220d Or 250 Auto

[evilweasel]

I am looking to buy an IS in the next month or so, and I have been reading these forums with interest. However, there doesn't seem to be any post outlining the difference in running costs between the diesel and petrol models, given that diesel is more expensive than petrol, and the 220d doesn't seem to have fantastic economy.

Does anyone have any real world figures for diesel vs petrol, taking into account service, consumption and fuel costs?

[alpappy]

I am looking to buy an IS in the next month or so, and I have been reading these forums with interest. However, there doesn't seem to be any post outlining the difference in running costs between the diesel and petrol models, given that diesel is more expensive than petrol, and the 220d doesn't seem to have fantastic economy.

Does anyone have any real world figures for diesel vs petrol, taking into account service, consumption and fuel costs?

with all the rattles and other issues buy neither and wait till the coast is clear! Make no mistake these are wonderful, comfortable cars to drive but not until lexus listen to us and get the build quality up to scratch

alan

[romaro]

I am looking to buy an IS in the next month or so, and I have been reading these forums with interest. However, there doesn't seem to be any post outlining the difference in running costs between the diesel and petrol models, given that diesel is more expensive than petrol, and the 220d doesn't seem to have fantastic economy.

Does anyone have any real world figures for diesel vs petrol, taking into account service, consumption and fuel costs?

The diesel is actually cheaper - by £245 across the range. :)

I had a similar dilemma to you, in trying to decide between the two. Part of what helped me decide was calculating the difference in fuel costs. Based on 10,000 miles a year, with diesel at 95p and 92p, and a slightly optimistic 30mpg for the manual petrol and a conservative 40mpg for the diesel the difference is about £315 in favour of the diesel. Of course this does depend on the fuel prices staying at this level...

I'd assume the service costs would be not dissimmilar for both the petrol and the diesel. I did read that the diesel needs something like a mere 4 or 5 hours servicing for the first 100,000 miles.

I factored in the manual petrol being in the very top tax band, the fact that it's more expensive than the diesel and that the base model diesel (the one I went for) is only group 12 for insurance and for my circumstances it was approaching £500 cheaper per year to run the diesel.

As it turns out I'm getting way over 40mpg! The highest I've managed is a little over 60mpg, but I'm comfortably achieving 50mpg most of the time.

[romaro]

I am looking to buy an IS in the next month or so, and I have been reading these forums with interest. However, there doesn't seem to be any post outlining the difference in running costs between the diesel and petrol models, given that diesel is more expensive than petrol, and the 220d doesn't seem to have fantastic economy.

Does anyone have any real world figures for diesel vs petrol, taking into account service, consumption and fuel costs?

The diesel is actually cheaper - by £245 across the range. :)

I had a similar dilemma to you, in trying to decide between the two. Part of what helped me decide was calculating the difference in fuel costs. Based on 10,000 miles a year, with diesel at 95p and 92p, and a slightly optimistic 30mpg for the manual petrol and a conservative 40mpg for the diesel the difference is about £315 in favour of the diesel. Of course this does depend on the fuel prices staying at this level...

I'd assume the service costs would be not dissimmilar for both the petrol and the diesel. I did read that the diesel needs something like a mere 4 or 5 hours servicing for the first 100,000 miles.

I factored in the manual petrol being in the very top tax band, the fact that it's more expensive than the diesel and that the base model diesel (the one I went for) is only group 12 for insurance and for my circumstances it was approaching £500 cheaper per year to run the diesel.

As it turns out I'm getting way over 40mpg! The highest I've managed is a little over 60mpg, but I'm comfortably achieving 50mpg most of the time.

[Eunos800]

Forget that smelly greasy tractor fuel and buy a car with a proper engine :D

Just ask Jamboo :winky:

[scott]

The highest I've managed is a little over 60mpg, but I'm comfortably achieving 50mpg most of the time.

This is astounding!! After 6500 miles my average is 36 mpg. Most of my driving is on the motorway, 5th gear, cruising at 75mph. Not impressed.

[romaro]

The highest I've managed is a little over 60mpg, but I'm comfortably achieving 50mpg most of the time.

