Is220d Please!

[IS.Canadian]

Hi fellow Lexus owners,

My first post, and I know that this was brought up a while ago.

Now that competitors such as BMW are planning on offering diesel versions in North America, do you think Lexus would bring the IS220d over.

I was toying with the idea of importing one from Europe, but with all the talks about 15+ year old JDMs causing trouble (with RHD), I don't know how hard it would be to do so.

Don't get me wrong. I love my IS250 AWD (except my OEM tires -- being in Canada), but man gas prices are really hurting me. :(

[Lexusfreak]

I'd love to see Lexus offer that model here in Canada. B)

[Steve]

From my experience i would not bother.

1. Gearbox is rather agricultural, clunky and very noisey

2. Fuel economy is not much better than the IS250

3. Problems with 5th injectors

4. Slow pull away.. turbo is great but you really have to kick it in the guts to get a quick pull away.

5. Lexus should have never made a diesel IMO.. ruins the brand

Also Lexus will be discontinuing this diesel on the next model change. Diesel was not successful at at satisfying customers. Think they will go down the hybrid route.

[bartkat]

Dieself fuel is higher than gasoline in the USA these days.

[IS.Canadian]

Sure diesel cost is higher, but with higher MPG it is worth it in the end, no?

[bartkat]

I have no idea. I guess one would have to know the numbers and figure that out.

[zhex00]

From my experience i would not bother.

1. Gearbox is rather agricultural, clunky and very noisey

2. Fuel economy is not much better than the IS250

3. Problems with 5th injectors

4. Slow pull away.. turbo is great but you really have to kick it in the guts to get a quick pull away.

5. Lexus should have never made a diesel IMO.. ruins the brand

Also Lexus will be discontinuing this diesel on the next model change. Diesel was not successful at at satisfying customers. Think they will go down the hybrid route.

With your speed limit, the 220d is very good, 7.5-8 litres per 100Km, the SE version, a little bit worse with the sport gearbox. The gearbox is smoth, not noisy at all. The new cars dont have any injector problem.

Lexus 220d SE MM owner.

[tex2670]

Hi fellow Lexus owners,

My first post, and I know that this was brought up a while ago.

Now that competitors such as BMW are planning on offering diesel versions in North America, do you think Lexus would bring the IS220d over.

I was toying with the idea of importing one from Europe, but with all the talks about 15+ year old JDMs causing trouble (with RHD), I don't know how hard it would be to do so.

Don't get me wrong. I love my IS250 AWD (except my OEM tires -- being in Canada), but man gas prices are really hurting me. :(

I don't know the pricing in Canada, but deisel in my area (Pennsylvania) is over $1.00 more per gallon than 87 octane.

[tex2670]

Sure diesel cost is higher, but with higher MPG it is worth it in the end, no?

Given the current differential, I would doubt it. Don't diesel engines have higher maintenance costs, too? Given that all North American Lexus techs would need to be trained on a totally new engine, I would think so.

Go with a Jetta.

[tex2670]

From my experience i would not bother.

1. Gearbox is rather agricultural, clunky and very noisey

2. Fuel economy is not much better than the IS250

3. Problems with 5th injectors

4. Slow pull away.. turbo is great but you really have to kick it in the guts to get a quick pull away.

5. Lexus should have never made a diesel IMO.. ruins the brand

Also Lexus will be discontinuing this diesel on the next model change. Diesel was not successful at at satisfying customers. Think they will go down the hybrid route.

With your speed limit, the 220d is very good, 7.5-8 litres per 100Km, the SE version, a little bit worse with the sport gearbox. The gearbox is smoth, not noisy at all. The new cars dont have any injector problem.

Lexus 220d SE MM owner.

Maybe my math is rusty, but based on that, assuming that the gas version will average 22mpg, you'd save about $50 /year in fuel costs...

[IS.Canadian]

I am sure it's more than that... Here is my calculation.

Assumptions:

Fuel Economy: IS250 AWD / IS220d (US MPG): 22 / 31

Cost per Gallon (California average in USD) Premium / Diesel: $3.80 / $4.20

Annual mileage: 15,000

It would cost $2590.91 in gas for the IS250 AWD and $2032.26 for the IS220d. Net difference is $558.65.

