Is220d Slated - Everywhere

[marjohn]

Well... I just placed my order for a 220d..

Having driven a BMW320d for three years, then a SAAB 9.3 Aero for 3 years, I was truly impressed when I did a test drive.

Yes.. the gears are a little unusual, but that's just a case of getting used to them.

As for comparison with the 320d?

They are different beasts, the BMW is good, so is the Lexus.

Why did I finally chose a Lexus?

Have you seen how many BMW's there are in London! I wan't to be a little different.

Apart from that, I've got a superb finance deal, better than I could get for a BMW or another SAAB.

The Lexus will be arround a lot longer than either of its predecessors.. and it's cheaper to maintain.

Just got to wait 10 - 12 weeks!

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Well done mate and welcome to the club.

You're right, they are all good cars, to a fashion! What colour combo did you go for?

[marjohn]

Well done mate and welcome to the club.

You're right, they are all good cars, to a fashion! What colour combo did you go for?

I'm afraid I had to compromise with the wife on that one...

Brechin Slate and Beige.

Not my first choice but hey!

[down south]

I've had my 220D SE for 10 days now and my MPG is woeful 18-19. Admittedly I live and commute between zones 3 and 4 of London and there is a deal of traffic but come on!

On the whole I am pleased with my purchase. Still getting used to the gear box and the change from 1st to 2nd and the acceleration is less than satisfactory. Though once the lag has passed the does car comes into its own.

Oh yeah, and the handbrake has to pulled right up to preventthe car from sliding on slopes. Also, didn't notice (not too clever of me) that there's no rear screen wiper. It makes driving in the rain an interesting experience!

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

So lets get to the bottom of this MPG thing:

Urban mpg - Lexus states 35.8 for derv and 20.9 petrol

Extra Urban mpg - Lexus states 52.3 for derv and 36.7 petrol

Combined mpg - Lexus states 44.8 for derv and 28.8 petrol

CO2 - 168 for derv combined and 231 for petrol

The science and algorithms against official EU tests (from What car?)?

Urban = cold start, average 12mph

Extra urban = Warm start, average 39mph

Combined = weighted average of Urban and Extra Urban

How many of us are getting close to this?

The petrol guys are by the looks of it. What's going on? I'm getting close to cancelling my car on grounds of sale of goods/trade descriptions! I will not buy a petrol IS just 'cos Lexus have over played the diesel!

[marjohn]

I've had my 220D SE for 10 days now and my MPG is woeful 18-19. Admittedly I live and commute between zones 3 and 4 of London and there is a deal of traffic but come on!

On the whole I am pleased with my purchase. Still getting used to the gear box and the change from 1st to 2nd and the acceleration is less than satisfactory. Though once the lag has passed the does car comes into its own.

Oh yeah, and the handbrake has to pulled right up to preventthe car from sliding on slopes. Also, didn't notice (not too clever of me) that there's no rear screen wiper. It makes driving in the rain an interesting experience!

Sounds Worrying... I commute between NW London and Canary Wharf. In the SAAB I'm getting around 18-20 MPG, and that's in a 210BHP 2 Litre HP Turbo. The Diesel SHOULD vastly outdo that. If it's that bad, I will switch to th 2.5 V6, but I need to make that switch PDQ.

As for the handbrake problem, it sounds like it's been very badly adjusted to start with. On a new car, I would expect no more than 3 clicks to full lock.

[bedrock]

Doing a 60 mile round trip from home to office (30 miles each way up and down the A3) I am quite happilly getting 30MPG out of my IS250 :)

--

bedrock

[scott]

As for the handbrake problem, it sounds like it's been very badly adjusted to start with. On a new car, I would expect no more than 3 clicks to full lock.

My handbrake is the same, have to check it every time I get out of the car.

[is250newbie]

I would be interested to know what MPG the manual 250 guys are getting. I have the 250 automatic and I suspect that it has a lot to do with the good MPG on the 250.

[marjohn]

As for the handbrake problem, it sounds like it's been very badly adjusted to start with. On a new car, I would expect no more than 3 clicks to full lock.

My handbrake is the same, have to check it every time I get out of the car.

