5 Things You NEED TO KNOW About the Lexus IS250 & IS350!

Thinking about buying a Lexus IS250 or IS350? Hold on just a minute! In this video, we'll reveal the top 5 things you NEED to know before making a purchase.
First, did you know the Lexus IS250 and IS350 don't come with fold-down rear seats? That's right, if you need extra space for hauling larger items, you're out of luck.
Next is fuel economy and power, or the lack of it. While the IS250 and IS350 have impressive reliability with many cars going well over 300,000km, they both comparatively lack in power and have middling fuel economy at best. They also require premium fuel for not-so-premium engine performance.
We'll also discuss the direct injection engine used in these vehicles, and what that means for maintenance and repair costs.
Moving on to technology, we'll take a closer look at the infotainment system in the IS250 and IS350. Is it user-friendly and intuitive, or does it leave something to be desired?
Finally, we'll examine the issue of degrading plastics in these vehicles. Are they prone to cracking, fading, or other forms of wear and tear?
This comprehensive video guide will explore all of these factors and more. Whether you're a first-time Lexus buyer or a seasoned pro.
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[@alannguyen5050]

Youre so right with this list! I also want to add that these cars have weaker water pumps so change that out at 100k miles to the newer updated version that has the flower pedal design on the pully holder. Another big issue is uneven tire wear on the front tires that leads to excessive inner tire wear and a remedy for this is to change to stiffer LCA bushings from either the Lexus RCF or the Figs Engineering or RR Racing polyurethane bushings. As for my biggest concern with my IS250, the sticky door panels and dash really bother me as I am always touching the door panels to get in and out of the car and they leave a nasty residue on clothes and my hands, so I fixed this by upholstering all the door panels in black leather and this really makes the interior a nice place to be. There are also plug and play android headunits for these generation cars with apple carplay and andriod auto (both wireless) that I have for my Lexus and its really helped to improve the technology of the car. As for the sticky dash, I just put a high quality dash cover on and that's it. These are such reliable and solid cars, and if you want to get the best gas mileage make sure to use high quality tires and change the transmission and differential fluids on time.

[@carswithsonduren]

This is a great summary of those other important items to make note of I hope everyone sees :) The wonderful thing is as you show, many of these items can be addressed! Such a wonderful car, and Carplay and Android Auto support would really help bring this car forward to 2023!

[@iAmAdrianClarke]

How much did the leather door panels cost you?

[@alannguyen5050]

@Adrian Clarke I used about $60 in materials from buying leather on Amazon, and then going to Walmart to buy 3M 90 high strength spray adhesive and DAP contact cement. There are some videos on KZbin explaining how to remove the door panels and how to isolate the sticky portion so you could upholster it in leather.

[@iAmAdrianClarke]

@@alannguyen5050 appreciate you, I'll look into it 🙏🏿

[@ayo9057]

How important is fuel octane with these vehicles ? Where I live premium gas is $1 more per gallon vs regular so it hurts.

[@silencebone]

Being the is250 is direct injection, a way to reduce the valves carboning up is to run a catch can on the pcv valve and to the intake. Intake sucks gas from the block from the pcv valve, this gas is burned up oil, this causes the carbon on the valves. Catch can will catch up most of the oil from the gas. Thus reducing carbon build up on the valves. Also there is a hose coming of the valve cover going to the intake. Block it of on the intake and run a filter on the valve cover. That hose is where the engine also sucks up burned up oil from the block, this can cause sludge on the throttlebody and all in the intake. By removing that hose from the intake and running the catch can the engine is going to have "fresher" air going in and can improve mpg as well. That burned up oil gas reduces gasoline efficiency.

[@germancastillo8478]

finally someone who talk about carbon build up in direct injection engines, thanks you! most people does not talk about it

[@carswithsonduren]

Definitely important to talk about and remember :) anytime glad you found the video helpful and welcome to the channel!

[@jayl1712]

I daily a is250 2012. In 2yrs of owner ship. I have changed led bulbs, oil pan gasket and transmission oil change, tune up, throttle body and sensor cleaned, replaced main fusible battery relay due to faulty battery, and rest Computer. All in all Love this Car. I Live in Dtla and car is good on the free way, nice enough to Sit in for 1 - 2hrs of daily traffic. Hahaha

[@winsonlee8956]

Very concise and well put together list you have here Sounderen! Always love listening to you giving Lexus the love they deserve! Definitely noticed a few of these before I've purchased my own 250/350, but honestly, very standard for any aging vehicle and are only very minor inconveniences. The overall driving experience as well as the performance on the 350 brings more far more value than what I paid for these vehicles. I see a lot of comments about varying fuel economy but I feel it heavily depends on where you guys live as harsh weather conditions, and higher traffic congestion (stop and go driving) will definitely raise your fuel economy. For a frame of reference, I've driven exact same year/model Corollas last Spring/Summer in both Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton, and I definitely get better mileage in Edmonton (smaller city, barely any trafffic, more accessible highway and higher speed limit). That being said winter time in Edmonton can be as low as -40°C, so you'll definitely burn more gas heating up your cars during this time. As for the carbon buildup, i have yet to encounter and I hope its due to all the highway driving I do! Any other maintenance items (aside from running engine hard) you guys would recommend in preventing this?

