Hello Guys

Wasn't going to bother with this but my experiances over the past 8 months adds comment to many relative posts.

Bought a brand new 220D SE in Oct of last year. Brechin / Sussex. Had all the common faults. Vibrating mirror, sqeaky dash and a problem with the leather on the rear seats. All were sorted out with 3 or 4 visits to the dealer who I must say were very good.

The car averaged 39 MPG over a period of 7 months and 9000 miles on a 50 mile daily commute 80% motorway.

What I couldn't put up with was the gearbox and gearing. They where an obsolute nightmare IMHO. Other things to note was how how easy the paintwork marked. The front bumper and bonnet looked really bad up close with stone chips.

Anyhow on my last visit to the dealers for a problem to be sorted in March they loaned be a petrol automatic. WOW what a difference. it just felt like a completely different car altogether, so so much better. just what a lexus should be like!!

So from that day onwards I decided to look for a good deal where I could offload the diesel without too much of a hit considering the car was only 7 months old.

3 weeks ago I got a brand new delivery milage "limited edition" IS250. Petrol / automatic. It is based on a base model but with 17" SE alloys and a really smart body kit in Argento Ice with black cloth. it is the latest model with autolock and slimmer seat pockets at back of front seats The only thing I have lost is the leather, but that is a small sacrifice.

I have done 800 miles in 3 weeks and haven't stopped smiling. I have filled the tank twice and averaging 35 MPG!! Thats real figures and not the computer. There are no shakes or rattles. The car feels alot more planted and stable. It has Toyo proxes R32 which are miles quieter. The car does look to sit lower than the diesel but the body kit may be making it look that way.

Well i have done what a lot have people have suggested on this site and gone for the petrol/auto. Easy in hindsite but I really now wish I hadn't stepped foot in a diesel and anyone in the market for an IS I can only suggest the same.

Been saying it all along.....Lexus shouldn't have introduced it Though with the price of fuel at the moment the word 'diesel' is still going to suck a lot of people in, regardless of the marginal difference.

I'v been saying it too...I got caught up in the promise that it would improve...it never did. The rattles are enough to put me off driving it now. That's how bad the warm weather has made it - totally intolerable for the first 20 minutes...

Congratulations, we want pictures

Here's the pictures and I'm still smiling

Very nice indeed I'm in the same boat as you owned my 220d for 2 months and made seven trips to the dealer for repairs,

I can handle the poorish fuel economy but I spend the whole time wondering what will brake next

I currently have a loan of a 250sel Auto for the week as the CD player has packed up on mine

What a car

end story i'm now buying a 250

I've just returned from Lexus Wolves where I've done a deal to change my 220d SE-L for a 250 SE-L. I like the 220 and I appreciate that I've one of the 'lucky' ones with no trouble at all except for fuel economy. In the end it was the economy that was annoying me, almost to the point of resentment.

I should get the 250 next Saturday

Oops - Double post

I am must be one of the fortunate ones too. Still in love with my 220D

But loved the 250 when i borrowed one for the weekend. No matter what, it has to be Red...

Many owners are perfectly happy with their 220d. It's just that we happy owners don't keep repeating our opinions as frequently as those who have had problems or just don't like diesels. A while ago it seemed to be almost unacceptable to say anything positive about the 220d, which raised a question: Why bother? If I'm happy, I don't need anyone telling me that I shouldn't be...

Very nice car !!

I was in the dealer not too long ago and asked about the special edition or "SR". I was told that it would have different alloys and more similarity to the IS-F??

Mine isn't an "SR"

As far as I know it's a "limited edition" marketed by some of the lexus franchises. The car is basically a "no trim" model with 17" SE alloys and the body kit. There was an option at some dealers to add leather (not electric/cooling/heated) for an extra £1000 but passed on that. I have actually found the cloth seats more comfy than the leather ones in my previous 220d SE. You feel as if you are sat "in" the seat unlike the leather where I felt as if I was sat "on" them if you get where I'm coming from.

Plus mine was around £2250 cheaper than the price of an "SR" petrol/auto

I actually picked it up today. I'll post pics at some point (while it's still new and shiny)