doog442

On 06/09/2016 at 10:42 PM, Chris.S said:

I have an IS200t F-Sport

Whats your long term prognosis ?

Is it a keeper ?

Im coming from a BMW 135i - goes like snot but need an auto with a bit of class...this might tick a few boxes 

20 hours ago, rayaans said:

Just to let you know, Broadspeed are still advertising the IS200t Sport for £23860 + options

Just had a quote for a brand new IS300h F sport for £25k flat or an NX for £26.5K 

I'm starting to look at the NX....we have dogs, I can take stuff to the tip - it looks very practical...the wife and kids prefer it..decisions

I think I was taken for a mug by a certain Lexus dealer who quoted £24K for a new IS2OOt on carwow.

When I enquired further the same person told me they had ceased production but directed me to a £27K F sport they had for sale...

The classic pull in...poor show and will avoid them in future....I see honestly and integrity still isnt an integral part of Lexus sales.

On 30/08/2016 at 6:39 PM, Wass said:

It doesnt seem so long ago that I sold a car which was 5 years old and 66K miles to the scrap merchant because it had rusted through and the engine and gearbox had worn out. It was a Talbot though. My current CT is one of the oldest in this country and has 56K on it and shows no sign of wear other than a new nearside front strut damper.I have seen CTs with over 100K on them but i have no idea what they drive like.

I bought a 3 year old Chrysler (Talbot) Alpine in 1981....It was my first car. It was scrapped in 83 due to rust..car of the year my arse! 

Just been told they have stopped production of the IS200t sport. 

I've put in two offers recently, one in person and one via e mail on 21K and 23K cars..at different dealers.and they've refused to budge an inch on the screen price. This was cash or finance, no counter offer just the usual 'we will lose money on it' 16.4% achievable on brand new??  - you might expect 5-7% on used - no chance. These are on cars they need to sell. 

In that price range its almost as if its a market ploy for you to go brand new down the finance route.

I went through this whole scenario two years ago and found other manufacturers far more aggressive with their pricing policy with the inclusion of service plans etc and I ended up going elsewhere.

In my early stages of looking to return, weighing up service costs etc and the whole package, I'm finding little to draw me back which is a bloody shame. I'm not sure Lexus can rely on reliability for much longer with others chucking around decent manufacturer warranties, cheap extended warranties and 5 year service plans like confetti. 

Incredible looking car.

Cheers Dan, my absence has clearly affected my ability to use the forum properly ...

Will have a look through tonight.

Has anyone reported any decent discount success with used / nearly new - across the range. Would 5-10% be a reality. I've got a 16% reduction from new however my budget is more £20K and there are several 65 plate examples around 21/22K. 

There's no finance incentive on used.  

Cheers, with hindsight I was being a little harsh on the dealership, they went out of their way to get me a test drive when clearly short staffed.I guess you'e right about the status of the vehicle so will avoid that particular example.

That aside they do seem to be a rare beast in the sales stakes, only 70 registered this year and I guess a chunk of those will be at dealers.

After a few years on the dark side (BMW) I had a test drive today in a IS200t sport

The dealer (main Lexus dealer )was clearly keen to get rid having told me it had simply been hanging around for 8 months. He also let slip they hadn't sold one this year !!! I only do a couple of thousand miles a year, fuel economy isnt an issue so have discounted an IS300h....likewise this is coming in cheaper.

I found the engine quite querky but everything else was the usual solid Lexus quality that made me buy an IS200 all them years ago.

Does anyone else on here have an IS200t......I've look and the answer would appear to be no...dealership issues aside I'm more interested in the car as I can source a brand new one for just over £24K but some feedback would be nice,,,if it exists at all.

regards

It's a Hybrid.

Business users have it because of the BIK savings, I have one because it's a Lexus and it's cheaper to run as I have to pay for my fuel. This topic is turning into a performance battle with other makes. If you want more performance have a BMW or Mercedes 3litre or whatever.

