Looking at buying a Lexus IS250 SE-L

[steveledzep]

I use those aluminium dust caps and they're fine if you smear a little oil on the stem and do finger tight only.  After all, they're not keeping the air in, only the dust out.

[Guest rdb85]

54 minutes ago, Texas said:

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.

Not good that Paul, I’m looking at both but I think the black one is lovely, but I’m going to ask if he can refurb the wheel, if he can’t then it’s going to be about £500 off I think.

[Texas]

With regard to the wheel refurb, mine need doing actually and I got a price of £190 + VAT so far. So If you travel all that way and the car is 'the one' would you not want to take it there and then as opposed to coming back again after the wheels have been refurbished? You might want to get some prices where you live, could be cheaper!

paul m.

[Guest rdb85]

2 hours ago, Texas said:

With regard to the wheel refurb, mine need doing actually and I got a price of £190 + VAT so far. So If you travel all that way and the car is 'the one' would you not want to take it there and then as opposed to coming back again after the wheels have been refurbished? You might want to get some prices where you live, could be cheaper!

paul m.

I will get some prices Paul, I am just going through the check list and assembling some questions. 

[is200 Newbie]

On ‎20‎/‎07‎/‎2016 at 5:52 PM, is200 Newbie said:

A quick list of what to look out for .... don't let this put you off ... all the faults I can remember are listed below (some are common sense), maybe there are a few more that owners can add

Seized rear calipers - cost around £300 each - Easiest way to check is to take the car on a test run and then when parked back up again feel the heat on each alloy - should be warm and not excessively hot. No squealing. Also, if discs are still rusted looking after driving then there's a problem. Obviously pulling to the side is noticeable

Brake pad shims - some members reported missing brake shims from the rear calliper - probably from when pads were replaced and the garage or dealer forgot to put them back on. Its not something you can easily check on a test drive but if missing they are very hard to source except from a scrap dealer if they will sell them at all separate.

Seized front calipers - as with the rears, around £300 each. Both front and backs can be freed if not too far gone, re-greased and put back together again but once seized they may need looking after more than ones not having been seized in the past as pitting and ill fitting rubber seals may be an issue. Why does this happen ... last owner not looking after the car or using the wrong type of grease in that it attacks the rubber boots letting dirt and water into the caliper moving parts. If it was looked after by the dealer then new calipers would have been fitted if seized. Greasing is not a part of the service schedule from Lexus so be aware. You may not experience any warnings that they are seized. Its the most common fault on these cars so get an assurance from the seller to replace if found to be seized or have him check them first. To be honest If it was me i would also check them myself when I got home with a new car just to be sure. Easy DIY job to both replace and maintain (grease) I do mine every 6 months but a lot of owners do it every year.

Black oil - A sign the cars not been looked after - the oil should not be black. It will go dark in colour but not black. Again, an easy DIY job - I use Magnatec and an oil change, including the filter will cost you around £60. Takes a bit over 6 litres.

Oil filter cap seized - If you can, ask the dealer or garage to ensure the cap housing thr filter will move. A lot of garages, including dealers put these on far too tight and some owners have experienced cracked housings while trying to remove the caps to change the filter. An easy DIY job

White crust around front water pump area - an indication the water pump is on its way out - costs around £200 for a new one (inclusive of fitting)

Exhaust shot - Black soot around the welded joints - check the centre section around the middle resonator as this is a problem area. Get this checked out at an exhaust centre. Pay for the inspection as you wont get a lot of change back from 3k for the replacement parts (back box and centre) if it has gone or is on its last legs - the pattern parts have not been released to 3rd party manufacturers so the replacement parts are only available from Lexus unless you are going bespoke and going for a stainless one - a Cat back system will cost around £500 - if you have the time and want to get your hands dirty then you can put together a bespoke exhaust yourself for around £100.

Tyres rotated wrong way - Ask why have they done this? un-even tyre wear so look around the shocks / springs to see if theres any issues - maybe nothing

Tyre choice - A good choice of branded rear tyres will serve well. Remember its a rear wheel drive car - Do not go for cheap brands as while they may last/wear well, the performance in the wet will be hazardous. Read through the forums for owner experiences on brands.

