rathead

time has come to trade my sti in. its just not for me anymore.
and i love the new is.
my wife has a 5 speed 02 is300, and i really like it.

but what kills me is the options. i want a 6 speed, but i wan the power of the is350.
i was thinking of a is250 in manual, x-package, and hid's.
but the 350 has crossed my mind as well.
and waiting for a underpowered 6 speed? when i could just buy a 350 on the spot.
people with 6-speeds, are you happy with the peformance?
also, my wifes is300, the manual trans feels like poop. are the 250 manuals the same way? clutch chatter? not smooth shifting? every time i get in my wifes car, i kind of hate driving with the trans.

i may go tonight. to see what kind of deal i can make with the dealer.
any big differences between 07-08?
thoughts?

FiveOhNine

The general impression is that the manual on the IS is weak at best. I came from a stick and said I'd never drive another slushbox. Unfortunately, I just could not resist the 350.....and we lived happily ever after....the end.

Try a search on the differences between 07-08 and general pricing talk.

arksun

I recently bought a 6MT and love driving it! Even though it may not be as swift as some Honda manual transmissions, it's good enough for me. The MT really squeezes out every bit of power in the engine and seems smooth to me during 2nd gear and on. I've driven all variations of the 2IS (except AWD), but decided that the IS350's power was not necessary for me (and I really wanted a manual ). I have not experienced any clutch chatter yet, but there seems to be a very very minor clutch shudder that is not very noticeable.

The only major difference that I can think of between the '07 and '08 model is that the '08 rims are a graphite color instead of a silver color. Looks very nice, IMO. You also get a small coin holder and the pouch in the back of the front seats are soft. If these features are not important to you, then I would suggest going with the '07 because you would be able to get a much bigger discount on them, granted that you can actually find any '07s left on the lot .

I recently got my 2008 6MT for $27,500 + TTL - Taste of Lexus Coupon ($750) .

Recluse

It's been a while since I test drove the IS300 5MT (twice), but I thought it had a MUCH smoother clutch and trans than the IS250 6MT, but I may be misremembering.

I've had the "jar of marbles" sound on my car, which I guess is the clutch chatter. Lexus replaced my clutch under warranty at 1400 miles, and it was quiet and smooth for roughly 300 miles after that. Then the noise came back.

Shifting on my car is pretty smooth (knock on wood). It's definitely rubbery, and occasionally a little notchy or balky, but it's generally OK.

The clutch is pretty bad. It has long pedal travel (I can't push it to the floor with my heel on still on the carpet), the engagement point is high, and the engagement is abrupt.

Truth is, on my test drive, I thought I could live with the shifting and clutch feel, and I didn't hear the clutch noise at all (it only happens when the car is pretty warmed up). However, after 8 months of ownership, I kind of hate driving it too.

Also something to keep in mind is that, to me, these issues may be magnified because the rest of the car is SO GOOD. I definitely think I would be more tolerant if the IS was a much cheaper car.

As is, everything in the IS feels like it was engineered for precision and quality and comfort. Then, they basically spoiled the whole experience with the clutch/trans from the TACOMA.

Anyway, sorry this is so long, but I hope it helps.

EDITED TO ADD: I also do 99% city driving, and I only get 13mpg.

ISF_GG

iTrader: (2)

You're coming from an STI. I think you'll be happier with the 306HP of the IS350. It won't feel like you've taken such a huge leap down in HP, and the auto trans really isn't a bad choice at all. Of course you should test drive both the IS250 and the IS350 before you make your final pick.

mikeho

I think in the end, it's about expectations. You're coming from an STI. While the IS is approximately the same size, it's much heavier. Remember that this is an entry sport-luxury car. At almost 2 tons, you're not going to get the horsepower-to-weight ratio that you want. Back in 2006, this car was up there on that ratio. According to my calculations, it was third out of six when comparing with the 3-series, the G35, the TSX, the A4, and the C-class. But that was two years ago. BMW has upped their power and the C-class is all-new.

