Youre so right with this list! I also want to add that these cars have weaker water pumps so change that out at 100k miles to the newer updated version that has the flower pedal design on the pully holder. Another big issue is uneven tire wear on the front tires that leads to excessive inner tire wear and a remedy for this is to change to stiffer LCA bushings from either the Lexus RCF or the Figs Engineering or RR Racing polyurethane bushings. As for my biggest concern with my IS250, the sticky door panels and dash really bother me as I am always touching the door panels to get in and out of the car and they leave a nasty residue on clothes and my hands, so I fixed this by upholstering all the door panels in black leather and this really makes the interior a nice place to be. There are also plug and play android headunits for these generation cars with apple carplay and andriod auto (both wireless) that I have for my Lexus and its really helped to improve the technology of the car. As for the sticky dash, I just put a high quality dash cover on and that's it. These are such reliable and solid cars, and if you want to get the best gas mileage make sure to use high quality tires and change the transmission and differential fluids on time.
This is a great summary of those other important items to make note of I hope everyone sees :) The wonderful thing is as you show, many of these items can be addressed! Such a wonderful car, and Carplay and Android Auto support would really help bring this car forward to 2023!
@Adrian Clarke I used about $60 in materials from buying leather on Amazon, and then going to Walmart to buy 3M 90 high strength spray adhesive and DAP contact cement. There are some videos on RUclips explaining how to remove the door panels and how to isolate the sticky portion so you could upholster it in leather.
Being the is250 is direct injection, a way to reduce the valves carboning up is to run a catch can on the pcv valve and to the intake. Intake sucks gas from the block from the pcv valve, this gas is burned up oil, this causes the carbon on the valves. Catch can will catch up most of the oil from the gas. Thus reducing carbon build up on the valves. Also there is a hose coming of the valve cover going to the intake. Block it of on the intake and run a filter on the valve cover. That hose is where the engine also sucks up burned up oil from the block, this can cause sludge on the throttlebody and all in the intake. By removing that hose from the intake and running the catch can the engine is going to have "fresher" air going in and can improve mpg as well. That burned up oil gas reduces gasoline efficiency.
I daily a is250 2012. In 2yrs of owner ship. I have changed led bulbs, oil pan gasket and transmission oil change, tune up, throttle body and sensor cleaned, replaced main fusible battery relay due to faulty battery, and rest Computer. All in all Love this Car. I Live in Dtla and car is good on the free way, nice enough to Sit in for 1 - 2hrs of daily traffic. Hahaha
Agreed on all counts. This engine is not as exciting as the previous inline 6 on the IS300 but got this as a daily driver because it had a six speed manual transmission. Had it decarbonated upon acquisition, replaced all fluids, spark plugs and more. Expect it to last forever with proper maintenance. Thank you for sharing this video.
That’s awesome it will absolutely last for a lifetime and you did all the right maintenance 👌 it’s very rare to find the six speed manual version I wish I had that.
@@thijs5931 It’s OK as a daily. If you’ve driven a Mazda 6, they’re similarly. Nothing exciting but it does the job. I definitely prefer the first generation IS300 5 speed manual. That inline 6 is an eargasm.
The IS350 is beautifully unique in the fact that it has dual injection technology. It has primary direct injectors, but also has secondary port injectors. This allows it to keep carbon from building up on the back of the valves and also allows reliable smooth performance from the secondary at low rpms, and some unexpected power when the direct injectors kick in at high rpms.
Very concise and well put together list you have here Sounderen! Always love listening to you giving Lexus the love they deserve! Definitely noticed a few of these before I've purchased my own 250/350, but honestly, very standard for any aging vehicle and are only very minor inconveniences. The overall driving experience as well as the performance on the 350 brings more far more value than what I paid for these vehicles. I see a lot of comments about varying fuel economy but I feel it heavily depends on where you guys live as harsh weather conditions, and higher traffic congestion (stop and go driving) will definitely raise your fuel economy. For a frame of reference, I've driven exact same year/model Corollas last Spring/Summer in both Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton, and I definitely get better mileage in Edmonton (smaller city, barely any trafffic, more accessible highway and higher speed limit). That being said winter time in Edmonton can be as low as -40°C, so you'll definitely burn more gas heating up your cars during this time. As for the carbon buildup, i have yet to encounter and I hope its due to all the highway driving I do! Any other maintenance items (aside from running engine hard) you guys would recommend in preventing this?
Thanks Winston and totally agree with you on the fuel economy. It’s going to vary greatly by person naturally based on many of those conditions you describe. Especially for our winters, that definitely impacts fuel economy negatively from the fuel mix, tires, temperature, run time and more. For the carbon build up, that’s basically it. I know some people try Sea foam as well but from what I read online a good hard sprint once in a while is the best medicine.
I'm still blown away every time I see one of these cars & how great they still look after all of these years later. I always wanted one, but bought a third gen 2017 IS200t F-Sport instead cause of the newer tech & drove that car for less than two years. The rear seats do fold down in that gen which is a nice plus. I upgraded to a 2016 GS350 F-Sport almost four years ago since I needed a bigger car with more space, plus they're less common on the road than the IS's & especially the ES's since they sadly never sold well. The rear seats don't fold on my GS, but i'm OK with that since the trunk is much larger & I very rarely have ever needed to the fold the rear seats down in all of the previous sedans I've owned.
I have a 2011 IS 250, but the GS 350 would be my next step if I could find one in a colour other than black or white. The IS is perfect for a driver and passenger, but the back seat is next to useless. I call it a two seater with four doors.
My 2008 IS250 has the same issue and it's actually a factory defect that makes the dash and door panels sticky and chips off. Mine was covered in a recall but the last owner didn't get it in to get it fixed in time before I had purchased it since it only had a 10 year window period from the year the car was originally the car was made. The other thing to look out for on these cars are the waterpumps and camber which prematurely wears out tires. The touchy windows and one cupholder gets me too but otherwise I love this car and its still a head turner to this day. Mine has the VLand headl and taillights so it looks stealthy with the Smokey Granite Mica Grey. Great video and I enjoyed watching it.
Mine's a 2010, and nothing is sticky. Maybe they fixed the problem when mine was made. There are two cup holders up front, (one is under the right arm rest with an adjuster for different size cups.) and two bottle holders, one in the driver's side map pocket and one in the passenger side map pocket.
Been owning a 2008 AWD IS250 for the last 10 years and I wholeheartedly agree. Still looks amazing despite the 250k KMs. I give her a good beating every day to clean the injectors. I use a BlackBerry Music Gateway as « infotainment ». I got the exhaust fixed the ghetto way so I now I have to live with a permanent CEL from the O2 sensor but don’t give AF. Bought a 2019 Trail for the family.
