Nubee - Dilemma

[Gunther]

Bin a lurker for months, now can finally spend the cash as missus agrees the Lexus is a good car::: First poster so be gentle

Petrol or diesel? I have read lots of notes and posts on here, and understand the Auto is a good choice, so that's my preference

What Spec - is the SEL really worth the extra. I drive both SE and SE-L and really only had time to try the rear (and front?) sensors. With the camera they are great!!

I'm not sure about the sattelite Nav - is it worth it? I saw some posts on "nanny" - My Tom Tom does the jobby at the moment and I could live without the camera but I like the BT

What colour? I like black, but I know I'll be washing it all day everyday. What other colour is easy to look after

Should I wait for 57 plate? Or should I buy ex-demo? Head says Ex-demo and hart says new.

Or should I get a GS instead?

It's a Private buy so I don't care about company car or tax, just want a good car I can waft around in during retirement.

Any help would be good. TIA

[Mr Pants!]

Hello, welcome...

Personally I would get a petrol, seems to have a bit more power, which is important to me.

The sat nav is worth it as it comes as part of the multimedia pack, which is definitely worth it! Well, its not worth that much money, but it is brilliant! The sound system impresses the hell out of me, having the DVD option as well is nice.

I am sure you will not go wrong with either type, I do wish I had the electronic steering column and memory seats.

[Kazi]

Bin a lurker for months, now can finally spend the cash as missus agrees the Lexus is a good car::: First poster so be gentle

Petrol or diesel? I have read lots of notes and posts on here, and understand the Auto is a good choice, so that's my preference

What Spec - is the SEL really worth the extra. I drive both SE and SE-L and really only had time to try the rear (and front?) sensors. With the camera they are great!!

I'm not sure about the sattelite Nav - is it worth it? I saw some posts on "nanny" - My Tom Tom does the jobby at the moment and I could live without the camera but I like the BT

What colour? I like black, but I know I'll be washing it all day everyday. What other colour is easy to look after

Should I wait for 57 plate? Or should I buy ex-demo? Head says Ex-demo and hart says new.

Or should I get a GS instead?

It's a Private buy so I don't care about company car or tax, just want a good car I can waft around in during retirement.

Any help would be good. TIA

Couldn't offer advice on which to go for, 220d or 250 petrol, however your head thinking is best!

You lose so much money on a new car what is the point? Go for an ex demo or approved used car where any niggles/problems should have been sorted out and you get some level of warranty. I do know black is a nightmare to keep clean, but in my opinion black looks the best when clean!

Seen a nice new black IS the other day and it looked seriosuly sweet!

However I do like the new GS to,.....tricky decision, test drive them both, Id imagine their two very different cars.

If you decide on the new IS, id certainly look for the ones with MM package. Think this just adds to the luxury car and im sure resale values and desirability is better.

Just my opinions, hope this helps.

[lee_iceman]

I'm in the process of looking at the Approved cars at the minute, just have to wait until the right one comes along. You best bet would be to book a drive in the 250 with the auto box. A few months back I test drove the 250 and the 220 on the same day.

My mind is now set on the 250 SE-l in brechin slate with black leather interior with auto and multimedia :)

I was looking at getting a brand new one, and might still do if one doesn't turn up soon

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Said it a kazillion times - 250 SE Auto is best. Not sure about the SE-L - some nice things, some seless things...Be careful of ex-demo's - not all are sorted. Some could be -ex-courtesy cars...which haven't been respected.

Check for rattles on '06 plate cars, and the front speaker on the dash should be flush.

You're better finding a car which was registered to a private individual - check it thoroughly and fill yer boots - as Kazi says, avoid a new one.

Having driven the GS - the 300SE ticks all the boxes, though it won't give you more than 30mpg tops on an economy run. The IS250 Auto will hit 35, even 40 mpg, and similar performance (ish). The GS is bigger and better to "waft" around in. The GS I drove had what I though was a inferior Sat Nav system too - it looked the same, but the mapping looked grainy. May be it was that particular car.

Finally - I would rule out the 220d - unless you do seriously high miles.

PS - to keep it clean, stick with silver...to stand out buy a red one, and to be laughed at buy the green one

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

I'm in the process of looking at the Approved cars at the minute, just have to wait until the right one comes along. You best bet would be to book a drive in the 250 with the auto box. A few months back I test drove the 250 and the 220 on the same day.

My mind is now set on the 250 SE-l in brechin slate with black leather interior with auto and multimedia :)

I was looking at getting a brand new one, and might still do if one doesn't turn up soon

Nice one Lee - that colour was second choice for me...good luck both of you!!

[Tango]

Bin a lurker for months, now can finally spend the cash as missus agrees the Lexus is a good car::: First poster so be gentle

Petrol or diesel? I have read lots of notes and posts on here, and understand the Auto is a good choice, so that's my preference

What Spec - is the SEL really worth the extra. I drive both SE and SE-L and really only had time to try the rear (and front?) sensors. With the camera they are great!!

I'm not sure about the sattelite Nav - is it worth it? I saw some posts on "nanny" - My Tom Tom does the jobby at the moment and I could live without the camera but I like the BT

What colour? I like black, but I know I'll be washing it all day everyday. What other colour is easy to look after

Should I wait for 57 plate? Or should I buy ex-demo? Head says Ex-demo and hart says new.

Or should I get a GS instead?

It's a Private buy so I don't care about company car or tax, just want a good car I can waft around in during retirement.

Any help would be good. TIA

Gunther,

Sorry but I'm heavily biased so it's no surprise that I would advise purchasing an IS250 SE-L with all the toys, as having driven all the rest of the IS range including the 220D I felt a lot better getting back in mine.

