No More Manual Is250

[dis-lex-sic]

Thought some of you may be interested, especially those with a manual IS250.

Just heard that after July there will be no more IS250 manuals able to be ordered.

[ilv1004s]

Hm bad move they should fix the damn gearbox instead of killing it

[IronFist]

The manual gearbox didn't feel "refined" for a car of this status. I thought I had a dud car during the test drive until I later read reviews on the US forums.

I wish Lexus had a twin clutch transmission option like the DSG.

Drove a Golf GTI with DSG it was so nice :)

[ilv1004s]

apparently the gearbox on the manual 2is is from a truck ? lol

[k2sty1]

is it cuz their focusing on selling more IS350's??

man, i wish i could have a IS350, lol

wonder how much they are new...

and how much they would be in 3 years time, used...

hmmmm

oh well, thats far awayy

[Aircon]

The manual gearbox didn't feel "refined" for a car of this status. I thought I had a dud car during the test drive until I later read reviews on the US forums.

I wish Lexus had a twin clutch transmission option like the DSG.

Drove a Golf GTI with DSG it was so nice :)

that would be awesome. i'm sure it's just a matter of time.

[Oliver Twizt]

Yeah I have a manual '250 and as much as I prefer manual cars, the IS250 MT is by far the worst I've driven...

[Aircon]

Yeah I have a manual '250 and as much as I prefer manual cars, the IS250 MT is by far the worst I've driven...

It has a habit of being notchy and sometimes not slipping into gear (especially if rolling forward at 1-2km/h), almost as though the synchros are shot, and clutch engagement is also horrid. The throw is also a bit far for the positioning of the gearshift (which the F-Sport short shift kit I have sitting in my cupboard will solve).

I'm hoping some aftermarket synthetic fluid will help with the first issue, but I'm having issues finding some suitable fluid locally.

try this place.

http://www.performancelub.com/

Aussie online business for performance oils.

something wrong with the website at the moment...i can't get onto it, but i'm sure that's just temporary

[Sapphire Cam]

Guess no one is really buying the manual, and its to the detriment of Lexus big time. If they are trying to capture the driving purists, having a poor manual set up in the IS250 has done them no favours whatsoever. Widely slagged off in reviews, it probably has cost Lexus a few sales over the past 4-5 years. But then again looking at the IS-F and the LF-A, perhaps Lexus realise that the days of the old-fashioned manual gear box are numbered and that they are better off spending their research and development resources the 'semi-automatic' transmissions.

[dis-lex-sic]

Guess no one is really buying the manual,

You are right. Since the auto in the IS250(6 spd) is such an improvement over the auto in the IS200(4 spd) there is no performance advantage between manual and auto as there was in the IS200. Less reasons to buy manual, especially over a paddle shift/tiptronic auto.

With the lined between the traditional auto & manual blurred by DSG and the like you will see less & less of the traditional 3 pedal manual.

Except for sports car or budget reasons.

it probably has cost Lexus a few sales over the past 4-5 years.

Less than you'd think.....

[ilv1004s]

One of the reasons why I sold my old 2is

manual was so crap..

IMO Lexus made a mistake, look at BMW

new m3 comes with a manual and a dsg box

335i 6speed manual.. For a traditional sports gt car buyer a manual box is more prefered eventhough the dsg box is daster by 0.05 secs on each shift

[dis-lex-sic]

For a traditional sports gt car buyer a manual box is more prefered

I agree with everything in your post, however an IS250 isn't a sports or GT car.

A 335i buyer is more likely to be a "driver" than someone buying a 320i or 325i but even still the number of manuals sold is far less than the DSG.

The 3 pedal manual in most brands sales figures is a victim of technology...thats what it come down to.

