is 250 manual
CL Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,707
Likes: 342
From: NJ
There are free appraisal tools on websites like Edmunds and Kelly Blue Book. Obviously the value depends on things like the number of miles you've driven, the condition of the car, the options you have and the geographic area where you live.
Despite the fact that manual transmissions IS250s are not as common, I think you'll find that they have a somewhat lower resale value than similar IS250s with the automatic.
Despite the fact that manual transmissions IS250s are not as common, I think you'll find that they have a somewhat lower resale value than similar IS250s with the automatic.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,524
Likes: 1
From: Winnipeg, Canada
As under powered as the 250 is the MT helps A LOT. Might not be any faster but it feels faster and it a hell of a lot funner to drive. If the IS350 was priced like you guys in the US I would have gotten a 350.
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IMO...it is fun to drive, which is why I prefer a stick over an automatic (2 other Hondas in my garage are also stick).
But the downside to the Lexus is the noisy clutch assembly. Do a search and you'll find that the flywheel is a two piece design that causes this. If you can get used to the little extra rattles (which is common), the MT IS250 is great fun!
If you don't like the noise, you can fix it with a flywheel by Fidanza that should eliminate the rattles.
I purchased the vehicle and it seemed like the MT was about $1-2k lower than the AT version. This may be due to the lack of interest with a MT Lexus and it was sitting on the lot for a while.
Good luck with finding your new IS....either way.
But the downside to the Lexus is the noisy clutch assembly. Do a search and you'll find that the flywheel is a two piece design that causes this. If you can get used to the little extra rattles (which is common), the MT IS250 is great fun!
If you don't like the noise, you can fix it with a flywheel by Fidanza that should eliminate the rattles.
I purchased the vehicle and it seemed like the MT was about $1-2k lower than the AT version. This may be due to the lack of interest with a MT Lexus and it was sitting on the lot for a while.
Good luck with finding your new IS....either way.
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 468
Likes: 10
From: il
Fun to drive. It is sad people these days are becoming unfamiliar with manual trans.
"Why is there 3 pedals?"
Yes I know the resale value is lower and it is hard to sell it. But I thought we buy the car to enjoy it. That's what happened to my previous car. I bought accord AT thinking of the resale value. But I didn't enjoy it. I wanted to get rid of it so bad and got IS250MT. One of the best decisions I've ever made.
"Why is there 3 pedals?"
Yes I know the resale value is lower and it is hard to sell it. But I thought we buy the car to enjoy it. That's what happened to my previous car. I bought accord AT thinking of the resale value. But I didn't enjoy it. I wanted to get rid of it so bad and got IS250MT. One of the best decisions I've ever made.
Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: New York
you can utilize the MT for what it feels like a lot more torque power than the AT, my ex-gf had a AT AWD 250 and I have a MT. I drove both and MT is soooo much more fun to drive than the AT. AT drove kind of like a Camry (no offense to any AT owners.).
IMO...it is fun to drive, which is why I prefer a stick over an automatic (2 other Hondas in my garage are also stick).
But the downside to the Lexus is the noisy clutch assembly. Do a search and you'll find that the flywheel is a two piece design that causes this. If you can get used to the little extra rattles (which is common), the MT IS250 is great fun!
If you don't like the noise, you can fix it with a flywheel by Fidanza that should eliminate the rattles.
I purchased the vehicle and it seemed like the MT was about $1-2k lower than the AT version. This may be due to the lack of interest with a MT Lexus and it was sitting on the lot for a while.
Good luck with finding your new IS....either way.
But the downside to the Lexus is the noisy clutch assembly. Do a search and you'll find that the flywheel is a two piece design that causes this. If you can get used to the little extra rattles (which is common), the MT IS250 is great fun!
If you don't like the noise, you can fix it with a flywheel by Fidanza that should eliminate the rattles.
I purchased the vehicle and it seemed like the MT was about $1-2k lower than the AT version. This may be due to the lack of interest with a MT Lexus and it was sitting on the lot for a while.
Good luck with finding your new IS....either way.
When I bought my car, most IS250s were floating around the 23k no navigation. I managed to find my MRM 6MT for 21k, but I waited out a few weeks, and jumped on it when the dealer lowered the asking price to 20k. Ended up getting the car for 9.5k, which was vastly lower than the market price for an auto IS250. The IS250 is NOT a performance car anyways, an auto IS doesn't exactly feel fast either. I see nothing super wrong with my MT; it's not the greatest manual I've driven, but it's far from the worse.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: NJ
I've had my IS250 6-sp manual for almost a year now. I'm FINALLY STARTING to get used to that noisy noisy noisy cheap sounding cheap feeling clutch/flywheel assembly. If you can get past that noisy and non-linear clutch, and like the peaky torque curve of the engine, it can be pretty fun to drive. Now that I've taken the sales tax hit and the depreciation hit on it, I'm going to keep it for at least a few more years. But if I had a time machine, I'd go back and buy a 3-series BMW or even an Acura TSX (yes, even tho its 4-cyl and FWD) ... I mostly bought the car to get a manual tranny daily driver, and the manual in this car, while not the worst thing ever, is a pretty big disappointment. Maybe I'm a tough grader because my other car is first-gen Miata, which has one of the best clutch/flywheel/gear ratio/shifter combinations in automotive history.
Hey, another thought, do you guys find it easy to heel-toe downshift the IS? I find the pedal spacing all wrong, and the gas pedal is too close to the transmission tunnel, so when I angle my foot over to blip the gas, I often hit the tunnel instead. I also find that the HEAVY flywheel makes it difficult for me to get the revs quickly to where I want them .... I can heal-toe the Miata perfectly in my sleep.
Bottom line, just my opinion, the IS-250 Manual is a disappointment, and a huge lost opportunity for Lexus to prove it can build a world-class sports sedan.
Hey, another thought, do you guys find it easy to heel-toe downshift the IS? I find the pedal spacing all wrong, and the gas pedal is too close to the transmission tunnel, so when I angle my foot over to blip the gas, I often hit the tunnel instead. I also find that the HEAVY flywheel makes it difficult for me to get the revs quickly to where I want them .... I can heal-toe the Miata perfectly in my sleep.
Bottom line, just my opinion, the IS-250 Manual is a disappointment, and a huge lost opportunity for Lexus to prove it can build a world-class sports sedan.