This is astounding!! After 6500 miles my average is 36 mpg. Most of my driving is on the motorway, 5th gear, cruising at 75mph. Not impressed.

There really does seem to be quite a lot of variation between different cars - I don't think it's my driving, as I do like to make use of all that torque once in a while! :P

Last weekend, we did a trip to my girlfriend's parents (Southampton to Colchester) with a fair bit of luggage, two passengers and air-conditioning on 99% of the time. Largely motorway and dual carriageway (although the return journey did involve crawling along at 10mph on the M25 for a while!). Like you, mainly 5th gear crusing at that sort of speed (with perhaps a brief burst in sixth at slightly faster...).

Actually hit 1,000 miles on the clock during this trip. And overall average for the return trip? 52.7mpg.

[Roonaldo]

The highest I've managed is a little over 60mpg, but I'm comfortably achieving 50mpg most of the time.

This is astounding!! After 6500 miles my average is 36 mpg. Most of my driving is on the motorway, 5th gear, cruising at 75mph. Not impressed.

I always achieve more than the quoted figures for the diesel. Both in my Sport and in the SE I've had for the last week.

Averaging 36 mpg seems low. At 75 cruising you should be in 6th I think even in the non-sport drive ratios.

Is this your first diesel? I don't want to sound patronising, but to get 36 mpg on motorways, sounds like you are driving it wrongly, or there is a problem? If you drive a diesel like a petrol you don't see the full benefits of a diesel. To get the best out of a diesel, you need to change gear at much lower revs.

There is no problem with the fuel economy of the Lexus diesel. The figures are easily achievable.

[evilweasel]

Thanks for your answer romaro - 500 quid a year difference... Still thinking though for the extra 500 you get a quicker, quieter car. Maybe that's worth just over a pound a day...

Sounds though that you get great consumption - my present 3yr old Laguna Initiale 1.9dCi just gets around 46 mpg if I'm lucky. That would be the same kind of route as you (M25,A34.....)

It just worries me that actual fuel consumption figures are pretty much a lottery - and the rattles everyone talks about. They appear in BOTH petrol and diesel models!

Any 'real world' petrol auto MPG's would be apreciated too.

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Forget that smelly greasy tractor fuel and buy a car with a proper engine :D

Just ask Jamboo :winky:

Ask me no questions, I ask you! Hindsight, what a wonderful and sometimes painful thing to have!!

Anyway, if it's definately the auto version you want, then go and buy the Petrol Auto right now!! The diesel is average economy wise when compared with any diesel over 170bhp.

The auto is a gem of a gearbox, whilst the paddle shift is not as precise or as quick as a DSG paddle box, it's OK for everyday use. The IS Auto is also very economical for a 2.5 V6 auto.

If you want the "Tractor fuelled version", it's a tough call between Sport or SE (or base). Both have pro's and con's in how they drive and what MPG you get.

MPG wise, you'll be very mildly better off with the diesel, and I'm not sure still if the compromises of the diesel are worth it. It depends on your budget etc and you need to drive both of them for a long period of time - a day at least each to fully understand that you've made the right choice.

If I could turn the clock back, I would be stuck with to do...but the Auto would have swung it knowing what I know now, as that combined to that 2.5 V6 make it a very well matched combo. The diesel on the other hand is not as refined, but defo feels sportier, and that 295lb of torque doesn't half make it quick, and it is kinder to the environment (think of the poor squirrells)!!

At the end of the day, for me at least, it was the environmentals that made me go diesel. The hour long test drive in the diesel was not long enough really. If only they had gone Hybrid!!

PS - only other observation here is that I drove a GS300 Auto. Not as economical, but I reckon you could get an SE which is well spec'd, Sat NAV etc as standard for the same money as an IS250SEL with Sat NAv if you twist a dealers arm, and they're not blighted by issues...and they drive very very well!!

[Northern Boys Luv Gravy]

Thanks for your answer romaro - 500 quid a year difference... Still thinking though for the extra 500 you get a quicker, quieter car. Maybe that's worth just over a pound a day...

