seohenning

The car is not in 50/50 at all times... however the AWD can power a 50/50 ratio at "any time" depending on road conditions. I believe you are correct on the 70/30 split rear to front during normal driving conditions however I am not 100% sure. Regardless of ratios this AWD function allows for better handling over a two wheel. I honestly don't think you'll notice when and when it's on. That is what it was designed to do and is reflected in much of Lexus's designs, they are there but you are not supposed to "notice" them. I.E. the gradual heating in "Auto".

I had that issue one day but found it was ice that had built up on the roof and was causing some issue either with the aero dynamics or just added weight to move the sunroof and thus creak. Not sure where you live but that might be an issue? I solved the problem simply by cleaning and drying it. If you don't live in cold weather and are simply using it a lot more than normal than it could be that the grease has thinned or wore away causing any little vibration / bump to squeak. If this is the case just take it to Lex or a trusted mechanic and have them add some. I am not sure about this but I think there might be a sunroof silicone product that you can put on the rubber gasket as well?

Thanks for the Link and quick replies that's good stuff and always appreciated. Unfortunately the owner’s manual takes up about half the trunk so I just leave it at home. Thus, I didn't have it in front of me and because I won't be home before my next oil change (Tomorrow) I just wanted to verify that I didn't need anything else vitally important done besides the Oil change. Just don't like paying Lexus 100 bucks an hour to check the tire pressure and other minor issues!!

I am just getting to 15k mile marker and was wondering if I should just get an oil change? I am always hesitant to say I need a 15k mile service since that's code for charge for me inflating tires and checking the gas cap tightness. Does anyone have suggestions about what should be changed/checked at dif. mileages? Thanks!

I get just above 25mpg on mine, have been around 28 on a good day but it is rare. I do drive mostly highway so that helps but use the computers calculations as I don't really care if it's off 1 or 2 mpg either way.

Well the previous point was the best point made yet... AWD Lexus, Subaru, Hummers and Snowcats will all change your perception of what is good in the snow etc... but the biggest thing is just knowing how to drive in it period. It has been snowing nonstop in Utica for the past 3 weeks, I haven't seen pavement since it started, the snow banks are higher than the cars and honestly my IS250AWD is doing just fine around town. Compared to watching others drive it's quite a difference. I saw a Mercedes rear-wheel spin it's tires for 30 min trying to parallel park, sliding back and forth barely moving and quite entertaining. Seeing that it was valentines day he was probably trying to impress his Girlfriend/Wife etc.. with his nice new car... apparently he should have taken her's instead (please note that the best part about it was there was a Lexus GS AWD right in front of it parked perfectly! haha). I don't doubt that Lexus was marketing to the Northern states w/ the AWD system, but the fact is there are really not that many AWD cars out there on the market so it was a great move on their part to offer it, and frankly I am glad they did.

I agree... if its 40 degrees i wouldn't start my car early... Colder than 5 degrees (only happens a few times a year) I am starting it early and the engine will be just fine (though the gas bill wont!).

I think I was misunderstood above... I was just stating in my previous post that I wish Lex. had decided to give the "Snow" Option a 50/50 ratio instead of trying to tie in some computer system that tries to drive for you. I knew before I bought mine that their were better cars for driving in the snow, including Subaru and I believe those are a great cars, they get great reviews and are sharp looking, however I know I made the right decision with the IS and I just happened to like the Lexus better thus why I bought one. It still drives better than any two wheel and feels nice and solid in the snow not forgetting it is a blast to drive regardless of conditions!

Not much we can do about that I guess... Still fun to drive in the snow even with the systems. Just for an update on what car has what: IS250 - VSC - Electronic system that can aid driver control by detecting incipient sideslip of the wheels while cornering and helping to control it using modulation of engine power and selective application of individual brakes. It works in conjunction with ABS and TRAC to help improve driver control under some adverse conditions. IS350 - VDIM Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management, VSC (above) and Traction Control (TRAC) systems to help minimize loss of traction in a turn. VDIM is an electronic system designed to help the driver maintain vehicle control under adverse conditions. It is not a substitute for safe driving practices. Factors including speed, road conditions and driver steering input can all affect whether VDIM will be effective in preventing a loss of control.

Good Choice... Service is more important than most people think. I hope your letter has some sort of impact.

Yes I agree.. ICE nothing you can do.. deep snow.. you can still slide but should have enough grip to get you going in the direction you want to go in. If of course you have the power to do so...

