My son's first car = 2008 IS250 w/ 200k miles.
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7th Gear
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 7
Likes: 3
From: CA
My son's first car = 2008 IS250 w/ 200k miles.
Picked up this 2008 w/ 200k miles. Needs some TLC but overall decent shape. Lexus rebuilt it w/ new pistons, rings, valves, retainers, springs, etc...at 70k miles to address carbon build up. This will be a budget restoration cause it's my 16 year old's first ride and we're just trying to have the car lasts through 2 more years of high school and college, hopefully. No sense in making it too nice. We'll save that for when my W211 dies and I get a 350
. 
Changed the oil, air filter, cleaned the MAF. changed cabin filter.
Both ***** broken
Found a guy on Ebay that 3D prints the end caps. Little bit of gorilla glue and it looks factory.
The front bumper had the OEM lip torn off and is slightly tweaked but a new bumper and repaint are not in the budget. Got some new bumper brackets, pulled, tugged and crazy glued to get it back as close as I could but still a gap, so...
Black RTV to fill the gap cause I'm OCD. (Looks grey in the pic but actually black) It will have to do for now.
New OEM pads and rotors on all 4 corners.
I'm pretty sure you are not supposed to be able to look down into the tranny.
Much better
Windshield had a huge crack and moldings were shot.
New glass and moldings.
Trunk release was melted and no longer worked so it had to go. What the hell kind of plastics was Lexus using in the 2000's?!?
Replaced the hood struts after I got knocked in the head while working under the hood. Found an upgrade online for the trunk struts from a 2004 Kia Sorento. They help tremendously while opening the trunk and no more slamming closed.
Changed the differential oil with Royal Purple. It's been changed only once before in 200k miles.
Pretty bad tears on both seats. Would love to switch them out or have them repaired, but again, the budget
Grabbed some seat covers from Amazon manufactured by Inch Empire. For $150 for the pair, I was pretty impressed with the fitment. They'll do for now.
New shift **** cause the old one was in rough shape.
Fancy, fancy.
Last edited by RGIS250; Sep 10, 2022 at 10:53 PM. Reason: Formatting
Rookie
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 30
Likes: 2
From: California
Lucky kid 🙌🏼 This is even a little bit better than my current Lexus is250, it’ll go until at least 300 if it’s maintained too, what an amazing first car. You wouldn’t happen to need another son would you? 😅
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 352
Likes: 26
From: California
Picked up this 2008 w/ 200k miles. Needs some TLC but overall decent shape. Lexus rebuilt it w/ new pistons, rings, valves, retainers, springs, etc...at 70k miles to address carbon build up. This will be a budget restoration cause it's my 16 year old's first ride and we're just trying to have the car lasts through 2 more years of high school and college, hopefully. No sense in making it too nice. We'll save that for when my W211 dies and I get a 350
.
Changed the oil, air filter, cleaned the MAF. changed cabin filter.
Both ***** broken
Found a guy on Ebay that 3D prints the end caps. Little bit of gorilla glue and it looks factory.
The front bumper had the OEM lip torn off and is slightly tweaked but a new bumper and repaint are not in the budget. Got some new bumper brackets, pulled, tugged and crazy glued to get it back as close as I could but still a gap, so...
Black RTV to fill the gap cause I'm OCD. (Looks grey in the pic but actually black) It will have to do for now.
New OEM pads and rotors on all 4 corners.
I'm pretty sure you are not supposed to be able to look down into the tranny.
Much better
Windshield had a huge crack and moldings were shot.
New glass and moldings.
Trunk release was melted and no longer worked so it had to go. What the hell kind of plastics was Lexus using in the 2000's?!?
Replaced the hood struts after I got knocked in the head while working under the hood. Found an upgrade online for the trunk struts from a 2004 Kia Sorento. They help tremendously while opening the trunk and no more slamming closed.
Changed the differential oil with Royal Purple. It's been changed only once before in 200k miles.
Pretty bad tears on both seats. Would love to switch them out or have them repaired, but again, the budget
Grabbed some seat covers from Amazon manufactured by Inch Empire. For $150 for the pair, I was pretty impressed with the fitment. They'll do for now.
New shift **** cause the old one was in rough shape.
Fancy, fancy.
did you ever get your son some new tail lights?
5th Gear
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 5
Likes: 1
From: NY
4th Gear
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 4
Likes: 1
From: MA
Found a guy on Ebay that 3D prints the end caps. Little bit of gorilla glue and it looks factory.
Found this thread in a search. Any chance you remember who the Ebay guy was? Have the same problem and looking for a cheaper solution than a new OEM volume ****.
Thanks!
JP
Found this thread in a search. Any chance you remember who the Ebay guy was? Have the same problem and looking for a cheaper solution than a new OEM volume ****.
Thanks!
JP
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