Is200?

[Froomer]

I have just changed job with my company and they have agreed to let me opt-out of my company car for cash....result..

I have 2 cars in mind - the Audi A4 and the Lexus IS200 SE. Giong on the spec the IS200 makes the A4 look like a skoda. But the Audi build Qaulity is good. I like the idea of a six speed straight six rear wheel drive.

Having never owned a Lexus and want some real advise form a non lexus salesman I pose the question to this forum.

Any advise wold be really appreciated.

[UKPulse]

No contest really - my money is on the Lexus IS 200SE.

- Build quality: While the Audi shows the typical German competence, Lexus build quality is widely acknowledged as being superb.

- Reliability: Audi reliability slightly above average, however Lexus reliability is legendary.

- Security: Audi scored well in the WahtCar review. The Lexus IS200 won the WhatCar 2003 Award for security, and got a perfect score in Which? magazine.

- Performance & Handling: Front wheel drive Audi vs. rear wheel drive Lexus, which to my mind is more of a drivers car. The Lexus 6 pot power plant is also much more refined, although the A4 1.8T has the edge in straight line acceleration.

- Value for money: Bringing an A4 up to the same equipment level as an IS will leave you about £3,000 out of pocket. The Lexus gives you a lot of extras in the price.

- Residuals: The Audi A4 1.8T and Lexus IS 200SE are about the same here.

- Dealers: My own personal experience of Audi dealers is not good, and this is backed up by numerous comments in the Audi forums. On the whole, Lexus dealers are the envy of the motor industry.

The jewel in the crown is probably the fact that Lexus has come top in the JD Powers survey for the last two years running, based largely on feedback of IS owners.

Believe me, I'm not biased. Before I bought my first IS 200SE a couple of years ago, the A4 was on my short list. I discounted it because the driving experience was uninteresting, the dealers were indifferent, and value for money-wise it just didn't add up. When I was looking to upgrade earlier this year, I again looked at the A4 3.0, but had the same bad dealer experience with Audi, and the Lexus was just a far better all round package.

And last but not least... Lexus has the best Owners Club going! :D :D B)

[Froomer]

Great info, Thanks alot for your help. Im going to test drive Lexus tomorrow and probaly put down deposit on a new one.

Saleman has offered me a IS200 se man @ around £19k on the road..Is that good or should I haggle a little more?

[Stu]

ALWAYS HAGGLE! :P

you never know what else you might get out of them!

Stu

[smw]

Details of my recent haggle as a guide for you:

Brand new IS 200 SE manual (in black with exmoor) with mats and flaps.

£19450. GBP.

Think I could also shave about another £100 off or get a sport grill put on if I was determined enough. Service packages are a good extra to haggle for but in my experience they (dealers) are a bit reluctant to offer them up - prefering instead to offer extras such as flaps, paintwork protection (supraguard ?) etc.

If you do decide to go for a brand new one post a topic on the forum first before signing up with your local dealership. There are a few members here who are Lexus dealers and will probably cut a better deal for you.

If you don't mind almost new and don't want dealer facilities certainly put a post up as you will be made a great offer on an import.

[Wosket]

Go for the Lexus mate, all those extras and lot more exciting looking interior. I haven't any friends with an A4 but have with A3's and TT's. They've both had a fair bit of trouble, window clips breaking, excessive tyre wear and unhelpful dealers. Saying that a mate of mine has a Golf V6 2.8 4motion and he's had an even more terrible time! All these cars share parts and stuff and they just dont seem to be that reliable. Also the VW warranty is getting smaller and smaller, not sure if this applies to Audi as well or not?

[Froomer]

SMW, I will be using the Leigh-on-sea dealership. Ive got the insurance sorted out, One final thing to do before I decide is the test-drive.

[BESTY]

go for lexus,fun to drive,bit tail happy though on wet and icy roads ;)

[Froomer]

Also im stuck on which colour to choose!!