How many UK business users would have chosen this car if the tax benefits were the same as a German saloon?

Its a performance battle because the OP in his thread highlighted his main concern as lack of performance.

Very off topic all this. But yes my 335i is a N54 block.

The break downs on my car has nothing to do with the mods, most the mods are suspension/handling related. All the problem I've had are all well know 'issues'. Electric water pump, high pressure fuel pump, oil filter gasket failure, torque converter gasket failure, coil pack failure, cam gasket failure, serpentine belt failure...all in the last 12 months, on a car with less than 50k on the clock, and serviced above/beyond BMWs service schedule.

So you can probably see why it came to replacing our reliable Civic that's done 86k without a single fault the thought of having another BMW on the driveway was enough to give me nightmares!!!

But back on topic, currently away on holiday at moment, but cannot wait to get back to the UK to complete the purchase of the IS....probably the first time I've looked forwards to coming back to work :)

enjoy the new car :-)

Doesn't the IS250 have a NA V6? And the straight 6 in the 335i is a blown unit, it like

comparing the 4 cyclinder engine in the Micra to the 4 cylinder unit in a Golf R :P

For us having both a 335i (same engine as the 135i) and a IS300H is the perfect combination on the driveway. One is a mental performance orientated saloon that feels more like sports car than even my old Nissan 350Z on a twisty B road, and the other the perfect every day car for eve thing else's.

I wish you better luck with you BMW ownership experience than what I've experienced. My 335i has been the most unreliable car I've owned to date (including a £700 Peugeot 106)!! It's the only car to have ever left me stranded by the side of the road needing to be towed :(

Infact the whole ownership experience with BMW has put me off buying another 'premium' German brand again....£170+vat/hr labour is standard labour rate doesn't help.

I think your'e right, a decent combination of both would be nice .... :D but to fair, I do diddly squat miles so can afford to take the risk . My Lexus journey hasnt been fault free with the IS200 bought from a main dealer back in 2007 only a few years old.Missed services (covered up by the dealer), New dual mass flywheel / clutch..plus the tyre wear issue that only Tony bones could resolve , I had the knocking issue that was never resolved despite numerous returns to the dealers, replacement top mounts / shocks etc plus the rotting alloys.

I binned it with relatively low mileage (83k) having been baby'd but still had a suspected cranks shaft oil leak filling the cabin with oil smell, 4 totally rotted out alloys (despite being replaced) so my tyres were constantly deflating and a central locking system that was locking people in the car...then out of the car. Plus it still knocked like a barn door in in a hurricane. I still loved it however, but reliable ?...nah my 89 Belmont SRI was faultless as was my 82 Lancia HPE .

As for the beemer, purchased at the same age...it has a small rattle that Im happy to ignore due to the suspension set up and the roads around here.

I did loads of research on the N55 engine (is yours the N54? ). One thing that struck me on the N54 was realibility issues, vanos bolts, turbo issues and other things...rarely saw these issues (reliability) on this forum in relation to any Lexus petrol engine on newish cars apart from people lobbing in turbos etc. However it then became obvious loads of people were modding / mapping the hell out of N54 /N55 engines, using them for track days and generally driving them like they stole them.... I appreciate yours is heavily modded but is the reliability issue due to the things being hammered ?

Its fair to say Ive sacrificed a smooth/ lush cabin experience for something only run flats can produce ... trust me I'll be back to compare and offer an honest opinion on my current steed.

I actually compared it with a 135i and no I dont think its unfair to compare.....

It strikes me that the IS300h is a niche car and im sure that wasnt the intention. Ive been with Lexus for 7 years but trust me I really couldnt wait to get out of their showroom.

But you wouldn't compare a 120d to a 135i??!! Personally that what I see the performance of the IS300H, so why would you compare the IS300H to a 135i??

It any thing the 135/335i are niche products, they sell in tiny numbers compared to 120/320D.

