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Hi all. new member here! Been doing alot of research and going to buy a new car in about 9 months, well actually a second hand car but all the cars I have owned have cost 3k, and im going to spend just under 12k I hope.

For my driving needs the perfect car for me would be an IS 350 SE-L Auto however the 350 is unavailable and I have not found an importer selling any of them. Any ideas how similair the car is (250 vs 350) as in would I just need the engine to do a conversion with ?

Anyway, I am looking for an auto with the override flappy panels, and the model to be as comfortable as possible, with all options.

I take it all i need for this is an SE-L with Multimedia ? Can anyone who has lived with one for a while tell me what they think of it, are there any modern conveniences that you dont have that you would like ? I am drawn to S350's of the same price as they come with full massage seats, however they dont suit me as well as an IS250 will. I am 24, i like a sporty drive occasionally but I do 30k miles per year and most of this is traffic. My commute is 30 miles each way and tends to be in rush hour :( But occasionally I like to go for a spirited drive on the moors.

Thanks!

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Hi all. new member here! Been doing alot of research and going to buy a new car in about 9 months, well actually a second hand car but all the cars I have owned have cost 3k, and im going to spend just under 12k I hope.

For my driving needs the perfect car for me would be an IS 350 SE-L Auto however the 350 is unavailable and I have not found an importer selling any of them. Any ideas how similair the car is (250 vs 350) as in would I just need the engine to do a conversion with ?

Anyway, I am looking for an auto with the override flappy panels, and the model to be as comfortable as possible, with all options.

I take it all i need for this is an SE-L with Multimedia ? Can anyone who has lived with one for a while tell me what they think of it, are there any modern conveniences that you dont have that you would like ? I am drawn to S350's of the same price as they come with full massage seats, however they dont suit me as well as an IS250 will. I am 24, i like a sporty drive occasionally but I do 30k miles per year and most of this is traffic. My commute is 30 miles each way and tends to be in rush hour :( But occasionally I like to go for a spirited drive on the moors.

Thanks!

Are you sure you're looking at the right car. Your budget is quite limited (for a Lexus, if you get my drift) yet you'd be looking at an annual fuel bill of around £6K, and that's before all the other ownership costs are considered.

Wouldn't you really be better off looking at a Golf/Focus diesel type car?

I appreciate your enthusiasm for an IS, but I'd hate you to buy it and then realise after 6 months that it's crippling you financially.

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Hi all. new member here! Been doing alot of research and going to buy a new car in about 9 months, well actually a second hand car but all the cars I have owned have cost 3k, and im going to spend just under 12k I hope.

For my driving needs the perfect car for me would be an IS 350 SE-L Auto however the 350 is unavailable and I have not found an importer selling any of them. Any ideas how similair the car is (250 vs 350) as in would I just need the engine to do a conversion with ?

Anyway, I am looking for an auto with the override flappy panels, and the model to be as comfortable as possible, with all options.

I take it all i need for this is an SE-L with Multimedia ? Can anyone who has lived with one for a while tell me what they think of it, are there any modern conveniences that you dont have that you would like ? I am drawn to S350's of the same price as they come with full massage seats, however they dont suit me as well as an IS250 will. I am 24, i like a sporty drive occasionally but I do 30k miles per year and most of this is traffic. My commute is 30 miles each way and tends to be in rush hour :( But occasionally I like to go for a spirited drive on the moors.

Thanks!

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Hi Smileyone, my 50 cents...and then some sorry :unsure:

I've had my 2006 IS250 se-l MM auto - since July. Its certainly smooth engine wise. Cruising to work - my commute each way is only about 18 miles. Nice and relaxing. Getting the average of 31mpg which seems pretty good for average speeds of 30 0r less! No motorways here. (Dual C'ways a rarity too!)

In terms of ride I find it gets a bit messy (in a firmish but non sportscar way) over bumpy stuff. Tie that in with the slightly weird steering and it takes a bit of concentration on small country roads when pushing on. Its not that its not good to drive - it is - but you want to be on bigger straighter roads. You want to bear in mind the road noise as well. True I have cheapo "Sunny" tyres (not my choice) but they make a pretty loud thrumming noise which gets louder as speed increases.

But this does seem to be a well reported issue on the forum. Maybe you focus on this cos you dont hear much from the engine?

The cabin isnt as well built as you might like with several creaky bits and hard plastics. The noise issues fall away as you crank up the top notch Mark Levinson sound system. Its the best Ive ever heard and easily drowns out the creaks n rattles. The Toys are great - most are useful. Nice with the leather. If you have a family I wouldnt bother with an IS though - tbh its cramped in the back and theres no way you could consider it a 5 seater. If the front passenger and or driver are of large stature or width (No offence)you'll think its small.

Could be costly in the future but hopefully will be reliable.

However overall it suits me fine and I like it alot as a used car - best Ive ever owned. Smooth Fast - hopefully reliable - However Lexus need to try a lot harder to improve it for the next generation. Its still not as good as a 3 series to drive but I much preferred the lexus mainly because of the more interesting interior ambience and more likeable.

Anybody agree with my thoughts?

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I agree with all the points MW70 makes.

I've had my IS250 now since March, and the dealership made a huge point of stating I was moving up to a 'prestige' car (previous car was a Volvo V70 T5). Well, I expect a bit more from a 'prestige' car in terms of cabin build quality – it looks good, but the feel of some of the plastics is below what I'd expect from a prestige brand. There are more rattles and creaks than there should be, and that's after the dealership has removed and refitted the dashboard for the well-documented rattles.

