Planetshining

I could not get this option on my car and I really wanted to have it (in addition to the backup camera. I really think visibility is not great on the IS) but then the nearby dealers did not have a car with all the options I wanted (and I could not wait to have it). Now I am a bit puzzled as I was not aware it is a manual thing. I am surprised, to say the least, that it is not automatically switched on / off. I had this on many cars and usually when I get in reverse (never had it on the front bumper) it will stay quiet and as I approach something it will start beeping faster as I get closer.

And when you say it beeps when you have a person walking in front of the car this really surprises me as I thought this is somewhat intelligent function that can "tell" if you are driving or parking. What happens if you are on a stop light and get close to someone in front of you or someone in the back gets close by? Does it beep again? I am almost glad now I did not get this option!

yes and just to add to the puzzle, just about everything else on the car is automatic. When i put the car in reverse, the rear sunshade is smart enough to automatically retract itself so I can see through the rear window a little better. The outside mirror automatically tile down so i can see better when i parallel park. But this supposedly high tech device does not turn on. Unless I manually turn it on through the satellite switch on the left side of the steering wheel. Once it's on, it's always on anyone walks near the front censor or the rear censor it goes off even when the car is stopped. A big green light indicating it's on. I feel it's totally out of harmony with the rest of the control.

That's not the only light that stays on when something is engaged. Lexus decided the default was off so that's why it's off. They decided that trac default was on. They also decided there would be a light on the dash when the shifter was in S mode and it does. Default for headlights is off, so there's a light on the dash when the lights are on. And so on.

that make a lot of sense, just wish the default is on. Or work like the BMW's. Automatically comes on and off depends on the gear.

I had the same thoughts as smooth1 when I was doing the research for my current vehicle. I looked at every luxury/near luxury sports sedan (preferably a compact sedan) and did multiple comparisons as well as test drives. I got feed back from friends who own some of these vehicles as well. My choices were all over the map from

BMW 3 series - Pros: Good road feel

Cons: Minimal interior and lux amenities for the price, bad reliability

Acura TL-S - Pros: Fast, Handles Good, All Inclusive Price, Nice Interior, User Friendly Features, Good Gas Mileage

Cons: FWD, Engine Pings, Interior Rattles, Constant Warranty Claims, Made in USA

Infiniti G-Sedan - Pros: Fast, Great Handling, Sports car feel, Well priced, Reliable Brand, Made in Japan

Cons: Poor Milage, Exterior Styling not to my liking

Audi S4 - Pros: Nice Exterior Styling, Compact, Fast, Decent Handling

Cons: Reliability, Gas Mileage, Interior Design

Cadillac CTS - Pros: Nice Rejuvinated Look From Past Designs, Fast

Cons: Poor Gas Mileage, Relaibility???, Made in USA, Interior Design, Everything is an Option

and Becomes Overpriced When Comparably Equipped

Lexus IS250 - Pros: Price, Reliability, Made in Japan, Nice Interior/Exterior, Handles Good, User Friendly, Good Gas Mileage

Cons: Slower Engine

Lexus IS350 - Pros: Fast, Reliability, Made in Japan, Nice Interior/Exterior, Handles Good, User Friendly, Good Gas Mileage for 306HP

Cons: A Bit Pricey with the Nav

In the end my choices came down to either the Acura TL-S, or the Lexus IS350. In my mind, I had already decided that the better car overall was the Lexus IS350 and for the price it is a lot of car. I also picked the Lexus over the Acura because the brand is more conservative than Acura, but I was ready to buy an Acura TL-S because it was a very good value for the money since it comes fully equipped and I was hoping that all the bugs would be worked out since this was the last year for the current design. I also figured that I didn't really need 300+HP and I was hoping I would get a car with good power that offered decent gas mileage. But no Acura Dealer I went to had a Black/Black and I didn't feel like waiting so it just wasn't meant to be. Within a week of this, one of the Lexus Dealers I visited called me to let me know that they just recieved a Black/Black IS350 with all the options I wanted and they asked if I would like to come back and view the vehicle. I went to see the car, was the first to drive it, and purchased that same day. So far, I am happy with the vehicle and am getting to know it. Overall, I am very happy with my purchase and I hope to keep this car for years to come.

OMG that last sentence scared me off my seat. Purchased on the same day, you must have paid quite dearly for that car. No matter how much I like a car, i will haggle with the dealer until they drop dead on the floor. Then i pick up his lifeless arm and sign the paper on their behave. That's how i got my 350.

They did, and called it a 350.

Lol....exactly! ;)

well in a way the logic is simple.

Basically the top brass said, sure we will give you more power. But you gotta pay for it.

It is also a business theme. The cost to produce a IS350 is probably very close to the cost of producing an is250. After all, the work flow is the same you just drop a different engine into it. You still gotta pay the worker to drop one in there. But the IS350 can be sold for 4-5 grands more.

Thank all for your kind replies.

This is what puzzles me, since someone mentioned that he leaves it on all the time. Why should there be a green indicator on the instrument panel? I mean all the other indicators goes off unless the car really needs my attention.

When you leave it off, and put your car in reverse, does it automatically come back on? or there is no other ways around it. Only manually turn it on and off?

Hi all,

I'm going to be test driving a new IS soon and am seriously considering it, along with the Infiniti G35.

Some questions:

1. Which of the packages are *must haves* in your opinion? I'm not taking Sport or X as I want a more comfortable ride . Is the Auto-Tilt down side rear view mirrors useful? Are the Mark Levinson speakers worth it over the standard Premium speakers?

