Got my 08 RWD IS250 w/ 145k miles about 9 months ago for a lil over 6k. Absolutely in love with her! Smooth, comfortable, not incredibly fast, but athletic & capable… & just such a timeless design. I think if you can take one of these babies home, especially with straight cash, you’ve taken a major win. Kudos for a great video!
You did great on that purchase! You're not going to lose any money down the road! It's such a great car. So timeless! Congrats again, and thanks for watching!
@@dahlon6618 love that for you brother! Same here actually, dash is a lil sticky when it’s hot (missed the recall of course) I’m thinking about getting a dashboard cover to put over it. 🤔 I think that’d be good enough tbh, & cheaper of course.
I just bought my IS250 RWD with a Manual. I love it already i didnt get the Stock Touchscreen, no Reverse Camera and no Handsfree Call system, but a Good Radio will take Care of that This Car does not Look like it costed me 5.5k i had to drive 500 Kilometres for it but it was worth it, its a Rare and Cool Car. the desgin is absolutely timeless... if you install VLands and the 4IS Bumper nobody will know how old this Car is.
I got an AWD with almost 153k miles if you consider that high mileage. It shifts completely fine, no issues with it. I did a drain and fill on it around 145k and got it with 142k. I think they last if they are taken care of and serviced with new fluid.
I will ssy most cars can last 250k+ miles with regular maintenance. I have a Pontiac G6 GT with 145k miles on it and it's had zero issues since i got it a year ago as just a daily driver. Never had any major issues either and people always say this car sucks and this brand sucks but most don't lol
This is true for all cars. Service your car and keep up with fluid changes on EVERYTHING. People think they just have to change oil. And they don’t even change it on time.
I bought it in Alabama from the Lexus dealership it was a local trade-in with 1 owner and had it shipped to Nashville. Check out your Lexus dealership in your area. Good luck 👍
I have a 2006 IS250 w/244k on it. My transmission just gave me an issue..the shifter solenoid went bad…but check this, it still drove and shifted fine except at stops/yields…so I drove it as a manual and used neutral to get around it. It’s in the shop now. I decided to replace the transmission all together and keep the car. I love it! I’ll get me a 2014-2016 model within the next 2yrs.
That's the thing about a Toyota, they won't leave you stranded! Congrats on taking care of yours and God is going to bring you exactly what you want. I love hearing people taking care of their things! Cheers!
looking at a 1 owner well maintained 2012 is250 with only 50k miles on it. priced at 17k though which is a little high but its as clean as can be. good buy or should i pass ?
I love my RWD 2008 Lexus IS250. I recently purchased a 2015 Corolla as my daily driver, so the Lexus is not driven as my main car anymore. I love it so much I decided to keep it! Stylish and beautiful with only 135k miles on it. I probably only put like 7k miles a year or less on her now as the Corolla is the daily driver. For the carbon buildup issue, I do fuel induction cleanings every 50k miles to clean those intake valves. If it was really bad I would pay more and do walnut blasting.
Thanks for the comment Andrew! I like your way or handling the carbon buildup! 2015 Corolla is a great car as well! Any Toyota you get isn't going to disappoint! Thanks for watching! Great taste in cars!
Best purchase I made - bought the IS350 when it first came out in ‘06! Added the F Sport package in ‘09 to get even more horsepower. Still having a blast driving it today and will not sell it anytime soon!
That's so great to hear! A lot people have no idea how great these cars are! Also, congrats on having a 350! Such a blast of a car, and the F sport package was a great touch! Thanks for watching! Cheers!
I was going to get this but decided to bite the bullet and get a 2008 ISF for a hefty price of 27k. They’re kinda rare and that’s why it’s so expensive. But wow … a V8 in this car is beyond phenomenal. A smile every time I push the gas pedal. Exhilarating.
Joel you did the right move! The ISF and the Is250/350 aren't really the same car besides the body lol. I'm actually about to do a review on the ISF. The transmission is these cars are perfection! Thanks for watching! And congrats!
@JoelFerrer101 It hasn't got a manual transmission (outside of modifying it), which is why I won't be getting it. However, let us know what you like (and the opposite, if any) about it when you get a chance.
These are great for a first car and have a huge aftermarket compared to pretty much every other Lexus model. You can make it look much newer inside and out
I own a 2010 is 250, and I love my car. I really enjoyed your review, and you taught me things I didn't even know about my car. Thank you for doing the review!
Please make more videos just discovered this channel and I can already tell it can be big if you put a lot of work into it because it sticks to unique cars which true car lovers will know about
Thanks you Antony! I've got some great stuff on the way! Thanks for watching and if you subscribed thank you for that too! It means more than you know!
Great video! I've been shopping for Lex IS 250 for months (2006-2011) Seen several, but still haven't found one that in good enough condition for me and decent mileage. Used car market is insane rn. If anyone has one that's been kept up and wants to sell hmu. I'm in NJ 😊
I got my is250 AWD in 2013 (car year is 2010) with 23k miles on it. As of today (11/21/23) it has only 84k miles. So far changed breaks, tires, oil change ONLY at dealer, transmission fluid flush. Car runs great, thought of selling it few years ago, but changed mind and this was my best decision EVER. Absolutely LOVE this car 👍🏼
I have a 2007 Rear Wheel drive model. I was driving on the freeway and it totally misfired on me. Engine light went on, and it was struggling to speed up. Luckily, it was only worn out spark plugs and not that and the ignition coils. In fact, the last owner change the ignition coil so they were new, but he didn’t change out the spark plugs. This is the only scare I had with my 250. This is just a basic maintenance issue. In terms of overall reliability she’s been pretty good. Oh and I asked if my carbon buildup is bad at 138k miles. It’s there but it’s not bad at all. Nowhere near severely clogged up.
That's good to hear Seagull! Glad you have a good one! These cars are SUPER reliable but because of the tight tolerances and detail put into them you have to stay on top of them. Majority of people get these cars because they're such a bang for the buck but they forget that they still need to maintenance them! Glad you're taking care of yours and glad you are enjoying the Lexus lifestyle!
Really appreciate this video!! Need a cheap car fast for a new job, most important thing is reliable. For £4,000 you get great options here in London and all the research (like this vid) has suggested, a great choice. Thank you for making Tim.
@@reviewedbytim I bought one! 3 weeks in and man I am still in shock how good it is for £3.9k……I’ve had so many BMW’s / Mercs etc but for this price it’s impressive. People think it’s 8 years old 🤣 (it’s 18 years old) Thanks again.
Only downfall with the 2.5 is the direct injection issues you have to ensure it gets feed quality premium gas and oil changes. I feel the 2GRFSE on both IS/GS350 is a much worthy choice still economical with plenty of power for mere mortals.
@@reviewedbytim the RWD of GS/IS350 of 07-12 model are unsung underrated cars that are overlooked in that era of super sedans of IS-F/M3/E55/E63/M5. And you save thousands versus getting the newer gen that have virtually same performance.
Glad you got one! It's going to be one of your favorite cars you'll own! The more you own it the more you're going to like it! And you got it at a good price! Cheers!
This is a very cool looking car and I just got one two days ago. It’s a 2008 model, and it has around 131k miles on it. Now everything appears to be running fine. The last owner put a new water pump on it last month before I bought it. Anyhow I got an oil change done and my mechanic wants to do an engine flush on the car. Now, I know that’s a very simple process that only requires putting a little bit of additive in the oil to clean out the dirty oil that remains in the engine. It’s safe I believe but now I wonder if he’s ripping me off because he thinks I’m a woman that doesn’t know anything about car maintenance. lol
Do not do an oil flush on the engine... There is really no such thing. If it's a transmission flush that is different. You can flush the transmission. Your miles are good. Just get the oil changed and at some point get the transmission oil changed. Congrats on owning your new Lexus! You're going to fall in love with it if you haven't already!
