That dash and door card melting, cracking issue has made me think twice on ownership. I get it that these models are moving on with age but that is something that practically all cars dont suffer from. I wouldnt want to go back to those days.
The miles are mostly highway miles not city and usually every 3 to 4 months I was changing the oil. Now however it’s not driven as much and I change the oil 2 to 3 times a year.
@@MartyMotoring hey man I’ve owned a 2007 Lexus sold it because of an issue it was having the transmission needed to be replaced because of the code p2757 does the same problem happen to the 2011
Looking forward to getting an is350 soon. Will definitely be coming back to the channel to get some ideas for customizing and regular maintenance tips. Thanks for the useful information
I own a 2007 IS350 and my wife owns a 2008 IS350. 1. At roughly 100,000 miles for both cars, the water pump went out causing the engine to overheat. One I didn’t catch soon enough and had to replace the entire engine. The other one i caught sooner and was fine. 2. The hood and trunk struts go out like every year. 3. The speedometer and RPM needle LED lights go out, i have seen this A LOT and both of my cars are affected by this. There are services on eBay that charge $150 to repair this. 4. Both of my cars nav/touchscreens went out and became unresponsive, i replaced the digitizers myself for cheap, there are services on eBay for this issue that charge a couple hundred dollars. 5. In the 350 RWD models, sometimes the exhaust tips can “droop” a bit. Lots of this on clublexus forums. 6. Air recirculate solenoid can become easily broken when changing the air filter if you’re not careful. Other than those issues, not much to complain about! I still own them both and drive them daily. Both at 130,000 miles. Gotta love the 2nd gen Lexus IS!
Those are great things to point out! I actually bought mine with 130k miles, and the water pump was replaced already. I replaced the hood struts myself but haven’t done the trunk yet. The speedometer needles definitely go out, as mine are patchy too. I’ve seen the exhaust tips droop and my touchscreen hast gone out...yet. Lol. But overall they are fun cars and do well!
If you don’t want to have any problems with oil and carbon I would suggest buying the IS300 3GR-FE version (no direct injection). Mine was imported from UAE. At 162000 km no oil consumption. The only thing that I had to do was cleaning the AFS indicator and changing the alternator freewheel clutch. And I use the Toyota 5w30 Premium Oil.
I had an 06 IS350 incredible car .. panels getting soft in heat true the advice on synthetic oil follow for sure I never had any trouble with oil consumption .. always used synthetic .. only other issue is the navigation screen freezes .. the fix is simple .. hard part is getting to it .. other than that when I sold it had 169k miles and still ran like a brand new Lexus .
I have an 06 250 with 170k mi and here's the problems I've had so far. Im the second owner and I don't know how well the previous owner took care of it. Water pump started leaking at about 140k and needed replacing. Trunk actuator went out at around 100k. One rear CV axle has a leak, though it's not needed replacing yet. Door panels/dash melted though lexus replaced them no questions asked. Rearview mirror digital crap flakes off over time and leaves black spotches that can't be seen though. I've replaced two of these. right front tire has a slow leak that I have not been able to fix. Just have to air it up twice as often as the other tires, annoying but hardly a big deal. Weather stripping completely disintegrated before 100k miles. lights on the speedometer and tachometer went out and would require some soddering or a complete dash replacement that I don't want to do. It had a problem with the transmission but it was replaced under recall. Other then that theres some general wear and tear that I consider excessive such as the leather on the top of the steering wheel being to thin and eventually wearing a hole straight though. The passenger leather seat has some reasonably bad cracking but it was always parked in the sun and I imagine never properly treated/cleaned. Chrome plating around the shifter flakes off and has a bunch of little sharp edge that I eventually had to take all off with a razorblade. Hood struts are a little weak. Overall I'm still happy with the car but that might only be because I got it pretty cheap from my father(about 2k less than KBB value at the time). If I had paid any sort of serious money for the car I can't say I'd be to pleased. I expect better from lexus, even if it was the first year of this new car. I can't imagine i'll get another lexus when this one eventually falls apart, and I'll probably just get a simple toyota or honda instead.
Own audi since 115 miles now its at 180 haven't replaced nothing. Really reliable and I treat it like sh1t haven't replaced oil in 2 years and I put reg gas instead of premium want it to break so I can buy new car
True but half the problem is people using regular gas instead of high octane gas .if you notice regular gas is a clear to almost a yellowish color if you look at high octane it's a blue color so that's a no brainier then you can an induction service at the dealer Wich we always decline cause it's to expensive or we just think we don't need to do it then there's always that mechanic from the 60s that tells you it's not necessary lol
@@jokerdejesus4756 yeah I use premium gas in my 08 es350, over regular gas I noticed it shifts A LOT smoother when I first start driving and my average MPG is around 23
I am thinking of purchasing one and I don’t think I will have to worry about the melting Dash. Since I live in Seattle but I am hopeful the car will last me for time to come if I end up purchasing it
Brought Lexus IS 250 2007 manual Europe. 100,523 miles. Changed oil to Castrol 5w 30 A5 synthetic. Changed oil filter, air filter, cabin filter. Car is amazing so far. While listening to music sometimes can hear audio system make funny noises like cracking but it's all good love the car. P. S. Do you require premium gas or regular is not a problem?
Spot On. I have an 08 IS350 with 293K miles and I’ve swapped out 1 alternator, 2 wheel hub assemblies, just removed and cleaned my PCV with carb cleaner, replaced the fuel pressure sensor and I am noticing oil consumption, but also oil on the spark plugs so I’m leaking oil through my valve cover gasket/ spark plug seals so that’s my next project, but even with all of that and near 300K miles on the car, she absolutely rips and runs great. If it weren’t for oil on the plugs I would have barely noticed the slight misfires. Great cars even at high mileage if maintained properly and treated as a performance vehicle. Don’t buy an IS350 and fill it with regular fuel and expect it to be there for you 300K miles later. Change your oil and educate yourself.
love my IS... but dont use Mobile 1 its worst oil out of the bunch use Enos, Amsoil or even Castrol highmileage i promise youll not regret it. love the info keep it up.
I've owned all of these so called luxury cars, infinitis, BMWs, Mercedes, trust me none of them can beat the Lexus is350 in it's class, I've had a Lexus is350 bought it at 95k miles, drove it for a year and sold it in about 155k miles, it didn't give me any issues until the end which was the fuel pressure sensor, the car wouldn't crank, it wouldn't start, it was in "safety mode" which made me feel in love with it even more because if it was any other car I would've had to replace the whole engine instead of just the fuel pressure sensor, other than that I've done my maintenance regularly, no issues compared to the way I drive which is really bad no car had been tough enough to stand it, other than the is350 miss my devil so much 💯, I currently own a g37S 2013, it's a lovely car would beat the Lexus is350 after 70mph or so but I would still choose the Lexus is350 anyday over any other car in it's class, it's time for me to get an IS-F!!!
I got my 2009 isf with 100k 3 years ago, though I’ve only put 20k on it. No big problems But Expensive brakes, and a 1,000 dollar maintenance at every 60k for plugs, outside of that, it’s 100-200 dollars every 5k to keep it like new. Coming from an E55 AMG, with every problem imaginable. I’m totally happy with this car
If the car was maintained you can bank on getting at least 300k miles on the engine. Key is to change oil with only synthetic every 5000k miles or less. Oil is cheap. engines are not.
Watching this dreaming of an ISF dude Im young at the age of 12 all ppl talk about hellcats and corvettes just not unique and lexus cars are just so different and u can mod them like cats fbo loi rr that just boost these things up so much
Sorry for so many comment but about the ATF I have heard the same. Never ever flush it it can make the trans start slipping. I talked to a tech and unless you really tracking the car extremely hard just check the level around 150k he doesnt even recommend changing the fluid just fill it if it's a little low. Apparently there are small micro pieces of debris that actually help provide grip in the trans once you take out all those deposits it can start to slip. Je basically said just make sure its filled up and if it breaks eventually just replace the entire transmission but I haven't seen any break yet I'm pretty sure you can get at least 300k out of these things at least
Rob styles my autobox gear changes became very hard and harsh and the only way I got it to soften out back to stock was to flush the transmission oil and put new oil in so I'm not sure how this whole setup works of not changing the oil. The change was done 15000 miles ago and the car is driving like a dream
That's why I did a drain and fill and will do again after 5k miles so to dilute the old fluid with fresh fluid and let it clean the gearbox up gradually and gently over time. So far no issues.
