Lexus is 200 11 V A4 V Passat.

tigerwoods

Hi all.Am contemplating changing my 08 Corolla 1.4 petrol for the above.Narrowed my choices down to the above plus a 3 series . Annual mileage 12-15 km p.a.Corolla valued at 6.5 k from 2 garages.I want a sub 50-60 kms mileage car with about €15 plus trade in to play with.Not buying private and UK not an option based on exchange rates.Looked at 11 D lexus with the newer 2.2 diesel engine and am swaying towards it.With the lexus you get all the toys -leather and electric seats etc. which I would like A4 and beamer hard to get with leather etc and with my budget you are looking 2010 models.Also thinking of a highline passat 2 litre.So to sum up 2010 A4 and bmw or 2011 lexus or 2012 highline passat.Planning on keeping the car for 5 years+ and just want a nice safe reliable good looking car.At the moment it's Lexus V Passat.Appreciate any feedback.

colm_mcm

The is200d is only 150bhp though, and still has the shortcomings of the is220d that it replaced (unrefined, narrow power band, cramped etc)
Your annual mileage is quite low, have you considered a Lexus CT200h?

Oafley Jones

colm_mcm wrote: »

The is200d is only 150bhp though, and still has the shortcomings of the is220d that it replaced (unrefined, narrow power band, cramped etc)
Your annual mileage is quite low, have you considered a Lexus CT200h?

Does the 200 have the awful gearing of 220?

The CT is extremely reliable, really well built and I don't mind the looks of them. I've had one twice while my own car has been serviced and genuinely hated it. Really slow, had it stuck in sport and it still was a balls. Wasn't very economical either. Spec on both (and nearly every Irish I've seen) was rotten.

thierry14

colm_mcm wrote: »

The is200d is only 150bhp though, and still has the shortcomings of the is220d that it replaced (unrefined, narrow power band, cramped etc)
Your annual mileage is quite low, have you considered a Lexus CT200h?

Your milage is way too low for a modern diesel.

You could be plagued with dpf issues and the like with such low mileage.

Your much better off with a hybrid petrol like colm_mcm suggested.

tigerwoods

Thanks for your response.I want a family car with a decent bit of poke/performance but as you point out I do not do high miles.Very hard to get a car that I require that's not diesel and if I buy petrol I would be afraid of serious drop in value when trading in.The wheel is turning with the manufacteurs producing petrol cars again but not in the year/ budget that I am looking at.I am nervous of the issues that you quite rightly pointed out.

Colash

I had a 2011 high line passat . 2 litre 140bhp model an I honestly could not fault it . The extras in the highline model really made the car for me . I did regular trips to Dublin from sligo in it for a year an I always got around 45-50mpg . Great comfortable, solid car

bazz26

Highline Passat petrol here for a lot less money:

http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Volkswagen/Passat/PASSAT-HL/154314279940379150/

tigerwoods

Funny enough seen that car when searching carzone.What would the hit me like on a trade in down the line.Could probably pick up a c.line in same year diesel for maybe €1500 more.Just the trade in value I would be a fair of.

Hachiko

I have a Lexus is250 about a year now, all i can say is superb car. Its a blessing in disguise they have not really sold over this side of the world as you get one hell of a car for very little money. No idea on diesels but I hope the 200D is more reliable than the 220D.

If you want toys and comfort and reliability you cant go far wrong.

bazz26

tigerwoods wrote: »

Funny enough seen that car when searching carzone.What would the hit me like on a trade in down the line.Could probably pick up a c.line in same year diesel for maybe €1500 more.Just the trade in value I would be a fair of.

I know your annual mileage is low but what sort of driving are you doing? If it's mostly short trips with lots of start/stops then a modern diesel isn't really suitable.

Diesel engines take longer than petrol engines to warm up to optimal efficiency. They also have a filter fitted known as a DPF these days which needs to operating at a high temperature to burn off all the soot from engine. Short trips don't allow the DPF to complete it's cycle so the on-burnt soot just builds up until the filter gets blocked.

