My poor IS 220D (06), buying a IS250(07)

[PhilEFT]

Hello, I have sadly just been informed that my 2006 Is220d (full info, sat nav, reversing camara) has to be scraped because of a head gasket issue..,  Wednesday 6th November 2024, I was cruising down the duel carriage way, touching the accelerate, just a tad harder and the engine and car just floated past a lorry without even missing a beat.. I just said to myself.. I LOVE THIS CAR 🤩🤩🤩

What a star of a car I have/had😢

Yesterday(Thursday) the car went in to the garage to have a full service and a renewed windscreen bottle replacement... was expecting a good chunk of money to be spent on it to give me at least another year to glide past people and not even feel a bump, but didn't think that was a bad move, as I love my IS220D...

Sadly the garage called me a few times, after finding a pool of antifreeze on the bottom plates and investigating the reason..

This is what i was told, in a sad voice..(the machanic likes Lexus' also.. and must have felt my pain), the engine has exhaust gases going into the head (head gasket gone) need you to find someone to hug, or at least have a shoulder to soak with your tears, because the head gasket has gone and the car will need changing ASAP, his extra advise was this won't get you 5 minutes down the road without major issues, so start looking for a new car or £3000 + VAT engine repair.. minimum..

After a small tear dropped down my check, walking the short distance to the garage because I own a IS220D I am pretty manly, so was just enough tear, to show my feminine side and thinking that the universe was punishing me for enjoying my IS220D (06) to much, for 8 years with very little issue.. with a few mechanical jobs being done to it, and the Lexus dealership charging me 10 times the amount in £s for a job, that a normal garage would.

I now have to buy a new car on a budget that is so small I might need to choose not to eat for a while.. 

So I have seen a IS250 Sport (07) (Only says sport not SE-I), this car is without the sat nav, camara, or blue tooth cons, so a little sad with that.. but I was nearly hit with a heart attack, bowel release and jaw hitting the floor, when I was told that LEXUS IS250 sport (07) Road Tax is £710 per yer.. 

I have seen some say, £480 just like the 220d, others less, but I need a car now.. with a budget of £2500 and Love my lexus 220d... but want a IS250.. now, so is it true...

£710 per year🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🥶😵‍💫