The reality is that when you are sliding in a turn you can accelerate to an extent through the turn and keep the car in better control ... then slow down and apply breaking after the turn ... however this system appears to be cutting some/all of the power as soon as the car slides and prevents you from doing this. I don't blame anything and just figure the Lexus designers have been out driving in the winter and notice that 90% of people freak out when they see a snow flake and immediately forget how to drive, park and well stay on the road. I honestly don't blame the system and for 99% of the time it has been wonderful... I just wish the "snow" function transferred it to 50/50 immediately instead of the VDIM system trying to figure out what wheel is spinning which is slipping and what the car next to you is doing driving 30mph in a 65 while breaking at the same time, while the SUV speeds by at 80 throws on the breaks and jerks the wheel to avoid the snow drift .... Now I am going to ramble on a bit more: I guess I just don't understand how people don't take the time to learn how to drive in the snow in the North when 30% of the year has snow covered roads... Now I don't blame the southerners who still have their low profile high performance tires on and slam into each other with only a dusting of snow... they have an excuse... it's snow they don't see it and sure can't drive in it... people in the north... no excuses, take a class it should be required!

It has been below 10F every morning for the past week here and mine (IS250 AWD) seems to be ok. On the really cold mornings I do go out and start it 15 min before I leave and by the time i go back out the seats are warm and the air temp is good. My rec would be to take it off "auto" and put the temp up to about 72 - put the fan on high on the "feet and defrost" setting. This seems to work for me. Also if you are the only one in the car close all the passenger side vents to increase your air flow. If you have it on Auto it will not heat up until the engine is warm enough to heat the air to your desired temp and even then it does it gradually. I believe Lexus says that it is designed so that you don't notice the climate control system... i think it's called our fan doesn't blow hot air out fast enough to warm up the car for those in the Northern states so we came up with an excuse? Thats my best advise... keep warm!

I also have an 06 IS250 AWD and get 25.6mpg overall, have seen 28 on non-windy freeway driving. I drive 85% on highway and the rest in stop and go. My overall milage has gone down a bit since winter is in full force and I have been "warming up my car" for 15-20 min before driving on the 10 degree F or less mornings... Oh and the car starts fine in cold weather!

Yes almost all dealerships have a demo for each model and usually they have a lot of "toys" for demonstration. You can usually find them discounted well below sticker after 2,000+ miles. Even if they have a few grand on them it doesn't mean they were beaten to death, sometimes the dealers drive them to and from work which can add up in mileage quickly. I saw one advertised on a local site the other week for $4,000 under MSRP and believe it had 3,200 miles on it.

Thanks... I am sure the IS has VDIM and although I do not know all of the specs. about the system it is to some degree and advanced TCS and probably why the system stops power to the wheels in this type of situation. When the snow falls again I will keep testing dif situations and see what happens. I'll also try it in dif. modes and w/ the VDIM off. If anything unusual or better arises I'll report back! Any additional information is welcome.

I also live in the Northeast and have had a 90/10 feeling about the AWD. I feel like the car responds well in the snow, the tires could have better traction (stock 17's) all-weather but they are decent enough to avoid going through the TPMS issues with getting snow tires. I went to an empty parking lot and really tried to push the traction control system to it's max. I noticed two things: First is in a controlled slide I tried to "effectively drift" in a turn when the system kicked in and tried to stop the car, effectively it cut the power to the gas. This did stop me from my "drift" but left me wondering what if I had to accelerate out of the way of an on coming car to avoid a potential wreck? Would I just sit there w/ no power to the gas? This also happened when I tried to accelerate (a bit quick i must admit for fun) from 0mph in a left hand turn and of course started to slide a little, but the power again cut off and i just kept sliding forward instead of being able to accelerate to where i wanted to go (left). Does anyone have an answer to this or felt a similar situation? (and yes I know not driving like an A$$ will prevent the car from sliding and I know that is what the system is designed to prevent, but i just hope it's not more of a problem in "real life driving" situations). The second is that driving straight and for 90 percent other than the above is more than fine, even with 12+ of snow on my driveway. Just as it relates to the previous post my previous car was a Civic and I could drive up my driveway just the same (neither had problems). So in response to your issue I would bring it to the dealership and have them test the AWD system (unless you have performance tires, in which case you would expect to "ice skate" instead of drive).