[@carswithsonduren]

Thanks Winston and totally agree with you on the fuel economy. It’s going to vary greatly by person naturally based on many of those conditions you describe. Especially for our winters, that definitely impacts fuel economy negatively from the fuel mix, tires, temperature, run time and more. For the carbon build up, that’s basically it. I know some people try Sea foam as well but from what I read online a good hard sprint once in a while is the best medicine.

[@staywackzach]

The IS350 is beautifully unique in the fact that it has dual injection technology. It has primary direct injectors, but also has secondary port injectors. This allows it to keep carbon from building up on the back of the valves and also allows reliable smooth performance from the secondary at low rpms, and some unexpected power when the direct injectors kick in at high rpms.

[@DisneyMusicVideos]

I'm still blown away every time I see one of these cars & how great they still look after all of these years later. I always wanted one, but bought a third gen 2017 IS200t F-Sport instead cause of the newer tech & drove that car for less than two years. The rear seats do fold down in that gen which is a nice plus. I upgraded to a 2016 GS350 F-Sport almost four years ago since I needed a bigger car with more space, plus they're less common on the road than the IS's & especially the ES's since they sadly never sold well. The rear seats don't fold on my GS, but i'm OK with that since the trunk is much larger & I very rarely have ever needed to the fold the rear seats down in all of the previous sedans I've owned.

[@mikesaba1704]

Love my 2006 is350. 285k miles and has only broken down on me twice since day 1

[@auggiesurfer]

What was it when it broke down?

[@gloriousdeadkid]

Loved this video, I’m going to check one out next week and possibly buying it 👀

[@carswithsonduren]

You should! Let me know if you end up pulling the trigger!

[@bc8580]

Agreed on all counts. This engine is not as exciting as the previous inline 6 on the IS300 but got this as a daily driver because it had a six speed manual transmission. Had it decarbonated upon acquisition, replaced all fluids, spark plugs and more. Expect it to last forever with proper maintenance. Thank you for sharing this video.

[@carswithsonduren]

That’s awesome it will absolutely last for a lifetime and you did all the right maintenance 👌 it’s very rare to find the six speed manual version I wish I had that.

[@thijs5931]

How do you like the Manual Transmission? Heard some varying opinions about it online.

[@bc8580]

@@thijs5931 It’s OK as a daily. If you’ve driven a Mazda 6, they’re similarly. Nothing exciting but it does the job. I definitely prefer the first generation IS300 5 speed manual. That inline 6 is an eargasm.

[@thijs5931]

@@bc8580 Thanks. These manual 250's are pretty easy to find here in Europe, and I'll probably get one.

[@bc8580]

@@thijs5931 👍

[@Victor-vz2qu]

Thanks man!! Good information..

[@carswithsonduren]

Glad you found it helpful and welcome to the channel!

[@firewall8047]

The run it fast once and awhile is so true bro 🤣🤣

[@yeetmaster8050]

Good list!

[@carswithsonduren]

Thanks man :)

[@randyrawdingii5135]

My 08 has been great. Bought it with 100k last year and have only done a couple things other than oil and tires. I've resurfaced my headlights but that is beginning to look yellow again. Gotta change oil tomorrow, full syn always with a Wix filter. The rear seats drive me crazy, as i need to borrow a truck to do certain things now. Currently in the middle of a complete sound system upgrade. Upgraded the stereo fascia to the Scosche touchscreen and a double din. Component speakers, amps and spare tire sub is waiting in my living room LOL. The most annoying thing to me really is the dash and door panels tho as that recall fix wasn't performed and is out of warranty now. Overall tho, this has been an amazingly reliable, low maintenance (compared to many) vehicle, and to me that's most important. Thanks for the vid, great stuff, God bless!

[@lukerchabot]

I owned a 2is 350 and my list would be way different. Great car overall but my top 3 would be: 1. melting dash. Looks terrible and can make it difficult to see on sunny days. 2. LCA bushings are poorly designed from the factory. They cause premature tire wear and eat through tires relatively quickly. I believe RR Racing makes a kit but it’s still something you need to replace. 3. The open rear diff. This car is a paperweight in snow even with snow tires and not great in rain either. I put some sticky federal tires on, for summer tires, when I had it and always found the open diff to be a limiting factor. Although expensive, it is well worth the investment to jump up to an LSD.

[@mactrek69]

purchasing one this weekend!

[@carswithsonduren]

You are going to love it!

