LS65 RFJ - IS300h Maidstone Lexus

[HoofHearted]

Just in the off chance the previous owner is on here or if somebody who is local has been to view it recently?

would be heading down from Glasgow so just chancing my arm in case anybody has seen the car and can advise whether or not I’d be disappointed? 
 

https://usedcars.lexus.co.uk/en/used-lexus/Lexus/Is-Saloon/300h-F-Sport-4dr-CVT-Auto-s4cw743

[wharfhouse]

32 minutes ago, HoofHearted said:

Just in the off chance the previous owner is on here or if somebody who is local has been to view it recently?

would be heading down from Glasgow so just chancing my arm in case anybody has seen the car and can advise whether or not I’d be disappointed? 
 

https://usedcars.lexus.co.uk/en/used-lexus/Lexus/Is-Saloon/300h-F-Sport-4dr-CVT-Auto-s4cw743

Looks like with that one you would be paying quite a premium to have the F Sport badge but fairly basic spec - no leather, no nav, no metallic paint, standard audio etc. Looking at the Lexus Used site plenty more better spec cars around that price available if you don't just limit your search to F Sport. Unless you absolutely must have F Sport at the end of the day they all have the same drive train and pretty much same handling. Difficult to judge the cars from their trim name - you have to look at the options listed as leather and premium nav and audio were often optional upgrades for lower spec trims bringing a lower spec very close to a higher spec. 

[cadman2k]

It's a long way to go but cars are in short supply. The price is probably commensurate with its low mileage for its year. Would be good if you could get anything off it...always helps.

For the same money there's this 

https://usedcars.lexus.co.uk/en/used-lexus/Lexus/Is-Saloon/300h-Sport-4dr-CVT-Auto-n5cxcxn

No pics but maybe a facelifted version. If it was it would be a pretty decent price for an approved used.

Facelift details here

https://mag.lexus.co.uk/what-has-changed-with-2017-lexus-is/?utm_source=LexusOwnersClubUK&utm_medium=ForumLinks

Problem with everything when your looking for a car, you want everything on your list and pay the least (colour ,spec etc)

 

Good luck in your search

 

 

 

 

[wharfhouse]

If you are serious about changing it's also worth going into your local Lexus dealer and talking to them as they may know of cars coming into the system (especially in their own group) that they can let you know about before they even get to the Used Car pages.

[IS300FSPORT]

Top tip for you make sure it was serviced every 10,000 miles or annually. So if its a 2015 should have 7 service stamps. Main dealers wont tell you if it has a gap i.e not serviced every year. I know somebody that got bit recently on this. Ensure tyres & brakes dont need replacement in the next year as well to save you abit of cost. & check previous years advisory work has been completed otherwise you will be picking up the bill. 

https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

[Linas.P]

1 hour ago, HoofHearted said:

Just in the off chance the previous owner is on here or if somebody who is local has been to view it recently?

 

This one is 100% with poverty line standard audio system with 6 speakers which are absolutely unacceptable quality if you like music of any sorts. Generally, pretty much as basic as F-Sport gets.

1 hour ago, wharfhouse said:

Looks like with that one you would be paying quite a premium to have the F Sport badge but fairly basic spec - no leather, no nav, no metallic paint, standard audio etc. Looking at the Lexus Used site plenty more better spec cars around that price available if you don't just limit your search to F Sport. Unless you absolutely must have F Sport at the end of the day they all have the same drive train and pretty much same handling. Difficult to judge the cars from their trim name - you have to look at the options listed as leather and premium nav and audio were often optional upgrades for lower spec trims bringing a lower spec very close to a higher spec. 

Agree with most what you said, but F-Sport is must have in my opinion. That said still agree - there are plenty more better equipped F-Sports for lower price, maybe slightly higher mileage. I personally would always take higher miles but better equipped car within reason. 

Where I not quite agree is that you can get lower trim car which is equipped just as well as higher trims. First of all because Lexus options lists in UK are very rigid, most of the time either it comes with trim or it is not and option. Few exceptions like Leather which one could have specced with most trims, but there are many many small differences which you can't get unless you get particular trim... and they are weird ones as well, in F-Sport you can't get wood inlays only plastic carbon fibre looking pieces, in Premier which is basically top trim... you can't get rose leather and you can't get F-Sports dials and I know it may not be issue for many, but for me that is absolutely must - if there is any part which is outstanding in this model and has no equivalents is the F-Sport dials. But in F-Sport you can't get dynamic cruise control for Pre-Facelift (later it came standard on all 2018+ models with LSS+). Secondly, very few cars where made to order, maybe some F-Sports and Premiers, but it seems that all the lower trims have always been bought to the budget and simply bought from the dealership floor... So unless dealer specced the leather maybe for demo car to make better impression, it is quite unusual to see that anyone asked for it, waited extra 3 months for delivery and paid full price + price for options. 

So what you said about trims is theoretically true to some degree and certain options, but very uncommon in practice. 

[wharfhouse]

23 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

This one is 100% with poverty line standard audio system with 6 speakers which are absolutely unacceptable quality if you like music of any sorts. Generally, pretty much as basic as F-Sport gets.

Agree with most what you said, but F-Sport is must have in my opinion. That said still agree - there are plenty more better equipped F-Sports for lower price, maybe slightly higher mileage. I personally would always take higher miles but better equipped car within reason. 

