Why should one not be on my short list? I haven't found anything really negative about them. I just want to make sure im not missing anything.

I am really diggin them.

Especially this one for sale near me: http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...aff=national#0

 

I like them

 

Only negative is if you frequently use your back seat as it has terrible leg room if you front passengers are bigger than 5'10". My TSX is listed as having 4in more rear legroom than the IS.

 

^ Werd. I drove my friends and at 6'3" I had the seat all the way back and although it was a comfy ride forget having anyone sitting behind me. I'm pretty sure the back of the drivers seat was touching the front of the back seat. Nice riding car though, lacking in the horsepower but enough to be mildly entertaining.

 

Yea I really dont care much about the HP at this point. I just want reliability, AWD and decent power and a bit luxury.

I think this is fitting all my criteria so far.

And I almost never have anyone in my rear seats so thats not a concern. Rear seat is mainly for the dog if anything.

EDIT: No timing belt to worry about either... I just got a boner.

 

have you driven one yet?

 

It's a good looking car.

 

We had an is350 w/ nav for a few years. Had lot of electrical issues, especially w/ the headlights and DRLS. It wasnt a bad a car, no room though was horrible for car seats thats why we got rid of it.

 

Is definitely a great looking car however be warned that the ride height is a bit 4x4 status with the AWD suspension.

 

I like it. I say go for it. Seems to meet all your needs.

 

Wow, that's a pretty good price. I've searched these for my sister recently and 2008's were all in the mid-high 20's.

 

First thing came to mind was how heavy that car is (especially in awd), and lack of performance...But since neither of those are your concern, it's a good reliable luxury entry car.

However as others have stated, the only negative about the car is its tiny and the back seats aren't really practical for hauling people around. Also, like the 3 series...everyone has one

 

my family had an 08 AWD 250, and i currently have a 10 RWD 250. not a single problem with either.

if im not on a-zine, im on c-lexus.com.

so...

couple things:
1. the back seat could be used in a pinch, but consider this to have as much usability as a coupe. the civic sedan actually has 4" more rear leg room.
2. the AWDs stand taller than the RWDs, and the RWDs are not really "low" by any means.
3. the steering is very disconnected. the steering wheel doesnt snap back to center at low speeds, and it sometimes feels as if you are riding on flat tires.
4. not sure about the AWDs, but the RWDs have low profile tires that are very expensive to replace. over a grand for a set.
5. there is little price difference in the used market between the 250s and 350s. the 350s, believe it or not, only sacrifice 2 MPGs on average, yet the 0-60 is mid 5s VS 8 flat. both take premium gas. i would absolutely consider 350s.
6. HIDs are not standard, and stock halogens, well, stink.
7. all windows are auto up/down, and you could reprogram the FOB to open up all windows. the rear windows go down 100%, so it offers a nice airy ride. trust me, this is appreciated, since the size of the interior could be a bit claustrophobic.
8. low windshield height - not good for tall people who like to sit upright.

positives: stock stereo is GREAT. the Mark Levinson upgrade will blow you away. know that M/L was only offered as an upgrade to the nav. 2006's did not offer ML.

06-08 VS 09-10s body styles: basically the same, besides some tweaks to the front bumper/grille, sunroof controls, softer leather, and LED tails with the "nike swoosh" design.

i strongly strongly suggest the IS. the styling is still sharp, and the cars are bulletproof.

 

Wow! Awesome info. thanks for the writeup!

Do they even have a 2008 AWD 350? I cant seem to find any.

About the backseats, i'm coming from a 2001 CL in which the back seats only get used in a pinch but mostly for dog transport so i'm not concerned. And I am not tall by any means So Legroom is no problem.

 

no, sorry, the AWD 350 wasnt released until 2011. but the 250 rwd is still heavy enough that some good snow tires will get you by.

when you are looking at ISs, definitely take a look at tire thread. it will swing the price by a grand if they need to be replaced.

also, if youre interested, they made 250 RWDs in manual. they are rare, but still obtainable.

 

I just checked tirerack for tires for the 2008 IS250 AWD and the prices aren't that outrageous

These are the best selling for this tire size



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

I actually own a 2008 IS250 AWD in Smoky Granite Mica. I love it. I got Nav, HID's with auto leveling/left/right tilt, push button starter, and heated/cooled seats.

A few things already mentioned:

The back seat is TINY. I'm 5'7" and usually don't sit that far back, and even with my seat position, I can barely fit in the backseat. Since I don't drive with many people, I'm fine with that.

The mouth of the trunk is oddly small/awkward. The trunk size is fine, just the opening. I have to parallell park my golf clubs just to get em in there

The low pro tires make the ride kinda rough, but it's managable.

power is OK, definitely enough for me.

