Lexus IS250/220D (2005 - ) - Replacing a Lexus

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Wed 18 Nov 2009 15:49
Replacing a Lexus - legacylad
A friend of mine is starting a new job and handing back his company IS 250. Tiring of his high pressure job and working 80+ hour weeks, he is taking a salary cut and now needs to buy& run a car privately.
His budget is £5k, and he estimates his annual mileage to be no more than 12k. The car has to be more practical than the IS250, so a hatch or estate is required...albeit with decent performance and similar build quality. Quite a tall order. I did suggest a Seat Leon 20VT. Supposedly great handling and performance in a practical package, but he is not keen, so any ideas or suggestions please. Ideally a 530 petrol Touring, but for this price it would be quite old, with large repairs bills possible, nor is he keen on my suggested 2.5 Outback suggestion!
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Wed 18 Nov 2009 15:55
Replacing a Lexus - stunorthants26
What about one of those older IS300 estates or whatever they called them - they are pretty cheap now?
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Wed 18 Nov 2009 15:59
Replacing a Lexus - Alanovich
Sounds like good old Mazda 6 territory to me. Or Honda Accord.
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Wed 18 Nov 2009 16:01
Replacing a Lexus - madf
stu

One of these?
tinyurl.com/yh3r3wp
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Wed 18 Nov 2009 16:21
Replacing a Lexus - stunorthants26
Yeah ttas the one madf. Always give these estates silly names. I confess, I find them rather handome things and pretty good value really given they are so well screwed together.
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Wed 18 Nov 2009 16:36
Replacing a Lexus - Bagpuss
Yeah, I would second an older Lexus IS estate car. I personally found the rather quirky old IS with its direct steering, wonderfully high revving straight six engines and mad interior (including a remote control for the SatNav) much more desirable the totally anonymous thing Lexus replaced it with. Had a harder edge than the BMW 3 Series which it blatently copied. I think the estate was only supplied with automatic transmission.
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Wed 18 Nov 2009 16:40
Replacing a Lexus - Dipstick
Auto transmission maybe, but according to madf's link it has a "manuel" mode on the steering wheel. I can only assume that to be an innovation copied from SEAT.


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Wed 18 Nov 2009 17:11
Replacing a Lexus - Lygonos
Grab yer coat, Dipstick, it's raining hard out there ;-)
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Wed 18 Nov 2009 17:19
Replacing a Lexus - gordonbennet
I'll add my support to the IS suggestions, i'd like one as well.

They are built very well, the suspension underneath was painted better than some makers topside, all exposed bolts appeared to have that gold/silver coloured coating (the correct term escapes me) presumably rust resistant.

Individual motor too, the 3.0 needs it's traction control, goes like a scalded cat.
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Wed 18 Nov 2009 17:58
Replacing a Lexus - Dipstick
"Grab yer coat, Dipstick..."

Frankly, in this forum I never take my coat off.

Edited by Dipstick on 18/11/2009 at 17:59

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