Leaking shocks - Expensive replacements but not a real issue - some owners have reported replacing them and hard to find

Wheel locking nuts seized - Put on with a tyre dealer air hammer. Will come off with specialised tools and a lot of patience - I think this is common cause on all cars - happened on 3 in our household over the years. Check this out before buying if possible.

Wheel security locking nut missing - check this is available when buying the car. Without it you wont be able to take the tyres off easily or replace if you get a puncture

Alloy wheel corrosion - this is apparent across the Lexus range - corrosion on the alloy happens and noticeable by bubbles under the alloy coating - will eventually lead to pressure loss if not tended to as it will break the seal between the tyre and the wheel itself

Tow hook missing - only handy when you need it so check its there - located in the boot of the car

Spare tyre - it houses a space saver wheel - make sure its inflated. If it looks like its been used then take out and inspect to make sure its inflated.

DVD sat nav extraction tool missing - only handy when you come to update the sat nav DVD - the tools for this should be in the black tool kit in the boot of the car

CD/DVD head unit fully working - take an original CD / a DVD and an MP3 disc with you and test each one out - they should all work without messing with the settings. (you will need to select each disc to play and it should)

Noise from front speaker cover - a cracking noise from the speaker cover on the front centre dash board - not experienced this myself but its apparently quite noisy. Also a rattle has been reported, again not widespread.

Noise from driver door area - don't know If this is a common area. I originally thought it was the door seal but narrowed it down to the handle above the door rattling slightly - I oiled the hinge and the noise disappeared

Coolant level low - check the heating is hot when on. Check for a "gurgling" noise which will indicate the cooling is low - if its low then there could be an issue with a leak or possible indication the pump is on its way out

Front headlights - will become "cloudy" over time - no more than any other car and can easily be restored with a bit of elbow grease

Corroded wheels - a common issue with the Toyota wheels - bad ones will eventually lose air and deflate due to the corrosion not creating a good seal.

Uneven wear on tyres - indication there's something a miss with the alignment / shocks - to be honest this is not reported as a problem on the cars. Maybe more so from owners using non OEM wheels

Cams are chain driven - no worries there but they can stretch (very extreme though)

Rear blind working - read a few posts on here that its stopped working or stuck in the up position - check its operation

Front discs - They are heavy on discs and front pads. Check the wear on the discs on the front - not expensive to replace and an easy DIY job

Lights not bright and flickering - an indication that the bulbs are on their way out - check both are the same colour. If not, one has been replaced and other will need to be done at some point. Check all front lights as they are quite fiddly in replacing the bulbs

Aircon works - should be cold - if not then check coolant level, if ok the system either has a leak or may need re-gassing

Squeeky steering adjustment - has been reported by a few members. Mine squeeks in hot weather when automatically adjusting. Not all the time and has not caused any issues.

Mirrors dip when in reverse - the mirrors should dip towards the road when in reverse, a feature on the cars to ensure easy viewing of where you are going. If they don't then its most likely they will just need to be cleaned internally. Again an easy DIY job.

Parking sensors - with the engine running have someone walk within a foot of the sensors at the front and the rear of the car - it should start beeping when the person walks past them. Not seen any issues with this reported by the owners.

O2 sensors - PreCat (within engine bay) will go around 70 to 80k easy DIY job - cost around £180 for OEM Denso ones - don't use 3rd party ones as they will not last

Rear brake shoes - Cant easily be checked on a test drive - changed mine at around 90k last year and they still had a bit of meat on them, probably on the car from new so more than likely will need changing or inspection at least. Easy DIY job

Main engine plastic cover - centre engine cover can become loose from removing and re-applying it. there is a push button tab that breaks off and it can in some instances be heard rattling over lumpy roads. Mine has broke - not a real issue as the radio at low volume masks any rattle. I expect some strong glue would fix this.

