Is200 - Is300

[Russell-H]

Have just collected my IS300 had to drive 100 miles to get it home first thing i noticed is just how bright the headlights are, much better than the 200 whole car just feels smoother to drive, also looks a lot better as 200 is silver but the 300 is dark gray with smokey glass. Need to change the phone and some other bits over in the morning then off out to find some petrol stations !

Many thanks

Russell.

Edited February 8, 2010 by janey
Non-Gold Member

[Rory]

get some pics up, I've just done the same but i've not collected yet, i'm gettin impatient now tho lol

[kenfoxy]

I can see the IS300 holding its value even better than the IS200. Rarity, compactness, smooth strong power, automatic, reliability.

[lexdavis]

you got pics of the 200 and the 300 what spec is ur 200 might be interested

[Russell-H]

non gold are not allowed to sell on the forums as per t&c's.

[Asi]

get some pics up mate

[IS300]

I can see the IS300 holding its value even better than the IS200. Rarity, compactness, smooth strong power, automatic, reliability.

I hope the dealership remembers this when I trade my mine in shortly!

[SINGH182]

I can see the IS300 holding its value even better than the IS200. Rarity, compactness, smooth strong power, automatic, reliability.

I hope the dealership remembers this when I trade my mine in shortly!

i woulld'nt count on it...i changed my is300 in December..i took it to lexus to see how much id get..they only offered me £3500 - it was an 02 plate.

[Whitey]

Would a dealer just make you an offer to buy it ? Or do you have to trade it in ?

Still thinking about cashing mine in, just sits pretty in the car park most of the time now - but that means when I do drive it, it's amazing :)

[fjcfarrar]

I can see the IS300 holding its value even better than the IS200. Rarity, compactness, smooth strong power, automatic, reliability.

The IS300 is a really nice car and drives better than the IS200 Auto; but not so sure about holding its value. It is rare because frankly few wanted them in the first place because on paper, it didn't have that much over the IS200 - a slightly better performance, no extra toys, luxury or spec than the later IS200s, much worse economy and a very much higher new price. It also looks the same except for the small 300 on the back. It just didn't strike buyers as value for money. These days, most of those factors are even more significant and make a huge dent in the trade-in value. There just isn't a massive market for very thirsty smallish cars with a high VED unless they are cheap. So enjoy and forget about the resale price.

[micker35]

Russel-H, congratulations on your purchase.

I'd say that, in my opinion, the 300 ticks more boxes than the 200. The biggest box has got to be exclusivity. I don't see a 300 from one month to the next. However, as some of the other contributors have said, high fuel prices and high road tax will keep this car's trade-in value low. Seeing that the 300 was discontinued in 2006 (I think) and that any vehicle that has a CO2 figure over 225g/km but was registered before 23 March 2006 can only be taxed at band K (currently £215 / year), the road tax is high but not frightening. However, after the May election, it quite believable that the Government are going to try to price cars like the 300 off the road.

I've been hunting for the ideal IS300 Sportcross for ages but I think I'm going to wait until after the election before I take the plunge.

Cheers,

Mick.

[Ian M]

I've been hunting for the ideal IS300 Sportcross for ages

Good choice! I found mine quite by accident almost 3 years ago, but 28,500 miles later, I certainly don't regret it.

[SINGH182]

Wheres th pics? :D

[Russell-H]

I have taken the pictures today but can not work out how to upload them to here.

Please give me the idiots guide to upload pictures.

Many thanks

Russell.

[kenfoxy]

Russel-H, congratulations on your purchase.

I'd say that, in my opinion, the 300 ticks more boxes than the 200. The biggest box has got to be exclusivity. I don't see a 300 from one month to the next. However, as some of the other contributors have said, high fuel prices and high road tax will keep this car's trade-in value low. Seeing that the 300 was discontinued in 2006 (I think) and that any vehicle that has a CO2 figure over 225g/km but was registered before 23 March 2006 can only be taxed at band K (currently £215 / year), the road tax is high but not frightening. However, after the May election, it quite believable that the Government are going to try to price cars like the 300 off the road.

I've been hunting for the ideal IS300 Sportcross for ages but I think I'm going to wait until after the election before I take the plunge.

Cheers,

Mick.

My hope is that the next government (whatever colour) may leave the current structure alone because, by then, cars like the band K IS200/300 will be 4 - 10 years old. As such they could be seen as owned by drivers who can't afford newer cars. To victimise them would be seen as unjust. Also it couldn't be used as "removing an anomoly" because pre 2000 cars and new cars where there are no CO2 figures are also anomolies. Don't forget that band K goes up to £245 at some stage. The government might also remember the role that gas guzzling 4 x4 vehicles played this winter.

I think you are right to hang on. If the rate shoots up you could get a bigger bargain. Even if it doesn't no worries because the car market at the dealers is governed by supply and demand not speculation. Best of luck.

[Rory]

russell upload them to an image hosting site such as photobucket and then u can post the links on here

[fjcfarrar]

My hope is that the next government (whatever colour) may leave the current structure alone because, by then, cars like the band K IS200/300 will be 4 - 10 years old. As such they could be seen as owned by drivers who can't afford newer cars. To victimise them would be seen as unjust.

A bit off topic here and a bit of a rant too.

I think you might be a tad optimistic. Future Governments may well continue to unfairly target owners of cars with high emissions because they can. After all, they do now regardless of whether it is properly justified or not, backed by apparent, although completely spurious "Green" credentials. Even if the extra carbon footprint of manufacturing a new car compared with putting up with higher emissions on an existing one is disregarded; current graduated VED does not even remotely reflect a car's actual carbon output. As just one (maybe extreme) instance, my ISF pollutes at a mighty 270gm/km - but I bought it knowing I was going to do low mileage, a result of which is very much less carbon actually deposited in a year than for the averagely-used zero VED rated car - with £405 VED for the privilege. I am fully resigned to this and for it to keep disproportionately increasing "to protect our planet". The top end VED is really based purely on the idea that if you can still afford to buy or run a big-engined car; then you can afford higher VED - and if you buy new, you can afford the extra punitive new-sale tax imposed from 2008 on "polluting" cars. This doesn't "protect our planet"; it just makes it more expensive to live on it.

Can you see any Government giving up a source of extra income whether it is justly extracted or not? A fairer, simpler and cheaper to collect tax on fuel won't happen either - last time Government proposed this in the '70s; they cunningly suggested a rate that turned out to recover nearly three times as much as the Tax Disk, so the idea fizzled out when this was spotted, with an official excuse that the Tax Disk was needed to demonstrate an MOT (or lack of it). Most people could think of a way!

We have to remember though, that if unfair taxes were sorted out, fair taxes would increase to maintain the take

[Russell-H]

Thanks Rory will look at phottobucket tonoght after work.

Regards

Russell.

[R1nG@]

I've been hunting for the ideal IS300 Sportcross for ages but I think I'm going to wait until after the election before I take the plunge.

I know of an immaculate 200 Sportcross up for sale Click me please

[Yeldarb]

Retrospective tax increases are illegal. The Gov. cant hike up the payments like you guys are saying, they tried that a while ago and the EU court blocked the move. They will just add more duty to fuel...............

[Russell-H]

Hopefully this hassorted out to display some pictures was 18 but lost a few trying to upload.

Grey = my new is300 silver = old is 200

Regards

Russell.

[Russell-H]

As you can see in previous post have managed to upload some photos at last showing both my 200 and 300. not done much to 300 since i bought it other than have the tracking setup as it was scrubbing near side front tyre on the inside.

Best regards

Russell.