Comments on: Lexus announces IS250C Australian pricing

By: XR6

XR6 — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 02:31:16 +0000

How about instead of a IS250C we get an IS350. Thats what we want. Not a tarted up IS250.

By: Nobody

Nobody — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:34:28 +0000

Love it or hate it, this car has a waiting list of 3 months here and that was before it was officially announced. It’s also doing very well in the States that they may increase production or already have.

So be prepared to see afew of these around. I personally think it’s ironic for a boring handling IS 250 to be converted into this.

For me I think all entry luxo sedans turned into convertibles are hideous. They all look like crap and are bought mainly by people who have no taste.

By: The Realist

The Realist — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:08:01 +0000

Sorry, the proportions are deformed. I don’t doubt the quality will be superb, but looks have to be part of the equation at this price point.

Like others have mentioned already, I’d get the BMW 325i Coupe over the top range Lexus.

By: S

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:28:26 +0000

The base model BMW 325i Auto retails for $90,185.70 inc GST. Just so that we can compare.

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:23:16 +0000

I just want to add that I didn’t buy the car in the end, so I am not biased toward the 3 Series.

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:21:18 +0000

Tack, if you’ll read again, I wrote when the options are equal. The Lexus is $79,990 for the base model and I’m guessing the price hike for going up in option levels is the same as what it is with the sedan. You would have to spend another $12,000 to get the Sport version, or another $25,000 to get the Sport Luxury version.
Now, the fact is that I don’t think you could really spec a 325i convertible with $10,000 worth of options.
You see, when I first came to Australia, I did the stereotypical thing of thinking “hey, sun – I’ll buy a convertible” and it was the 3 Series I was most interested in mainly because it was new and would hold it’s value (I wasn’t planning on staying very long) and I remember that the 3 Series convertibles come basically fully specced. You really do get almost every box ticked for you and the things you don’t get are the most unnecessary things imaginable. Not small luxuries, just things you would forget were there and would never ever use.
So I think that when the options were equal, the pricing would come out with in $5,000 of each other and when your spending that much already, what does another $5,000 matter when reviewers are already saying that the 3 Series is still better?

By: Mitchell Oke

Mitchell Oke — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:33:17 +0000

Where on earth are people getting 135i and 325i convertibles for the same price as this? Certainly not from somewhere legit… You might drive out in a lightly-speced 125i for this money. Price on dad’s lightly-speced 125i convertible was around $80k, no way you are getting the other two for that price.

By: Tack

Tack — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:57:06 +0000

Hello Alex,

I just googled price of 325 convertible in Australia.
It’s 97K. And most customer spend more than 10K for their option as usual.
Meanwhile, Audi A4 convertible start from 77K, but it’s 2L 4cl.
So I guess this Lexus IS 250C’s Australian price is not bad at all.
It’s FR with good Automatic, would be fun to drive car and better than 4cl Audi or Volvo V70.
And BMW is simply over 100k and different price range as Benz.

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:38:14 +0000

Oh be fair Wheelnut, it’s not based on a Camry. You know very well that it’s rear wheel drive, just like the best of them. But unlike the best of them, it’s hideously deformed. I actually think that the Chrysler Sebring looks better than this and that is a pretty huge insult to Lexus considering that the Chrysler is one of the biggest mistakes in motoring history. I would obviously prefer the Lexus though because I don’t doubt it’s quality.
I just can’t get over how awkward this thing looks. The person who wrote that it was like a Focus CC was not wrong, except the Focus carries it off much better and has the bargain prices to make it alright. It’s so square and un-sporty looking. I think the normal IS looks good but this is just wrong. It’s going to look ten years old in three as well.

By: Wheelnut®™

Wheelnut®™ — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:25:52 +0000

Looks like a Chrysler Sebring Convertible that has been smashed into a wall [at the factory.. just as they did with the Camry - on which its based]