PLANNING TO PURCHASE IS 300H

GregB · February 10, 2017

Hi there Lexus Owners,

I am looking to buy a Lexus IS300H, but my budget only allows me to purchase one with a quite high mileage (80K-100K). I heard that these cars are extremely reliable, but still i am a bit concerned abot the high mileage. I own a Lexus IS250 and i am quite happy with the car but i got to the point where i have to try to save money on fuel and tax. I am looking for a Luxury version or a high mileage Sport. Please anyone who has a high mileage IS300H share your experiences to help me decide. THX!!

dutchie01 · February 10, 2017

Hi Gergely

suggest to find one for a decent testdrive. Take it for a spin for some hours, drive around town, B roards, highway. drive slow and thrash it. Try to find things you dont like. I had a 250 now an IS300H. Both fine cars. 300 much better on fuel, roomier inside, better chassis, roadholding. CVT box and 4 cyl engine can be something to get used to.

Luxury is more comfortable, quieter. Sport bumpier, more tyre noise but more solid drive as well. Might be worth to source an ex company or leasecar ( ex leaseplan?) high mileage not too old and always well maintained.

Happy Hunting!

GregB · February 10, 2017

Thanks dutchie01!!

marrat · February 10, 2017

I wouldn't call 100K high mileage unless you really care about resale value and your yearly mileage is high.

200h · February 10, 2017

37 minutes ago, marrat said:

I wouldn't call 100K high mileage unless you really care about resale value and your yearly mileage is high.

dont forget we are talking miles and not kilometers so 100000 miles is approx 166000 kms

rayaans · February 10, 2017

Might seem odd but surely it's cheaper to run the IS250 than buy a newer car?

The parts and servicing on these aren't exactly cheap and it's likely you might need to replace something or other on a high mileage car even if it's just rubber bushings but labour adds up.

The only reason I mention it it's because you say you're looking to save fuel and tax, in which case a CT200H might be a better option or just keeping the IS250.

The mpg on these are extremely variable and spending ££££ will see improved mpg and also increased depreciation.

Don't go buying one thinking it'll be cheaper than your IS250. Once you've got that out of the way, you may proceed

ganzoom · February 11, 2017

The IS300H is cheap to tax and run but the biggest cost in car ownership is deprecation. Ours has 'cost' us £20 in road tax so far and averaged over 45mpg over 12k miles of mainly urban traffic, good numbers, but deprecation costs so far over 2 years is about £15k at a guess. Even the oldest IS300H still has alot more deprecation to go compared to a IS250.

But my wife still loves the car, despite my best efforts to wean her off fossil fuels its still going to be with us for a few more years. Buy the car because you like it and want a change, both perfectly good reasons, and am sure your love the IS300H compared to your current car. Just don't confuse man maths of cheaper running costs with actual economics of saving money.

GregB · February 11, 2017

THANK YOU for your answers so far, i did the maths to compare my IS250 to the IS300H and even calculating the higher price of the 300H the costs per month would be a good 50 pounds less with the 300H. It is a good idea to calculate with the deprecation but if i decide to finance one on HP it matters much less. To buy one without finance i have to look at the high milegae ones. I drive only in the city and commuting to work 16 miles every day my annual is 10K miles. I was looking at the CT200h but i found it quite weak and small inside at the back. I drove the 300H and i was like DAYYUMM!!! If it is as reliable as the prius ot the ct200h it should be ok.

marrat · February 11, 2017

10 hours ago, 200h said:

dont forget we are talking miles and not kilometers so 100000 miles is approx 166000 kms

Ah yes totally forgot that

Even taking that into account, I'd buy a IS300H with 80K miles because the car probably depreciated a lot anyway. Considering your low yearly mileage, it shouldn't be a problem. I'd only specifically hunt for a low mileage car if I was planning to sell it 2-3 years from now.

B1001 · February 11, 2017

Full Lexus service history is the way to go, very few reports of issues which is why I went for a Lexus. The Lexus warranty is half price at the moment - I bought a 14 plate IS and got 3 years warranty, hopefully many years of trouble free motoring although it's only done 17k.

rayaans · February 11, 2017

3 hours ago, GregB said:

THANK YOU for your answers so far, i did the maths to compare my IS250 to the IS300H and even calculating the higher price of the 300H the costs per month would be a good 50 pounds less with the 300H. It is a good idea to calculate with the deprecation but if i decide to finance one on HP it matters much less. To buy one without finance i have to look at the high milegae ones. I drive only in the city and commuting to work 16 miles every day my annual is 10K miles. I was looking at the CT200h but i found it quite weak and small inside at the back. I drove the 300H and i was like DAYYUMM!!! If it is as reliable as the prius ot the ct200h it should be ok.

Cost of depreciation will be incorporated into HP anyway so would always work out more, on most occasions, more than the difference between buying the car outright and selling it on when you want to.

If you're doing 10k miles per year I dont think the IS300h will actually save you much in terms of fuel cost over a year

Id be tempted to take a look at the 3rd generation IS250 as they can be bought for significantly less than an IS300h and most have less miles on them too.

Steve44 · February 11, 2017

69500 miles in 32 months and only one warranty claim for leaking rear shocks, which I hadn't noticed and dealer picked up at service. Given Lexus service the cars every 10k miles, there is really very little to go wrong.

round by me the local taxi company is using various Toyota and Lexus hybrid vehicles as taxis, all of which have greater than 100k miles and none have had serious issues.

i would say that economy isn't necessarily the greatest on the IS though, you won't be getting Prius(or even CT) levels of mpg. Around town 40-45mpg is probably as good as it gets if you drive smooth and slow.

B1001 · February 11, 2017

8 hours ago, rayaans said:

Cost of depreciation will be incorporated into HP anyway so would always work out more, on most occasions, more than the difference between buying the car outright and selling it on when you want to.

If you're doing 10k miles per year I dont think the IS300h will actually save you much in terms of fuel cost over a year

Id be tempted to take a look at the 3rd generation IS250 as they can be bought for significantly less than an IS300h and most have less miles on them too.

Agree with this, I bought a 3rd gen IS250, I do mainly motorway miles and if I take it easy I can get 40mpg. Wasnt that fussed about the hybrid, given I'm likely to keep this for 10 years I didn't want the extra electronics although granted I hear the hybrid batteries are are bullet proof too. Picked up a 14 plate F Sport with premium Nav and leather for £18k, 15k miles and full lexus history. Hoping to rack up lots of trouble free miles.

GregB · February 12, 2017

Nowdays i drive only around city plus commuting 16 miles each day and my average is 23 mpg so compared to an average of 45mpg would be only half the cost for fuel. That would save me 50 pounds a month plus 10 pounds of road tax compared to 500 pounds a year... looking at autotrader each day the average milage on cars i could afford is about 75K miles. Found a white f-sport but with 99K...

rayaans · February 12, 2017

4 hours ago, GregB said:

Nowdays i drive only around city plus commuting 16 miles each day and my average is 23 mpg so compared to an average of 45mpg would be only half the cost for fuel. That would save me 50 pounds a month plus 10 pounds of road tax compared to 500 pounds a year... looking at autotrader each day the average milage on cars i could afford is about 75K miles. Found a white f-sport but with 99K...

If you're driving 16 miles each day and city driving, I don't think you would get 45mpg. Itll be more like 35mpg.

The 3rd gen IS250 isn't on £500 per year. Its £295 F-Sport/Premier or £270 for the luxury.

tayaste · February 12, 2017

1 hour ago, rayaans said:

If you're driving 16 miles each day and city driving, I don't think you would get 45mpg. Itll be more like 35mpg.

The 3rd gen IS250 isn't on £500 per year. Its £295 F-Sport/Premier or £270 for the luxury.

I typically do about 13 miles a day in mine and, at the weekends it just sits on the drive. The car is 5 months old and has 2500 miles on the clock. As rayaans says you'd be doing well to achieve anywhere near 45mpg.

My average is 34mpg. Best mpg just over 36 and worst 31mpg. That's real time figures.

tayaste · February 12, 2017

GregB · February 13, 2017

I have a 2nd gen IS with manual tranny and that is why my road tax is 500 pounds rayaans... i thought that 300h's are a little bit better on fuel than 35 mpg 😟

tayaste · February 13, 2017

Its only because of the low mileage. We have a second IS300h that easily achieves mid 40's because it does more daily miles. Unfortunately I don't track the real time mpg on that one.

ganzoom · February 13, 2017

6 hours ago, GregB said:

I have a 2nd gen IS with manual tranny and that is why my road tax is 500 pounds rayaans... i thought that 300h's are a little bit better on fuel than 35 mpg 😟

We see 40-45 in winter, 45-50 in summer, mainly short commutes of 10-15 miles.

ganzoom · February 13, 2017

Best to a M-way run I've got is nearly 70 over 100miles.

But I should add I drive with a certain style, use to get over 35 mpg out of a 380bhp 3L twinturbo petrol BMW :).

bluenose1940 · February 13, 2017

Yep, I've had 67+ showing on a drive from Exmouth (Devon) to Bridport (Dorset).

Currently running at about 46.

Steve44 · February 13, 2017

2 hours ago, ganzoom said:

Best to a M-way run I've got is nearly 70 over 100miles.

But I should add I drive with a certain style, use to get over 35 mpg out of a 380bhp 3L twinturbo petrol BMW :).

5 minutes ago, bluenose1940 said:

Yep, I've had 67+ showing on a drive from Exmouth (Devon) to Bridport (Dorset).

Currently running at about 46.

And what was the average speed to achieve such MPG?

B1001 · February 13, 2017

Will be interesting to see what MPG I get out of my IS250 in the summer - very cold this morning, 130 mile trip into work and travelled at 85mph and got 34mpg.

ganzoom · February 13, 2017

3 hours ago, Steve44 said:

And what was the average speed to achieve such MPG?

M1 than A406 at rush hour on a Friday, traffic, road works, all three lanes pretty much going at the same speed, you can probably guess the average speed .

The IS300H can deliver highish mpg figures so its all down to the end user, if your going to smash the right pedal everywhere clearly your get worse mpg readings .