ajfinoak

If one sets the A/C to cooler temps, does fuel usage go up if the outside temp remains constant?

Any recommendations for what to use to dust off exterior of dark car (smoky granite) between washing without scratching? My first dark in a while. A few days after washing, the car gets a layer of dirt/dust even in the garage.

Thanks much.

Can someone clarify the difference between the 250's traction and stability control and the 350's Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system?

Thanks

I have an 08 250 and notice the ticking noise at idle when standing outside of the car. I noticed the same noise as well on others including a loaner I had. The inside of the car is so quiet and well insulated that one would not hear it. I would think it is normal as they all seem to do it.

I realize the topic of the aiming of the headlights has been discussed and a previous poster tells how one can try it themselves. I have an '01 Acura with HID's that light the road much better but do not swivel and had an '06 325i which also lit the road better and swivled much more. I understand that the Lexus IS swivel is much less but in reading the ES 350 posts it looks like some dealers have adjusted the height of the lights. Has anyone had any luck with getting the dealer to aim the lights higher (I live in the SF Bay Area)? It looks to me like they could be higher without it becoming a safety issue as Acura and BMW have much better night vision. Thanks

I recently bought an '08 250 RWD. In No CA (Bay Area) it is hard to find a 250 with the Luxury Pkg. Most all seem to come with the Premium Pkg (no tilt down mirror, sunshade, power adj steering wheel, outside dimming mirror, rain sensing wipers), 18 inch wheels with Summer tires and Xenon and accessory pkg (trunk mat, cargo net, wheel locks). I added Nav and got it for 32.8K plus tax and license with a sticker of 38,145 at Colliseum in Oakland.

I just got that same car (with the Lexus navigation system/bluetooth/backup camera option already on the car) with the same MSRP but the invoice was more than you paid. Did you get the Lexus Nav unit or an afternarket Nav? And did they sell it to you below invoice?

I did get the car below invoice. I was the factory Nav unit with bluetooth and backup camera.

I recently bought an '08 250 RWD. In No CA (Bay Area) it is hard to find a 250 with the Luxury Pkg. Most all seem to come with the Premium Pkg (no tilt down mirror, sunshade, power adj steering wheel, outside dimming mirror, rain sensing wipers), 18 inch wheels with Summer tires and Xenon and accessory pkg (trunk mat, cargo net, wheel locks). I added Nav and got it for 32.8K plus tax and license with a sticker of 38,145 at Colliseum in Oakland.

AJFINOAK, I had a question as I am also in the Bay Area and looking for a similar car. The car you got had the Preferred, Premium, NAV, 18" Alloy Wheels and HID, correct ? Did you want the 18" wheel package and the HID or did the car just come with them ? I would like to get a car with the Premium and NAV, dont mind the Preferred as well; but I dont want the 18" wheels and HID and the first dealer I checked (Stevens Creek) does not have such a package. In fact there are no cars w/o the 18" wheels and HID that they had.

I might try Longo Lexus as the last car I bought (GS 300) was from there and they had a wider inventory.

Many thanks,

Enetnut

Los Altos Hills, CA

The car came equipped with the wheels and HID as did almost every IS they had on the lot. You can perhaps special order without that but the deals will likely not be as good.

I have a 2008 IS250 and was discussing first oil change with the dealer. He said the car comes with a break in oil that should be left for 5k miles and then they pay for first change. Is there really a break in oil that should stay that long? Also, he indicated that Lexus uses a blend of regular and synthetic oil and that is why changes are OK for 5K miles. Is that really correct as well? I had a '97 ES300 that Lexus recalled for a sludge problem when following their guidelines so I am a bit skeptical.

Thank much.

Does anybody use their ipod in the IS250? I was looking for a good ipod integration setup. Has anybody tried the DICE ipod integration kit for Toyota/Lexus? Let me know what you tried and how you liked it. I'm looking for advice on a good ipod integration kit. Any information is appreciated and useful.

Thanx...