Engine idle - make sure its constant at tick over when cold (quite high) and when hot (around 700revs) - if erratic it could indicate a carbon build up - not an issue with an application with cleaning liquids

Valve Rattle - VVTI may rattle from time to time - the oil will drain in some cases from the resoviour for the valves after standing for a bit and as a consequence there is a rattle noise (similar to a dull machine gun noise) but will disappear in a second or so. Happenned on mine a few times when I first had it. but not come back for a couple of years now. Regular oil changes and I do an engine flush each oil change and in my opinion it has helped a lot.

Exhaust smoke - no smoke from these - only condensate when in cold weather which is normal for most cars

Cabin carpets - check the drivers side has clips anchoring the carpet down (if it has one) if it doesn't then the carpet can creep under the pedals

Boot - Its a fair size boot but the opening does not give good access to large items - ideally it could have done with split seats but its not that kind of car I guess.

Audio - Make sure the spec includes a Mark Levinson branded head unit which is the better of the head unit specs on these models.(indicated on the front of the stereo on the bottom right of the unit)

Rear seat room - its a bit cramped in the back with passengers on the seats - leg room is dismal, maybe that's why I have never sat in the back when its been driven. Wife wont drive it due to the size of the car which I don't mind at all.

Reliability - looked after its bullet proof, best make of car I have owned. Running costs are petrol only. Put in the time to do the services (oil, filters etc) and it will serve you well.

Parts availability - Had my 250 for 3 years and an IS200 for 2 prior to that - the only time I was unable to get a part was the exhaust for the 250 - I could get one from the dealer but at nearly 3k I thought no way and went down another route. Parts are available from Eurocarparts / ebay / online easily enough and are not expensive.

Speed - People forget these are not sports cars - they are quick in manual mode and can keep up with the best of them but are not made for that purpose. Its nice owning one for the individuality of having something different from whats sitting on the neighbours drive or in the works car park. I only know of an IS200 Alteeza and a IS220 local to myself so its my bit of exclusivity. Don't care how old it is, its still better than a new model medium city car.

Mileage - mines on 93k - no issue and having has a high miler is200 and this one then I would consider another high miler but with the knowledge of what to look for. I don't think there would be any problems if you are careful in what you are looking at - gut instinct in a lot of cases. I guess there will be very few low milers available now on these cars now but you may be lucky in finding one.

Keys - Ensure it has a minimum of 2 keys and they both work  - if not then its definitely a bargaining chip to use as a replacement one will cost you around £350 and a trip to Lexus.

Corroding windscreen wiper arms - these seem to bubble quite a bit under the paint on the main body of the wiper arm. No issue but it will break through the paint at somepoint.

Check front windshield, if non-genuine check if wipers defrosters and auto sensing wipers works OK. As well windshields mouldings sometimes gets gets loose (broken clips) - about £80 to get new mouldings. (Courtesy of Linas.P)

Main ground cable - In wet climate it was reported that main ground cable sometimes gets corroded and it is very hard to troubleshoot it.(Courtesy of Linas.P)

Squeaky seats reported for the manual option (Courtesy of Vintagesixtysix)

DMF issues (Dual Mass Flywheel) for the manual drive option (Courtesy of Vintagesixtysix)

Paint - the paint is soft on these cars so are prone to scratching easier than other makes if not careful

Cat failure - there has been a couple of reports of the cats failing on these cars but only a few have been reported at relative low mileage for the car (around 80 / 90k miles) not common though. There are 2 cats on these.

Service milestones - consider cars around 60k miles require a spark plug change - or so Lexus recommends although they are good for 100k. This is an expensive job at around £600. Not done mine yet, planning on doing them at 100k. I would state at 100k then you will need to get your hands dirty and give the car a good going over, fluids etc just for peace of mind. Lexus service interval report does not state any excessive requirements, mostly checks to be made.

Recalls - that I am aware of: cabin carpet mat required securing / airbags / fuel sensor washer. there may be more but these are the ones I know of.

Spec - I would personally recommend the top spec SE-L Auto box at 2007 / 2008 as I believe when the face lift came along then the models lost a few features that were on the older models. A sunroof would be brilliant but like gold dust at this spec.

