IS250 > IS250C ... thinking of changing.

[Sundance]

Mine's E10 incompatible so you might be following my drift.  I like the car and the drive it provides, most especially the low maintenance cost, but I'm now pondering a switch to a 250C thus avoiding the potential or even the inevitable future rarity of E5 not to mention the increasingly ridiculous high cost of filling up 😳.

I like the idea of wider doors but realise that for parking it might require more strategy. Not overly bothered about the radio/satnav variants but, for example, are all the 'C's SE-Ls? Do they all come with run-flats as standard?  Rear parking camera?  Same engine I presume although next generation from mine I guess?  Any enhancements I should know of or be wary about when looking? 🤔

Perhaps what worries me most is the failure of the complex electrics that combine to operate the roof, otherwise my choice might be more simple. Maybe.

All views welcome taking into account the obvious (doors, restricted boot space with top down) are there any major issues to consider?  The rear seating looks just about the same space-wise except it's for 2 only, don't mind that as the back seats are rarely used.  The boot space with top UP looks huge (great for golf clubs & trolley). 😉 

And please nobody suggest that I simply upgrade to a compatible 4-door ... I just like the idea of a change and a convertible appeals. 😁

[steveledzep]

Hi Rowley,   I had a 2008  IS250 SE-L for a year, then a 2009 IS250C SE-L for a couple of years before my RX which I got nearly 5 years ago.

Yes, the doors are wider and great for access, you're correct, need to be a bit more savvy when choosing parking spots.  Mine didn't have run-flats, but did have the TPMS.  Rear camera too.

I had no trouble with the roof electrics so can't comment.  The boot space with top up is cavernous, I once had a 4x12 Marshall speaker cabinet in there. With the roof stowed there's enough room for 2 or 3 supermarket carriers.  Back seat is always available for stuff too.

The rear seat space is somewhat smaller than the saloon, but useable for kiddies and smaller stature adults for short journeys.

At the time we had ours we needed two vehicles.  We're now retired and one vehicle suffices.  I'd have another 250C in a heartbeat if I could justify a second car.

That's the practicalities discussed.  Most of all...we had fantastic times in ours discovering the west Wales coastline from Aberaeron to Saundersfoot.  Any fine weather we'd take a day out, even if it's a wee bit cooler, the heater and heated seats made for a very comfortable experience (wind deflector is essential).

Hope this helps.

[true blue]

Hi Rowley, you seem to understand the basic differences between the saloon and the convertible ,I have had mine for 7 years now and I am still very happy with it. I think all the convertibles are SEL spec all singing and dancing ,and I now use a stand alone sat nav. The tyres are not run flat and there is a wheel well space in the boot which will take a "skinny "emergency spare . The back seats are cramped but fine for occasional use .It is great for fine weather ,wafting along in the breezes.!! The roof does appear complicated but in my experience most problems are connected to limit switches or set up ,ensure it works properly if you purchase one and make sure nothing is left in the boot to impede the roof movement ,I'm sure in some cases this happens and the mechanism gets strained. Go ahead and get one you won't be disappointed ,the reliability is legendary ,I look after mine myself only had to do routine maintenance just passed MOT last week ;8 MOTs now not even 1 advisory ;this should be the best time of the year to buy one they are more expensive than the saloon but in the spring prices will go up a lot

Good luck Dave

[McShmoopy]

I ended up getting my mum a 2009 SE-L IS250C for an absolute bargain as a cat d write off, car had very minimal issues to address and I have driven it a fair amount as well as my IS250 F sport so I can provide a few insights. 

Doors are definitely longer in the 250C, and the car seems a wee bit longer but still just as easy to drive and just as easy to park.

Comparing my F Sport the extra weight of the hard top and mechanism makes this car a little more sluggish compared to the saloon but it’s still plenty fast enough for daily driving. Shame they didn’t have 350s in the Uk As well as the 350C as that would be perfect speed wise for the hard top!