Yes the diesel will be worth a bit more come resale time but you have to look at the bigger picture rather than just resale values. You have to look at how much it costs you during the time you own it too.

Hachiko

Just seen annual milage of 15k, thats petrol territory. Diesels are best suited to much more annual miles than that.

jca

bazz26 wrote: »

I know your annual mileage is low but what sort of driving are you doing? If it's mostly short trips with lots of start/stops then a modern diesel isn't really suitable.

Diesel engines take longer than petrol engines to warm up to optimal efficiency. They also have a filter fitted known as a DPF these days which needs to operating at a high temperature to burn off all the soot from engine. Short trips don't allow the DPF to complete it's cycle so the on-burnt soot just builds up until the filter gets blocked.

Yes the diesel will be worth a bit more come resale time but you have to look at the bigger picture rather than just resale values. You have to look at how much it costs you during the time you own it too.

Listen to every word this man says. I fell into the diesel trap thinking I was the smart fella getting 40+ mpg tipping around town. All was fine until the do do hit the fan and all my diesel savings started getting wiped out in repairs. Modern petrol engine like what's in that passat is the way to go.

George Dalton

Hachiko wrote: »

Just seen annual milage of 15k, thats petrol territory. Diesels are best suited to much more annual miles than that.

It's not as simple as that. It's the type of driving that is important rather than the amount of kms covered. So 15k of motorway driving is absolutely ideal for a diesel, whereas 30k of urban driving would be a recipe for disaster.

jca

George Dalton wrote: »

It's not as simple as that. It's the type of driving that is important rather than the amount of kms covered. So 15k of motorway driving is absolutely ideal for a diesel, whereas 30k of urban driving would be a recipe for disaster.

Very true. Unfortunately I fell into the worst category 10k urban driving....

Hachiko

how is it the worst category, just buy a petrol.

jca

Hachiko wrote: »

how is it the worst category, just buy a petrol.

I did.

tigerwoods

bazz26 wrote:

Diesel engines take longer than petrol engines to warm up to optimal efficiency. They also have a filter fitted known as a DPF these days which needs to operating at a high temperature to burn off all the soot from engine. Short trips don't allow the DPF to complete it's cycle so the on-burnt soot just builds up until the filter gets blocked.

Thanks guys for comments . Unfortunately the trip to work is on secondary roads where the highest speed would be no more than 100 kms.Travel time would be 15 minutes.Motorway at the weekends for about 10 mins each way.There must or will be alot of guys facing big bills with engine issues judging by the amount of my neighbours driving 1.6 diesel focus etc.

tigerwoods

As I mentioned previously,I looked at a lexus last week and told the dealer I am interested and would let him know and hey presto he rang yesterday and he is very anxious to sell.I told him my concerns and he said as long as they get a run out on the motorway every week or so the cap on the DPF will burn of.Went to the local independent mechanic and mentioned this to him and he more or less agreed.Mentioned to him about 1.4TSI passat petrol and he said steer clear and go for the A4 and give it a run every week or 2.More confused walking away from him than in.Never owned a dog but if I buy a diesel I will have to take it for a walk on the motorway every week or so.Also I would be on the motorway for 30 mins every weekend so this should clear the DPF.Still undecided.

Stallingrad

tigerwoods wrote: »

.Mentioned to him about 1.4TSI passat petrol and he said steer clear

Have that engine and it's a peach, smooth yet fast when called for. Suits the Passat really well. 50K and 4 years with no issues.

jca

Stallingrad wrote: »

Have that engine and it's a peach, smooth yet fast when called for. Suits the Passat really well. 50K and 4 years with no issues.

I have it in an Octavia with the 7 speed dsg and I love it. Like you say, it's super silent and smooth with a surprising turn of speed when needed. Not bad on the juice either.

tigerwoods

Cheers guys.All I will be ferrying around is the wife and 2 kids,not into speed just something that will tip along the motorways and be a bit responsive.Will take a test drive in the next week and report back about the TSI.