@@reviewedbytim let me tell you what it really is. It’s like basically two oil changes with the first one having some additives to “clean” dirty oil that’s still left inside after the initial drain. Hey that sounds like the shop just wants more money to me haha. Yeah I did a transmission drain and fill or whatever it’s called. Car drives great.
I have a 2008 IS250 AWD with 95k miles on it now, I bought it at 77k 2 years ago and it is a really reliable car. I was a bit unlucky bc the owner before me neglected a lot of repairs like gaskets but I was able to get an aftermarket warranty and get all kinds of stuff repaired, make sure you do your research bc big things that break on these cars can be hella expensive. I’ve had all 4 drive axels replaced due to the boots leaking and all that, I recommend as well making sure to replace the tranny fluid too to really push the longevity of the tranny. I’ve also done a carbon cleaner when I got the oil changed and it’ll help the motor in the long run when ever you get it done every so often.
Good thing you got a warranty on all that stuff. And you're completely right. You can have the most reliable car in the world but no car is bulletproof to negligence. Hope all is well now with the car! Thanks for watching bro! Cheers!
This vid was a suggestion as I'm researching this model (with a manual transmission. Not sure if you've covered these with 6 mt drivelines, but I'm about to check in a moment). Vid wise here, I wattched it in full, learned from it, and enjoyed it. As such, I'm liking it, and subscribing the channel. Cheers.
Thank you so much for the kind words! I’m about to take this channel to the next level! I love getting feedback from my TH-cam family! I can’t wait to get my hands on a 6mt… they look so fun! Cheers!
I get that. I had a 350 bro. I loved it but they're not as good as Toyota. With that being said they're so much fun! But, there's a reason there's a price difference on these cars. The build quality and the reliable isn't quite the same. Nissan is still in my heart though and will always be. Congrats on a fun car! Thanks for watching!
@@reviewedbytim The 350z doesn't have the same build quality or ride quality as the G35 sedan. Even the G35 coupe isn't as compliant as the sedan. You got a great deal on the Lexus though. I recently put new tires on my G35 and on the highway all you can hear is the wind rushing by. It's super quiet with the new tires.
@@Cartier_specialist nice! And I could agree with you on that. If he does do a better job with their build. You’re going to boost yours or something? I’ve been wanting to get a Z or a G and boost it so bad!
@@reviewedbytim I don't plan on turbocharging it. Typically the school of thought on the G35 is low boost supercharging. I might do that some day but honestly if you want a car that's turbocharged or supercharged it's best just to find one that's already turbocharged or supercharged that someone has done all the hard work on. It seems like it's always more expensive to turbo or supercharge a car than it is to just buy one outright.
I hear these are very reliable but a couple weak spots of these is the carbon buildup and water pumps that need to be replaced every 60k-100k miles. The water pump issue might be enough for me to not want it as it’s like almost 1500 bucks to get a mechanic to put one inside and sometimes they don’t even use OEM but something called OE which is basically very similar to OEM. Well either way I want my water pumps to last.
I wasn't aware of the water pump issue. I've had two of these and never had a problem! The carbon build up is real but to prevent it but make sure you run to high quality fuel with some additive every now and then. Also make sure that you open her up on the highway. That should be the end of your problems. They are SUPER reliable. It's a Toyota.
Repairs aren't too bad if you can supply your own part and just pay a mechanic for labor. Too many shady mechanics that will wring you dry by creating repairs as base repair goes.
On top of that, this is only a base with navigation. You can find ones with even more features like radar cruise, pre collision safety, mark levinson audio, DVD player, parking sensors, intelligent parking assist, power rear sunshade, rain sensing wipers, swivelling headlights, driver and passenger 3 position memory with fob sync, auto retracting steering wheel, auto dimming side mirrors, heated and ventilated front seats etc etc. Also would recommend getting a laptop with a copy of techstream so you can change all of the car's hidden settings.
Great review, thank you. I’ve been trying to find a 2IS 350 for a while now. The 350’s are hard to find right now in a reasonable price range. I have a 3IS that I sold to my daughter. Just love the bulkier body style of the 2IS.
Had my O8 dash replaced along with the front interior door panels.-only took the new dash to start melting and the interior doors to dry out and start cracking. Car is reliable, only 90k miles but the interior is trashed and so is the black paint job.
90k miles?! I would get that thing back in good shape if you can. Even if you have to save for the panels it's worth it with that mileage. If the car isn't dented up you can get the paint fixed I'm sure. Unless the clear coat is completely gone. Lexus puts good thick paint on their cars. If you want to sell it you can do that too and buy another one that has higher miles but all the interior and paint is better. The mileage on yours is what's going to be your strong point. Cheers!
I drove my 2008 IS250 for Uber and Lyft for one month. I felt like it was blasphemy to drive such a nice car for rideshare. So...I bought a 2016 Toyota Camry for the rideshare gig. I kept my IS250 and I think it's pretty luxurious. Faster and more luxurious than the Camry that's for sure!
One of the problems with this series of car is the transmission does fail fairly early if the car has been thrashed Got this problem a year or two ago, called Lexus and they have started getting a LOT of these reports all around the same time. 15y life on the transmission
@@reviewedbytim RWD I believe if you get your transmission serviced more regularly, you're less likely to have this problem - however, these models are built to "not require transmission servicing / fluid replacement" Which is the same as the timing chain they have - it's meant to last a "lifetime" but in reality these things DO degrade and aren't warrantied
This seems to share some parts with the Prius; I see the CC stalk is the same and probably the touchscreen (and some software, the aircon page looks identical to a second gen Prius). There's also a hidden diagnostics menu you can access by holding INFO button whilst turning headlights on and off 3 times.
I didn't know about the Diagnosis menu! Thanks for sharing that! And yes, I could definitely see the Prius sharing a few of the electronics here! Thanks for commenting!
Do i need to worry about the carbon buildup, my is250 AWD has 180k miles on it, bought it used recently. And do i need to worry about rear diff and front suspension as you mentioned, i haven't noticed anything problematic on my car yet. Can you tell me how i can avoid these issues
First of all congrats on owning one! If you have an awd model you need to make sure that you're charging the oil in the front differential. Majority of people forget to maintenance them. That's the first thing you need to do. As far as the carbon buildup goes you can accelerate hard here and there to make sure you break up any loose carbon that's in the system. At the end of the day it's not that hard to have repaired. It just takes a good cleaning in the manifold.
Great video bro, I'm looking to get an IS350 with F Sport package to replace my Jetta GLI, I've always liked Lexus. TPMS going bad is a Toyota/Lexus thing, but other than that they're great vehicles.
That's true.. the tpms is a thing in these Lexus. If you're going for a IS350 you're going to really like what you get! They MOVE too! Best of luck! Cheers!
After this upcoming fire season I’m working (I’m a on a wildland firefighting crew) I plan on using the money I make and some money I’ve set aside to pick one of these up. Super underrated cars, you really can’t go wrong with them.
First of all, thanks for being a man and fighting those fires! That’s awesome! And yeah, you can’t go wrong with them! It’s my daily driver and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else! Thanks for watching!
Superb car, only problem is the indirect injection, some carbon build up, so premium gas and red line the car regular. Car care nut made an item on this. The 350 is a direct competitor to the BMW M3, it is fast! Not sold in Europe, we did get the ISF which is amazing, but a bit expensive to drive due to high gas prices here. We pay around 9 bucks / gallon.
Looking at one tomorrow but manual. My dad's buddy is selling the car for $5000 CAD which is a steal but the issue is that its probably in limp mode as he said car wont accelerate at all and has been sitting for a while. Even so I think we'll purchase and get it fixed as its kept clean and mileage is only 140,000 km. Looking forward to this car; definitely gonna maintain and modify it!
That's a sweet car Chicane! You're going to have a lot of fun and good memories in it! Also, the limp mode shouldn't be a big deal. Especially since it's a manual transmission. Limp mode can be a good thing... it's keeping the car from damaging itself! Congrats and I hope it all works out! I want one!
