After The Is250

[onnzo]

Hi guys. I'm after your opinions on what you would buy when the time comes to sell/trade the is250. I'm due to changeover in 4 months.

For me if the interior was larger it would be an easy decision to get the is350 but with onnzo number 2 on the way I need some more space.

I'm trying to convince the mrs that a sedan will fit all our needs in hope that I can still get something with decent performance! Price range is 50ish - flexible if the right car comes along and I don't mind buying used.

Gs430 was next option but interior space is too small.

Gs450h has the sAme problem and a pathetic boot (taken up by the battery)

I've had a liberty and after a Lexus it is a bit "rough"

I'm looking more into a:

r36 passat - not sure on size and comfort (reviews all say the ride is harsh) - I will check one out tomorrow.

I will also look at the Passat highline with 3.2, skoda superb and Octavia rs. Not sure on the skodas but I will check them out.

Any other suggestions for performance sedans with some decent space, is as comfortable as a Lexus, and options don't cost as much as the base price of the car... Lexus has left some big shoes to fill! Otherwise I'll have to get a suv - at least I'll get another lexus if I go down this route.

[ldc]

Sound like you need an SUV. An RX perhaps?

[LEX51S]

in your position id be aiming for an RX too.

thats if you like them. im only a fan of the new ones. not sure if thats in your price range.

[onnzo]

I'm trying to avoid getting a suv because they are all slow! The ones I can afford anyway.

I reckon you can still fit two kids and their gear in a sedan, just not comfortably in a is250.

If I can't find a fast/roomy enough sedan I will most likely get a rx350. $50k is my ideal figure, I can stretch it to 60-70 if the right car comes along.

[ldc]

You can be forgiven for driving a slow car if the car is an SUV. The other option is to go for a european secondhand euros i wouldn't trust the quality and there's also the cost of maintenance factor.

[ilv1004s]

rx350 is a rocket comapred to all the other suvs out on the market in the price range

[DANSLEX]

RX350 is quite fast in straight line when you compare it to the IS250, if not even faster. Feels faster anyway...

[k2sty1]

the R36 is a pretty nice car, see quite a few around my area

maybe a RX350

but do you want luxury before performance?

cause obviously you could get a Holden VE SSV Commodore for around 50~, sedan or wagon

if would have the performance (straight line) and the room, but most definitely not the luxury or anything else a lexus or VW has

[onnzo]

I want both luxury and performance :P

forgot to mention holdens and fords are out.

I agree that the rx350 is the pick of the suv's and ill most likely get one if I don't find a fast luxurious roomy sedan in my price range.

I went to a vw dealer about an hour ago. we weren't acknowledged By the sales people and all the cars were locked. Went up to te sales office and it was locked and I saw a guy walkin away from us into an office. He saw us coming towards the door. Sign says open till 5 and granted. It was 430 on a public holiday buthe did see us in the lot and could have told us they were closing early.

This kind of service drives me back to Lexus! When I bought the IS I went in at around the same time of day and was given a set of keys to go for a test drive whilst the salesman finished with his current customer. It was such a refreshing change. it's left a sour taste in my mouth again and its starting to Look like I might be headed down the same route again!

[k2sty1]

Lexus service is pretty good IMO

when my mum was looking into IS250's, A4's, 3 series

we went to a Audi dealership, and it was about 40mins till they came to us and asked us if we needed any help, hahahaha

well if holdens nd fords are out

maybe a used RX350, we had a RX330 before our IS250, and had it for 7 years, it had 140,000kms on it

it was a good, reasonably fast, reliable car, onyl problem we had was the CD player which got replaced

very roomy, and comfortable.

the new RX's are probably alot better aswell

but if there too expensive, the older RX330's nd 350's are nice aswell

[ldc]

How about top of the line Aurion?

[Lexus Nerd]

Perhaps you could still justify an IS if your oldest child hasn't reached his/her growth spurt by the time you plan to dispose of the car.

I've found that people around 5'2" tall and below don't complain about the space at the rear of an IS. It's a different story if they're 5'6" or taller.

[onnzo]

We have aurions as company cars. Although the top of the line would have all the features, the nvh is crap (compared

to a Lexus). Geez I'm picky!

IS is out. My son is 18 months and his brother/sister is due in June. Their car seats take up huge amounts of space!

I'm going to give vw another chance and go to a dealer my brother in law recommended. Maybe on my lunch break today.

[ilv1004s]

i vote will be a used RX350

the new models can be had for around that much these days with low kms

[Lexo]

you might also want to consider the RX400h/450h if you have power and economy in mind. Once you've owned a hybrid, you will never want to go back to a conventional engine. This was my experience when I had the use of the new RX350 and 450H while mine was in service. In the hybrid, I'm so accustomed to the silent and smoothness of the CVT transmission.

[onnzo]

Yep, although I haven driven a hybrid, all reviews indicate tremendous torque. It seems petty but In my opinion THE best feature that the IS has is the keyless entry/ignition.

