Lexus IS250/350 Owners: Your Opinions Please
 

Looking for some opinions from Lexus IS250/350 owners.

As some of you may know, I recently sold my E36 M3. Simply put, I was ready to move on to something new. The E36 M3 was a very fun car to drive and offered a bit of everything an enthusiast could ask for but for me, it was time to grow up and to get something a little more refined.

I had been considering a 2008 - 2010 Lexus IS250/350 for quite some time. I'm hoping you guys could offer your input on what ownership is like in terms of reliability, service intervals, parts availability/support, pros and cons of the vehicle etc.

One thing people seem to slam the IS250 about is the power in which it is gutless. I've never driven or sat in one so I don't know this off hand. I should also note that most people dislike the IS because of its interior in which it is "cramped" and claustrophobic. That and the materials aren't up to typical Lexus snuff (so far a mixed bag of opinions.) I'm so far interested in Lexus reliability as my family has always owned Toyota/Lexus.

Ideally, I'd like one in 6-speed manual transmission but I'd only be limited to the IS250. I'm not leaning towards a particular drive train layout although I am partial to RWD.

Any inputs, comments, and opinions appreciated. Thanks! :)

Which year?

Updated my original post. Thanks for that.

Looking at 2008 - 2010 facelifted models. I don't believe the 2011+ models offer manual transmission. (Correct me if I am wrong.)

I'm in for the same info. I've done a ton a reading myself, any time you can gain 100hp and basically keep the same fuel mileage between the two models I'd go for the 350. I wish there was a 6spd/awd is350.

Interior is pretty tight. Materials on Dash are not above average but I can see why you said below avg for other lexus vehicles.

250 doesnt have grunt.

If it means anything, the E36 M3 wasn't exactly the most spacious of cars. Yeah, it had a back seat but beyond that, I don't think it was very spacious nor comfortable.

Food for thought - I felt that the Impreza/WRX/STIs were worse than the E36 M3.

I find the 350 auto to be pretty jerky and feels like it slips into gears. And the suspension is pretty stiff for what it is.
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My only concern was how tight the interior was.
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i don't think the car suits you dukes






















pic of bcrdukes for reference

http://i.imgur.com/61JeIwz.png

I drove a 350 pretty regularly for a couple months, and when I took it in to get an oil change, they gave me a 250 as a loaner. And my god, did the 250 feel weak. Even going up not-so-steep hills, you can feel the car struggling.

The backseats are disappointingly "cramped" and uncomfortable.

No complaints from me about materials/finishes.

Personally, I'd only get the 350 and wouldn't even consider the 250. But if you want manual, then you might just have to learn to love the latter ;)

IS250 have carbon build up issues and get about the same and sometimes worst mpg than the IS350...

IS350 have no problems except rattles here and there with the interior trims, the 2GR-FSE is on Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. the auto is alright it does get jerky sometimes and slow in normal mode, its worth it to get the IS with the Mark Levinson package cause it plays DVD and sounds amazing... Interior space is not as big as the 2014 well if you are short you'll fit fine in the IS, if not than its small especailly the back seat... and there is IS350AWD for the 2011 - 2013 version... handling wise is never gonna beat any M3 cuz its heavy and steering hav not much feel to it... u can probably dig up a lot more info on clublexus forums...

In my recent purchase I was debating between IS350 or TL Type-S. Settled for the latter. As some said, IS's backseat is pretty cramped.

As mentioned, be prepared to deal with carbon build-up on the intake valves with the 250 thanks to the wonderful technology of direct injection. And no the OEM top engine clean procedure is not very effective.

The RWD sits considerably lower and has a sportier stance because of the staggered wheels.

The cars are generally quite reliable and maintenance is pretty standard and fairly inexpensive.

IS250 RWD owner here and yes it is gutless but I dont drive fast so it is enough for me. So whether or not the IS250 has enough power for you is subjective. IS350 however, I'd say has more than enough power for the occasional fun and the price difference for a used one shouldn't be that big.