So happy for you! I can promise you that you’re going to have that car for years without any worry, and if you decide to sell it, you’re not gonna lose much value. Smart move!
I have those shoe boots 👢 with the zipper been looking for another pair for years now but no luck😢 also been having the 250 since 2011 this car is a real Trooper for 07 has never let me down i can only imagine everything above has just been perfected!!!
On my opinion, the second generation IS looks better than the third generation. I don’t know what it is exactly. It just appears to me that the second generation looks more luxurious. The third generation packs a more sporty look but it doesn’t look as classy I guess.
I can agree with you on that Wyland! I think the 3rd gen has far more sporty body lines but there's balance with everything in the world! You have a good eye to notice that.... few people have said what you said! Cheers!
Depends on what you want. If you're looking for a faster, sportier feel, then go with the IS350. If you want more laid back. Go with the GS350. You're not going to be disappointed with either! Best of luck searching! Cheers!
Where I live its so hard to find one of these or a clean looking one atleast. Closest ones are at least a state away but im not giving up on this car Im bouta get my license in lil over a month and i think this is the perfect car
Bro it's one of the best cars you can get! I'm not sure where you're at but keep looking on marketplace! They pop up more than you think but you have to be quick! People are constantly looking just like we are and the one that moves the fastest is the winner! Best of luck and be safe when you get your license! When I got mine I got a few tickets and made my life hell! Trust me.. drive safe and DO NOT GET A TICKET lol
@@reviewedbytim yea I saw a good one like maybe less than an hour from where I live and it sold real fast , but I have a couple saved from marketplace place that hasn’t been sold yet so hopefully they won’t be and thanks for the advice lol
@@reviewedbytim Update: I was passing today and a realized my neighbor a few houses down has a is350. I knew the car was there but I was always too far away to see the badge or its either parked facing the road but today I got a look passing by and it looks clean and im praying that they would be willing to sell it for a reasonable price
I had a question about the oil consumption. So I own a 2008 IS250. I get my oil changes every 3000 miles with synthetic blend. One time I stretched to 3200 miles without any oil changes and I checked the dipstick and it was a quart or so low. This was enough to illuminate a “low engine oil” warning with that ⚠️ light next to it. It didn’t light up the actual oil light that looks like a genie lamp however. So is oil burn pretty normal on these? I guess I just have to check every month. If this car burns almost 1 quarts of the 7 in there every 3k miles then I need to check the dipstick more often or change oil exactly 3k miles. Have you ever seen the warning that I saw? I guess all aging cars burn oil, it’s just the way the cookie crumbles lol.
I wouldn't say this is common. But I've seen it a bit. A lot of people that owned these cars start them in the morning and don't let them warn up at all. Not even for 10 seconds. This has a huge affect on these is250's. It's just something that the oil rings in them don't like. That's probably what's happened to yours. How many miles do you have on yours?
@@reviewedbytim the car has 141,000 miles. The previous owner used synthetic blend oil and didn’t drive much. Only put like 7 miles a year before for a few years. She also did lots of city driving. I think that depending how you drive and what oil makes the difference? Synthetic blend oil is what I use now, but I could also use the full synthetic and apparently that burns less. I asked people about oil burn and I suppose it’s normal for older cars. My buddy has an Infiniti G35 coupe. I wasn’t sure if you heard about those cars burning a lot of oil, but they can burn 1 quart every 1000 miles. Way more than my current burn. My cousins 2003 M3 also literally burns through oil. It’s astonishing.
It happens. I have 244k on mine. It absolutely does NOT leak, but between OCs, my dipstick was almost clean. I still don’t know what happened. But now I just check it more often to see. That was a one-off though…
Why not try to get the ISF? I have one, a black 2010 model with dark tinted windows. I named her “Shadow”, because she’s dark and mysterious but also a beast that pounces !
I have been looking for a 2011+ for atleast 5 years but this car is 10 years old now and I think its a joke how much they are going for so I have heisted to pull the trigger. Specially I have been looking for the f sport model and if I can get a 2013 it would be great. However, for a 2011+ is350 f sport you are looking at 20k+ with 150k miles and thats if you find one with
Yeah you're right about how hard it can be to get one. I love mine but I'm at the point now that I want as ISF too. They hold exceptional value and I don't see them losing value anytime soon! Plus they're so fun! Best of luck looking for one. You're a smart man for sticking with Toyotas and Lexus. Cheers!
I got a 2008 model, white. I used to own a 2008 BMW 328i coupe, also white. Beautiful but thousands of dollars was spent on maintenance. I did not want to deal with that anymore, so hopefully the IS250 will be good and I won't spend a couple grand a year. Is that possible with the IS250?
I am originally a BMW guy myself! I had a turbocharged E36! Here's the link to my drifting it in a parking lot! th-cam.com/users/shorts0_LMB9NSw7A?feature=share You're going to be very happy with the IS250! I love BMW and the engineering that comes with the brand but, Lexus is more reliable and the whole car has better quality components! You can expect 300k miles on your car if you change the oils correctly. They can take some abuse! Congrats on your Lexus! You made the right move!
yes I do love this car and I also love the 2013 GS 350 V6 16k I am a little older. does this IS 250 what is your maintenance for the Year look like? I am also looking at a GS350 07 under $10k grand your thoughts
So the maintenance for the year is pretty basic. Oil change.. Transmission fluid change. And, I went a head and did the differential fluid change myself. Everything else never gave me a problem. 07 GS350 that's in good condition under 10k is a nice buy (depends on miles) Honestly any 350 model under 10k with good miles and all the dash and panels replaced is a really good deal! That's a nice car and will treat you well for a while! I would just stay away from the AWD models.. The front diffs seems to not hold up so well. Hope this helps! Thanks for watching Rory!
People like to hate on this car especially the engine it’s just people don’t know how to take care of they car oil change every 3000 miles don’t care what brand car it’s is and if you drive hard then it’s sooner don’t care people don’t care of they rides then complain when the car gives the slightest stutter
I bought '09 is250 from OG owner with 170k miles... its my sons car now my youngest getting ready to drive so looking for the infamous 6 spd manual but the ones i find are like 12-15k
I heard of people saying that IS350 is far more reliable. I kind of don’t believe that as the 250 only weakness is direct injection. My boyfriend paid 600 to do an extreme cleaning called walnut blasting. Do that at least once in the cars lifetime and I think it’s as reliable as the 350. What do you think? According to my boyfriend that’s the only minor weakness and it’s not bad… direct injection. Really expensive for a walnut blast however. I still love my “not reliable” IS250 lol
hahah You're right, the is250 is VERY reliable. There is only 2 problems that they have mechanically. It's the front diff in the AWD models... and that's mostly due to low maintenance on the car. I know people that change the oil in the diffs when you should and have 250k miles with all the original parts! The second issue is the direct injection. It's a $500 job but once it's done it's just as reliable as the IS350! People just like to make a big deal about it. I've dealt with it myself. It's not a big deal at all. It's not like it's going to leave ou stranded on the side of the road or something... Congrats on your IS250! You have a GREAT car and it's going to last you a very long time!
the V6 is heavy on petrol / gas. And since its naturally aspirated you can't do much about that or the performance ( not that its slow). Also here in SA you don't get much for them at ALL!
@@reviewedbytim my father has the IS250, he gets about 9 or 9.5km per liter, that is 22mpg. Lexus offered him R130 000, or $7300. Take into account cars are relatively much more expensive in SA.
Would these is350 Lexus be good for a daily driver , not to waste a crazy amount on gas would you say ? I’m looking for a daily driver , drive 40min there and another 40min back everyday to work.
You will be super happy with the is350 or the is250. These cars are better on fuel than they advertised and as long as you get one that's not AWD for this generation you're not going have any issues with it (if you get one that's not been abused). This is the simple the best daily driver car that I've experienced and owned personally. These cars are extremely underrated!
I am thinking about buying this model, but here in Europe it is not that well known especially in Germany, so I suspect that spare parts will probably cost a lot.
