New guy here. I have been reading about the 2nd gen IS for a while and it has kept me intrigued for a long time. I am currently very happy with my current car, a 5 speed Mazda3, but I sometimes get the itch to look for what will come next.

I have read many threads discussing the 250 vs 350 and I know the 250 is underpowered when compared with the 350. I even read on another forum about someone that went from a Mazda 3 5 speed to an IS250 6MT and was still disappointed and ended up upgrading to an IS350.

I still have a lot to think about and research, but right now I'm getting stuck when figuring out the packages that are available on the IS250 6MT. At this point in time, I refuse to get an automatic car.

The Lexus site only allows a DVD package on the 6MT. I e-mailed Longo Lexus and the Internet sales guy told me that this version doesn't have any of the luxury options available in the automatic.

Soooo. My question is. What can a "loaded" IS250 6MT have? Can it have ML? HIDs? Seat Memory System?

 

when i ordered my car from work the only package options i had to choose from were X-Package with moon roof or without.

 

On Lexus.com the only options I have are these:

* Base Model $0.00
Base Model

* Bi-xenon High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps and Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS) with Additional Option $1,705.00
Bi-xenon High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps and Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS)
Additional Option:
- 18 x 8.0-in alloy wheels with 225/40YR18 tires front, 18 x 8.5-in alloy wheels with 255/40YR18 tires rear

* Bi-xenon High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps and Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS) with Additional Options $1,915.00
Bi-xenon High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps and Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS)
Additional Options:
- 18 x 8.0-in alloy wheels with 225/40YR18 tires front, 18 x 8.5-in alloy wheels with 255/40YR18 tires rear
- Trunk mat
- Wheel locks
- Cargo net

* Bi-xenon High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps and Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS) with Additional Options $1,984.00
Bi-xenon High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps and Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS)
Additional Options:
- 18 x 8.0-in alloy wheels with 225/40YR18 tires front, 18 x 8.5-in alloy wheels with 255/40YR18 tires rear
- Preferred accessory package (includes cargo net, trunk mat, wheel locks and rear bumper applique)

 

The only option comes "standard" (you still have to pay for the "options") are 18" wheels and HID.......you need to special order them if you want ANY of the packages....

 

If you want to buy one off the lot then choices are slim. The dealers figure the MT people are not into luxury and spec them accordingly. I have no idea what options you want but if you are looking for Luxury package or Nav you likely will have to order it unless you stumble across a special order somebody backed out of.

 

That would explain what the internet sales manager said in an e-mail:

"Sure, I'll be happy to assist you. When you say 6 speed, do you mean the manual transmission? If you are, the manual transmission does not come with the X package, Nav, ML audio, etc... It is our most basic vehicle in the IS series."

 

I got mine with Premium Package, X-Package, Moonroof and HIDs. They had a couple cars with the same packages at the dealerships in Northern VA area when I was purchasing my car.

 

I did go to Lexus Kearny Mesa a few weeks ago and they had one 6MT on the lot. It was a Smokey Granite Mica (the color I like) and I don't remember what packages it had but it did have HIDs and moonroof. I did not have time to drive it, I just sat in it and the sales guy turned it on.

Why do sales people have to tell lies like that? "does not come with the X package". He should have said "none of the ones in our lot have the package"

 

What kickin8 said: in CA, the 6MT model is very lightly equipped, and anything extra = a special order.

 

moonroof is STANDARD for ALL IS......

HID in CA is a "standard" option......

you can definitely get one with x-pkg, you just need to place a special order and it takes anytime from 4-6 months for delivery......

 

Oh and package wise I'm interested in getting the X Package, I want the HIDs, the moonroof, the memory seats, the heated/ventilated seats, the ML system. Not interested in NAV. I don't want the wood trim either.

That's why I wondered how loaded an IS250 6MT can be, because if some options are not available on it, like the ML, then I know what to expect when I look for the car or if they are available and I need to special order I can also take that into consideration.

 

I think you would need the Sports package then not the X-Package.

 

If you want memory/heated/ventilated seats , you HAVE to live with the wood trim....

If ML is a must, you definitely need to special order it.....

 

memory/heated/ventilated seats + HID+ Moonroof+ Silver interior(NOT wood) = Sports package

ML= major special order. Its hard to get ML without the NAV but it can be done.


if your pretty much going full loaded why not get the Nav integrated as well? the ML system i think is around 1500? nav is 2500

 

Hmm I guess I could live without the ventilated part. The normal seats are heated right? Still not a priority living in SoCal.

I think Sport Package is 350 only. At least that's what the brochure says.

What about the rain sensing wipers? Can those be had without the luxury package? What about the seat memory? Those things are also not that important, but buying a luxury car I would want to get as many options as possible just in case I want to use them sometime.

BTW. Thanks for the replies.