Space is compact, but again, I like having everything withins a arms reach. I like how the interior caress me. If you are a big white guy, It will feel claustophobic. So again, its subjective.

In terms of maintenance, I have 85,000km on my car and so far I have no major repair. The interval oil change and filter change is all this car needs.

Tires, on the other hand is an issue. The front lower arm bushing is soft and causes the front tires to toe in during turns causing premature inner tire wear. My front tires only lasted around 30-40km before I had to replace them. There is a $200 fix however, to replace the front lower arm rear amount to reduce the toe in. Which also improves steering feel a little.

There is a handful of mods you can do, notably those f-sport performance mods. The first mod I would do is the steering wheel damper. It greatly improves steering wheel weight and prevents the wheel from jumping all over the place, as the steering wheel on the IS is fairly light and loose.

My IS is currently on coils and ride comfort has been an issue. But I also heard some stories about the stock suspension getting rough around after 70-80k km, losing the factory comfortness. Alot of interior rattles. Not that they are loud annoying rattles, but the cabin is so quiet everything else just sounds very amplified. Even the tire noise.

The rear seats do not fold down. Very little leg room. No one complained during our road trip to Portland though.

There is little to none aftermarket stereos (if you are in to that stuff)

2009 is the facelift year, but 2010+ is the year I would get as it comes with bluetooth phone thing standard. Along with other changes. In 2011? the Fsport package comes with sick-ass sport seats.

I am very happy with my IS250 though, it is a great looking and refine car. I'm not in to racer boy look but there is enough subtle mods avaliable for the car incase my hands get itchy.
hmmm I'll add more as I think of some..... Let me know what else you want to know.

The manual on the IS250 is utter shit. But from the reviews I read, installing the f-sport clutch and short shifter greatly improves it, but its $$$$$$

Thanks for the detailed review Would thank you more but alas, vBulletin doesn't allow such an option.

Some points and questions:

1. Space - I got used to this owning two MR2s (AW11 and SW20), an Alfa Romeo Spider, an BMW E30 325i, and E36 M3. I'm pretty sure I can live with the space limitation. The E91 was a little more forgiving but not by much.

2. Maintenance - aside from interval oil changes and whatnot, are you aware of any "known" problems? I'm comparing apples to oranges, but there are other cars of the same age range that have already encountered failed calipers, bad water pumps, pre-mature rotor/pad wear and all sorts of retarded shit.

After owning 3 BMWs (E30/E36/E91), I no longer have the time and/or patience to deal with "preventive maintenance." Hence the decision on a Japanese car where you just set it and forget it. Some people enjoy this and don't mind this but my current life's situation does not allow it. I am more interested in a "refined" appliance, if you will. My dad's Lexus RX300 is 12 years old and recently reached his first timing belt service milestone. The timing and accessory belts were as good as new and they are original as far as the mechanic was concerned. The same goes for our Sienna CE and cousin's Camry. Nothing breaks. Solid, reliable vehicles.

3. Were you rolling on the stock/factory tires up to the 30 to 30K km mark or did you throw something else on? I think we can all agree that most stock tires suck.

4. I'd liken that at the 70 - 80K km range, most cars should have its suspension replaced but again, this is subjective. Some people just don't know and don't care. I would bundle this into the "wear and tear" category.

5. Interior rattles - Do you know the source of these rattles and/or if they are common? We all know E36 interior plastics were the worlds best by far because you can ear absolutely everything rattle. Take note of this, Rolls Royce and Maybach.

6. Rear seats not folding down - is there a cross beam in the back for structural purposes? Not a big deal for me as the E36 sedan has a cross beam/support (whatever you want to call it.) Thanks for noting this.

7. Aftermarket stereos aren't a huge deal. Does it at least allow for an iPod input somehow?

8. Technology goodies etc. Not a huge selling factor to me. Would prefer not to have any gizmos or gadgets but that's just me.

