Keep It Or Switch To A 300?

[lexus22]

Why are you even talking about the IS300 when I was commenting on the IS200?

The IS200 is smooth simple!

It is, but the is300 is even smoother...SIMPLE!!

[matt-c]

Jesus give it a rest.... If you want smooth, buy a GS or better yet an LS. I'm only contemplating a 300 for the 'box, this wasn't supposed to be a "mines better than yours thread"

[lexus22]

Jesus give it a rest.... If you want smooth, buy a GS or better yet an LS. I'm only contemplating a 300 for the 'box, this wasn't supposed to be a "mines better than yours thread"

C'mon Matt. a little bit of fun banter never hurt anyone! if you want smooth.....drink a pint of John Smiths!! (prefer a Speckled Hen myself though )

[noby76]

hahaaaaa

I like mine shaken not stired

[mikey's IS]

i like this thraed

the way i see it is the IS200 is a smooth car not been in an auto so carnt comment on that but been in a auto altezza (3sge) that was the worst box ive had a play with, the IS300 well its a smooth car, the box on the 300 might be smoother than the 200 so wharrrrttttt get out there and drive the thing and make it put a smile on your face.

if you want an armchair cruiser have a look at the GS and LS range they are cheap and very comfortable

PS I HATE AUTOS

[Dinho]

Why are you even talking about the IS300 when I was commenting on the IS200?

The IS200 is smooth simple!

It is

Now you admit its smooth. At last!

Wasn't hard was it :)

[lexus22]

hahaaaaa

I like mine shaken not stired

You would be "shaken" to bits in a is200 John

[Dinho]

hahaaaaa

I like mine shaken not stired

You would be "shaken" to bits in a is200 John

Your previous battered one maybe!

[lexus22]

hahaaaaa

I like mine shaken not stired

You would be "shaken" to bits in a is200 John

Your previous battered one maybe!

I liked my old is200 sport, his name was "rattling snail"

[Dinho]

hahaaaaa

I like mine shaken not stired

You would be "shaken" to bits in a is200 John

Your previous battered one maybe!

I liked my old is200 sport, his name was "rattling snail"

The previous owner to you must of tried a ford escort engine conversion and then you bought it.. Stung!!

[noby76]

I liked my old is200 sport, his name was "rattling snail"

lol

[petayV8]

I can see where this isgoing now.

Auto vs manual again...

Shame for all you manual lovers tho, considering car manufactures arent spending money on developing good manuals anymore

[noby76]

I can see where this isgoing now.

Auto vs manual again...

Shame for all you manual lovers tho, considering car manufactures arent spending money on developing good manuals anymore

LOOL

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

This is getting stupid isn't it.

My 300 is better than your 200

My auto box is better than your auto or manual box

My dad is bigger than your dad.....

[lexus22]

This is getting stupid isn't it.

My 300 is better than your 200

My auto box is better than your auto or manual box

My dad is bigger than your dad.....

Well I just spoke to my dad and he reckons that he is bigger!

[noby76]

Loool..

[LexIS200Sport]

my bald spot is shinier than yours...

Speaking of bald spots, here's some sacrilege: my datsun laurel, which predates my IS by 20-odd years, is smoother and more economical. And it has a dinosaur of a 2.4L 6-cyl lump.

In my humble opinion, I think the IS200 is a smooth car, but I wouldn't say it has the smoothest 6-cyl engine around, even by standards in its day. It's the whole car as a package that makes the IS200 appealing. It's smooth enough. It's powerful enough. And it handles well enough.

Is the IS300 smoother than the IS200? Well I would think so, on the grounds that you don't have to rev the engine as hard to get the same drivability as the IS200, if anything. But so what? The IS300 was much more expensive when new anyway, and it is thirstier and costs more to insure. You'd hope it is a smoother car.

Manual vs automatic is an interesting one. The OEM whom I'm consulting to no longer offers the manual gearbox on any of their models, and hasn't done so for a while now. Customer demand for manual boxes is just deteriorating unfortunately.

