Newbie Thinking Of Buying

[xavster]

Dear all,

I've been lurking on the forum for a few months and I've picked up loads of useful info about these cars. I thought I ought to post now that my wife and I are seriously considering buying an IS.

Does anybody have an opinion on the following car? Is it overpriced?

http://www.sportsandprestigecentre.co.uk/used_car_lexus_is_saloon_744.htm

We currently have a 2001 BMW 325ci, which goes beautifully. We test drove an IS 250 back in May and liked the look and interior. It didn't seem to handle as well as our BMW and the engine didn't feel as strong or make as good a sound. In the Lexus' favour, the auto box was smoother and everybody seems to have a BMW these days!

Handling etc is not that important - we also have a Boxster for fun driving!

We just want something refined with room in the back for friends and family and maybe kids in the next couple of years.

Thanks in advance,

Xavier

[michaelH]

I have one the same age and spec, similar mileage (ish), and love it to bits. I would happily recommend such a car to anyone who wants something reliable well equipped and stylish and who would be happy with about 32 mpg from mixed driving (perhaps 40 on long journeys). Lexus dealers tend to be very good, so take it to one for servicing. This is the spec to go for - of the others only the advance comes close and they only started appearing I think in 2011. You will never get a BMW 3 series with so many bells and whistles. Once you have used HIDs you won't want to go back to standard halogens unless all your night driving is on urban roads and motorways

Listen out for rattles and try to make sure that any little rattles are sorted before you buy. Mine was silent when I bought it a couple of years ago, but something worked loose in each of the front doors ove the last year - such a rattle is easily fixed (there is a kit for dealers to sort it) but its not usually covered by a used car warranty and is the only thing (other than servicing, tyres and updated sat-nav disc) I have had to pay for.

[normski2]

I'd agree with all above.

I looked at the pics but didn't delve too deep into the written spec. All the right boxes appear ticked. A 'FLSH' would be good and knowledge of last service, it says full service history so I'm guessing some may be independant. Nice low miles so its probably only pootled around. Probably wants a good blow out down a motor way.

A bonus also is that it has the Mark Levinson multi media dvd system. Nice sound system!

The only negative for me would be the beige carpets. Had that colour a couple of Lexi's back, boy did it show the feet marks. If anyone tries to get in the car with clay or mud on their soles...lock the doors. If its not a problem for you, go for it. Take it out on a drive and see what she feels like. Check around the tow point for any clumsy hook ups and repair work. Try and drive several so you can cross reference your own experiences.

The price? All prices are there to be haggled over. Offer less and be prepared to walk away..right now stuff is not selling. Well some are, an awful lot are not.

[fjcfarrar]

The main thing is to avoid the IS220d which is quite a good car for a diesel but really only a sensible buy if you get off on disappointment and niggling minor problems plus unreliable economy.

The IS 250 Auto with the Levinson MM kit gives a smooth, refined, relaxing and enjoyable drive although lacking the best performance in class. The manual gearbox on IS250's is somewhere between second-rate and adequate but no more than that. If the carpets are beige, make sure you get a set of matching Lexus floor mats so at least you can take them out to clean/shampoo them.

[juicestop]

Hi Xavier - I have same year car, same spec except I also have sunroof and it is Cadoxton Slate (grey) - otherwise exactly the same with 3.5k more on the clock. I've had it 3 years and still love the Lexus refinement.

Pricewise, it is at the upper end of the dealer retail price (£10,995 - £11,995), so maybe some room to haggle a little. I'd be impressed with the low mileage but a little concerned with the towbar, who knows what it's been pulling along. Having said that it has full Lexus service history and the engine is pretty much bulletproof if serviced at the recommended intervals. It's a buyers market now so have a good look around for similar cars elsewhere and as Normski says, offer less and be prepared to walk away, there's a good to great chance they'll be calling you to accept your (reasonable) offer within 24hrs.

[xavster]

Thanks for all the replies so far.

I had a PM from a member here (jovie) offering me his car, so I've PMed him back asking for further details.

I do like the black though, a pain to keep clean, but when it is, black looks the best.

[bluenose1940]

Hi xavster, interestingly I was going to pick up on the tow bar but was beaten to it by juicestop. I would be a little concerned by it too. if it has been used to pull a small trailer of garden rubbish etc to the local tip, then fine but, if it has been pulling a horsebox or large caravan then i would be wary.

You will no doubt have spotted from my other posts that I too am now a 250 owner and I have to say what a superb car it is. A dark coloured car with the light coloured leather upholstery does look very classy in my opinion. Mine is Canterbury Blue with Sussex Grey interior (at least that's what I think it is called!) My wife was hoping that I would end up with a black car but, depending on the light, mine does give the appearance of being black so she is quite happy.

[xavster]

Thanks. I wondered about the tow bar, but thought this was less of a problem with an auto box.

What is the worry with them?

Xavier

[michaelH]

don't know about the towbar but black floormats look just fine on a beige carpeted car (keep the beige ones for summer). Lexus also make black rubber mats which can be useful in filthy weather or for winter use. No doubt you can buy some others that can be cut to size for less money.

If you ever hire a rug doctor for the house it is worth using the toolkit and cleaning the carpets in the car while you ar at it (unless already exhausted by cleaning of said house).

Black cars are the easiest to keep clean (because you can see at once if they are dirty). But try using a waterless product and microfibre cloths to keep it clean. Even the likes of Autoglym and Meguiars now offer waterless cleaners (even if they call them detailing sprays). Less chance of a swirl mark than from using a sponge and bucket, or even drying it with a chamois. And far less hassle.

[F.A.]

don't know about the towbar but black floormats look just fine on a beige carpeted car (keep the beige ones for summer). Lexus also make black rubber mats which can be useful in filthy weather or for winter use. No doubt you can buy some others that can be cut to size for less money.

Black cars are the easiest to keep clean (because you can see at once if they are dirty). But try using a waterless product and microfibre cloths to keep it clean. Even the likes of Autoglym and Meguiars now offer waterless cleaners (even if they call them detailing sprays). Less chance of a swirl mark than from using a sponge and bucket, or even drying it with a chamois. And far less hassle.

I have to disagree with this. There is more chance of causing swirl marks using a 'waterless' cleaner as all you are doing is rubbing the dirt in to your car. It is much safer using a 2 bucket technique ( both buckets with grit guards), a lambs wool mitt and a large micro fibre towel. Waterless cleaners were invented more for convenience than protecting your cars paint work. detailing sprays are often used once the car has been properly washed and waxed to remove any residue waxes etc.

[michaelH]

Yes, it is in part a convenience thing (very much so if there is a hosepipe ban) But where I live the water is very hard and you have to work equally hard to get all traces of it off the car when you have finished washing it. So there is a lot less rubbing without the water. If you give the waterless spray a chance to emulsify the dirt and then wipe it off carefully with a soft cloth you will not be rubbing anything abrasive into the car. Keep using one dirty cloth and you may do that, but of course you should take care in all things. My car has been subjected to two and half years of regular waterless washes and sometimes (mea culpa) I am not as careful as I would advise anyone else to be, esp if their car was a black one, but the fact is that the body work still looks really good. A few little stone chips on the nose but you can't blame the waterless wash for that.

A compromise might be to wash and wax and then use waterless products to keep it looking good between washes.

[F.A.]

Each to their own and I am glad that the system works for you. I certainly won't be using a waterless system to wash any of our cars. I also live in an area with hard water but have fitted a water filter to solve this issue. Before this I use to wash smaller areas of the car at a time to prevent the marks from forming.