So I hit the big three oh today. I've had her since new, 2008. A few observations:

1) Been the most reliable car I've owned.
2) Longest I've held on to any vehicle.
3) Least amount of rattles I've experienced.
4) Engine, transmission, and driveline have not aged one bit. The car still starts, sounds, idles, accelerates, and stops the same as it did when new (quite amazing). Iv'e never had a car do any of this before.
5) Leather is wearing very well. Actually, it's hardly wearing at all.
6) Tires wear out like crazy. Went for longer lasting ones with the replacements and they are wearing faster than the stock Bridgestones. I'd be lucky to get 15k on these.
7) Brake pads are hardly wearing. I do half of my braking by downshifting, so that might be a factor.
8) Gear shifter has been the biggest source of trouble. Makes a slight scraping noise when manually shifting, often feels stiff to move, and has left a white powder on the plastic plates since day one. Leather on **** has also worn off around the edges. Dealer has had minimal luck with all that.
9) Paint is holding up very well. Very few chips in front, and swirls are easier to manage than on other cars.
10) Tailpipe tips are not weathering at all. I detail them weekly, but even doing that on other cars has still yielded some permanant stains.

Overall, this was a great purchase. At the time I had not figured I'd hold onto it after the lease, but there's been little reason not to and get into debt all over again.

 

Thanks for the info. Good to hear you are enjoying the car!

 

What tires have do you have on now? Always interesting to get a review at the end of the tire life. Do you have a 250 or 350?

 

I agree! It's been 7 years this month since I had my car and besides the minor rock chips, it still looks like it could be mistaken for a much newer model. So far I have about 58k in mileage and I definitely plan on holding onto this IS for the long haul.

 

Your still young in the miles. . I've got a 2011 and am about to push 40k.

Congrats though glad to hear it's running great. Mine is too, anywhere from 15-20k miles a year for me right now.

 

30k? come on, brah?! is barely broken into lol
I got a 2010' and I'm at 54k.

 

It's a 250.
I know, I don't drive much. Thankfully, work and family are all within three miles of where I live.
The replacement tired were the Hankooks. Price was right, the reviews were decent, and they are quiet. I'd get them again even though the rears are wearing on the insides like the Bridgestones. I had my tire place purposely tilt them out a bit, but apparently it's not making a difference.
I'd also like to mention fuel mileage, which is always a contested concern of mine. My sticker, with the EPA revised numbers of 2008, said 21/29. It's spot on. I do just about 95% city driving and as you can see in the pic, I am average 22. Often it's 23. Once on the freeway, it jumps to 30. So I'm very happy with the numbers, as they are slightly above what the EPA estimated.
One last thing. While the car has been a joy to own and maintain, I do miss the feel of "soul," which my 2003 A4 had plenty of. The IS is more of a luxury ownership experience, which I've grown used to and come to appreciate very much. The dealer experience alone has been amazing. In fact, I'd say that's one of the biggest factors in sticking with this car and the Lexus brand.