Update: As of January 2019, I have switched to full synthetic high mileage Mobil 1 oil and replaced all 4 tires. My commute for work has increased, but 22-23 mpg remains to be the best I can get.
I dunno how. I have a 2009 and I get between 27-30 mpg on the highway at 80... I can get 32+ if I drop to more reasonable speed, and I average around 26.5mpg over all... You must have a stop and go commute. The only thing that really kills my mpg is when it gets cold. The 350 gets noticeably worse mpg in the cold. Likely because it's using the port injection often to prevent lean burn/predetonation. Cause colder air contains more oxygen.
Legion Red The traffic here is terrible. Lol. It’s stop and go in my hometown, then the highway portion is decent until the next big city where its all stop and go again. On the highway I do get around 27, but the average drops to 22 with the city portions. 🤷♂️
@@MartyMotoring Yeah, city driving at 23mpg is about right. But, you should expect about that from most vehicles... You might get 25mpg or so in the city if you had a Ford Fiesta or a Yaris. The only way to get city mpg is to buy a hybrid. Which, is to say that unless you want to shell out really really big money. Life isn't very interesting for you anymore.
22-25mpg is what i get on the interstate keeping it under 95mph with my 19's hey marty just curious. do you have issues with your front tires wearing out the INNER edge super quick? IE ~8k miles and almost toast? thanks!
I got my 09is250 AWD with 138k miles for $7500 (with back up camera and nav) in 2018. That ain't bad for a car with a sticker price of $40k. People saying these cars aren't worth it clearly don't know the quality of Lexus/Toyota
I agree the 2nd gen IS350 is the best performance bang for the buck you can buy and you get a great luxury interior and looks that’s still look modern.
@@Pube83 GS is also excellent, it is practically the same car but stretched. I absolutely love mine. I found the IS a bit small. It is not a popular car because everyone buys the FWD camry's etc. Overseas they are sold as a "Toyota Crown Athlete" and designed for heavy duty police/taxi use, like an American Crown Victoria. Probably one of the best powertrains on the market today.
@@krombopulosrick7920 I don't honestly suggest a 250 or 300. Lexus helped out some of the original owners, it is a problematic engine. At this point you would be on your own. I would go with a 350.
I have a 2008 gs350 with roughly 133000 miles. All the sudden the highway mpg started to decrease gradually to about 22. I decided to change all oxygen sensors. Now I'm getting 29 highway mpg consistently for the past months.
Wow, that's a tough one Marty. Although I love my IS250 (2007) I desperately want an IS-F. But if push comes to shove I would have to say keep the 350. You've already given me a handful of mod ideas that I see will work for my car as well. Good work!! Keep up the videos...
Alternator tip: OEM Denso is the way to go, however; they have a high rate of rectifier failure due to weak 15A diodes. I had a local alternator shop rebuild my denso for 150CDN with beefed up 30A diodes. Takes about 2-3 hours to replace the alternator in the car.
One thing to note is that the IS350 is Direct AND Port Injected so you really should worry about carbon build up. The IS250 on the other hand is Direct Injected leaving you prone to carbon build up. Like he said, it’s probably your best bet getting the IS350. It’s got 100 HP more, it comes with bigger breaks, and it’s Port and Direct Injected. 👍🏽
Owned my 06 is350 for a few months, been awesome so far!! My fun daily driver, quick enough, reliable enough, comfortable enough and it looks pretty fly! I paid 13k Canadian (I'm in Canada) for mine with about 85000 miles. Mint shape! You earned your self a sub man!
Rafael Valenzuela to be honest with you , the back is fine but it really depends on who rides in the back, big people or kids. It may be a little tight for bigger people but an average person and kids is definitely accessible. It is built like that because it’s a compact sedan but the car is really a great car overall.
I just bought a 2011 is250 with 112285 miles on it. Yes the back seats are tight, but I only have a 12yr old that would be riding in it. I love it, paid $9995 for it
My 06 is250 also had to have the alternator, battery and AC compressor replaced recently. At 125 000km and costs total about $1000cad private mechanic.
$50 for conventional is nuts, i pay 40-50 for synthetic for a 4-6qts system. My friends IS350 did suffer a bad transmission @ 160k. I work at a dealer and was able to replace it for a decent price.
You should stick with the 350 and just purchase the RR Racing supercharger kit. They released the latest dyno on the 2is that some guy brought in to them and it did something like 446whp which is nuts. I believe that was only like 6-7psi too. I've considered many times selling my 350 for something faster, but I think RR racing is the answer. You would be leaving your brother behind in his ISF, 😂.
@@MartyMotoring Very True.. Gotta think of what an ISF would cost too though. Seems like they are getting harder to find! Around here anyways. Plus you have already put a bunch of mods on yours... Looks real nice btw. Mine is almost identical but it's pearl white/black rims.
I got a 15 is250 and I love it have allot of stuff done to it .. I love when people say you should've gotten a is3.. my response is mines paid for brah!
how do you feel about the acceleration/power? I'm debating between a 2015 250 or 350, and while I'm leaning to the 250 due to the savings a lot of ppl seem to complain about the lack of power
I don't agree at all about not changing the trans fluid. I have a 08 gs350 190,000 kms that used to shudder when driving down the highway (It was having a hard time locking the torque converter) I did a lot of research and it all pointed towards the transmission fluid. I ordered 12 liters of WS Toyota fluid from e bay and did the fluid change (there is a great video on the Lexus forums showing the whole process) the fluid that came out had never been changed it was black and smelt quite burnt. Instantly the car felt sooo much better, no more shudder and smoother shifts. I've done 30,000 kms of driving since the change and there have been no more issues. I highly recommend changing it, it's foolish not to, $150 for a fluid change or thousands for a tranny change. I've worked on cars before I even had my drivers licence and I'm now an qualified aircraft engineer. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ! change your trans fluid if your car has more that 150,000 kms However, if there is bigger issues with your trans already than the fluid change may not fix the problem . It's more preventable maintenance than anything.
I've been told by many Lexus techs that it doesn't need to be changed or flushed (I wasn't sure why), but I'm sure new fluid won't hurt it and only help it. I don't have any issues with my transmission though. I may decide to do it soon anyway.
Wow this video really helped make a decision I'm going for a 250 gas won't be an issue since I'm coming from a saab aero v6 turbo premium gas only I love my saab but it's becoming really hard to keep it up since not alot of shops won't touch them plus I miss Japanese cars btw your is350 is nice
Nice video. I’ve had Honda’s my whole life, but found a 2014 Is350 with 25k for $21k. Crazy deal. Clean title and runs perfect....the only challenge is I REALLY want an SUV. I like to take road trips with friends and plan on buying a house soon (and would like to get a dog in a couple years). Any thoughts on road trips with 4 people? What about a roof rack? I don’t find a lot that of examples of a roof rack for bikes, cargo, etc.
Currently have a 2014 Is350. A little slower than the previous one through the quarter due to gearing. However, much quicker on top end. Previous car was a 2009 IS 350 and a 2008 GS 350. Honestly, my favorite was the GS. Same HP a the 09 IS that I had and from a roll and top end, it would spank the shit out of the IS 350. The previous Gen IS was simply a quarter mile beast. But here I am after 10 years with the same motor in 3 different cars. That tells you everything about this motor in any car Lexus puts it in.
Good video. Stay with the IS350 trust me , I wanted a ISF also. For me, it's a better daily. You were right about the transmission service. I have 105k miles and the mechanics at Lexus told me, I would have shifting issues after changing my fluid. 👍
I have had slotted rotors from stop tech. But ended up going back with OEM Lexus rotors. If you go ISF make sure you get an IS350 4.08 rear differential makes the car even better but keep the IS350
Wow surprised Lexus still replaced your door panels after the “recall” ended . I have an IS350 that I bought (3rd owner) with horrible door panels and dash , I’ve heard that Lexus stopped replacing them for no cost but may just be worth my time to head over and ask the question .
Marty Motoring ohhh ok that makes sense. I contacted my local Lexus dealership and inquired about it and all seemed promising at first until they advised the only new recall fix’s are those for the IS-F or ISC . Was worth a shot. Great video btw
I heard the IS model are notorious for eating up tires with uneven tire wear due to the design of non-adjustible camber or something to do with the control arms. Are you having these problems? Stock parts are also far more expensive on an IS model compared to an ES model that's essentially a Toyota Avalon.
The fronts can be aligned with camber, caster and toe - but the rear only has very limited adjustments so if you lower the car or change stock wheel dimensions, you do get uneven tire wear. Mine are wearing unevenly and I plan to get an aftermarket for it, it just get cheap tires
Actually both are wrong but they are adjustable just not with factory parts, the camber and caster change when you change the lca bushing with a updated part that Lexus makes according to which one you pick. And the camber in the front will chew up the front tires inner/camber wear regardless even on the new 2018 is350/300 it does that, they design the car with the suspension like that. I work at a Lexus dealership, btw.
Have you thought about getting the RR-Racing tune? I just got it feels really good and smoother stronger power band. I’d love to see you get it and your thoughts on it.
I have a 2011 IS250 with 117112 miles on it. I need to replace my headlights should I buy them from Lexus or find someone to replace them? I love the lights you have. What are those called? I just ordered four new tires and had the oil change it runs really good. Love the channel.
Thanks! The full light assembly I had were from VIPMotoz. There are also some DEPO lights that are nice and VLAND. I've had good experience with all 3. They are cheaper than Lexus who will charge $2000+. Check out my later videos for the DEPO install on an ISF!
Does anyone know how the sport suspension is on the 250? I have 2 options, one is a 2007 and is non sport suspension and the other 2010 with sport suspension, everything same, just the 2010 doesnt have cooled seatw and costs 1000 more and has 30k more km on it. I think ill go with the 2010 since the 2007s haf many issues like the dashboard replacements.
Hey Marty, glad I came across your channel. I also had a number of IS’s. ‘06 250SE then a ‘11 350 SE and then a new gen ‘13 350 EX.. would love to compare notes.. tires, mpg, tires rotor upgrades etc. PS, the 350’s goes so well on 95 octane.. best consumption I got was 32MPG and the worst 19MPG.
Yes, the engines can eat oil. Same with the GS 350. I've wanted an is 350 for ages and recently found a mint 2008. 90k miles, opti-coated, optima red top battery, dealer serviced, new brakes, new Michelin, etc. The 60 year old seller texted me the vin the day before i was supposed to see it, he was the 2nd owner. Luckily you can make a free account at lexus driver website and look up the service history. He took it to the dealer in late July for an oil consumption test. They topped oil off and you bring it back in 1,000 miles. This mint car was eating at least .25 quarts every 950 miles. That's a solid quart every oil change. I was about to pay a premium for this clean is 350. I Googled "is350 oil consumption" and it made me never want to buy one if this is the risk ($7000 engine rebuild).
Pube83 yup, sadly I found that out month after I got my car. U won’t know it burns oil until u driven it for awhile. No check engine light, codes, nothing, and I even had couple mechanics do an inspection before purchasing and they didn’t find any issues with it. It’s such a shame that Lexus is putting it off as “normal” consumption. It even states on the manual that 1qt per 600 miles is normal for these type of cars which is complete bs.
Z I feel for you buddy. Their "within spec" oil consumption is a joke. I read through all the forum posting about this and felt sick to my stomach as I've been looking for a clean is/gs 350 for months. I had even read through the forums and don't recall this issue being pointed out as a potential concern for a used car buyer. I've had a 97 es300 and a 2004 es330 and both were rock solid cars and I was under the impression all lexus models were...but apparently they only were in the past.
my is350 steering wheel does not move when i turn it on or off ? is this a feature that my car doesn’t have or is it broken ? cause you can hear a lil motor running when you turn it off and on but i assume that’s the steering wheel locking an unlocking
Transmission is my biggest concern. I read many fail around 120-150k due to lifetime fluid going bad. Many advise to replace it around 70k miles or so. My local dealer pretty much refuses to do it lol
@@MartyMotoring Ours has less then 80k so I guess it's good to hear it should last much longer. I was able to get a quote like $600-700 to replace the fluid, thought it's too much and I am willing to take my chances, might sell the car around 100k miles anyway.
@@datb0imarn3 But you need to flush it, if you just drain the pan, I forgot....it replaces like 10-20% of fluid because the rest is all inside the transmission and torque converter. So basically draining is a complete waste of money even though it's obviously cheaper.... Maybe few hundred bucks. People over at Lexus forum DO use the drain method as a diy, but you need to drain it then drive it, then drain again, etc... Do it at least 5 times
With the 2nd gens you want to do drain and fills for the transmission fluid. If you drain your "lifetime" trans fluid at 120k you'll be very surprised.
Bruce Mondrafon I’ll tell you what happened to me. blackstar4000.wordpress.com/2017/03/20/audi-oil-chain-pump-failure-resulting-in-engine-death-twice-audi-a4-tfsi-2-0t-b7-model-issues-since-2015-to-2017/
I think you should keep it. The isf is cool but expensive. Plus I never really liked the look of the tailpipes on the isf. They look weird stacked like that.
I just bought a Lexus IS 250 manual 2007. He said the 3rd gear grinds and pop sometimes.... I wonder how much that’s going to cost me ? The car was 8k with 105k miles on it. He brought it down to 6.5k and now I’m getting it for 5k so I guess I can’t complain! I was going to spend the 6.5k on it anyways
how are the is3000 2008 to 2009 with 110,000miles are they good. I was thinking of getting 2013genesis coupe 2.0t or Infiniti g37 but this lexus looks nice with alot of horse power plus insurance would be cheaper because its sedan.
Get the first gen is as a daily But going for an isf is also a good idea and a big jump definlty in a different leage Unless you going to supercharge your 350 etc.