[ilv1004s]

Oops I forgot to mention hahah

the isf and the 350 lol

hence I was talking about the m3 and 335

[JTMILLER]

apparently the gearbox on the manual 2is is from a truck ? lol

True to some extent but it is also in other sedans, it is an Aisin AY6 box,

Toyota Motor Corporation

-Lexus IS

-Land Cruiser Prado

-Tacoma

-FJ Cruiser

General Motors

-Cadillac CTS

Holden

-Commodore

-Ute

For a traditional sports gt car buyer a manual box is more prefered

I agree with everything in your post, however an IS250 isn't a sports or GT car.

A 335i buyer is more likely to be a "driver" than someone buying a 320i or 325i but even still the number of manuals sold is far less than the DSG.

The 3 pedal manual in most brands sales figures is a victim of technology...thats what it come down to.

Lexus would tend to disagree that it isn't a sports car, IS - Intelligent Sports, sure the IS200 and IS250 are not really great in terms of performance but then again comparatively neither is an NA supra and that is still called a sports car.

As for your saying "there is no performance advantage between manual and auto as there was in the IS200." wouldn't the auto box still sap more power than the manual? I thought that was an unavoidable loss when the IS250 is using an old fashioned auto, its not like there is a DSG in the 250? (could be wrong I am just a lowly IS200 driver), but even when I have driven the IS250 with paddle shifter it feels fake and less connected than a proper manual. I have never gotten to drive a manual 250 but if they are as horrible as it sounds maybe they should have kept the J160 out of the 200, sure its not able to take a lot of power but behind the weak motors lexus puts in its base models it should be fine.

I was going to wait till the third gen IS to upgrade to the latest one with a nice manual but if they are deleting that as an option guess I will stick with the first gen.

[Peter]

I used to own a is250 manual and it took me weeks to get use to the differnt clutch contact point from other manuals. Once I mastered it, I really enjoyed driving it. Having driven both the auto and manual is250, I still think the manual is better suited to the is250 engine.

The is250 power doesn’t really deliver unless you rev it up high. The auto just don’t get it right when you want the power the way you want it. It’s seems like it is gear hunting when you drive it rough. If people say the is250 manual is like a truck or whatever, the auto is worst. Just google it and you find out how crap the is250 auto is.

I am disappointed the manual is no longer available in Australia. This will rule me out buying another lexus is250.

Technology has made the Auto .01 seconds faster than a manual in a straight line for most modern cars. But if you want to be stylish in your driving and you have passion in driving, manual car is No one.

Paddle shift behind the steering wheel has no soul. It’s a gadget really. How many times a year do you auto drivers use it? Not many I guess.

I can understand why Lexus Australia would drop the manual. Look who is buying it? Mostly boring people and no idea what a clutch is. BTW those boring people are not on this forum because they are not car enthusiast.

I am proud that I used to own a Lexus manual. It is a beautiful car and it is exciting to drive a 155KW V6 engine with a manual stick. I am sure in years to come, my old is250 manual will be popular for the below 25 year old. They will put 20 inch wheels on it, install plastic wings and lower the suspension. Good on them for doing it. They wont do it on an auto. The manual will become prize and a collector’s item while the old auto will be purchased by the poorer ultra dead beat boring people. Like a glorify Camry.

My current car is above the LCT and manual and I know in a few years to come, there may not be any more above LCT manual. That will really p me off. Long live the is250 manual and I hope it will be available in the next generation of is250.

BTW a few teenagers in my street are taking manual car license. I am really happy to see young people wanting to drive a manual car because it is cool to be a manual driver!

[ilv1004s]

that was a good read lol

sorry but im gonna have to disagree with the is250 auto being worse than the manual

as much as i love driving manual

the is250 manual is just horrible auto does rev better and makes power better on the top end

[QQQ]

The manual gearbox didn't feel "refined" for a car of this status. I thought I had a dud car during the test drive until I later read reviews on the US forums.

I wish Lexus had a twin clutch transmission option like the DSG.

Drove a Golf GTI with DSG it was so nice :)

YES IT DOES.....LOL :)