Totally agree on the shortcomings. I don't quite know what Toyota was thinking when it came to the back seats, or the cartridge oil filter in 2009? I will add that the "permanent" ATF is not reality for any ATF, and changing it requires a scan tool that can read AT temperature in real time due to the missing ATF dipstick in such an relatively expensive car. I also will add that the headroom for someone over 6' is pretty poor, to the extent that entering and exiting the vehicle reminds me a lot of the early astronauts getting in and out of the early "space vehicles", if that is what they were.
yeah great car, wouldn't give up my 2006 IS 350 for nothing! yeah the dash is melting and the rear window makes a squeak-creak noise when dry in sun for a day ( I can't hear it because I run with the window down, but my wife still has excellent hearing) and she can hear it. LOL She can hear some brake dust sometimes, I can't unless its obvious loud. Rinse it out its fixed: ) Ordered this car in October 2005 and picked up in March 2006 and 83500 miles, 17 years later, they don't make'em like this anymore! I find that Michelin Pilot sports are the quietest on this car. If you have a recommendation, I only run summer tires in Virginia, Its never been in snow or salt. Liked and subscribed ! best, chuck
Thanks for sharing Chuck and welcome to the channel :)! That’s insane you have had this car for 17 years. Wow. Great to hear your experience has been positive, if I ever come down to Virginia one day I want to see this beautiful example you got! 🙏
I absolutely agree I recently purchased my is250 for 1800 dollars with 285000 miles it runs so good for the mileage I'm surprised granted the transmission has been rebuilt from previous owner yet still the car runs great totally interested in a 350 as my next car
My 08 has been great. Bought it with 100k last year and have only done a couple things other than oil and tires. I've resurfaced my headlights but that is beginning to look yellow again. Gotta change oil tomorrow, full syn always with a Wix filter. The rear seats drive me crazy, as i need to borrow a truck to do certain things now. Currently in the middle of a complete sound system upgrade. Upgraded the stereo fascia to the Scosche touchscreen and a double din. Component speakers, amps and spare tire sub is waiting in my living room LOL. The most annoying thing to me really is the dash and door panels tho as that recall fix wasn't performed and is out of warranty now. Overall tho, this has been an amazingly reliable, low maintenance (compared to many) vehicle, and to me that's most important. Thanks for the vid, great stuff, God bless!
I love my little Lexus. The only flaw I would point out is direct injection but it’s manageable. One other flaw (but totally not)? She’s too pretty and every time I park I look back at it, and one time I walked into a pole instead of paying attention of what’s in front of me.
I agree 100% Andrew! Welcome to the channel btw make sure you subscribe for more videos coming :) I do the same, it’s honestly a beautiful design that stands the test of time.
4GR is the worst engin lexus has made, the Is350 has the 2GR-fse that’s the one ya want, minus still water pumps around 60-100k change trans fluid at 60k always use synthetics and always flush and change AWD fluids every 30K and you’re golden
I agree on most of the things you mentioned, except for the fuel economy. My IS250 uses 12 liter during city drives per 100 kilometer but on the highway doing 90MPH on average I easily get 7 liter per 100 kilometer, sometimes even less. Above 100 MPH the use increases significantly to 10l per 100 Keep up the good word with the video's 🙂
I have a 2011 IS250C. It's my first Lexus; my kids had a Lexus SUV with 250k miles on it and it drove like new, so I got the convertible used with 70k miles. It turns heads everywhere it goes. It's easier to drive hard with the paddles, even though its a 2011 so it's not the quickest shift. I hate the sticky plastic too lol but I bought this car as my retirement vehicle, and it's comfortable and quiet enough with the top down, gets decent gas mileage for such a heavy car, and feels solid with the top up, although a lifetime for FWD cars has made the handling a bit odd for me. Insterestingly, it handles better with the weight of the top stowed over the rear wheels than up. I keep procrastinating replacing the plastic wood trim that's gotten pretty scratched over the years. The 250C cannot accept the replacement Android screens the regular IS can unfortunately.
I am the second owner of a 2010 Lexus IS 250 AWD. Since my ownership, I've replaced the front/rear brakes. I also did the water pump which was hanging off, yet the dealership never caught that. Everything that has been done to the car through my ownership has basically been general maintenance. However, I bought it with 101K miles so everything on the car is original. My odometer reads 110K today. I also hit a pothole in Boston which basically destroyed my exhaust system at a tune of $3,900. I called my local Lexus dealership (since they brag about their "strong exhaust system" and was told that it was "normal" to need to replace the exhaust. (don't forget, it has two cats). Despite the money I put into the car, if I wanted to sell it today, I'd get more than I paid for it. I went from a 2000 Volvo S70 (best car I've ever had) to the baby Lexus. The S70 had an inline 5 cylinder with 168 hp. It was made in Sweden and was much better quality than my current Lexus, which has 204 hp. Nothing compares to the Volvo's seats. I miss my S70, but after 19 yrs, I was hesitant to put a lot of money into it when the KBB valued it below $5K. My Lexus is still valued at more than I paid for it, plus I put a new exhaust system in it.
Cracks on the dash are a huge issue in some markets. In Australia, you can't sell the car if it has cracks near the passenger side where the airbag is. You need to replace the entire dash which costs a lot of money in parts and labor.
Carbon buildup blew up my is250 engine and now she died. Kidding she’s alive and well. I had it checked out and there is carbon buildup but light buildup. Nothing that would require a massive cleaning like a walnut blasting. It must be because I use synthetic oil, premium gas, and drive it hard sometimes.
In the USA so it’s 135k miles. Previous owner also really kept an eye out on the carbon issue. He also used premium only and consistent oil changes. So that’s why it wasn’t so bad. I think if someone bought one of these with 200k miles however, check the intake valves for sure.
My IS convertible is a 2009 66k on the clock, Lexus UK look after it for a low cost, it’s been completely reliable, Lexus Maidstone have said it’s one of the best cars they have ever worked on, it’s factory mint. PS I only use Top Quality fuel NOT E10.
The seats not folding down is part of what makes the car so fun to drive. The chasis is braced/reinforced behind the seat to stiffin the the chasis for both safety and handling reasons. I dont know any rear wheel drive sport sedans with back seats that fold down.
Rear seats are like this to increase the stiffness. It drives better because of it. To clean carbon buildup you need to do more than just replace oil and oil filters. You need to clean out the engine. Dash cracks.. well, only if you don't garage park it and if you're in a really warm climate.
Is350 engine is pretty peppy for a V6. More than enough to accidentally spin tires, slide on accident, ect.. they are a very fun car. Paired with f sport suspension or aftermarket it's been one of my favorite cars to drive. Handles amazingly, beats g35 s and similar powered cars in races, and is the most reliable car I've ever owned. If the biggest problem is an infotainment system that can be upgraded and rear seats that don't fold, and plastics that fade or crack(like all old Lexus's).. that's a win in my book
Not to mention the 350 doesnt have that carbon buildup issue. I would personally never buy a 250, it's worth looking a little longer and paying a couple grand more
I've owned my 09 is awd 5 years now I have a love hate relationship. yes the plastic pieces breaks the motor is finicky make sure you run Supreme unleaded if you don't run Supreme mid-grade octane additive also every once in awhile do your oil changes use only synthetic oil high quality clean your mass air flow sensor often this has been a great car for me . I am so rough on cars this car takes the beating now that I say this change the transmission fluid as often as every 30 to 50 thousand miles it will cost 200 dollars but worth it .
My local Lexus dealer lets me know the things I need to take care of on my 250. They have not recommended changing the transmission fluid, I have all-wheel drive. Why do you think it's necessary to change it? I am interested.
Surprised by your highway fuel consumption. My ‘09 does 38-40mpg (7.5-7.1L/100km) cruising at c. 80mph (128km/h). Fuel: 98RON Shell V-power. Oil: Toyota/Lexus-spec fully synthetic.
