Want to buy an IS250
06-25-24, 09:46 AM
#16
Hey received notifications about the likes, so I'll post my opinion about whatever is this car worth getting in 2024, this might be most insightful to you, even if it's just an opinion. These are the 2 following specs I would go for, for different reasons:
1) Manual in any spec (this is what I have). Solid choice as an entry level project car. Lower it and put some nice wheels on it. Install a Y38 LSD. Get any exhaust upgrade, it will sound great!
Pros: RWD, V6, manual, sounds good, looks good. 4 dour sedan, you can daily it!
Cons: Not a quick car (8 sec to 100Km). Can suffer from clutch/tranny related issues. Hard to make all the mods road legal if you are living in certain EU countries...
2) Automatic in Luxury+ package. A relatively cheap, upmarket, comfortable compact sedan.
Pros: comfortable, quiet, drives nicely, looks good. Feature packed for almost 20 year old car. Keyless as standard. In luxury and above you get leather, power, memory, heated seats, power steering wheel, auto wipers, auto dimming mirrors, NAV (with reverse camera), Mark Levinson audio (optional), etc...
Cons: Not much room on the back seats. Can't fold them either. You'll have to get aftermarket media unit for modern Apple/Android connectivity. Not very economical with fuel. Lackluster interior compared to European competition of the time (this was before Lexus stepped up their interior game).
So in 2024, IMO automatic is not worth having if you want something sporty. IMO too slow to be fun with automatic gearbox (the paddle shifters act just as gear limiters, you can't actually make the car shift as you would want it to). With manual on other hand, you can rev that V6 as you like, so it's fun to drive regardless...
1) Manual in any spec (this is what I have). Solid choice as an entry level project car. Lower it and put some nice wheels on it. Install a Y38 LSD. Get any exhaust upgrade, it will sound great!
Pros: RWD, V6, manual, sounds good, looks good. 4 dour sedan, you can daily it!
Cons: Not a quick car (8 sec to 100Km). Can suffer from clutch/tranny related issues. Hard to make all the mods road legal if you are living in certain EU countries...
2) Automatic in Luxury+ package. A relatively cheap, upmarket, comfortable compact sedan.
Pros: comfortable, quiet, drives nicely, looks good. Feature packed for almost 20 year old car. Keyless as standard. In luxury and above you get leather, power, memory, heated seats, power steering wheel, auto wipers, auto dimming mirrors, NAV (with reverse camera), Mark Levinson audio (optional), etc...
Cons: Not much room on the back seats. Can't fold them either. You'll have to get aftermarket media unit for modern Apple/Android connectivity. Not very economical with fuel. Lackluster interior compared to European competition of the time (this was before Lexus stepped up their interior game).
So in 2024, IMO automatic is not worth having if you want something sporty. IMO too slow to be fun with automatic gearbox (the paddle shifters act just as gear limiters, you can't actually make the car shift as you would want it to). With manual on other hand, you can rev that V6 as you like, so it's fun to drive regardless...
Last edited by jedan; 06-25-24 at 09:57 AM.
06-26-24, 07:33 AM
#17
Hi again! Thanks to everyone for the responses, it actually helped my perspective alot!
Let me respond to some of you:
1. I cannot find any 350s here in Iceland at all. Only GS300s and IS 250s.
2. In iceland any special car or US branded car like Acura are very rare and VERY expensive
3. The carbon build-up issue is something that I researched but I wanted to be very sure of it, so thank you!
4. Mods are something that i'm not that into for myself, maybe engine mods in the future(not very sure), so most of the "mods" that i'm gonna do are either a duck lip type spoiler and some nice rims
Thanks again,
Leo.
Let me respond to some of you:
1. I cannot find any 350s here in Iceland at all. Only GS300s and IS 250s.
2. In iceland any special car or US branded car like Acura are very rare and VERY expensive
3. The carbon build-up issue is something that I researched but I wanted to be very sure of it, so thank you!
4. Mods are something that i'm not that into for myself, maybe engine mods in the future(not very sure), so most of the "mods" that i'm gonna do are either a duck lip type spoiler and some nice rims
Thanks again,
Leo.
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