The German Posted July 12, 2006 Posted July 12, 2006 Hey guys, I special ordered (as you usually do with most every car in Europe...it's rare to buy a car off the lot) my Lexus IS 220d last December, got it in April. I love that car, it's so awesome. The exterior is incredible, the interior is by far much more luxurious and nicer than those of its German competitors. I do not regret that I have bought this car and I would do so again. I now have a 5.000 Miles on it and it runs like anything. You can't tell that it's a Diesel (doesn't sound like it) and even though it has only 180 HP, the "kick" you get when accelerating from let's say 50 to 80 MPH is much better/harder compared to the IS 250 due to the high torque of the engine. Accerleration from 0-60 is 8.7 secs and top speed (which IS important in Germany due to our Autobahn-Highway-System ) is about 10mph less than the IS 250. The car is equipped with the European luxury package which includes Xenon-AFL, ventilated leather seats, power heater, rear shade, power-everything etc. I didn't order neither the Multi-Media-Package nor a sunroof. The car has a M/T (Automatic is not available, therefore no radar-sensor, etc.). Price was 38.000€ which is approx. $47500, just to give you guys a comparison. I know some of you got their lovely IS 350, which is NOT offered in Europe and which I would DIE for, for much less...damn taxes. Ok, here is a picture I took a couple of weeks ago: If you got any questions, let me know ;) Best regards.
Cherokee_Outlaw Posted July 12, 2006 Posted July 12, 2006 Congrads! One question I do have.... Whats the MPG?
The German Posted July 12, 2006 Author Posted July 12, 2006 Ok, now that's gonna be complicated. In Germany, it's usually given in "Liters per 100km"... My Lexus needs between 5.8 l/100km (mostly over land driving, average speed 65mph, which is close to your legal highway speed, I'd say) and 7.5 l/km (pedal to the medal with top speed 130mph or extreme city driving with constan acceleration/braking etc.). To answer your question: This is an average gas mileage of between 47mpg (US highway) and 33mpg (German Autobahn/city)
Scott M Posted July 12, 2006 Posted July 12, 2006 "mostly over land driving" Does the German model float? ;)
The German Posted July 12, 2006 Author Posted July 12, 2006 It's been a while that I lived in the States...plus, "me was livin' 'n Kentucky and I ain't speaking no good English". I was talking about "country roads" which are "Überlandstrecken" in German - Over land roads if you translate it poorly ;) Wie wär's denn mal mit ein bißchen Deutsch zur Abwechslung? ;) Anyways, yeah, that's a personalized plate...the most the German system allows you to personalize it (I envy you for your small, colored, individual plates...)
Scott M Posted July 12, 2006 Posted July 12, 2006 It's been a while that I lived in the States...plus, "me was livin' 'n Kentucky and I ain't speaking no good English". I was talking about "country roads" which are "Überlandstrecken" in German - Over land roads if you translate it poorly ;) Wie wär's denn mal mit ein bißchen Deutsch zur Abwechslung? ;) Anyways, yeah, that's a personalized plate...the most the German system allows you to personalize it (I envy you for your small, colored, individual plates...) Yup, I guessed it was poor translation. The only German I know was taught to me from the movie, Top Secret.... Ist sein Tochter ochtzen bitte? B)
Rx330driver Posted July 12, 2006 Posted July 12, 2006 Man, i love the german accent/language. Its kinda humorous, i love it when my german friends speak german, even if they are talking trash to me Nice car btw, i wish we got diesel cars in California, but they are banned, bleh i wish we had an autobahn over here, or at least some sort of race track. I would love to test out my cars while also looking about for new models :)
Bourne33065 Posted July 13, 2006 Posted July 13, 2006 Ist ja eine tolles auto!!!! Shade das die IS 350 nicht in germany gibt :( (it would defintly be alot of fun on the autobahn :whistles: ) ] aber das diesal ist bestimmit toll, es seht foll gile aus!!!! viel gluck!!!!!!!!! :D Oh yea and hey the rims on the german IS look like they are different, are there any other differences between the American IS and the German one?
Cherokee_Outlaw Posted July 13, 2006 Posted July 13, 2006 Ok, now that's gonna be complicated. In Germany, it's usually given in "Liters per 100km"... My Lexus needs between 5.8 l/100km (mostly over land driving, average speed 65mph, which is close to your legal highway speed, I'd say) and 7.5 l/km (pedal to the medal with top speed 130mph or extreme city driving with constan acceleration/braking etc.). To answer your question: This is an average gas mileage of between 47mpg (US highway) and 33mpg (German Autobahn/city) wow.. I'm getting 13-17 MPG per tank avg. in the city... and I can pull off a 25 MPG tank on the HWY... How much is the 220?? I wouldnt take a 250 over my 350... but for 33-47 MPG... I would have went for the 220... mmm I guess it depends on the price.... $35k... I would have gotten the 220... but if they are $40+... give me my 350...
Rx330driver Posted July 13, 2006 Posted July 13, 2006 Oh yea and hey the rims on the german IS look like they are different I think those are just the spider rims we have here, i dont think they are standard. but if they are $40+... give me my 350 THey pay a lot more taxes, import taxes, on those cars, so i doubt it would be that much, probably cheaper than the 250. log on to lexus internation's website and see for yourself
The German Posted July 13, 2006 Author Posted July 13, 2006 In fact, the IS 250 is even 2.000€ more which is equivalent to $2.500, so you'd be close to 50.000 Dollars for a well equipped IS 250...(my IS 220d, as said before, was 47500 American Dollars) Btw: Sales taxes are 16% (one of the lowest in Europe), we better not talk about insurance cost and taxes on pollution (even though the Diesel has the same emission class as the 250)... That's why a 4-cylinder-engine is being offered for the first time in a Lexus vehicle in Europe. My diesel. These rims are standard on the "Luxury", they're 17" compared to 16" on the "Base" and 18" on the "Sport"...
bartkat Posted July 14, 2006 Posted July 14, 2006 How is the price of diesel fuel compared to gasoline in Germany? Diesel is costing more than gas now in the US. It used to be cheaper.
The German Posted July 14, 2006 Author Posted July 14, 2006 It is much cheaper. A liter of diesel is 1,15€, gasoline (Premium which is required for most every new car) is 1,45€ a liter... So we're paying $5.50 a gallon for diesel and $6.90 a gallon of gasoline...Will y'all now stop complaining about 3 bucks a gallon? [EDIT] Here's a (British) video for all of you who are as crazy about the IS as I am. IS VIDEO (@ youtube.com)
SW03ES Posted July 15, 2006 Posted July 15, 2006 Wow, 47MPG highway? Thats amazing, thats better than our Prius (we get about 43 combined).
The German Posted July 16, 2006 Author Posted July 16, 2006 I like hybrids, yet they have one problem which is significant, especially here in Germany with the Autobahn: They only work at low speed. The average traveling speed on the Autobahn is between 80 and 100 mph, where no electric component of the hybrid engine is working, only the fuel powered parts...so the fuel consumption shoots up rapidly. The Diesel is very economic in every situation. There's even a Volkswagen (LUPO 3L), which is not offered in the states, yet in Germany that gets 80mpg...and it's not a hybrid, it's a Diesel. Yet, I believe that hybrids will be the future if Mercedes fails to get the Diesel going in the states (as they plan on doing with the 320 CDI in the R-Class/420 CDI in the new G-Class). The Diesel is just too dirty/requires a lot of cleaning. Actually, the Lexus Diesel is the cleanest in the world because it has an additional filter...yet, all that stuff is very expensive, even in mass production. In the long run a clean hybrid might be cheaper to produce.
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