With the roof tray packed away in the boot, you do get an adequately usable sized boot. I did manage to fit a few suitcases in there to take to the airport but with the roof tray expect only a few shopping bags at best to fit in the car.

interstingly the IS250C is the only car that I’m aware that came with the built in TPMS, I don’t think our standard 250 Saloons come with that. They don’t come with a spare tire as standard so that could be the reason why I suppose. 
 

The back seats are only really usable for storage, and Small children and the occasional short journey and if you’re over 6ft it is very unsuitable for passengers however’ I’m only 5ft7 and thr passengers I’ve had aren’t moaning too much haha .

that being said, if you can pick one up at a good price and practicality isn’t an issue I think it’s very much worth it and it’s a lovely car to drive!

[Beamish]

 

Hi Rowley,

I agree with all that has been said above.

My concern was with the lack of a spare wheel but as has been mentioned you can fit the space-saver wheel from the saloon which I did.

I also came from a 2006 IS250 SE-L. One slight difference is that the paddleshifts for the transmission now operate without the need to put the trans into manual mode. This is intended for limited time use such as overtaking and the trans will revert to auto mode again after a short period if the paddles are not in use. I find this a great improvement on my 2006 model and presume it was also incorporated into the later model saloons.

There were four different models:  

SE-L which ran from 2009 to 2011. Top spec but did not have Mark Levinson audio as standard. 418 were registered in the UK.

SE-I which ran from 2009 to 2011.  277 were registeredin the UK.

Limited Edition which ran from 2011 to 2012.  69 were registered in the UK.

Advance which ran from 2011 to 2012.  118 were registered in the UK.

At he end of 2019, 816 of the original 882 cars registered were listed as either taxed or on SORN.

Your problem at the moment is that there are very few for sale. I looked on Auto Trader a few days ago and there were only six listed for sale. Prices likewise have firmed up a lot. I bought mine two and a half years ago and the asking prices now is definately 40% to 50% higher for a similar car.

These are lovely cars and I'm sure that you would not regret the move.

Dec.

 

[scudney]

Hi Declan you seem to have missed off the f sport 🤔🤫

[Beamish]

 

Hi John,

I don't beleive that the IS250C was ever sold in F-Sport spec in the UK.

It was available as an F-Sport in other markets however.

Dec.

[Sundance]

Excellent feedback, many thanks guys, positive food for thought. 👍

The only reason I mentioned runflats was because I dropped by to see an AutoTrader sale 4 weeks ago and it had all runflats and no spare, but the garage did show me the 'empty' space under the boot floor. In fact it's still for sale (59 reg, 84k) at £8975 which I thought was a tad on the high side ... but maybe I'm wrong. 🤔

I get your point about pricing too Declan.  I've only had my 06 for 13 months and I reckon it's probably gone up a few hundred squids, especially with the very low mileage (32k). 🤫

Good news about the reliability of the roof although I'm sure there must be someone out there who's had problems, I wonder if it's a serviceable item or can you just let it be?  And yes, I guess dropping the roof with something in the space it needs would indeed be dramatic, rather surprising that the manufacturers didn't build in a warning system of some kind but then maybe that's too futuristic for back then.

Thanks again fellas. 👏

PS ... interesting point about the paddleshift Declan, I didn't know that but it does indeed sound useful.

[true blue]

Hi Rowley,regardind the roof ,there is a built in system which checks the outside area for obstructions prior to operating ( via the camera as per parking ) because the roof moves a long way when operating ,but I worry more about smaller items in the boot which may protrude and deflect or strain the hinges.As regard to servicing I grease the gears, check and grease the toothed quadrants ,ensure all bolts are tight and clean out the rain channels annually, I don't think Lexus do anything on their service ,but as an engineer I am not overly impressed with the Lexus service regime.and I have only visited a dealer once (for the air bag recall ) I have the sales brochure and a F -Sport spec is not listed . I think you will need to pay 'top dollar' for a car with as low a mileage as the one you have but if they are serviced properly high miles are not a problem

Dave

[vectron]

I own a 2009 convertible it’s looked after by Lexus on a service plan (excellent price) including 2 MOTs I have never had a roof problem, and the car is also fully covered by a Lexus warranty (again excellent price) the car gets more attention on the road than my SL300 1992 convertible!  It’s a bomb proof car.