Sounds though that you get great consumption - my present 3yr old Laguna Initiale 1.9dCi just gets around 46 mpg if I'm lucky. That would be the same kind of route as you (M25,A34.....)

It just worries me that actual fuel consumption figures are pretty much a lottery - and the rattles everyone talks about. They appear in BOTH petrol and diesel models!

Any 'real world' petrol auto MPG's would be apreciated too.

My 250SE Auto averages 29mpg all day long with a mix of city commuting and motorway. And I do like to boot it along.

[scott]

Is this your first diesel? I don't want to sound patronising, but to get 36 mpg on motorways, sounds like you are driving it wrongly, or there is a problem? If you drive a diesel like a petrol you don't see the full benefits of a diesel. To get the best out of a diesel, you need to change gear at much lower revs.

There is no problem with the fuel economy of the Lexus diesel. The figures are easily achievable.

This is not my first diesel, I've also got a pegeout 807 2.2d family car which DOES achieve the stated fuel economy. I've also owned other diesels in the past and have had no problems.

Sixth gear at 70 mph is not possible in my car as there is too much vibration and labouring of the engine, so I have to stay in 5th and tend to cruise at 75 mph. Last time in Lexus Poole, they alluded to a possible problem with fuel economy but were not permitted to say any more, so maybe there is a problem with early cars, who knows.

I'm going to speak again with Lexus again when I go in for the seatbelt recall.

[Roonaldo]

Is this your first diesel? I don't want to sound patronising, but to get 36 mpg on motorways, sounds like you are driving it wrongly, or there is a problem? If you drive a diesel like a petrol you don't see the full benefits of a diesel. To get the best out of a diesel, you need to change gear at much lower revs.

There is no problem with the fuel economy of the Lexus diesel. The figures are easily achievable.

This is not my first diesel, I've also got a pegeout 807 2.2d family car which DOES achieve the stated fuel economy. I've also owned other diesels in the past and have had no problems.

Sixth gear at 70 mph is not possible in my car as there is too much vibration and labouring of the engine, so I have to stay in 5th and tend to cruise at 75 mph. Last time in Lexus Poole, they alluded to a possible problem with fuel economy but were not permitted to say any more, so maybe there is a problem with early cars, who knows.

I'm going to speak again with Lexus again when I go in for the seatbelt recall.

I wasn't trying to teach you to suck eggs :winky: , but that figure does suggest something is wrong..

I know 6th at 70mph in the non sport models is not really possible, but 75mph, like you state, is OK isn't it?

[scott]

I wasn't trying to teach you to suck eggs :winky: , but that figure does suggest something is wrong..

I know 6th at 70mph in the non sport models is not really possible, but 75mph, like you state, is OK isn't it?

I know you weren't :) I can only really get into sixth at 80 mph and then it still feels a bit sluggish. I'm wondering what this magic button (mention in previous threads) on the gearbox does or is that only for the autos ?

[evilweasel]

Well.

Just bought an Is220d SE-L MM today - diesel seemed to make more sense financially...

It's a nice looking ex-demo and I got it for a song...

Thanks for all your input! :)

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Well done mate - post some pic's when you get it - by the way, when is that, and what colour did you go for?

[evilweasel]

I get it Wednesday - Brechin Slate with Oakham Leather. Will post pics... in the meantime I'm still searching the forums for a definitive answer on whether you can play MP3 from DVD's though (DVD9s,+r,-r,etc).

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

I get it Wednesday - Brechin Slate with Oakham Leather. Will post pics... in the meantime I'm still searching the forums for a definitive answer on whether you can play MP3 from DVD's though (DVD9s,+r,-r,etc).

Many of us have tried and failed to play MP3 via DVD.

The system decodes "DVD Audio" and "DVD Video", not DVD "MP3". Some burners allow you to create DVD music files but you lose menu's and things when you drive, but it has to be pukka DVD Audio for full benefit and that means you only get one album. I suspect it's just the driver for the system. Can you imagine what would happen to the iPod if you bung 6x4.7gb worth of MP3 into your car... :o

Most iPods would make good door stops... :duh: