Looking at buying a Lexus IS250 SE-L

[Guest rdb85]

49 minutes ago, WetMyBeak said:

I have a 2009 (58 plate), facelift in dark grey/black leather. It’s on 96k and has full history, all but two at Lexus. I’m in Warrington if you want a test drive. I will be selling within the next three months but you’re welcome to come and take it for a drive regardless. I’m in Warrington, I remember seeing a post saying you were going to look at one there so I’m guessing you’re reasonably local. Give me a shout if you’re interested.

That is very kind of you. I may take you up on that offer.

[Guest rdb85]

They have lowered this one guys:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201804165594454?advertising-location=at_cars&transmission=Automatic&postcode=l192rf&model=IS 250&sort=distance&page=1&aggregatedTrim=SE-L&make=LEXUS&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New

Its a shame that it’s missing the MM pack as I would of had it. I will keep looking.

[Linas.P]

It is basically same as mine, except mine has 160k more miles 

[WetMyBeak]

3 hours ago, rdb85 said:

That is very kind of you. I may take you up on that offer.

 

22 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

It is basically same as mine, except mine has 160k more miles 

You’re welcome. Its the best all round car I’ve driven and this is a great forum so Im happy to help out.

[Guest rdb85]

Still on the lookout guys, shame that a few are too far away! Hopefully one comes up close to home.

[steveledzep]

When you find the "right" car,  jump on a train and go to get it.  I've done that for my last 5 or 6 cars.

£50 and a few hours of your time is insignificant where the "right" car is concerned.

[Linas.P]

4 hours ago, steveledzep said:

When you find the "right" car,  jump on a train and go to get it.  I've done that for my last 5 or 6 cars.

£50 and a few hours of your time is insignificant where the "right" car is concerned.

I would agree.. but only if you have already tried few and you know exactly how the "good" car should feel and ideally you have friend with you, who gives no *** because it is not his car and therefore he (or she) keeps cool head.

If you just jump on the train and that is the first car you looking at, there is a risk of getting "excited" and missing some important issues.. unless it is obviously toasted. Been there done that - car buying is exciting, excitement makes you miss things... + you will be in disadvantaged position, with pressure of traveling for few hours to see it, which could just push you over the line of getting the car which you would otherwise have skipped with cool head and without pressure.

Best thing to do - before "the perfect" car appears, go and try few cars you actually don't want to buy. Best choice - overpriced cars, or simply the ones out of your budget. It is likely they are going to too nice and too expensive, but exactly right to "feel" what good car should feel like. So when it comes time to buy car which you actually considering seriously, there will be less excitement and less pressure - you will know exactly what to look for if it feels the same as other cars your tried etc.

[steveledzep]

12 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

I would agree.. but only if you have already tried few and you know exactly how the "good" car should feel and ideally you have friend with you, who gives no *** because it is not his car and therefore he (or she) keeps cool head.

If you just jump on the train and that is the first car you looking at, there is a risk of getting "excited" and missing some important issues.. unless it is obviously toasted. Been there done that - car buying is exciting, excitement makes you miss things... + you will be in disadvantaged position, with pressure of traveling for few hours to see it, which could just push you over the line of getting the car which you would otherwise have skipped with cool head and without pressure.

Best thing to do - before "the perfect" car appears, go and try few cars you actually don't want to buy. Best choice - overpriced cars, or simply the ones out of your budget. It is likely they are going to too nice and too expensive, but exactly right to "feel" what good car should feel like. So when it comes time to buy car which you actually considering seriously, there will be less excitement and less pressure - you will know exactly what to look for if it feels the same as other cars your tried etc.

I'm not talking about an impetuous "jump on the train".  It needs to be a measured and strategic approach.

I always buy with full dealer service history.  Talk to the seller and ask for warts and all description, with photographs.  Explain you're coming a long way and will walk if not accurately described.  Offer small deposit to show good faith.

I've worked in the motor industry and dealers operate on a trust basis when trading cars.  Tell the dealer that you expect mutual trust.  I've not been let down yet.

In every case that I've offered a deposit to "hold" the car until my arrival, the deposit hasn't been taken from my account.