[petayV8]

The IS200 wasnt designed to be as smooth as GS or LS or anything on that level. Its meant to have a nice note on show, its the characteristics of the car. It doesnt make it worse off because of it

[bigdave-is200]

Don't be put off by the custom head units mate most have the amp bypass cable so usually no wires cut or messed as for screens and stuff like that flog em if you don't want them pick up headrests on eBay easy or the local breakers yard. But the head unit change takes about 10 mins so no hassle as for the car I'm on my second is200 but used a 300 for a while loved the extra power and the gear box was smooth as gear change buttons on the steering wheel very nice. My advice make the change only reason I won't is I grow to attached to my car and the work I put into it.

Cheers Dave

[matt-c]

I'm still toying with the idea, and *may* go look at it Monday. My problem is when I go look at things, I generally fall in love with them and have to have it, haha!

So long as the headunit has been put in properly, as you say with a bypass cable, then it's not the end of the world, and provided the one in my 200 works in the 300, it could be an easy swap out; taking the stock one from my 200 and fitting it into the 300 (being the same year, it *should* - at least in theory - work, and then fitting the aftermarket one into my 200. And if the cabling isn't too much of an issue, I could also swap the headrests over from both cars too.

If I did go ahead and buy the 300, I'd probably remove the armrest from my 200 as I doubt very much it'd add anywhere near it's value to the car sale, and it's worth £100 all day long on it's own. The only other thing I can see what needs swapping is the dash top tray thing - looks like the one on the 300 has one of those discs screwed to it that you use to mount sat nav suction cups to - and seeing as I don't use a standalone satnav in the car anymore, I'd rather have the unmodified one from my car in there.

My only other worry is the wheels. This 300 has the 18" aero wheels on it, and I've read a fair bit about them, on here, being made from chocolate and pot holes killing them and putting them out of round, or worse cracking them. So that's a little concern to me. I'm usually pretty good at avoiding potholes, but even this eve I managed to hit one pretty good (will have to go have a look at my wheel and tyre in the daylight tomorrow, just to reassure myself it looks ok. Drove home fine, so hopefully no damage was done)

And finally, I say I'm still toying with the idea, because well, I simply don't think I *need* a 3L engined car. And that's the real kicker. The 'box would be lovely, and the few little extra's it provides over the 200 would be welcome, but really aren't deciding factors (full leather is nice, but then I like my half leather, half cloth seats. The chromatic mirrors sound nice, but probably expensive to fix if broken or failed. The extra bhp - well all extra horsies are nice, but I don't thrash cars everywhere, so not my prime concern), it's really all/mostly about the 'box at the end of the day, along with the fact I keep reading that the 300 is smoother, quieter, etc. And I'm one of the ones that's impressed by the smoothness and quietness of my 200 (compared to anything else I've owned, it's sublime! But then, I think I actually got a very good one; the gear selector is so tight and sharp, with virtually no play in it at all, whereas a couple I drove wen't as positive feeling as the one I got - especially with reverse! The suspension and handling is tight and crisp, and road holding is excellent, with rattling/vibration etc very very minimal.

One part of me really wants to keep the 200 manual, in a kinda "spirit of driving" thing, but the other part of me say's get shot, and get a lazy-changer! :D

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Totally understand what your saying about the Aero wheels Matt. Both Lexus Bristol and Tony at WIM say they are very soft. Tony said most IS's he sees with aeros on nowadays have 1 or more dented/buckled wheels.

And can you guess where the aero wheels were made? Right here in the UK!! Guess that's also the reason they don't suffer as bad with corrosion as other Lexus alloys.

[bigdave-is200]

Yeah Matt head unit is easy and the same as the is300 so a direct switch yours for theirs would be very straight forward to change not seen many cut jobs as you still need to bypass the amp and the leads are very easy to pic up on eBay. If you buy the 300 giz a message and I will be happy to give you some advice on removal. Don't forget only bad point i see of having a 300 is parts engine only as everything else is pretty much the same but I guess engine parts can be very rare is200 parts are so easy to get.

As for this keep moving back to 300 better then 200 I think both cars have their charm and I love them both I mean come on its only really the engine and auto bar that they are like twins well a bit like the movie twins ones way more powerful and the little fella is fun and not on steroids.

I found the 300 very fun to drive and do envy the power but I guess that's what superchargers are for.

Cheers Dave