JFB2

OK, the list price for the 125i with options to bring it up to Lexus-standard is £29,300. The dealer's first offer was £27,500. With £9k for my Lexus that leaves £18,500 to pay. I was looking to change for around £16,000, which would be completely do-able if the second-hand car market hadn't jumped out a top floor window... The dealer suggested a private sale, but I can't face people coming round in the dark, driving my car with no insurance, planning to dump me on the road-side at knife-point...

Don't want to depress everybody in the run-up to Xmas, but here goes anyway. I've been looking at replacing my IS 220d SE with a BM 125i Coupe, and got a shock. Went down the local BM dealer today, borrowed the Coupe for the day, got back there about 4pm and started negotiating. Well, wanted to start negotiating, except the chappie came straight to the point and said he could only offer £9k for my IS. 9K!!!!! The car is in near mint condition, no scrapes on alloys, only 19,300 miles, 06 reg March 2006, parking sensors, FSH etc. Glass's says it's worth around £12k, but apparently book means nothing at the moment. He said the market was in freefall and only one of his contacts even wanted to make a proper offer. He p!ssed me off a bit by saying that if it had MM it would sell for a lot more, but he's trying to sell me an ex-management BM also without SatNav - but of course BMs don't need SatNav to keep their value... Looks like I'll be taking the IS into warranty-expired territory - wish me luck!!!

As a customer of Lexus Brighton, I was really shocked to receive a letter today from Lexus Brighton saying that they are closing their showroom on 4 December. They will still be able to offer servicing. This is a real pain in the backside as I'm just starting to look for a replacement for my 220d and am seriously considering a 250. I know that Lexus have been one of the worst hit manufacturers, but closing dealerships when there are so few anyway is desperate... JFB

take a look at broard speed there is a 2k+ saving on that model. Thanks dgman. Was at BMW dealer yesterday, not interested in my 220d which is unsurprising given they don't have a Lexus brand dealership. The satnav on the 1 series is almost £2k, and bluetooth is another £500!!! That's theft...

That's really bad news on the 220d, although not unexpected. I'm due to change in the New Year, and don't expect v. much for mine, although like Jamboo's it's immaculate, especially with the new (free) replacement alloys. Jamboo - I looked at DrivetheDeal to see what the discount would be on a BMW 125i Coupe SE - and it came back with - ZIPPO. No discount. Why is it that I always want the one with no discounts... Any other suggestions?

Thanks for the insight on the C30 Keith. I really love the look of that car, especially in pearl white (I never thought I'd say something like that - sounds like a colour for girls!) Sounds a bit like the IS - beautiful body compromised by what's underneath. I've almost made a decision on the replacement for my 220d. I'm looking at a new Beemer 125i SE Coupe. Really want the growl of the 6 cylinders in a nifty little body. Extras are a bit pricey mind you... JFB

Hi Nidgemo, I've had my IS220d for about 2.5 years and am broadly happy with it. I would recommend it but with a few provisos. To answer your questions in turn: 1. "What are they like?" They are good. Very good looking, inside and out. The front seats are absolutely superb and beat a 3-series hands down. Very easy to live with too. The diesel does sound like a tractor on cold start, but soon warms up and is then a completely different car - smooth, reasonably quiet, refined. When cold, take-up at a junction can be a bit slow, so lots of revs needed, gearbox also better when warm. Great grip on large tyres, sharp steering, firm but not uncomfortable ride. 2. "Costs - is servicing or upkeep expensive?" I have found Lexus dealers very reasonably priced for servicing, and I prefer having set servicing intervals as it makes planning easier and you can sure that oil etc is all in order. 3. "Fuel - I've read official figures stating in the mid-30's MPG for these cars." I get 37 consistently in mixed driving conditions, and about 40-42 on a motorway run. This is a heavy car with a lot of kit, so that probably isnt too bad all things considered. But this is not a latest generation diesel, and Toyota aren't as good at engineering diesels as the Germans. 4. "Sensors - I'm WAY too used to having parking sensors, but the model I drove seems to have them not fully fitted / activated." You definitely need sensors as rear visibility is poor, and the rear camera some models come with is not as useful. 5. "Model - is this the sport model" Yep, sounds like it to me. Non-sports don't have metal pedals etc. 6. "Faults - are there any faults common to these cars" If you're unlucky you MAY get some shenanigans in relation to the engine - fifth injector and other stuff related to the emissions control system. I've not had any problems, touch wood, but I've had the recall adjustments - you should ask to make sure the car for sale has had this done, and check the paperwork is stamped. Otherwise, the odd rattle, but nothing is perfect! 7. "Insurance and tax" - I don't pay company car tax, but I find the tax disc OK and insurance very much depends on shopping around. I found esure much cheaper than Tesco for example. 8. "Anything else I should know, or even any other questions I should be asking!" - get a good price! Second hand values are in free-fall and Lexus is certainly not exempt. You can get a new one with £4k off if you look in the right places. I think the 220d is a pretty safe bet. And it gets loads more looks that a 3 series. As someone else said on here - the 3-series is the copier salesman's car!!! Cheers JFB

