I'm looking at an '06 IS 250. Is that MY reliable? Are there common problems with it? Is carbon buildup an issue with that MY? Should I avoid that year? Thanks.

 

I would definitely get 350c if possible. Carbon build-up is an issue due to direct injection system.

 

It depends on how you take care of the car, and if its been maitained.

 

all 250s are direct injection which is prone to carbon buildup. 350s are dual injection, port and direct.

fwiw, i have an 07 250 with over 222k miles and runs a little rough in the morning (very minor). likely it's bc i never cleaned the intake for carbon buildup - it must be CAKED haha! also 250s have the infamous VVTi cam cold start rattle, something i also have but lived with since 150k! i don't beat on the car, but do an occasional "italian tune up" when i'm bored on the road.

 

Agreed. That is why I would definitely prefer 350 if possible.

 

Auto or manual? Early years manuals are infamous for various clutch, tranny, flywheel problems (Toyota reliability, my *** ). Autos are fine. Carbon build up is a real thing, however people, especially US guys, blow it out of proportion, it's just like a maintenance thing you need to take care of every couple of years, it won't blow up your engine lol. The rattle though, might also be issue with intake side cam gears iirc, which can blow up your engine

 

Also forgot to mention the arch problem of 2nd gen IS, that stupid dash/door material that auto-destructs itself at hot sunlight. Make sure to inspect car beforehand, if it's already sticky, stay away or lower the price down by like 1000 bucks, cause the new dashboard and labour involved to replace it are not cheap...

 

Does the sticky dash affect later years of the 2nd generation like a 2011? Also, does it affect both the 250 and 350?

 

Is the rattle at start up due to a lack of oil? If that's the case, is it bad? If so, what can be done?

 

It effects both 250 and 350 (they have identical interior), but it might be that they've tried to change the material slightly to make it more durable, cause all the horrid cases I've seen were from the earlier years.

In general, I think that only the earliest 2005 models suffered from some mechanical issues (not counting the manual), mechanically these cars are pretty solid, with very little power train related issues.

Regarding the rattle, this guy has a pretty solid explanation of it:

 

I've started looking at a 2011 IS250. It has an accident history. I'm going to try to post the details of the work that the seller sent to me. It seems to be a lot of work for what was said to be a dent on the side and rear. Should I be concerned?







Also, there was another accident years earlier involving the front of the car. I don't have the records of the repair, but Auto check said it was minor. However, this newest owner changed out the front sway bar and front struts and shocks in 2022. Should I be concerned about that too? Essentially, are all of these repairs indicative of a used car that's going to fall apart sooner than later?

 

I don't see anything powertrain or chassis related on first glance. However, that doesn't mean those parts weren't damaged, just that they weren't repaired. I would stay away if car was sold wrecked and then repaired (or sold immediately after repair). If original owner repaired the car and then had it for years, then it probably wasn't a big deal. Also worth checking are the circumstances of the accident. Who was a guilty party? Was original owner at a position to milk the other party insurance or he had to pay from his own pocket/insurance. All of this can give you clues about the extent of the true damage and potential cover up. In any case I would not even consider buying a damaged used car without through check at mechanic of my choice. Good luck.

 

"issues with intake side cam gears iirc" first I've seen on this. Thanks!