I hope they aren't. If you buy it you're going to fall in love with it. I can also say that if you get one that been taken care of you're not going to be buying tons of parts. I've had 2 and I never had to spend money on anything besides maintenance. I hope you find a great one!
@@reviewedbytim I managed to find several of these types on the Internet from car dealers, even with a manual transmission, and the prices start from 7,000 Euro (7,747.95 US Dollar) with a mileage of 140,000 kilometers (86.99197 Miles)
In regards to carbon buildup, has any of these cars been destroyed because of that? Like so severe that the carbon buildup caused the engine to meet its demise ? If so then I guess I would have to have someone look at the intake valves and if it’s caked to hell then walnut blasting.
Nah you can't kill a Toyota engine that easy lol. It'll just cause the check engine light to come on and the car the idle weird. Many owners drive them with this issue for years! It's not even the hardest job to fix.. just takes time to clean all the carbon. Thanks for watching Infiniti G35 Coupe!
The Auto is nice bro! If you're going to track the car or drift it then get a manual. But the Auto is quicker and the transmission is still fun! Best of luck! cheers!
that one is very clean and nice! so many of the 2IS (2nd gen IS) have been modded to death..."muffler delete" -- LOL just say you're too cheap to get a good custom exhaust
Hey man, I'm looking to buy an is250. Test drove one the other day. We observed was a slight whirling/whistling noise coming from near the gear shifter. It wasn't a high pitched noise; it sounded like a fan turning on when we accelerated. From watching your video, could it be the "power/snow" switch? We didn't notice that switch while test driving it, so we have no idea if it was causing that noise. Do you have this issue with your is250? Do you have any idea what that could be? Thanks
Hey, there's a few things to consider. Does it get louder the fast you go? If so it could be something in the drivetrain. The faster you go the faster everything speeds up in the drivetrain. There is a drive shaft busing that could wearing out. The with shouldn't make any noise but it definitely can. The seats also make noise if you have the heated and cooled option. If that's the only problem with the car it might be a good deal. You can use it to negotiate the price. My car doesn't have anything like this that I've noticed.
Perhaps anyone knows how common is the tire wear issue on the IS250 is? I've seen a couple posts on the forums about excessive front inner tire wear, but I don't hear about this on any of the reviews. Thanks!
I haven't had that issue with mine. This is the 2nd one I've owned and the alignment has always been good. I can tell you that because of what it is you're going to drive the car a bit more aggressive by nature and a good set of tires is highly recommended.
Oil change and tires if you like having fun lol. Maintenance is cheap.. no timing belt or anything major. Just the basics. This is one the best 1st cars you can have!
Got my 08 RWD IS250 w/ 145k miles about 9 months ago for a lil over 6k. Absolutely in love with her! Smooth, comfortable, not incredibly fast, but athletic & capable… & just such a timeless design. I think if you can take one of these babies home, especially with straight cash, you’ve taken a major win. Kudos for a great video!
You did great on that purchase! You're not going to lose any money down the road! It's such a great car. So timeless! Congrats again, and thanks for watching!
dude you straight stole that thing, especially in todays upside down bidenomics
Same bro 09 with 145k midnight blue but the dashboard is sticky idk how to fix it
@@dahlon6618 love that for you brother! Same here actually, dash is a lil sticky when it’s hot (missed the recall of course) I’m thinking about getting a dashboard cover to put over it. 🤔 I think that’d be good enough tbh, & cheaper of course.
I just bought my IS250 RWD with a Manual. I love it already
i didnt get the Stock Touchscreen, no Reverse Camera and no Handsfree Call system, but a Good Radio will take Care of that
This Car does not Look like it costed me 5.5k i had to drive 500 Kilometres for it but it was worth it, its a Rare and Cool Car.
the desgin is absolutely timeless... if you install VLands and the 4IS Bumper nobody will know how old this Car is.
I got an AWD with almost 153k miles if you consider that high mileage. It shifts completely fine, no issues with it. I did a drain and fill on it around 145k and got it with 142k. I think they last if they are taken care of and serviced with new fluid.
It seems like you know how to take care of your vehicles. So your Lexus will last you a very long time! Majority of people don’t. Congrats!
I will ssy most cars can last 250k+ miles with regular maintenance. I have a Pontiac G6 GT with 145k miles on it and it's had zero issues since i got it a year ago as just a daily driver. Never had any major issues either and people always say this car sucks and this brand sucks but most don't lol
Iiiiiii>i>i>*jjjjjjjj**jjjjjjjjjkk😮
You talking ab transmission fluid?
This is true for all cars. Service your car and keep up with fluid changes on EVERYTHING. People think they just have to change oil. And they don’t even change it on time.
Wow... I just bought my 2006 Lexus is 250 with only 9900 miles on it with only one owner for $8900💪 I absolutely love it ❤🎉
WHOA!!! Congrats bother! You did great and I know you're loving it!
Take care of her and she will take care of you!
Where!!!😊
I bought it in Alabama from the Lexus dealership it was a local trade-in with 1 owner and had it shipped to Nashville. Check out your Lexus dealership in your area. Good luck 👍
Proud Lexus owner here! and I can say that nothing beats the quality build and long term performance of my 2005 ES330!!! Amazing car
You can say that again! Some people just don't know how good it is! Congrats Zak!
I have a 2006 IS250 w/244k on it. My transmission just gave me an issue..the shifter solenoid went bad…but check this, it still drove and shifted fine except at stops/yields…so I drove it as a manual and used neutral to get around it.
It’s in the shop now. I decided to replace the transmission all together and keep the car. I love it!
I’ll get me a 2014-2016 model within the next 2yrs.
That's the thing about a Toyota, they won't leave you stranded! Congrats on taking care of yours and God is going to bring you exactly what you want. I love hearing people taking care of their things! Cheers!
looking at a 1 owner well maintained 2012 is250 with only 50k miles on it. priced at 17k though which is a little high but its as clean as can be. good buy or should i pass ?
Mine has all-wheel drive, and I drive it like that every single day. I have over 100,000 mi on the car, I've had no issues whatsoever.
That's awesome! You must maintenance it correctly.
@@reviewedbytim yep. Preventive maintenance!
Love these things. It's like a Camry and a 3 series had a baby that just WILL NOT DIE.
I never thought of it like that.... you're right lol
lexus was way ahead of its time
You're 100% right! All of the features that they have for their cars make your life easier!
I love my RWD 2008 Lexus IS250. I recently purchased a 2015 Corolla as my daily driver, so the Lexus is not driven as my main car anymore. I love it so much I decided to keep it! Stylish and beautiful with only 135k miles on it. I probably only put like 7k miles a year or less on her now as the Corolla is the daily driver. For the carbon buildup issue, I do fuel induction cleanings every 50k miles to clean those intake valves. If it was really bad I would pay more and do walnut blasting.
Thanks for the comment Andrew! I like your way or handling the carbon buildup! 2015 Corolla is a great car as well! Any Toyota you get isn't going to disappoint! Thanks for watching! Great taste in cars!
Best purchase I made - bought the IS350 when it first came out in ‘06! Added the F Sport package in ‘09 to get even more horsepower. Still having a blast driving it today and will not sell it anytime soon!
That's so great to hear! A lot people have no idea how great these cars are! Also, congrats on having a 350! Such a blast of a car, and the F sport package was a great touch! Thanks for watching! Cheers!
The IS250's were always my favorite looking sedans. A gorgeous vehicle that makes me wish the SUV fever would die away.
I'm with you on that! Timeless body lines and great technology that will hold up for a long time! Thank for watching!
I was going to get this but decided to bite the bullet and get a 2008 ISF for a hefty price of 27k. They’re kinda rare and that’s why it’s so expensive. But wow … a V8 in this car is beyond phenomenal. A smile every time I push the gas pedal. Exhilarating.
Joel you did the right move! The ISF and the Is250/350 aren't really the same car besides the body lol. I'm actually about to do a review on the ISF. The transmission is these cars are perfection! Thanks for watching! And congrats!
