peterb

Sorry to say that after 2 Lexuses I've ordered a 325i. (My company car gets replaced every 4 years)

I will rearly miss the great looks, the build quality and the (comparative) rarity. But....

1. The spec of the lowest IS250 model is now lower than when I got mine

2. The CO2 output is terrible compared to the 325i (which despite the badge has a 3 litre engine)

3. Lease costs for Lexus are much higher than BMW

4. I can't deny that the BMW handles better

Best wishes

Peter

I should be along (+ 1)

Food at ACE Cafe is excellent, by the way

Nice to meet up with you all - my wife also enjoyed it and now wants to replace her Yaris with a Lexus...... Looking forward to the next event.

"its all about making money, a compact hatch will sell "

So would a four-pot, petrol IS, but there isn't one of those....

Hi DJ. Good to catch-up with you!

As I mentioned to people at the Ace Cafe last night, it righted itself. (self-fixing car - cool!)

I pressed eject on a disc today and the usual whirring noise happened but the disc didn't come out.

It whirred for a long time before fervant prayer stopped it but still no disc.

Any ideas, or do I need to go to the dealer?

(It's the standard CD unit, not multimedia and the disc is a normal CD, not mp3 or CDR)

"Hopefully Peter meant straight 6...unless he's had the ultimate mod"

Profile now updated!

IS250 Auto replaced IS200 last year! Seriously, new car uses very little petrol for a V6..

43-44 mpg from the 4 cyl diesel driving steadily on a motorway?

I get 38-40 from the V6 petrol in those conditions!

"its overpriced IS250"

Overpriced compared to what?

It's dearer than the IS200 was but it's a much better (and faster) car.

It's dearer than 4 cyl alternatives but compares favourably to other V6 engined cars from B*W, Mercedes, Jaguar, Audi etc.

(BTW I think the SE-L is pretty expensive, but no one has to pay the extra if they don't want to)

I've nearly had an A4 twice but would say the Lexus has the edge.

I'm a bit surprised you can't decide because the engines are SOOO different. Personally, I'd always pick 6 cyl petrol over 4 cyl diesel unless I was doing starship mileages.

Manual no help at all! I might have to call the dealer at this rate.

I guess it'll stop me stopping too close to someone in a traffic jam!

My Is250 Auto is here at last (have had a loan car for 6 weeks or so)!

I adore it, but.... the parking sensors go off even when the car is in neutral or park! So, if I park close to something (I live in London), I have to switch off the engine to stop the noise!

Surely that can't be right? The IS200 reversing sensors only worked when the car was in reverse.

Any thoughts?

An IS on 16" wheels/205's has less noise,

I have a base IS250 on 16" wheels and, unless the road surface is bad, it's very quiet - certainly way quieter than my old IS200 on 17" rims.

I tried it a few times and it does make a difference but the fuel economy just went into freefall :o

Same for me. Interestingly, according to the trip computer I got 43mpg yesterday with the ECT button set to off! Mainly motorways (sticking to 70mph) but not exclusively. I was a bit surprised.....

I got my IS250 last week and diascovered the button (well hidden) a few days later. The car feels a little sharper with it, so I leave it switched on most of the time, what do others think?

Good news - a courtesy car will arrive on 2nd May. Dunno which model, but as I've ordered a base IS250, then it can only be the same or better!

Thanks for the pointers on getting a courtesy car!

BUT Lexus are giving me a GS until then!

I'd settle for that....

So.....

I ordered IS250 (base, auto) via company's leasing firm on December 20th.

I didn't hear anything for a couple of months so I chased in late Feb and was told that I'd get my car in late April.

As my diary is filling up for this month, I asked for a delivery date. The leasing firm chased the dealer (and Lexus UK) and Lexus admitted that they had provided "missleading information" about progress of vehicles at the factory.

Latest date provided is a 25th May delivery to the dealer (not my house). Given the need to prepare the car and add the parking sensors, I won't be getting it until June although there was a vague mention of a courtesy car.

What's going on? Lexus's brand is based on customer service. How long will that last if they treat people like this? All my friends know how put out I am.

Thanks everyone - will stick with black.

In truth, I'm miffed I can't get the SE model with leather, but my firm's leasing company gets far wose terms on Lexus than B*W or Audi.

I loved that Lexus Japan website - why doesn't the UK one do that?

Cheers

Peter

I've been enduring the usual long wait for IS250 Auto (ordered December). I have now been told end of April, but can have within 2 weeks if I compromise on the interior colour.

I'd ordered with black cloth but can get a car quicker with "Lichfield" (ivory) cloth.

I tend to think ivory looks good for leather but am not sure about ivory cloth. Has anyone seen this interior? Also, what colour is the dash with ivory seats?

Thanks

Peter

PS Exterior is Brechin Slate

Ordered my IS250 company car via our leasing company in December. It apparently won't arrive until April and they don't even have a build date yet...

I thought the advantage of a simple model range was that you didn't have to wait ages for a car!!!

I'm not sure I buy the argument that they're selling loads. I work in the West End of London and we get to see new models on the road pretty quickly and I've only seen one here.

Not happy..... The 217 BHP Audi I *didn't* order is taking on a more attractive shape in my mind!

But for now all that I can say is that you've done the right thing matey...(IMHO), especially as a New A4 comes out in 2007 (early) and anything you buy now will be worth 50% what you have paid in 2 years...

←

Many thanks - it was a tough call, especially given the Audi had 220 BHP (limited edition).

I was wrong (see post on page 29). I will NOT be switching to Audi!

Have now had 2nd test drive, this time with automatic. Now I've never liked autos, but this is something else. IS200 feels very old all of a sudden - roll on delivery in February.....

Well, I seem to be in a minority, but I didn't like the IS250 that much....

Of course it's a good car, and if I was given one I'd be pleased. But:

1. as noted above, the spec is inflexible - e.g. can't get heated seats on base model

2. it's very noisy due to tyre roar - one of my few criticisms of my IS200. Even on some 30 mph roads it was loud and on the M11 I couldn't hear what the dealer was saying in the back.

3. I found the driving experience rather remote - the steering felt slightly detatched (although it handeled well) and the car felt rather big and heavy rather than nimble.

4. Torque has improved, but I was expecting more from the extra 500cc

In summary, I found the car a bit middle aged.

I'm very dissapointed as I've loved my IS200 to bits.

I'll probably get the Audi A4 with the 2.0T engine - preferrably the limited edition version with 217 BHP.

"Maybe the uncomfortable truth is that if you feel you are unable to afford the price of the new car, then in Lexus's eyes you are not the target market for their products"

I think this could be true - they've gone for an upmarket entry level model to get a particular market positioning.

The other possibility is that an entry level 2 litre will follow. Does anyone else remember Jaguar insisting that there would never be a front drive X-Type and then going ahead and selling one?