What Do You Think ?

PQuist · July 16, 2004

Found this article.... by David Cooper

"I owned a Lexus IS200 SE automatic from October 2001-September 2003. I never liked it. It was noisy, uneconomical, sluggish and boring. It never ran smoothly. In fact, after 10000 miles at the first service I drove a courtesy car which was smoother. The excuse was that it was 'intelligent' and adapted to my more laid back style of driving. Nonsense! I had to change the tyres due to excessive wear because the tracking was out, caused apparently by potholes to both front wheels at the same time! I then had both shock absorbers changed due to noises that took three visits to the dealers to rectify. I also found the car uncomfortable on a long journey. However, the hi fi system was excellent, until the CD changer jammed and had to be replaced. On a positive note, the dealership was excellent. But they did get to know me quite well. I have now bought a Saab 9-3 and I am delighted with it. To sum up the Lexus - nice dealer, shame about the car. "

WHAT DO YOU THINK ??

ColinBarber · July 16, 2004

I wouldn't agree with boring

PaulTulley · July 16, 2004

Interesting, but I'm happy to say it doesn't match at all with what I've experienced with my IS 200 SE auto!

The only common ground is having the CD player replaced (yep, ERR 3!) - but that was handled efficiently and free of charge under warranty. At the end of the day any car could will develop a fault and the difference is how the manufacturer deals with it.

I can't help but wonder - if he disliked it so much why did he keep it for 2 years?!

squarehead · July 16, 2004

I totally disagree with his comments.

Over the last 6 years I have driven an A4 and a 320d and in 2002 I test drove an IS200 SE manual...and I was blown away by the spec & the sound of the 6 cylinder engine.

It wasn't until 2003 that I managed to opt out of my company car scheme and buy my IS200... nuff said I think.

Both the A4 & 320d are nice cars but they just dont seem to cut the mustard. The seats in both are naff, the stereo is really bad for the £20k price tag, let alone the £100 charge to upgrade the beemer to a single CD player !!! electric & heated seats in the IS200, sunroof, I can go on & on.... Can't vouch for the SAAB though...

And what I really like is the uncommoness of the IS range on the roads.....

Claire G · July 16, 2004

I usually have the other problem - nice car, shame about the dealer!

Maybe he had a 'bum' car - noisy etc. Could have been the tyres, anything really.

No accounting for taste!

Sipey · July 16, 2004

sluggish and boring
Then he buys a car that has all the poise and handling of a rice pudding and says he's happy with it. :P

Still, you are never going to please everyone, we are all different. There are aspects of the IS200 that are excellent, and others that really **** me of. It is not the most comfortable car I have owned, or the quickest, but it's definitely not sluggish and boring.

I think it does what it is supposed to do very well and that is to offer a car that combines handling with comfort and wrapped up with unique styling. If the guy was looking for pure comfort then yes he probably was unhappy with the IS and I would agree that the 9-3 probably has a softer ride, but no way is it a more enjoyable ride.

There is also the possibility he purchased a Friday car - everyone has their off days after all.

iains · July 16, 2004

Can't believe what I have just read. My personal thought is that my IS200 SE is about the best built car I've ever had. My Audi S3 comes about equal, but in terms of the sheer quality of fittings, the Lexus wins hands down.

I've had two Mercs, two VW's, one Audi and I currently have a BMW Z4. Save for the Audi and my old 1986 Golf GTi, the Lexus build quality leaves all of them in the shade. As for the Fords, Peugeots, Vauxhalls, Renaults etc I've had as lease cars - It's not even worth going into details.

As for Saab, my mother in law is a Saab devotee - She has nothing else. Her current 9-5 Turbo SE is a catalogue of disasters - I went in it the other day the check control was going mad. Bong - Parking sensor failure; Bong - Foglight failure; Bong - Alarm system malfunction; Bong..............

A £30+k car that three years later is worth, wait for it, £7k on trade-in for another Saab 9-5, with only 50k miles on the clock.

