I'm considering buying a used Lexus IS250, in fact I have seen one for £18k from a Lexus garage.
Is now a good time (recession, end of year, etc) to get a bargain and what price do you think I could get this car for, if I try?

Now's a great time to buy, the dealers are struggling to sell anything and there are so many cars available at rock bottom prices. Push the dealer as hard as you possibly can, and then when you think he's hit bottom, make his throw a few years free servicing in as well.

I don't think there's a particular amount you can get off, depends on how desperate the dealer is, but worth trying a few different ones and play them off each other.

out

I would dearly love to swap my '06 220d SE MM with 32k for a 250 Auto SE (no MM) of similar age & mileage, but don't feel inclined to fork out too much cash in addition. Does anyone know what the likelihood of a dealer doing it on a cost to change in the region of £1-2k ?

Its always a good time to buy - as long as the figures stack up for you.

As the others have said, think creatively at what you're willing to pay and deal on. Go about negotiating around tangibles (like money off) and ancillaries (like free servicing) because the discounts can be applied in different ways to make it acceptable to the Dealership.

I wouldn't hold out too much hope. I found out last week that the Lexus dealer offered £9k for my 56 plate 220d. I got £12k dead on my deal using an independant to offload the car when I bought the S80 and was offered £12,500 against a new Rav 4 by Toyota. If Lexus are offering that kind of money on the 220s they're either struggling to shift them or trying to shaft the customer big time. Your local dealer might be different though. Mine are not to be trusted in my experience.

Thanks. I wouldn't trust my local dealer with a light bulb

used.. you can by a brand new 250 for under 20k if you ask nicely...they dont advertise this fact..'its not the Lexus thing' ..

I bought an IS250 with MM last month for 19K - six months old, 7700 on the clock. I thought I did fairly well and if like me you want MM and don't have more than 20K to spend its a good time if they really are taking the MM option off the basic model.

Lexus Newcastle are quoting IS250 Sports new for £18,995.

And Teesside, but they are IS250 SR manuals not auto's.

Probably trying to shift them before the facelift.