Hey everyone im new to this forum and wanted to get some opinions on a car purchase i will be making VERY soon (within a few weeks).I am currently looking at a 2006 IS250 AWD Silver on Black with no navigation and 71000 miles and a 2007 IS250 RWD Black on Tan with a navigation and 58000 miles. I really want the navigation but I like the silver on black combination better. The AWD would be a nice thing to have for the winters here in New York but not absolutely necessary. This will be my first Lexus so im very excited
P.S The prices are the same so it wont be a factor in the decision
THANK YOU!!!!

 

if you don't find AWD necessary then its a no brainer. definitely go with the 2007 since it has lesser mileage and its a year newer.

 

Agreed. You'll beat yourself up over the color but you're better off in the long run because the later is a "newer" car.

I am also assuming the maintenance is comparable between the two. I'm assuming the RWD was better maintained given the statistics you gave us.

A personal note, I also have tan interrior and as long as you clean it regularly it will be fine.

 

2007 IS250 RWD Black on Tan with a navigation and 58000 miles.
^I'd go with this unless color is absolutely the deciding factor.

RWD will mean a little less maintenance cost over its life, and you can always slap on 4 winter tires when its snow time and be fine.
Quite a few members here drive their RWD's in the winter with just 4 good snow tires on them and do fine.

 

ill be going out to see the cars in person maybe this weekend but as of right now the '06 looks cleaner then the 07, but pictures dont really do justice sometimes. if i was to choose the '07 my concerns are how hard is it to keep the exterior and interior clean then? and also is the rwd going to absolutely pitiful in the snow or will it be able to manage with some good all season tires?

 

Assuming you have a real snow season you'd want snow tires, not all seasons. (then summer tires the rest of the year it's above freezing).

RWD with snow tires will be considerably better, safer, etc than even AWD on all-seasons...and RWD with summers will be considerably better, safer, etc than even AWD on all-seasons the rest of the year... that's how big a difference tires make.

 

oh wow thanks for the heads up...any suggestion on which tires to get?

 

I run Blizzak snow tires and works great in the snow time. Run the 225-45-18 all around on the stock 18s.

 

i was hesitant of the tan interior until i got it... now i love it. rather have tan than black for summers and there's a little luxury feeling to the tan that black doesn't quite have. also, i LOVE the nav. if i were you i would go for the one with nav. that's probably my favorite feature of the car's interior. no nav, i wouldn't even feel like i was in a lexus.

 

I think you'll like the nav and lesser mileage car. The hard part will be the cleaning of a black car and tan interior. Good luck. Post pics when you decide and buy.

 

Lower miles + tan! You will thank yourself in the long run...

 

Lowest miles possible.

 

hey everyone thank you for all the input but turns out the 07 lexus wasnt in the best condition however i have found a Navy Blue 07 is250 awd with tan interior and navigation so i am going out this saturday to take a look ill be sure to take pics if everything goes smooth

 

If you live in the Northeast, I'd say go awd. We can sometimes get a foot of snow at a time in Montreal, and rwd drivers with (government mandated) snow tires complain about sliding around.

 

Drive them first before making a decision...on paper rwd sounds better but u never know. I remember test driving a black 350 that had 30k less miles and it had ever option, but for some reason i ended up getting a car with much more miles cuz it just drove better less rattles and was just in better overall condition...even tho on paper the other car seemed superior, u just never know.