davyjordi

hey all!

i purchased about a month or two ago a 2014 IS250 with the navigation/ML package as well as the luxury package. the car is pretty fully loaded with lane departure assist, power rear sunshade, dealer-installed illuminated door sills, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, pre-collision system with radar-assisted cruise control, led headlamps, linear brown wood trim, memory seats/steering wheel placement, and heated/ventilated front seats. i also opted for the mesh wheels. the car is matador red mica with parchment leather seating. i've already had it clear bra-ed and have also already had it coated with cquartz finest.

anyhow, the car is fantastic. i opted not to get the f-sport because i couldn't get the luxury features that i wanted on the f-sport variants and because i really dislike the f-sport front fascia. i REALLY do like the lfa-inspired instrumentation cluster, though.

anyhow, i'm torn because i really, really dislike the engine that the car has. i mean, it's not horrendous, but this is my second IS250 and i wound up settling (in hindsight) for an engine that really doesn't cut it.

i financed the car partially and owe approximately 37k on the loan at 1.9% for 60 months. i know you aren't supposed to walk away from a good loan if the car is cutting it and i also know that i shouldn't roll over negative equity. i mean, i also know that the car is worth more than i owe currently, although because i had the car specially ordered, it may be niche as i chose a ton of luxury appointments over drivetrain options. that said, i really wish i had the eight-speed transmission and the 3.5L engine.

AHH! what to do?! do you think that trading in the car (it currently has 1,350 miles) would be the largest mistake? do you think i should wait for the MY15 IS250? try for the 350? i'm just unsure if i'd be able to afford the appointments that i currently have with either of the above - the current 350 or the potential MY15 turbocharged 250. edit: regarding the last, harassing posts made by a member, i'll address them here. see post 3 as i never engaged in any sort of negotiation on the 350 because i contently came straight from a 2008 250 and couldn't find the options in the color combination that i wanted on the 350 (read subsequent posts) and thus had no motive to do so as i absolutely didn't know if i could afford the 350 with the appointments i purchased on the 250 as i didn't know the the 350 was a mere 4k more. i just didn't know and assumed that it would hover around 55k optioned the way i wished, but that isn't the case (again, please read subsequent posts) and it was indeed feasible to do at the time. the rest of the thread will outline my decision after some very genuinely helpful members provided their insight and rationale, helping to solidify a smart financial/emotional decision.

here's a pic my car for reference should anyone be interested -



advice? anyone??

tea

if you can, and willing to, afford it, go for it.

davyjordi

well, that's the thing - i'm not sure i can negotiate the price a 350 with the amenities that the 250 i currently have has down to a reasonable level. i didn't even try when i purchased the 250 a month and half-ish ago because i just didn't think it was possible. i regret that deeply.

i suppose i could go to a dealer and run the numbers. there's also the potential release of the turbocharged 4 in just a few months - but no guarantee. every day that passes, though, the gap between how much i owe and how much the car is worth shrinks. super disconcerting.

Fizzboy7

There's really no way around your situation. If you are unhappy with this car, you are going to have to pay to get out of it. It's a question of how much are you willing to go into debt to be satisfied? Only you can answer that, not someone else.

davyjordi

being cognizant of the circumstantial facets of the situation is totally something abstract and removed when emotions come into play and so i suppose i was more looking for subjective rationalization from an outsider's perspective.

in short - can i afford it? yes. does that mean it's worthwhile? i'm not sure and that's where i need a slap in the face or a pat on the back. is the turbo 4 even coming? are there going to be changes made to the 3.5L? who the hell knows. i'm just really frustrated. my car is perfect (read: imperfect) save for the engine and the transmission.

unowned

follow your Gut

davyjordi

i suppose my gut is telling me to wait until the 2015 MY 250 is released only to see if the turbo4 is also released with it.

i don't think there are any slated changes for the 3.5L engine - only the base engine running in the 250. it would be even more annoying if that turbo4 were paired with the eight-speed transmission. i mean, great for the company, but not for me.

toyotatom

It sounds like you want the 350 very bad. I would go to the dealer or dealers and see what they can do for you. You may want to consider putting the equity from your car which I would think there would some there into a lease for a 350. Then if the car works out you can buy it after the lease. Your payment would be lower also I believe during the lease period. I went with the 350 F Sport after driving both cars, the car is a blast to drive. I didn't get that same feeling with the 250. If you can do without some of the options that you can't get in the F Sport I would consider that if I was you. I have the Matador Red/Black also and love it.
I doubt the 250 turbo will be offered in 2015 year car. Lexus just announced it not that long ago and Lexus tests things to death to get it right before releasing anything. Since your car is literally brand new, you may want to see what you can do now. Just my opinion.

davyjordi

thanks for your advice! i think i will go to a few area dealers and see what they can do for me - if the payment isn't much higher and the loan terms are equal, then i may just take the 350.

of course i suppose i could do the above but if i don't feel quite comfortable with the terms, then it wouldn't be terrible to wait until the mid-cycle refresh and then look for an rc350 which might be amazing to drive.

AHH! too many grown-up decisions! being a grown-up is hard work! thanks to everyone else who contributed, as well!

toyotatom

Good luck no matter what you do, don't be too anxious at the dealers, time is on your side with a car that is almost new. What was the MSRP of the car you have now, it must be close to an 350 F Sport I would think.
The RC350 looks like a hot car, my lease is up in 2 1/2 years and that will probably be the next one. May even have a turbo by then, who knows. One drawback, no Matador red color will be offered in that car, which I really like.

unowned

I highly doubt the 2.0L T will come with the 8 speed designed for the 5.0L ISF. It just would not have enough torque cruising without boost to hold it in 7th/8th efficently

davyjordi

maybe - but bmw is running an 8-speed with its base 2.0L I4 in the 320i.

currently lexus is pairing the 8-speed trans with the 3.5L, which is a more reasonable configuration, although pairing the 8-speed with all engine variants wouldn't be terribly shocking.

Vairox

350! 250 is a civic with a nice emblem

unowned

The issue is not one of giving it an 8 speed. It is giving it the only 8 speed they currently which was designed for the power band of a 5.0L V8.

Also it's extremely unlikely the IS will get the 2.0L-turbo engine because the IS already has 3 engine configurations and they would have to design a new exhaust with a single exit instead of the dual pipe that exists with the V configuration.

Lexus doesn't have issues exceeding manufacture across the range fuel economy because they have so many hybrids compared to other car makers so they stick to reliable and now cheap to manufacture NA engines for their "sporty" cars.


Buy the 350 or wait for ISF if you're baller

davyjordi

i don't think that keeping the 2.5L engine in the car for the extent of the current generation would be wise, though, despite the wide variety of hybrid variants.

i really don't think it's extremely unlikely that the IS will get the 2.0L-T because the engine has aged, and aged gracefully it has, albeit it is still unable to keep up with the spring chickens that comprise the entry-level segment, the segment that generates a substantial amount of revenue for auto marques.

i may buy the 350, as for the ISF, i wouldn't buy it for the same reasons i didn't purchase an f-sport - i didn't like the front fascia and am unlikely to like the aesthetic appeal (or lack thereof in my case) of the car as i can't stand the way the isf looks in its current iteration.

as for the transmission - they'll make it work. they've adapted it to the 3.5L and i'm sure it can be tweaked much more than you're giving it credit.