[Lexusfreak]

I'd like to drive a few higher end diesel models to see how they are for myself. There is a reason why Europe sells over 50% of cars equipped with diesel engines.......the fuel costs are way up there compared to the U.S. & Canada & diesels give you a 30+% benefit in fuel economy over gasoline.

I'm glad Subaru will finally bring their diesel boxer over in 2010. B) I think eventually at least one of the 2 cars my wife & I drive will be a diesel.

[Steve]

From my experience i would not bother.

1. Gearbox is rather agricultural, clunky and very noisey

2. Fuel economy is not much better than the IS250

3. Problems with 5th injectors

4. Slow pull away.. turbo is great but you really have to kick it in the guts to get a quick pull away.

5. Lexus should have never made a diesel IMO.. ruins the brand

Also Lexus will be discontinuing this diesel on the next model change. Diesel was not successful at at satisfying customers. Think they will go down the hybrid route.

With your speed limit, the 220d is very good, 7.5-8 litres per 100Km, the SE version, a little bit worse with the sport gearbox. The gearbox is smoth, not noisy at all. The new cars dont have any injector problem.

Lexus 220d SE MM owner.

The gearboxes will get noisey over time. I agree they may have fixed the 5th injector issue (or so they say)

[Tango]

Hi fellow Lexus owners,

My first post, and I know that this was brought up a while ago.

Now that competitors such as BMW are planning on offering diesel versions in North America, do you think Lexus would bring the IS220d over.

I was toying with the idea of importing one from Europe, but with all the talks about 15+ year old JDMs causing trouble (with RHD), I don't know how hard it would be to do so.

Don't get me wrong. I love my IS250 AWD (except my OEM tires -- being in Canada), but man gas prices are really hurting me. :(

Believe me, you really don't want a 220D , no matter what 220D owners will say The minor difference in fuel cost just isn't worth the difference. I've been given a 220D as a courtesy car a couple of times my 250 Auto has been for a service and I was really glad to be back in mine.

[IS.Canadian]

Hey Tango,

Could you elaborate as to why the 220d is that poor, since you have driven both and been able to compare?

:)

[Tango]

Hey Tango,

Could you elaborate as to why the 220d is that poor, since you have driven both and been able to compare?

:)

I think Steve's previous post says it all, and the UK forum is full of posts from 220D owners complaining of vibrating mirrors, rattles, poor and inconsistent mpg, useless 6th gear and the lag when pulling off the line at junctions. Lexus put the diesel engine from the Toyota Avensis into the 2nd gen IS bodyshell to satisfy the European Company Car/fleet market as well as the expected lower tax because of emmissions.

There's a Sport version of the diesel that has lower gearing which makes it a little more useable, but in my opinion it will always come second best to the 250/350. Lexus really should not have introduced it, especially since the competition in the form of the BMW 3 & 5 series diesels and the even better Alfa Romeo 159 2.4 JTD Lusso make it look second rate in the performance and economy stakes....

[0m3n]

Diesel is by far a better choice all around. Mainly because it is not restricted as to the power you can create with it. Just as an example, my wife has a VW TDI and gets almost 60 mpg on the highway and over 40 in town. I've also got a chevy 2500 HD diesel with a gross weight of 9600 lbs that with very minor mods gets close to 20 mpg on 33" tires. On a dyno it created 678 RWHP and 940 ftlb torque.

Diesel will soon be bigger than ever in the US with Cadillac, Ford (f-150), chevy (1500), suburu, kia...etc all making small block diesels available as early as 2010.

[Tango]

Diesel is by far a better choice all around. Mainly because it is not restricted as to the power you can create with it. Just as an example, my wife has a VW TDI and gets almost 60 mpg on the highway and over 40 in town. I've also got a chevy 2500 HD diesel with a gross weight of 9600 lbs that with very minor mods gets close to 20 mpg on 33" tires. On a dyno it created 678 RWHP and 940 ftlb torque.

Diesel will soon be bigger than ever in the US with Cadillac, Ford (f-150), chevy (1500), suburu, kia...etc all making small block diesels available as early as 2010.

But what's that got to do with the Lexus 220D?

[terry993]

You are lucky in Canada, getting all the current great European diesels. Such as the MB B 200 D I rented in Europe for a week.

MB diesels are not expensive to maintain. I owned a 300TD for 22 years and 245K miles. Oil changes and infrequent major service gets you about 500K miles before rebuild.