Lexus IS250 - good or bad idea?

[anonymous-user]

[redacted]

[craigjm]

Are you talking about the current model or the previous generation?

[Truckosaurus]

Usual Toyota build quality. Performance is leisurely rather than thrilling.

[caelite]

Don't know much about the newer is250. The old IS200 and 300, the latter with a detuned version of the legendary 2jz engine, are both renowned for being rather bulletproof. It's pretty difficult to go wrong with Toyota.

[freenote]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Have had an 08 for a year. Great car. Had one problem with aircon not working on recirculate - fixed under warranty.

Best car I've owned all round. Not looking to get rid.

[craigjm]

The original IS200 to my mind was more of a competitor to BMW in terms of its style and abilities and the IS300 moreso. Move onto the second generation, which I think the OP is talking about, and they really become more of a luxury vehicle and always reminded me of the type of car Rover buyers and Saab buyers would move onto after their companies demise. Having driven a 250SEL for a while I would say they are a nice car but not quick and not that economical as they are quite heavy but if you want a waft type car in that class size it's really the only choice. It's a shame they never sold the 350 here.

The latest generation is also a good place to sit but dominated by the hybrid that is a bit zzz

If it's the second generation the OP is talking about then the one to go for is the SE-L with the navigation and the Levinson Hifi kit

[benjijames28]

I've been considering one of these from around 06 ish. They seem excellent value for money.

[Truckosaurus]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Plenty of SE-Ls around, but one's with the optional Nav/Levinson are, as I think you meant to say, rarer.

[counterofbeans]

I just bought a '12 IS250C, the convertible.

The V6 is smooth and quiet but with the 6 speed auto and 1700kg it's not exactly quick. Which is fine. It rides well which is a relief as it's on the 18" wheels and silly tyres.

Inside it's just excellent, such good quality.

Nice cars, Lexus.

[Egogonewild]

Check the exhaust system absolutely throughly as it's incredibly expensive to replace on this generation is, apart from that a pretty solid buy.

[SL22]

Truckosaurus said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Plenty of SE-Ls around, but one's with the optional Nav/Levinson are, as I think you meant to say, rarer.

I've had a 58 plate one with the optional Nav/ML sound system for just over a year now. It's low mileage at 40k and it's been a good all-rounder. Not quite the same as my previous three cars which were all V8s, but the V6 is sprightly enough. The only thing that I've come to dislike about the car, which may be relevant to you is that the rear seats don't fold so this limits practicality, otherwise the actual boot is about average for a 4-door saloon.

[Heaveho]

Mega reliable in my experience, truly crap sat nav ( had an IS250 and an IS-F afterwards ), the 250 is surprisingly good at being hurled down a country road. I thought the steering and ride were excellent. Nothing went wrong on ours in the time we owned it.

Avoid the diesels at all costs. unusually unreliable for a Lexus.

[Deerfoot]

Heaveho said:

Avoid the diesels at all costs. unusually unreliable for a Lexus.

With a hopeless selection of gear ratios too...

[craigjm]

I think the basic advice is, avoid diesels, avoid manuals and get the best spec you can. There are 28 SE-L models with the media pack on Autotrader so there seems no reason not to have top spec. Road tests at the time suggest to avoid the sunroof option if you are quite tall. I found it cramped to sit in the back as a fully grown adult especially when the car has the seat cooling option (like the SEL) as it means the front seat goes virtually to the floor and takes away any foot room

[Shaunomercy]

Honest John recons it's the most reliable car you can buy and it's got a good rating with warranty direct.

The is250 Achilles heels are caliper pins seizing. They are not greased as part of service schedule. They need greasing every year.

Water pumps can go between 60-80k. Tho some go to 120k.

Exhaust can be expensive but then most cars are. A stainless steel replacement can obviously sourced.

As for the car.. buy on condition and service history. They are due a service every 10k.

There are 2 multimedia sat nav systems. One has a pioneer amp I believe and then the dogs danglies Mark Levinson audiophile system. If it doesn't say ml on cd / dvd change it's not Mark Levinson.
The ml system is rated as one of the best audiophile systems you can get in a car.

I own a is250c. Top spec sel with ml, dab radio module fitted, dynamic cruise control and crash protection detection.

The convertible is about 2 adults heavier than the saloon.

You can get 2 adults in the back....

It's not bad on squirt for a v6. V6 isn't a high power lump.
29mpg on an 8 mile city commute and upwards of 45mpg on cruise control at 70mph motorway.

Can be hussled about if required and ít does handle well for a big lardy convertible.

Tho to be fair, it's a car I enjoy being in. Love the quality, refinement, ride quality and the audio quality. I don't feel any need to hoof it about.
It's a very pleasant place to be so no rush...

The automatic gearbox wafts thru it's changes to the point they are unperceivable.