I bought my AWD in upstate at New Country and they were great and continue to be service wise. I got mine listed at $37,900 for $34,000 before tax. Mine has several options including Nav so I was happy with the price. I would think $30k will be tough, and no way to do that after tax. You could always consider a "Demo" which might get you closer and still have all the perks of a new car.

lambobaby1218- I know what you mean...about the rattle I have recently (since it has gotten cold) got a rattle around my sunroof...I am just about to bust the glass in the sunroof it is driving me nuts! The dealership has told me that they will fix it...we will see! I hope so. How many times has the dealership tried to fix it? About the Rattle with the Sunroof, I had the same issue with mine. When I opened it "tilt" it stopped, and I realized that ice had built up on the roof and probably created some issue with the aerodynamics causing the sunroof to vibrate and thus rattle. I went and washed/dried my car to get the ice off and that solved the problem. Not sure but this could have been the cause of your issue as well?

When I bought my IS250awd the dealership also had a G35x on the lot. I checked it out just to see what it was about and thought that the Nav was not nearly as nice as the one in "my" Lex. Although all three would be fun to drive unless you get the 3 series BMW not much will stand out from the IS in that price range. In terms of looks the IS250awd is better than both. The G35 (awd) only comes in the 4 door version and in my opinion the coupe would be the only way to go in terms of looks for the G35 (I don't care much for the 4 door version). The TL was honestly going to be my next purchase 2 years ago... then this came out. I love the look of the Acura but like the previous person had said, it's time for an update. You can get a 07 TL and feel like everyone else is driving one... you can get an 06 or 07 IS250 and you won't see another one on the road for a week. I just hope you are asking other forums from the other auto makers as well, just seeing as though you'll get a biased opinion from this one .... though we all know that it is the correct one

I like the wheels, could do without the white seats. My thought is the M3 doesn't look much dif than the 3 series (you can tell it is a BMW M3, but it's def a 3 series ... why would Lexus want to change the IS much for the F series, if they wanted a completely dif car they would call it something else?

"Fake it till you make it" I am also a young Lex Driver 24 when bought, 25 now... ahh 1/4 century. Anyway, I agree with a few remarks, don't tolerate people who look at you bad for buying a nice car young. My fiance and I bought her Mazda 6 from a dealership 70 miles away from our house because the one in our city didn't treat us with the respect we thought we should get. No one approached us the first time we were there (about 20 min), then the second time I had called before hand and set up an appointment it still took at least 20 min for someone to even approach us let alone take us serious when we arrived for our "appointment". We believe that is important to be taken serious and why would you want to give a business money when they don't want anything to do with you in the first place.

Heated and ventillated seats. They are so nice! I just wish the heated seats were warmer!!! If I had to do it again, I would definitely get the memory seats, which I think is included in the premium package, but I'm not positive. I can't stand not having memory seats!!!!! I know, at least they're auto. I'll stop griping..... Sorry folks - the memory seats and steering wheel are only included in the luxury package. It's ridiculous, but that's the way it is. I actually waited until I found a 350 with the luxury package and chose it for that reason - the memory setas and steering wheel are a must in a car like this. A steering wheel doesn't come with every car? ;) Mine came with a Joy stick with an A&B Button for the Gas/Break.

Thanks I'll check them both out. Still looking for snow in the Northeast though, so not much use for the rack at the moment!

I just wanted to make a few comments about New Country Lexus located in Latham NY. I recently took my IS250 AWD up for an oil change (see my oil change post for more info). Long story short they left the hood open when I picked the car up. I later called and spoke with someone about that just to let them know that this could be an issue for others, I didn't really care about putting the hood down. They were pretty upset that this happened and extended a comp for my next service, I wasn't expecting anything but an apology and I was really impressed with this. The next related problem occurred when I walked out of my house that same night and noticed a 3 inch dent in the side of my front passenger quarter-panel (behind the wheel well and in front of the door). :chairshot: I was extremely upset as you can imagine and since I always park in open lots far away from other cars and park at my office next to a curb on the passenger side I figured out that this dent probably happened during the oil change. I called to see if the dealership and spoke to a service rep to see if they had cameras and could have possibly caught it on tape (they didn't) he then told me a number for the dent wizard (again not really happy at this point). So later that day I get a call from the manager calls who wants to know what had happened and I explained my story. He said he couldn't prove that it didn't happen at the dealership but it seemed like it might have and that he wasn't going to squabble over a $100 fix so he said bring the car in and they would take care of the damage! :D I am extremely satisfied with the way they have handled these two issues and will definitely keep buying my cars from this dealership, I recommend anyone else in the upstate NY area to get their car there as well! Let's just hope this is the last of the issues!