Learn me: Early Lexus IS250s....

My Wife is about to pop with our daughter and my Mother-in-Law seems to think my Protegay5 isn't a safe car to tote our infant daughter in. So, I am (have been for a while) interested in purchasing the early generation IS250. I am looking for any first hand account on owning these cars. Fit_is_Slo works at a Lexus Dealership and tells me some things to look out for, but I am looking for everyday living with these.

Any help?

DukeOfUndersteer wrote: My Wife is about to pop with our daughter and my Mother-in-Law seems to think my Protegay5 isn't a safe car to tote our infant daughter in. So, I am (have been for a while) interested in purchasing the early generation IS250. I am looking for any first hand account on owning these cars. Fit_is_Slo works at a Lexus Dealership and tells me some things to look out for, but I am looking for everyday living with these. Any help?

This would be a huge help to me also, as I am having the same sort of thoughts. I am thinking more 2012-2015 though.

•There wasn't enough room for the rear-facing infant and convertible seats. We had to move the front passenger seat far forward to accommodate them, and the passenger's knees were hitting the glove box.

That's about all you need to know. the infant seats are gigantic and if you can live with the discomfort, fine... If not find something else.

We didn't test fit any baby seats, but does our review help?

Try to put a kid in a car seat in a sedan, then try a Honda Odyssey or Toyota mini van. You will understand why they are so popular!

If you want a Lexus in this situation, might be a case to look for a LS/GS/ES.

Is your mother in law helping to pay for this vehicle purchase?

She said she'd help if she needed to. I am trying to build up my credit as I have none really. I have a SnapOn account that i got my box thru and have never been late on a payment, and I have my first credit card with a max limit of $300. So, I am slowly building my credit up and will hopefully be able to take my car in on trade with a good chunk of money down.

I test drove one before I bought the TSX. The one I test drove was rode hard and put up wet. It had 190k miles on it, and none to easy miles from the look of it.

It was by far the best car I test drove while looking. I'd even go so far as to say it was the best CAR* I've ever driven--and I've driven quite a few. So well made, so solid, drove wonderfully. I found it very comfortable too... except that I had no headroom, and even if I did, I was looking out the visor. Too cramped inside.

*No, it was not the best for this crowd, and I myself would prefer a 3 series. It might not have been the fastest, most efficient, or best handling, but it did so well with all of them that as a DD I cannot come up with something better.

I owned a 07 Manual years ago. I now have a 2012 Xterra and a almost 4 month old. The rear facing seat barely fits with enough useable front passenger room in my SUV, there is ZERO chance of the car seat fitting in a IS. Back when I had the IS, I couldn't really put adults in the back seat for any length of time and still fit myself up front. Aside from that, the 250 is slow. After all the recalls are done, its reliable and a nice car. heated and cooled seats were great, as was the nav/Levinson stereo. Did I mention it's slow? Well it is. every time I drove it I wished I had gotten the 350.

I wouldn't even bother looking at the IS....or any car in this class realistically. with a newborn, it just wont work out. Even if you have another car that is the primary baby hauler.
With the wife and I, the baby/seat, stroller, baby bag and anything you need to bring to go someplace I regularly fill my SUV with crap. Like grocery shopping, You'll need more space than a compact sedan. Also, understand the car seats that have a base that stays in the car that just latch in place when you set it down (awesome) and are removeable to carry baby in weigh 25lbs on their own. With baby at almost 4 months now total weight is closing in on 50lbs. I think it's rated to go up to the mid 30lb's for actual baby weight before I need to swap to a different seat, so figure that will max out at 65lbs...... lifting it to the middle seat position all bent over in a small, low car will suck. Or you could use the other type of seat that stays in the car all the time, and try to crawl in the car and then buckle baby. (pro tip... you don't want that kind......because it will wake up baby...and they puke, and poo... all of which is easier to service with a easily removable seat.) Those do take up less space though. Still not enough space in a IS though.

We had an IS350 and, while it was a great car, it was definitely lacking in interior space. Like others have said, you may want to look a little larger (GS/LS).

Yeah.. It's too small. I'd be looking at the GS.