I got the car with 130k miles so didn’t have that option lol. Did it at 169k…It’s now with its new owner since 184k miles, and he has like 210k miles with no issues. My newer F sport has 76k on it and I will be doing it soon
Great video. And I am surprised that they haven’t resolved the melting dash issue on Gen 2; I own Gen 1 IS300 and the dash is a mess. I have to disagree with you on the high mileage synthetic. I have 267k mi on 2004 IS300 and still run Mobil 1 Full Synthetic 5w-30. No leaks here or top odds between changes. If you are having leaks, high mileage is just a bandaid that really won’t help in long run.
I notice the IS250 has a flat spot on initial kickdown, does adding an induction kit really improve the response of the car below 4k RPM? Or is just the way the VVT is setup on these engines ?
I've had my 06 IS350 for about 7 years now and the only issues i've had was the bad aftermarket alternator and a slowly leaking water pump. My OEM Alternator died due to the badly aged OEM battery (it was 6 years old when i replaced it), went through several aftermarket alternators (130amps) that died within a year. I then ended up getting the Denso aftermarket alternator 150 amps a little over a year ago and it's holding up well so far. Water Pump cost me $150cdn for the OEM part and is a very easy DIY replacement. Also had a CEL for a leak in the mid pipe exhaust. Had a muffler shop cut out the bad part and weld in a new piece. I live in the salt belt (Toronto) so these get rusted pretty easily.
pmartinez38pm i just replaced my battery too cuz i thought it was faulty, turns out my alternator needs to be replaced cuz my new battery just died on me
Good info. I just got a 2006 IS 250 with 76K miles on it. Looks like it was serviced at the leadership. I'll look out for the issues you talked about. Thanks.
2032 battery. Put in a high quality one only. But check to see if your car battery is not too low. If it's weak how can it provide juice to open to door actuators?
I’ve been putting a lot of thought into getting a 2nd gen is250 (couldn’t find a affordable 350 in my area) what exactly should I look into when buying a used 250 around 100k miles ?
If the car is cheap buy it. We bought one with 175K miles. Fully expect to get another 100K out of it. Not bad for $3500. But change the transmission oil, spark plugs, PCV valve and have caliper pins greased as they often stick. Also, get a can of intake valve cleaner to help clean out the carbon on the intake valves. And only use premium fuel. Hard to beat Lexus--best car manufacturer on the planet. My sister has 2011 BMW 3 series. Only 22K miles and had to spend $3500 due to leaking oil seals. Cousin has 2009 BMW X5--$7000 for head gasket issue--only 80K miles. Lexus all the way
I would buy one but for rear drive its an open differential. I refuse to buy rear drive without limited slip. I did with my challenger R/T and it sucked
Very good video but missing some points :) - Climate liquid drain hose will be clogged with the time, you can take it back to the dealer for free to make the "cork" out or you can do it also at home if you have a thin hand :) - Mark levinson sub woofer at the back will blown with the time. I will do a video in 2 months how to replace it with an after market one what is better, cheaper and fit into the hole. - Gps dvd reader laser will fail with the time with the screen. Reader leaser is actually can be replaced. By the screen the failure is that you will touch it and it wont react. It can be a home job, in google you have a DIY subject for this. I will edit it if i will have something others in my mind ;) Keep up with the videos. Great job. 06 IS 250
I have had mine for 2 years and its freaking awesome! I'm about to put a new alternator in, if I do the work myself, do you know what specific brand I should get? Also LMK who's looking to buy one in the next year cuz I'm about to have a second baby and I barely got the first car seat in there, so 2 wont do. I might upscale to the gs350
Must admit, I was very much of the view that 'carbon build up' issues are more to do with the rubbish quality of petrol ( gas ) in the US. I've never heard of it being a particular problem here in the UK.
@@MartyMotoring 'thinking' about it doesn't make it so. I've never seen this being mentioned as a problem in the Lexus IS here in the UK, nor in anywhere other than videos posted up by US based UA-camrs. The design has shortcomings, but problems seem only to have manifested in the context of the US , and the low quality of US petrol.
@@andrewpreston4127 That may be the case, but we have some of the highest horsepower cars and need high octane fuel so I’m not sure. It’s definitely only the 250, as the 350 and F don’t suffer from those problems. Maybe people don’t drive their cars are hard or as much in the UK. A US road-trip takes multiple days 🤷♂️
@@MartyMotoring I'd normally expect long, hard journeys to burn off excess carbon. As said, I'd say for the IS 250 the problem is a shortcoming in the design, plus the poor quaility of US fuels. The other IS's..., I guess the better designs mask the effects of the poor quality fuel.
@@MartyMotoring yep, my dumbass had 2, first one blew head gasket, 2nd one had EGR get stuck, 5th injector get blocked, injectors leak, gearbox synchros won't mesh properly, water pump failed. And it's had 16 lexus serve stamps, every 5 to 6k miles, atleast once a year sometimes twice.
You did not mention the valley plate leak on the ISF V-8 engines , my 2012 ISF does have the valley plate leak. It will cost over $2000 @ the dealership to have the o-rings and rubber sealants change, been looking for diagram to guide me as a DIY. Anyone here have any ideas please let me know.. Thanks.
Some have reported that the valley plate leak might be caused by the gasket having a bad reaction to the super-long life (pink) coolant and degrading over time so people have switched their IS and GS Fs to the long-life (red) coolant instead which seems to be more compatible with that seal.
Question, hows the HR Springs in terms of reducing ride quality ? I have AWD Is250 and i sont want to mess with the suspension too much ie coilovers. Its hard to find the right ones for AWD. Secondly - hows the Carbon buildup on a 2012 is250 ?
Quality Landscape and Hauling Co sedeno None, they are good cars, same engine as this generation and it's pretty much perfected, same goes for the 8 speed automatic, just change your oil and service your transmission and you'll be all set
@@qualitylandscapeandhauling7942 Same thing, the GS is a bigger car with the same engine and transmission. So if you want sporty, you go for the iS. If you want more luxury and a more comfy ride, get the GS. GS will have slightly higher used car market value bear in mind.
Just replaced the fuel pump, but now there’s an audible rumbling from inside the car. Like the exhaust, at idle. It’s definitely not right. 07 is350 140k miles. Any ideas?
I have a 2008 Lexus is250 awd with 180k miles on it, no issues as far with engine and transmission go. The only thing I will complain about is the sunroof not closing which was like that before I bought it. Anyone ever run into issues with this?
I have both cars and my audi and along with my wife's audi never failed and trust me I been trying to blow audi engine so I can have a reason to buy new car so far I haven't change oil in 2 yrs and I had put lots of milage and it still rides good let me know if someone is interested in seen a video of how 2 yr oil looks never changed and I beat up on audi
Go for 2010 and up is350's to avoid burning oil. The earlier 06-09 cars had different piston ring designs supposedly less friction thus more mpg. Some cars burns a ton, some don't. And like Marty said, frequent oil changes will help.
Man I know this video is kind of old, but I just recently discovered how great these cars are and I have watched almost all your videos. Thanks for making these for those of us who had no idea these cars even exsited.
@@ysl4life383 if they are well maintained and well taken care of go ahead! Usually people take care of a car of this tier well but be sure to ask the seller of the service records and stuff like that. Good luck! Its a great car
Yoel Quevedo thanks for asking, cars out front rn. Been a smooth ride, still got a lot of life left. Gotta’ push to it as well. So far, had to swap my battery. That’s all
I have an '07 IS250 fully loaded RWD with 258,000 miles. Still looks new, in and out, always garaged. So reliable. I had the alternator go out at 170K. Coolest modification: interior headlight chrome assembly painted same color as the car. Headlamp glass looks clear like a more modern vehicle with beautiful paint within. Have not seen any other IS in my area with that look. Other owners always ask how to order. It is a carefully baked apart total disassembly.