Interesting. It could be a combination of winter driving + tires being slightly less inflated + winter gas + my engine being at 370,000km. Good to hear though your getting much better fuel economy!
I have a 2010 and I'm doing 6.2-6.8/100km. I guess you could say I have a relaxed way of driving but the fuel consumption doesn't get much worse when I drive fast, through the mountains or when I spend a lot of time in traffic jams
As an Acura enthusiasts, previoisly owned a 2007 Csx k20z3 type S and currently owning a 2009 k24z3 TSX, i'm kinda looking for a is 250. Ok i'd sacrifice some fuel economy, but dang these v6 sound good and look amazing. 🎉
If I maintain this car and am aware of the carbon buildup issues, and I walnut blast it or clean it at some point… can this car last to 300k miles or more? I really like the design it’s beautiful. I want the 250 as 350’s are so hard to find.
@@carswithsonduren I worry a lot sometimes so I always have lots of questions before I purchase something large like a car. I shall keep the IS250 in mind. It’s so sexy
I picked an 08 is250 awd a couple months ago for my first car the mileage is 180k , car runs great. It ended up costing me around 4100k which is not a terrible price at all
I have a matador red 2011 IS250 with only 130,000 km. The paint finish is outstanding on these cars (I have yet to see a rusty one of any age here in the southern Ontario rustbelt). The only (non-maintenance) repair that I have had is an O2 sensor replacement in 2021 and an A/C condenser leak in 2023. The long term fuel consumption on my car averages around 9.4 l/100 km, which I find perfectly acceptable for an AWD sports sedan.. At a steady 120 km/hr, it will get in the low 7's, so I am not sure where your figure of 13 l/100 km comes from.
Brilliant review! Perfectly captures some of my 👍 and 👎of the car. Your direct-injection/carbon build-up point is awesome! Sonduren you're definitely dialed in to what a car is all about- keep up the awesome work 👍from 🥝land
I had the 350. Steering was too twitchy. Also the ABS was horrible in the Winter. When it would feel any type of slip, it would cut power. This sucks when your in the middle of an intersection and cars are coming at you. I sold that car quick after 1 winter.
As someone that doesn't know much about cars, can you please explain what it means to drive the car 'hard'? I was also curious, did you ever have issues with the carbon build up on your IS250? If not, why do you think that is? I'm at 219k km and have had so many issues with my car including transmission, suspension, and now the engine with misfires.
I ordered my 2007 IS 250 AWD new at the end of 2006. So I've had it almost 18 years. And now 113,000 miles on it. It still looks new. But cylinders 1 and 6 stopped firing a while ago because of the carbon buildup. Only ever used premium gas. The dealer wasn't helpful, but RUclips here has been. I'm scheduling it for a walnut blasting and hoping that might revive it. The carbon buildup is a HUGE issue with these cars. But then again, I still have it 18 years later, so it can't be all that bad. But I'll never buy another Lexus because of it. The second most bothersome thing to me I'm surprised you didn't mention. It's the ridiculous cupholder configuration. I mean seriously. The second front cupholder is inside the center storage console! Not a great design.
I drove a RC 350 recently and was disappointed. That car is truly more for looks and gas mileage. Performance wise you might as well get a IS 250 RSport.
I'm considering getting an IS250 for a daily driver. How quiet are they inside for normal driving/on the motorway? How is the comfort for long journeys? I'm coming from a Saab 9-5.
Thank you for this information. I love my 08 Lexus IS250. It still performs great It just need strut repairs and cosmetic work. I was able to have the dash board and door panels replaced in a recall. Toyota paint is horrible. I think they should’ve had a recall for the issue. I have to get a new paint job, replace the side moldings on the windows, new headlights and repair the hood due to it will not stay up.
I went to a business that puts on a protective coating on my paint that will last for at least 7 years. It adds depth to the paint, and it's nice and shiny. Just so you know, the paint on my car was nearly perfect before I had this added. If the paint is already gone, then it obviously won't work.
13L/100km on the highway??? Did you misspeak? I've got a 3.5L V6 with a 4 speed auto, and it does 13L/100 in city driving, and maybe 7-9 on the highway. If a 2.5L gets 13 when cruising, what's it using in the city?
@carswithsonduren I just found out yesterday that it makes a cool bounce sound when you redline it (I got a muffler delete a month ago) but I'm not sure if it's bad to do that
Pleased car lovers here, between IS350 011 vs IS350 013 which is a better buy , Rugged, has less fuel economy consumption and reliabile ? Please i need an honest answer guys
Very inspiring video. I have recently bought on IS 250, with 89k km, I'm deeply worried about the carbon build up issue, can you recommend me the oil and the filter you use, and also the changing frequency?
I have been changing it every 8000 km with full synthetic Penzoil Platinum and a filter. Make sure to drive the car hard once in a while to really get rid of the buildup. If you’re driving less than 8000 km at minimum do it every year.
Took some photos of a Lexus is250. The problem is I don't know what range of year it is 2006 2012? Have you done any videos showing all the changes made to the Lexus IS series over the years?
Just install Ultimate Cell, a Portuguese patented unit, get the difference in efficiency, economy, torque, quietness, less pollution, and say goodbye to carbon build up for good.
@@znismo1"The technology that optimizes the internal combustion engines and reduces fuel consumption and harmful gas emissions. Implementing this innovative hydrogen technology in internal combustion engines improves the engine’s operation, making it quieter and smoother with a modest increase in torque, providing a more comfortable ride and less use of the gearbox. Our technology optimizes internal combustion engines running on diesel, gasoline, biodiesel, ethanol, and LPG fuels. And adequate for most major brands, makes, and models."
I am curious about how well the 250 corners though. I have to guess with double wishbone suspension in the front probably helps the car corner rather sharply?
@@carswithsonduren see with suspension like that as a daily driver it doesn’t need to be fast to be fun. All you need are the right roads to explore the corners and that car I can imagine will give you quite a smile with its handling without risking a speeding ticket lol
Great info! These just showed up on my radar, I'm looking for a comfortable commuter to stop putting so many miles on my 4Runner, I do 60 a day highway. I'm sold with these can be reliable long-term, however would you pick one up with nearly 200k miles? I'm seeing a lot of high mileage ones listed near me.
Well it doesnt give you good gas mileage but mine has 161,000 miles on it and i gave some guy a ride back to his house (i saw him struggling with some bags in front of the grocery store, some old timer) and he said that these cars can run up to half a million miles. We will see. Typically people sell their cars after they hit the 100k mile mark so these are still good to go after that and after the 200k mark too according to him. However, i would see wether the owner of the car that youre trying to buy was meticulous with the car or not, you can tell by pictures of the car and the description, also by talking to the owner wether he is truthful or is bluffing. Hope you found a good commuter car! God bless!
@@atinele1986 thanks for the info. I did more research on these and decided against it, the is250 is one of the only Toyota products that the Car Care and not advises against. Apparently the 2.5 direct injection can be problematic.
@@kingjamokrates2560 thanks for the info. I did more research and decided against it, like you said, they're not that great on fuel so it's not really worth it to spend the money as a commuter car. What I would spend on this will pay for a couple years worth of fuel for my 4Runner.