The auto box is superb, as you have already discovered, and is certainly the best choice to 'waft around in during retirement'. The voice activated phone, satnav, multi media and temperature controls are also great to use as you waft around, as is the heated and ventilatedleather seats.

Not sure what peeps mean by 'Brechin Slate', but mine is the Cadoxton Slate (more aptly called 'Smoky Granite Mica' in the US) with black leather and is certainly easier to keep looking clean than the black.

If you are lucky enough to get the exact spec in the condition you want without buying new then fine, but hey it's your retirement car so let your heart rule your head for once and enjoy it to the full :D .

[Gunther]

Thank 2 all - the search now begins. The missus still prefers a diesel as she gets all environmental, but I want an automatic. Let the marital war begin! She needs to try a diesel properly and I need to drive the GS300. Will let you know what happens, but at the moment a used 250 Auto SE-L looks to be right on the money. With some remarks on soft paint, I might stick with silver and black leather (may be grey leather too).

PS - a lovely forum.

[IanB]

Gunther,

I too am biased as I'm now a GS fan. Pricey but nice. When I made my chioce, I did so after going on one of the Lexus open days, and once I'd sampled the GS I was hooked. It was a great opportunity to try the different models. Ask your dealer if they are having any near you. See here for my impressions at the time:-

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...p;hl=lovely+car

As for the sat nav, I'm not really a fan. My Mk 1 TOM Tom One is much easier and intuitive to use. The good thing about a built-in sat nav is you don't have to keep taking it off the windscreen and cleaning off the tide mark

I ended up with a black car, and it's not so bad to keep clean. It looks really smart when it's clean, and because I went for the optional paintwork treatment, it really shines without having to polish it.

My car will do 35 mpg on long motorway journeys when cruising at an indicated 75mph, and drops to around 26mpg for mixed town and country driving.

Good luck with your chioce.

IanB :D

[Northern Boys Luv Gravy]

From the moment I tried the 250 Auto I was hooked - I really don't think there is a petrol auto in this price bracket to touch it. I got the Argento Ice with black leather interior and it always looks clean with only the wheels showing up the brake dust to let it down. I've enjoyed the lat 33k miles so much I've ordered another - identical but with the Cadaxton slate and silver leather. I still think the silver looks the best but I couldn't order the same colour twice. Lexus are doing a push on petrol IS at the moment so you should get a good deal.

[MeOfLeeds]

I've not driven the petrol, so it would be unfair of me to comment...

Hey, when has that ever stopped me. If the taxman hadn't advised me to have a diesel, I would have loved the 250 petrol.

For the amount of town driving (or wafting if you like) I do, I too would have probably gone for the auto box but it wasn't an option

The perennial problem of colour... Originally wanted black with grey interior but couldn't put up with the wait so ended up with black paint & beige interior and boy am I glad I did. It makes the cabin so airy and light. I don't think it's too much of a problem keeping it clean. It gets washed once a fortnight/3 weeks and looks good when done.

We've no kids and I never sit in the back so the lack of rear seat space is not a problem either.

A rather nice looking new GS passes me going in the opposite direction (sort of tan/gold colour) on the ring road every morning and I have to say that it looked damned smart but I don't need the size or space and, I'd be paranoid about parking it at my local Sainsbury's on a Saturday, as it appears that every Reginald Molehusband in Leeds shops there on a weekend.

Gunther: Go with the heart, life's not a rehearsal - sod it, get an IS-F.

[Parthiban]

Unless you need the size, the IS is better, it's actually so much quieter inside than the GS.

And with the IS, go for the petrol, the auto is so sweet, and the whole package makes sense - the rattly diesel just doesn't work for me........

Make sure that the missus knows that while you may be emitting a little more CO2 with the petrol, at least you won't be breathing in all the nasty carcinogens in diesel fumes - given the choice, I know which I'd rather have! :winky:

[SiWhite]

Not sure what peeps mean by 'Brechin Slate'

It's a light metallic blue colour. Like this:

[Tango]

Not sure what peeps mean by 'Brechin Slate'

It's a light metallic blue colour. Like this:

Thank you, haven't seen one that colour on the road yet

[SiWhite]

Not sure what peeps mean by 'Brechin Slate'

It's a light metallic blue colour. Like this:

Thank you, haven't seen one that colour on the road yet

Me neither

Well sort of - I'm usually in it :winky:

[swager]

Hi Nubee,

its all about the feel good facror ,I test drove them all BMW MERCs JAG when I had to dump the RX and Lexus brand was out in front.After having the IS 250 se-l auto for a days test drive I was sold ,then had the chance of a used 55 plate black with beige oakham interior and as Bristol operate the Saturday wash club its no problem keeping it clean .I also had a set of black mats througn in with the super deal I had .Love all the gadgets with the sat nav great (also run tom tom in my company car and I am always worried it will be nicked ).The wife just loves the car ,easy to drive and park with the parking sensors and camara working well along with the Bluetooth hands free.With the petrol we average between 27-29 around town with the wife driving and can get up to 39-41 on motorway runs ,also the auto fall into the cheaper road tax bracket then the manual.I am just in the procces of upgrading my company car and I know I will go for the IS 250 se-l auto even though I own one for my person use .

cheers

swager

[Mr Pants!]

I'm in the process of looking at the Approved cars at the minute, just have to wait until the right one comes along. You best bet would be to book a drive in the 250 with the auto box. A few months back I test drove the 250 and the 220 on the same day.

My mind is now set on the 250 SE-l in brechin slate with black leather interior with auto and multimedia :)

I was looking at getting a brand new one, and might still do if one doesn't turn up soon

May be selling mine soon :) My Lexus IS250 but not in your colour :(