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Hi,

I am currently opting out of my company car scheme and have decided that a Lexus IS is the way forward. The only choice now (apart from colour) is the 250 petrol or 220 diesel. From a cost point of view my choices seem to be a brand new 220d SE MM or a used 250 SE MM auto. The deciding factor is going to be running costs over the term I will have the car (3 years). On paper the diesel seems the logical choice based on mpg/mile per tank but from reading posts on this fantastic forum, it seems the difference in reality is not that much and so my decision may not be as clear cut as I first thought! I'm really taken with the idea of having my first automatic car and the 250 seems to be the first choice for most but now I have a concern that I'm going to find out the hard way that the petrol is going to be expensive to run and I should have gone for the diesel.

Is there anyone out there that has owned both and can give me some advice as to the best way to go?

Many Thanks :)

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Hi,

I am currently opting out of my company car scheme and have decided that a Lexus IS is the way forward. The only choice now (apart from colour) is the 250 petrol or 220 diesel. From a cost point of view my choices seem to be a brand new 220d SE MM or a used 250 SE MM auto. The deciding factor is going to be running costs over the term I will have the car (3 years). On paper the diesel seems the logical choice based on mpg/mile per tank but from reading posts on this fantastic forum, it seems the difference in reality is not that much and so my decision may not be as clear cut as I first thought! I'm really taken with the idea of having my first automatic car and the 250 seems to be the first choice for most but now I have a concern that I'm going to find out the hard way that the petrol is going to be expensive to run and I should have gone for the diesel.

Is there anyone out there that has owned both and can give me some advice as to the best way to go?

Many Thanks :)

I'm a little biased, but I wouldn't even consider a 220D...biggest con ever by Lexus on the European car market. My SE-L cruised 150 miles of motorway at 75 mph and returned a fraction short of 40 mpg. Go 250, go auto MM and you will not regret it :winky:

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go for the Auto, not owned the diesel but have test driven the oil burner a dew times and my thoughts have not changed - had the same problem two months ago only the other way round- what company car do I want to drive for the next 3 years as my IS250 auto sel mm sets a high standard sall round - although my IS auto in my view sets good m.p.g it was not good from a B.I.K. So went for the BMW 220 d sport auto coupe .The oil burner could have improved since the last time I drove one but the engine is a upgrade of the Avenis with lots of bits added and m.p.g of the Avensis is not that great.

Bristol to London and back (Hyde Park) IS 250 auto = 37 mpg

Bristol to London and back (Hyde Park) BMW auto = 49 mpg

as or running costs -insurance and road tax are more exspensive but possibily service and the cost of diesel could tip it the other way

cheers

swager

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Welcome to the club. Without question - go for the V6 Auto (and this comes from a Diesel owner). It is quite frankly superb.

And if you're on budget, use www.drivethedeal.co.uk, register when asked (typo's allowed to stop spam) and see in seconds what price you can start haggling with. November is a fantastic month to buy a new car. The dealerships are like graveyards and they can only fail their targets!

Drive the deal:

250SE Met MM Auto - £27307 (which is what I paid 18 months ago for my 220dSEMM with the £1147 DTD discount :crybaby: )

220dSE Met MM - £25767

I know which I'd take...the Petrol every time . Good luck...

PS - BTW - the 220d engine is identical to the one used in the T180 (Avensis, RAV4 and Corolla Verso) and not modified other than to allow for FWD (except for the badges...) as far as I know. technically it's the same engine.

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Welcome to the club. Without question - go for the V6 Auto (and this comes from a Diesel owner). It is quite frankly superb.

And if you're on budget, use www.drivethedeal.co.uk, register when asked (typo's allowed to stop spam) and see in seconds what price you can start haggling with. November is a fantastic month to buy a new car. The dealerships are like graveyards and they can only fail their targets!

Drive the deal:

250SE Met MM Auto - £27307 (which is what I paid 18 months ago for my 220dSEMM with the £1147 DTD discount :crybaby: )

220dSE Met MM - £25767

I know which I'd take...the Petrol every time . Good luck...

PS - BTW - the 220d engine is identical to the one used in the T180 (Avensis, RAV4 and Corolla Verso) and not modified other than to allow for FWD (except for the badges...) as far as I know. technically it's the same engine.

Hello and welcome...

Ummm - what he said really. I too have a 220d, it's a great car and I'm very pleased with it. I just wish I'd bought a 250 instead.

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Welcome to the club. Without question - go for the V6 Auto (and this comes from a Diesel owner). It is quite frankly superb.