Very good video. Very informative. Thanks. I'm still thinking about buying an IS250 F-Sport 2014, so it's the 3rd generation. There's one that is in great shape and very well kept. The only thing that is "getting me" is, is it powerful enough. So, what would you say about this? Is it? If we intend to use it daily driving and have some fun, is it s fun car to drive, enviable enjoyable ride? For example, just as reference, if someone is used to a BMW 118i F20 or a 320i F30, and switches to a IS250 F-Sport 2014, would that person he satisfied? Thanks in Avance
I was hoping it would get slightly better fuel economy, I'm looking at moving up from a Scion tC, I get around 7.8L/100km and produce pretty well same power. So that's unfortunate, I'm just looking for something a bit more comfortable to drive.
@@carswithsonduren Congratulations ! My baby is coming next month, and I bought an UX250h. In France it is quite a big car 😅. But the NX it is the best deal by far in the Lexus line-up now. 👍
Fuel economy is totally disagree, my 2007 250 is giving 8.5-9/100 in city and highway less than 7 most of time, not a quick but awesome beauty reliable❤
The side view mirrors can just fall off. Had it happen to both of mine. The stereo has been glitching on mine sometimes too, not sure if that is common. I know the mirrors are a common issue though.
Your fuel figures are way off. Something is wrong with yours. My 250se often got under 6.5ltr/100km on highway trips at 75mph. My best was 5.8ltr/100. The worst was when I was towing 1500kg’s and got 13ltrs/100km. Performance of the 250 is on par with a BMW 325i with a top speed of 242kph at 1500m above sea level,yes I did that. 0-62mph was average at about 9sec. When I got my first 350 I was blown away with 0-62mph on a track at 5.7sec and the top end soft limited to 255kph. I had two 350’s and loved them both and neither used more than 10ltr/100km over the 60000km I did with each car.
Hi， Sonduren. I have 2010 IS250 RWD , with 102000 km now. I just changed the gearbox oil at the dealer shop a month ago, but they didn't remove the oil pan at the bottom. Is this correct?
@@carswithsonduren I am the fourth owner of the car. When I got the car, it was only 94,000km. After changing the transmission oil, there is no change from before. Will the next time I change the transmission oil be 200,000km? From your video, I change costco full synthetic oil 0w-20 every 8000km. I live in Halifax now, which is a little different from yours. The reason for this is because the first time I went to the dealer to change the oil, they changed it to 0w-20. So I don’t want to change the oil type all the time, I always use 0w-20. I am now 10L/km
Yes, you can change the transmission fluid at that time. Just so you know, Lexus claims that the transmission fluid was a lifetime fluid but people still want to change it for the peace of mind. If you can get access to Costco full synthetic then awesome it’s a great oil!
Please im confused about this car but i love the styling. I want to ask, does this car consume lots of fuel ? In my area fuel is very costly and i want to own this car. Please i want to know. Does this car consume fuel too much? This car and toyota corolla 07 model which amongest them consume and saves fuel better Please i need an honest thank you ❤
im considering buying a 250 as my first car, am i going to be dissappointed by how slow it is? i know they arent the quickest and i dont need it to be a race car or anything but is it quick enough to be fun to drive?
With my 250, i have 8 Liters/ 100 km on highway at 110km/h ( 65 miles per hour) with premium fuel Mixt road i have 11L/km In city 13 15L/km 2007 IS 250 rwd with 230 000 kilomètres
Youre so right with this list! I also want to add that these cars have weaker water pumps so change that out at 100k miles to the newer updated version that has the flower pedal design on the pully holder. Another big issue is uneven tire wear on the front tires that leads to excessive inner tire wear and a remedy for this is to change to stiffer LCA bushings from either the Lexus RCF or the Figs Engineering or RR Racing polyurethane bushings. As for my biggest concern with my IS250, the sticky door panels and dash really bother me as I am always touching the door panels to get in and out of the car and they leave a nasty residue on clothes and my hands, so I fixed this by upholstering all the door panels in black leather and this really makes the interior a nice place to be. There are also plug and play android headunits for these generation cars with apple carplay and andriod auto (both wireless) that I have for my Lexus and its really helped to improve the technology of the car. As for the sticky dash, I just put a high quality dash cover on and that's it. These are such reliable and solid cars, and if you want to get the best gas mileage make sure to use high quality tires and change the transmission and differential fluids on time.
This is a great summary of those other important items to make note of I hope everyone sees :) The wonderful thing is as you show, many of these items can be addressed! Such a wonderful car, and Carplay and Android Auto support would really help bring this car forward to 2023!
How much did the leather door panels cost you?
@Adrian Clarke I used about $60 in materials from buying leather on Amazon, and then going to Walmart to buy 3M 90 high strength spray adhesive and DAP contact cement. There are some videos on RUclips explaining how to remove the door panels and how to isolate the sticky portion so you could upholster it in leather.
@@alannguyen5050 appreciate you, I'll look into it 🙏🏿
In my experience, you can use regular fuel, and you’ll be just fine even though technically premium is recommended as the minimum.
Being the is250 is direct injection, a way to reduce the valves carboning up is to run a catch can on the pcv valve and to the intake.
Intake sucks gas from the block from the pcv valve, this gas is burned up oil, this causes the carbon on the valves.
Catch can will catch up most of the oil from the gas. Thus reducing carbon build up on the valves.
Also there is a hose coming of the valve cover going to the intake. Block it of on the intake and run a filter on the valve cover.
That hose is where the engine also sucks up burned up oil from the block, this can cause sludge on the throttlebody and all in the intake.
By removing that hose from the intake and running the catch can the engine is going to have "fresher" air going in and can improve mpg as well.
That burned up oil gas reduces gasoline efficiency.
finally someone who talk about carbon build up in direct injection engines, thanks you! most people does not talk about it
Definitely important to talk about and remember :) anytime glad you found the video helpful and welcome to the channel!
Amsoil P.I. is the remedy
@@Hyperborean_2have you used it?
@@Hyperborean_2 what is that?
@@khankhaaaan Google it
Love my 2006 is350. 285k miles and has only broken down on me twice since day 1
What was it when it broke down?
Any other issues?
I daily a is250 2012. In 2yrs of owner ship. I have changed led bulbs, oil pan gasket and transmission oil change, tune up, throttle body and sensor cleaned, replaced main fusible battery relay due to faulty battery, and rest Computer. All in all Love this Car. I Live in Dtla and car is good on the free way, nice enough to Sit in for 1 - 2hrs of daily traffic. Hahaha
Agreed on all counts. This engine is not as exciting as the previous inline 6 on the IS300 but got this as a daily driver because it had a six speed manual transmission. Had it decarbonated upon acquisition, replaced all fluids, spark plugs and more. Expect it to last forever with proper maintenance. Thank you for sharing this video.
That’s awesome it will absolutely last for a lifetime and you did all the right maintenance 👌 it’s very rare to find the six speed manual version I wish I had that.
How do you like the Manual Transmission? Heard some varying opinions about it online.
@@thijs5931 It’s OK as a daily. If you’ve driven a Mazda 6, they’re similarly. Nothing exciting but it does the job. I definitely prefer the first generation IS300 5 speed manual. That inline 6 is an eargasm.
@@bc8580 Thanks. These manual 250's are pretty easy to find here in Europe, and I'll probably get one.
