TNGreg

Enjoy this forum greatly, and am pretty sure I will be getting an IS250 in the future. I've not even driven one yet, as my local dealer only gets 2 models every 2/3 weeks, and they've all been promised, so there are not too many test drives going on here. If it drives as good as it looks, I know I'll have to have one!

I'm interested in finding opinions (whether from owners or potential buyers) on option choices. If you were forced to choose between either the Luxury (or Sport) package or getting the Nav on an otherwise stock IS, what would be your choice and why?

Personally, I really like the memory seats, HID's, and 18" wheels on the Lux/Sport package. Would rather have the aluminum trim vs the wood, but I hate to give up ride quality with the shorter springs from the sport. I had a 1997 BMW M3, and although it drove great, it lacked all the "bells and whistles" you would expect in a luxury car (no memory/htd seats, no dash cd).

Although I've never had a Nav system in a car, I can really see the desire in having it in the IS. The dash looks better, I like the backup camera, and the display for satellite radio, mp3's, etc.

I just can't seem to make a decision one way or the other. Whatever I choose, I'll probably have to special order, since the build screen on lexus.com only offers my area the premium package.

I'll be selling a 2000 Silverado, and putting down as much of a deposit that I can, but unfortunately my present financial status won't allow both options. I'm not dirt poor, but don't really want payments on a $37k+ car. Since the IS is not arriving in quantities here (northeast TN) I'm assuming MSRP will be the norm for at least another couple of months.

Thanks and I value all of your opinions!

JSK97VMI

I can't honestly say I felt much of a difference in the drive with the sports package. i got my sports package about a month later than when I test drove a stock one. I really don't think you are giving that much up on quality of ride. The sports package rides nice, the road noise isn't noticible.

I basically chose that package because of the all the aluminum trim. You still get all the nice luxuary features with a bit of a sporty look on the inside. The NV is nice to have...I still have yet to learn all of the functions on it, but the more I learn, the more I like....

Good luck

kensteele

Wow, it looks like this topic started just several minutes before mine, while I was typing: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=192064

Anyway, here's my take on the luxury package.

flipside909

Call me weird but i like the fact that the Luxuory Package has the power rear sunshade and lighted door sills that the sport package is missing (I hate the fact there is a button missing on the left side of the dash for the sunshade) . Plus I already have an IS300 with those standard aluminum pedals which are a carry over for the Sport package. After some time with the car (77,100 miles and 27 months of ownership to be exact) the aluminum pedals don't look as great as they used to when I first bought it brand new. there is an obvious wear spot on the brake pedal and scrapes and scratches on both gas and brake pedals. The wood is not my favorite on the Luxury package but I can live with that and eventually lower the car on a great set of aftermarket springs/shocks as well.

Cypren

Without even hesitating, the nav system. The luxury package adds some nice perks to the car, but the nav system completely changes the way you interact with it. And the 5th gen Lexus nav system is quite possibly the best onboard computer on the market right now -- the only possible improvement they could put into it is the XM NavTraffic data found in the Acura RL and Cadillac CTS. (Though, since those systems can't actually do route plotting using that data, it's mostly a gimmick.)

I might be misremembering, but isn't either option -- nav or lux -- going to make the price about $37k?

Unfortunately, that may well be the case, though you might consider looking elsewhere as well; IS250 RWD+nav is a standard package in the Western region (try zip code 97201 in the Lexus build & price to look at these), so you might be able to purchase the car in Oregon (which has no state sales tax) at a discount off MSRP, then have it shipped (for about $1000) to Tennessee. Some dealerships (especially in Oregon, a favorite state for people looking to evade sales taxes) even have an out-of-state sales clerk to handle transactions such as this one, allowing you to complete the purchase entirely over the phone, faxing paperwork back and forth as needed, even to the extent of handling the title and registration for you just like an in-state dealer would.

If you go this route, you will still be liable for reporting the purchase and paying Tennessee "use tax" on it (7%), though unlike California, this seems to be handled separately from registration, so I'm not sure they can really enforce this any better than they can enforce it on purchases you make over the Internet. Not that I would advocate cheating on your taxes, of course. *cough* *cough*

Anyway, that's just a thought.

knox_sport

Cypren is correct. Don't get yourself locked into what is available in this region on the Lexus website. Figure out what you want and try to build in nearby areas.

For example, lookup the Lexus dealer in WV (there's only 1) and enter their zip code in the Build-It site. You can get a premium package for some models in that region but not in ours. That's not too far out of your way. Try putting zip for Chicago as another example.

Some other posts have raved about the Lexus dealer in Sarasota. How easy their Internet person was to work with, and that they were selling for less than MSRP and arranging shipping for them. If you want a brief Florida vacation, you could always drive!

I want a manual transmission with premium package, which isn't an option on the build-it website for our region. But that doesn't mean it's not an allowable option. I either special order or work with a dealer outside the region to get it. You have to keep at it

Good luck!

JSK97VMI

That's exactly what I did...I didn't want to wait four months for my special order in SC so i went out of my region to WV..zip 25177 and got a sports package from them. It was a nice 5.5 hour drive home that weekend..

Northeast TN is probably an even shorter drive to St. Albans, WV than what I had.

jlin101

those aluminum pedals look hot when you are OUTSIDE of the car, once you are in the driver's seat, you can't really see them, esp while driving. Functionwise, they are no better (if not worse due to slipperiness) than the boring rubber pedals. The Luxury model does have the nicely lit sill trims. Personally I like the wood trim very much.