I'll have three please

whitie · July 16, 2004

Fool!

petejenkin · July 16, 2004

Bloke dont know a decent motor if it hit im in the face ! Obviously one of these people who are impossible to please and moan and wine about the slightest little thing, bit like me :)

amolkarnik · July 16, 2004

I had a P reg Saab 900 in the past with the 2.3 turbo engine. Must admit the seats are the best that I have been in and the engine had lots of grunt. The handling was lousy, service costs were very high. It was a very realiable car, but thats when SAAB were still making them.

Now its just a Vectra with a different body.

Drummerboy · July 16, 2004

I agree with snippets of what Mr. Cooper had to say.................

I took my lex on my first decent journey a couple of weekends ago (600 miles or so over a weekend) and I have to say my Mitsubishi Carisma was more comfortable. I found myself getting very uncomfortable after any more than 2½ hours..............

It is also sluggish from a standstill but if you learn to drive it hard you get get respectable enough poke above 4000rpm............

Other than that he's talking through his :tsktsk: :tsktsk:

Drummerboy · July 16, 2004

........... as for Saabs............. stick to the planes lads!!

A guy in here has a 2.2 TD 9-3 and it sounds like a dumper........... with the rings gone!! :yack: :yack:

Parthiban · July 16, 2004

I would probably agree that the car is a little sluggish (but I never expected the car to be fast, only a fool buys a car and then realises its not fast enough ).

I'd also agree that the car is uneconomical and sometimes the way the interior plastics scratch so easily annoys me but having said that there isn't much else on the road that has the same presence. Despite being a relatively old design, it still looks sharp and fresh.

As someone has already said, anything can fail on a car, its how its dealt with thats most important. I too have a list of things that have been replaced like the alloys, boot springs, passenger belt buckle, satnav and climate surround, locking wheel nuts, and I'm due to have the satnav screen replaced shortly as well. Seems quite a list but all this was done with absolutely no dispute or fuss. They just take the car in, get it sorted, and give it back having cleaned it too :D

Even if the next IS was awful, it would be a really difficult decision to switch to another manufacturer

djanderso · July 16, 2004

He slags the IS200 for being boring............he then buys a Saab!

smw · July 31, 2004

I think the overall IS package is excellent, remember that for a sub 20 k car you are getting straight 6, rear wheel drive, traction, multi CD, leather, electric roof, climate, heated seats . . . the list goes on. Good residuals to boot.

Also great reliability and build quality and that road presence with the flared arches and bonnet bump.

The big downers for me are fuel ecomomy and really poor service from Lex dealers.

Also it's the little things that let the IS down -

1. The spare is fitted upside down so you can't check the pressure without taking the whole wheel out

2. The boot hinges intrude into the storage space so you have to leave those 2 areas clear when loading

3. The mirrors fold in at different rates

4. Petrol guage is from a Starlet

Fidgits · July 31, 2004

I usually have the other problem - nice car, shame about the dealer!

ditto

ColinBarber · July 31, 2004

3. The mirrors fold in at different rates

If that's all you have to complain about then the car must be good :D :P

Matthew_McNally · July 31, 2004

LOC is probably the wrong place for an objective critique of this

"I owned a Lexus IS200 SE automatic from October 2001-September 2003. I never liked it. It was noisy, uneconomical, sluggish and boring.

The standard tyres are quite noisy.

Don;t think anyone would describe the car as ecomical, fast and exciting, but the guy must have bought it without test driving it if this was his assessment,

It never ran smoothly. In fact, after 10000 miles at the first service I drove a courtesy car which was smoother.

He could mean the infamous IS gearbox issues, bad change into second / juddery clutch.

These are very real issues, and if the courtesy car he got was not effected by these, then this statement could make a lot of sense.

The excuse was that it was 'intelligent' and adapted to my more laid back style of driving. Nonsense!

This could be true if he had an auto, but not if its a manual.

Surely the dealer should have just reset the ECU, and let it 're-learn'?

I had to change the tyres due to excessive wear because the tracking was out, caused apparently by potholes to both front wheels at the same time!

