Buying Is 220D F-Sport. What To Be Aware Of?

[toffee_pie]

dont know anything about this fangled auto stuff, i am a manual guy. :p

[gji25]

they def work on a 2010 is250f sport

[ColinBarber]

is there an IS Auto F-Sports model at all?

they all are, no IS250 F-Sport manual

[s168]

"as to the OP forget about the desiel. get the petrol 250f with the mark levinson media pack"

Thanks. I'm coming to that conclusion myself after a bit of research on owner reviews. Normally the diesel variants are a bit pricier in the aftermarket but for the Lexus IS it seems it's the other way round. So there must be a reason for that!

"they all are, no IS250 F-Sport manual"

Interesting that there are no manual sports. Is there any difference between the engine / gearboxes in use for the F-Sports Auto vs the SE-L Auto?

[normski2]

"they all are, no IS250 F-Sport manual"
Interesting that there are no manual sports.

Don't forget with the auto you can put the stick in S mode and drive it like a manual or you can use the steering wheel paddles. The manual would be £485 pa road tax and the auto is £280. Lexus have no need to make a manual as its effectively covered by the auto.

Not sure of any differences from SEL to F Sport. Mine is 2.5Ltr V6 with 6 spd auto box.

Did the F Sport have 8 spd box like the ISF? Need an F Sport owner for that info. It might just be trim levels that are different...things like ally foot pedals, body styling kits, etc

[gji25]

the is 250f sport is indeed 6 speed and the isf (5.0 v8 yamaha) is indeed 8 speed

[ChumpusRex]

So do any of you own an IS 250 automatic with the paddle shifts? I'm quite keen on that for some reason, as I've never owned a car with that feature before and wonder if it's that much better than the standard automatic one?

The auto is very good. Very slick and smooth, and always seems to know which gear you want - Like if you're giving a bit of welly through some country roads; when you let off for the corners, it won't change up on you, like all of the more basic autos I've driven.

The paddle shifts don't work how you'd think they should. They don't choose the gear! They're like changing down manually on an auto - so if you select 4 on the paddles, that means "use 1, 2, 3 and 4 as appropriate for engine load, accelerator position and vehicle speed " not "use 4". What it means is that you can't change up with the paddles - the box won't change up until you press up, but it'll wait until it's good and ready. Similarly, you can't over-rev with the paddles - if you try, you'll just get an angry beep from the computer and it will assume that you didn't mean to press it.

I don't think the paddles are useful in normal driving, except in mountainous or rural conditions - when you might want to manually select a lower gear for steep climbs where you want to avoid the gearbox constantly hunting for a gear due to changes in gradient, or where you want to pre-select a low gear on a road with limited overtaking opportunity. For example, I rarely use the S mode, but I do if I'm going across the A57 Snake pass.

[toffee_pie]

the is 250f sport is indeed 6 speed and the isf (5.0 v8 yamaha) is indeed 8 speed

hang on a sec now, the OP mentoned a 220d and now we are talking 5.0 litre petrols...?

[ColinBarber]

the is 250f sport is indeed 6 speed and the isf (5.0 v8 yamaha) is indeed 8 speed

hang on a sec now, the OP mentoned a 220d and now we are talking 5.0 litre petrols...?

The OP during the thread specifically asked about the 250 auto box

[s168]

Yes. During the thread it came to light that the diesel was not a good idea for me given the known issues with it. So I've now switched my interest over to the petrol equivalent, with an automatic transmission.

[toffee_pie]

that is fine but its a bit jump from a is250 to a 5.0 petrol....!

the bottom line is the i250 is a great petrol car, I got a manual and that is good too, the manual box takes some getting used to but get a se-l spec and you wont go wrong.

[ColinBarber]

that is fine but its a bit jump from a is250 to a 5.0 petrol....!

please read the thread. The statement about the IS F was answering a question is to whether the IS F Sport has a 6 speed transmission or an 8 speed one.

To answer to to the question about the F Sport engine/gearbox, there are no differences between it and the other IS 250 autos in terms of the drivetrain. The F Sport has a lowered suspension set up and styling differences, inside and out.