Yeah? I usually check mine when I get out of the car too. Never liked leaving a car without the handbrake on.:winky:

[woody420]

Hi Jamboo,

I have measured fuel consumption, (diesel), on two conseccutive reasonably long round trips. One about 500 miles, one about 450. Both were about 80 - 85% motorway. I used the old fashioned method of filling tank after each run and dividing by miles done etc etc. The average is working out around high 37 mpg to low 38mpg, very similar to the figure given by the trip.

Obviously this is lower than I would expect, but the car now has only about 1800 miles on it and still feels tight and I would expect it to improve by the time the car is up to 5 - 10k. My experience of diesels to date is they do improve with age, both on consumption and performance, and would hope this is true of the IS as well.

I'll post again as the miles go up, if it gets no better I'm gonna buy shares in BP cos I really like the car. :)

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Hi Jamboo,

I have measured fuel consumption, (diesel), on two conseccutive reasonably long round trips. One about 500 miles, one about 450. Both were about 80 - 85% motorway. I used the old fashioned method of filling tank after each run and dividing by miles done etc etc. The average is working out around high 37 mpg to low 38mpg, very similar to the figure given by the trip.

Obviously this is lower than I would expect, but the car now has only about 1800 miles on it and still feels tight and I would expect it to improve by the time the car is up to 5 - 10k. My experience of diesels to date is they do improve with age, both on consumption and performance, and would hope this is true of the IS as well.

I'll post again as the miles go up, if it gets no better I'm gonna buy shares in BP cos I really like the car. :)

Cheers guys - Pre common rail derv units gave 10mpg more than petrol counterparts - so in this case a 2ish litre engine...

This is not as good. Dunno, maybe I'm expecting too much...

My A4 was quoted 51mpg (1.9 130bhp), and I always saw 54+ mpg on a regular commute...so with 44 quoted on the Lex, I expected at least 45mpg....

Looks like nearly 10mpg less...

Not ideal...hope they find the EMU code to fix it...I'm light footed, so it ought to be OK...I get 14p a mile and a company car allowance...so I ought to be quids in still!!

I'm annoyed as they have quoted a pup - something unachievable!!

[marjohn]

Cheers guys - Pre common rail derv units gave 10mpg more than petrol counterparts - so in this case a 2ish litre engine...

This is not as good. Dunno, maybe I'm expecting too much...

My A4 was quoted 51mpg (1.9 130bhp), and I always saw 54+ mpg on a regular commute...so with 44 quoted on the Lex, I expected at least 45mpg....

Looks like nearly 10mpg less...

Not ideal...hope they find the EMU code to fix it...I'm light footed, so it ought to be OK...I get 14p a mile and a company car allowance...so I ought to be quids in still!!

I'm annoyed as they have quoted a pup - something unachievable!!

1.9 A4 was very frugal. We run a few A4's and the new 2.0 ones are not so good.

I think, if I remember correctly, that the fuel efficiency test ( extra urban ) is carried out at 56mph. So if you drive everywhere at that speed, you'll do fine.

If the police stop you, tell them your protecting the environment!

[spwolfx]

Hi Jamboo,

I have measured fuel consumption, (diesel), on two conseccutive reasonably long round trips. One about 500 miles, one about 450. Both were about 80 - 85% motorway. I used the old fashioned method of filling tank after each run and dividing by miles done etc etc. The average is working out around high 37 mpg to low 38mpg, very similar to the figure given by the trip.

Obviously this is lower than I would expect, but the car now has only about 1800 miles on it and still feels tight and I would expect it to improve by the time the car is up to 5 - 10k. My experience of diesels to date is they do improve with age, both on consumption and performance, and would hope this is true of the IS as well.

I'll post again as the miles go up, if it gets no better I'm gonna buy shares in BP cos I really like the car. :)

Cheers guys - Pre common rail derv units gave 10mpg more than petrol counterparts - so in this case a 2ish litre engine...

This is not as good. Dunno, maybe I'm expecting too much...

My A4 was quoted 51mpg (1.9 130bhp), and I always saw 54+ mpg on a regular commute...so with 44 quoted on the Lex, I expected at least 45mpg....

Looks like nearly 10mpg less...

Not ideal...hope they find the EMU code to fix it...I'm light footed, so it ought to be OK...I get 14p a mile and a company car allowance...so I ought to be quids in still!!

I'm annoyed as they have quoted a pup - something unachievable!!

yes, but your Audi had 25% less hp and 25% less torque, and was probably lighter.

