Start Of A Journey

[Garfield]

Hey all, I'm new to this Forum

I've decided to finally buy myself a Lexus is250, but really unsure of how much i should expect to pay for Sport Luxury and X 06-08.

Does anyone have any Ideas of where to begin my search for one of these babies?!

I've tried auction houses, carsales, tradingpost etc.

All help is appriciated!

Thanks guys

Located in Melbourne

[Steve]

i would say anything between 27k to 30k

Try http://www.carsales.com.au/

[BlakTegra]

http://www.tradingpost.com.au/

[Subby]

_{I've had a lot of experience by now in checking out IS250s - to upgrade to a 2010 IS250 SL - not much luck so far.}

_{Some things I've learnt:}

_{There is often quite a difference between advertised details and reality}

_{Do a free rego check in Victoria and NSW to verify advertised details match VicRoads / RTO records}

_{Check with the dealer where the car was serviced to verify make and model, condition, service history, etc.}

_{It's a buyer's market, so don't be shy to bargain}

_{Can give you some more pointers, please PM - I'm also located in Melbourne.}

_{You could also add carsguide.com.au to the URLs already suggested.}

[cevu]

Hey all, I'm new to this Forum

I've decided to finally buy myself a Lexus is250, but really unsure of how much i should expect to pay for Sport Luxury and X 06-08.

Does anyone have any Ideas of where to begin my search for one of these babies?!

I've tried auction houses, carsales, tradingpost etc.

All help is appriciated!

Thanks guys

Located in Melbourne

I've got a 2007 Sports Luxury and was offered 29K as a tradein against a 350 F Sport.

Hope that info is of some use to you.

[Garfield]

Appreciate the help guys!!

Trying to find myself a Black with preferably black interior!

[quockies]

I picked up my Black 2008 IS250 X for 34K on road with 45K on the clock.... if only X made it in white, I told my self my next car had to be white but ended up with Black again....

[Garfield]

Haha sounds awesome!

Just a quick noobie question how to tell the difference between a sports luxury from the rest with EMV packages? =/

At the moment they all looking real similar haha...

cheers

[d_porkypine]

easiest way to pick out the sports luxury is the heated/cooling seats, memory seats, woodgrain trim, rear sunshade and the big lexus badge on the grill at the front that is covered in glass/plastic.

and also the little radar button on the steering wheel...

[Garfield]

So do all Sports Luxury only have Wood grain trim?

Because there are a few on Carsales advertised as Sports luxury but have the silver trim..

[d_porkypine]

Jeez, do you work at night?? LOL

yes I believe only the sports luxury should have the woodgrain trim. Anything else that says sports luxury but doesn't have it, I would be wary of. I jumped on carsales and had a look and I've found a couple that have been advertised as sports luxury with the silver trim but are actually only a prestige.

I suppose anyone could go out and get replacement parts and make it look like a sports luxury but the amount you would spend to get it to that stage wouldn't be economical from my point of view.

Other things to look out for are illuminated door scuff plate and I think the front sensors. I can't remember if the other models have sensors on the front, I'm pretty sure it is just the rears on other models.

[d_porkypine]

Actually I've found quite a lot of prestiges being advertised as sports luxury so be careful in your search

[quockies]

Ripped from clublexus =)

Information on 2IS Options:

Be very careful when reading car listings, especially online - many aren't fully correct or complete, and some are just blatantly false. For example, you may see an ad that says the car has Mark Levinson sound. However, only if the Mark Levinson logo is present near the audio controls on the dash does the car actually have this option, so check the interior pictures closely. And never believe an ad that says "fully loaded", because as you'll see, there are many options for the 2IS and in reality, the car is very probably missing at least a few.

You can use the below section to determine what packages/options the car you're looking at has and which it does not.

i) Option Packages:

Premium Package: Heated/ventilated seats and woodgrain only.

HOW TO TELL IF CAR HAS IT: If it has ventilated seats and does NOT have memory seats.

Luxury Package: Same as premium PLUS memory seats, rain-sensing wipers, HIDs, power tilt/telescope steering wheel, auto dim/tilt side mirrors, illuminated scuff plates, and power rear sunshade. Usually also comes with 18" wheels but it's possible to get it with 17". Can't be combined with any other package on this list.

HOW TO TELL: If it has memory seats AND woodgrain.