@@thijs5931 👍
The IS350 is beautifully unique in the fact that it has dual injection technology. It has primary direct injectors, but also has secondary port injectors. This allows it to keep carbon from building up on the back of the valves and also allows reliable smooth performance from the secondary at low rpms, and some unexpected power when the direct injectors kick in at high rpms.
To avoid Carbon build-up the car must be driven in a responsive manner (Hard)
Italian tuneup rahhhhh
Very concise and well put together list you have here Sounderen! Always love listening to you giving Lexus the love they deserve! Definitely noticed a few of these before I've purchased my own 250/350, but honestly, very standard for any aging vehicle and are only very minor inconveniences. The overall driving experience as well as the performance on the 350 brings more far more value than what I paid for these vehicles.
I see a lot of comments about varying fuel economy but I feel it heavily depends on where you guys live as harsh weather conditions, and higher traffic congestion (stop and go driving) will definitely raise your fuel economy.
For a frame of reference, I've driven exact same year/model Corollas last Spring/Summer in both Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton, and I definitely get better mileage in Edmonton (smaller city, barely any trafffic, more accessible highway and higher speed limit). That being said winter time in Edmonton can be as low as -40°C, so you'll definitely burn more gas heating up your cars during this time.
As for the carbon buildup, i have yet to encounter and I hope its due to all the highway driving I do! Any other maintenance items (aside from running engine hard) you guys would recommend in preventing this?
Thanks Winston and totally agree with you on the fuel economy. It’s going to vary greatly by person naturally based on many of those conditions you describe. Especially for our winters, that definitely impacts fuel economy negatively from the fuel mix, tires, temperature, run time and more. For the carbon build up, that’s basically it. I know some people try Sea foam as well but from what I read online a good hard sprint once in a while is the best medicine.
I'm still blown away every time I see one of these cars & how great they still look after all of these years later. I always wanted one, but bought a third gen 2017 IS200t F-Sport instead cause of the newer tech & drove that car for less than two years. The rear seats do fold down in that gen which is a nice plus. I upgraded to a 2016 GS350 F-Sport almost four years ago since I needed a bigger car with more space, plus they're less common on the road than the IS's & especially the ES's since they sadly never sold well. The rear seats don't fold on my GS, but i'm OK with that since the trunk is much larger & I very rarely have ever needed to the fold the rear seats down in all of the previous sedans I've owned.
I have a 2011 IS 250, but the GS 350 would be my next step if I could find one in a colour other than black or white. The IS is perfect for a driver and passenger, but the back seat is next to useless. I call it a two seater with four doors.
My 2008 IS250 has the same issue and it's actually a factory defect that makes the dash and door panels sticky and chips off. Mine was covered in a recall but the last owner didn't get it in to get it fixed in time before I had purchased it since it only had a 10 year window period from the year the car was originally the car was made. The other thing to look out for on these cars are the waterpumps and camber which prematurely wears out tires. The touchy windows and one cupholder gets me too but otherwise I love this car and its still a head turner to this day. Mine has the VLand headl and taillights so it looks stealthy with the Smokey Granite Mica Grey. Great video and I enjoyed watching it.
Nice upgrades to your IS! I wanted the VLand as well. Good call outs as well thanks for adding :)
Since my recall expired on my 06 lexus told me i had to pay $1500 to replace the panels . Disappointed when lexus told me
@@shaunmychale2754how long is the recall
Where to go for getting the sticky and chips off problem fixed?🙏
Mine's a 2010, and nothing is sticky. Maybe they fixed the problem when mine was made. There are two cup holders up front, (one is under the right arm rest with an adjuster for different size cups.) and two bottle holders, one in the driver's side map pocket and one in the passenger side map pocket.
Been owning a 2008 AWD IS250 for the last 10 years and I wholeheartedly agree. Still looks amazing despite the 250k KMs. I give her a good beating every day to clean the injectors. I use a BlackBerry Music Gateway as « infotainment ». I got the exhaust fixed the ghetto way so I now I have to live with a permanent CEL from the O2 sensor but don’t give AF. Bought a 2019 Trail for the family.
Damn 10 years! That is amazing man and glad it’s still serving you well :)
A person who does cumputer/race tunes can deactivate those sensors to get rid of CEL and also improve performance
Totally agree on the shortcomings. I don't quite know what Toyota was thinking when it came to the back seats, or the cartridge oil filter in 2009? I will add that the "permanent" ATF is not reality for any ATF, and changing it requires a scan tool that can read AT temperature in real time due to the missing ATF dipstick in such an relatively expensive car. I also will add that the headroom for someone over 6' is pretty poor, to the extent that entering and exiting the vehicle reminds me a lot of the early astronauts getting in and out of the early "space vehicles", if that is what they were.
Yep agreed with these statements and they are valid, minor imho but valid.
yeah great car, wouldn't give up my 2006 IS 350 for nothing! yeah the dash is melting and the rear window makes a squeak-creak noise when dry in sun for a day ( I can't hear it because I run with the window down, but my wife still has excellent hearing) and she can hear it. LOL
She can hear some brake dust sometimes, I can't unless its obvious loud. Rinse it out its fixed: )
Ordered this car in October 2005 and picked up in March 2006 and 83500 miles, 17 years later, they don't make'em like this anymore! I find that Michelin Pilot sports are the quietest on this car. If you have a recommendation, I only run summer tires in Virginia, Its never been in snow or salt.
Liked and subscribed ! best, chuck
Thanks for sharing Chuck and welcome to the channel :)! That’s insane you have had this car for 17 years. Wow. Great to hear your experience has been positive, if I ever come down to Virginia one day I want to see this beautiful example you got! 🙏
I absolutely agree I recently purchased my is250 for 1800 dollars with 285000 miles it runs so good for the mileage I'm surprised granted the transmission has been rebuilt from previous owner yet still the car runs great totally interested in a 350 as my next car
Glad you are having the same experience! One of the best cars I’ve ever ever owned, and has turned me into a permanent Lexus and Toyota fan.
My 08 has been great. Bought it with 100k last year and have only done a couple things other than oil and tires. I've resurfaced my headlights but that is beginning to look yellow again. Gotta change oil tomorrow, full syn always with a Wix filter. The rear seats drive me crazy, as i need to borrow a truck to do certain things now. Currently in the middle of a complete sound system upgrade. Upgraded the stereo fascia to the Scosche touchscreen and a double din. Component speakers, amps and spare tire sub is waiting in my living room LOL. The most annoying thing to me really is the dash and door panels tho as that recall fix wasn't performed and is out of warranty now. Overall tho, this has been an amazingly reliable, low maintenance (compared to many) vehicle, and to me that's most important. Thanks for the vid, great stuff, God bless!
I prefer the IS350. Port and Direct Injecton. It doesn't have the 250 issues. And more hp
Agreed
I love my little Lexus. The only flaw I would point out is direct injection but it’s manageable. One other flaw (but totally not)? She’s too pretty and every time I park I look back at it, and one time I walked into a pole instead of paying attention of what’s in front of me.
I agree 100% Andrew! Welcome to the channel btw make sure you subscribe for more videos coming :) I do the same, it’s honestly a beautiful design that stands the test of time.
What about the rear seats? Rear passengers find them comfortable or no?
@@JazeebAbdul97yes passenger fall asleep quickly 😊
That was gold you said that because I literally do the same thing
I love looking at mine too, it's a great-looking car!