Nobody "quotes" anything, tests are lab tests, done so they can be repeated time after time.

i suggest that you wait until you get your car before you get dissapointed with mileage, lol.

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Yes, but you're missing the point -

the IS220d does not do what they claim it can do. No one has hit 44 mpg, except one person who managed to hit 44mpg once on a straight, yet the petrol does achieve it regularly!!

I never expected it to hit 54+ mpg, but I did expect it to do what they claim it can! Like you say, I'll have to wait!

I don't wish to moan, but you have the right to be told the facts especially when you're spending £000's.

The other point about tests at 56mph - that I believe was the old system. Now it's european standard :duh:

[scott]

the IS220d does not do what they claim it can do. No one has hit 44 mpg, except one person who managed to hit 44mpg once on a straight, yet the petrol does achieve it regularly!!

I don't even hit the urban figure

[maneesh]

I've had my 220D SE for 10 days now and my MPG is woeful 18-19. Admittedly I live and commute between zones 3 and 4 of London and there is a deal of traffic but come on!

18mpg for a new diesel? That's pants! You find some LS400 owners getting 20 around town if they go easy on the gas! Even I get 18-19 in my ultra thirsty GS...

[nicnac]

if a deisel is only doing 18mpg there is something radically wrong.Was this verified by refilling the tank and doing a manual check? If this is the true situation it should be taken back to the dealer for investigation

[johnboy]

Lexus/Toyota engines are always tight from new, you cannot expect them to perform the consumption and power from the word go !

be a litttle patient as they will improve as they loosen up

[nicnac]

Every engine is a little tight from new but i refute the statment that toyota are any different than other manufacturer.

My newin 2004 IS 200 Sport design consumption (actual by the foolproof method) has not changed perceptably over the 30,000 miles I put on it.

If an engine is only doing 18 mpg there is something amis!!

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

the IS220d does not do what they claim it can do. No one has hit 44 mpg, except one person who managed to hit 44mpg once on a straight, yet the petrol does achieve it regularly!!

I don't even hit the urban figure

Scott - cheers - this is exactly my point! My experience of diesels is that improve by about 10% tops over the first 10000 miles, so that's 3.5mpg in this case...still can't see 44.8 anywhere on the radar in "Combined" driving. We'll just have to wait. If I'm making a mistake, I have 28 days to prove that I've been sold a pup...

My test will be a good one when I get it (my regular journey to essex), as the drive starts early in the morning to miss the traffic...and it's fast A road/dual carriageway and motorway all the way there. Only 2 miles of Urban roads, and there are normally no one on those roads !

[pmh2]

I've had my IS220d for over a month now and overall I'm quite happy. The gearbox is a little sticky, especially in 2nd gear, but aside from accelleration from a standstill or very low speeds, I'm delighted with the power and accelleration. It is my first diesel, so I'm not sure what to expect, but I've no real complaints on performance. I'm quite happy with the economy too, the 2.2 diesel is costing me less a week than my old 1.6 petrol Audi A4! Autocar in their latest article have been particularily hard on the Lexus, moaning about the dials and interior, making out the BMW is better, sit in the two of them and then decide, if you want to be bored to death buy the BMW. I suppose on pure performance the BMW might have it but elsewhere I think the Lexus wins out. Don't go for the very dull dark mettallic blue I did, it does not do the car justice, unfortunately I ordered based on the older Lexus Blue and what's on the website, the website is TOTALLY misleading there, it's not even close!!! I know I sound like a girl here but it is dissapointing!! Looked at the ALFA159 too, and loved a 156 I had a few years back, but for quality there is no comparison at all. Going back to this weeks Autocar article again, I don't know what they're at, the ALFA feels like it's going to fall apart in your hands, and I love Alfas and really wanted to buy one!

[down south]

I think I will call my dealer and see what their view is.

I might also ask for the handbrake to be tightened.

[spwolfx]

p.s. another thing i noticed is that IS250 drivers always quoting their one cool trip highway mileage. Now, with new direct injection engines and awesome 6 speed AT, cruising in IS250 should be quite nice mpg wise.

But what happens in city? Or on average? I find it hard to believe everyone drives strictly on highways.

It is all about comparing apples and apples.

[NetOne]

I have mad a post HERE, hope it helps :D