gustervon

I'm just noodling around today and wanted to reach out for a little feedback and share some findings as everyone here seems pretty 'into' their IS.

I believe I have found a 'diamond in the rough' in terms of an IS purchase. I am looking at a local, private owned, 2007 IS250 AWD and I feel comfortable putting in an offer. The asking price is in line with a well-maintained 2007 Lexus IS250 AWD in pristine condition, but I feel the car does not meet the criteria. Currently, this is one of two in the area.

Typically, I have purchased new or certified used and understand the risks of purchasing an as-is vehicle. I see this as something 'FUN!!!' to pursue. I'm pretty DIY and would look forward to breathing extra life into the car.

I am coming from a 2002 VW Jetta 1.8 Turbo, so I view this purchase as an incremental update to what I am going to drive for the next few years. I will either make the purchase and drive ~400 miles at the end of the month to a Lexus dealer for some work or drive the 400 miles to test a greater selection. I can be happy with a 250 or 350, HP isn't a deal breaker.

I have spent ~2 hours of operation in the car, test driving at my pace and looking for issues that I have come across here in the forums. I still need to look into the engine for fault areas or leaks and my final step would be to have an independent mechanic peer inside and give the components a look over.

I used this thread as my guide:

• https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...e-threads.html

My Findings:

• Unable to replicate carbon build up issue (fault codes / noticeable symptoms)
• No codes on OBDII scan
• Interior condition immaculate, but possible smoker
• Backseats seem 'unused'
• Ultra-quiet interior
  • Low road noise
  • No interior rattling
• Engine peppy and smooth
• Smooth transmission
• Overall exterior paint in good shape
  • Clear film on hood
• Exterior rust (rear fender)
• Poor quality window tint
• Rust on suspension components (rear shocks)
  • No squeaking
• Filthy engine (dead wasps)
• Damage/scuffs to all four wheels
• 2 Owners
  • Current owner from about ~35K miles
• 1 Accident
• At consignment lot since October 2016
  • Owned by bank employee who upgraded to something else
• Cloudy headlights
• Last recorded maintenance at a Lexus dealership ~33K miles
• Little to no vehicle maintenance records
• No recall or TSIB work performed
• ~115K Miles

In the engine:

• What areas of the engine are common for leaks or failure? Any tips on where I should look?

Straight out of the gate I would:

• Perform oil change
• Belts
• Spark plugs

Of course I'm going to use found 'faults' as leverage for an awesome deal.

• Are there any other points of leverage that owners out there have used for a killer deal?
• Based on some of these findings...how much off the asking price would you consider?
• Or do you think I would be getting over my head with some of the maintenance required?
• Am I overlooking something else?

As I stated, I'm just having fun with the process, learning about the IS and enjoying the experience of finding the right one for me.

Thanks in advance!!!

Here are some visuals...

MikeyK02

iTrader: (7)

You got the rough part right.
Issues id say of course no maint done (water pump, belts, sparks)
carbon buildup
that engine wtf happened

Awd250

iTrader: (3)

Looks like it's been in a flood from what the engine bay looks like! Wow!

gustervon

Not sure what happened to the engine, but I updated my original post with this info:

Straight out of the gate I would:

• Perform oil change
• Belts
• Spark plugs

I should have mentioned a wash!

gustervon

The wasps really compliment the engine...adds color.

Below you will see a dedicated hive member keeping watch.

Rezno

iTrader: (1)

Unless you're getting this for really really cheap I'd pass. The condition just tells me you could be spending more time working on the car and buying parts for it than actually enjoying it.

gustervon

Cheap is the only way I would even consider this thing.

I would normally perform upgrades to suspension etc, but I see this as a major cost savings up front.

Aspect

I wouldn't pay more than $10,000 CAD or $7500 USD for it personally. I think the suspension looks fine but my reference is my own car which has lived in Canadian winters all it's life - but I don't have any problems except for some rusty bolts that need a lot of wd40 and brute force. Wheels don't look too bad, mine were flaking off and super yellow from caked on brake dust over the years. Probably need new tires from the looks of it too. Is it really dusty over there? I've never seen such a dirty engine bay... As for additional negotiating leverage there's a buyer's guide on clublexus that can help: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...e-threads.html

gustervon

Thank you for the response...

Yes, being down here in South Dakota I have certain expectations of what vehicles go through in winter. I plan on being pretty hands on with the car, therefore, I would consider it fun to dive into some of these things.

Everything seems to be functioning as intended. The amount of dust in the engine bay does throw me off some. I'm not really sure how this can be as we do not have major dust storms here.

Actually, thinking about it more... we have a lot of country roads that throw up a ton of dust in the dry summers. I'm going to assume that is what is going on.

The price your threw out falls exactly in line with the upper amount I would pay for this car. They are currently listing it at $10,995 USD.

HartFB

I recently just got into an 06 is350 and while I was shopping around I took looks at is250 and I just automatically knew they weren't for me. A lot of the older ones have issues and the carbon build up is out of the dealer coverage now since 9 years have passed. Buying and is250 is a gamble, and for me it wasn't a risk that I was willing to take. My personal opinion would be to pass especially since this one isn't near mint and doesn't have records. Try looking for a car in California and have pay for it to get shipped out to you, there lots out here for under 10k and the shipping would essentially match what the seller of the one you pointed out is asking

Skier76

Have it looked over by a mechanic. May help with the negotiation. Plus, getting it up on a lift will aid in inspecting things.

MikeyK02

iTrader: (7)

Are you getting for awd?
do you have any bmw, subaru specialty shops close by?

belac

I definitely would not pay $11k for that car.

It looks like it has been sitting awhile, and before that if the owner didn't care enough to clean it and to let it get that bad looking then you know they didn't care about performing maintenance on time.

I would advise to keep looking around, it may even be worth it to look out of your area.

gustervon

Yes, this would be an AWD, but I am not dead set on an AWD. I'm not in any hurry and know there are more to choose from down in Colorado.

I have been able to test drive 3 different ones in the last few months. Out of the three, I feel the most confident with this filthy one.

Currently, there are two in the area available. This filthy one and a red one.

My sights are set on an IS. I know the 350 is the recommended choice... I will ultimately be happy with what I choose. My goal is to get ~3 years out of my next purchase. Nonetheless... a 250 or 350 is leaps and bounds beyond a 2002 VW Jetta. Besides... just based how much I've enjoyed the experience of searching for a used IS...maybe I'll just go big in a couple of years. =)

The filthy one...

I have been given pretty much free range in test driving and looking over this car at my pace. Been able to take it where I want, on the roads I want, when I want, all without someone shadowing me. Overall, I have had ~2 hours with the vehicle.

I will be taking the plastic shielding off the engine today to give some components a look over. I'm interested to see what's inside...maybe a dead animal? hehe

The other one...

This other red IS appears to be in better condition, but rides a little more rough and experiences noticeable wind noise near the front wind shield and some interior rattles.

I also have been very limited in my inspection and test drives. I was only allowed to test drive once thus far and limited to a per-determined route and for about 10 mins. I was told they didn't want to take me on a test drive on a snowy day because they 'just washed it'. Customer service goes a long way with me.

Local Mechanics...

There is a local shop that specializes in VW, Toyota, Suburu and BMWs. I tend to do a lot of work myself, but they are my 'trusted' mechanic.

gustervon

So I put in my offer of $6700 USD. The guy said he wouldn't even call the owner for an offer that low.

Not sure how he came down from $10,995 and asked me to get closer to $8500.

If I'm going to end up paying more...maybe the 350 it is...