And if you're on budget, use www.drivethedeal.co.uk, register when asked (typo's allowed to stop spam) and see in seconds what price you can start haggling with. November is a fantastic month to buy a new car. The dealerships are like graveyards and they can only fail their targets!

Drive the deal:

250SE Met MM Auto - £27307 (which is what I paid 18 months ago for my 220dSEMM with the £1147 DTD discount :crybaby: )

220dSE Met MM - £25767

I know which I'd take...the Petrol every time . Good luck...

PS - BTW - the 220d engine is identical to the one used in the T180 (Avensis, RAV4 and Corolla Verso) and not modified other than to allow for FWD (except for the badges...) as far as I know. technically it's the same engine.

Not wanting to steal Jamboo's thunder, suggest you try www.autoebid.co.uk. Basically, this site is a reverse auction where they get dealers to undercut each other for your business. Of course you can pay a standard price too, which for an IS250 SE auto MM is currently £26560 (That's £2772 off retail!)

Definitely go for the petrol and definitely go for the Auto (I'll be replacing my Sport with a Sport auto when the time is right).

Hope this info helps

Cheers

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Welcome to the club. Without question - go for the V6 Auto (and this comes from a Diesel owner). It is quite frankly superb.

And if you're on budget, use www.drivethedeal.co.uk, register when asked (typo's allowed to stop spam) and see in seconds what price you can start haggling with. November is a fantastic month to buy a new car. The dealerships are like graveyards and they can only fail their targets!

Drive the deal:

250SE Met MM Auto - £27307 (which is what I paid 18 months ago for my 220dSEMM with the £1147 DTD discount :crybaby: )

220dSE Met MM - £25767

I know which I'd take...the Petrol every time . Good luck...

PS - BTW - the 220d engine is identical to the one used in the T180 (Avensis, RAV4 and Corolla Verso) and not modified other than to allow for FWD (except for the badges...) as far as I know. technically it's the same engine.

if the unit used in the 220d is the same as the avensis then why so many problems with the 5 th injector that I have read so much about when the avensis is a proven product - and also comments from lexus service that the engine has more added to run various that rav4 corolla etc dont .

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Thanks for all the great advice and tips. Now that I am armed with all this information, I have an appointment with the Lexus dealer on Saturday to discuss options and costs. They seem to be coming in best for leasing as they will add £1200 to my £2000 deposit. I know a new 220d SE MM on a Personal Contract Hire (15,000 miles p.a) is within my monthly budget (£450) but it depends on lead time for a new 220d SE MM (i've heard 12 weeks for a Cadoxton Slate), what age/mileage I will have to go for to get the same spec 250 within the budget and which 250 SE MM's they have in stock.

I'll keep you posted :)

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Rich13, I'd just like to back up what everyone's been saying here - don't even consider the diesel. It's a dud, seriously. I have had one for over 18 months and it's a disappointment - noisy, rough and really bad MPG. Go for the petrol, whatever it takes.

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When I bought mine I asked about a diesel auto since this is what i am used to. The dealer told me that Lexus never intended to go with a diesel engine and that their answer to the emission and environment issue is hybrids. However - they were caught out with the uptake of diesels and the co car tax issue and so had to have one (if you recall it was not in the original lineup) They had not designed a diesel engine specifically for the for the car but took one from the existing Toyota lineup - all Toyotas are front wheel drive and the lexus is rear. Lexus did not have time or desire to rengineer a new box to fit this engine so it only comes with manual. The dealer said that the petrol will go hybrid on the IS 'in the future' after all the other models.

It sounds logical to me and since reading all the posts on diesel/petrol mpg/performance I believe it contibutes.

I never tried the diesel - I went with petrol auto and love it.

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It's a big decision, I would suggest you spend how ever long it takes and trawl through every thread on this forum.

After doing so I think you will be in no doubt as to the route to go down, 250 auto.

Good luck.

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UPDATE

Just thought I would give you all an update. I spent the morning at the LEXUS dealership in Bradford. They gave me a IS250 SE Auto for an hour so I could take it for a proper drive. The difference from the 220 was instantly noticeable, it was like driving a different car! After many many hours of negotiation I have placed and order for a IS250 SE Auto with Multimedia. Should arrive on the 16th Nov so not too long to wait. Went for a brand new one in Cadoxton Slate with Pembroke Black interior. Did look at getting it without the multimedia but after playing with it for a bit I decided to blow the budget and spend the extra £55 a month to get it, may live to regret it but at least I'll have plenty of toys to distract me... :D

Thanks again for your help, I'll post some pictures when it arrives.