9. I've read some mixed reviews of the manual transmission but no real details. Do you have any input on this?

10. How is the car on the highway? You mentioned a trip to Portland.

Ultimately, I'd have to test drive one to decide for myself. I know it's a V6 so I'm not expecting a whole lot but coming from a 3.2L inline-6 motor, it's another apples to oranges comparison. I really don't want to get an auto but it really comes down to what's available and when push comes to shove.

Thanks again!

Not to mention, bcrdukes is always :foreveralone: I highly doubt rear seats would ever be an issue :troll:

Buy my MR2 :troll:

Have you considered checking out a GS?

examples of interior rattles is when i drive at speeds around 110km/h my rear door panel would make noises on every tiny bump on the road, well maybe cause my car is on coils i don't know if the stock suspension would bring it out or not.. yes there is a cross beam behind the seats that is y there is no folded seats but there is a small pass thru... the car is not bad on the highway it does 7.9L/100km last year when i drove to seattle, car is stable on the highway...

I have, but there aren't many available or they've been uh..."clapped out."

I've driven one for a day (pre-facelift model) and I found it incredibly twitchy with the gas and brake pedals. It's not twitchy because it's fast (it's not) it just feels more sensitive than it should be. I had to make a conscious effort to feather the gas which was a bit annoying. When the owner and I switched spots I noticed he didn't even bother and I felt like a bobblehead riding as a passenger. Talking to the owner the only problem he had was with the brake rotors warping more than a few times but I gather that has to do with driving style. Otherwise it's a pretty nice car.

btw this car is sexy from all angles.

I think its best to look at the 250 as a 4 banger eco car and compare it to the likes of a 4 banger accord in terms of power. Don't let those 2 extra cyclinders confuse you :D

Current 2009+ IS250 RWD Sport Pkg Owner.

EmperorIS summed up pretty well..

I'll add few things

1. I would not get the one with Nav. It integrates Climate control and it sucks.

2. Good info here. (some infos are US only, but most of them are pretty useful)

Buyer's Guide to Used Lexus 2nd Gen IS Models (merged buying advise threads) - Club Lexus Forums

3. If you get the IS, this is where you buy parts.. (add clublexus user name for extra discount.)
Price difference is ridiculous.. ie. Oil filter. $11 at Richmond Lexus vs $3.5 at Sewells.

OEM Lexus IS Accessories & Replacement Parts Warehouse

i thought hipsters drove VW's :suspicious:

that being said, look at a vw. lol. jetta or passat. passat is actually a really nice refined and roomy car.

I too am a 2009 IS250 RWD(sport/leather package excl. Nav) owner and here is a list of the things my car has gone through since purchased new in may 2009;

- Heavy Brake Dust within first 30,000 km

- Sudden Jerk at a Stop (RPM would drop to near stalling point causing the jerk). Carbon Build up cleaned by Lexus @ 30,000km on the odometer

- Sunroof Screech(Opening/Closing)
additional lube was applied

- Inner Tire Wall Pre-Mature Wear (I got to 40,000km on my first set before it was down to the Steele belts)

- Engine Mis-Fire on the freeway (Limp Mode on Highway)
Discovered there is a TSB for this. Engine underwent a bottom end rebuild (pistons, rings, valves) @ 60,000KM on the odometer

- Creaks & Cracks
Sunroof Rattle, Dash Cracks, Passenger Door Storage space rattles.

250 VS 350: I chose the 250 over the 350 because i didn't think the 350 was really necessary for in city driving (Edmonton has traffic lights at nearly every intersection and little to no freeways). I test drove the 350 and yes i enjoyed the power, i did not enjoy the jerky-ness of it.

RWD or AWD: No regrets going RWD. 2009/10 Winter, i drove the car on all-seasons without a problem.

Gas Mileage: Best results i've ever done CITY 9.1L/100KM HWY 7.1L/100KM

Hope this helps on your decision.

If you do your own maintenence, add $260 to the price of that for VCDS so you can do things like changing the rear brakes (if it has the electromagnetic parking brakes).