@@lucaspetersen2069 Not a single issue. Had every fluid in the car replaced this summer. The fluids from the rear differential, brake, radiator and even the transmission fluid (only trusted the dealer to do that because they know the process for their sealed transmissions very well)
Thx for the info! enjoy your channel. I am the original owner of an '06 IS350 with 160K. Car has been trouble free for the most part. Car runs very smooth, pulls hard. Some things that have gone bad in mine. I did suffer from the sticky dash/panels, Lexus replaced them. The extended warranty covering the dash expired btw. No burning oil, but do use high mileage synthetic now. Did have the alternator and starter go bad a few months ago. O2 sensors went bad around 90K. Battery changed three times in the 13 plus years of ownership. Recently getting an intermittent CEL, looks like the catalytic is giving out. From reading the forums, that seems to go bad frequently as well. If i have the windows open and nail the throttle, the rotten egg smell fills the cabin, thats a tell tell, of the cat going bad. Oh the right rear shock too was a frequent issue. Mine are in their last leg, will be replacing soon. BTW, make sure your car has all the recalls done, there were a few, fuel system (two), airbag, timing chain tensioner, etc.
That’s great info! Thanks for watching. I think I am all up to date on the recalls and I did get the door card/dash replacements before they expired. Sounds like you had to do a lot of the same maintenance items!
I have an IS250 with 80k miles and what you've said about the O2 sensors and catalytic converter has got me wondering. I had an error come up about the catalytic converter, I think error code PO040. I bought a product (cataclean) to clean the catalytic converters and hopefully will pass its annual test (MOT). Around replacing the catalytic converters, at which point did you decide this was worth it? Did you get the error codes as well? I've cleared the error codes and it hasn't come up yet. I like the tip about needing to drive them quite hard to prevent carbon build up, is this to do with catalytic converters? - I only drive mine 2 miles down the road everyday, so probably the slowest driving possible. Appreciate any advice.
natetricks123 just had to replace most of the exhaust including the cat, new O2 sensors as well after getting the PO040 code. Unfortunately it wasn’t the solution and I still have a bit of an exhaust leak near the mufflers
There are some little oval plastics under the rear fenders, these go bad it's a cheap fix, most likely it's never the cats but these little pieces get brittle and fall out letting exhaust in the cabin.
You can’t beat toyota period. We have the same 3.5L in the Aurions over in Australia and it’s crazy how reliable and the power that they have. Simply the best
I've got my IS250 for just over 7 years now from new. It's been a beauty to drive, serviced by Lexus with no complaints or motor/part failure(s). I have an occasional egg/sulphur smell when I launch the vehicle. I was warned about the water pump being troublesome on high mileage by Lexus. Thanks for a great video!
I know this video is very old but the egg smell I'm glad I'm not the only 1. Thought something was wrong. I have a 2006 is 250 with 86000 I love my car but the smell sometimes ewww.
I once had a 2008 is250 and i got it with 91k miles. It had the rotten egg smell and it didn't go away until i installed a high quality catback exhaust. Seems strange doesn't it
Get a newer model like 2011-2012. Over the years lexus improved the car every years. Early models like 2006 and 2007 have more problems. Later years are improved.
Great vid and genuine advice and looking at this Lexus are still the best amongst the pack. One thing that's common with high mileage on IS250 specific is the radiator cap failure. It's best to replace when buying 2nd hand
The clock spring is another common issue with these cars especially if they’ve been exposed to a lot of hot climates. You’ll know it’s time for a new one if one or both of your shift paddles only work at certain angles of wheel turn (if at all) and it’s a pretty easy and not too expensive repair just make sure you don’t piss off the air bag lol A lot of the LED bulbs in the dash and random controls start to all go at once with the heat situation too, especially the gauge needles. These are easy to repair and very cheap if you can soldier, otherwise the cost is kinda rediculous to have someone else fix your cluster. Make sure you roll your fenders if you decide to lower your IS, one tiny grab from the tire will crease these fenders and it looks pretty clapped out right away.. if you’re in a 250 a good way to solve the carbon buildup issue is to put a catch can in the damn thing. It’s puking the oil into the too end and clogging your headers, manifolds, entire exhaust system and even body panels when the carbon really gets malignant. Injector cleaner about 4x a year and top tier premium fuel really helps avoid the extra production of shit.. ummmmm what else… if you throw away your 2011-13 headlights for those five dollar ass vline headlights you’re gunna regret it when you realize you traded a far superior light fixture for a non-serviceable insult to the engineer who set these up. There are companies that can custom build your stock headlights to include a variety of otherworldly badass halo and party led features, it’s more expensive but BRO ITS A LEXUS! treat her well. Same thing with the cluster LEDs, lot of people out there willing to customize colors on your cluster. Oh and the condenser likes to get dirty on mine for some reason so if your air conditioner is a lazy hoe and u don’t know why I’d check that out for sure.
Planning on getting an IS350 in about a year or so. Gonna be using it for a daily but also track days and canyons so I hope they’re as reliable as people say they are. Tryin to get one with less than 100k for around 15,000$. 👍🏿 great video, very useful to know.
Bought my IS250 with 117k on it and now have a little over 149k. The only problem I had so far is the battery and alternator one time. I am suffering from the sticky dash and door panels... And had a REALLY bad experience with the lexus dealership about it. So far haven't experience carbon problems.. Thank God. For the most part, great car.
SciEntist ! I’ve had the same dash problem and I got it fixed by bothering the Lexus dealership every day or every other day on the phone or just going there
@@DezanHernandezProductions213 I've done that since I bought it from them summer of 2017... No help at all 😕 so I've found some parts at a good price... All dealers tell me my cars to old
I have a 2012 Lexus IS 350 F Sport with every F Sport accessory offered. I bought it with just under 100k miles on it. My local Lexus dealer said it's a rare car. In the last 2 years absolutely -0- issues with the car. It is Nebula Gray Pearl with Blue Big F Sport Brake Calipers, coolest car I have ever owned. Prior to this car I drove an IS 250 for one year but the performance wasn't there. Glad you like your IS 350 and thanks for the videos.
I love my IS 250 2007 it's such great car, I just had to replace the alternator with 140.000 Kms mileage, but it's not expensive so it's not bad at all when I compare between it and my BMW witch gave me a lot of problems.
I bought a is350 with 199k miles on odometer I drove it hard for 3 months , flooring it, racing it, ended up put 10k miles on it, biggest issue on these cars are probably oil burning, it wont really cause major problems for them engine as long as you keep it topped off, but the cats may eventually get clogged due to the oil burning which was what happened to me, unfortunately I actually got into an accident recently that totaled the car and that ended up finishing the car off
Tbh majority of people who complain are people who just own a car and don’t keep up with maintenance. You can’t expect to just drive and drive and drive and don’t take care of your interior or exterior or regular maintenance. I’ve had my 2006 IS 250 AWD since 2007 and it’s now at 160k+ miles still runs like I first bought it, still looks brand new. No rips or cracks on my interior or seats, no chips or scratches in and out since I detail it once every year. I also hand wash my car once every week too. Sounds like a lot of work but, if you want nice things to last you have to nurture and love and take really great care of them.
Definitely. I take care of all my builds super well and they last a long time and every one comments how clean they are. That's what happens when you are OCD lol
You should shop around, 7k is a fair price, but if you dont have an extra 4 grand on deck than you may have a hard time with this car... 10k is what you should be paying for a good one.
@@nuke_love can you let me know how it goes as well I’m looking to get a 06 is250 for my first car but I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad for the payment stuff like is the insurance high or is it decent price for a high schooler
I had my IS250 Transmission Service two times in one year and I hope I didn't screw nothing up they never told me it was a lifetime fluid or none of that
lifetime fluid my ass.... no fluid is lifetime fluid.. you should change the transmission fluid every 70-80kms... But don't flush, just drain and refill.. Slipping can occur with flushing, also slipping can occur if transmission fluid has been change for the first time when the car has high mileage (like over 200k kms). If you done a drain and refill every 80k kms it will not slip.
2013 GS350 bought it at 78k miles 6 months later at 92k miles I've done rear pads and oil changes. Absolutely love this car, plan to take it to 250k miles minimum. Also the 3.5 V6 is Direct Injected and port fuel. Port injection kicks in under load and cold starts
First and foremost, there is NO SUCH thing as a life-time fluid, and dont buy into the Long-Life crap alot of dealers are trying to sell on oils, to change every 2 years or 18600 miles. As a mechanic myself I always change my oils at 10k KM (6.2k miles) with filter. I change gearbox and brake/clutch fluids every 2 years, change your G13+ coolant every 5 years, depending on the type of oil for your powersteering (if still hydraulic) every 2 or 3 years. Dont save on maintenance is what I recommend.