Quite a bit of points above - don't let this put you off at all - the exhaust nearly saw me pack the car in when mine went but I went down the stainless route so alls not lost. Best to go into a sale knowing all the points to look at before making your mind up. Best car I have ever owned.

One last consideration - in the 7 years I have owned the Lexus brand we have by far spent more money during this time in maintaining a fairly new Vauxhall  !!

One last point, if you have an ODB error code reader then take along and scan the ecu for any stored fault codes unless the dealer has cleared it down

 

18 hours ago, rdb85 said:

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.

List of questions above

I would not write the low miler out - its not been used as intended but if your not in a rush to check it over then it may be a good buy. Mines a 2006 on 26k - the only issue I have found is the rear screen heater wires are dry and brittle and I have been over the whole car now and to date just put 1k on it since I bought it.

If its been garaged it will be a good deal, you need to consider the basics of the car...... the service where its been looked after by ensuring service parts are done, then consider the others at the MOT. You will need to check the basics that these two areas (service and MOT) don't check. Bodywork to some extent, the electrics such as DVD player, tilt reverse mirrors, rear blind, parking sensors. Also, if you can, compare both headlights while on to see if the colours match. Exhaust - if you can, just see if you can look at the general condition - mines not rusted at all but was garaged, I know this makes no difference as they rot from inside out  but expensive to replace.

One recommendation, when you buy one, do a service on it and get used to doing it yourself, its not hard. I really recommend you change the oil so you know its been done with the correct grade. Check belts and re-grease the pins. Do this irregardless of anyone telling you its been done. Also ensure the filters are clean.

[Guest rdb85]

55 minutes ago, is200 Newbie said:

 

List of questions above

I would not write the low miler out - its not been used as intended but if your not in a rush to check it over then it may be a good buy. Mines a 2006 on 26k - the only issue I have found is the rear screen heater wires are dry and brittle and I have been over the whole car now and to date just put 1k on it since I bought it.

If its been garaged it will be a good deal, you need to consider the basics of the car...... the service where its been looked after by ensuring service parts are done, then consider the others at the MOT. You will need to check the basics that these two areas (service and MOT) don't check. Bodywork to some extent, the electrics such as DVD player, tilt reverse mirrors, rear blind, parking sensors. Also, if you can, compare both headlights while on to see if the colours match. Exhaust - if you can, just see if you can look at the general condition - mines not rusted at all but was garaged, I know this makes no difference as they rot from inside out  but expensive to replace.

One recommendation, when you buy one, do a service on it and get used to doing it yourself, its not hard. I really recommend you change the oil so you know its been done with the correct grade. Check belts and re-grease the pins. Do this irregardless of anyone telling you its been done. Also ensure the filters are clean.

The and so much for that, I will add them to my list of questions and see what they say. I’m going to look at both, the lower mileage one looks mint, the private plate is also a nice touch it’s worth about £400. The main thing with the black one is the wheels need a refurbishment. That’s one of my questions to ask whether they would do them, if not then obviously I will need to get some local costs to get that done. 

[Texas]

Don't forget to check if the boot lid slams down very un-Lexus like if let go from about the1/3 to 1/2 open position, if it does then that's another £50 for a pair of hydraulic struts, dead easy to DIY fit though.

paul m.

[Guest rdb85]

Someone on Facebook mentions that I could get an F Sport, I’ve had a quick look and they are £10k

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201803315108522?advertising-location=at_cars&transmission=Automatic&postcode=l192rf&model=IS 250&seller-type=trade&sort=distance&page=1&aggregatedTrim=F Sport&make=LEXUS&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New

Its nice but ideally I want to spend about £8k ish plus as I think spending another grand and a bit it’s not really worth it. 

[Guest rdb85]

Sent my questions over to the dealer about the black one and the private plate silver one. See what they come back with.