[@tashfeenuk]

Very good review. No rear folding seat 😢

[@jolyvincent]

Been owning a 2008 AWD IS250 for the last 10 years and I wholeheartedly agree. Still looks amazing despite the 250k KMs. I give her a good beating every day to clean the injectors. I use a BlackBerry Music Gateway as « infotainment ». I got the exhaust fixed the ghetto way so I now I have to live with a permanent CEL from the O2 sensor but don’t give AF. Bought a 2019 Trail for the family.

[@carswithsonduren]

Damn 10 years! That is amazing man and glad it’s still serving you well :)

[@ryanmunoz4006]

A person who does cumputer/race tunes can deactivate those sensors to get rid of CEL and also improve performance

[@frankinsensed8058]

Totally agree on the shortcomings. I don't quite know what Toyota was thinking when it came to the back seats, or the cartridge oil filter in 2009? I will add that the "permanent" ATF is not reality for any ATF, and changing it requires a scan tool that can read AT temperature in real time due to the missing ATF dipstick in such an relatively expensive car. I also will add that the headroom for someone over 6' is pretty poor, to the extent that entering and exiting the vehicle reminds me a lot of the early astronauts getting in and out of the early "space vehicles", if that is what they were.

[@carswithsonduren]

Yep agreed with these statements and they are valid, minor imho but valid.

[@carswithsonduren]

One could say some of these flaws add some character to the car, I will let you all decide that 😁

[@zjelkonovic9762]

I agree on most of the things you mentioned, except for the fuel economy. My IS250 uses 12 liter during city drives per 100 kilometer but on the highway doing 90MPH on average I easily get 7 liter per 100 kilometer, sometimes even less. Above 100 MPH the use increases significantly to 10l per 100 Keep up the good word with the video's 🙂

[@carswithsonduren]

The fuel economy is probably due to mine being very high mileage and also my speed probably:)

[@mannym1248]

My 2008 IS250 has the same issue and it's actually a factory defect that makes the dash and door panels sticky and chips off. Mine was covered in a recall but the last owner didn't get it in to get it fixed in time before I had purchased it since it only had a 10 year window period from the year the car was originally the car was made. The other thing to look out for on these cars are the waterpumps and camber which prematurely wears out tires. The touchy windows and one cupholder gets me too but otherwise I love this car and its still a head turner to this day. Mine has the VLand headl and taillights so it looks stealthy with the Smokey Granite Mica Grey. Great video and I enjoyed watching it.

[@carswithsonduren]

Nice upgrades to your IS! I wanted the VLand as well. Good call outs as well thanks for adding :)

[@shaunmychale2754]

Since my recall expired on my 06 lexus told me i had to pay $1500 to replace the panels . Disappointed when lexus told me

[@ryanmunoz4006]

@@shaunmychale2754how long is the recall

[@graceliu8930]

Where to go for getting the sticky and chips off problem fixed?🙏

[@iShowUnusualBehavior]

The seats not folding down is part of what makes the car so fun to drive. The chasis is braced/reinforced behind the seat to stiffin the the chasis for both safety and handling reasons. I dont know any rear wheel drive sport sedans with back seats that fold down.

[@louisfredgagnon]

As an Acura enthusiasts, previoisly owned a 2007 Csx k20z3 type S and currently owning a 2009 k24z3 TSX, i'm kinda looking for a is 250. Ok i'd sacrifice some fuel economy, but dang these v6 sound good and look amazing. 🎉

[@jonharry6293]

My IS convertible is a 2009 66k on the clock, Lexus UK look after it for a low cost, it’s been completely reliable, Lexus Maidstone have said it’s one of the best cars they have ever worked on, it’s factory mint. PS I only use Top Quality fuel NOT E10.

[@mazzter1427]

I absolutely agree I recently purchased my is250 for 1800 dollars with 285000 miles it runs so good for the mileage I'm surprised granted the transmission has been rebuilt from previous owner yet still the car runs great totally interested in a 350 as my next car

[@carswithsonduren]

Glad you are having the same experience! One of the best cars I’ve ever ever owned, and has turned me into a permanent Lexus and Toyota fan.

[@parrott350]

yeah great car, wouldn't give up my 2006 IS 350 for nothing! yeah the dash is melting and the rear window makes a squeak-creak noise when dry in sun for a day ( I can't hear it because I run with the window down, but my wife still has excellent hearing) and she can hear it. LOL She can hear some brake dust sometimes, I can't unless its obvious loud. Rinse it out its fixed: ) Ordered this car in October 2005 and picked up in March 2006 and 83500 miles, 17 years later, they don't make'em like this anymore! I find that Michelin Pilot sports are the quietest on this car. If you have a recommendation, I only run summer tires in Virginia, Its never been in snow or salt. Liked and subscribed ! best, chuck

[@carswithsonduren]

Thanks for sharing Chuck and welcome to the channel :)! That’s insane you have had this car for 17 years. Wow. Great to hear your experience has been positive, if I ever come down to Virginia one day I want to see this beautiful example you got! 🙏

[@KingDrewPhilip]

I love my little Lexus. The only flaw I would point out is direct injection but it’s manageable. One other flaw (but totally not)? She’s too pretty and every time I park I look back at it, and one time I walked into a pole instead of paying attention of what’s in front of me.