The ISF 2008s had quite a bit of problems, but also account for more units than all the 2009-2014 models, I believe I bought an isf 2009 3 years ago with 100k, and it was Lexus serviced every 5k. So I’ve continued the services, at between 105=200.00 every 5k, did my own brakes, ( Lexus wants 1k) and spark plugs ( 800 at Lexus...and a weekend job for my talent). Had a few items graciously fixed well after warranty. These items had service bulletins, like the rear view mirror wobbled, and something else small. So I’d say, buy a vehicle that’s been religiously serviced, by one owner, if possible, that has had all the service bulletins done that are applicable
Thanks for the info! I have a 2007 IS350 w/80k miles still like new!!! I bought it new, I LOVE my car!!! I have noticed the sticky door panels :( I will definitely call Lexus and see what they can do for me !
German car owners wish these were their problems. These arent even problems. This is Lexus’ least quality made car and its still reliable as everything else
When VAG speaks of GDI engine, don't be fooled an think they refer to Gasoline Direct Injection! It stands for Guaranteed Dealer Income.. Did you know btw why they use metal parts in their engine? It's because they have not figured out howto keep it together for 1 year using only plastic.
great video i just bought a couple days ago a 2012 IS 250 so far im very happy with it. I wanted the 350 but was just have a hard time finding one that was in good shape. all the ones i looked aat were pretty ragged out.
@@unknownsource4359 it was a '12. The only place it said F-Sport was under the hood on the engine. At the time I personally only knew of the IS-F. All I know is given the chance I would buy one.
I'm hunting for a black exterior and black interior is350 f sport. Got 15k for one. The hard part is not the money the hard part is finding one in black. They are very rare for that same reason I want one. I never even drove one bro. But just the look of the is350 F sport looks sexy.
Another common thing is rear calipers seizing. If I’m not mistaken, the left rear caliper has had more problems than the right. Mine is seized ( almost completely rusted) and I found out that I had been riding 3 sets of brakes instead of 4 this entire time.
@@MartyMotoring Sir I bought 2012 IS 250 lexus it had low miles now I just hit 75k on it. My car always put to the left and right when I hit the breaks. I went to the lexus dealership twice and they examined everything but they didn’t find anything wrong in it but I’m having the same issue idk why my car pull right and left when I hit the breaks at 20 speed can you please tell me what’s wrong with that? Thank you so much
I’ve had 0 issues with my 2012 is350. Basic stuff like suspension and headlights needing to be replaced at 100,000 miles. I put it on coil overs (lowered about 1.5 inches) and put in some new bulbs and haven’t had a problem since! I also added some sticker tires, so the car handles like it’s on rails. I can keep up with most cars on the back roads. I don’t think I’ll ever sell this car unless I see a chance to get an F
If these are the complaints for the IS cars then these have to be some of the most reliable cars in the planet
They are. These things run for hundreds of thousands of miles
If the low end Yotas run for 300k easy what do think these bad boys can do. With proper maintenance who knows.
That dash and door card melting, cracking issue has made me think twice on ownership. I get it that these models are moving on with age but that is something that practically all cars dont suffer from. I wouldnt want to go back to those days.
Some of 🤣🙏 they are the most reliable.
Or just an average Toyota/Lexus
My 06 is350 now has 300,400 miles now and been using synthetic oil and no problems till this date!!
That’s awesome! There’s hope for me lol
That’s awesome! There’s hope for me lol
What about the transmission? Any flushes?
Thats wonderful to hear! I just bought an 06 is350 myself with 63,000 miles. I cant wait to hit 300k ;) what did you do and what were your intervals?
The miles are mostly highway miles not city and usually every 3 to 4 months I was changing the oil. Now however it’s not driven as much and I change the oil 2 to 3 times a year.
I'm watching this and I dont even own a Lexus.
Information can’t hurt 👌
poncho828 dude I’m watching this and I don’t even own a car
zay cedillo same XD
@@MartyMotoring hey man I’ve owned a 2007 Lexus sold it because of an issue it was having the transmission needed to be replaced because of the code p2757 does the same problem happen to the 2011
@@Zaysav same
Looking forward to getting an is350 soon. Will definitely be coming back to the channel to get some ideas for customizing and regular maintenance tips. Thanks for the useful information
I own a 2007 IS350 and my wife owns a 2008 IS350.
1. At roughly 100,000 miles for both cars, the water pump went out causing the engine to overheat. One I didn’t catch soon enough and had to replace the entire engine. The other one i caught sooner and was fine.
2. The hood and trunk struts go out like every year.
3. The speedometer and RPM needle LED lights go out, i have seen this A LOT and both of my cars are affected by this. There are services on eBay that charge $150 to repair this.
4. Both of my cars nav/touchscreens went out and became unresponsive, i replaced the digitizers myself for cheap, there are services on eBay for this issue that charge a couple hundred dollars.
5. In the 350 RWD models, sometimes the exhaust tips can “droop” a bit. Lots of this on clublexus forums.
6. Air recirculate solenoid can become easily broken when changing the air filter if you’re not careful.
Other than those issues, not much to complain about! I still own them both and drive them daily. Both at 130,000 miles. Gotta love the 2nd gen Lexus IS!
Those are great things to point out! I
actually bought mine with 130k miles, and the water pump was replaced already. I replaced the hood struts myself but haven’t done the trunk yet.
The speedometer needles definitely go out, as mine are patchy too.
I’ve seen the exhaust tips droop and my touchscreen hast gone out...yet. Lol.
But overall they are fun cars and do well!
Being you have a 2007 and 2008, does the 2008 have better handling or steering feel? I read that it was improved for 2008...
Hey! How much did it cost to have the entire engine replaced?
Thanks!
Me too i got one for 5500$ and 136k miles!
I have a 2007 is250 and tha nav screen went out. How do I fix it for cheap?
should also mention the hydraulics in the trunk and hood...seems to be common for them to fail
Yes, but an easy fix thankfully!
Steven Chew the trunk is supposed to have hydraulics?
liminalexpression yes there hidden
Sorry. The gas struts* not hydraulics
14$ fix just go to orreilly or your favorite parts store
Going to testdrive couple 08 is250 upcoming weekend, seems like a good car!
If you don’t want to have any problems with oil and carbon I would suggest buying the IS300 3GR-FE version (no direct injection). Mine was imported from UAE. At 162000 km no oil consumption. The only thing that I had to do was cleaning the AFS indicator and changing the alternator freewheel clutch. And I use the Toyota 5w30 Premium Oil.
I had an 06 IS350 incredible car .. panels getting soft in heat true the advice on synthetic oil follow for sure I never had any trouble with oil consumption .. always used synthetic .. only other issue is the navigation screen freezes .. the fix is simple .. hard part is getting to it .. other than that when I sold it had 169k miles and still ran like a brand new Lexus .
I have an 06 250 with 170k mi and here's the problems I've had so far. Im the second owner and I don't know how well the previous owner took care of it.
Water pump started leaking at about 140k and needed replacing.
Trunk actuator went out at around 100k.
One rear CV axle has a leak, though it's not needed replacing yet.
Door panels/dash melted though lexus replaced them no questions asked.
Rearview mirror digital crap flakes off over time and leaves black spotches that can't be seen though. I've replaced two of these.
right front tire has a slow leak that I have not been able to fix. Just have to air it up twice as often as the other tires, annoying but hardly a big deal.
Weather stripping completely disintegrated before 100k miles.
lights on the speedometer and tachometer went out and would require some soddering or a complete dash replacement that I don't want to do.
It had a problem with the transmission but it was replaced under recall.
Other then that theres some general wear and tear that I consider excessive such as the leather on the top of the steering wheel being to thin and eventually wearing a hole straight though. The passenger leather seat has some reasonably bad cracking but it was always parked in the sun and I imagine never properly treated/cleaned. Chrome plating around the shifter flakes off and has a bunch of little sharp edge that I eventually had to take all off with a razorblade. Hood struts are a little weak.
