I'm surprised that you're not considering any Lexus's!
I looked at some of the Lexi, even drove a GS350 RWD. Pricing it out with the equivalent options between the Lexus and the 335i sedans (as best as you can), the Lexus came in at about $1700 more. In particular, I like that the Lexus is available with a spare, and the Toyota brand is ubiquitous, so you will be able to find a dealership if something breaks. I liked the GS, the BMW just felt sportier/different.
BMW uses run-flats, which a) cost more, and b) alot of people really dislike. The ones on the 18" sport package wheels are supposed to be better than the normal 17" versions.
I really like the BMW's but thought the 3 series is too small for me, I can't even fit in one set of golf clubs in the trunk!
Dude! I drive a
del Sol 
I understand your point though. One of the BMW options has a pass-through in the middle of the rear seat, allegedly for skis. I think even the normal versions fold down the rear seats. Looking in the trunk, it seems to be slightly larger than that of the del Sol, keeping in mind that with its high rear deck, the del Sol actually has a large, deep trunk when compared to things like Miatas et al. I certainly don't think that you could get four people's worth of luggage in one, or for that matter, in other cars' trunks in this class.
I'd also suggest you to post your budget if there is one and what you're looking for in a car so it'd help narrow down the choices.
I appreciate all of the input and experiences - that's why we post these Off Topic questions
I'm looking in roughly the $40k-50k range. An almost-fully-optioned 335i hits right at around $50k, as does the GS350 RWD. Delivery on the lexus is $715, BMW is $775. Then there are always the BS dealer fees like "doc fees" that we all have taken off in negotiation.
The main significant complaint I've seen with the 335i (which I believe someone here alluded to) is that the sport model was really heating up the oil when driven hard. In March, they made a design change and added an oil cooler which has apparently fixed that problem.
The other typical complaints are:
1) the cup holders suck (and we all know how important
that is!).
2) the run-flats are not popular, and I believe are "summer" tires by default. I have a 4x4 truck, so other than being surprised by snow, this shouldn't matter.
3) the glove box is too small.
4) the display on the normal radio can't be read with polarized glasses.
Beyond the above, the complaints I found tended to be case-by-case failures, which of course are annoying to those owners, but didn't appear to indicate any particular trend. As mentioned, the warranty is 4 yrs, so anything that does shake out should be fixed in that timeframe.
As to Acura TLs/TSXes: a bunch of the people I work with own them and like them, and it's a Honda, which has proven reliable for me in every Honda device I've owned. I think that the styling is a bit bland. I've kept waiting for Honda to do something different with styling in this class, on the level of the original Integra, NSX, or the del Sol or S2000.
My brother owns a roughly 7 year-old A6 and my mom owns a late-2006 A4, both of which are nice cars for their respective classes. My brother had some transmission problems with his A6, but they were eventually fixed under warranty. He looked hard at BMW too at the time, but the Audi reviewed better. I think that the newer generations of each might have him revisit that.
The 335i .vs G37 coupe comparo that I mentioned (Motor Trend, August 07) gave the edge to the Infiniti in a weird case of WTF? Reading their own test results, the BMW beat out the G37 in acceleration, 1/4 mile, fuel mileage, total weight, F/R balance, cargo volume, and a 6-speed auto .vs 5-speed auto. Plus "...sub-six footers will find ample head- and leg-room in the 335i, along with amenities like a center armrest, A/C vents, reading lights, and good outward visibility - none of which our Infiniti affords."
The G37 had more front leg room, but less back leg room (obvious trade-off), more HP but less torque, higher redline.
And in the ultimate WTF?, the BMW was "...procured by Infiniti" for the test.
The main difference cited was the roughly $7K higher price of the BMW.
I'm still looking at everything - I just happened to test-drive the BMW 335i sedan before writing this
Boy was it fun!. The sales guy is English and moved here from Germany where he worked for BMW and owned a 3-series. He commuted 200 miles a day, at roughly 140 mph
. He also used to race his own Lotus, so isn't easily scared during a test drive
, and has a very relaxed European sales attitude.
Things I liked about the 335i sedan in particular:
The car pulls like a train. Hammer the gas from a stop, and it
just - keeps - accelerating. And it just occurs to me that this was
with the A/C on.
As he pointed out, when you merge onto the interstate, you suddenly notice that you're doing 85, but it feels and sounds like 55.
Buttoned up, the car is very quiet. I heard no road noise, nor did I hear vehicles passing through a busy intersection in front of me.
You feel the road, but not in an uncomfortable way. This is on 18" rims with R35 tires, basically rubber bands. Note that I'm comparing this to my normal del Sol and a pickup, so a Cadillac owner might have a different opinion...
The interior is tastefully done in leather, with real burl wood dash. The gadgetalia is over the top, with iPod/USB integration, Bluetooth phone integration, rain sensing wipers, three garage door/remote buttons, personalized mirror-seat-radio-environment settings based on which keyfob you're carrying, and so on.
The brakes were a bit touchy, but the car only had 80 miles on it. They pulled it down to a stop very quickly, with no attempt to wander or squeal the tires. During the on-road test drive, we took it to an empty parking lot and I pushed it hard through corners and S turns, hammering the gas or brake as warranted. I was impressed...
Keep the opinions/suggestions coming.