The nav user interface is awesome, it uses the same interface that Eclipse uses (fujitsu I think). The one downside to the nav is you can't change anything once you start driving, and there isn't an easy bypass for it as far as I know.

The aftermarket is decent if you're into that.

I love the intelligent key and the functions I can do with the fob and door handle.

Definitely worth the test drive to see if it's right for you.

 

hmm, thats surprising. maybe my opinion is skewed by forum members looking to replace with the exact model tire, or even an upgrade, since the road noise could be an issue, as stated above.

 

Yea not sure, thats possible. no Biggie.

FYI the OEM tire is listed in my pic. The Second Tire down (Dunlop) states thats the OE Tire.

 

sweet thanks

 

Great car. My girlfriend recently picked up an 08 w/ Nav with 80k miles for ~20k. Now after a few months of ownership, the nav screen went black I believe Lexus is going to goodwill though once we explained we've owned an Acura for years, never had to turn a wrench, now this Lexus with less mileage needs a new nav

They are GREAT cars. I absolutely love them. Like others have said, don't expect to go anywhere when you put the pedal to the metal!

 

some pics of my 250 with some mods here and there with a modest drop

 

^ hot

 

I always thought they were great looking cars, but the lack of power and interior space is what would make me hesitant in buying one. But, if you like it, go for it.

 

Get the IS its perfect for you

 

Nice looking car. Don't park it on a poll or anything.

 

How do you park on a "poll"? :smitler:

 

I'm sorry is it just me or the does the things from what was said by the owners of the IS250 would make me not consider this car?

I guess you fall for the exceptions that you dont need people in the back seat.

Have you looked at other options?? I know reliability is one of your priorities so that tosses out the germans, but what about other japanese and american alternatives?? Assuming americans have some good reliable alternatives.

 

Have you considered a G35/37X? Very comparable car, with more performance.

 

I kinda agree with you ... What's the point of getting a sedan if the back seats are useless? Plus I heard the IS250 AWD is glacially slow.

I've also heard reports about electrical issues in the early ISes. Is AWD really a must? Because I would rather have a 3rd Gen TL-S than the IS250.

 

Yup definitely on my radar

Many cars are on my radar, is250 was just at the top. Also looking at G35/37x, TL, TSX etc...

AWD is nice but if I get a good deal on a non AWD Entry LUX vehicle i'd jump on it

 

the Lexus IS looks good only thing i hate about that car is that its not comfortable at all there is no leg room or what so ever in the front and back seats but good luck if your getting one

 

back in '09 when i had my GS in at the dealership for some service, they gave me one of their brand new is2AWD loaner cars... my father was looking to trade in his TL for the IS so i used it as an opportunity to give them a first hand test drive... many of the things i found were already mentioned by others...

1.) size issue of the back seat... myself i am about 5'8" and my parents who are very short, 5' were uncomfortable in the back...

2.) i'm not sure if the owners of the 2G IS get used to this, but the hump on the floor of the center console annoyed the hell out of me... i felt like i had to position my leg weird to step on the gas which eventually hurt my lower back... i didn't understand the point of this design, but i figure it prob had to do with the AWD and positioning of the trans and transfer case? i test drove a 350 when it first came out, but didn't remember if it also had that hump... and never checked in the ISF...

3.) power was lacking but i gave it the benefit of the doubt since i was used to the V8 in my GS4...

by the time my car was ready for pick up, i was actually happy to return the loaner to them... even with 200 miles on the car, and the updated technology of almost 10 yrs between my 2001 GS4 and the 2008/9 IS, i enjoyed my car more... the power, room, comfort was light years away between these two models...

IMHO, with the back seat that small, they should have made the IS a coupe for occasional use.... what is the point of a sedan if you can barely fit a baby seat back there... but i gotta admit, i am a member of C-L too... and some of the body mods that the guys over there do with these cars are hot...

good luck on your decision for you purchase...

 

Spelling owns me....pole.

 

I've had my '08 G35XS for over a year now and am quite happy with it, minus the relatively poor gas mileage. With over 75% highway driving, I average between 20-21 mpg. My '99 TL averaged 25-26 through this same routine. The IS250 AWD is rated at 20 city/ 26 hwy, compared to 17 city/23 hwy for the G. A little bit better on paper, but not sure how that translates to real world numbers.

While not overly spacious, the G does have a little more room in the backseat. I looked at the IS250 AWD, and like it for the most part, but found myself wishing for more power and was pretty much the deciding factor for me.

 

I'm sure someone already covered this, but IS250 AWD is pretty damn slow.

 

For what it's worth. I believe the so call $1000 for a set of new replacement tires are probably for ones that were equipped with Bridgestone Potenza RE 92 run flats.