Hi JFB, I can't help feeling that you're being a little unreasonable. It's not Lexus's fault that you moved to a place outside their pick-up area. There has to be an economic cut-off point. I can understand you being disappointed but it's not the end of the world. Why not just explain the situation to them and ask for a Saturday service while-you-wait? Is it so bad to go along with a couple of newspapers or a good book or a laptop and just veg out in a comfy chair for a while, drinking Lexus coffee? Or watching their TV? Not sure where the dealership is in TW but perhaps there are some shops locally that you could wander round? It's not that big a deal. I guess the clue was: "I'm indifferent towards my 220d at the best of times" Maybe you're just sore with Lexus for some reason? Anyway, I'm sorry that you're unhappy with Lexus. I'm a new customer but have found the customer service so far to be really excellent. Hi Fred, I think you might be right. I'm fed up with the product to be honest. I used to get more excitement out of my Ford Focus. Just to set the record straight, I've had very good service from Lexus Oxford, and I think that if I'd bought the car from Lexus TW they would probably come and get it, but as they didn't get the sale you can't really blame them I suppose. I've taken your advice, and am going for "while-u-wait" on a Saturday. BTW, the other half has a Jag XK which he's deeply in love with. He wouldn't have time to drop off my runabout. JFB PS: anyone taken with the piccies of the new Honda Accord Tourer? Looks great and the 2nd generation diesel sounds interesting. Could be the next one.

Why does your car need to go in for a service on a Saturday? If you have a loan car from the dealer this means that your car can go in for a service on a weekday- you will have a loan car to go about your business, or am I missing something? Cos I can't get to Tunbridge Wells during the week without taking a morning off work - it's 45 minutes in the wrong direction each way. I get the train to work into Victoria every day. In fact would need two mornings off work if I wasn't prepared to wait 2 hours while they did the service...

Do you think they'd lend me a car for a whole week for a service?

Hey Folks, Just a quickie. I bought my IS220d from Oxford Lexus when I lived there, but I've since moved to East Grinstead in Sussex. Now need a 2nd year service (only done 14k miles tho'), and find out that nearest dealer is in Tunbridge Wells, 13 miles away. They won't do pick-up/drop-off unless it's local, and as work takes me in the opposite direction I'll have to drop it off on one Saturday and pick it up on the following Saturday, with a lift from my other half each time. I'm indifferent towards my 220d at the best of times, but Lexus can rest assured that I won't be buying another one with a dealership so far away, particularly when BMW, Merc, Audi, Jag etc are all round the corner in Gatwick. How do others get round the distant dealer problem? JFB

Hi there, I've had mine for nearly 2 years (18,000 miles) and it does about 36 mpg in mixed driving. Cheers and good luck! JFB

Just to chip into this debate, I think kerbweight is pretty important and the Lexus is certaintly heavier than the 320d (although the weight isn't in the front doors which feel Yaris-light...) One thought is that the IS is engineered for 4WD (a pre-requisite for the US market) and this probably makes a difference. Of course it's more costly to produce a lighter vehicle than a heavier one of the same specification and performance. And Lexus are cheaper.