Sport Package: Same as Luxury Package except you do NOT get woodgrain, power rear sunshade, or illuminated scuff plates, but you DO add the sport suspension, sport pedals, and aluminum scuff plates. Always includes the 18" wheels. Can't be combined with any other option package on this list. No longer offered on 2011 and newer models.

HOW TO TELL: If it has memory seats and does NOT have woodgrain.

NOTE: Memory seats are only driver, not passenger, for 2011 and newer models.

F-Sport Package (2011+ Models Only): 18" wheels, sport suspension, heated (NOT ventilated) front seats, microfiber seat inserts, aluminum door-sill plates, sport pedals, front and rear spoiler, grille inserts, F-Sport steering wheel, shift ****, seats, and badge.

HOW TO TELL: Visually obvious with the F-Sport labeled seats/wheel, etc.

X-Package ('07-'10 Models Only): Illuminated scuff plates, sport suspension, sport pedals, front lip spoiler, and special 5-spoke 18" wheels; nothing else from the other packages. This package can not be combined with the Sport or Luxury Packages but can combine with Premium Package.

HOW TO TELL: 5-spoke wheels are the easiest way.

ii) Standalone Options:

These options are unrelated to and independent of what packages the car may otherwise have unless it's part of a package the car already includes.

HIDs: '06 models could only get this as part of the Sport or Luxury Package. For '07+, it's an available standalone option.

HOW TO TELL: Check the multi-switch to the lower left of the steering wheel that looks like <0>; if you have an AFS ON/OFF option you have HIDs.

18" Wheels: Visually obvious

Rear Trunk Lip Spoiler: Visually obvious

Navigation: This includes bluetooth and backup camera.

HOW TO TELL: Navigation screen is visually obvious.

Mark Levinson: This is an upgraded sound system. It can be ordered with or without Navigation, but you only get a DVD-changer if it's with Navigation; comes with CD-changer otherwise)

HOW TO TELL: Mark Levinson logo on the head unit.

Park Assist: Distance sensors on the front and rear of the car.

HOW TO TELL: Little circle dots on front/rear bumpers.

Headlamp Washers: Visually obvious small bulges below headlights.

Pre-Collision System (PCS): Radar cruise control, one of the rarest 2IS options. No longer offered on 2011 and newer models.

HOW TO TELL: Special blackish L logo on front grill.

[Garfield]

If anyone in Victoria looking for a is250

do NOT even bother with this one..

its battered up. Pictures are probably old ones

http://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/lexus-is250-2008-14094449?base=1216&vertical=Car&cr=0&eapi=2&__N=1246%201252%201247%201282%201216&num=15&silo=Stock&items=%5bMake%3aLEXUS%2cModel%3aIS250%2cBaseEnabledBadge%3aSPORTS%20LUXURY%5d&sort=default

[ilv1004s]

Ripped from clublexus =)

Information on 2IS Options:

Be very careful when reading car listings, especially online - many aren't fully correct or complete, and some are just blatantly false. For example, you may see an ad that says the car has Mark Levinson sound. However, only if the Mark Levinson logo is present near the audio controls on the dash does the car actually have this option, so check the interior pictures closely. And never believe an ad that says "fully loaded", because as you'll see, there are many options for the 2IS and in reality, the car is very probably missing at least a few.

You can use the below section to determine what packages/options the car you're looking at has and which it does not.

i) Option Packages:

Premium Package: Heated/ventilated seats and woodgrain only.

HOW TO TELL IF CAR HAS IT: If it has ventilated seats and does NOT have memory seats.

Luxury Package: Same as premium PLUS memory seats, rain-sensing wipers, HIDs, power tilt/telescope steering wheel, auto dim/tilt side mirrors, illuminated scuff plates, and power rear sunshade. Usually also comes with 18" wheels but it's possible to get it with 17". Can't be combined with any other package on this list.

HOW TO TELL: If it has memory seats AND woodgrain.

Sport Package: Same as Luxury Package except you do NOT get woodgrain, power rear sunshade, or illuminated scuff plates, but you DO add the sport suspension, sport pedals, and aluminum scuff plates. Always includes the 18" wheels. Can't be combined with any other option package on this list. No longer offered on 2011 and newer models.

HOW TO TELL: If it has memory seats and does NOT have woodgrain.

NOTE: Memory seats are only driver, not passenger, for 2011 and newer models.