Overall I'm still happy with the car but that might only be because I got it pretty cheap from my father(about 2k less than KBB value at the time). If I had paid any sort of serious money for the car I can't say I'd be to pleased. I expect better from lexus, even if it was the first year of this new car. I can't imagine i'll get another lexus when this one eventually falls apart, and I'll probably just get a simple toyota or honda instead.
So the first owner who treated the car inappropriate is your father ? LOL
Own audi since 115 miles now its at 180 haven't replaced nothing. Really reliable and I treat it like sh1t haven't replaced oil in 2 years and I put reg gas instead of premium want it to break so I can buy new car
You have to drive the IS250 hard if you don’t want excess carbon build up.
Drove mine hard everyday hope I’m not hurting the engine
And use quality gas.
True but half the problem is people using regular gas instead of high octane gas .if you notice regular gas is a clear to almost a yellowish color if you look at high octane it's a blue color so that's a no brainier then you can an induction service at the dealer Wich we always decline cause it's to expensive or we just think we don't need to do it then there's always that mechanic from the 60s that tells you it's not necessary lol
I find the views very helpful to a new owner
@@jokerdejesus4756 yeah I use premium gas in my 08 es350, over regular gas I noticed it shifts A LOT smoother when I first start driving and my average MPG is around 23
I am thinking of purchasing one and I don’t think I will have to worry about the melting Dash. Since I live in Seattle but I am hopeful the car will last me for time to come if I end up purchasing it
I plan on buying one soon, that is how I found this channel cause I wanted to know more on it
Great car even with these little issues
Spend more on a one owner car..once its been passed down a couple times to a small used car lot, you can count on it having been poorly maintained
Thanks for the oil recommendation because I’m having issues on oil shortage
Yikes!
Rule of thumb...
Luxury vehicles need oem parts for major working parts
I would definitely agree with you on this
Brought Lexus IS 250 2007 manual Europe. 100,523 miles. Changed oil to Castrol 5w 30 A5 synthetic. Changed oil filter, air filter, cabin filter. Car is amazing so far. While listening to music sometimes can hear audio system make funny noises like cracking but it's all good love the car.
P. S. Do you require premium gas or regular is not a problem?
@@MD-gu9nt Thank you will keep that in mind.
Spot On. I have an 08 IS350 with 293K miles and I’ve swapped out 1 alternator, 2 wheel hub assemblies, just removed and cleaned my PCV with carb cleaner, replaced the fuel pressure sensor and I am noticing oil consumption, but also oil on the spark plugs so I’m leaking oil through my valve cover gasket/ spark plug seals so that’s my next project, but even with all of that and near 300K miles on the car, she absolutely rips and runs great. If it weren’t for oil on the plugs I would have barely noticed the slight misfires. Great cars even at high mileage if maintained properly and treated as a performance vehicle. Don’t buy an IS350 and fill it with regular fuel and expect it to be there for you 300K miles later. Change your oil and educate yourself.
How are your interior panels holding up? And cracking? Any mushiness?
love my IS... but dont use Mobile 1 its worst oil out of the bunch use Enos, Amsoil or even Castrol highmileage i promise youll not regret it. love the info keep it up.
I’ll have to try some of those. Castrol GTX seems pretty good
Why are is350s so hard to find 🤬
Facts
I've owned all of these so called luxury cars, infinitis, BMWs, Mercedes, trust me none of them can beat the Lexus is350 in it's class, I've had a Lexus is350 bought it at 95k miles, drove it for a year and sold it in about 155k miles, it didn't give me any issues until the end which was the fuel pressure sensor, the car wouldn't crank, it wouldn't start, it was in "safety mode" which made me feel in love with it even more because if it was any other car I would've had to replace the whole engine instead of just the fuel pressure sensor, other than that I've done my maintenance regularly, no issues compared to the way I drive which is really bad no car had been tough enough to stand it, other than the is350 miss my devil so much 💯, I currently own a g37S 2013, it's a lovely car would beat the Lexus is350 after 70mph or so but I would still choose the Lexus is350 anyday over any other car in it's class, it's time for me to get an IS-F!!!
I got my 2009 isf with 100k 3 years ago, though I’ve only put 20k on it. No big problems But Expensive brakes, and a 1,000 dollar maintenance at every 60k for plugs, outside of that, it’s 100-200 dollars every 5k to keep it like new. Coming from an E55 AMG, with every problem imaginable. I’m totally happy with this car
60K in a year?
Great video I’m looking at buying one and you video helped me out I was kind of nervous buying a high mileage is 250
Same here the one im thinking has 150 miles on it
If the car was maintained you can bank on getting at least 300k miles on the engine. Key is to change oil with only synthetic every 5000k miles or less. Oil is cheap. engines are not.
Watching this dreaming of an ISF dude Im young at the age of 12 all ppl talk about hellcats and corvettes just not unique and lexus cars are just so different and u can mod them like cats fbo loi rr that just boost these things up so much
Sorry for so many comment but about the ATF I have heard the same. Never ever flush it it can make the trans start slipping. I talked to a tech and unless you really tracking the car extremely hard just check the level around 150k he doesnt even recommend changing the fluid just fill it if it's a little low. Apparently there are small micro pieces of debris that actually help provide grip in the trans once you take out all those deposits it can start to slip. Je basically said just make sure its filled up and if it breaks eventually just replace the entire transmission but I haven't seen any break yet I'm pretty sure you can get at least 300k out of these things at least
Rob styles my autobox gear changes became very hard and harsh and the only way I got it to soften out back to stock was to flush the transmission oil and put new oil in so I'm not sure how this whole setup works of not changing the oil. The change was done 15000 miles ago and the car is driving like a dream
Why not just do a drain and fill via drain bolt? Fresh fluid in the system is always beneficial
That's why I did a drain and fill and will do again after 5k miles so to dilute the old fluid with fresh fluid and let it clean the gearbox up gradually and gently over time. So far no issues.
You should have started doing trans drain and fills a long, long time ago. Each service changes about 30-35% of the total fluid capacity
I got the car with 130k miles so didn’t have that option lol. Did it at 169k…It’s now with its new owner since 184k miles, and he has like 210k miles with no issues.
My newer F sport has 76k on it and I will be doing it soon
Who the hell gave Thumb down on this video - some people are just shitty!
Thank you for a very informative video Marty!!!!
Great video. And I am surprised that they haven’t resolved the melting dash issue on Gen 2; I own Gen 1 IS300 and the dash is a mess. I have to disagree with you on the high mileage synthetic. I have 267k mi on 2004 IS300 and still run Mobil 1 Full Synthetic 5w-30. No leaks here or top odds between changes. If you are having leaks, high mileage is just a bandaid that really won’t help in long run.
I notice the IS250 has a flat spot on initial kickdown, does adding an induction kit really improve the response of the car below 4k RPM?
Or is just the way the VVT is setup on these engines ?
I've had my 06 IS350 for about 7 years now and the only issues i've had was the bad aftermarket alternator and a slowly leaking water pump.
My OEM Alternator died due to the badly aged OEM battery (it was 6 years old when i replaced it), went through several aftermarket alternators (130amps) that died within a year. I then ended up getting the Denso aftermarket alternator 150 amps a little over a year ago and it's holding up well so far.
Water Pump cost me $150cdn for the OEM part and is a very easy DIY replacement.
Also had a CEL for a leak in the mid pipe exhaust. Had a muffler shop cut out the bad part and weld in a new piece. I live in the salt belt (Toronto) so these get rusted pretty easily.
Great information I plan on buying a Lexus IS next year and this information will be great for me. I may buy between 08 to 12.
Andon Christian El the fastest is 350 year model was a 2006 idk why but I have done some research and that’s what I heard
Hamza Hussein yea I truly do want to get the 350. Thanks for information that will help make my decision when I get one next year.
Do they are definitely worth it ...i love every bit mine
@@zee2721 my stock 06 can do it in 5.2 with all seasons at 5 degrees c
This summer Im going to put stickier tires and hope to get 5.0 secs 0-60
I bet lol these cars ain’t no joke lol
I have a 2018 is300 f sport...and I live in Canada, terrible in winter due to the clearance...been suffering from the typical Canadian snow days.
O7' 250. On my second alternator and battery. Just to my battery to the battery store for charge as it was completely dead.