[s168]

ColinBarber, thanks for the clarification.

toffie_pie, yes, think I've narrowed down my options to just the SE-L and Sport versions. The problem I'm finding is a decent one on the used car market. I've been checking eBay and Gumtree so far. Am I looking at the wrong places?

[ColinBarber]

imo you are looking in the wrong place. Autotrader is still the best place to find used vehicles. Depending on budget the Lexus web site lists all the used vehicles available throughout the official dealerships.

[toffee_pie]

lexus have them but pay a hefty premium over used car web sites, autotrader is where i got my one.

dont know who buys cars on gumtree.....

[gji25]

I also sourced mine from autotrader a year ago, paid 15k for it with 14.000mls flsh and the brakes were shot with just that mileage... oh yea forgot to mention.. if you do go for a is250 be prepared to change the brake parts quite regular :eg pads/discs/caliper/slider pins as the braking system on these cars are diabolical. changed all mine to brembo as used on the isf

[normski2]

Me too....autotrader.....but looked/tested quite a lot before I found the one I wanted. Then drove 190 miles to get it.

[s168]

I've just checked Autotrader. You guys are right... Quite a few cars on there that aren't advertised on the places I've been checking. I'll be calling up one seller tomorrow to see the car.

[toffee_pie]

I also sourced mine from autotrader a year ago, paid 15k for it with 14.000mls flsh and the brakes were shot with just that mileage... oh yea forgot to mention.. if you do go for a is250 be prepared to change the brake parts quite regular :eg pads/discs/caliper/slider pins as the braking system on these cars are diabolical. changed all mine to brembo as used on the isf

I was looking at getting aftermarket brakes, what exactly did you get? big brake kits are expensive and not sure if worth the outlay.

Would aftermarket discs/pads be much of an improvement over OEM?

[gji25]

ive actually put brembo pads/discs/calipers on my f sport but they are of the single piston caliper/ with vented discs as are the lexus ones / which is 100% better than the lexus bog standard ones. you wont need the big set, your also be surprised @ the price of brembo if you do a little research. google is your friend

[gji25]

but apart from the brake problem its a georgeous car and well worth the investment.

I had a is 200 navigator before my 250f and apart from the brakes on that it was faultless just like my 250f

[gji25]

so in the real world as lexus say amazing in motion apart from the brakes lol . but on a serios subject they really do need to admit the fact that the brakes on a is 250 series is shocking and needs to be addresed

[toffee_pie]

what is your consensus on the f sport clutch?

The F-Sport Performance Clutch Set upgrades your OE clutch to increase performance. Clamping force is increased 16% to 1675 pounds with very little alteration in pedal effort. Torque capacity is improved and the feel of the clutch during engagement is more positive, improving the driving experience. A new standard disc is supplied with the upgraded pressure plate to ensure smooth operation, particularly in stop-and-go traffic conditions.

Is this good to go with OEM fly wheel? My lexus is great but the clutch is a bit heavy.

the cost is about 700 dollars for this part, plus labour.

I have not seen single piston brembo calipers? most brembos are $$$$ ?

http://is.sewellparts.com/accessories-catalog/fsport/IS250-2008/1804.html

[Derek870]

Yep I have the flappy paddles, think I used them once to see what they did, to be honest I think the computers do a better job of changing gear.................its all in the name automatic lol

I leave my car in ect mode and its smooth quiet and...................oh yes its a Lexus

Just love this car!

[ColinBarber]

what is your consensus on the f sport clutch?

The F-Sport Performance Clutch Set upgrades your OE clutch to increase performance. Clamping force is increased 16% to 1675 pounds with very little alteration in pedal effort. Torque capacity is improved and the feel of the clutch during engagement is more positive, improving the driving experience. A new standard disc is supplied with the upgraded pressure plate to ensure smooth operation, particularly in stop-and-go traffic conditions.

Is this good to go with OEM fly wheel? My lexus is great but the clutch is a bit heavy.

the cost is about 700 dollars for this part, plus labour.

I have not seen single piston brembo calipers? most brembos are $$$$ ?

http://is.sewellparts.com/accessories-catalog/fsport/IS250-2008/1804.html

'very little alteration in pedal effort' - means the clutch would be slightly heavier than standard.

Why the need to upgrade the brakes? Check them every year to make sure the sliding pins aren't binding and save yourself some money.