Tea 1000

tigerwoods wrote: »

As I mentioned previously,I looked at a lexus last week and told the dealer I am interested and would let him know and hey presto he rang yesterday and he is very anxious to sell.I told him my concerns and he said as long as they get a run out on the motorway every week or so the cap on the DPF will burn of.Went to the local independent mechanic and mentioned this to him and he more or less agreed.Mentioned to him about 1.4TSI passat petrol and he said steer clear and go for the A4 and give it a run every week or 2.More confused walking away from him than in.Never owned a dog but if I buy a diesel I will have to take it for a walk on the motorway every week or so.Also I would be on the motorway for 30 mins every weekend so this should clear the DPF.Still undecided.

Not sure why he thinks an A4 will be more reliable than a Passat. I'd put the A4 bottom of the list you gave.
Have you considered the C-Class?

tigerwoods

Mechanic mentioned a C class but not interested in a Mercedes. Passat was always on top of my list suppose it is personal choice.Is there any passat owners out there who could advise of common pit falls to watch out for.

Stallingrad

tigerwoods wrote: »

Mechanic mentioned a C class but not interested in a Mercedes. Passat was always on top of my list suppose it is personal choice.Is there any passat owners out there who could advise of common pit falls to watch out for.

Petrol or diesel?

Mine (2011 B7 1.4Tsi) has been 100% reliable, only issue/irritation is dashboard rattles. Stretched timing chain has been mentioned with the 1.4tsi but not sure how common/overstated it is. Otherwise a very hard car to fault. Aim for Comfortline or Highline as base models are very spartan.

Quin_Dub

tigerwoods wrote: »

As I mentioned previously,I looked at a lexus last week and told the dealer I am interested and would let him know and hey presto he rang yesterday and he is very anxious to sell.I told him my concerns and he said as long as they get a run out on the motorway every week or so the cap on the DPF will burn of.Went to the local independent mechanic and mentioned this to him and he more or less agreed.Mentioned to him about 1.4TSI passat petrol and he said steer clear and go for the A4 and give it a run every week or 2.More confused walking away from him than in.Never owned a dog but if I buy a diesel I will have to take it for a walk on the motorway every week or so.Also I would be on the motorway for 30 mins every weekend so this should clear the DPF.Still undecided.

In terms of the DPF , basically once every 400 or 500kms you need to be doing at least a 30-40 minute run at motorway speeds..

Diesels take about 15 minutes of running time to get to full temp , the DPF cycle will kick in shortly after that and typically take about 15-20 minutes to run through..

DPF problems are an expensive pain...can lead to turbo problem as when the DPF clogs up the back pressure builds and can lead to blown turbos etc.

A new DPF can be anything up to €2k depending on the model..

The other side of low mileage/short journey time driving in Diesels are problems with the EGR valves and Swirl flaps - all things added to modern Diesels to make them smoother and cleaner. But with low/short driving profile, they clog up with crud and cause a variety of issues...

Hate to be all doom and gloomy , but it's something to be aware of...

Stallingrad

DMF's are also more likely to give trouble on diesels. Bottom line is if you don't do mega miles, and there is a decent petrol alternative, go petrol.

Oafley Jones

tigerwoods wrote: »

Cheers guys.All I will be ferrying around is the wife and 2 kids,not into speed just something that will tip along the motorways and be a bit responsive.Will take a test drive in the next week and report back about the TSI.

Love my IS250, but it's a fairly ****ty family car. The boot is small and there's little in the way of rear leg room. It depends on how old your kids are. If they're still in buggies/baby seats I'd forget it. Not keen on your other choices though. Really dislike the A4.

Hachiko

I got a 250 also, great motor but no good for anyone other than a baby in the back, not that it bothers me.

as for diesels, forget all this fannying around of burning off crap on the motorway each week, just buy a petrol. Lexus stopped making diesels are they are rubbish, end of story.!

I would buy a petrol, and your milage is not very high in the first place.

if you contacted every one in Ireland who has bought diesels in the last 10 years and worked out repair bills.....

would make interesting reading.

tigerwoods

Hachiko wrote:

I would buy a petrol, and your milage is not very high in the first place.

That's my point.Very limited choice of decent family/petrol cars from 2010-12 and hard to justify diesel on my annual mileage.Suppose I want my cake and eat it with regard to low tax and running costs and decent trade in value when updating.Decisions decisions.

jca

tigerwoods wrote: »

That's my point.Very limited choice of decent family/petrol cars from 2010-12 and hard to justify diesel on my annual mileage.Suppose I want my cake and eat it with regard to low tax and running costs and decent trade in value when updating.Decisions decisions.

Would you consider an Octavia? They're a great family car and with the money you have you could get right up to 2013 (131). This car has a great spec and €280 tax is very manageable. http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/skoda/octavia/used-2013-131-skoda-octavia-1-2-tsi-e-kerry-fpa-140314230584623350

tigerwoods

jca wrote:

Would you consider an Octavia? They're a great family car and with the money you have you could get right up to 2013 (131). This car has a great spec and €280 tax is very manageable.

Lovely car in white.Final question,do all modern diesel cars have a DPF as standard.

jca

tigerwoods wrote: »

Lovely car in white.Final question,do all modern diesel cars have a DPF as standard.

I'd hazard a guess and say yes.

Quin_Dub

tigerwoods wrote: »

Lovely car in white.Final question,do all modern diesel cars have a DPF as standard.

Pretty certain that everything made in the last 10 years or so will have a DPF

bazz26

Anything brand new from 2011 onward would have been required to have a DPF fitted. Some had them fitted well before that though.

tigerwoods

Went shopping on Saturday.Audi N.Dub was rammed.D.Mahoney where the is 200 I was keen on was busy as well.The Is 200 was just sold was never overly keen on it.On looks the A4 tickles my fancy.Looking at an 10 D A4 with 63k miles with full independent service history.Its an Irish car that looks and drives like new.A4 V Passat,A4 wins every time. Any pitfalls to look out for or recalls over the years. A lot of positive/negative reviews but going to go with gut feeling and put deposit on it this week.Will mention the garage when car is secured.What about getting a car tell check even though the garage is a reputable one.

goochy

so its been serviced only at a local garage ? it would want to be keen priced - on a car like that full audi history would be better.

Old diesel

jca wrote: »

Would you consider an Octavia? They're a great family car and with the money you have you could get right up to 2013 (131). This car has a great spec and €280 tax is very manageable. http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/skoda/octavia/used-2013-131-skoda-octavia-1-2-tsi-e-kerry-fpa-140314230584623350

I actually REALLY like the look of that Octavia.

But given that its a 2013 and the OLD model - is 17 k not a bit on the steep side even allowing for the low miles and it been at a Skoda dealer.

Nice car though - and looks like a nice spec.

ofcork

Look like alloys from a superb on it.

pablo128

bazz26 wrote: »

Anything brand new from 2011 onward would have been required to have a DPF fitted. Some had them fitted well before that though.

Avensis 2.0 d4d didn't have a dpf.

bazz26

pablo128 wrote: »

Avensis 2.0 d4d didn't have a dpf.

Avensis had a DPF since the launch of the current model in 2009.

goochy

but they are sh*ite !

jca

Old diesel wrote: »

I actually REALLY like the look of that Octavia.

But given that its a 2013 and the OLD model - is 17 k not a bit on the steep side even allowing for the low miles and it been at a Skoda dealer.

Nice car though - and looks like a nice spec.

Since when did anyone give a seller what they were asking... 17 is a bit on the strong side alright.

Old diesel

jca wrote: »

Since when did anyone give a seller what they were asking... 17 is a bit on the strong side alright.

A fair point

I think im probably undervaluing the car - or feeling too tight tbh

Still a nice car all the same