Potential IS 350 Buyer - Non Lexus Dealer
11-11-10, 03:13 PM
#1
Rookie
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Location: CA
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Potential IS 350 Buyer - Non Lexus Dealer
Potential IS 350 Buyer - Non Lexus Dealer
Hello CL members, I am scheduled to test drive an IS350 tomorrow. It is a 2009 with 20K miles on it. The car’s interior and exterior appears to be in immaculate condition just by looking at the photos, but I will know better tomorrow. This car is in a Mercedes Benz dealer so this car has not been Lexus certified. When I talked to the sales person over the phone, he said the car went through a thorough inspection by the MB service department, but who knows if this is true or not. He said the previous owner likes to change cars every 2 years so that's why it is there.
With this said, here are some questions I hope someone can chime in.
This will be my daily driver so I will be putting some miles on it. Sorry if these questions sound out of place but I guess that’s what happens when the car has not been certified by a Lexus dealer.
Thanks in advance and wish me luck tomorrow. I've always liked the IS so hopefully it will be in my driveway tomorrow.
ferdinan
Hello CL members, I am scheduled to test drive an IS350 tomorrow. It is a 2009 with 20K miles on it. The car’s interior and exterior appears to be in immaculate condition just by looking at the photos, but I will know better tomorrow. This car is in a Mercedes Benz dealer so this car has not been Lexus certified. When I talked to the sales person over the phone, he said the car went through a thorough inspection by the MB service department, but who knows if this is true or not. He said the previous owner likes to change cars every 2 years so that's why it is there.
With this said, here are some questions I hope someone can chime in.
This will be my daily driver so I will be putting some miles on it. Sorry if these questions sound out of place but I guess that’s what happens when the car has not been certified by a Lexus dealer.
Thanks in advance and wish me luck tomorrow. I've always liked the IS so hopefully it will be in my driveway tomorrow.
ferdinan
11-11-10, 03:38 PM
#2
Pole Position
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: IL
Posts: 346
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well I would not worry about it being certified or buying from a non Lexus dealer. I'm on my 2nd IS350 now and bought both used from a non Lexus dealer without any issues. Certified CPO just gives you an extar warranty but you can still buy a Lexus extended warranty at any time prior to your bumper to bumper running out. I just bought my most recent IS350 about a month and a half ago. It's a 2008 with the sports package with 8500 miles on it from a Chevy dealer. I would not have gotten the price I did from a Lexus dealer that's for sure. If you provide your vin to any Lexus dealer they can run the service history and let you know if any recalls that were done or still need to be performed. If the car has only 20k on on wouldn;t worry to much on recalls or TSIB you can get those done at any time if they were not already done. As far as extended warranties are concerned they are definitely worth it. The car is reliable but it has a lot of electrnic stuff on it so it's better to be safe than sorry. You don't need to make the decision now, you have another 30k miles to do so. Good luck with your purchase, hope it all goes well. How much are they asking? to give you some reference I bought mine with a fully loaded package and only 8500 miles on it for $29,500. I don't know what package the car has but don't accept anything over $32,000.
11-11-10, 03:48 PM
#3
Rookie
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Location: CA
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks, my95tsi for the reply. The dealer is asking 32K. I don't know if it has the Sport Package but it has the premium wheels, ML sound system and all bells & whistles. I plan on offering 29K. Sounds like you got a great deal on your car.
11-11-10, 04:03 PM
#5
Rookie
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Location: CA
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I hope I am not breaking the site rules but I attached a picture of the interior. I see it's got the gray bird's-eye maple interior trim. I can't tell if the pedals are aluminum.
11-11-10, 04:07 PM
#6
Option spotters guide:
If it has woodgrain and memory seats it's luxury package.
If it has NO woodgrain but has memory seats it's sport package.
If it has woodgrain and NO memory seats it's premium package.
Standalone options outside those packages are:
ML (with or without nav)- it'd say Mark Levinson on head unit
Rear spoiler- visually obvious
Parking sensors- visually obvious on the front/rear bumpers
Headlight washers- visually obvious
Pre-collision system (prob. rarest option of all)- it'll have a different L emblem on grill in front
I can't tell if it has memory seats from that pic, but it does NOT appear to have mark levinson-
Most likely guess from pics is it's a base model with just nav and premium and 18" wheels.
If it has woodgrain and memory seats it's luxury package.
If it has NO woodgrain but has memory seats it's sport package.
If it has woodgrain and NO memory seats it's premium package.