Those are sick. Lex V8 woooo
@JoelFerrer101 It hasn't got a manual transmission (outside of modifying it), which is why I won't be getting it. However, let us know what you like (and the opposite, if any) about it when you get a chance.
These are great for a first car and have a huge aftermarket compared to pretty much every other Lexus model. You can make it look much newer inside and out
That's right! That's the great thing about these cars! There's so much love for them!
im buying a is250 in about a week from now, extremely excited!
me too ur better not be in kansas or missouri buying the one i want
@@chrismiller8081 naw I'm from a whole different continent, ain't gonna steal your car
LMAO Wouldn't that be too funny
Bro you're going to be the happiest dude. These cars are so great people just don't know. Everything is done right with them! Cheers!
hahah ya'll enjoy! Thanks for watching! Best of luck. If you have any questions about them let me know!
I own a 2010 is 250, and I love my car.
I really enjoyed your review, and you taught me things I didn't even know about my car.
Thank you for doing the review!
Thanks for watching Dave! Congrats on owning a great car!
I have a 2013 IS350 in Starfire Pearl with 192K she is running strong full maintenance always detail it love my Lexus 🇯🇵
Bro! You have one on the best IS350 color options out there! I've always wanted a pearl to match my lx470!! Cheers!
@@reviewedbytim yea man I love my baby and yea I agree the Pearl white is the best color for that car. Nice lx470 is a beast!!! Cheers bro 🤜🏼🤛🏼
Please make more videos just discovered this channel and I can already tell it can be big if you put a lot of work into it because it sticks to unique cars which true car lovers will know about
Thanks you Antony! I've got some great stuff on the way! Thanks for watching and if you subscribed thank you for that too! It means more than you know!
That brunout sequence was epic! Great vid
That's bro! Trying to keep it entertaining
Great video! I've been shopping for Lex IS 250 for months (2006-2011) Seen several, but still haven't found one that in good enough condition for me and decent mileage. Used car market is insane rn. If anyone has one that's been kept up and wants to sell hmu. I'm in NJ 😊
I'll be on the lookout! You're going to be super happy when you find the right one! It's one of the best vehicles that I've ever owned! Cheers!
I got my is250 AWD in 2013 (car year is 2010) with 23k miles on it. As of today (11/21/23) it has only 84k miles. So far changed breaks, tires, oil change ONLY at dealer, transmission fluid flush. Car runs great, thought of selling it few years ago, but changed mind and this was my best decision EVER. Absolutely LOVE this car 👍🏼
Good of you Anton! That car is going to last as long as you want it to! And you're taking care of it the way it should be! Cheers!
I have a 2007 Rear Wheel drive model. I was driving on the freeway and it totally misfired on me. Engine light went on, and it was struggling to speed up. Luckily, it was only worn out spark plugs and not that and the ignition coils. In fact, the last owner change the ignition coil so they were new, but he didn’t change out the spark plugs. This is the only scare I had with my 250. This is just a basic maintenance issue. In terms of overall reliability she’s been pretty good. Oh and I asked if my carbon buildup is bad at 138k miles. It’s there but it’s not bad at all. Nowhere near severely clogged up.
That's good to hear Seagull! Glad you have a good one! These cars are SUPER reliable but because of the tight tolerances and detail put into them you have to stay on top of them. Majority of people get these cars because they're such a bang for the buck but they forget that they still need to maintenance them! Glad you're taking care of yours and glad you are enjoying the Lexus lifestyle!
Really appreciate this video!! Need a cheap car fast for a new job, most important thing is reliable. For £4,000 you get great options here in London and all the research (like this vid) has suggested, a great choice. Thank you for making Tim.
Glad I can help CRD! It's a car that I can recommend to anyone! You'll be happy! Thanks for watching!
@@reviewedbytim I bought one! 3 weeks in and man I am still in shock how good it is for £3.9k……I’ve had so many BMW’s / Mercs etc but for this price it’s impressive. People think it’s 8 years old 🤣 (it’s 18 years old) Thanks again.
Thank you for the informative advice. It was very helpful in considering buying a Lexus IS 250
Glad I could help! Congrats on getting a car that's worth every single dollar you've spent!
Just got one. Dope video. Had 2 Is300's before. Lexus is my favorite car brand.
I know you’re loving that thing!!!! Take care of her! Cheers!
I miss my 02 charcoal IS300😢 but still have my 2012 IS250 F Sport😅
Only downfall with the 2.5 is the direct injection issues you have to ensure it gets feed quality premium gas and oil changes. I feel the 2GRFSE on both IS/GS350 is a much worthy choice still economical with plenty of power for mere mortals.
Yup that's right rain Santiago! That's something that folks do need to worry about. Leads to carbon buildup in the intake and ports. Great comment!
@@reviewedbytim the RWD of GS/IS350 of 07-12 model are unsung underrated cars that are overlooked in that era of super sedans of IS-F/M3/E55/E63/M5. And you save thousands versus getting the newer gen that have virtually same performance.
Very true 👍🏽💯you know your stuff
I just bought a 2007 IS250 for 7500 and I really liked so far 🎉🎉thanks for the video
Glad you got one! It's going to be one of your favorite cars you'll own! The more you own it the more you're going to like it! And you got it at a good price! Cheers!
whats the milage im about to buy the same car with 180k for 4700
@ I bought mine with 153k
For 5k!! Impressive! 😳
Thanks! I feel like it's a good deal! Also, thanks for watching!
These are way better than 3 series bmw! I’ve owned a few of both and the Lexus has a better motor..way more comfortable, and just as pretty!
Right! And if you get a Is350 they're faster than any 3 series!
@@reviewedbytim 💯
This is a very cool looking car and I just got one two days ago. It’s a 2008 model, and it has around 131k miles on it. Now everything appears to be running fine. The last owner put a new water pump on it last month before I bought it. Anyhow I got an oil change done and my mechanic wants to do an engine flush on the car. Now, I know that’s a very simple process that only requires putting a little bit of additive in the oil to clean out the dirty oil that remains in the engine. It’s safe I believe but now I wonder if he’s ripping me off because he thinks I’m a woman that doesn’t know anything about car maintenance. lol
Do not do an oil flush on the engine... There is really no such thing. If it's a transmission flush that is different. You can flush the transmission. Your miles are good. Just get the oil changed and at some point get the transmission oil changed. Congrats on owning your new Lexus! You're going to fall in love with it if you haven't already!
@@reviewedbytim let me tell you what it really is. It’s like basically two oil changes with the first one having some additives to “clean” dirty oil that’s still left inside after the initial drain. Hey that sounds like the shop just wants more money to me haha. Yeah I did a transmission drain and fill or whatever it’s called. Car drives great.
I have a 2008 IS250 AWD with 95k miles on it now, I bought it at 77k 2 years ago and it is a really reliable car. I was a bit unlucky bc the owner before me neglected a lot of repairs like gaskets but I was able to get an aftermarket warranty and get all kinds of stuff repaired, make sure you do your research bc big things that break on these cars can be hella expensive. I’ve had all 4 drive axels replaced due to the boots leaking and all that, I recommend as well making sure to replace the tranny fluid too to really push the longevity of the tranny. I’ve also done a carbon cleaner when I got the oil changed and it’ll help the motor in the long run when ever you get it done every so often.
Good thing you got a warranty on all that stuff. And you're completely right. You can have the most reliable car in the world but no car is bulletproof to negligence. Hope all is well now with the car! Thanks for watching bro! Cheers!
This vid was a suggestion as I'm researching this model (with a manual transmission. Not sure if you've covered these with 6 mt drivelines, but I'm about to check in a moment).
Vid wise here, I wattched it in full, learned from it, and enjoyed it. As such, I'm liking it, and subscribing the channel. Cheers.
Thank you so much for the kind words! I’m about to take this channel to the next level! I love getting feedback from my TH-cam family!
I can’t wait to get my hands on a 6mt… they look so fun!