[@carswithsonduren]

I agree 100% Andrew! Welcome to the channel btw make sure you subscribe for more videos coming :) I do the same, it’s honestly a beautiful design that stands the test of time.

[@JazeebAbdul97]

What about the rear seats? Rear passengers find them comfortable or no?

[@omerarvo1418]

@@JazeebAbdul97yes passenger fall asleep quickly 😊

[@zacharypalczynski8450]

4GR is the worst engin lexus has made, the Is350 has the 2GR-fse that’s the one ya want, minus still water pumps around 60-100k change trans fluid at 60k always use synthetics and always flush and change AWD fluids every 30K and you’re golden

[@weejeeman4637]

I'm late to the show but I just bought an 09 IS250. Do you have any tips for dealing with the sticky deteriorating dash problem?

[@siteralynell1476]

Thank you for this information. I love my 08 Lexus IS250. It still performs great It just need strut repairs and cosmetic work. I was able to have the dash board and door panels replaced in a recall. Toyota paint is horrible. I think they should’ve had a recall for the issue. I have to get a new paint job, replace the side moldings on the windows, new headlights and repair the hood due to it will not stay up.

[@jthanrubio1126]

I love my Lexus IS!

[@carswithsonduren]

Which year and model you got?!

[@pxnto7409]

Where do I buy the plastic door molds and etc?

[@mahdavimail]

Not folding seats are intentionally for Body rigidity I believe which is very good. Tnx for vidéo

[@carswithsonduren]

Anytime Hojat, that makes sense but still something I wish it had.

[@johannmartin520]

To avoid Carbon build-up the car must be driven in a responsive manner (Hard)

[@DAndyLord]

I just purchased my 2010. It is giving me about 9ish litres/100km mixed highway and city.

[@rapufanatyk2196]

2010 f sport, and Seats ok, fuel efficiency On highway ? I am getting 40-42UK MPG its around 6,7-7,1L on cruise control 70mph , I am changing oil once a year 5w40 because I am often going crazy with him when it rains in the London, what means its ofter raining the "winter" and brakes calipers sliders checking if not stuck, infotainment I got BT and its $400 if you don't like stock screen..

[@DaInfamous0ne]

I prefer the IS350. Port and Direct Injecton. It doesn't have the 250 issues. And more hp

[@carswithsonduren]

Agreed

[@earx23]

Rear seats are like this to increase the stiffness. It drives better because of it. To clean carbon buildup you need to do more than just replace oil and oil filters. You need to clean out the engine. Dash cracks.. well, only if you don't garage park it and if you're in a really warm climate.

[@leightonevans1071]

I've got dash cracks living in the UK where it pisses down all the time 😅

[@Bigdaddy-ht2gn]

I picked an 08 is250 awd a couple months ago for my first car the mileage is 180k , car runs great. It ended up costing me around 4100k which is not a terrible price at all

[@sanchilandscapedesign6316]

Dang I can only find these around 8k+

[@Keego0201]

I was hoping it would get slightly better fuel economy, I'm looking at moving up from a Scion tC, I get around 7.8L/100km and produce pretty well same power. So that's unfortunate, I'm just looking for something a bit more comfortable to drive.

[@MiKe_eKiM]

1 cupholder lol. get the gs350. it got parking sensos too

[@Marcoshary]

Very good video. Very informative. Thanks. I'm still thinking about buying an IS250 F-Sport 2014, so it's the 3rd generation. There's one that is in great shape and very well kept. The only thing that is "getting me" is, is it powerful enough. So, what would you say about this? Is it? If we intend to use it daily driving and have some fun, is it s fun car to drive, enviable enjoyable ride? For example, just as reference, if someone is used to a BMW 118i F20 or a 320i F30, and switches to a IS250 F-Sport 2014, would that person he satisfied? Thanks in Avance

[@carswithsonduren]

I think they would be IMHO. I would do it :)

[@Marcoshary]

@@carswithsonduren Very nice! Thanks :)

[@ahahuehafook4207]

Look at IS350 or GS350 then the 2gr-fse and fks are awesome

[@Michael-qv3sg]

Any vids of the R8 coming soon? 😀

[@carswithsonduren]

Yes, a lot more very soon :) Some special racing stuff!

[@rawbagel4881]

Is350 engine is pretty peppy for a V6. More than enough to accidentally spin tires, slide on accident, ect.. they are a very fun car. Paired with f sport suspension or aftermarket it's been one of my favorite cars to drive. Handles amazingly, beats g35 s and similar powered cars in races, and is the most reliable car I've ever owned. If the biggest problem is an infotainment system that can be upgraded and rear seats that don't fold, and plastics that fade or crack(like all old Lexus's).. that's a win in my book

[@rawbagel4881]

Not to mention the 350 doesnt have that carbon buildup issue. I would personally never buy a 250, it's worth looking a little longer and paying a couple grand more

[@patricklachance6880]

So for my IS350 only 3/5 things apply. Nice.