4GR is the worst engin lexus has made, the Is350 has the 2GR-fse that’s the one ya want, minus still water pumps around 60-100k change trans fluid at 60k always use synthetics and always flush and change AWD fluids every 30K and you’re golden
Think you’ll find the worst engine in a Lexus is the 2.2 Diesel 2AD FHV
My lex is at 225k and still like new never had any major problems
I just got one at 220k miles all I did was tune up and oil change best 3 weeks of my life so far
Direct injection, they corrected the issue in 2013 is250.
At 285k miles, the intake is still cleaned. I just opened and checked.
I agree on most of the things you mentioned, except for the fuel economy. My IS250 uses 12 liter during city drives per 100 kilometer but on the highway doing 90MPH on average I easily get 7 liter per 100 kilometer, sometimes even less. Above 100 MPH the use increases significantly to 10l per 100
Keep up the good word with the video's 🙂
The fuel economy is probably due to mine being very high mileage and also my speed probably:)
I have a 2011 IS250C. It's my first Lexus; my kids had a Lexus SUV with 250k miles on it and it drove like new, so I got the convertible used with 70k miles. It turns heads everywhere it goes. It's easier to drive hard with the paddles, even though its a 2011 so it's not the quickest shift. I hate the sticky plastic too lol but I bought this car as my retirement vehicle, and it's comfortable and quiet enough with the top down, gets decent gas mileage for such a heavy car, and feels solid with the top up, although a lifetime for FWD cars has made the handling a bit odd for me. Insterestingly, it handles better with the weight of the top stowed over the rear wheels than up. I keep procrastinating replacing the plastic wood trim that's gotten pretty scratched over the years. The 250C cannot accept the replacement Android screens the regular IS can unfortunately.
I am the second owner of a 2010 Lexus IS 250 AWD. Since my ownership, I've replaced the front/rear brakes. I also did the water pump which was hanging off, yet the dealership never caught that. Everything that has been done to the car through my ownership has basically been general maintenance. However, I bought it with 101K miles so everything on the car is original. My odometer reads 110K today. I also hit a pothole in Boston which basically destroyed my exhaust system at a tune of $3,900. I called my local Lexus dealership (since they brag about their "strong exhaust system" and was told that it was "normal" to need to replace the exhaust. (don't forget, it has two cats).
Despite the money I put into the car, if I wanted to sell it today, I'd get more than I paid for it. I went from a 2000 Volvo S70 (best car I've ever had) to the baby Lexus. The S70 had an inline 5 cylinder with 168 hp. It was made in Sweden and was much better quality than my current Lexus, which has 204 hp. Nothing compares to the Volvo's seats. I miss my S70, but after 19 yrs, I was hesitant to put a lot of money into it when the KBB valued it below $5K. My Lexus is still valued at more than I paid for it, plus I put a new exhaust system in it.
My Lexus 2IS 250 AWD now has 305K miles on it, and still going strong!
Cracks on the dash are a huge issue in some markets. In Australia, you can't sell the car if it has cracks near the passenger side where the airbag is. You need to replace the entire dash which costs a lot of money in parts and labor.
Carbon buildup blew up my is250 engine and now she died. Kidding she’s alive and well. I had it checked out and there is carbon buildup but light buildup. Nothing that would require a massive cleaning like a walnut blasting. It must be because I use synthetic oil, premium gas, and drive it hard sometimes.
Damn Andrew how many kilometres did you have on it? Any other details?
In the USA so it’s 135k miles. Previous owner also really kept an eye out on the carbon issue. He also used premium only and consistent oil changes. So that’s why it wasn’t so bad. I think if someone bought one of these with 200k miles however, check the intake valves for sure.
One could say some of these flaws add some character to the car, I will let you all decide that 😁
I just purchased my 2010. It is giving me about 9ish litres/100km mixed highway and city.
My IS convertible is a 2009 66k on the clock, Lexus UK look after it for a low cost, it’s been completely reliable, Lexus Maidstone have said it’s one of the best cars they have ever worked on, it’s factory mint. PS I only use Top Quality fuel NOT E10.
The seats not folding down is part of what makes the car so fun to drive. The chasis is braced/reinforced behind the seat to stiffin the the chasis for both safety and handling reasons. I dont know any rear wheel drive sport sedans with back seats that fold down.
Rear seats are like this to increase the stiffness. It drives better because of it. To clean carbon buildup you need to do more than just replace oil and oil filters. You need to clean out the engine. Dash cracks.. well, only if you don't garage park it and if you're in a really warm climate.
I've got dash cracks living in the UK where it pisses down all the time 😅
I love my Lexus IS!
Which year and model you got?!
purchasing one this weekend!
You are going to love it!
Is350 engine is pretty peppy for a V6. More than enough to accidentally spin tires, slide on accident, ect.. they are a very fun car. Paired with f sport suspension or aftermarket it's been one of my favorite cars to drive. Handles amazingly, beats g35 s and similar powered cars in races, and is the most reliable car I've ever owned. If the biggest problem is an infotainment system that can be upgraded and rear seats that don't fold, and plastics that fade or crack(like all old Lexus's).. that's a win in my book
Not to mention the 350 doesnt have that carbon buildup issue. I would personally never buy a 250, it's worth looking a little longer and paying a couple grand more
The run it fast once and awhile is so true bro 🤣🤣
Not folding seats are intentionally for Body rigidity I believe which is very good. Tnx for vidéo
Anytime Hojat, that makes sense but still something I wish it had.
if you want to clean the carbon build up from an engine use 50/50 mix of petrol and e85. The alcohol will burn the shit and clean the valves
Good list!
Thanks man :)
So for my IS350 only 3/5 things apply. Nice.
I've owned my 09 is awd 5 years now I have a love hate relationship. yes the plastic pieces breaks the motor is finicky make sure you run Supreme unleaded if you don't run Supreme mid-grade octane additive also every once in awhile do your oil changes use only synthetic oil high quality clean your mass air flow sensor often this has been a great car for me . I am so rough on cars this car takes the beating now that I say this change the transmission fluid as often as every 30 to 50 thousand miles it will cost 200 dollars but worth it .
My local Lexus dealer lets me know the things I need to take care of on my 250. They have not recommended changing the transmission fluid, I have all-wheel drive. Why do you think it's necessary to change it? I am interested.
Surprised by your highway fuel consumption.
My ‘09 does 38-40mpg (7.5-7.1L/100km) cruising at c. 80mph (128km/h).
Fuel: 98RON Shell V-power.
Oil: Toyota/Lexus-spec fully synthetic.
Interesting. It could be a combination of winter driving + tires being slightly less inflated + winter gas + my engine being at 370,000km. Good to hear though your getting much better fuel economy!
I have a 2010 and I'm doing 6.2-6.8/100km. I guess you could say I have a relaxed way of driving but the fuel consumption doesn't get much worse when I drive fast, through the mountains or when I spend a lot of time in traffic jams
As an Acura enthusiasts, previoisly owned a 2007 Csx k20z3 type S and currently owning a 2009 k24z3 TSX, i'm kinda looking for a is 250. Ok i'd sacrifice some fuel economy, but dang these v6 sound good and look amazing. 🎉
just bought a 07 is350 with 109k miles for 7.5k, runs impeccable and just needs a new battery
Just purchased a is250 2011 only 84,000 miles.