Seems to be reoccurring
pmartinez38pm i just replaced my battery too cuz i thought it was faulty, turns out my alternator needs to be replaced cuz my new battery just died on me
Good info. I just got a 2006 IS 250 with 76K miles on it. Looks like it was serviced at the leadership. I'll look out for the issues you talked about. Thanks.
The IS250 also has timing chain.
True - I wasn’t totally sure, but figured since it’s the same engine architecture
My is 250 2008 is working great and it already has 180000 miles
Yes. This helps a lot.
my key fob battery is low
Lol mine is always low, even after changing the battery multiple times
2032 battery. Put in a high quality one only. But check to see if your car battery is not too low. If it's weak how can it provide juice to open to door actuators?
I’ve been putting a lot of thought into getting a 2nd gen is250 (couldn’t find a affordable 350 in my area) what exactly should I look into when buying a used 250 around 100k miles ?
If the car is cheap buy it. We bought one with 175K miles. Fully expect to get another 100K out of it. Not bad for $3500. But change the transmission oil, spark plugs, PCV valve and have caliper pins greased as they often stick. Also, get a can of intake valve cleaner to help clean out the carbon on the intake valves. And only use premium fuel. Hard to beat Lexus--best car manufacturer on the planet. My sister has 2011 BMW 3 series. Only 22K miles and had to spend $3500 due to leaking oil seals. Cousin has 2009 BMW X5--$7000 for head gasket issue--only 80K miles. Lexus all the way
I would buy one but for rear drive its an open differential. I refuse to buy rear drive without limited slip. I did with my challenger R/T and it sucked
The 2010s and up have LSD I believe
Very good video but missing some points :)
- Climate liquid drain hose will be clogged with the time, you can take it back to the dealer for free to make the "cork" out or you can do it also at home if you have a thin hand :)
- Mark levinson sub woofer at the back will blown with the time. I will do a video in 2 months how to replace it with an after market one what is better, cheaper and fit into the hole.
- Gps dvd reader laser will fail with the time with the screen. Reader leaser is actually can be replaced. By the screen the failure is that you will touch it and it wont react. It can be a home job, in google you have a DIY subject for this.
I will edit it if i will have something others in my mind ;) Keep up with the videos. Great job. 06 IS 250
Which sub?
@@Joe-jt8qp rear sub woofer behind the rear seats.
@@uszokrepper1 which brand lol
@@Joe-jt8qp Mb quart ds1-204 8"
I have had mine for 2 years and its freaking awesome! I'm about to put a new alternator in, if I do the work myself, do you know what specific brand I should get? Also LMK who's looking to buy one in the next year cuz I'm about to have a second baby and I barely got the first car seat in there, so 2 wont do. I might upscale to the gs350
This was a great video! Definitely looking forward to learning more about my IS250 from you! :)
Problem on rear brakes will stuck up.
I can't find a 350 ANYWHERE
huh? they're all over autotrader and cars.com / cargurus etc... unless you're looking for a specific color?
@@enkrypt3d they don't have them in European countries so that might be the issue.
@@knutproductions7324 nope, they werent sold in most europe, if you find one its imported from USA
enkrypt3d - private party they’re very very rare. Dealers overprice them and sometimes don’t know the history of the car.
For this generation there impossible around my way
I owned a IS250 auto for 3 years not even a light bulb went on it.
Super reliable
PS. Dont buy the manual
Must admit, I was very much of the view that 'carbon build up' issues are more to do with the rubbish quality of petrol ( gas ) in the US. I've never heard of it being a particular problem here in the UK.
I think it’s just the science of it. Any direct injection-only gas engine vehicle suffers from it, no matter the octane of fuel used.
@@MartyMotoring 'thinking' about it doesn't make it so. I've never seen this being mentioned as a problem in the Lexus IS here in the UK, nor in anywhere other than videos posted up by US based UA-camrs. The design has shortcomings, but problems seem only to have manifested in the context of the US , and the low quality of US petrol.
@@andrewpreston4127 That may be the case, but we have some of the highest horsepower cars and need high octane fuel so I’m not sure. It’s definitely only the 250, as the 350 and F don’t suffer from those problems. Maybe people don’t drive their cars are hard or as much in the UK. A US road-trip takes multiple days 🤷♂️
@@MartyMotoring I'd normally expect long, hard journeys to burn off excess carbon. As said, I'd say for the IS 250 the problem is a shortcoming in the design, plus the poor quaility of US fuels. The other IS's..., I guess the better designs mask the effects of the poor quality fuel.
Went with the 250 since the 350 doesnt offer manual..😢
Follow me on IG @vzimi
If you talk about the IS220D you can make a 30minute video
Lol is it that bad? I don’t know much about them since we didn’t get any Toyota or Lexus diesels in the USA
@@MartyMotoring yep, my dumbass had 2, first one blew head gasket, 2nd one had EGR get stuck, 5th injector get blocked, injectors leak, gearbox synchros won't mesh properly, water pump failed. And it's had 16 lexus serve stamps, every 5 to 6k miles, atleast once a year sometimes twice.
Thanks bro
Is 250, 350 or gs 430 or gs 300 or honda accord 2,4 L or mazda 6 2,5L? In terms of reliability and fun.
You did not mention the valley plate leak on the ISF V-8 engines , my 2012 ISF does have the valley plate leak. It will cost over $2000 @ the dealership to have the o-rings and rubber sealants change, been looking for diagram to guide me as a DIY. Anyone here have any ideas please let me know.. Thanks.
Some have reported that the valley plate leak might be caused by the gasket having a bad reaction to the super-long life (pink) coolant and degrading over time so people have switched their IS and GS Fs to the long-life (red) coolant instead which seems to be more compatible with that seal.
Marty! Where'd you get the upgraded rear tail lights from!!??? Name, brand and cost!!!
Hey there! I did a whole video on them: ua-cam.com/video/e_uHHGrES8E/v-deo.html
VLAND brand, about $350 - amzn.to/2NTkQ0V
No issues
So the IS250 has a timing belt. ?? I see you said the is350 and isf has the chains.. I thought all 3 models had chains...
I think I just forgot to say IS250 (fail on my part!). It also has a timing chain!
@@MartyMotoring ok well thank God..😫😫😫 Lol
I have the 2007 IS 350, it only has 137,xxx miles but it makes like a rattle noise, does anyone knows what could be ?
After 6 months of purchase my 250 car doesn't turn on the dashboard turns on but not the engine plus it drains the battery not even with jumper😢
Very very nice video bro
Question, hows the HR Springs in terms of reducing ride quality ? I have AWD Is250 and i sont want to mess with the suspension too much ie coilovers. Its hard to find the right ones for AWD.
Secondly - hows the Carbon buildup on a 2012 is250 ?
cant comment on the springs but as of carbon build up i believe 2012+ IS' including 3rd gen is250's are no longer effected by carbon build up.
Fernando Camarena I have the 12 IS250 and have the carbon buildup issues. Engine sputters every once in a while. Also have the sticky dash issue.
What do you think about 2010 gs350 or similar years ?
I really like the 2013 and up...but the previous gen was cool too - just kinda bubbly to me
I'm thinking of getting a 2015 or 2016 Is350. Any problems with those cars ?
Quality Landscape and Hauling Co sedeno None, they are good cars, same engine as this generation and it's pretty much perfected, same goes for the 8 speed automatic, just change your oil and service your transmission and you'll be all set
@@oceanzhu1002 What about the Lexus gs350 ? Is that also a good car ? I'm debating between the iS and GS model.
@@qualitylandscapeandhauling7942 Same thing, the GS is a bigger car with the same engine and transmission. So if you want sporty, you go for the iS. If you want more luxury and a more comfy ride, get the GS. GS will have slightly higher used car market value bear in mind.
Just replaced the fuel pump, but now there’s an audible rumbling from inside the car. Like the exhaust, at idle. It’s definitely not right. 07 is350 140k miles. Any ideas?
I have a 2008 Lexus is250 awd with 180k miles on it, no issues as far with engine and transmission go. The only thing I will complain about is the sunroof not closing which was like that before I bought it. Anyone ever run into issues with this?