Cheers!
My 2004 Infiniti G35 sedan Journey does everything that you showed the Lexus doing.
I get that. I had a 350 bro. I loved it but they're not as good as Toyota. With that being said they're so much fun! But, there's a reason there's a price difference on these cars. The build quality and the reliable isn't quite the same. Nissan is still in my heart though and will always be. Congrats on a fun car! Thanks for watching!
@@reviewedbytim The 350z doesn't have the same build quality or ride quality as the G35 sedan. Even the G35 coupe isn't as compliant as the sedan. You got a great deal on the Lexus though. I recently put new tires on my G35 and on the highway all you can hear is the wind rushing by. It's super quiet with the new tires.
@@Cartier_specialist nice! And I could agree with you on that. If he does do a better job with their build. You’re going to boost yours or something? I’ve been wanting to get a Z or a G and boost it so bad!
@@reviewedbytim I don't plan on turbocharging it. Typically the school of thought on the G35 is low boost supercharging. I might do that some day but honestly if you want a car that's turbocharged or supercharged it's best just to find one that's already turbocharged or supercharged that someone has done all the hard work on. It seems like it's always more expensive to turbo or supercharge a car than it is to just buy one outright.
@@Cartier_specialist. Yeah people never get what they put into the car. Well, best of luck with the car bro! Enjoy your weekend!
I just picked up my 08 is250 for 3300. Dash and panels are pretty destroyed but no big deal it drives like a dream
Congrats!!! At the price you paid you can get those replaced at the dealer and you'll still be getting a deal! Cheers!
I hear these are very reliable but a couple weak spots of these is the carbon buildup and water pumps that need to be replaced every 60k-100k miles. The water pump issue might be enough for me to not want it as it’s like almost 1500 bucks to get a mechanic to put one inside and sometimes they don’t even use OEM but something called OE which is basically very similar to OEM. Well either way I want my water pumps to last.
I wasn't aware of the water pump issue. I've had two of these and never had a problem! The carbon build up is real but to prevent it but make sure you run to high quality fuel with some additive every now and then. Also make sure that you open her up on the highway. That should be the end of your problems. They are SUPER reliable. It's a Toyota.
Repairs aren't too bad if you can supply your own part and just pay a mechanic for labor. Too many shady mechanics that will wring you dry by creating repairs as base repair goes.
Bro what you can get a good water pump for 100 bucks and what mechanic is ripping you off 😂
On top of that, this is only a base with navigation. You can find ones with even more features like radar cruise, pre collision safety, mark levinson audio, DVD player, parking sensors, intelligent parking assist, power rear sunshade, rain sensing wipers, swivelling headlights, driver and passenger 3 position memory with fob sync, auto retracting steering wheel, auto dimming side mirrors, heated and ventilated front seats etc etc. Also would recommend getting a laptop with a copy of techstream so you can change all of the car's hidden settings.
I thought I responded to this a long time ago. You’re 100% right. That’s why Lexus is soooo amazing. You get so much for what you’re paying for!
Great review, thank you. I’ve been trying to find a 2IS 350 for a while now. The 350’s are hard to find right now in a reasonable price range. I have a 3IS that I sold to my daughter. Just love the bulkier body style of the 2IS.
Congrats on having goo taste! You could be trying to buy an 2005 impala or something like that lol. You're sharp
@@reviewedbytim lol…very true. The Toyota/Lexus engines are rock solid and the cars are overall as well.
The metal valve stems are because they are pressure sensors. But yeah, it does indicate a higher end option.
Yup you're right. Still nice to see on a car that's from 2006!
I just bought a 2007 model here in the UK ,so far, I love it
Congrats bro! It's the best sedan that I've owned so far! Cheers!
You can replace the big interior lights with leds and it makes it look more updated on the inside.
I might give that a shot!
Had my O8 dash replaced along with the front interior door panels.-only took the new dash to start melting and the interior doors to dry out and start cracking. Car is reliable, only 90k miles but the interior is trashed and so is the black paint job.
90k miles?! I would get that thing back in good shape if you can. Even if you have to save for the panels it's worth it with that mileage. If the car isn't dented up you can get the paint fixed I'm sure. Unless the clear coat is completely gone. Lexus puts good thick paint on their cars. If you want to sell it you can do that too and buy another one that has higher miles but all the interior and paint is better. The mileage on yours is what's going to be your strong point. Cheers!
The metal stim is a tps sensor, that’s why it comes like that
That's right, appreciate that
Great review! It really shows that you know the car and show us all the good stuff.
Thank you for the kind word Pakoti! Glad you enjoyed it!
I drove my 2008 IS250 for Uber and Lyft for one month. I felt like it was blasphemy to drive such a nice car for rideshare. So...I bought a 2016 Toyota Camry for the rideshare gig. I kept my IS250 and I think it's pretty luxurious. Faster and more luxurious than the Camry that's for sure!
You did a great job keeping the is250! They're really hard to beat. Those were the sweet years for Lexus! Thanks for watching! Cheers!
what a masterpiece of a car, holy cow
These cars are becoming more popular because of videos like this, but they’re still underrated. They are just so hard to beat.
One of the problems with this series of car is the transmission does fail fairly early if the car has been thrashed
Got this problem a year or two ago, called Lexus and they have started getting a LOT of these reports all around the same time. 15y life on the transmission
I didn't know that. Do you know if this was on an AWD model or was yours rwd?
@@reviewedbytim RWD
I believe if you get your transmission serviced more regularly, you're less likely to have this problem - however, these models are built to "not require transmission servicing / fluid replacement"
Which is the same as the timing chain they have - it's meant to last a "lifetime" but in reality these things DO degrade and aren't warrantied
This seems to share some parts with the Prius; I see the CC stalk is the same and probably the touchscreen (and some software, the aircon page looks identical to a second gen Prius). There's also a hidden diagnostics menu you can access by holding INFO button whilst turning headlights on and off 3 times.
I didn't know about the Diagnosis menu! Thanks for sharing that! And yes, I could definitely see the Prius sharing a few of the electronics here! Thanks for commenting!
Do i need to worry about the carbon buildup, my is250 AWD has 180k miles on it, bought it used recently. And do i need to worry about rear diff and front suspension as you mentioned, i haven't noticed anything problematic on my car yet. Can you tell me how i can avoid these issues
First of all congrats on owning one! If you have an awd model you need to make sure that you're charging the oil in the front differential. Majority of people forget to maintenance them. That's the first thing you need to do. As far as the carbon buildup goes you can accelerate hard here and there to make sure you break up any loose carbon that's in the system. At the end of the day it's not that hard to have repaired. It just takes a good cleaning in the manifold.
@@reviewedbytim thanks man, you're awesome 💯
i might as well write you a check after that drifting clip, gosh i want one of these now
😂 they’re great cars bro! When you get one you won’t regret it. Plus they hold insane resale value!
Great video bro, I'm looking to get an IS350 with F Sport package to replace my Jetta GLI, I've always liked Lexus. TPMS going bad is a Toyota/Lexus thing, but other than that they're great vehicles.
That's true.. the tpms is a thing in these Lexus. If you're going for a IS350 you're going to really like what you get! They MOVE too! Best of luck! Cheers!
Great video ! Im getting one !
You won't be disappointed! Thanks for watching!
Want to buy my first car, i think I will go Lexus
You can't get a better one! Your'e going to love it! It's the best I've had so far!
I drove a 2008 Lexus IS250 AWD for 8 years parted with it at 213000 miles. I still miss that car even after buying a 2023 Acura TLX…….i’m sad.
I'm sure you had some great memories with that car! They're so good! But... 23 Acura TLX is going to be good to you too! Cheers!
Alot of great tips, thank you! (Most important for me was how to take traction control fully off :'D)
that's the key to happiness lol! Thanks for watching!
After this upcoming fire season I’m working (I’m a on a wildland firefighting crew) I plan on using the money I make and some money I’ve set aside to pick one of these up. Super underrated cars, you really can’t go wrong with them.