How much ?
If I maintain this car and am aware of the carbon buildup issues, and I walnut blast it or clean it at some point… can this car last to 300k miles or more? I really like the design it’s beautiful. I want the 250 as 350’s are so hard to find.
Yes, it should last that no problem if well-maintained as you were describing.
@@carswithsonduren I worry a lot sometimes so I always have lots of questions before I purchase something large like a car. I shall keep the IS250 in mind. It’s so sexy
I picked an 08 is250 awd a couple months ago for my first car the mileage is 180k , car runs great. It ended up costing me around 4100k which is not a terrible price at all
Dang I can only find these around 8k+
Thanks man!! Good information..
Glad you found it helpful and welcome to the channel!
I have a matador red 2011 IS250 with only 130,000 km. The paint finish is outstanding on these cars (I have yet to see a rusty one of any age here in the southern Ontario rustbelt). The only (non-maintenance) repair that I have had is an O2 sensor replacement in 2021 and an A/C condenser leak in 2023.
The long term fuel consumption on my car averages around 9.4 l/100 km, which I find perfectly acceptable for an AWD sports sedan.. At a steady 120 km/hr, it will get in the low 7's, so I am not sure where your figure of 13 l/100 km comes from.
Very good review. No rear folding seat 😢
Brilliant review! Perfectly captures some of my 👍 and 👎of the car. Your direct-injection/carbon build-up point is awesome! Sonduren you're definitely dialed in to what a car is all about- keep up the awesome work 👍from 🥝land
I had the 350. Steering was too twitchy. Also the ABS was horrible in the Winter. When it would feel any type of slip, it would cut power. This sucks when your in the middle of an intersection and cars are coming at you. I sold that car quick after 1 winter.
The early gen direct injection engine in the 250 is actually muss less reliable compared to that of the 350
I've owned my 09 250 for a mo month now. ITS BEEN AWESOME. It's a reliable fun daily that also rides like a luxury car for an outstanding price
Glad to hear that you are enjoying it! It’s going to give you a smile every time you turn her on!
As someone that doesn't know much about cars, can you please explain what it means to drive the car 'hard'?
I was also curious, did you ever have issues with the carbon build up on your IS250? If not, why do you think that is? I'm at 219k km and have had so many issues with my car including transmission, suspension, and now the engine with misfires.
Get the engine hot by running it to redline a few times through spirited driving and with this I never had any issues :)
I ordered my 2007 IS 250 AWD new at the end of 2006. So I've had it almost 18 years. And now 113,000 miles on it. It still looks new.
But cylinders 1 and 6 stopped firing a while ago because of the carbon buildup. Only ever used premium gas. The dealer wasn't helpful, but RUclips here has been. I'm scheduling it for a walnut blasting and hoping that might revive it. The carbon buildup is a HUGE issue with these cars. But then again, I still have it 18 years later, so it can't be all that bad. But I'll never buy another Lexus because of it.
The second most bothersome thing to me I'm surprised you didn't mention. It's the ridiculous cupholder configuration. I mean seriously. The second front cupholder is inside the center storage console! Not a great design.
I drove a RC 350 recently and was disappointed. That car is truly more for looks and gas mileage. Performance wise you might as well get a IS 250 RSport.
can’t really find an is350 :/ only thing that worries me with the is250 is carbon build up
If it’s properly maintained I wouldn’t worry too much about it to be honest.
Same here
Loved this video, I’m going to check one out next week and possibly buying it 👀
You should! Let me know if you end up pulling the trigger!
I'm considering getting an IS250 for a daily driver. How quiet are they inside for normal driving/on the motorway? How is the comfort for long journeys? I'm coming from a Saab 9-5.
Honestly, it’s not super quiet but it’s not super loud. It’ll be fine for what you need to do.
Thank you for this information. I love my 08 Lexus IS250. It still performs great It just need strut repairs and cosmetic work. I was able to have the dash board and door panels replaced in a recall. Toyota paint is horrible. I think they should’ve had a recall for the issue. I have to get a new paint job, replace the side moldings on the windows, new headlights and repair the hood due to it will not stay up.
I went to a business that puts on a protective coating on my paint that will last for at least 7 years. It adds depth to the paint, and it's nice and shiny. Just so you know, the paint on my car was nearly perfect before I had this added. If the paint is already gone, then it obviously won't work.
13L/100km on the highway??? Did you misspeak? I've got a 3.5L V6 with a 4 speed auto, and it does 13L/100 in city driving, and maybe 7-9 on the highway. If a 2.5L gets 13 when cruising, what's it using in the city?
ill get one if theres a 350 on sale where i live, but the 250 is lacking in power way too much.
What do you mean by run the car hard to clean it? Is it good to redline once in a while? Or even make the rpm bounce from it being too high?
Yes it’s good to redline once in a while it’s needed!
@carswithsonduren I just found out yesterday that it makes a cool bounce sound when you redline it (I got a muffler delete a month ago) but I'm not sure if it's bad to do that
@sorryjordi2975 yeah that’s fine if you do that. Obviously don’t do it super often but you do need to do it once in a while.
Pleased car lovers here, between IS350 011 vs IS350 013 which is a better buy , Rugged, has less fuel economy consumption and reliabile ? Please i need an honest answer guys
Very inspiring video. I have recently bought on IS 250, with 89k km, I'm deeply worried about the carbon build up issue, can you recommend me the oil and the filter you use, and also the changing frequency?
I have been changing it every 8000 km with full synthetic Penzoil Platinum and a filter. Make sure to drive the car hard once in a while to really get rid of the buildup. If you’re driving less than 8000 km at minimum do it every year.
@@carswithsonduren Thanks. I will use this oil and filter. As I'm paranoid I think on 5000 km i will change the oil 😂
That’s a bit early but it’s fine :)
A BG products injection flush will help this.
You have to use premium Gasoline at all times. It’s listed on Gas cap. Clean throttle body and sensor.
Took some photos of a Lexus is250. The problem is I don't know what range of year it is 2006 2012? Have you done any videos showing all the changes made to the Lexus IS series over the years?
Just install Ultimate Cell, a Portuguese patented unit, get the difference in efficiency, economy, torque, quietness, less pollution, and say goodbye to carbon build up for good.
What's that??
@@znismo1"The technology that optimizes the internal combustion engines and reduces fuel consumption and harmful gas emissions.
Implementing this innovative hydrogen technology in internal combustion engines improves the engine’s operation, making it quieter and smoother with a modest increase in torque, providing a more comfortable ride and less use of the gearbox.
Our technology optimizes internal combustion engines running on diesel, gasoline, biodiesel, ethanol, and LPG fuels. And adequate for most major brands, makes, and models."
@@tiagoseixas1 sounds stupid
Thank you for this information.. but where's the engine number located in is250
I’m not actually sure
Should be under the hood
I have the 6-speed manual. I get 31 to 37 miles to the gallon
I am curious about how well the 250 corners though. I have to guess with double wishbone suspension in the front probably helps the car corner rather sharply?
Yes it does!
@@carswithsonduren see with suspension like that as a daily driver it doesn’t need to be fast to be fun. All you need are the right roads to explore the corners and that car I can imagine will give you quite a smile with its handling without risking a speeding ticket lol
Exactly. While many people tell me how can it be fun with little power, I explain it’s kind of like driving a go cart.