[@trailrunnah8886]

Great info! These just showed up on my radar, I'm looking for a comfortable commuter to stop putting so many miles on my 4Runner, I do 60 a day highway. I'm sold with these can be reliable long-term, however would you pick one up with nearly 200k miles? I'm seeing a lot of high mileage ones listed near me.

[@atinele1986]

Well it doesnt give you good gas mileage but mine has 161,000 miles on it and i gave some guy a ride back to his house (i saw him struggling with some bags in front of the grocery store, some old timer) and he said that these cars can run up to half a million miles. We will see. Typically people sell their cars after they hit the 100k mile mark so these are still good to go after that and after the 200k mark too according to him. However, i would see wether the owner of the car that youre trying to buy was meticulous with the car or not, you can tell by pictures of the car and the description, also by talking to the owner wether he is truthful or is bluffing. Hope you found a good commuter car! God bless!

[@kingjamokrates2560]

I have a similar commute and my 06' is350 gets 25mpg but averages only 19mpg

[@trailrunnah8886]

@@atinele1986 thanks for the info. I did more research on these and decided against it, the is250 is one of the only Toyota products that the Car Care and not advises against. Apparently the 2.5 direct injection can be problematic.

[@trailrunnah8886]

@@kingjamokrates2560 thanks for the info. I did more research and decided against it, like you said, they're not that great on fuel so it's not really worth it to spend the money as a commuter car. What I would spend on this will pay for a couple years worth of fuel for my 4Runner.

[@kingjamokrates2560]

@@trailrunnah8886 Yeah I love my car but at this fuel rate I might as well be driving a newer gen Tacoma.

[@erickvillanueva6506]

I wanna add the trunk not opening when you hit the button on the fob

[@rabinboedhoe3533]

Change the wornout trunkstrut,i bought a"bolk"branded one,and changed it,and works perfect!it only cost me like 8 dollar

[@ImJustStandingHere]

The early gen direct injection engine in the 250 is actually muss less reliable compared to that of the 350

[@labratnation]

you forgot the stereo amp issue

[@eghieyemark1208]

Thank you for this information.. but where's the engine number located in is250

[@carswithsonduren]

I’m not actually sure

[@Fool-uf8ys]

Should be under the hood

[@nathanb1972]

The door mirrors tend to go over time too.

[@KingDrewPhilip]

Carbon buildup blew up my is250 engine and now she died. Kidding she’s alive and well. I had it checked out and there is carbon buildup but light buildup. Nothing that would require a massive cleaning like a walnut blasting. It must be because I use synthetic oil, premium gas, and drive it hard sometimes.

[@carswithsonduren]

Damn Andrew how many kilometres did you have on it? Any other details?

[@KingDrewPhilip]

In the USA so it’s 135k miles. Previous owner also really kept an eye out on the carbon issue. He also used premium only and consistent oil changes. So that’s why it wasn’t so bad. I think if someone bought one of these with 200k miles however, check the intake valves for sure.

[@Bloody1Mary]

Mine keeps shaking and shivers when I’m in a complete stop or driving and Idk why took it to many places no one fixed it for me

[@jeko622]

if you want to clean the carbon build up from an engine use 50/50 mix of petrol and e85. The alcohol will burn the shit and clean the valves

[@sodaPapa7176]

I've owned my 09 250 for a mo month now. ITS BEEN AWESOME. It's a reliable fun daily that also rides like a luxury car for an outstanding price

[@carswithsonduren]

Glad to hear that you are enjoying it! It’s going to give you a smile every time you turn her on!

[@Vito9124]

I'm considering getting an IS250 for a daily driver. How quiet are they inside for normal driving/on the motorway? How is the comfort for long journeys? I'm coming from a Saab 9-5.

[@carswithsonduren]

Honestly, it’s not super quiet but it’s not super loud. It’ll be fine for what you need to do.

[@lotus956]

I drove a RC 350 recently and was disappointed. That car is truly more for looks and gas mileage. Performance wise you might as well get a IS 250 RSport.

[@cuzr702]

The side view mirrors can just fall off. Had it happen to both of mine. The stereo has been glitching on mine sometimes too, not sure if that is common. I know the mirrors are a common issue though.

[@carswithsonduren]

Never heard of the mirrors falling off that’s so odd.

[@andrewolson4280]

I am curious about how well the 250 corners though. I have to guess with double wishbone suspension in the front probably helps the car corner rather sharply?

[@carswithsonduren]

Yes it does!