2. Are satellite radios standard? They are grayed out in Edmunds.

3. Does anyone regret getting the 250 instead of the 350?

4. How much did you pay for your IS? Did you get it close to invoice?

Thanks for the feedback guys! I will probably be getting this Lex if the test drive goes well.

U MUST HAVE THE NAV. THE CAR IS INCOMPLETE WITHOUT IT B/C U ARE ABLE TO CONTROL A/C AND EVERYTHING ON A TOUCH SCREEN WHICH IS SICK!

DONT get the 350 i have a friend who got it and he hates it b/c he said in stop and go traffic he always feels like vomiting b/c he's thrown back and forth from stopping and accelerating at the stop lights

satellite radio sucks

i paid a butt load im not gonna lie. no where near invoice bro

AND BTW THE LUX PACKAGE IS CURSED! I DID AN EARLIER POSTING ON IT AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE TRUE!

I live in New York, and just got my IS350. Called around, every IS350 in stock of every dealer i called is loaded down to the teeth. Which includes every luxury options from the lux package. So we are all cursed? and what? you have a friend who drives him into vomiting? Any chance he was just bragging?

My shopping for this IS took a little under a month. At the end of negotiations all three dealers was willing to give me the 250 or the 350 at invoice. The 350 is a low volume car, so it's rarely ever sold at invoice. But it's getting close to the end of year and the economy is bad. That's exactly why i wanted to buy now.

"i paid a butt load im not gonna lie. no where near invoice bro"

Bro i don't know what to tell you!

-----Original Message-----

From: Bay Ridge Lexus [mailto:sales@bayridgelexus.com]

Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 9:58 AM

To: Owen

Subject: RE: Bay Ridge Lexus

Owen,

I will be here tonight till 6 so if you want to stop by and take a look at

the car again that would be great. If it will be later then that you can

meet with Charlie who is one of my sales consultants and I will leave him

all of the information that we discussed.

Also as far as the possibility of getting the new car for any less then

invoice I don't know if that is going to be possible. Typically through out

the year we are selling the IS350 for 2-3k over invoice so to be able to get

the car now for invoice is a "great" deal.

Please email me back and let me know what time you will be around today.

Thank you again for getting in touch with me again and I look forward to

putting something together.

Sincerely,

Daniel Del Negro

Internet Sales Manager

Bay Ridge Lexus

665 65th Street

Brooklyn NY 11220

Phone: 718-680-2200

Fax: 718-745-2959

Email: sales@bayridgelexus.com

Web: www.bayridgelexus.com

Hi all,

I'm going to be test driving a new IS soon and am seriously considering it, along with the Infiniti G35.

Some questions:

1. Which of the packages are *must haves* in your opinion? I'm not taking Sport or X as I want a more comfortable ride . Is the Auto-Tilt down side rear view mirrors useful? Are the Mark Levinson speakers worth it over the standard Premium speakers?

2. Are satellite radios standard? They are grayed out in Edmunds.

3. Does anyone regret getting the 250 instead of the 350?

4. How much did you pay for your IS? Did you get it close to invoice?

Thanks for the feedback guys! I will probably be getting this Lex if the test drive goes well.

U MUST HAVE THE NAV. THE CAR IS INCOMPLETE WITHOUT IT B/C U ARE ABLE TO CONTROL A/C AND EVERYTHING ON A TOUCH SCREEN WHICH IS SICK!

DONT get the 350 i have a friend who got it and he hates it b/c he said in stop and go traffic he always feels like vomiting b/c he's thrown back and forth from stopping and accelerating at the stop lights

satellite radio sucks

i paid a butt load im not gonna lie. no where near invoice bro

AND BTW THE LUX PACKAGE IS CURSED! I DID AN EARLIER POSTING ON IT AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE TRUE!

I live in New York, and just got my IS350. Called around, every IS350 in stock of every dealer i called is loaded down to the teeth. Which includes every luxury options from the lux package. So we are all cursed? and what? you have a friend who drives him into vomiting? Any chance he was just bragging?

My shopping for this IS took a little under a month. At the end of negotiations all three dealers was willing to give me the 250 or the 350 at invoice. The 350 is a low volume car, so it's rarely ever sold at invoice. But it's getting close to the end of year and the economy is bad. That's exactly why i wanted to buy now.

"i paid a butt load im not gonna lie. no where near invoice bro"

Bro i don't know what to tell you!

For the life of me I can't figure out how the intuitive parking assist suppose to work on my new IS350.

Just a little background so please bear with me.

I am jumping ship to the Lexus from BMW, I am a first time Lexus owner.

The bimmer was great but always had little problem here and there. After I cut my hand on the rough edge under the door side arm rest, i've had it.

The way the parking sensor works on my 745 is that whenever I shift the car into reverse, it automatically comes on. slowly beeps until i get close to an object.

Oh the IS350 i find it a little bizarre, when i shift to reverse, the parking assist does not automatically comes on. It will only activate if i turn it on through the satellite switch on the left side of the steering wheel. Whenever it is activated, i see an annoying green indicator comes on in the instrument panel telling me it's on as if this is a temporary function, or at least the system wants to make sure you know it's on.

I've come up with several guesses.

1. Maybe I am not suppose to have it on all the time?

2. I suppose to manually turn it on and off every time i want to use it?

3. My setting is wrong.

4. My car is not functioning to the way it was designed?

If i leave it on, whenever a pedestrian walks pass the front of my car, it beeps like crazy. I just find it totally strange, the head-lights are auto, wiper is auto, but this parking assist requires me to turn it on and off every time???

Can anyone help me and tell me how it works on your car?