Standalone options outside those packages are:
ML (with or without nav)- it'd say Mark Levinson on head unit
Rear spoiler- visually obvious
Parking sensors- visually obvious on the front/rear bumpers
Headlight washers- visually obvious
Pre-collision system (prob. rarest option of all)- it'll have a different L emblem on grill in front
I can't tell if it has memory seats from that pic, but it does NOT appear to have mark levinson-
Most likely guess from pics is it's a base model with just nav and premium and 18" wheels.
11-11-10, 04:25 PM
#7
Pole Position
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: IL
Posts: 346
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ok this is definitely the premium package without the Mark Levinson audio. If they told it does they are lying. The premium package is the lowest of the packages but by no means bad. It depends if you would want memory seat, a power telescoping sterring wheel and a few other goodies.
Trending Topics
11-11-10, 04:36 PM
#8
Rookie
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Location: CA
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you both for the reply. I just checked closely and the car does not have memory seats and no Mark Levinson. I guess I learned something today about the IS350. I wouldn't mind paying a little more but the extra goodies will be great. There are other used IS 350s in the area so time to pay the other dealers a visit.
11-11-10, 05:44 PM
#9
IS250/350 with ML is a special built car requested by the customer. They are rarely seen in sell listings for the same reason.
Becareful about listing of ML from non-lexus dealers. There have been few cases where it is fake - as in it's the stock premium audio system and has a ML sticker on it when it should of been engraved - This would trick the unsuspected. A way to prevent that is by looking up its VIN then one would know exactly what the car came with from the factory.
On the side I have personally seen a listing of ML at a Lexus dealership before and call them up about it. Luckily the salesperson I got a hold of is the one who originally special ordered it for a customer. Sort of an odd configuation, but it was luxary package with ML but no NAV since the customer's focus was on the audio than NAV.
Becareful about listing of ML from non-lexus dealers. There have been few cases where it is fake - as in it's the stock premium audio system and has a ML sticker on it when it should of been engraved - This would trick the unsuspected. A way to prevent that is by looking up its VIN then one would know exactly what the car came with from the factory.
On the side I have personally seen a listing of ML at a Lexus dealership before and call them up about it. Luckily the salesperson I got a hold of is the one who originally special ordered it for a customer. Sort of an odd configuation, but it was luxary package with ML but no NAV since the customer's focus was on the audio than NAV.
Last edited by Sango; 11-11-10 at 06:53 PM.
11-11-10, 07:40 PM
#10
I've never experienced the ML sound system so I can't comment on how good it is, but I'll say that I've been more than satisfied with the "regular" non-ML sound system in the car. It's probably nothing to cry home about, but it's certainly not bad.
The interior picture of that '09 looks pristine. If you're going to jump on it, jump on it quickly. A car like that won't stay on the lot for long.
A few brief notes that many new-to-be Lexus owners are often confused about -
1) You mentioned the paddles. Bear in mind that those paddles are not actual paddle shifters. For all intents and purposes, the IS350 is a fully automatic car. Those paddles are gear limiters and, in some cases, can be used to mimic the effects of "shifting" manually. Nevertheless, they are not true shifters, so if you were looking for a true "manumatic" car where you have completely control over what gear you are in, this is not it.
2) Test drive the car in ECT Normal (the default setting), but also try out ECT SNOW for stop and go traffic. ECT Snow will set the "ground" gear of the car to "2" and will severely reduce throttle sensitivity which might be useful for stop and go traffic. It makes for a smoother ride, and it's something to consider.
The 1st gear in the car is rather powerful and can sometimes make for a herky-jerky stop-and-go-traffic experience; hence why ECT SNOW could be useful.
3) If you find the traction control to be too intrusive, you can turn it off with the press of a button. Simply press and hold the trac off button for 5 seconds while you are at a complete stop (it's next to the ECT normal, PWR, SNOW switch beneath the right paddle "gear limiter"). You can turn traction control back on again at any point by simply pressing the trac button once (there is no need to hold it down to re-engage).
Generally speaking, the following are some of the major things that one might consider "flaws" with the design of the IS350; keep these questions in mind when test driving the car -
1) The cabin can be a bit snug for taller individuals. People under 6'2" or so seem to fit comfortably in the seat, but taller people sometimes complain about a lack of headroom.
2) Manual rear visibility is relatively poor compared to most sedans.
3) Back seats can be rather snug for adults. The car can comfortably seat 4 adults (2 in the back). Don't plan on carrying around 4 adults (in addition to yourself) in your car too often, though (i.e. 3 in the back).
4) Trunk space is mediocre.