Hi Paul, the gearbox certainly isn't a 220d strong point - in fact Toyotas generally aren't renowned for their slick shifting. There've been quite a few posts previously about how it needs to 'have the edges knocked off it' and it probably will improve over time. I find changing down from 2nd to 1st is the worst - quite obstructive. Best not to rush it - the gentler you change, the better the response. Comparing it to an ST isn't a good move; its gearbox will definitely be sharper than a Lexus manual. JFB

I accept all of that - but the problem is that my car before my 220d was a M-B 270CLK, which I could drive as aggressively as I wanted using its auto box, and consistently get 45MPG in mixed driving. I do accept that this car didn't have the latest pollution reduction technology, but still...

Rich13, I'd just like to back up what everyone's been saying here - don't even consider the diesel. It's a dud, seriously. I have had one for over 18 months and it's a disappointment - noisy, rough and really bad MPG. Go for the petrol, whatever it takes.

Please don't take this the wrong way FinLex, but why should I have to "really concentrate" to get proper mileage from a car? I want to drive like to always have done - quickly, but smoothly, and without worrying "ooh, did I rev it too much? will it affect my mpg?". THat's just ridiculous.

My experience mirrors exactly everyone else's: the 2.2D engine simply does not suit the IS. I have now done 15,000 and the MPG hovers around 37-38, with mostly m-way driving or gentle B-road. This is quite frankly appalling, and I have regretted not buying the petrol auto almost every day. If there are any potential punters out there: BUY THE PETROL AUTO. If I was offered a decent trade-in I would switch tomorrow. The fuel consumption is identical on the diesel manual and petrol auto models, and I am a private buyer so no tax benefit to the diesel. Sorry to be so negative, but Toyota is not a diesel specialist - petrols and petrol/hybrids yes, diesels no.

My wheels just have small bubbles under the paint, no pitting. They're definitely spreading - looks a bit like acne for wheels! One of the reasons I haven't done anything about it yet is that I live near Gatwick, and there's nowhere round here to take the car in to. Nearest centres are Tunbridge W, Croydon or Brighton, all of which are at least an hour away at peak times. Do you think one of them would come and collect it for me? JFB2

Just a quickie. Three of the alloys on my IS220d have started bubbling up - I presume this is corrosion under the paint/lacquer. It's only minor at the moment, but it's in quite a few places. Is this something that should be happening so early in a car's lifetime? I don't remember it happening with any of the other brands I had before my Lexus. Advice very much appreciated. JFB

Audi Al, take my advice: go for the IS250. I am a happy IS220d driver, but would be a lot happier if I had chosen the petrol auto. The fuel consumption is almost identical between models, and the V6 is sweet and the auto excellent. As can be seen from all the postings here, the diesel is a bit of a dog.

I bought my IS partly because the seats are so good - I have a recurring back problem, and had to urgently get rid of my Merc as it aggravated it. Love sitting in my IS by comparison. Eunos, sounds like a visit to the dealer is in order.

Fellow members' fuel economy experience is exactly the same for me with my 220d. I can't get beyond 41 mpg even at a constant 65mph on the motorway. This is way down on my previous Merc CLK270 CDI which would happily reach 45mpg above the limit. I think this car is very heavy (perhaps the engineering for the 4WD system?). Lexus know that the fuel economy is a big disappointment, but probably don't know what to do about it. Perhaps they should try lightweighting it like Alfa have promised to do with the new 159. I wouldn't mind so much if the engine was a gem, but it's horribly, horribly noisy and rough. I'm embarrassed when the engine's cold and the neighbours are looking on, not believing that such a beautiful car can be producing the noise of a tractor...

My 220d has a nasty rattle emanating from the passenger's side of the dash - I can't work out exactly where from, but it's getting worse. If I get the recall notice for the seat belts, I ask them to fix it at the same time. Purchased it in March 2006. I had a couple of glitches when I purchased the Lexus which meant I had an early model 250 for the day, and that one rattled like a playpen, from all parts of the interior. Doesn't bode well... JFB

Very nice. Impressive. How about doing something with the flower beds? :winky: JFB