Thanks

[Guest rdb85]

Questions and Answers

The alloy wheels I know you mentioned in the video that the alloy wheels the paint had started to bubble and flake on two of them, is there a chance this can be sorted before a possible purchase? Sorry no. The cars condition is fantastic for the age of the car and I feel the alloys are fine for the age of the car but you may wish to get them refurbished if you felt you wanted to.

 

Has the car been garaged?  I do not know for certain as I did not know the last owner but the paint has a real luster to it. 

 

How much treat depth is left on the tyres? nsf 6.0 mm osf 6.2mm nsr 3.3 mm osr 3.5m spacesaver spare unused

 

Any issues surrounding the brakes and rear calipers as I know this is a common problem area on these cars? All good. The rear calipers are fine and are actually no worse than any other manufacturers. We have never had an issue

 

Has the exhaust been fully checked? As I have read online that again these can rust and are very expensive. No all good, Again, they are long lasting and we have never had to replace a section as of yet.

 

How many previous owners has the car had?  2 private gentleman owners from new

 

Does the DVD, CD and ML stereo all work in good order? All working fine

 

Is the car HPI Checked? Do you have proof of this? Yes, we HPI our cars. The only item that may show is ' unit stocking finding ' which is a funding system for dealers. It automatically clears upon sale of the vehicle and is neither HP nor a personal loan. Most garages use this facility to fund their cars as we do and we did when we worked for Honda Bristol

 

 

Questions regarding the Silver - Private plate

 

Where was the car serviced?  Two initial services by Lexus and remaining five services by Kwik Fit and the final service by ourselves

 

Has it been garaged?  As above

 

How many previous owners does the car have? Private chap and Arnold Clarke

 

Any issues with either the brakes exhaust, suspension or bushes? Any issues with the Battery? All good

 

Is the car HPI Checked? Do you have proof of this?  As above

[Guest rdb85]

So what do we think? Based on the above?

[is200 Newbie]

By the time you get there there will only be one left .... buy it !!

Decision made !!

[Guest rdb85]

3 minutes ago, is200 Newbie said:

By the time you get there there will only be one left .... buy it !!

Decision made !!

Okay thanks 

[is200 Newbie]

One point to mention - if the alloys are badly corroded - may be noticeable on the outside but really bad on the inside, this may lead to the tyre not holding pressure as the corrosion on the inside will slowly push the tyre away from its seal so check the pressures look ok (35 on front / 38 on rears)

A refurb will be around 200-300 for the 4 wheels.

[Texas]

+1 on the 'inside' surface of the wheel being more corroded when the outside doesn't look too bad. When the tyre fitter replaced the four valves on mine he had trouble fixing the balance weights on the inside due to the lacquer coming off in 'hand fulls'.

Paul M.

[Guest rdb85]

Thanks for that I will check the tyre pressure. I was surprised at the silver one. But for the black one he’s not budging on price. What do you think would be a sensible offer?

[is200 Newbie]

43 minutes ago, rdb85 said:

Thanks for that I will check the tyre pressure. I was surprised at the silver one. But for the black one he’s not budging on price. What do you think would be a sensible offer?

Depends upon what sort of miles you are going to do in it - really, whats 25k worth (£500) as that's the real difference apart from the colour of interior and exterior. The silver one is pre-facelift, the black one is the face lift model. The black one will need new plugs in 10k miles (£600 replaced by Lexus unless you do them yourself or find an indie to do) a further 10 k miles and you are into water pump and sensor replacement territory ...

Have they both had the recalls done? (airbag and fuel seal) - to be honest, I do like the dark interior but if its a keeper and for future value the low mileage one would be better.

[Guest rdb85]

37 minutes ago, is200 Newbie said:

Depends upon what sort of miles you are going to do in it - really, whats 25k worth (£500) as that's the real difference apart from the colour of interior and exterior. The silver one is pre-facelift, the black one is the face lift model. The black one will need new plugs in 10k miles (£600 replaced by Lexus unless you do them yourself or find an indie to do) a further 10 k miles and you are into water pump and sensor replacement territory ...

Have they both had the recalls done? (airbag and fuel seal) - to be honest, I do like the dark interior but if its a keeper and for future value the low mileage one would be better.