[@andrewolson4280]

@@carswithsonduren see with suspension like that as a daily driver it doesn’t need to be fast to be fun. All you need are the right roads to explore the corners and that car I can imagine will give you quite a smile with its handling without risking a speeding ticket lol

[@carswithsonduren]

Exactly. While many people tell me how can it be fun with little power, I explain it’s kind of like driving a go cart.

[@andrewolson4280]

@@carswithsonduren and it comes standard with independent rear suspension and an lsd correct?

[@derciomichaque1411]

Very inspiring video. I have recently bought on IS 250, with 89k km, I'm deeply worried about the carbon build up issue, can you recommend me the oil and the filter you use, and also the changing frequency?

[@carswithsonduren]

I have been changing it every 8000 km with full synthetic Penzoil Platinum and a filter. Make sure to drive the car hard once in a while to really get rid of the buildup. If you’re driving less than 8000 km at minimum do it every year.

[@derciomichaque1411]

@@carswithsonduren Thanks. I will use this oil and filter. As I'm paranoid I think on 5000 km i will change the oil 😂

[@carswithsonduren]

That’s a bit early but it’s fine :)

[@michaelgood1791]

A BG products injection flush will help this.

[@jayl1712]

You have to use premium Gasoline at all times. It’s listed on Gas cap. Clean throttle body and sensor.

[@6th.replicant577]

Surprised by your highway fuel consumption. My ‘09 does 38-40mpg (7.5-7.1L/100km) cruising at c. 80mph (128km/h). Fuel: 98RON Shell V-power. Oil: Toyota/Lexus-spec fully synthetic.

[@carswithsonduren]

Interesting. It could be a combination of winter driving + tires being slightly less inflated + winter gas + my engine being at 370,000km. Good to hear though your getting much better fuel economy!

[@sorryjordi]

What do you mean by run the car hard to clean it? Is it good to redline once in a while? Or even make the rpm bounce from it being too high?

[@carswithsonduren]

Yes it’s good to redline once in a while it’s needed!

[@sorryjordi]

@carswithsonduren I just found out yesterday that it makes a cool bounce sound when you redline it (I got a muffler delete a month ago) but I'm not sure if it's bad to do that

[@carswithsonduren]

@sorryjordi2975 yeah that’s fine if you do that. Obviously don’t do it super often but you do need to do it once in a while.

[@lujiuwang6220]

Hi， Sonduren. I have 2010 IS250 RWD , with 102000 km now. I just changed the gearbox oil at the dealer shop a month ago, but they didn't remove the oil pan at the bottom. Is this correct?

[@carswithsonduren]

That should be fine! How has been your ownership experience so far?

[@lujiuwang6220]

@@carswithsonduren I am the fourth owner of the car. When I got the car, it was only 94,000km. After changing the transmission oil, there is no change from before. Will the next time I change the transmission oil be 200,000km? From your video, I change costco full synthetic oil 0w-20 every 8000km. I live in Halifax now, which is a little different from yours. The reason for this is because the first time I went to the dealer to change the oil, they changed it to 0w-20. So I don’t want to change the oil type all the time, I always use 0w-20. I am now 10L/km

[@carswithsonduren]

Yes, you can change the transmission fluid at that time. Just so you know, Lexus claims that the transmission fluid was a lifetime fluid but people still want to change it for the peace of mind. If you can get access to Costco full synthetic then awesome it’s a great oil!

[@Amber57499]

Where are the links to the magsafe and aux plug thing? :D

[@carswithsonduren]

Updated :) Sorry about that - check the video description now: ESR HaloLock MagSafe Car Mount USA: amzn.to/3qc00zp CAN: amzn.to/3Qjvm1P Aux Bluetooth Receiver 5.0 USA: amzn.to/3RfGv5b CAN: amzn.to/3CGfCmo

[@Amber57499]

Thank you!!

[@garbanzobean2479]

I wish I got 5k miles a year!!! I do two sometimes three a year on my 350 5k oil change

[@umeayorchiagozie7969]

Please im confused about this car but i love the styling. I want to ask, does this car consume lots of fuel ? In my area fuel is very costly and i want to own this car. Please i want to know. Does this car consume fuel too much? This car and toyota corolla 07 model which amongest them consume and saves fuel better Please i need an honest thank you ❤

[@Aaron-fb6mb]

07 corolla uses less fuel than this. 07 corolla: 29 miles per gallon. 07 is250: 24 miles per gallon. But I hear is250 mpg is usually even less

[@FRalex152]

With my 250, i have 8 Liters/ 100 km on highway at 110km/h ( 65 miles per hour) with premium fuel Mixt road i have 11L/km In city 13 15L/km 2007 IS 250 rwd with 230 000 kilomètres

[@someotherguy43]

The pool of water in the trunk by the amp after rain

[@MarcG7424]

Sunroof drain is clogged

[@elbori679]

My 2015 lexus is 250 the rear seat fold down

[@carswithsonduren]

New model has it that is awesome

[@StockCarGuy]

can’t really find an is350 :/ only thing that worries me with the is250 is carbon build up

[@carswithsonduren]

If it’s properly maintained I wouldn’t worry too much about it to be honest.