Take a look at the Griffin AutoPilot

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/autopilot

Found it at the Apple store - low profile power adapter plugs into ipod dock connector & power plug in the center console, audio cable runs between power plug & aux input in center console box. a great solution, for listening 7 charging at the same time, only one cable connectd to the ipod.

I have the Monster charger and ipod dock connector on my '08 IS 250. If I play the Ipod with the charger connected I get a buzz in the speakers. Dealer said could not fix it but I found a Technical Service Bulletin that I will bring to them when I go for the 5K service. The Monster product worked fine on my '06 BMW but that car turned out to be a lemon otherwise.

I recently bought an '08 250 RWD. In No CA (Bay Area) it is hard to find a 250 with the Luxury Pkg. Most all seem to come with the Premium Pkg (no tilt down mirror, sunshade, power adj steering wheel, outside dimming mirror, rain sensing wipers), 18 inch wheels with Summer tires and Xenon and accessory pkg (trunk mat, cargo net, wheel locks). I added Nav and got it for 32.8K plus tax and license with a sticker of 38,145 at Colliseum in Oakland.

Does anybody use their ipod in the IS250? I was looking for a good ipod integration setup. Has anybody tried the DICE ipod integration kit for Toyota/Lexus? Let me know what you tried and how you liked it. I'm looking for advice on a good ipod integration kit. Any information is appreciated and useful.

Thanx...

Get your dealer to fit the Lexus integration unit. It provides a full interface in the glovebox that switches/charges/plays and use of the steering wheel audio control. No interference either which you get if you charge using the power socket at the same time using the auxiliary jack in the central storage unit.

Any info available on pricing of the Lexus dealer installed option?

I understand there is a Service Bulletin that is supposed to fix the buzz through the speakers when the charger is plugged in and the ipod is on. My dealer said it could not be fixed but then I found out about the Service Bulletin. Has anyone gotten that fixed? I have an '08 250.

Thanks

Originally I had planned to just post bits and pieces here but since I'm on vacation and bored, I've decided to type up the entire 4 pages of stuff and put it in an excel document. Figuring that not all of you have Excel I'll just post the whole thing here in a code block. Yes, it will be a big post but a very, very good one that's long overdue. Prepare to pin this one. :)

IS 250/350 2007 Suggested Price Guide 

Code	Description	Suggest Retail Price	Dealer Price
9501	IS 250 Luxury Sport Sedan - 6M/T	30,255.00	25,716.00
9502	IS 250 Luxury Sport Sedan - 6ECTi	31,425.00	26,711.00
9506	IS 250 Luxury Sport Sedan - 6ECTi AWD	34,285	29,141.00
9510	IS 350 Luxury Sport Sedan - 6ECTi 	35,705.00	30,349.00

Options			

FT	18" Alloy Wheels with summer tires	720	576
	(RWD Models Only)		

HL	HID Headlamps	875	700
	(Requires LL, LT or ST)		

HW	Headlamp Washers	100	80
	(Requires HL, LL or LT (9501 & 9502))		
	(Requires HL or LD (9506))		
	(Requires HL, LL, LT or ST (9510))		

LD	Luxury Plus package includes Lexus Memory	2205	1764
	System; Bi-Xenon HID + AFS w/Auto Level		
	Headlamps; Outside Auto-Dimming Mirrors;		
	Power Tilt/Telescopic Steering Wheel;		
	Rain-Sensing Wipers and Power Sunshade		
	(IS 250 17" AWD only)		

LL	Luxury Plus package includes Perforated 	3495	2796
	Leather seats, heated and ventilated front		
	seats with Lexus Memory System; Bi-Xenon		
	HID + AFS w/Auto Level Headlamps; Outside		
	Auto-Dimming Mirrors; Rain-Sensing Wipers;		
	Power Tilt/Telescopic Steering Wheel;		
	Power Sunshade; Bird's Eye Maple Interior		
	Trim (17" RWD Models only)		

