Lexus Is220D Sport Multimedia - Two Weeks On . . .

[icalderhead]

Ok, two weeks ago I bought an 08 plate 220d sport and have made the following observations:

The Bad Bits:

1 Fuel consumption is a lot less than I had originally thought, a week after I bought the car I drove it from Swindon to Middlesborough at a constant 75MPH and the return was 32.5

2. The overall handling is quite good, however, driving on some B roads can sometimes get the heart racing when the car moves unexpectedly "I guess that is down to the low profit tyres getting caught in the ruts"

3. The heated front seats don't work

4. The accelerator / brake / clutch pedal's are to close to each other - ok if you have small feet !

5. The boot release on the remote fob doesn't work

6. There is a bit of a lag as you let the clutch out between gears

7. Road tax was higher than expected "£260"

8. Fully comprehensive insurance higher than expected £100 more than my previous car "VW Bora" 1.9 turbo diesel

The Good Bits:

1. The power / torque is quite something and very useful when overtaking

2. The seating/driving position is excellent

3. It is one of the most comfortable cars I have ever driven, long motorway journeys are now a pleasure

4. The room in the back and in the boot are more than adequate "personal view"

5. The reversing camera is an added bonus "so say's the wife" :-)

6. The sound system is awesome

7. Rear onboard DVD should help with re-sell

8. It's a real head turner and in my view more of a prestige car than the BMW / Mercedes cars that I was originally look at.

[Silver Arrow]

Nice mate - the best of the 220d's in that guise (IS220d Sport)

[DAN@ADRIAN FLUX]

Hi,

If you need any help with insurance when it's due for renewal please feel free to drop me a line.

Regards,

Dan.

[Wozza]

For boot release you need to hold the button for a few seconds it's not instant. That caught me out. This can be changed at a dealer to single, double or long press (default).

[icalderhead]

Thank you Daniel, I've just renewed it for 12 months but I will keep you in mind when it is next due . . . providing I still have the car that is :-)

Nice one Wozza, I'm going outside to try that now lol

Cheers guy's

[icalderhead]

Well, it doesn't look like I will be keeping this Lexus very long, first week of normal traveling to work and back has cost £71.60 in diesel for 391 miles.

Looking at the official figures for the IS220D sport, I should be getting around the 38mpg mark at the very least given it's age and milage. However, I can't seem to be able to get more than 33 which is not good when you consider that as I professional LGV driver with a current CPC and SAFED trained, I have been driving it with not the slightest sign of lead in my boots.

Any ideas before the wife makes me sell what is probable the best car I have owned to date ?

[icalderhead]

Another problem.

I guess I should have noticed this before I bought the car but for some strange reason the last owner has put different size tyres on the front to the back! The front has 225-40-13 and the back has 255-40-16 which I guess why it handles the way it does. They are 18inch alloys "see above pic"

Would this cause the issue with low fuel return

Regards

[is200 Newbie]

The previous owner has probably rotated the tyres not knowing the backs are bigger than the fronts.

Also check the rotation arrow when putting then back correctly - make sure they are turning the way they should.

The rear wheels are bigger than the fronts but I am not too sure on the correct sizes so may be worth you checking you have the correct ones for the car.

[Exdee]

Another problem.

I guess I should have noticed this before I bought the car but for some strange reason the last owner has put different size tyres on the front to the back! The front has 225-40-13 and the back has 255-40-16 which I guess why it handles the way it does. They are 18inch alloys "see above pic"

Would this cause the issue with low fuel return

Regards

The IS has a staggered wheel setup.

I think you mean 225/40/18 Front and 255/40/18 Rear which is the correct tyre size for the alloys that you have.

If MPG is a concern then you need to change your car. This will not give you the kind of mileage you are after.

[Silver Arrow]

On the other hand.....

Now that you've got the car, and unless you can get all of your money back, the cost to change could you buy you a lot of diesel. Once you're in this predicament, there is no easy answer.