Try to say something about German cars, it would be 3 hours video :D
Lexus is the best :)
I have both cars and my audi and along with my wife's audi never failed and trust me I been trying to blow audi engine so I can have a reason to buy new car so far I haven't change oil in 2 yrs and I had put lots of milage and it still rides good let me know if someone is interested in seen a video of how 2 yr oil looks never changed and I beat up on audi
I have a s5 but im looking at the 07 is250 212k miles as a beater daily instead of the s5 which is Manual vs Auto is250 awd
Go for 2010 and up is350's to avoid burning oil. The earlier 06-09 cars had different piston ring designs supposedly less friction thus more mpg. Some cars burns a ton, some don't. And like Marty said, frequent oil changes will help.
Ocean Zhu sounds legit I have 2014 IS250 and the comments began to worry me lol thanx
just make sure its dual injection or you gotta clean those valves.
Man I know this video is kind of old, but I just recently discovered how great these cars are and I have watched almost all your videos. Thanks for making these for those of us who had no idea these cars even exsited.
i just got my first ever is250 im madly in love with her she drives great
Baribor Intergrated bro I’m looking for one now smh, should I care if they all around 130k mileage
@@ysl4life383 if they are well maintained and well taken care of go ahead! Usually people take care of a car of this tier well but be sure to ask the seller of the service records and stuff like that. Good luck! Its a great car
Just purchased my first car. 2008 is250, 200k miles, $3,000. Wish me luck, so far I’m amped. Exceeded my expectations.
@@KSUBIKAYY howd it go
Yoel Quevedo thanks for asking, cars out front rn. Been a smooth ride, still got a lot of life left. Gotta’ push to it as well. So far, had to swap my battery. That’s all
I have a huge complain at my bmw, it doesn t have lexus reliability :(
Well we don't have a manual gearbox. So you win some you lose some
@Roddy Rod your mom is a posh Toyota...
Roddy Rod you’re fucking stupid.
Roddy Rod “drivers cars “ lol yeah good luck with those repair bills mr driver
Sure BMWs are driver's cars. Drive you right into bankruptcy
I have an '07 IS250 fully loaded RWD with 258,000 miles. Still looks new, in and out, always garaged. So reliable. I had the alternator go out at 170K. Coolest modification: interior headlight chrome assembly painted same color as the car. Headlamp glass looks clear like a more modern vehicle with beautiful paint within. Have not seen any other IS in my area with that look. Other owners always ask how to order. It is a carefully baked apart total disassembly.
Any carbon issues?
@@lucaspetersen2069 Not a single issue. Had every fluid in the car replaced this summer. The fluids from the rear differential, brake, radiator and even the transmission fluid (only trusted the dealer to do that because they know the process for their sealed transmissions very well)
My mate’s car IS250 2010 has done 230.000kms but it hasn’t had problems
I’m changing my engine and transmission on my IS 350 that’s how I bought it. $2400 for both. Installation $1000.
Thx for the info! enjoy your channel. I am the original owner of an '06 IS350 with 160K. Car has been trouble free for the most part. Car runs very smooth, pulls hard. Some things that have gone bad in mine. I did suffer from the sticky dash/panels, Lexus replaced them. The extended warranty covering the dash expired btw. No burning oil, but do use high mileage synthetic now. Did have the alternator and starter go bad a few months ago. O2 sensors went bad around 90K. Battery changed three times in the 13 plus years of ownership. Recently getting an intermittent CEL, looks like the catalytic is giving out. From reading the forums, that seems to go bad frequently as well. If i have the windows open and nail the throttle, the rotten egg smell fills the cabin, thats a tell tell, of the cat going bad. Oh the right rear shock too was a frequent issue. Mine are in their last leg, will be replacing soon. BTW, make sure your car has all the recalls done, there were a few, fuel system (two), airbag, timing chain tensioner, etc.
That’s great info! Thanks for watching. I think I am all up to date on the recalls and I did get the door card/dash replacements before they expired. Sounds like you had to do a lot of the same maintenance items!
I have an IS250 with 80k miles and what you've said about the O2 sensors and catalytic converter has got me wondering. I had an error come up about the catalytic converter, I think error code PO040. I bought a product (cataclean) to clean the catalytic converters and hopefully will pass its annual test (MOT). Around replacing the catalytic converters, at which point did you decide this was worth it? Did you get the error codes as well? I've cleared the error codes and it hasn't come up yet. I like the tip about needing to drive them quite hard to prevent carbon build up, is this to do with catalytic converters? - I only drive mine 2 miles down the road everyday, so probably the slowest driving possible.
Appreciate any advice.
natetricks123 just had to replace most of the exhaust including the cat, new O2 sensors as well after getting the PO040 code. Unfortunately it wasn’t the solution and I still have a bit of an exhaust leak near the mufflers
I'm looking to buy a 350 so I'm commenting to come back to your comment 😅 thanks!
There are some little oval plastics under the rear fenders, these go bad it's a cheap fix, most likely it's never the cats but these little pieces get brittle and fall out letting exhaust in the cabin.
You can’t beat toyota period. We have the same 3.5L in the Aurions over in Australia and it’s crazy how reliable and the power that they have. Simply the best
I've got my IS250 for just over 7 years now from new. It's been a beauty to drive, serviced by Lexus with no complaints or motor/part failure(s). I have an occasional egg/sulphur smell when I launch the vehicle. I was warned about the water pump being troublesome on high mileage by Lexus. Thanks for a great video!
I know this video is very old but the egg smell I'm glad I'm not the only 1. Thought something was wrong. I have a 2006 is 250 with 86000 I love my car but the smell sometimes ewww.
@@candicavasos4866 ok😅
I once had a 2008 is250 and i got it with 91k miles. It had the rotten egg smell and it didn't go away until i installed a high quality catback exhaust. Seems strange doesn't it
Did the smell went away? i have the same issue everytime i launch the car there's smell i believe it's coming from the vents not sure
Some say the back air vents rear bumper
Get a newer model like 2011-2012. Over the years lexus improved the car every years. Early models like 2006 and 2007 have more problems. Later years are improved.
I have the 2012 IS250. Still has the cam gear rattle issue
Still great in 2019? Comment below!
I did end up draining my transmission fluid and more this year. Car is currently at 178,000 miles.
Great vid and genuine advice and looking at this Lexus are still the best amongst the pack. One thing that's common with high mileage on IS250 specific is the radiator cap failure. It's best to replace when buying 2nd hand
UN MODEL RACING ?
Thank you for that tip
The clock spring is another common issue with these cars especially if they’ve been exposed to a lot of hot climates. You’ll know it’s time for a new one if one or both of your shift paddles only work at certain angles of wheel turn (if at all) and it’s a pretty easy and not too expensive repair just make sure you don’t piss off the air bag lol
A lot of the LED bulbs in the dash and random controls start to all go at once with the heat situation too, especially the gauge needles. These are easy to repair and very cheap if you can soldier, otherwise the cost is kinda rediculous to have someone else fix your cluster. Make sure you roll your fenders if you decide to lower your IS, one tiny grab from the tire will crease these fenders and it looks pretty clapped out right away.. if you’re in a 250 a good way to solve the carbon buildup issue is to put a catch can in the damn thing. It’s puking the oil into the too end and clogging your headers, manifolds, entire exhaust system and even body panels when the carbon really gets malignant. Injector cleaner about 4x a year and top tier premium fuel really helps avoid the extra production of shit.. ummmmm what else… if you throw away your 2011-13 headlights for those five dollar ass vline headlights you’re gunna regret it when you realize you traded a far superior light fixture for a non-serviceable insult to the engineer who set these up. There are companies that can custom build your stock headlights to include a variety of otherworldly badass halo and party led features, it’s more expensive but BRO ITS A LEXUS! treat her well.
Same thing with the cluster LEDs, lot of people out there willing to customize colors on your cluster.
Oh and the condenser likes to get dirty on mine for some reason so if your air conditioner is a lazy hoe and u don’t know why I’d check that out for sure.
Great info. Thanks! I have an 07 IS350 with the 'sticky panels' issue. No help at all from Lexus Canada. It's very disappointing.
Planning on getting an IS350 in about a year or so. Gonna be using it for a daily but also track days and canyons so I hope they’re as reliable as people say they are. Tryin to get one with less than 100k for around 15,000$. 👍🏿 great video, very useful to know.
Did you get one
Bought my IS250 with 117k on it and now have a little over 149k. The only problem I had so far is the battery and alternator one time. I am suffering from the sticky dash and door panels... And had a REALLY bad experience with the lexus dealership about it.