[Sundance]

Is it me or are second hand car prices going bonkers?  Here's a lovely looking IS250C but with 91k miles and at nearly £8.5k ... what does that make my '06 4-dr worth with 33k on the clock?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111209788699?

Seriously thinking about this but a bit worried about the high mileage ... any advice guys?

[Mr Vlad]

Just for info re car values. Last year when I insured it the websites valued it at £3250. This year same sites value it at £4400. So personally I'd see your car at near £5k.

[NeilS]

14 hours ago, Sundance said:

Is it me or are second hand car prices going bonkers?  Here's a lovely looking IS250C but with 91k miles and at nearly £8.5k ... what does that make my '06 4-dr worth with 33k on the clock?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111209788699?

Seriously thinking about this but a bit worried about the high mileage ... any advice guys?

Hi Sundance, if it helps as a guide my 250C cost £7500 back last February, on 87k miles with a full service and 4 new daps (OK they're budget tyres, but hey). 

[true blue]

Hi Rowley,does seem a bit on the high side, the convertible has always carried a premium price  but S/H prices are crazy at present ,I would get full details off them of the service history ;is it receipts or just stamps ,also get the reg No ,this will help you check the MOT history and ,if the stamps are Lexus you can get records off a dealer  I have been looking at a replacement Honda Jazz for my son and a replacement VW polo for my daughter in law both have increased approx £1600 over the last 9 months according to dealer prices !!! so not a good time to buy .If you do get the reg you can  put it through WBAC ,this should give you an auction indication   Good Luck 

Dave

[Sundance]

1 hour ago, true blue said:

Hi Rowley,does seem a bit on the high side, the convertible has always carried a premium price  but S/H prices are crazy at present ,I would get full details off them of the service history ;is it receipts or just stamps ,also get the reg No ,this will help you check the MOT history and ,if the stamps are Lexus you can get records off a dealer  I have been looking at a replacement Honda Jazz for my son and a replacement VW polo for my daughter in law both have increased approx £1600 over the last 9 months according to dealer prices !!! so not a good time to buy .If you do get the reg you can  put it through WBAC ,this should give you an auction indication   Good Luck 

Dave

Yeah cheers Dave, the reg number's shown in the photos so I've checked MOTs.  Failed due to offside coil spring fractured or broken in Oct '20 and major exhaust leak in 2017 so I think I can safely assume that those parts have been replaced as 11/20 and 10/21 were both green passes.  Seems to have done 'regular' annual mileage too but I'm going to ask for photos of the Service Book and also the spare wheel as the last one I saw (as previously mentioned) had runflats and no spare which I certainly don't want.

And yes, maybe not a good time to buy but mine has increased in value since I bought it in Nov '20 so swings and roundabouts if I can get a deal done.  We'll see.

[LIJO151]

Hi Rowley, 

Only had mine for 3 weeks and loving it. You wont be dissapointed.

I believe your looking at the one in Peterborough and that was my second choice. As long as it has full service history, mileage should not be a problem. It's funny the car I brought had exhaust failure back in 2017 cost to repair by Lexus was £550.

Best of luck and happy New Year.

[Sundance]

Thanks John ... yes, I'm looking at the Peterborough car, interesting that it was your second choice so first choice must have been better ... mileage presumably? And maybe cost? I'm in two minds over both the mileage and the cost of this one but then the market dictates I guess.

The vendor has sent me photos of the service book showing a couple of suspect years (2017 & 18) and then latterly by Automark who I gather are Toyota specialists. If I'm going to take it further I'll need to check invoices/receipts. It also has run-flats fitted so therefore it must be fitted with TPMS.

Having searched on here it would seem that all 250Cs are fitted with TPMS so presumably I'm unlikely to find a model without run-flats. Something I wasn't expecting as there appears to be room allocated for a space saver.