@@carswithsonduren and it comes standard with independent rear suspension and an lsd correct?
How does 2.5l v6 has about similar MPG as v8 gs430 4.3l ...
Great info! These just showed up on my radar, I'm looking for a comfortable commuter to stop putting so many miles on my 4Runner, I do 60 a day highway. I'm sold with these can be reliable long-term, however would you pick one up with nearly 200k miles? I'm seeing a lot of high mileage ones listed near me.
Well it doesnt give you good gas mileage but mine has 161,000 miles on it and i gave some guy a ride back to his house (i saw him struggling with some bags in front of the grocery store, some old timer) and he said that these cars can run up to half a million miles. We will see. Typically people sell their cars after they hit the 100k mile mark so these are still good to go after that and after the 200k mark too according to him. However, i would see wether the owner of the car that youre trying to buy was meticulous with the car or not, you can tell by pictures of the car and the description, also by talking to the owner wether he is truthful or is bluffing. Hope you found a good commuter car! God bless!
I have a similar commute and my 06' is350 gets 25mpg but averages only 19mpg
@@atinele1986 thanks for the info. I did more research on these and decided against it, the is250 is one of the only Toyota products that the Car Care and not advises against. Apparently the 2.5 direct injection can be problematic.
@@kingjamokrates2560 thanks for the info. I did more research and decided against it, like you said, they're not that great on fuel so it's not really worth it to spend the money as a commuter car. What I would spend on this will pay for a couple years worth of fuel for my 4Runner.
@@trailrunnah8886 Yeah I love my car but at this fuel rate I might as well be driving a newer gen Tacoma.
My is250 produces a very terrible smell like rotten eggs when am cruising,what could that be? When am driving slow there is no smell.
I realized the back seat doesn’t fold 2 months after I got mine😢
Very good video. Very informative.
Thanks.
I'm still thinking about buying an IS250 F-Sport 2014, so it's the 3rd generation. There's one that is in great shape and very well kept. The only thing that is "getting me" is, is it powerful enough. So, what would you say about this? Is it? If we intend to use it daily driving and have some fun, is it s fun car to drive, enviable enjoyable ride?
For example, just as reference, if someone is used to a BMW 118i F20 or a 320i F30, and switches to a IS250 F-Sport 2014, would that person he satisfied?
Thanks in Avance
I think they would be IMHO. I would do it :)
@@carswithsonduren Very nice! Thanks :)
Look at IS350 or GS350 then the 2gr-fse and fks are awesome
Omg the window plastics YEAH freaking flying off on the highway but still attached so its just flappin
My 2015 lexus is 250 the rear seat fold down
New model has it that is awesome
I was hoping it would get slightly better fuel economy, I'm looking at moving up from a Scion tC, I get around 7.8L/100km and produce pretty well same power. So that's unfortunate, I'm just looking for something a bit more comfortable to drive.
Did you sell yours ? We don't see videos of those since a year now.
I did :( I had a baby and needed something bigger and got a Lexus NX350h
@@carswithsonduren Congratulations ! My baby is coming next month, and I bought an UX250h. In France it is quite a big car 😅.
But the NX it is the best deal by far in the Lexus line-up now. 👍
@raidenb4512 wow awesome it’s going to change your life (the baby and car!). Congratulations!
@@carswithsonduren Exactly, reliability all the way ! Cheers !
Infotainment is probably bad in yours because yours is a base model and you don’t have the touch screen. Touch screen is pretty useful
I'm considering a 2015 IS 250 with about 145k miles on it. Anything I should be aware of?
Where do I buy the plastic door molds and etc?
Fuel economy is totally disagree, my 2007 250 is giving 8.5-9/100 in city and highway less than 7 most of time, not a quick but awesome beauty reliable❤
Mine is definitely aged, plus winter gas and winter driving
I wanna add the trunk not opening when you hit the button on the fob
Change the wornout trunkstrut,i bought a"bolk"branded one,and changed it,and works perfect!it only cost me like 8 dollar
Best car ever.....Lexus👌👌
1 cupholder lol. get the gs350. it got parking sensos too
The side view mirrors can just fall off. Had it happen to both of mine. The stereo has been glitching on mine sometimes too, not sure if that is common. I know the mirrors are a common issue though.
Never heard of the mirrors falling off that’s so odd.
The pool of water in the trunk by the amp after rain
Sunroof drain is clogged
you forgot the stereo amp issue
Mine keeps shaking and shivers when I’m in a complete stop or driving and Idk why took it to many places no one fixed it for me
Your fuel figures are way off. Something is wrong with yours. My 250se often got under 6.5ltr/100km on highway trips at 75mph. My best was 5.8ltr/100. The worst was when I was towing 1500kg’s and got 13ltrs/100km. Performance of the 250 is on par with a BMW 325i with a top speed of 242kph at 1500m above sea level,yes I did that. 0-62mph was average at about 9sec. When I got my first 350 I was blown away with 0-62mph on a track at 5.7sec and the top end soft limited to 255kph. I had two 350’s and loved them both and neither used more than 10ltr/100km over the 60000km I did with each car.
Hi， Sonduren. I have 2010 IS250 RWD , with 102000 km now. I just changed the gearbox oil at the dealer shop a month ago, but they didn't remove the oil pan at the bottom. Is this correct?
That should be fine! How has been your ownership experience so far?
@@carswithsonduren I am the fourth owner of the car. When I got the car, it was only 94,000km. After changing the transmission oil, there is no change from before. Will the next time I change the transmission oil be 200,000km? From your video, I change costco full synthetic oil 0w-20 every 8000km. I live in Halifax now, which is a little different from yours. The reason for this is because the first time I went to the dealer to change the oil, they changed it to 0w-20. So I don’t want to change the oil type all the time, I always use 0w-20. I am now 10L/km
Yes, you can change the transmission fluid at that time. Just so you know, Lexus claims that the transmission fluid was a lifetime fluid but people still want to change it for the peace of mind. If you can get access to Costco full synthetic then awesome it’s a great oil!
Please im confused about this car but i love the styling. I want to ask, does this car consume lots of fuel ? In my area fuel is very costly and i want to own this car. Please i want to know. Does this car consume fuel too much? This car and toyota corolla 07 model which amongest them consume and saves fuel better Please i need an honest thank you ❤
07 corolla uses less fuel than this. 07 corolla: 29 miles per gallon. 07 is250: 24 miles per gallon. But I hear is250 mpg is usually even less
I have that annoying sticky dashboard and the door panels are crumbling.
Heard that’s a recall and u can get it maybe replaced from dealer check it out
@@chrismiller2055 That deal expired in 2019...so they won't honor it any longer.
If you want performance and horse power. Buy the Lexus ISF,a V8 5.0 liter version of it
I'm late to the show but I just bought an 09 IS250. Do you have any tips for dealing with the sticky deteriorating dash problem?
im considering buying a 250 as my first car, am i going to be dissappointed by how slow it is? i know they arent the quickest and i dont need it to be a race car or anything but is it quick enough to be fun to drive?
With my 250, i have 8 Liters/ 100 km on highway at 110km/h ( 65 miles per hour) with premium fuel
Mixt road i have 11L/km
In city 13 15L/km
2007 IS 250 rwd with 230 000 kilomètres
The door mirrors tend to go over time too.