Again, this is a very valid critiscm.

How many IS owners have nevered had to change the two fronts because their tracking was out?

I lost two fronts in 7k.

From speaking to a tech at Lexus Chester, he has seen a set go in 3k.

I then had both shock absorbers changed due to noises that took three visits to the dealers to rectify

Not a problem I've had, not something I've heard a lot of people complain about on here.

I also found the car uncomfortable on a long journey

I've done a fair bit of long distance in my IS, and I would not describe it as uncomfortable.

Adjustable lumbar support would be nice though.

However, the hi fi system was excellent, until the CD changer jammed and had to be replaced

If this means the infamous ERR3, then again a very valid and common complaint.

On a positive note, the dealership was excellent. But they did get to know me quite well. I have now bought a Saab 9-3 and I am delighted with it. To sum up the Lexus - nice dealer, shame about the car. "
WHAT DO YOU THINK ??

I think he

1 - bought the wrong car

2 - was unlucky to get a car that suffered from common several problems (although he missed out on corroding alloys and easily chipped paint )

3 - has been lucky with is Saab, which will also suffer from its own range of common complaints, but his vehicle has dodged.

The thing is - Lexus can fix this.

How many sets of alloys have been returned corroded?

How many CD's have been replaced due to ERR3?

How many people have complained of gearbox problems?

What has been done about it?

ColinBarber · July 31, 2004

He had an auto Matt.

I'll stick with my first reply - I wouldn't say it was boring. Everything else is/could be correct.

I think the way it drives makes up for some of it's failings and hopefully LOC helps owners so that they don't have to put up with corroded alloys, ERR3 stereos or inside tyre wear. They are all documented here and there are cures.

smw · August 1, 2004

3. The mirrors fold in at different rates

If that's all you have to complain about then the car must be good :D :P

Fair point - but I did say 'little things'.

You would think that it would be just as easy to make them fold at the same rate - unless mine just needs lubrication in one or something - they are about 1 second apart ? ?

Scorpion · August 1, 2004

Saabs are Vauxhalls......enough said.

lexy200 · August 2, 2004

this guy has obviously bought another car with a lexus badge on it !!

Ive had lots of cars ranging from a mk 1 astra gte, rs turbo escort, pug 306 gti6, saxo vts and drove various cars ,

the first time i saw a lexus bout 4 years ago i said nice i want one i now have one and its the best car ive ever owned , comfortabe handles well fast enough legally and has a lot of extras, however i just have the s model so dont have a sunroof or the leather interior but the interior will be replaced asap ..

as for the fuel economy well at the prices of petrol these days no car is really affordable to run if your using it alot , my is200 now has 90k on the clock and runs like a dream :D :D

Might upgrade to the sport next year or just go for the is300 :D

crookieboy · August 3, 2004

Ok I've not had my IS 200 SE (Auto) for very long (6 weeks) but it's definately not sluggish and boring!! Is he sure it was a Lexus and not a Lada??? Yes I spose the may be a little thirsty but that is out-weighed by the equipment level and build quality, my previous car was an old T5 Volvo (one of the first 1992!) and the lexus seems to be more potent and handles much better. The build quality is far superior to that of the swedes, I had a Saaab and beleve me they are nothing special (temped to say boring here!) I traded mine for a Volvo (nuff said!)

You just can't please everyone I spose, but I bet 90% of Lexus owners would agree they are a damn fine car!

Crookieboy

mxs · August 12, 2004

Why is it that Toyota/Lexus still have issues with the gear boxes on their cars?

A friend of mine has serious problems with the gears on his brand new Rav 4! I have owned MR2's, and both had synchro probs.

Shame really, as the rest of the engine parts a mostly bullet proof.

ColinBarber · August 12, 2004

Why is it that Toyota/Lexus still have issues with the gear boxes on their cars?

Never had a problem with any of my 4 MR2s or my wifes RAV4. The only one I didn't like, apart from my IS200, was the one in the Supra but then that is a German Getrag gearbox anyway.