Call me lazy but when you have a wriggling kid in your arms (and soon to be two) it is a godsend to be able to open the doors without fumbling for keys. Pity the rx400h doesn't come with it otherwise my decision would be easy.

The new rx's have it but the hybrids are expensive so I'd have to stick to the rx350 which doesn't have the torque...

[ilv1004s]

rx350 doesnt have torque?

it's pretty got ample of torque for a 3.5L V6

[onnzo]

Well it does, but compared to a hybrid it doesn't!

[Lexo]

rx350 doesnt have torque?

it's pretty got ample of torque for a 3.5L V6

The RX400h is half a sec faster than the 350 from standstill to 100km (7.3 vs 7.8) but the the biggest advantage is in the rolling acceleration where the 400 is a wolf in sheep's clothing. You get max torque and power from the moment you put the foot down and this is something you need to experience the tremendous acceleration and the smoothness of power delivery. No gear huntings, no rev noise. This thing can keep up with a Merc ML500.

What I luv about my 400 is the acceleration when I need it, the fuel economy of 7.8l as a daily runabouts, the silence when it's in elecric mode. Just needs to be extra cautious in shopping carparks coz people dont hear me coming.

[onnzo]

When you look at the rx 0-100 numbers they aren't that fast. but theN again they aren't meant to be performance cars.

In reality, With two kids in the car I'm not going to be driving fast anyway and when I do, it's only at the traffic light grand prix up to the speed limit.

I'm starting to think I should just get the 4wd and be done with it and get the performance sedan as my next car when The kids will be older and I don't have to worry about two prams and huge car seats. Well I'm going to give the r36 a go and if that doesnt work out a rx it is!

[k2sty1]

" traffic light grand prix "

hahahahaha, LOL

wow, the RX's are pretty damn fast, next time i'll remember and wont have a showdown at the lights, lol

7.3sec for the hybrid and 7.8 for the 350,

IS250 is 8.1 according to lexus

[onnzo]

I need to rant!

Gave the VW dealer I went to the other day another go this afternoon. Being a public holiday last time I thought i'd cut them some slack.

Re car choice, i've given up on the idea of a sedan and have been doing some research on other SUV's. The Tiguan came up in a few forums and I thought i'd go to check one out at this local dealer.

I rock up with my wife and son and it is starting to drizzle. I see a Tiguan in the showroom and we go in to escape the rain. We sit in the car and are testing for roominess, interior finish etc. We start off in the back seat and I walk around to the drivers, get in to adjust it to my seating position and attempt to go to sit behind the drivers to see how much room there is. Next thing I know, the central locking activates. I thought this is a strange feature and walk of thinking nothing of it. Wait a few minutes for someone to approach us but no one does. I then decide to ask reception to get someone to help us.

We wait about 5 minutes for someone to come. In the meantime they tell me to go outside in the yard (in the rain) to have a look. I go out and the cars are locked... Come back, a few minutes later a guy comes up to us now and checks the cars outside, unlocks two and tells us to go look at them in the rain again!

So our family heads out in the rain and have a look, I had a sit in one and the interior doesn't appeal to me so we go back inside to drop off a toy (that my son took form their play area) and left. I was already unhappy with the service and wait. (When I asked for some help, I was referred to as the "young guy" by their receptionist)

Now, remember when I said I thought it was a strange central locking "feature". Whilst we were walking back to our car, I remembered that while we were waiting for a sales person, I saw a person walk over to the car we were looking at initially (in the showroom) unlock it and put some number plates in. I then saw a tech putting the number plates on whilst we were still waiting...

It's now that I realise the car must be getting ready for someone to pick it up! Putting two and two together, I realise someone has seen us in the car (they must have been in one of the offices as there was no one in the showroom apart form the receptionist), waited till we got out then locked it (as I was reaching for the rear door handle to get in). No one came out to explain anything to me! they just locked it from their office and continued doing what they were doing!

I would be perfectly happy to not snoop in someones new car if it was explained to me that it wasn't a showroom car (if I was my new car I was picking up, I wouldnt be happy) but no one came out to explain anything to me!

Am I wrong in being pissed off at this kind of service considering I was potentially going to spend $50-$60k with them?

Again, another reason to buy a LEXUS!

[ldc]

Dude, you are going to some wrong places to look for cars or what?

Now what you are getting desperate, the last thing you should do is jump into buying something you will regret. I'd take a couple of weeks break and think what you really want and suit your family. You'd want quality and safety for the family. You'd want value for money. You'd want a LEXUS FFS...lol.

[DANSLEX]

Tiguan would be a crappy family car. Try to fit a stroller (let alone two) in the back, and you'll see what I mean.

Just get an RX350 and be done with it! :)

[Lexus Nerd]

So did you find anything that suited your needs onnzo?

Interestingly, a brand new CT 200h would be within your price range and has a few inches more rear leg room than an IS 250, so it may actually fit your two baby seats. It may not what you were expecting in terms of torque, though (or power for that matter).