Currently I do about 6000 miles a year. But I’m looking at getting an extended warranty, so that should see me covered. I’m not fussed really about the interior the cream looks in nice condition and it has the private plate which is worth £400. I can’t see Lexus turning it away because of its service history. They just need to check it before issuing a warranty. 

[Texas]

Different strokes for different folks with regards to Warranties....I decided to buy one ( if not the most at this price bracket) of the most reliable cars available and the thought of having to get a warranty on it sort of undermines its reputation as such, that's just me though I'd rather pay my way when required as opposed to relying on my problem being included in the terms and conditions which it may or may not when called upon.

Need to stand in front of a few and take them out for a spin, don't be afraid to request a long test drive ( even offering to put fuel in it) and not just a tour round the block! 

Paul m.

[Guest rdb85]

Thanks Paul, it certainly is a tough one, the silver one, it’s not got the Full Lexus Service History, but it has been serviced every year, it’s half the mileage and has a nice private plate That I could sell. The black one is nice, it’s a facelift but I think that I will need to get the wheels done, plus as mentioned the spark plugs need changing at 60k which is expensive. 

36 minutes ago, Texas said:

Different strokes for different folks with regards to Warranties....I decided to buy one ( if not the most at this price bracket) of the most reliable cars available and the thought of having to get a warranty on it sort of undermines its reputation as such, that's just me though I'd rather pay my way when required as opposed to relying on my problem being included in the terms and conditions which it may or may not when called upon.

Need to stand in front of a few and take them out for a spin, don't be afraid to request a long test drive ( even offering to put fuel in it) and not just a tour round the block! 

Paul m.

Thanks Paul, it’s a tough one, the silver has some Lexus service history and the rest by kwik fit, it’s half the mileage and has a private plate which could be sold. The black one is less money, he’s going to knock money off for the wheels, £200, but as mentioned the spark plugs will need doing at 60k. 

I am just waiting to see if Lexus will Warranty the silver one as it’s not got a full Lexus service history. But I think if they say that it’s okay then it’s a case of them checking the car over to see whether it passes, which is the worrying part, for either of them.

[KenMavor]

12 hours ago, is200 Newbie said:

One point to mention - if the alloys are badly corroded - may be noticeable on the outside but really bad on the inside, this may lead to the tyre not holding pressure as the corrosion on the inside will slowly push the tyre away from its seal so check the pressures look ok (35 on front / 38 on rears)

A refurb will be around 200-300 for the 4 wheels.

....maybe worth mentioning that I have seen some refurbished OEM wheels and some excellent condition non OEM wheels around for this price.  Maybe buy a new set of wheels rather than refurbish the existing ones.  Then maybe, when funds allow put some winter tyres on the OEM ones off the car.

[KenMavor]

7 hours ago, rdb85 said:

Thanks Paul, it certainly is a tough one, the silver one, it’s not got the Full Lexus Service History, but it has been serviced every year, it’s half the mileage and has a nice private plate That I could sell. The black one is nice, it’s a facelift but I think that I will need to get the wheels done, plus as mentioned the spark plugs need changing at 60k which is expensive. 

Thanks Paul, it’s a tough one, the silver has some Lexus service history and the rest by kwik fit, it’s half the mileage and has a private plate which could be sold. The black one is less money, he’s going to knock money off for the wheels, £200, but as mentioned the spark plugs will need doing at 60k. 

I am just waiting to see if Lexus will Warranty the silver one as it’s not got a full Lexus service history. But I think if they say that it’s okay then it’s a case of them checking the car over to see whether it passes, which is the worrying part, for either of them.

My car did not have full Lexus warranty and they were quite happy to provide a Lexus warranty.  They did check it over, not an in depth check, when they did the airbag and saw no major problems.  Think different Lexus dealers have different opinions.  As has been said above these will not stay there for long - at least there are two of them at the same place.  These cars, well looked after, can easily do 150k miles so even if you're doing 10k miles a year either of these cars should have an easy 10 years of life left in them - do you expect to keep the car that long or are you calculating resale value already?