[true blue]

Hi Rowley, I think all IS250 C are fitted with TPMS , My car is not fitted with runflats but a compressor with integral bottle of goo in the boot . when I bought it ( not from a Lexus dealer ) it had been fitted with 4 new Lexus 18 inch wheels and standard tyres at the 3rd service by a a Lexus dealer in Belfast ,I don't know why ,but it is entered on their sheet . They are not the original pattern so not staggered for the rear ( IS 450 ) I think. The TPMS works and I have replaced tyres with standard tyres over the years ,This suits me as they are all the same size . I purchased a spare off E bay which have in the well in the boot .I would not worry too much about TPMS on these older models as they are not included in MOT test requirements until January 2012 Reg ,should a problem arise at testing time .I have the sales brochure somewhere so I will check on if the system was standard ,I did not know about that. I would post a picture but I struggle with this computer (apple) and pictures .Don't panic take your time you will find what you want 

Good Luck Dave

[LIJO151]

On 1/4/2022 at 12:15 PM, Sundance said:

Thanks John ... yes, I'm looking at the Peterborough car, interesting that it was your second choice so first choice must have been better ... mileage presumably? And maybe cost? I'm in two minds over both the mileage and the cost of this one but then the market dictates I guess.

The vendor has sent me photos of the service book showing a couple of suspect years (2017 & 18) and then latterly by Automark who I gather are Toyota specialists. If I'm going to take it further I'll need to check invoices/receipts. It also has run-flats fitted so therefore it must be fitted with TPMS.

Having searched on here it would seem that all 250Cs are fitted with TPMS so presumably I'm unlikely to find a model without run-flats. Something I wasn't expecting as there appears to be room allocated for a space saver.

My first choice was basically from a private seller and indeed it had lower mileage for the same price. The car has a few issues, such as door scratches that needed fixing and also TPMS warning error. It seems one of the sensor has died and needs replacing. I have since fixed the door scratches and purchased new TPMS sensors however not installed them yet. The alloys needs refurbishing and I plan to do both at the same time. Struggling to find a decent garage that does powder coating. 

Regarding TPMS - According to the garage I used it will fail its MOT due to TPMS failure. 

My advice regarding the car in Peterborough is to check if there is any Warranty and if so how long? 

Best of luck

John

 

[Sundance]

Cheers John.  3 months warranty was advertised but I'm not following this one up as I think both the cost and mileage are too high for my liking. After all, I'm not frantic to change and if/when I do the deal needs to tick all my boxes so I'll wait and see what else, if anything, turns my head.

Meanwhile this thread has been useful so thanks again to all contributors. 👍

[true blue]

Hi John ,glad you are getting your car into shape ;it will be well worth it . With regard to the TPMS ,refer your garage to his MOT inspection manual 

Section 5  5 :2 :3   the inspection of TPMS is for vehicles first used on or after January 2012  which means it will not fail ,still worth getting it fixed for peace of mind but no panic if you have a tyre pressure gauge

Dave

[MartinH]

On 1/5/2022 at 7:37 PM, Sundance said:

Meanwhile this thread has been useful so thanks again to all contributors. 👍

Indeed very interesting! Like you a long-term owner of the IS250, I find myself distracted by the allure of the 250C. It would be something a return to days of yore when as a young man I used and toured extensively a Peugeot 304 Cabriolet.

It was used for all sorts — eg to fetch a dozen or so 4m lengths of floorboards resting on the windscreen rail; a decent load of bagged manure in the capacious boot; and a race bike that with the wheels off would fit across the rear parcels shelf (no passenger seats).

I would not dream of so abusing a Lexus IS250C however. 😅

[Sundance]

Suspiciously cheap option AND it's been on AT for quite a while ...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109087131501

Wrong plates for an '09 car that are not even vanity, for me anyway. Asked for service history and reply was that there's no service book and the vendor only has knowledge of two services, 2018 and the one they've just carried out themselves. I'm thinking far too risky and methinks others may have thought the same hence the price.

[J Henderson]

Interesting. If that's accurate...

 

[Sundance]

11 hours ago, J Henderson said:

Interesting. If that's accurate...

 

It would indeed be interesting if I could understand the context and what it means. Does it apply to the registration or to the vehicle or both? Does the origin of that info make it any clearer? Could you possibly expand on that research please John? Appreciated.