[@paulbeck1203]

Keep your dish treated with a good conditioner and covered up when it’s in the hot sun it’ll last forever

[@teechunphakvenn8979]

If you want performance and horse power. Buy the Lexus ISF,a V8 5.0 liter version of it

[@Homelessisfun]

If I maintain this car and am aware of the carbon buildup issues, and I walnut blast it or clean it at some point… can this car last to 300k miles or more? I really like the design it’s beautiful. I want the 250 as 350’s are so hard to find.

[@carswithsonduren]

Yes, it should last that no problem if well-maintained as you were describing.

[@Homelessisfun]

@@carswithsonduren I worry a lot sometimes so I always have lots of questions before I purchase something large like a car. I shall keep the IS250 in mind. It’s so sexy

[@raidenb4512]

Did you sell yours ? We don't see videos of those since a year now.

[@carswithsonduren]

I did :( I had a baby and needed something bigger and got a Lexus NX350h

[@raidenb4512]

@@carswithsonduren Congratulations ! My baby is coming next month, and I bought an UX250h. In France it is quite a big car 😅. But the NX it is the best deal by far in the Lexus line-up now. 👍

[@carswithsonduren]

@raidenb4512 wow awesome it’s going to change your life (the baby and car!). Congratulations!

[@raidenb4512]

@@carswithsonduren Exactly, reliability all the way ! Cheers !

[@tommy.OB22]

Infotainment is probably bad in yours because yours is a base model and you don’t have the touch screen. Touch screen is pretty useful

[@gursewaksandhu8996]

Mine cost me transmission 😢

[@hansejooify]

Hello im planning to buy one soon! The cracked dashboard and melting dashboard issue only happens for 2006,2005, 2007,2008 models right? From my info when you get a 2009 and later models you won’t experience the melting dash. What do u think? Lemme know?

[@carswithsonduren]

2009 less likely but I know those who have cracked dashboards even in later model years.

[@hansejooify]

@@carswithsonduren thank u for the quick reply. so would you say the best model unlikely to crack is the 2009 model?

[@carswithsonduren]

That is correct 2009 and up :)

[@Elbabino]

I own a 2009 and can confirm that my dashboard is melted, mainly towards the back where it meets the windshield but a good dash cover does the job

[@hansejooify]

@@Elbabino oh no. I was about to buy a 2009! Thank god you told me. I thought the dash melting issue stops at 2008 from all my research. Are you happy with your car? Still thinking if i should get one, viewing is on the weekend

[@renekiil4725]

13l/100km on highway? Mine does a lot less. Maybe I would get that in stop and go traffic. On a longer highway drive mine drops down to 6-7. Normal city driving about 10-11 depending on the season.

[@carswithsonduren]

Maintenance fully up-to-date? When was the last time changed your spark plugs?

[@renekiil4725]

@@carswithsonduren I'll be honest here. If my poor maintenance is causing my car to be a lot more efficient while not dropping in power, then I wont change a thing 🤣 But, yes, I'm doing regular maintenance.

[@carswithsonduren]

Hahaha I misread your original comment. Maybe it’s me! I wish I was getting that mileage 🥲😞

[@derciomichaque1411]

​ @Rene Kiil which oil, filter and the weight of oil are you using for the amazing numbers? and @Cars with Sonduren the weight of oil should be 5W-20 or 5W-30?

[@renekiil4725]

@@derciomichaque1411 I used 5W-30 before. Currently I use 0W-20 since it was supposed to help with the rattle noise on startup, which the early models had. Haven't really seen any significant change in consumption or the rattle noise for that matter.

[@trucklifeentertainmentandh4670]

I have is 350 2007 reverse not working anyone can give me any idea to fixed😊

[@MarcG7424]

Transmission time

[@silento8252]

Basically a toyota then

[@carswithsonduren]

Which is a very good thing!

[@foreignstory]

Hi just wondering how much do you think a 2010 Lexus is250 AWD 110k km and a 5k claim on the left side of the driver seat is worth in todays market? I am in Vancouver, the dealer wants $15k for it...

[@carswithsonduren]

They are INSANE lol. 10k is more reasonable

[@foreignstory]

@@carswithsonduren I was willing to offer $14k and the sales was like no, it initially listed for $18500 CAD...greedy, dropped $3k in a week, KBB says $14k at dealers price

[@carswithsonduren]

@foreignstory disgusting lmfao. Tell them to pound sand. Greedy pigs IMHO. Let them lose out on a sale.

[@balintt2505]

13 / 100km on the highway?? No waaay... What kind of fuel are you using? Here in Hungary, Europe im using 100RON premium E5 fuel, gets me 8.5L on the highway.