[Guest rdb85]

49 minutes ago, KenMavor said:

My car did not have full Lexus warranty and they were quite happy to provide a Lexus warranty.  They did check it over, not an in depth check, when they did the airbag and saw no major problems.  Think different Lexus dealers have different opinions.  As has been said above these will not stay there for long - at least there are two of them at the same place.  These cars, well looked after, can easily do 150k miles so even if you're doing 10k miles a year either of these cars should have an easy 10 years of life left in them - do you expect to keep the car that long or are you calculating resale value already?

I have spoke to the Lexus dealer by me and they have said that the service history does not matter, as they have to check the vehicle before issuing a warranty. I plan on keeping it a while as I am looking to finance the car, which will take roughly 5 years to pay off. So I plan to keep it for a long time especially as I can renew the warranty year on year, it makes sense. 

So on that reflection I think the silver one would likely make the most financial sense. 

[JamesIS220]

1 hour ago, rdb85 said:

I have spoke to the Lexus dealer by me and they have said that the service history does not matter, as they have to check the vehicle before issuing a warranty. I plan on keeping it a while as I am looking to finance the car, which will take roughly 5 years to pay off. So I plan to keep it for a long time especially as I can renew the warranty year on year, it makes sense. 

So on that reflection I think the silver one would likely make the most financial sense. 

I have never had HP or credit. The thought of owing and paying monthly car payments puts me right off, what with motoring being expensive what with Tax, insurance, fuel etc.

This is why I buy old bangers cheap and drive them. My 1989 Volvo 240 GLT petrol auto estate I have owned for 9 years now and cost me £350 to buy. Had done 159,410 miles when bought and now on 240.000. It's only been recovered once due to Gearbox banging and didn't want to risk damage. Tail output bearing replaced and new gearbox mounting and cross member at 220,000 miles and that is the most it's cost to repair at £400.

Alternator went at 191,000 but got me home and to the garage the next day. Rest, basic maintenance and repair. Last 5 years gone straight through the MOT with no advisories. Needs more TLC due to rust, which I'll do this summer.

Also have a 1996 Volvo 940 SE LPT auto estate that's great also cost £250 but spent £1k on it bringing it up to scratch and getting the AC working. Now use this as main work car, may sell the 240.

2 weeks ago bought a 2006 Lexus IS 220D for less than £1500 and so far it's going well. Has 175k and re-gassed the AC and it now nice and cold. Drives really nicely and everything seems to work, except boot release on remote fob.

 

James

 

[royoftherovers]

1 hour ago, JamesIS220 said:

I have never had HP or credit. The thought of owing and paying monthly car payments puts me right off, what with motoring being expensive what with Tax, insurance, fuel etc.

This is why I buy old bangers cheap and drive them. My 1989 Volvo 240 GLT petrol auto estate I have owned for 9 years now and cost me £350 to buy. Had done 159,410 miles when bought and now on 240.000. It's only been recovered once due to Gearbox banging and didn't want to risk damage. Tail output bearing replaced and new gearbox mounting and cross member at 220,000 miles and that is the most it's cost to repair at £400.

Alternator went at 191,000 but got me home and to the garage the next day. Rest, basic maintenance and repair. Last 5 years gone straight through the MOT with no advisories. Needs more TLC due to rust, which I'll do this summer.

Also have a 1996 Volvo 940 SE LPT auto estate that's great also cost £250 but spent £1k on it bringing it up to scratch and getting the AC working. Now use this as main work car, may sell the 240.

2 weeks ago bought a 2006 Lexus IS 220D for less than £1500 and so far it's going well. Has 175k and re-gassed the AC and it now nice and cold. Drives really nicely and everything seems to work, except boot release on remote fob.

 

James

 

That`s a great contribution. Just goes to show that motoring can be as expensive/inexpensive as one wants it to be.

Volvo`s were great cars.I had a 240GLT Estate auto and a 460GLT manual Saloon.I think they are Chinese owned now.