A degree of assertiveness is required and you should be rewarded with a straightforward and truthful response.  Takes a bit of bottle and knowledge, but has worked for me.

[Linas.P]

I might have missed (honestly I didn't read all the pages), but if I am correct the OP hasn't yet tried IS250 - am I right?

As far as travelling further, but getting the right car I completely agree with you - distance should not be a factor. My only point is that - before traveling far, travel close and try one (or several). That is because traveling far your will always put additional pressure on yourself to make the purchase (who wants to be going back on the train!), especially if you haven't seen other cars before.

[steveledzep]

5 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

I might have missed (honestly I didn't read all the pages), but if I am correct the OP hasn't yet tried IS250 - am I right?

As far as travelling further, but getting the right car I completely agree with you - distance should not be a factor. My only point is that - before traveling far, travel close and try one (or several). That is because traveling far your will always put additional pressure on yourself to make the purchase (who wants to be going back on the train!), especially if you haven't seen other cars before.

I've not read the whole thread either.  If the OP hasn't even tried an IS250, what is he doing on here saying he wants to buy one ?

To the OP:  Get out and test drive a few local to you (irrespective of spec and condition).  Then decide if an IS250 is for you or not.  What a waste of time this thread is !! 

[Linas.P]

As I have said - I might be wrong, but just now I tried to quickly skim through the pages and I cannot see anything to suggest OP tried driving one. IS250 is lovely car and it would be hard not to like it (depends what you compare it with obviously), but trying one for fun is must before actually going and getting one for real. Helps a lot... let's say to be "strategic".

[Guest rdb85]

11 hours ago, steveledzep said:

I've not read the whole thread either.  If the OP hasn't even tried an IS250, what is he doing on here saying he wants to buy one ?

To the OP:  Get out and test drive a few local to you (irrespective of spec and condition).  Then decide if an IS250 is for you or not.  What a waste of time this thread is !! 

I have not tried one, but then again one is not local enough for me to try it. They are all 3 hours away, So 6 hours there and back, and some are either longer or the train is worse off,  and that's the overpriced and convertible ones, the decent ones are all down the south of the country so it seems.  I have started the thread to gauge people's opinions and advice on the car, so I know when I go and look and test drive one that I am fully aware of what I am looking for. 

But I have found a guy selling one on Facebook and it is local, its an 06 SE-I model so I have asked can I go and have a look at the weekend. 

[rich1068]

13 hours ago, steveledzep said:

I'm not talking about an impetuous "jump on the train".  It needs to be a measured and strategic approach...

Agreed. Bought my last 3 cars in exactly this way. And in one case when I asked for the warts and all description he described it as "a good 10 yard car". Something that wasn't evident from the Autotrader ad. He was honest and I avoided a 2-3 hour train journey.

@ the OP. Surely there's a Lexus dealer near you? Or a trader selling an IS? You're on Merseyside not the Scottish Highlands.

[Guest rdb85]

15 minutes ago, rich1068 said:

Agreed. Bought my last 3 cars in exactly this way. And in one case when I asked for the warts and all description he described it as "a good 10 yard car". Something that wasn't evident from the Autotrader ad. He was honest and I avoided a 2-3 hour train journey.

@ the OP. Surely there's a Lexus dealer near you? Or a trader selling an IS? You're on Merseyside not the Scottish Highlands.

There is plenty of dealerships but none have an old IS250. Believe me, I have looked.

That is a list of a of all the IS250 SE-L Autos for sale on AutoTrader. Now the nearest is over 2 hours away, so thats 4 hours in total. I could go and view a new IS but then they are not the same car, I have even asked local dealers and main dealers if they could let me know if they have any in stock.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?sort=distance&radius=1500&postcode=l192rf&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&make=LEXUS&model=IS 250&aggregatedTrim=SE-L&transmission=Automatic

[KenMavor]

5 hours ago, rich1068 said:

Agreed. Bought my last 3 cars in exactly this way. And in one case when I asked for the warts and all description he described it as "a good 10 yard car". Something that wasn't evident from the Autotrader ad. He was honest and I avoided a 2-3 hour train journey.