First gen IS doesn’t get good enough gas mileage for my long commute but I’d like one or an LS400. Looking for a Corolla at this point but open to other options. ISF is a beefier car and sounds great and a little faster but I’ll miss that V6 sound 😍 Supercharger would be awesome
@@MartyMotoring still want the v6 sound Is250 it does get slighlty better milage than the 350 and in sure if you drive carefully and get much more out of it That can be the daily Then you can still keep the 350 or upgrade to ISF I wouldn't suggest getting corrola The comfort,power, feel of the car quality of materials etc.etc. is not the same as the is and you will miss it terribly Trust me talking from experience Rather go with the 250 you will still have all that luxury etc. And get better gas milage than the 350
Hi Marty. Thanks for being so passionate about this car. I love it. What's the best way to get one of these? Just scour craigslist owner listings, or do you suggest walking into a dealership? What option would get me a reasonably costing car sooner? Thanks.
Jayanth Kumar I have the same question. Ive been looking for one in the ny area and there seems to be none at a reasonable price or mileage. I guess ppl love their 350’s lol they’re holdin on to them
Quick question, I’m not sure if you’ve replaced the gauge needles(RPM AND MPH/KPH) if you have or know anyone that has. I’d like to know so I can be informed when mine finish going out.
On 1:22 you said you can get one of this for "a hundred ten thousand " maybe you meant about ten thousand? Just trying to clarify that, great video thanks!👍
B Duvk My bad - 350 is the way to go! Was just saying the 250 comes in manual but not the 350...if they are saying it’s manual, they are lying and it’s automatic OR it’s a 250. Lexus never made manual IS350s 🤷♂️ Unless they did a special swap 🥺
In my opinion, I rather pick up a sedan Infiniti G35 and manual. A lot of supporting mods for VQ. Best way better rear seats. Is250 rear seats are so cramped. But the is-f is a whole different entity. Good video!
Great looking ride. Invest in some better tires. Even though you're not racing, having better tires is a safety feature. I've seen so many people get stuck or spin out in just a little bit of snow, all because of tires. Just the other week somebody almost smashed into me on a two lane road in a snow storm and I was able to avoid the impact with total control. You don't need the most expensive Michelins, but something like Continental DWS is a great investment.
Tires are just a wear item and the ones it came with were not great. I am partially sponsored by OptionLab wheels, and the wheels make that car look alot better. Upgraded brakes help me stop better since the brakes that came with the car were very worn and needed to be replaced, as a maintenance item. Might as well upgrade things along the way when they need to be replaced due to wear.
Getting my second car soon 18 and from Detroit, looking to buy from an owner but what’s a Lexus IS 250/350 you’d recommend under 15k? Im a bit flexible on the price but yeah, one that includes reliability, comfort, and enjoyable to own and maintenance. I’d appreciate your opinion.
Hey there! These would probably be the biggest things: Issues with the Lexus IS (2nd Generation) 250/350/F ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-tmt0OxHQEtY.html
I like the content of the video and the editing but the wind noise is very distracting. Please do voice over, film in non windy areas or get whatever those fuzzy things on the microphones are called.
Hey there - I agree. I recently got much better mic setup for my newer videos and the future after realizing the wind issues on this video. Also, I am not using that location any longer due to the constant wind. My camera mic doesn’t have many options. Newer content has better audio 😎👍
Is the GS from the same era essentially the bigger midsize version of this car, just to confirm for long term reference? Scratching the surface, they seem to be the more practical AND more exclusive/rare choice for the buck... Based on my understanding, there's PLENTY of 10-14 y/o versions of these under 10 g's with the 2013-14's (earlier current gens with over 45k miles) working their way into the late teens (about the same price as a lightly used Mazda 6 touring)... serious food for thought...
Pretty much! The GS is the bigger car with an AWD option (that came later for the IS350). Those GS 3.5L motors are the same, but not high compression, so they don’t make the same 306hp - but still something in the 200s. I don’t see many GS or IS around me. Most are ES or the RX. The IS is more of a sports car while the GS could be a practical family sedan
@@MartyMotoring but reliability across the board with Lexus (maybe with exception to their short lived hybrids from around 2010) is the same, bulletproof Toyota problem free goodness well past 200k miles, even with the underrated ones like the GS & the newer 2 door cars, right? The Es, IMO until pretty recently seems just as... tasteless as a regular toyota Camry from before the late 2010's, so, it'd probably be either the IS or its bigger, more practical, but only slightly more mature cousin GS if I ever buy a used one...
Schwenda if you get a third gen GS get a gs 430 or a Gs 460 better money for the value of the Gs ..makes no sense to get the GS350 or 300 awd in that gen your stuck with the same motor as the is 350 in a heavier body just get the v8 model in the Gs ..better power out put..the 460 in that gen is a rare find but if you find one get it you will not be disappointed
Many Lexus techs say don’t flush it...especially with high mileage. They say you can remove old fluid and put fresh stuff in though. I might do that...
True - it does have DI and port injection for the 350 and F which is nice. I switched to synthetic and burn a small amount every 5000 miles, maybe a quart or so.