Personally we found the IS300H to be the best package compared to BMW/Merc/Jags, and the fact there is less of them on the road just makes the car more exclusive :)

No i wouldnt compare with a 120d....! BMW still makes cars right across the spectrum so a 135i with a straight six petrol engine is the reason why people might compare a 135i with a company who still produce a straight 6 in the IS250 . Thats why I went there, my intention was an IS250 until i was reminded performance wise it couldnt justify itself when compared with the opposition.

However the issue is that if you walk into any Lexus dealership and enquire about an IS250 you will be magically pushed towards the IS300h and hence why people like me are making comparisons. Dont blame me, the IS250 is dead on its feet and Lexus are pushing the IS300h....the only real alternative as far as they are concerned but they know its not an alternative to people who dont care much for mpg and value a decent bit of performance that doesnt involve diesel.

I had 20K plus to spend on a prestige car, A 120d beemer isnt and never will be, a 135i maybe, for simply for whats under the bonnet. Finance figures, in particular showing guaranteed future minimum values arent really that strong for IS250 or the IS300h which is worrying as Lexus themselves appear to have little faith in future resale values (unlike BMW where values are steady) , sales figures arent exactly promising; and service costs are going through the roof according to posts on this very forum.

Im not a petrol head but I can appreciate a decent driving experience. I may well come back to Lexus but not in IS300h format im afraid.

I agree that comparing a 335i with the IS300H is complete unfair, for a start if you spec up a 335i to the same level as the luxury IS trim with leather and nav the price difference is nearly £10K....and thats before you even start to consider the running costs of the 335i....Mine current reading 25mpg longterm, and on a B road blast I've seen 8-9mpg.

I actually compared it with a 135i and no I dont think its unfair to compare. I did back to back in both hence my other post stating that there are alternatives. I dont do high mileage, so MPG aside it is fair to compare it with what is a comparable car and now in two series form.

Remember the OP was concerned about 'performance'. None of us know what performance means to the OP but to the average driver its night and day in the one simple suggestion I mentioned. As for spec, how far do you go ? Would you rather have electric seats than more power ? I also wasnt looking at new cars (someone else can take the depreciation hit) but as you know there are reams of 1 and 3 series BMW on forecourts around the land that could crucify a IS300h...

I personally found no discernable difference in convenience / gadgets / sound system in the IS300h versus the competitors (nothing that would tilt it) but what I did find was a massive difference in handling and power....and performance was his concern hence my post.

What I would also add that in my travels around Lexus / BMW and Merc dealers...Lexus dealers were virtually deserted, there were no customers. When the public talk with their feet Toyota seriously need to sit up and take notice.

It strikes me that the IS300h is a niche car and im sure that wasnt the intention. Ive been with Lexus for 7 years but trust me I really couldnt wait to get out of their showroom.

On 16/11/2014 at 5:30 AM, ganzoom said:

Hi guys we've just done a 24hr test drive with the IS300H, I have to say the comments many reviewers give about the CVT box is justified. For a car that produces 220bhp, a 0-60 time of over 8 seconds is awful, the paddles and sport mode is a joke compared to a traditional 6 speed ZF box, and when really driven hard the battery depletes quickly and the performance drops off even more. Compare it to my BMW 335i.....in terms of performance/power delivery/handling, it's like comparing Man City/Liverpool against Darlington FC/Cambridge United.

As many of you know, I am leaning heavily towards buying an IS300h and have one lined up as a courtesy car this coming Wednesday when my 250 goes in for service, (looking forward to it!)

I am reading and taking in all the information that I can about this car and, I came across a review by Carbuyer UK this morning and am wondering if any of you current owners have any thoughts on the snippet that I have shown below.

"The new car handles better than the previous model thanks to new suspension and better steering, too. What's more, the Lexus brand offers terrific reliability and dealer service, so the Lexus IS will be a popular car for company car buyers. However, the lack of performance and the noisy automatic gearbox mean it's hard to recommend the IS over its rivals"

Read more: Lexus IS saloon review | Carbuyer http://www.carbuyer.co.uk/reviews/lexus/is/saloon/review#ixzz3J8boW9lP

Follow us: @CarbuyerUK on Twitter | CarbuyerUK on Facebook

The lack of performance is an issue im afraid..there are alternatives.