[@carswithsonduren]

Using 87 octane here plus the car had significant mileage on the engine.

[@balintt2505]

@@carswithsonduren I have around the same mileage, ~350k

[@carswithsonduren]

Interesting. Winter gas mix plus temperatures? Maybe my engine has some other issues

[@Robertas919]

I don't know how you manage yo get that low MPG... If you not driving above 70mph I get around 44mpg (8l/100km)

[@carswithsonduren]

Older car, high mileage, winter gas all come together I guess.

[@bikramkharal5084]

Fuel economy is totally disagree, my 2007 250 is giving 8.5-9/100 in city and highway less than 7 most of time, not a quick but awesome beauty reliable❤

[@carswithsonduren]

Mine is definitely aged, plus winter gas and winter driving

[@praba991ify]

Remap and upgrade exhaust

[@carswithsonduren]

Any exhaust you prefer?

[@user-ev7el2ou7g]

A remap on this car won't get you any considerable gains due to its NA engine. Prob not worth it imo.

[@MartinMartin-hs8rl]

interesting, I can do 7.5l/100km on my IS250

[@FoolClanz]

I get 32mpg on my is

[@khidhermoideen6288]

The best part, I own an IS 300 🤣

[@MilesJoseph]

Stop whinging. I have a Toyota Prado 120 2005 and have had more issues on plastics (dash replacement) and electronics (clock spring) than you. I replaced the head unit with a modern Kenwood and use Waze and Google maps for nav. You get what you pay for ....dependable reliability.. enough said.

[@tiagoseixas1]

Just install Ultimate Cell, a Portuguese patented unit, get the difference in efficiency, economy, torque, quietness, less pollution, and say goodbye to carbon build up for good.

[@znismo1]

What's that??

[@tiagoseixas1]

@@znismo1"The technology that optimizes the internal combustion engines and reduces fuel consumption and harmful gas emissions. Implementing this innovative hydrogen technology in internal combustion engines improves the engine’s operation, making it quieter and smoother with a modest increase in torque, providing a more comfortable ride and less use of the gearbox. Our technology optimizes internal combustion engines running on diesel, gasoline, biodiesel, ethanol, and LPG fuels. And adequate for most major brands, makes, and models."

[@znismo1]

@@tiagoseixas1 sounds stupid

[@Lotus-S70]

I seriously doubt that this would get 13L/100km, probably 6-8L/100km max if it's IS250. The 350 I would get if it did 8-10L/100km

[@carswithsonduren]

This was my experience personally. 370,000km my engine burns a little oil too.

[@CoasterRPG]

13l per 100km? Dude, on the highway mine is 8l, 11-12 in the city

[@carswithsonduren]

Mine had 370,000km on the engine and using winter gas having an impact.

[@ironguy6482]

The fact that the dash even cracks on a lexus still baffles me. Is it caused by UV degradation or is it a temperature thing? I'm baffled by it because my 2004 crapbox has cheaper plastic yet it's still intact with minor discolouration

[@carswithsonduren]

I believe it’s a combination of both, but it’s only happening to a few people not everyone

[@ThaexakaMavro]

13L? my friend i make 7l/100km at 120kmh on the higway 13L is in the city

[@carswithsonduren]

How many KM? Winter or summer? Lots of factors to be honest.

[@ThaexakaMavro]

@@carswithsonduren true mine is a 2007 AWD 175 000km and that was in the winter

[@SolbonSodnomov]

@@ThaexakaMavro also depens on a winter, for instance, in siberia where i had this car it was solid -40-45 for half of a month In January, usually -20 in the daytime and -30 in the nights. My siberian IS ate like 20 liters per 100 km. Someties it showed up like 30.0 (it's max indicator).Still a fucking beast. Mine had 305.000 and I made 220-225 km/h on Russian roads:)

[@_checkit]

13L/100km on the highway 🚩🚩🚩🚩🚩

[@opeyemiadewaleadegbesan8857]

You can only get good fuel economic if you buy manual transmission.

[@carswithsonduren]

And have more fun ;)

[@mez6256]

It’s a base model 2:16

[@youknowkbbaby]

Major flaw is thinking this would be as reliable and easy to maintain as a Honda civic 😅

[@carswithsonduren]

It has been for me personally

[@youknowkbbaby]

@@carswithsonduren the lexus has a higher learning curve with maintenance than Honda civics. Something to keep in mind for people who want cheap used Lexus is250

[@Jaysee2164]

Dam fr? Just got my permit and been eyeing used 250s for a while

[@youknowkbbaby]

@Jaysee2164 I mean it's not a bad car to drive. I bought it thinking it was a reliable Japanese car like Toyota and Honda. I would rather have a good Honda civic or Toyota but Toyota ad Honda are just way overpriced now.

[@Tristan-ds5hk]

correct me if im wrong, you look chaldean

[@carswithsonduren]

First time I’ve even heard of that unfortunately not 😅