First of all, thanks for being a man and fighting those fires! That’s awesome! And yeah, you can’t go wrong with them! It’s my daily driver and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else! Thanks for watching!
Today you’ll be lucky to find one under 10k with less than 150k miles.
Yup you're right
Superb car, only problem is the indirect injection, some carbon build up, so premium gas and red line the car regular. Car care nut made an item on this.
The 350 is a direct competitor to the BMW M3, it is fast! Not sold in Europe, we did get the ISF which is amazing, but a bit expensive to drive due to high gas prices here. We pay around 9 bucks / gallon.
I did not know that the 350 wasn't sold in Europe. That's wild. And yes, the 350 MOVES! Thanks for watching and the info!
@@reviewedbytim Thank you for the channel, the 250 is not spirited enough for me, I will have to save up for the ISF 😀
Thanks for the advice 💯
Thanks for watching!
Looking at one tomorrow but manual. My dad's buddy is selling the car for $5000 CAD which is a steal but the issue is that its probably in limp mode as he said car wont accelerate at all and has been sitting for a while. Even so I think we'll purchase and get it fixed as its kept clean and mileage is only 140,000 km. Looking forward to this car; definitely gonna maintain and modify it!
That's a sweet car Chicane! You're going to have a lot of fun and good memories in it! Also, the limp mode shouldn't be a big deal. Especially since it's a manual transmission. Limp mode can be a good thing... it's keeping the car from damaging itself! Congrats and I hope it all works out! I want one!
Just bought a 2011 RWD for $17500. It only has 26k miles though. So far, it’s the best looking one on the road today.
So happy for you! I can promise you that you’re going to have that car for years without any worry, and if you decide to sell it, you’re not gonna lose much value. Smart move!
I'm about to buy one, thanks for this video
It's going to be one of the best vehicles you'll ever own! Cheers!
I have those shoe boots 👢 with the zipper been looking for another pair for years now but no luck😢 also been having the 250 since 2011 this car is a real Trooper for 07 has never let me down i can only imagine everything above has just been perfected!!!
You have great taste! I'm looking to get another pair here soon! Thanks for watching bro! Cheers!
On my opinion, the second generation IS looks better than the third generation. I don’t know what it is exactly. It just appears to me that the second generation looks more luxurious. The third generation packs a more sporty look but it doesn’t look as classy I guess.
I can agree with you on that Wyland! I think the 3rd gen has far more sporty body lines but there's balance with everything in the world! You have a good eye to notice that.... few people have said what you said! Cheers!
Im debating on buying a Is350 or a Gs350 as my first car. I love both and can't decide haha. Great review of the Is250.
Depends on what you want. If you're looking for a faster, sportier feel, then go with the IS350. If you want more laid back. Go with the GS350. You're not going to be disappointed with either! Best of luck searching! Cheers!
GS shifts better
Where I live its so hard to find one of these or a clean looking one atleast. Closest ones are at least a state away but im not giving up on this car Im bouta get my license in lil over a month and i think this is the perfect car
Bro it's one of the best cars you can get! I'm not sure where you're at but keep looking on marketplace! They pop up more than you think but you have to be quick! People are constantly looking just like we are and the one that moves the fastest is the winner! Best of luck and be safe when you get your license! When I got mine I got a few tickets and made my life hell! Trust me.. drive safe and DO NOT GET A TICKET lol
@@reviewedbytim yea I saw a good one like maybe less than an hour from where I live and it sold real fast , but I have a couple saved from marketplace place that hasn’t been sold yet so hopefully they won’t be and thanks for the advice lol
@@reviewedbytim Update: I was passing today and a realized my neighbor a few houses down has a is350. I knew the car was there but I was always too far away to see the badge or its either parked facing the road but today I got a look passing by and it looks clean and im praying that they would be willing to sell it for a reasonable price
Power button is only for trothel responds.. Gearbox to the left is gearbox setting
Thanks for letting me know!
my sister has a 2007 lexus es and is over 200k miles. i wish i had it because its a TANK of a car. quicker than my 2017 subaru legacy too.
I know right! People have no idea how many an ES350 is! They move! It's what my mother-in-law has! Cheers!
I had a question about the oil consumption. So I own a 2008 IS250. I get my oil changes every 3000 miles with synthetic blend. One time I stretched to 3200 miles without any oil changes and I checked the dipstick and it was a quart or so low. This was enough to illuminate a “low engine oil” warning with that ⚠️ light next to it. It didn’t light up the actual oil light that looks like a genie lamp however. So is oil burn pretty normal on these? I guess I just have to check every month. If this car burns almost 1 quarts of the 7 in there every 3k miles then I need to check the dipstick more often or change oil exactly 3k miles. Have you ever seen the warning that I saw? I guess all aging cars burn oil, it’s just the way the cookie crumbles lol.
I wouldn't say this is common. But I've seen it a bit. A lot of people that owned these cars start them in the morning and don't let them warn up at all. Not even for 10 seconds. This has a huge affect on these is250's. It's just something that the oil rings in them don't like. That's probably what's happened to yours. How many miles do you have on yours?
@@reviewedbytim the car has 141,000 miles. The previous owner used synthetic blend oil and didn’t drive much. Only put like 7 miles a year before for a few years. She also did lots of city driving. I think that depending how you drive and what oil makes the difference? Synthetic blend oil is what I use now, but I could also use the full synthetic and apparently that burns less. I asked people about oil burn and I suppose it’s normal for older cars. My buddy has an Infiniti G35 coupe. I wasn’t sure if you heard about those cars burning a lot of oil, but they can burn 1 quart every 1000 miles. Way more than my current burn. My cousins 2003 M3 also literally burns through oil. It’s astonishing.
It happens.
I have 244k on mine. It absolutely does NOT leak, but between OCs, my dipstick was almost clean.
I still don’t know what happened.
But now I just check it more often to see.
That was a one-off though…
Try Penzoil platinum high mileage. That should stop oil consumption.
I need that awd model! Waiting until the snow melts then getting one
You're going to love it bro!!! Smart man!
Why not try to get the ISF? I have one, a black 2010 model with dark tinted windows. I named her “Shadow”, because she’s dark and mysterious but also a beast that pounces !
Haha thanks for watching Prince!
Cuz it’s 20k more
I have been looking for a 2011+ for atleast 5 years but this car is 10 years old now and I think its a joke how much they are going for so I have heisted to pull the trigger. Specially I have been looking for the f sport model and if I can get a 2013 it would be great. However, for a 2011+ is350 f sport you are looking at 20k+ with 150k miles and thats if you find one with
Yeah you're right about how hard it can be to get one. I love mine but I'm at the point now that I want as ISF too. They hold exceptional value and I don't see them losing value anytime soon! Plus they're so fun! Best of luck looking for one. You're a smart man for sticking with Toyotas and Lexus. Cheers!
I got a 2008 model, white. I used to own a 2008 BMW 328i coupe, also white. Beautiful but thousands of dollars was spent on maintenance. I did not want to deal with that anymore, so hopefully the IS250 will be good and I won't spend a couple grand a year. Is that possible with the IS250?
I am originally a BMW guy myself! I had a turbocharged E36! Here's the link to my drifting it in a parking lot!
th-cam.com/users/shorts0_LMB9NSw7A?feature=share
You're going to be very happy with the IS250! I love BMW and the engineering that comes with the brand but, Lexus is more reliable and the whole car has better quality components! You can expect 300k miles on your car if you change the oils correctly. They can take some abuse! Congrats on your Lexus! You made the right move!
yes I do love this car and I also love the 2013 GS 350 V6 16k I am a little older. does this IS 250 what is your maintenance for the Year look like? I am also looking at a GS350 07 under $10k grand your thoughts
So the maintenance for the year is pretty basic. Oil change.. Transmission fluid change. And, I went a head and did the differential fluid change myself. Everything else never gave me a problem.
