive: Totaled loss my Honda Civic in 2023 and worked remotely until recently. Now I’m on a hybrid schedule (2–3 days in office). My commute is 1 hour each way. Main goals: reliable commuter, enjoy the ride, easy for errands/groceries.
Husband’s Drive: Also hybrid (2–3 days in office), but his commute is only 20 minutes away. When our office days overlap, he has to sit around waiting for me to get off work @ 4:00 PM or so I can drive over to pick him up.
His Preferences: He isn't in a huge rush because the RX works fine for now, but he wants raw power, speed, and performance. He finds the standard V6 boring (feels similar to our RX 350). He’s been eyeing the BMW M340i and 350i
Budget & Options: My budget for my own car is $60k, while my husband is comfortable spending up to $100k for his own performance vehicle if we buy separately. I personally love the styling of the Lexus IS lineup over BMW.
We are weighing three main paths:
Lexus IS 350 F Sport: Practical, gorgeous looks, rock-solid reliability, but definitely won't satisfy my husband's itch for speed when he drives it.
Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance: Blends the sharp Lexus aesthetic I love with a naturally aspirated V8 speed/power that hits his performance needs.
Buy two separate cars entirely: Keep the RX 350, I get my dedicated comfortable commuter, and he gets his own performance car (like the M340i) so we stop trying to compromise on a single vehicle and fix our commute timing conflict.
Questions for the community:
is the IS 500 comfortable and practical as a daily driver, or does the IS 350 make way more sense?
Has anyone cross-shopped the Lexus IS 350/500 vs. BMW M340i? How do they compare for someone prioritizing fun vs. daily comfort?
For couples with vastly different commute distances and car tastes, did buying two separate tailored cars end up being a much better move than sharing/compromising?
For the women—did you start out not caring about speed/performance, but end up loving a fast car once you daily-drove one?
Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences!