Lexus IS200 experiences?

Lee

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Lee
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da.murf said:
Loved feel and drive but ultimately fuel economy too poor for the excitement levels provided. I managed mid twenties if lucky.
Mine was a tte edition sport with factory fitted broken cd changer.

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I owned that car once upon a time!

I liked it. Big lazy wafter. People expect them to be faster I think because they’re 6 cylinder. But they’re only 2.0 with 150 bhp at the end of the day. I’d say an IS300 with a manual box would be perfect.
 

gary87

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SMURF1 said:
Jonny irwin seems to be busy converting them to v8s and changing is300s to manuals. If you got bored after a while he could sort you out with a few more ponies.
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I'd quite like a manual IS300 Sportcross
 

Crow555

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Completely different end of the market, but this thread has got me looking at IS300h models. Not that I need a big 4 door or anything but they're a nice looking car, never really looked at them before.
 

Simon998

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Manual IS300's don't seem to exist, they've been on my 'to own' list for years. Conversion adaptors are £800 too, then the price of the 'box and all the other gubbins (clutch pedal etc) on top of that.
 

gary87

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Simon998 said:
Manual IS300's don't seem to exist, they've been on my 'to own' list for years. Conversion adaptors are £800 too, then the price of the 'box and all the other gubbins (clutch pedal etc) on top of that.
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SMURF1 was saying he knows a fella doing the conversions - surely an IS300 would be fairly cheap to buy now?
 

Simon998

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They're thin on the ground and still making 2-3k, sportcrosses about 4. I'd still say you'd looking at grand to convert it. If they were manual they'd be a lot more desirable to the Donegal Rally attendees.

Anyone that owns one seems to love it though, manual or auto.
 

steeldevil

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Crow555 said:
Completely different end of the market, but this thread has got me looking at IS300h models. Not that I need a big 4 door or anything but they're a nice looking car, never really looked at them before.
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They're great cars to waft about in, can see 50-55mpg on long runs and the electric motor helps with traffic light launches. Don't expect to go anywhere fast in them though, different driving style required!
 

Crow555

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That's gorgeous. It's the hybrid element of them that I hadn't realised that is so effective in them. It's a nice alternative to the automatic 3 series/A4 choice too, not that I'm suggesting they are the same money/quality wise before anyone starts.
 

bmurf

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As you may have noticed from this thread that they are slow. I didn't realise how slow until a few weeks ago when there was one in front of me going up the slip road onto a carriageway when he put his foot down and I sailed past him in a diesel vectra and I can say my vectra is definitely not fast lol
 

ItsAdamC

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bmurf said:
As you may have noticed from this thread that they are slow. I didn't realise how slow until a few weeks ago when there was one in front of me going up the slip road onto a carriageway when he put his foot down and I sailed past him in a diesel vectra and I can say my vectra is definitely not fast lol
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See this is what's putting me off, the 90 brake Leon I'm driving now isn't the power level im used to, I'm not saying ive had some exotic car history or anything like that but I've had a pd130 golf and a pd130 A4, neither of them particularly quick cars but both have managed to pull on is200s. I'm just trying to decide if I could live with how slow they are while it drinks the amount of fuel that actual quick cars do...
 

Smurf.

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Yes its not gonna be super quick but youll have more fun than you'll ever have in a diesel golf or a4 . Lexus is like 150 bhp not amazing for rwd but be enough to get you in trouble.
 

gary1365

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Great news
Do they have very long gearing or something. They do seem to take a comically long time between gears. I've had cars with similar power levels mx5 and z3 and they get through the gears quick enough.
 

da.murf

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gary1365 said:
Do they have very long gearing or something. They do seem to take a comically long time between gears. I've had cars with similar power levels mx5 and z3 and they get through the gears quick enough.
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combination of long gearing and heavy car I think.
Also bear in mind it was designed to be an alternative to a 3 series not a hot hatch.
 

Cooper

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gary1365 said:
Do they have very long gearing or something. They do seem to take a comically long time between gears. I've had cars with similar power levels mx5 and z3 and they get through the gears quick enough.
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Long gearing yet short power band (redline is around 6k). It's why the 4 pot altezza is very sought after with a much more characterful power band. I really would like a drive in one of them, I bet it would change my opinion of them entirely.
 

dufunk

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Funny how the 1G-GUE produced 160bhp in 1982 yet the 1G-FE with vvti only had 155bhp was an odd engine choose in first place due to its era but they are fairly bulletproof take some abuse considering it isn't a performance engine and no Yamaha head work. Sticky calipers is a big problem and ball joints can go but other than that ive had 2 and they were faultless and very comfortable for long drive.

Watch out for IS250's doing the same but they are about 190kg heavier even if they have 208bhp not to much difference in performance but they sound class.
 
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da.murf

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I think the over all theme is.....

They are slow....

Some say one tried to do a rolling burnout leaving Down Royal Cars n Coffee at the end of last year.....

And it hasn’t reached the main gate yet
 
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