It's all about personal preference. The throws are long for the manual (which is why I'm going to get the short shifter when it comes out in March). The clutch is long and deeper than that in my Outback (which is short and shallow). That set of combinations makes it a really easy car to drive and great for teaching new people how to drive stick. When I looked at the cars, I wanted something that was RWD and was luxurious enough to be comfortable. The IS250 is in a great price range compared to the competition and it has a lot of features that (back in 2006) weren't standard on other cars (like the glass sunroof, auto-dimming mirror, dual power seats). I don't expect it to go fast (though I try to gun it off the line once in a while for fun); I wanted a sporty, comfortable cruiser since I know I will be spending time in it driving places and I don't want to be sore at the end of the day. I hate driving automatics because I have to sit on the brake in traffic and at stop lights (I like sitting in neutral when I don't have to touch any of the pedals). I love manuals because traffic driving isn't all that bad (don't ride the clutch and take your time) and it makes me a better driver.

I upshift to slow the car most of the time in conjunction with the brakes and I try to touch the brakes as little as possible. It keeps me aware of everything that's going on and it makes me less prone to try to talk on the phone while driving without a headset. Instead of trying to go fast, I try to make my driving as smooth as possible - to the point where I've had friends ride in my car and only realized that I drove a manual when they looked at the shifter because my shifting was so smooth they thought it was an automatic.

Again, personal preferences and expectations. You want something fast, this car isn't it. If you want manual and power, get a BMW. This car isn't as sporty as the IS300. It's much heavier, more luxurious, with more sound proofing and a "softer" feel. That being said, the IS250 is more balanced and can handle corners better than the IS350 (front heavy). I can drive faster around corners than an IS350 because I know my car and its limits. I can control my engine speed with precision.

But I'm also biased because I hate paddle shifters and I think they're a cop-out. You now have Lamborghinis and Ferraris with paddle-shifting. What's up with that? Why do I want a computer to do something for me? Yeah, it can blip the throttle and upshift better than me, but that just makes me think I'm not good enough to handle my own car. No, I want a manual because I want to DRIVE a car, not steer a car.

rathead

thanks for the info so far.
i've thought about just keeping my sti. maybe doing some small mods to the is300 we already have.
im still going to check things out at a couple of dealers. i feel like i just wont be happy with an auto car. so it all depends on if any dealers will work with me on getting a 6-speed. im doing a trade in, so i will have no money(cash in hand) to put a deposit down to order a 6-speed.

i dont feel like i need a car with a lot of power any more. thats why im thinking of trading my sti in. i never use it for what its for. dont race, dont track, hell, i dont even speed. i take a train to work, so i dont need a car as a daily driver.
lots to think about.

kickin8

iTrader: (1)

1. It's very hard to find 6MT

2. If you want luxury and power is not an issue, then go with 250

3. Test drive a 6MT first....as what others said....different people have different expectation.

I liked my 6MT a lot......it's a good commuter car for me.

Recluse

I really think that the IS would be a tough car on which to learn MT. The long throw of the clutch pedal is definitely an asset, but the engagement is so high and abrupt/non-progressive that I think the learner would get frustrated pretty quickly.

Otherwise, I pretty much agree with everything you said.

Unreal

I went from an Evo to my IS250, and after 4 months I'm already looking to sell it and get something more sporty. Either get the 350 (the auto is actually nice) or something else IMO. I'm going to pick up an 08 vette once winter is over.

rathead

i went to the dealer by my house last night when they weren't open.
no 6-speeds on the lot. i asked them over the summer about testing driving a manual, they just acted like they wanted to sell me an auto. no help.
i may go there tonight to talk to someone.
if they are hard to come by, which i know they are, how do i get to test drive it? they also have a black 350 that i like. it had like 700 miles on it, and seemed to have all the options i would like.
but auto, i dont want to regret after owning the car for a few months.


my wife thinks i should try for the manual also. she wouldn't even look at the is300's in auto. she loves her 5-speed is300.

rathead

this is what i dont want to happen to me. i like my sti.
but i've always wanted to lexus project.

mikeho

Is it? This is my first MT car... Each clutch is different though and mine was very progressive and long, so it seems easier to shift smoothly. Definitely much easier to shift than my Subaru Outback! On the other hand, I can shift faster with the Outback.

mikeho

Is that the only dealership near you? If you can, call around. You might have to drive out to another dealership, but they should have them. IS250 6MTs are hard to come by. They're about 3% of US-bound cars, so trying to find one may be tricky. With a few exceptions, I think most MT owners on this site are happy with their car.

arksun

If you're willing to have them shipped to you, South Florida dealers have like...20 each, haha.