07 GS350 that's in good condition under 10k is a nice buy (depends on miles) Honestly any 350 model under 10k with good miles and all the dash and panels replaced is a really good deal! That's a nice car and will treat you well for a while! I would just stay away from the AWD models.. The front diffs seems to not hold up so well. Hope this helps!
Thanks for watching Rory!
I'm sold! Great video. I will be looking for a used IS 250.
You won't regret it! It's been one of the best cars that I've owned! Cheers!
People like to hate on this car especially the engine it’s just people don’t know how to take care of they car oil change every 3000 miles don’t care what brand car it’s is and if you drive hard then it’s sooner don’t care people don’t care of they rides then complain when the car gives the slightest stutter
You're 100% correct! Couldn't have said it better!
I have the is250 a good oil catch can is a must, the 350 is better, duel injection with 100 more HP
yeah the is250's are great, but if you can get a 350 you're going to be super happy
metal tire stems corrode and leak way faster then the snap-in rubber tpms sensors.
You know
It's a shame here in Brazil those cars are a nightmare to find spare parts
Really? Wow that sucks. These are plentiful here in the U.S.. But, you guys do have some cars that we would kill for!
@@reviewedbytim like what ? Lol
The o2 sensors go bad as well, but a great car
That's true. Hasn't happened to me but I think I've heard of that happening quite a bit. I'm sure you can get better o2 sensors.
Wish I could find a deal this great!
Would buy in a heartbeat.
Most of the deals I can find are 150k miles at $16k+.
Whoa!! Where do you live?
@@reviewedbytim Houston.
I’m left to check dealers because there’s no way I’d feel safe meeting up with anyone in this city. 😂
I bought '09 is250 from OG owner with 170k miles... its my sons car now my youngest getting ready to drive so looking for the infamous 6 spd manual but the ones i find are like 12-15k
I've always wanted a 6 speed model! Great taste, and you have a lucky family! Cheers!
I heard of people saying that IS350 is far more reliable. I kind of don’t believe that as the 250 only weakness is direct injection. My boyfriend paid 600 to do an extreme cleaning called walnut blasting. Do that at least once in the cars lifetime and I think it’s as reliable as the 350. What do you think? According to my boyfriend that’s the only minor weakness and it’s not bad… direct injection. Really expensive for a walnut blast however. I still love my “not reliable” IS250 lol
hahah You're right, the is250 is VERY reliable. There is only 2 problems that they have mechanically. It's the front diff in the AWD models... and that's mostly due to low maintenance on the car. I know people that change the oil in the diffs when you should and have 250k miles with all the original parts! The second issue is the direct injection. It's a $500 job but once it's done it's just as reliable as the IS350! People just like to make a big deal about it. I've dealt with it myself. It's not a big deal at all. It's not like it's going to leave ou stranded on the side of the road or something... Congrats on your IS250! You have a GREAT car and it's going to last you a very long time!
the V6 is heavy on petrol / gas. And since its naturally aspirated you can't do much about that or the performance ( not that its slow). Also here in SA you don't get much for them at ALL!
In my experience they get about 30mpg highway. And yes SA doesn't care about these. Everywhere else they're worth decent money
@@reviewedbytim my father has the IS250, he gets about 9 or 9.5km per liter, that is 22mpg. Lexus offered him R130 000, or $7300. Take into account cars are relatively much more expensive in SA.
that is a mix of town and highway btw.
Great vid
Thank you for the kind words FernBurn!
I live in Minnesota so having an awd daily driver is a must 😂
In that case make sure you get one that has maintenanced fluids in the front diff. You don't want that to go out.
Would these is350 Lexus be good for a daily driver , not to waste a crazy amount on gas would you say ? I’m looking for a daily driver , drive 40min there and another 40min back everyday to work.
You will be super happy with the is350 or the is250. These cars are better on fuel than they advertised and as long as you get one that's not AWD for this generation you're not going have any issues with it (if you get one that's not been abused). This is the simple the best daily driver car that I've experienced and owned personally. These cars are extremely underrated!
bro we need more videos from you ...
You got it brother! I got a pretty cool video coming up! I appreciate your support! Have a great weekend!
I didn't see you fold down the rear head rests for better view out the back window., but that's a feature
I know... I forgot to add that! There's sooo many features!
I have rubber tire stems with Honda Accord and they are 24 years old and still going....
That's insane bro!!! Jeeez!
I am thinking about buying this model, but here in Europe it is not that well known especially in Germany, so I suspect that spare parts will probably cost a lot.
I hope they aren't. If you buy it you're going to fall in love with it. I can also say that if you get one that been taken care of you're not going to be buying tons of parts. I've had 2 and I never had to spend money on anything besides maintenance. I hope you find a great one!
@@reviewedbytim I managed to find several of these types on the Internet from car dealers, even with a manual transmission, and the prices start from 7,000 Euro (7,747.95 US Dollar) with a mileage of 140,000 kilometers (86.99197 Miles)
I have a an IS350, I wish they came with the AWD.
Imagine a boosted awd is350.... NASTY
In regards to carbon buildup, has any of these cars been destroyed because of that? Like so severe that the carbon buildup caused the engine to meet its demise ? If so then I guess I would have to have someone look at the intake valves and if it’s caked to hell then walnut blasting.
Nah you can't kill a Toyota engine that easy lol. It'll just cause the check engine light to come on and the car the idle weird. Many owners drive them with this issue for years! It's not even the hardest job to fix.. just takes time to clean all the carbon. Thanks for watching Infiniti G35 Coupe!
Was looking into buying one of these, I’m conflicted on rather a 2005 manual or a newer 2009 automatic.
The Auto is nice bro! If you're going to track the car or drift it then get a manual. But the Auto is quicker and the transmission is still fun! Best of luck! cheers!
that one is very clean and nice! so many of the 2IS (2nd gen IS) have been modded to death..."muffler delete" -- LOL just say you're too cheap to get a good custom exhaust
LMAO you're 100% right. They're all destroyed.. It's super nice when you see one that's not neglected
The Tpms sensors are really fragile in all of the old Lexus’s, my LS430 also as this problem, they all went out in my 😅😅😅
You're right about that lol. Everyone I know has had a TPMS sensor failure at some point. Could be a lot worse..
Hey man, I'm looking to buy an is250. Test drove one the other day. We observed was a slight whirling/whistling noise coming from near the gear shifter. It wasn't a high pitched noise; it sounded like a fan turning on when we accelerated. From watching your video, could it be the "power/snow" switch? We didn't notice that switch while test driving it, so we have no idea if it was causing that noise. Do you have this issue with your is250? Do you have any idea what that could be? Thanks
Hey, there's a few things to consider. Does it get louder the fast you go? If so it could be something in the drivetrain. The faster you go the faster everything speeds up in the drivetrain. There is a drive shaft busing that could wearing out.
The with shouldn't make any noise but it definitely can.
The seats also make noise if you have the heated and cooled option.
If that's the only problem with the car it might be a good deal. You can use it to negotiate the price.
My car doesn't have anything like this that I've noticed.
Dream car
You're going to have one soon bro! Get one and take care of it! It'll last forever!
My IS 250 convertible is a 2009 model with only 68k from new and Lexus UK look after it.
WOW Take care of it! That's a beauty! Cheers!
Perhaps anyone knows how common is the tire wear issue on the IS250 is? I've seen a couple posts on the forums about excessive front inner tire wear, but I don't hear about this on any of the reviews. Thanks!
I haven't had that issue with mine. This is the 2nd one I've owned and the alignment has always been good. I can tell you that because of what it is you're going to drive the car a bit more aggressive by nature and a good set of tires is highly recommended.
Good job
Thanks again!
Considering this for my first car, what is the usual annual maintenance cost? And how is it with fuel economy
Oil change and tires if you like having fun lol. Maintenance is cheap.. no timing belt or anything major. Just the basics. This is one the best 1st cars you can have!
@@reviewedbytim I’m worried about the fuel mileage and I don’t see any diesels in local marketplaces :(