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UPDATE

Just thought I would give you all an update. I spent the morning at the LEXUS dealership in Bradford. They gave me a IS250 SE Auto for an hour so I could take it for a proper drive. The difference from the 220 was instantly noticeable, it was like driving a different car! After many many hours of negotiation I have placed and order for a IS250 SE Auto with Multimedia. Should arrive on the 16th Nov so not too long to wait. Went for a brand new one in Cadoxton Slate with Pembroke Black interior. Did look at getting it without the multimedia but after playing with it for a bit I decided to blow the budget and spend the extra £55 a month to get it, may live to regret it but at least I'll have plenty of toys to distract me... :D

Thanks again for your help, I'll post some pictures when it arrives.

Well done my son, you know it makes sense!

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UPDATE

Just thought I would give you all an update. I spent the morning at the LEXUS dealership in Bradford. They gave me a IS250 SE Auto for an hour so I could take it for a proper drive. The difference from the 220 was instantly noticeable, it was like driving a different car! After many many hours of negotiation I have placed and order for a IS250 SE Auto with Multimedia. Should arrive on the 16th Nov so not too long to wait. Went for a brand new one in Cadoxton Slate with Pembroke Black interior. Did look at getting it without the multimedia but after playing with it for a bit I decided to blow the budget and spend the extra £55 a month to get it, may live to regret it but at least I'll have plenty of toys to distract me... :D

Thanks again for your help, I'll post some pictures when it arrives.

Excellent decision...made the right choice in colours too :whistling:

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Im worried now, I have a 220d coming next week which Im gonna have for the next 60k miles. Im not allowed a petrol car and I was going to have the Mondeo Tit X have I made a mistake?

sure not!

I still think that overall the IS220d is the best diesel car in it's class.

Just the petrol is better car and suits lexus more...

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well, hybrid is cool (have driven RX400h and LS600h) but I don't think it will match the price of an IS220d...

True... But for me the lure of not having to pay the congestion charge would allow for a higher purchase price... Especially as the petrol seems great and the diesel is so so.

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I really do think the diesel is just a stop gap until the hybrid version comes... The petrol engine on the 250 is so smooth it will create an amazing car!

IF they make the new IS a Hybrid, it will be left with a 100litre boot!! I can' see them making a Hybrid G2 IS at all, unless they find some really small batteries (AAA size!) and can make a Scalextric motor turn the wheels.... The car doesn't have the space for those batteries or the motors as far as I can tell.

Lexus have stated that by 2012 they will have an all Hybrid showroom, and that timeline ties in nicely with when the G3 IS could be launched....so I wouldn't hold me breath...but then stranger things could happen...

Why no one has created a Diesel Hybrid I'll never know...I suppose you'd jump out of your skin each time the oiler clanged into life...it wouldn't be seamless at all...and you wouldn't have to watch those coloured arrows on the display to know what was pedalling you along

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I really do think the diesel is just a stop gap until the hybrid version comes... The petrol engine on the 250 is so smooth it will create an amazing car!

IF they make the new IS a Hybrid, it will be left with a 100litre boot!! I can' see them making a Hybrid G2 IS at all, unless they find some really small batteries (AAA size!) and can make a Scalextric motor turn the wheels.... The car doesn't have the space for those batteries or the motors as far as I can tell.

Lexus have stated that by 2012 they will have an all Hybrid showroom, and that timeline ties in nicely with when the G3 IS could be launched....so I wouldn't hold me breath...but then stranger things could happen...

Why no one has created a Diesel Hybrid I'll never know...I suppose you'd jump out of your skin each time the oiler clanged into life...it wouldn't be seamless at all...and you wouldn't have to watch those coloured arrows on the display to know what was pedalling you along

:lol: Very valid points mate, and nicely put!

Didnt even think of those issues, had the thought due to the impression I got from the guys at the Dealers when I collected my car last weekend...

G3 IS?!?!? Being a G2 owner for less than a week (from a G1) I would expect that car to bloody drive itself while making me brekkie!!! :yahoo:

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I'm biased at the mo...luv my IS220d SE

Fuel economy wasn't great at first 35 to 45mpg but now I've had my 20k service it's tonnes better 45 to 55mpg

Had an IS250 Auto as a courtesy car, yes it was fantastic but couldn't justify the extra 50quid a month at the time...maybe next year when my baby goes... :o

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Why no one has created a Diesel Hybrid I'll never know...I suppose you'd jump out of your skin each time the oiler clanged into life...it wouldn't be seamless at all...and you wouldn't have to watch those coloured arrows on the display to know what was pedalling you along

That made me laugh - lots :lol: :lol:

Thank you!

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