5) The car in stock form boasts a significant amount of body roll for a luxury sport sedan. If you want to tighten the chassis up and make the car more "toss-able", know that you can always install F-sport sway bars ($500 + labor at the dealership)
Apart from that, the car is phenomenal. It's very rare to find a truly reliable luxury sport sedan in this day and age. The IS350 is one of the few that fits the bill. You really get the whole nine yards with this car - the badge whoring (it's a "Lexus"), luxury, powerful acceleration, all in a sleek, 4 door, reliable package. Hard to beat in my opinion. Good luck with your search.
The interior picture of that '09 looks pristine. If you're going to jump on it, jump on it quickly. A car like that won't stay on the lot for long.
A few brief notes that many new-to-be Lexus owners are often confused about -
1) You mentioned the paddles. Bear in mind that those paddles are not actual paddle shifters. For all intents and purposes, the IS350 is a fully automatic car. Those paddles are gear limiters and, in some cases, can be used to mimic the effects of "shifting" manually. Nevertheless, they are not true shifters, so if you were looking for a true "manumatic" car where you have completely control over what gear you are in, this is not it.
2) Test drive the car in ECT Normal (the default setting), but also try out ECT SNOW for stop and go traffic. ECT Snow will set the "ground" gear of the car to "2" and will severely reduce throttle sensitivity which might be useful for stop and go traffic. It makes for a smoother ride, and it's something to consider.
The 1st gear in the car is rather powerful and can sometimes make for a herky-jerky stop-and-go-traffic experience; hence why ECT SNOW could be useful.
3) If you find the traction control to be too intrusive, you can turn it off with the press of a button. Simply press and hold the trac off button for 5 seconds while you are at a complete stop (it's next to the ECT normal, PWR, SNOW switch beneath the right paddle "gear limiter"). You can turn traction control back on again at any point by simply pressing the trac button once (there is no need to hold it down to re-engage).
Generally speaking, the following are some of the major things that one might consider "flaws" with the design of the IS350; keep these questions in mind when test driving the car -
1) The cabin can be a bit snug for taller individuals. People under 6'2" or so seem to fit comfortably in the seat, but taller people sometimes complain about a lack of headroom.
2) Manual rear visibility is relatively poor compared to most sedans.
3) Back seats can be rather snug for adults. The car can comfortably seat 4 adults (2 in the back). Don't plan on carrying around 4 adults (in addition to yourself) in your car too often, though (i.e. 3 in the back).
4) Trunk space is mediocre.
5) The car in stock form boasts a significant amount of body roll for a luxury sport sedan. If you want to tighten the chassis up and make the car more "toss-able", know that you can always install F-sport sway bars ($500 + labor at the dealership)
Apart from that, the car is phenomenal. It's very rare to find a truly reliable luxury sport sedan in this day and age. The IS350 is one of the few that fits the bill. You really get the whole nine yards with this car - the badge whoring (it's a "Lexus"), luxury, powerful acceleration, all in a sleek, 4 door, reliable package. Hard to beat in my opinion. Good luck with your search.
11-11-10, 09:16 PM
#12
Rookie
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Location: CA
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Becareful about listing of ML from non-lexus dealers. There have been few cases where it is fake - as in it's the stock premium audio system and has a ML sticker on it when it should of been engraved - This would trick the unsuspected. A way to prevent that is by looking up its VIN then one would know exactly what the car came with from the factory.
11-11-10, 09:42 PM
#13
Rookie
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Location: CA
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The interior picture of that '09 looks pristine. If you're going to jump on it, jump on it quickly. A car like that won't stay on the lot for long.
It will be great to have the memory seats and some of the other amenities but if the price is right I am willing to sacrifice. There is another IS 350 for a similiar price that I might check out too. This second car has the ML system and Luxury Package.
It's very rare to find a truly reliable luxury sport sedan in this day and age. The IS350 is one of the few that fits the bill. You really get the whole nine yards with this car - the badge whoring (it's a "Lexus"), luxury, powerful acceleration, all in a sleek, 4 door, reliable package. Hard to beat in my opinion. Good luck with your search.
11-12-10, 12:26 AM
#15
I didn't know ML was rare. Almost every one I looked at had ML. Mine does not. But it does have pre-coliision!! (I'd rather have that than the ML) .
Ferdinan, Mine is a 2009 with 18k miles when I bought it four months ago. Found out mine were freeway miles mostly. What color is it? Can you post more pics? Are we going to be twins?
. Ferdinan, Mine is a 2009 with 18k miles when I bought it four months ago. Found out mine were freeway miles mostly. What color is it? Can you post more pics? Are we going to be twins?