Where I not quite agree is that you can get lower trim car which is equipped just as well as higher trims. First of all because Lexus options lists in UK are very rigid, most of the time either it comes with trim or it is not and option. Few exceptions like Leather which one could have specced with most trims, but there are many many small differences which you can't get unless you get particular trim... and they are weird ones as well, in F-Sport you can't get wood inlays only plastic carbon fibre looking pieces, in Premier which is basically top trim... you can't get rose leather and you can't get F-Sports dials and I know it may not be issue for many, but for me that is absolutely must - if there is any part which is outstanding in this model and has no equivalents is the F-Sport dials. But in F-Sport you can't get dynamic cruise control for Pre-Facelift (later it came standard on all 2018+ models with LSS+). Secondly, very few cars where made to order, maybe some F-Sports and Premiers, but it seems that all the lower trims have always been bought to the budget and simply bought from the dealership floor... So unless dealer specced the leather maybe for demo car to make better impression, it is quite unusual to see that anyone asked for it, waited extra 3 months for delivery and paid full price + price for options. 

So what you said about trims is theoretically true to some degree and certain options, but very uncommon in practice. 

Yes - all rather complicated - IMHO best way is to start with a list of "must haves" and then "nice to haves" and judge each car based on those criteria. Depending on how long one has to find the "perfect" car will dictate what compromises one can accept. I certainly agree that one should not be too bound by mileage - like you I firmly believe that average or even higher than average mileage cars with mainly motorway miles are often more reliable purchases than low mileage cars left unused for weeks / months that can exhibit all sorts of unexpected issues due to not being used regularly. 

[Malc]

4 hours ago, HoofHearted said:

would be heading down from Glasgow

has the seller sent you a full interior and exterior ( slow )  walk around video  ?

Malc

[HoofHearted]

3 hours ago, Malc said:

has the seller sent you a full interior and exterior ( slow )  walk around video  ?

Malc

They have, hard to tell from the quality but looks like there’s a few stone chips so waiting to hear back with more pics etc. 

[HoofHearted]

7 hours ago, wharfhouse said:

If you are serious about changing it's also worth going into your local Lexus dealer and talking to them as they may know of cars coming into the system (especially in their own group) that they can let you know about before they even get to the Used Car pages.

I’ve been in and they’ve said they’ll be in touch in the event one comes in.

[HoofHearted]

7 hours ago, cadman2k said:

It's a long way to go but cars are in short supply. The price is probably commensurate with its low mileage for its year. Would be good if you could get anything off it...always helps.

For the same money there's this 

https://usedcars.lexus.co.uk/en/used-lexus/Lexus/Is-Saloon/300h-Sport-4dr-CVT-Auto-n5cxcxn

No pics but maybe a facelifted version. If it was it would be a pretty decent price for an approved used.

Facelift details here

https://mag.lexus.co.uk/what-has-changed-with-2017-lexus-is/?utm_source=LexusOwnersClubUK&utm_medium=ForumLinks

Problem with everything when your looking for a car, you want everything on your list and pay the least (colour ,spec etc)

 

Good luck in your search

 

 

 

 

Don’t like the look of the sports, mainly the alloys. F sports the one that cries out to me. Handsome looking big motors. 
 

just want the right spec, extras, interiors and colour for a good price. Proving difficult! 

[Linas.P]

5 minutes ago, HoofHearted said:

just want the right spec, extras, interiors and colour for a good price. Proving difficult! 

It always takes time to find the car in right spec. for right price. In my case it was a bit extreme, but I was looking to get RC for 2 years until I found literally perfect car for the price which had everything without any compromises. At the start there were no RC, neither 200t, not 300h F-sport under £26k and Sunroof, Black exterior and Red interior was must-haves for me. The only compromise I could make was Premium vs. ML speakers, but nothing was available for quite some time. Until eventually one turn-up for sale listed for £17k at Lexus dealer completely fully loaded with every possible option and Black with Red. Sure it was on the higher side on mileage (55k for 2.5 years old car) and cosmetically it was not perfect, but that allowed me to knock down some more money off the price getting it for £15.5k. Now it turned out I didn't like, but market exploded and I was able to sell it for £19k 2 years.

I am not saying it is reasonable to wait for 2 years for a car, what I am trying to say - you cannot expect perfect car to be ready there when you ready to buy, if you want perfect car now then you have to either overpay, or compromise on some option, or wait until it turns-up for sale. As long as your expectations are more or less realistic this will happen sooner or later and therefore if you don't want to overpay or compromise, then you have to be patient. 

[HoofHearted]

Think I’m going to go for it. 
 

They’ve agreed to respray the front bumper given it’s a few scratches. Stone chips and a few other scratches on the car but it’s a good price. 
 

Few things to sort out but hopefully putting a deposit down tomorrow.

[Jose DS]

14 hours ago, HoofHearted said:

Think I’m going to go for it. 
 

They’ve agreed to respray the front bumper given it’s a few scratches. Stone chips and a few other scratches on the car but it’s a good price. 
 

Few things to sort out but hopefully putting a deposit down tomorrow.

Make sure you get an invoice for this to keep a record of it being re-sprayed. The invoice should total £0.00 but what you want is the documentation for it.

[HoofHearted]

22 hours ago, Jose DS said:

Make sure you get an invoice for this to keep a record of it being re-sprayed. The invoice should total £0.00 but what you want is the documentation for it.

Good call, I’ll say to them. Thanks