Just pulled the 'cancelling finance in the cooling off period ' with BMW - no issues and saved me £1000 . However Lexus insist on a minimum of 6 payments or you will lose / pay for the finance incentive if you cancel.

Worth confirming with the dealer.

(ps it was written on my finance quote when I was looking at an IS300h)

It is a shame they don't do a petrol IS250 manual ,then we could fit short shifters etc,why can bmw make a good manual gearbox and Lexus can't ,the discovery of perfection but can't get a good gearbox to work hmm ,imagine the isf with a manual ,it would be unreal .

IS250 does come in petrol manual

Isnt the VED over £400 for the manual ?

Ive no doubt what will win in the reliability stakes

but I'll have a shed load of fun up until then :D

Been around here since early 2007 and have just traded the IS200 in for a BMW 1 series coupe 135i.....sorry

Always wanted an IS250 but the cars on sale at the Lexus dealers I visited were in a right mess, im not being funny but In one instance I was the only customer on successive days over 4 hours in two Lexus dealerships they were like morgues. They simply didnt want my IS200 in part ex, they didnt really want to sell me a used IS250....but they were hell bent on selling me a IS300h on finance.... :(

Totally different experience at several BMW dealerships, better part ex offers, free servicing, all sorts of incentives, just the whole vibe of the dealerships were different including the condition of their used stock.

Putting dealerships aside i went on to compare numerous vehicles, driving the IS250 and 300h back to back with BMW counterparts...im sorry but Lex aint cutting it anymore and im probably not alone in thinking the IS200 /300 was one of a kind never to be repeated.

That aside, ive kind of enjoyed the ride and someone will get an auction bargain. Needless to say the 135i also has a straight six , different beast however and we will see how it pans out. I dont expect the same reliability over the next few years but might have some fun in the process .

I only get this noise when slowing down and taking off, not while driving . It occurs as well after I have been driving for a while

I had the same issue, thought it was a wheel bearing after discounting the brakes...even had a bearing changed! Transpired it was a build of rust on the top edge of the discs rubbing slightly against the protective back plate. Only happened under certain conditions...worth a look at. You can bend them back away from the disc.

cheers lads, some great info there.

Im kind of getting there but unsure whether to go main dealer or not. I did with IS200 and a few issues were sorted under warranty, the big un being the dual mass flywheel/ clutch saga...

as such the dealer prices are right up there ..still .....but worth it for peace of mind ? Budget around £15K max, i tend to keep cars for the long haul so money worth spent ?

to be fair mate its got how much on the clock ?? , nearly 140,000 miles and what year is it? How much did you pay for it ?

I know you're comparing it to a mates Volvo but many, many cars would be looking at a scrap yard at that mileage..If you break your original post down into separate issues and deal with each issue on its own and one at a time things might become easier.

best of luck

Ive had the IS200 for 7 years and apart from having a few niggles sorted on purchase it hasnt missed a beat. It now has 82K, Ive just serviced it, I also did brake pads all round 12 months back so realistically could get a few more years of hassle free Lex motoring.....

I went through the whole IS250 thing a few back, had a one for a few weekends on test but didnt pull the trigger due to over stretching the finances.

The finances arent an issue now and im getting itchy feet. Ive looked at everything, Audi, BMW but I keep coming back to the IS250, mainly based on my experience with the IS200.

So over to you IS250 owners. Is the IS250 a rock solid piece of kit, just like the IS200/300? If i pull the trigger will I get that same feeling that I still get now, looking at the old beast parked up on the drive.

Has anyone owned both and how would you compare ? Are there any advantages in buying a later model over say a 2007/8 ?

Ive no idea how the car has moved forward in terms of technology since its release. MPG isnt an issue obviously with 2.5 auto, I dont do a lot of miles.

any thoughts appreciated .