So far haven't experience carbon problems.. Thank God. For the most part, great car.
SciEntist ! I’ve had the same dash problem and I got it fixed by bothering the Lexus dealership every day or every other day on the phone or just going there
@@DezanHernandezProductions213 I've done that since I bought it from them summer of 2017... No help at all 😕 so I've found some parts at a good price... All dealers tell me my cars to old
SciEntist ! That sucks bc mine is 2006 and got it done but i guess it’s different depending on where your dealer is and how long the list is
@@tm55555 I just went in multiple times and called, then the scheduled me an appointment and now its all fixed lol lmk how the lawsuit goes.
@@DezanHernandezProductions213 it was San Diego Lexus... Smh 😕
I have a 2012 Lexus IS 350 F Sport with every F Sport accessory offered. I bought it with just under 100k miles on it. My local Lexus dealer said it's a rare car. In the last 2 years absolutely -0- issues with the car. It is Nebula Gray Pearl with Blue Big F Sport Brake Calipers, coolest car I have ever owned. Prior to this car I drove an IS 250 for one year but the performance wasn't there. Glad you like your IS 350 and thanks for the videos.
Awesome to hear Barry! Thanks for watching and sounds like you have a fun car 🔥 Enjoy 😎
I love my IS 250 2007 it's such great car, I just had to replace the alternator with 140.000 Kms mileage, but it's not expensive so it's not bad at all when I compare between it and my BMW witch gave me a lot of problems.
Neighbor has a 2004 Audi. Cost him $1600 to change an alternator!!!!
Definitely going to be waiting for a video on how to a transmission fluid change. :)
Keep up the great work bro!! :)
I bought a is350 with 199k miles on odometer I drove it hard for 3 months , flooring it, racing it, ended up put 10k miles on it, biggest issue on these cars are probably oil burning, it wont really cause major problems for them engine as long as you keep it topped off, but the cats may eventually get clogged due to the oil burning which was what happened to me, unfortunately I actually got into an accident recently that totaled the car and that ended up finishing the car off
Tbh majority of people who complain are people who just own a car and don’t keep up with maintenance. You can’t expect to just drive and drive and drive and don’t take care of your interior or exterior or regular maintenance. I’ve had my 2006 IS 250 AWD since 2007 and it’s now at 160k+ miles still runs like I first bought it, still looks brand new. No rips or cracks on my interior or seats, no chips or scratches in and out since I detail it once every year. I also hand wash my car once every week too. Sounds like a lot of work but, if you want nice things to last you have to nurture and love and take really great care of them.
Definitely. I take care of all my builds super well and they last a long time and every one comments how clean they are. That's what happens when you are OCD lol
Should I get an 07 Is250 for 7k, it has 130k on it for the mileage? Should I even worry about the mileage when the cars are built so well
You should shop around, 7k is a fair price, but if you dont have an extra 4 grand on deck than you may have a hard time with this car... 10k is what you should be paying for a good one.
Bro tbh. I JUST bought an 07 IS250 TODAY for my first car for 6K w/ 120k miles on it. We should stay in touch abkut how our cars seem to compare 😁
@@nuke_love can you let me know how it goes as well I’m looking to get a 06 is250 for my first car but I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad for the payment stuff like is the insurance high or is it decent price for a high schooler
I had my IS250 Transmission Service two times in one year and I hope I didn't screw nothing up they never told me it was a lifetime fluid or none of that
lifetime fluid my ass.... no fluid is lifetime fluid.. you should change the transmission fluid every 70-80kms... But don't flush, just drain and refill.. Slipping can occur with flushing, also slipping can occur if transmission fluid has been change for the first time when the car has high mileage (like over 200k kms). If you done a drain and refill every 80k kms it will not slip.
2013 GS350 bought it at 78k miles 6 months later at 92k miles I've done rear pads and oil changes. Absolutely love this car, plan to take it to 250k miles minimum.
Also the 3.5 V6 is Direct Injected and port fuel.
Port injection kicks in under load and cold starts
Awesome stuff! I do love the port and direct injected V6s!
First and foremost, there is NO SUCH thing as a life-time fluid, and dont buy into the Long-Life crap alot of dealers are trying to sell on oils, to change every 2 years or 18600 miles. As a mechanic myself I always change my oils at 10k KM (6.2k miles) with filter. I change gearbox and brake/clutch fluids every 2 years, change your G13+ coolant every 5 years, depending on the type of oil for your powersteering (if still hydraulic) every 2 or 3 years. Dont save on maintenance is what I recommend.
Yea DENSO only it's the OEM
Or aisin 👀
The ISF 2008s had quite a bit of problems, but also account for more units than all the 2009-2014 models, I believe
I bought an isf 2009 3 years ago with 100k, and it was Lexus serviced every 5k. So I’ve continued the services, at between 105=200.00 every 5k, did my own brakes, ( Lexus wants 1k) and spark plugs ( 800 at Lexus...and a weekend job for my talent). Had a few items graciously fixed well after warranty. These items had service bulletins, like the rear view mirror wobbled, and something else small. So I’d say, buy a vehicle that’s been religiously serviced, by one owner, if possible, that has had all the service bulletins done that are applicable
Moving to the US for graduate school in September, and looking to acquire an IS 350 or an ES 350. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the info! I have a 2007 IS350 w/80k miles still like new!!! I bought it new, I LOVE my car!!! I have noticed the sticky door panels :( I will definitely call Lexus and see what they can do for me !
Kristen McLaughlin were they able to help you out?
German car owners wish these were their problems. These arent even problems. This is Lexus’ least quality made car and its still reliable as everything else
I had no idea my 11 Lexus isf was Lexus lowest quality car
When VAG speaks of GDI engine, don't be fooled an think they refer to Gasoline Direct Injection! It stands for Guaranteed Dealer Income.. Did you know btw why they use metal parts in their engine? It's because they have not figured out howto keep it together for 1 year using only plastic.
11 isf with 120k only issue was the cooling fan motor bushings. fixed it for 10 bucks.
Not many issues with the IS-F, it will eat the front tires fairly quickly. The stock exhaust manifolds (headers) tend to crack.
The starter on ours failed, apparently that's also a fairly common thing as where it's positioned it gets really hot
great video i just bought a couple days ago a 2012 IS 250 so far im very happy with it. I wanted the 350 but was just have a hard time finding one that was in good shape. all the ones i looked aat were pretty ragged out.
I want a IS350 F Sport. Drove one when I worked at a used car lot and was hooked
What year was the lexus that you drove? 2006-2012?
@@unknownsource4359 it was a '12. The only place it said F-Sport was under the hood on the engine. At the time I personally only knew of the IS-F. All I know is given the chance I would buy one.
I'm hunting for a black exterior and black interior is350 f sport. Got 15k for one. The hard part is not the money the hard part is finding one in black. They are very rare for that same reason I want one. I never even drove one bro. But just the look of the is350 F sport looks sexy.
Another common thing is rear calipers seizing. If I’m not mistaken, the left rear caliper has had more problems than the right. Mine is seized ( almost completely rusted) and I found out that I had been riding 3 sets of brakes instead of 4 this entire time.
I just had same seize issue on rear driver side caliper. I replaced both rear calipers myself and will check/lubricate them more frequently.
Previous owner of my '07 IS350 had rear caliper issues.
Mine did have that issue in the past, almost forgot
@@MartyMotoring Sir I bought 2012 IS 250 lexus it had low miles now I just hit 75k on it. My car always put to the left and right when I hit the breaks. I went to the lexus dealership twice and they examined everything but they didn’t find anything wrong in it but I’m having the same issue idk why my car pull right and left when I hit the breaks at 20 speed can you please tell me what’s wrong with that? Thank you so much
Recently bought a 06gs300 130k with code p0761. I hate it. It’s stuck in 3rd gear runs high rpms. Drained & fill twice now. Lexus sucks
I’ve had 0 issues with my 2012 is350. Basic stuff like suspension and headlights needing to be replaced at 100,000 miles. I put it on coil overs (lowered about 1.5 inches) and put in some new bulbs and haven’t had a problem since! I also added some sticker tires, so the car handles like it’s on rails. I can keep up with most cars on the back roads. I don’t think I’ll ever sell this car unless I see a chance to get an F
i know im driving a toyota camry, but the Lexus is so tasty.