It's typically Lexus. Well built, very refined, very quiet. Every toy you can want for in sel spec from motorised memory seats and steering column to seats that blue cold air thru to keep you cool in hot weather. Headlights that change direction thru bends etc.
Convertible doesn't ruffle your hair in the front or back with roof down. Doesn't need one of those plastic wind blinds.
Rareity...
Not as many is250 about as say a Merc c or BMW 3 series...
Better reliability
Convertibles are rarer still....811 in the UK according to how many left website.
So the chances of seeing another on your journey are remote to say the least..

Other bonus.... It doesn't have a German badge. People will let you out at junctions...

[Shaunomercy]

Honest John recons it's the most reliable car you can buy and it's got a good rating with warranty direct.

The is250 Achilles heels are caliper pins seizing. They are not greased as part of service schedule. They need greasing every year.

Water pumps can go between 60-80k. Tho some go to 120k.

Exhaust can be expensive but then most cars are. A stainless steel replacement can obviously sourced.

As for the car.. buy on condition and service history. They are due a service every 10k.

There are 2 multimedia sat nav systems. One has a pioneer amp I believe and then the dogs danglies Mark Levinson audiophile system. If it doesn't say ml on cd / dvd change it's not Mark Levinson.
The ml system is rated as one of the best audiophile systems you can get in a car.

I own a is250c. Top spec sel with ml, dab radio module fitted, dynamic cruise control and crash protection detection.

The convertible is about 2 adults heavier than the saloon.

You can get 2 adults in the back....

It's not bad on squirt for a v6. V6 isn't a high power lump.
29mpg on an 8 mile city commute and upwards of 45mpg on cruise control at 70mph motorway.

Can be hussled about if required and ít does handle well for a big lardy convertible.

Tho to be fair, it's a car I enjoy being in. Love the quality, refinement, ride quality and the audio quality. I don't feel any need to hoof it about.
It's a very pleasant place to be so no rush...

The automatic gearbox wafts thru it's changes to the point they are unperceivable.

It's typically Lexus. Well built, very refined, very quiet. Every toy you can want for in sel spec from motorised memory seats and steering column to seats that blue cold air thru to keep you cool in hot weather. Headlights that change direction thru bends etc.
Convertible doesn't ruffle your hair in the front or back with roof down. Doesn't need one of those plastic wind blinds.
Rareity...
Not as many is250 about as say a Merc c or BMW 3 series...
Better reliability
Convertibles are rarer still....811 in the UK according to how many left website.
So the chances of seeing another on your journey are remote to say the least..

Other bonus.... It doesn't have a German badge. People will let you out at junctions...

[ZX10R NIN]

I've sourced a fair few of these & they're a very good car the fuel averages are 25mpg around town & 37mpg on a run, here's the thing I would take a Titanium X Sport petrol Mondeo over one of these but that spec Mondeo in petrol form is hard to find at which point the Lexus comes to the fore.

Look for the cars with the Mark Levinson system are the ones to look for, I'd be looking for the SE-L/F Sport models, with the Nav & ML system.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Fittster]

ZX10R NIN said:

I've sourced a fair few of these & they're a very good car the fuel averages are 25mpg around town & 37mpg on a run, here's the thing I would take a Titanium X Sport petrol Mondeo over one of these but that spec Mondeo in petrol form is hard to find at which point the Lexus comes to the fore.

In what areas does the Mondeo out perform the Lexus? I'm assuming build/reliability won't be be one.

[ZX10R NIN]

Fittster said:

ZX10R NIN said:

I've sourced a fair few of these & they're a very good car the fuel averages are 25mpg around town & 37mpg on a run, here's the thing I would take a Titanium X Sport petrol Mondeo over one of these but that spec Mondeo in petrol form is hard to find at which point the Lexus comes to the fore.

In what areas does the Mondeo out perform the Lexus? I'm assuming build/reliability won't be be one.

Mondeos are very reliable (the 2.0T is a very reliable engine as is the 2.5T) build wise the fit & finish is slightly below the IS250 but they cost less but sit in a TXS & you won't feel like you've been short changed,

So for me the two are tied (the Lexus has the better build the Ford the better engine) where the Mondeo edges it are in the drive (now it won't live with a Megane RS but it does have a nice feel when flowing down the road where the IS250 can feel bity & at times disconnected in the steering department) at which point the Mondeo walks away imo where the Lexus counters is that in petrol form there are more available.

[Truckosaurus]

ZX10R NIN said:

... imo where the Lexus counters is that in petrol form there are more available.

Indeed. A lot of IS250s seem to have been bought by private buyers, so there's plenty around with fairly low mileages.

I'm sure you could turn a standard IS250 into more of a sporting saloon, if that's what you wanted, by adding an LSD from a GT86, changing suspension, change of tyre size to a squarer setup (not got the power to need wider rears) and a fruitier exhaust.

Any if anyone could re-program the auto gearbox to actually work properly and do what you tell it to when in manual mode then I'd give them hard cold cash today.