I cant decide between Platinum Ice and Strathcaron Blue. They both look really nice.

im driving a 307 in silver at hte moment and im getting bored with the colour (everyone is getting silver nowadays)... The blue I really like but Ive seen about 10 IS200's and they all look differant shades.

Is this because the blue fades or Lexus change the shade with each year make??

[Steve]

go for platinum ice.. silver looks well nice over the blue.

Didnt the IS200 win the JD power awards in Germany?/ Beating BMW in their home country?

[ColinBarber]

There should only be two blues. The early ones are Royal Sapphire and the later Strathcaron. If you look at photos then yes Strathcaron blues always seems different, in the flesh there are the same. I would go with the blue, there are so many silver ones about. The grey is also nice.

On the VW/Audi front I would say there are not above average in reliability. Certainly not in JD power or Which? studies. I know people with A3, A4, S3, Bora, Golf and Polo and all have had problems. The 1.8T engine is very troublesome, with poor dump valves and the ignition system is weak. The dealers never seems to fix the problems on the first go either.

[smw]

SMW, I will be using the Leigh-on-sea dealership.

There is a dealer about 3 miles outside of Southend (Rayleigh ?) anyway must be near you if you are looking in Leigh so might be worth a comparision trip down there ?

Good luck anyway.

BTW - colour - I would go with black every time but obviously it's personal taste. Plat ice is nice but most people would agree there are a lot of them about. Blue is good. Red is very nice but you need to be a bit brave ! I would also go Exmoor interior over Oakham but again personal taste.

[ifraz]

I have 2 cars in mind - the Audi A4 and the Lexus IS200 SE. Giong on the spec the IS200 makes the A4 look like a skoda. But the Audi build Qaulity is good. I like the idea of a six speed straight six rear wheel drive.

If Johhny Boy comes on the site again soon, he will be the best person who can compare the IS with an A4 for you. He used to own a Black IS and was recently driving an A4 until his new BMW company car was delivered.

I like the look of the A4 but much prefer the IS :P It's in a class of it's own. It def. has more road presense and a greater 'wow' factor. B)

[stevenage_saint]

I am being biased but go for the IS200. I went to look at the Audi A4 Quattro but dealer did not want to let me test drive. It took a complain to Audi UK after 3 failed attempts for a test dive, by which time I bought the Lexus. Audi sent me the Audi life mag, and when I read the letters page all i saw was, "My company car has changed to the A4", "My company are giving me an A4 as a car" etc. I found Audi dealers bad and after reading the mag I came to the conclusion that Audi are now heading into rep-mobile markets. The Lexus you see very few on the road ( well up north you do on M6 in Cheshire) and you get a lot more for your money.

As for colour I would go for Plat Ice with Exmore interior. The problems with Blues, reds, and dark colours is they are harder to match and you can spot re-sprays, but must admit Granit sky and Blue really did look nice and I had a hard time deciding on what to go for.

[javaboss]

SMW, I will be using the Leigh-on-sea dealership.

There is a dealer about 3 miles outside of Southend (Rayleigh ?) anyway must be near you if you are looking in Leigh so might be worth a comparision trip down there ?

Good luck anyway.

BTW - colour - I would go with black every time but obviously it's personal taste. Plat ice is nice but most people would agree there are a lot of them about. Blue is good. Red is very nice but you need to be a bit brave ! I would also go Exmoor interior over Oakham but again personal taste.

Lexus Hadleigh is the "Leigh" dealership. I've had 3 IS200's from them and they're great. Talk to Jeremy Chilton. He's sold me my last 3 cars and has always been very helpful and friendly and has always given me what I consider to be an excellent deal!

[smw]

SMW, I will be using the Leigh-on-sea dealership.

There is a dealer about 3 miles outside of Southend (Rayleigh ?) anyway must be near you if you are looking in Leigh so might be worth a comparision trip down there ?

Lexus Hadleigh is the "Leigh" dealership.

[Fidgits]

Have you actually bought your IS yet SMW???