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Is250 Advance Spec / Pre-Purchase Queries


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Hiya

Just looking to buy an IS250 Advance and have a few queries:

a) Are the headlight halogens or HID - keen to keep future costs down so hoping halogen

b) Is the road tax £270 / yr for the manual - saw some conflicting info suggesting £460 elsewhere

c) How hard are black cars to keep looking pristine - bit nervous taking one on as my previous cars have been white and silver ones - very easy to keep looking good and I am properly fussy about scrathes and swirls

d) Dealer is offering Guard X paint sealant - is this worth having ?

e) Is there anything specific I need to look out for - only issue on test drive is slightly off centre steering wheel and well worn front tyres on both inner and outer edges (hopefully just alignment and pressures)

f) Is there a definitive UK spec available showing the MY11 onwards details anywhere ?

I had an IS200SE until 8 years ago and currently had an immaculate RAV4 Granite for the last 8 year - though it has just turned 100k miles and I think it's time for a change (though I may regret it if it snows again !!).

Looking forward to joining you guys again - just want to make sure I am up to date on all the things to look out for before writing the cheque ...

Andy

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Hi Andy

My Advance was registered in September 2011 and doesn't have HID but I believe that some later ones do (those with daytime running lights?). If it's HID it won't have a manual headlamp height adjuster.

AFAIK all 250 Advances are autos as the manual had been dropped by the time they came out, mine is 195g co2 and £250 road tax. Older 250 autos were £270 and manuals were £460 apart from a few early ones that were registered before March 06 and gained exemption from the highest band.

Spec wise mine has heated leather seats, sat nav with touch screen and fourteen speaker sound system but is not Levinson, does not play dvds and does not have the gearchange paddles on the steering wheel. DAB radio was an optional add on.

Also, I've just remembered they have 18 in wheels as standard.

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Many thanks for the reply.

The one I am looking at is Sept 11 so hopefully it's on halogens.

Def only on 17" wheels though.

Where is the headlight adjuster located so I know where to spot it ?

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The headlamp adjuster is on the right hand side near the door, below the steering wheel and looks like a thumbwheel with numbers on it.

Odd about the wheel size, the Lexus website used to have 18s as standard for the Advance and mine has them. Perhaps the previous owner had them changed. I think my previous 220d SE had a slightly better ride quality on 17s.

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Why would you want halogens over HID's?

The original MY2011 Advance came with 17" double 5 spoke wheels as standard and halogen lights. the MY2012 advance was upgraded to 18" SE-L wheels and HID's with he LED DRL's

I also had worn outer and inner edges on my OEM Bridgestone Turanzas Alignment was with tolerance. Turned out that it was due to the tyres being run under inflated (although I was running the recommended 35 psi monitored on a weekly basis). I have upper the fronts to 38 psi to match the rears and have experienced even wear so far over the past 8000 miles

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Hi Andy

My Advance was registered in September 2011 and doesn't have HID but I believe that some later ones do (those with daytime running lights?). If it's HID it won't have a manual headlamp height adjuster.

AFAIK all 250 Advances are autos as the manual had been dropped by the time they came out, mine is 195g co2 and £250 road tax. Older 250 autos were £270 and manuals were £460 apart from a few early ones that were registered before March 06 and gained exemption from the highest band.

Spec wise mine has heated leather seats, sat nav with touch screen and fourteen speaker sound system but is not Levinson, does not play dvds and does not have the gearchange paddles on the steering wheel. DAB radio was an optional add on.

Also, I've just remembered they have 18 in wheels as standard.

All MY2011 onward IS250d/220/200d came with 13 speakers or 8 speakers . It is only the Mark Levinson system that has the 14 speakers. Advance models will have 13 speakers. 4 sets of 3 ways (1 in each door) and a sub in the rear parcel shelf

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The one I am looking at is Sept 11 so hopefully it's on halogens.
Def only on 17" wheels though.

I have the June 2011 Advance with the double spoke 17 inch.

The 18inch give a harder ride - not something I would be comfortable with. (No pun intended)

The Advance has a good range of toys, and it has taught me what my real priorities will be next time I buy a car.

What I'd keep and what I could lose without a worry:-

Electrically adjustable seats -

I am the only driver and I set them only once. [Lose]

Voice activated commands -

I played with it for about 15 mins. while my car stood in the drive and never used it since. [Lose]

Satnav -

I use all the time [Keep]

6 CD changer -

I put one CD in to try it out, but I now have all my tracks on a USB memory stick. [Lose]

Controls on steering wheel -

I use regularly. [Keep]

Climate control -

Essential for me, though I wish that the airflow could be individually electronically regulated rather than just the temperature. [Keep]

Stiff suspension -

I'm sure it makes for good road holding, but I prefer it less rigid. I like luxury in my old age. [Lose]

Daytime running lights-

I don't have daytime running lights and the more I see of them the less I like them.

If future laws allowed, I wouldn't bother. [No thanks]

No HIDS but I would have preferred them [Yes please]

Sound system -

Essential, though I'm not sure an ML has much to offer over the system I have - then again I'm not a purist.

Automatic gearbox -

Definite [Keep]

Leather -

[Yes], while I can still afford it.

Heated seats-

I would never hear the end of it from my wife if I didn't have these. [Keep]

Auto Lights and wipers-

I'm surprised that I like these. [Keep]

Auto car door locking at 12mph-

Love this [Keep] (Wished it also locked automatically when no activity detected in car after 2 mins.)

What would you guys keep/lose/add?

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