HUS4144

Hello! I'm completely new to this site so please excuse me if my thread is in the wrong category. I'm currently in the market for a car and was looking at an 2IS. I was planning on getting a CT200h, but something unexpected came up and the used IS's are less expensive than the CT that I had my eye on. I have narrowed it down to 2 separate cars but I'm having trouble deciding which would be the best.
The first one is a 2009 IS250. It is at a Chevrolet dealer and has just over 90,000 miles on it. It was in an accident but wasn't totaled and needed a new headlight assembly, hood, front bumper, and grille. It has some wear in the interior (cracking/spotting on leather) and is priced at $14995. The second IS250 is a 2010, located at a Lexus dealer and is going for about $17990. It has about 76,000 miles on it and was never involved in any accident. Also, it doesn't seem to have any of the wear, such as the interior issues, as the other IS does (in fact, it is very clean and almost looks brand new). Both of them are equally equipped with the same features as well. The problem for me is determining whether the price difference is worth it. I really need something that will be reliable if taken care of properly as well as something that will be able to maintain its value within the next 2-3 years. I know that being in an accident may be a total turn off for some buyers which is why I am worried about the the less expensive IS's resale value in the future. Any help is greatly appreciated!

pattatted4

Sounds like the one at the Lexus dealer might be the better choice(cleaner, lower miles, newer). I have always been partial to buying from the manufacturer's dealer. Is the one at the Lexus dealership Certified? I always have a mechanic I trust look at it before I decide. Even if its just a third party mechanic that I pay, a second opinion gives you some negotiating leverage. Oh, and don't pay what they ask, they will negotiate, regardless of what they say...

getafewliv

Both seem pricey for a IS250, at least in my opinion. I would keep looking and make damn sure you want a 250 and not a 350. A few bucks up front may be worth it in the long run. Less issues and it will be worth more when you go to sell it. Plus the extra power and braking

penone

Agree with getafewliv. 350 would be a better choice.

If you really want the 250 then see if there is a way you can get the vin number from the dealer so you can check to see if it falls under the CSP for the misfires. IIRC not all of the 2010's have the extended warranty on this.

Good luck!

HUS4144

It isn't certified (I believe it is because it is beyond the mileage limit).

MWIS350

How about IS350? Have you test drive it yet?

HUS4144

I'm mainly interested in the 250 because it's less expensive and I'm looking for a 2009+ if I get any IS. I haven't test driven either yet but I'll be going out soon to do so. I'm not too worried about the sportiness or the speed, I just have a particular interest in Lexus and the 2009/2010 250s are about 3-4k less than the 350s in my area.

MWIS350

Test drive both when you can. For me IS350 is worth extra money.

Slammer1

To be honest, you need too take some test drives to make a reasonable decision. This is a 100+ horse power difference between the 250 and the 350. You've gotta figure out what is most important to you when making your purchase but I think the prices that you are quoting for the 250 seem high. I would keep looking.

MWIS350

My wife have 2007 IS 250 and 24.4mpg. My 2008 IS 350 got 23.2 mpg. Also IS350 engine is one of the most reliable engine.

andper10

If I were looking to buy a used 2IS currently, I would not even consider an IS250 even if I didn't care about the horsepower. The price difference between IS250 and IS350 is small enough (at least in Texas) that you can justify getting the IS350 simply because it does not suffer from the carbon buildup issues (which manifests as misfires, as mentioned by penone). The carbon buildup fix is not permanent and it is extremely costly outside of warranty as it requires tearing down part of the motor.

Full disclosure: I bought a used 07 IS350 last year and did not even consider IS250s because I wanted the extra horsepower, but I have watched CL since then and there are a lot of complaints about the carbon buildup for IS250s.

Honestly there is very little difference between the 07-08 and 09-10 model years. I would say go for an 07-08 with low mileage to save some money if you can. Also note the replacement dash and door panels available for certain 2ISes which means you can get a significant part of the interior replaced with brand new parts for free from Lexus if they are looking melted. And be sure to enter the VIN into the Lexus website so you can see the past Lexus dealership service history of a car you are considering buying.

MWIS350

agreed with you 100%.