@ the OP. Surely there's a Lexus dealer near you? Or a trader selling an IS? You're on Merseyside not the Scottish Highlands.

 

Oi......most courier firms think anything north of Glasgow is in the Scottish highlands and don't get me started about trying to explain to some companies that Aberdeen is most definitely still on the UK mainland!!

 

 

 

[Guest rdb85]

So I have found some which could well be the right ones, I have had a test drive of an SE-I at a local dealer, they don't use the main sites to advertise, it was nice. So looking forward to getting one:

https://www.bmcspecialistcars.co.uk/used-cars/search-results?make=LEXUS&model=IS+250&vehicleType=cars

[Linas.P]

38 minutes ago, rdb85 said:

So I have found some which could well be the right ones, I have had a test drive of an SE-I at a local dealer, they don't use the main sites to advertise, it was nice. So looking forward to getting one:

https://www.bmcspecialistcars.co.uk/used-cars/search-results?make=LEXUS&model=IS+250&vehicleType=cars

It lists 3 - I am guessing you referring to one with 50k miles. Quite pricey, but I must say it is beautiful - especially like that dark wood over the "red" wood I have. ML+MM, face-lift wheels not exactly my taste, but nevertheless extra. Sadly, no Sunroof.. but hey that depends how important it is for you.

[Guest rdb85]

3 hours ago, Linas.P said:

It lists 3 - I am guessing you referring to one with 50k miles. Quite pricey, but I must say it is beautiful - especially like that dark wood over the "red" wood I have. ML+MM, face-lift wheels not exactly my taste, but nevertheless extra. Sadly, no Sunroof.. but hey that depends how important it is for you.

Well I would like to see all 3 if I’m honest, the black one is what I’ve been after, but one of the wheels has started to peel so I think a price would need to be negotiated.

I am not fussed on a sunroof but it seems they come with the manual quite a bit. But it’s an extra. 

[Guest rdb85]

So I’m going down on Wednesday to see them, which one out of the two 08 plates would you go for if it was you? 

[JamesIS220]

4 hours ago, rdb85 said:

So I’m going down on Wednesday to see them, which one out of the two 08 plates would you go for if it was you? 

I would drive them both!

The silver one reads like it hasn't full Lexus service history and 2,400 miles a year it's sat around a lot which can be a bad thing. Could of been a second car used for local short runs which can be bad for engines until up to temp. Ideally look for service history (oil/filters etc) every year, rather than mileage based as could of only been serviced twice in 10 years! I do like the light leather interior.

The black Lexus mentions more equipment by the description and it's done a reasonable mileage to keep it in good order. If it's had regular motorway journeys much better than a car just used locally and short trips. The full Lexus history sounds good. Black isn't my favourite but we all have different tastes, which is a good thing. Do some digging and drive both and see what the previous owners used the car for and check MOT History and do an online History and HPI check.

James

[J Henderson]

The black one would be my choice and I'd be asking for £300 off to pay for a wheel refurb.

 

[Guest rdb85]

Black one:

https://totalcarcheck.co.uk/FreeCheck?regno=NH58XYL

Silver

https://totalcarcheck.co.uk/FreeCheck?regno=R7Jcc

Any specific questions I can ask the dealer on both cars? I will look into a HPI Check now.

[J Henderson]

Water pump is one of the weak points on a 4GR-FSE, so ask the seller if you can remove the engine covers to check around the front, where the pulleys are, for any evidence of pink liquids or staining.

The spark plugs are due quite soon (at 60K) on the black one if they haven't already been changed. See if there's any documentation regarding them.

[Guest rdb85]

Thanks for that I’m just getting a list of questions any help from the people would be great then hopefully tell you what they said before going down.

[Texas]

I got my 250 from BMC and recently when trying to check tyre pressures I found that the after market aluminium hexagonal type dust caps on the tyre valves were siezed on solid, pliers on rubber valve stem and 10mm socket on dust cap, still no movement! Had to go to a garage and get four new valves fitted ( wheels off, tyres off, old valves out, new valves in, tyres on, wheels balanced, wheels on. £40 inc valves!) 

so if you can't un-screw the tyre valves then that's £40 right there!

paul m.