LT	Luxury Plus package includes 225/40R18 +	4215	3372
	255/40R18 Alloy Wheels with Summer Tires;		
	Perforated Leather seats, heated and ventilated front		
	seats with Lexus Memory System; 		
	 Bi-Xenon HID + AFS w/Auto Level Headlamps;		
	Outside Auto-Dimming Mirrors; 		
	Power Tilt/Telescopic Steering Wheel;		
	Rain-Sensing Wipers; Power Sunshade; Bird's Eye		
	Maple Interior Trim		
	(RWD Models Only)		

ML	Mark Levinson Premium Audio Package w/AM/FM/	940	752
	CD Changer and 14 speakers		

NV	Navigation System w/AM/FM/CD Changer and 13 	2550	2168
	Speakers includes Voice Activation, Bluetooth, and		
	Backup Monitor		

PA 	Intuitive Parking Assist	500	400

PS	Lexus Pre-Collision System (PCS) & Dynamic Radar	2850	2280
	Cruise Control (6AT models only)		

PT	Premium Plus Package includes Perforated Leather	1290	1032
	Seats, Heated and Ventilated Front Seats, and Bird's		
	Eye Maple Interior Trim (RWD Models Only)		

ST	Sport Package includes 225/40R18 + 255/40R18 Alloy 	3695	2956
	Wheels with Summer Tires, Sport Tuned Suspension, 		
	 Bi-Xenon HID + AFS w/Auto Level Headlamps;		
	Perforated Leather seats, heated and ventilated front		
	seats with Lexus Memory System, Alloy Brake and 		
	Accelerator Pedals; Power Tilt/Telescoping Steering Wheel,		
	Rain-Sensing Wipers (IS350 Only)		

VN	Navigation System/Mark Levinson Premium Audio 	3990	3320
	Package includes DVD Changer and 14 speakers, 		
	Voice Activation, Bluetooth, and Backup Monitor		

WV	Wood Interior Trim (IS250 AWD Only)	450	360

XE	X Package with Sunroof (IS250 M/T)	1485	1188
	X Package includes 18" Five-Spoke Alloy Wheels with 		
	Summer Tires, Front Lip Spoiler, Sport Tuned Suspension,		
	Alloy Brake, Accelerator, and Footrest Pedals (incl.		
	Clutch Pedal), and Illuminated Scuff Plates		

XE	X Package with Sunroof (IS250 RWD A/T and IS350)	1455	1164
	X Package includes 18" Five-Spoke Alloy Wheels with 		
	Summer Tires, Front Lip Spoiler, Sport Tuned Suspension,		
	Alloy Brake, Accelerator, and Footrest Pedals (incl.		
	Clutch Pedal), and Illuminated Scuff Plates		

XF	X Package without Sunroof (IS250 M/T)	985	768
	X Package includes 18" Five-Spoke Alloy Wheels with 		
	Summer Tires, Front Lip Spoiler, Sport Tuned Suspension,		
	Alloy Brake, Accelerator, and Footrest Pedals (incl.		
	Clutch Pedal), and Illuminated Scuff Plates		

XF	X Package without Sunroof (IS250 RWD A/T and IS350)	955	744
	X Package includes 18" Five-Spoke Alloy Wheels with 		
	Summer Tires, Front Lip Spoiler, Sport Tuned Suspension,
	Alloy Brake, Accelerator, and Footrest Pedals (incl.
	Clutch Pedal), and Illuminated Scuff Plates

I know it's hard to read. If you want the original Excel document, go to my site at http://gumclix.com/Lexus.xls. Or you can also download the PDF I made from the Excel file at http://gumclix.com/Lexus.pdf. I hope someone appreciates my hard work. :)

PDF version.

Lexus_IS_Pricing.pdf

Does this not include any other fees such as destination or other fees that the dealer would add on to their price such as advertising, etc? Any pricing info for the accessory pkg- cargo net, trunk mat, wheel locks. Anyone have info on what was the price increase for 2008 for car or any option pkgs? Thanks all!