F-Sport Package (2011+ Models Only): 18" wheels, sport suspension, heated (NOT ventilated) front seats, microfiber seat inserts, aluminum door-sill plates, sport pedals, front and rear spoiler, grille inserts, F-Sport steering wheel, shift ****, seats, and badge.

HOW TO TELL: Visually obvious with the F-Sport labeled seats/wheel, etc.

X-Package ('07-'10 Models Only): Illuminated scuff plates, sport suspension, sport pedals, front lip spoiler, and special 5-spoke 18" wheels; nothing else from the other packages. This package can not be combined with the Sport or Luxury Packages but can combine with Premium Package.

HOW TO TELL: 5-spoke wheels are the easiest way.

ii) Standalone Options:

These options are unrelated to and independent of what packages the car may otherwise have unless it's part of a package the car already includes.

HIDs: '06 models could only get this as part of the Sport or Luxury Package. For '07+, it's an available standalone option.

HOW TO TELL: Check the multi-switch to the lower left of the steering wheel that looks like <0>; if you have an AFS ON/OFF option you have HIDs.

18" Wheels: Visually obvious

Rear Trunk Lip Spoiler: Visually obvious

Navigation: This includes bluetooth and backup camera.

HOW TO TELL: Navigation screen is visually obvious.

Mark Levinson: This is an upgraded sound system. It can be ordered with or without Navigation, but you only get a DVD-changer if it's with Navigation; comes with CD-changer otherwise)

HOW TO TELL: Mark Levinson logo on the head unit.

Park Assist: Distance sensors on the front and rear of the car.

HOW TO TELL: Little circle dots on front/rear bumpers.

Headlamp Washers: Visually obvious small bulges below headlights.

Pre-Collision System (PCS): Radar cruise control, one of the rarest 2IS options. No longer offered on 2011 and newer models.

HOW TO TELL: Special blackish L logo on front grill.

thats USDM that is useless

have a look at the sticky on this section

2IS model info

[quockies]

thats USDM that is useless

have a look at the sticky on this section

2IS model info

Whoops my bad.... was at work and couldnt remember where I saw the 2IS model info... =)

[ilv1004s]

[melchels]

If anyone in Victoria looking for a is250

do NOT even bother with this one..

its battered up. Pictures are probably old ones

http://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/lexus-is250-2008-14094449?base=1216&vertical=Car&cr=0&eapi=2&__N=1246%201252%201247%201282%201216&num=15&silo=Stock&items=%5bMake%3aLEXUS%2cModel%3aIS250%2cBaseEnabledBadge%3aSPORTS%20LUXURY%5d&sort=default

[melchels]

Hi Garfield,

That car was of interest to me, in what way was it beaten up? Interior or exterior?

[Garfield]

Exterior was REAL poor... i mean big scrapes on every panel, broken bumper clips front and rear...

However the interior looked decent didn't do a thorough check, due to the fact how disgusting the exterior was.

ALSO the owner thinks he could fetch as high as 43k for its current condition...

[Subby]

Garfield,

I think this was mentioned earlier, you learn a lot more from what is NOT mentioned in ads - that ad clearly says "immaculate interior" but makes no mention of the exterior.

I've learnt to keep a standard set of questions handy and the replies tell me whether a car is worth looking at or not.

Good luck.

[Garfield]

Cheers!

What are your guys opinions on the cabin of the IS250? I've herd that they are quiet small?

And opinions on any alternative cars

[d_porkypine]

Yes interior is quite small in the IS. I've had 3 guys in the back seat and they were all squished up against each other (they are all fairly skinny asians as well) Leg room was ok as I don't sit very far back but if you are tall then pretty much game over for anyone sitting behind you.

What do you want out of the car? What do you want it to do? Will it only be you in the car? Will you be driving around all the time with mates in the car?

Kinda hard to make a recommendation without knowing those things.

[ilv1004s]

rather than asking questions

go test drive one

make your decision

looks like your not decided yet

[rossv]

Hey guys,

I'm also looking for my first ever Lexus (IS250), 2005-06 as my budget is a bit tighter.

I've seen a few 2005 IS250s in my price range (low 20s), is this realistic or am I looking at a bunch of lemons at this price range? According to redbook and other valuation sites this might be realistic, but I really don't know from other posts I've read on this forum..

Examples of IS250s I've considered:

http://www.carsales....000&sort=~Price

http://www.carsales....n,100000&items=[Make%3aLEXUS%2cModel%3aIS250]&sort=~Price

Guess I'll keep searching :)