I'm not too bothered by the road noise. The engine and transmission are very quiet, so the noise from the tyres is more apparent but hardly overbearing.

Handling is not bad at all for what it is – this is a heavy car and feels planted on the road. If you want a sports car don't get a '250, its a good cruiser but not really the thing to throw into corners on a B road. That said, there's enough power when you need it and the autobox is sensible most of the time. Flappy paddles work ok, but as with most I've tried over the years, the up-shift is fine but the down-shift tends to happen when the car wants it to, not when you want it to. You'll probably find you leave it in full auto most of the time, possibly in 'pwr' mode (it doesn't use much more fuel in my experience).

The only other slight annoyance I've come across is the incredibly soft paint. I'm sure there are some environmentally friendly reasons why its so soft, but is scuffs incredibly easily and you have to keep on top of the marks (at least on dark coloured vehicles). I live down a country lane and dread catching any vegetation whilst driving as even the lightest touch marks the car to the point where I have to spend 10 minutes with the supaguard scuff remover paste. Surely they can make a more resistant paint?

I drive about 25k a year and can't fault it in queues on the motorway and for relaxed cruising. It does just eat the miles. The Mark Levinson sound system is very good indeed, to the point where you can make the rear view mirror vibrate to the point its unusable – not that i've tried :whistling:

Economy on a good run is 42 mpg according to the trip computer and I get anything up to 500 miles from a full tank. Tyre wear seems surprisingly good, which is helpful since they aren't cheap to replace!

Have a good long test drive before you part with your cash. I don't regret my purchase and I think it might just be what you're looking for given the miles you do. Its not cheap to run so factor that in to the cost of ownership and makes sure you get a warranty.

Hope this helps

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Hi

i have had my 250 se-l auto for 18 months and i agree with a lot of what has been said so far. i love the smoothness of the engine and gearbox combo, and it is the most comfortable car i have ever had, until you flick the power switch, and start using the paddles and drive it like you stole it, then it is a totally different car and throws itself into the corners with vigour and no wallowing or squirming lol.

i do have to say that the earlier models (the ones 2005 to about 2009, which are the ones you would be able to pick up for around 12k) do rattle horrendously. I was shocked at how much mine started rattling and it does annoy me intensely, but the only problem i have had with it is the rattling so overall i count myself lucky. the few later models that i have had as courtesy cars have been a lot better and didn't seem to have the rattle problems that mine does.

all in all, i would still recommend the IS. i don't struggle to carry 4 or 5 adults in mine, with luggage, and the economy is nt that bad - i get around 29 to 30mpg around town and anywhere from 34 to 40mpg if i include motorway mileage. if you can put up with the rattling then i am sure you will be as happy with yours as i have been so far with mine. try to make sure you get an se-l with multimedia and you will be getting thousands of pounds worth of kit standard that you won't get in the german rivals.

regards

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I am now on my second pre-owned IS250SEL auto. The first was a total loss after being hit by the rebound from someone else's crash, but did a very good job of protecting me and my passenger, which was one reason for choosing another just like it.

I would agree with much of what has been said above, but would point out that not all cars are quite the same, even if they have the same spec. I liked my old one (a 56 reg)but did have some issues with it in the first two months or so (namely brake squeal and assorted rattles). Lexus Leicester fixed most of them and I fixed another with the simple remedy of some duct tape wrapped around the u-shaped door catching posts. The only unfixed noise was a slight rattle from the area of the DVD player when going over rough ridged concrete surfaces (and you should hear what that kind of surface does to my Smart four-two!). There was also a bit of tyre roar from the Bridgestone tyres, but not too much to worry about and I was happy to buy another once the insurance money came through. I did test-drive a BMW 320i coupe, but much preferred the Lexus.

My current IS250 is an 07 reg and for some reason seems clearly superior to the old one. It is quieter, with no rattles at all and very little tyre roar (Dunlops on the back and Pirellis on the front). It also has a much better ride over poor road surfaces (revised suspension? different tyres?)and gives better fuel economy. 40 mpg on the car's computer usually means about 38 mpg in reality, but that figure can be obtained on a decent motorway / A-road run. Only Mid 20's crawling around town however. I have not found any extra fuel cost in using the ect pwr mode and it makes the car much more lively. Seldom have any cause to use the steering wheel paddles, whereas on my Smart I use them all the time

The gear change is sublime and in pwr mode the car is easily fast enough for any normal use. it is a lovely car. But beware because it is so refined that you can easily underestimate your speed.

The toys are great and the HID lights are worth having. No issues with the paint quality in my experience. I got shunted from behind by a lady parking her vauxhall Insignia. It was hard enough to visibly rock the car, but it left hardly a scratch.

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i do have to say that the earlier models (the ones 2005 to about 2009, which are the ones you would be able to pick up for around 12k) do rattle horrendously.

Mine is an 07 plate with no rattles whatsoever :)

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i do have to say that the earlier models (the ones 2005 to about 2009, which are the ones you would be able to pick up for around 12k) do rattle horrendously.

Mine is also one of the last of the 07 plates and although I did have the 'usual' rattles, Lexus derby cured them all. Any car under warranty shouldn't rattle - there are fixes and (for me at least) they do work...

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