I know a few people on here get decent MPG from their 220d's, but I don't use the accelerator like an "on off" switch and had to be so patient and try so hard to get over 40 mpg with mine, so I can see why you're frustrated. 38ish MPG was about as good as it got under normal circumstances - a figure that IS250 Auto drivers can see without trying on a run.

[gkaloy10]

Hey mate,

A few things - I have the same spec as you.

The MPG in mine is 28-32 always no matter how i drive..... I was also expecting about 45MPG hence the switch.

Also - I took my car to get checked a week after i got it as i was sliding around roundabouts and on the country lanes!! Apparently the torque of the car and cheapo rear tyres are why it slides so much.

But i agree on the good points. Great for overtaking and epic sound system.

[icalderhead]

Thank you all for your replay's, The car is definitely growing on me so I will be keeping the car, like I said, it's probably the best car I have ever owned. The long and short of it is, I will just have to live with not getting the Lexus advertised MPG. With the air con switched off I am now getting 34.3 average so I will live with that. The tyre sizes confused me a tad by having different sizes on the front to the back but hey ho you learn something new every day :-)

The boot release works fine thanks to the advice of Wozza and the seat now works now I have replaced the fuse. The unexpected movement on some types of road still gets my heart racing from time to time but i'm guessing it 's something I will get used too.

The one thing I would like to know is if the lag on pick up after a gear change is a characteristic of the car ?

Cheers

[Wozza]

Nice to see the Lexus is growing on you and you can now use the boot release :-) Can't comment on the lag as I have an auto/petrol but I'm sure other members can.

[Grems22]

Well, it doesn't look like I will be keeping this Lexus very long, first week of normal traveling to work and back has cost £71.60 in diesel for 391 miles.

Looking at the official figures for the IS220D sport, I should be getting around the 38mpg mark at the very least given it's age and milage. However, I can't seem to be able to get more than 33 which is not good when you consider that as I professional LGV driver with a current CPC and SAFED trained, I have been driving it with not the slightest sign of lead in my boots.

Any ideas before the wife makes me sell what is probable the best car I have owned to date

Thank you all for your replay's, The car is definitely growing on me so I will be keeping the car, like I said, it's probably the best car I have ever owned. The long and short of it is, I will just have to live with not getting the Lexus advertised MPG. With the air con switched off I am now getting 34.3 average so I will live with that. The tyre sizes confused me a tad by having different sizes on the front to the back but hey ho you learn something new every day :-)

The boot release works fine thanks to the advice of Wozza and the seat now works now I have replaced the fuse. The unexpected movement on some types of road still gets my heart racing from time to time but i'm guessing it 's something I will get used too.

The one thing I would like to know is if the lag on pick up after a gear change is a characteristic of the car ?

Cheers

hey ian

ive had my 220d since december and ive had a few probs. 2 slow punctures on the rear wheels that lexus done but still leaking, faulty head light.

its going back to lexus to get sorted but the MPG the best im getting is 26avg round town wich i think theres something not right. god help me when i get the caravan on the back in the summer . im thinking i should of stuck with my volvo s60 but it is a lovely car.

[koppatroppa2002]

For boot release you need to hold the button for a few seconds it's not instant. That caught me out. This can be changed at a dealer to single, double or long press (default).

[koppatroppa2002]

Hi Wozza, any ideea how to reset my doors locking as at the moment its opening only driver door...its a drag to do it manually the other doirs especially when wife and kid :-( cheers

[Wozza]

Have a read of this thread. Read the attached pdf this may work but note it is a US site so may not work on Euro specs. Otherwise its a trip to the dealer or buy a Techstream cable from eBay for £20 and do it yourself.

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/71465-unlocking-all-doors-on-walkup/

[icalderhead]

Three months later . . . I've sold the car.

Over all the car was really nice and I enjoyed owning it but in the end it was very difficult to justify the running costs so it had to go.

Thank you to all who replied, safe motoring to you all.

Ian