RE: SOTW Lexus IS200

[richardxjr]

Garlick said:

LS, there is only one way to go

Yep, and not much more than shed money for a decent one too

[nosuchuser]

aizvara said:

A while ago I went into my local (Norwich) dealer intending to buy one of these, but bought my car (e46 325i) instead, which was sat right next to it.

I do really like the look of the IS200, and particularly liked the "fussy" instrument cluster. Just don't like the (on paper) fuel economy to power ratio. Having said that, this has got me looking for Altezza RS200s now.

Didn't know about the RS200 variant. Sadly out of Shed price but looks like an interesting car

[SSCooperS]

The IS200's luxury credentials were undermined for me when I realised the steering wheel is virtually identical in design to the one fitted to my Toyota Starlet snotter...

[MiseryStreak]

It's the Japanese Mercedes!

[FlashBastd]

I ran an IS300 for about 8 months, it was without doubt my worst ever motoring decision. Bought at 3yrs old, 29k for £12k, sold 8 months later (took that long to find a buyer) for £8.5k. I hated it that much.

211 BHP - check
RWD - check
LSD - check
Dull as dishwater - check
Incredibly naff hard plastic interior - check
ESP that you can't turn off, and that beeps at you when activated - check
Incredibly thirsty even when driven gently - check

Quick, yes, but no character whatsoever. Also incredibly juicy. A cheaper more reliable 3 series it is not.

[andy43]

TooLateForAName said:

vendor said:

and M.O.T is due soon.

So what's this hiding? What are the standard borks?

Top shed.
Lexus <--------------------------> Bork of any description afaik.
I did research before my Dad bought one.
Cambelts need doing quite regularly - and change tensioner and water pump at the same time as pump can leak.
Top shock mounts can rattle. Flywheel is pricey if a worn clutch damages it.
Erm <thinks> Nope. That's it.
The Lexus indie who services my Dad's looks after IS200s with stupid miles on (think 200-300k as far as I can remember), with no problems at all.

[andy43]

FlashBastd said:

I ran an IS300 for about 8 months, it was without doubt my worst ever motoring decision. Bought at 3yrs old, 29k for £12k, sold 8 months later (took that long to find a buyer) for £8.5k. I hated it that much.

211 BHP - check
RWD - check
LSD - check
Dull as dishwater - check
Incredibly naff hard plastic interior - check
ESP that you can't turn off, and that beeps at you when activated - check
Incredibly thirsty even when driven gently - check

Quick, yes, but no character whatsoever. Also incredibly juicy. A cheaper more reliable 3 series it is not.

That does sum it up - it's all too lightweight, too fake, too domestic appliance compared to a 3er. Everything's there, it just doesn't do much for me personally. But at this level of reliability and toys for sub-£1000...?

[pSyCoSiS]

Generally now, I am amazed at how cheap cars have become.

I mean, cars that, a few years ago would have cost over £5k, and now available at shed money or thereabouts...

I saw an 2001 E39 530i SE Auto for £950, a 2001 '51' BMW E38 735i SE Auto for £1500, the earlier W220 S Class models can be had for around £1400, Mercedes SLK Roadsters (1997 models) for £1500, and so on...

Most of these had impeccable service history and were well-maintained examples. All good quality, well made cars, some of which would have cost upto £50k when new.

I know they are expensive to fuel, maintain, etc. But, everyone should live a little and enjoy these lovely cars whilst they are at bargain prices and before they all get shipped over to eatern Europe!

Edited by pSyCoSiS on Friday 27th July 10:21

[aizvara]

nosuchuser said:

Didn't know about the RS200 variant. Sadly out of Shed price but looks like an interesting car

I very nearly travelled hundreds of miles to go and see one at an importers, but sanity returned. I still wonder if I'd prefer the 4 cylinder 3S-GE in that to my 3er's I6.

[edeath]

Riggers said:

Fair enough. I'd still prefer the original grille, however. But that's just personal taste...

The sport grill sells for a fair bit more than a standard one so a bonus even if you dont like it

[pSyCoSiS]

SuperHangOn said:

One in Croydon and the other looks a total.. err... shed

Sorry but I think you still need £1500-2000 to get a decent IS200. Happy to be proved wrong though

Ok ok, I can't show any decent examples atm, and admittedly, they will more than likely be sheds (whcih is what we are talking about here anyway)!

Either way, still a nice motor for the money.

[Riggers]

edeath said:

The sport grill sells for a fair bit more than a standard one so a bonus even if you dont like it

And it's details like this that maketh a Shed - sell sport grille, buy standard, pocket change...

[anonymous-user]

Heavy on fuel but that's missing the point when the outlay is £1000! Great car for the money although they are a bit dull tbh.

[R66STU]

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/lexu...

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/lexu...


Cheapest I found.

Edited by R66STU on Friday 27th July 10:38

[thewheelman]

You do realise you can get far lower mile examples of an IS200 for the same money.

Fine cars, my mother had 2 of these before going for the IS250, then the CT. never had a single issue with any of them.

[thewheelman]

andy43 said:

FlashBastd said:

I ran an IS300 for about 8 months, it was without doubt my worst ever motoring decision. Bought at 3yrs old, 29k for £12k, sold 8 months later (took that long to find a buyer) for £8.5k. I hated it that much.

211 BHP - check
RWD - check
LSD - check
Dull as dishwater - check
Incredibly naff hard plastic interior - check
ESP that you can't turn off, and that beeps at you when activated - check
Incredibly thirsty even when driven gently - check

Quick, yes, but no character whatsoever. Also incredibly juicy. A cheaper more reliable 3 series it is not.

That does sum it up - it's all too lightweight, too fake, too domestic appliance compared to a 3er. Everything's there, it just doesn't do much for me personally. But at this level of reliability and toys for sub-£1000...?

Haha, you think a 3 series has "character", & The Lexus too "domestic appliance compared to a 3 series". If anything the more mass produced 3 series is the appliance.

[Gorbyrev]

Local chap has a red 3.0 sportwagon on a 51 plate. Must have a sports exhaust because it sounds and looks amazing. Takes off like a stabbed rat too! Doubt that is in shed sights yet. So for the time being - nice shed Riggers - bet the satnav was out of shed territory back in the day!!!

[cptsideways]

Most of the 3ers are pauper spec, or with 17 chav owners by now, at least you get ac & working indicators on the Lexus.

[The Boy Lard]

They've both got the Lexus rear lights

[thewheelman]

pSyCoSiS said:

Generally now, I am amazed at how cheap cars have become.

I mean, cars that, a few years ago would have cost over £5k, and now available at shed money or thereabouts...

I saw an 2001 E39 530i SE Auto for £950, a 2001 '51' BMW E38 735i SE Auto for £1500, the earlier W220 S Class models can be had for around £1400, Mercedes SLK Roadsters (1997 models) for £1500, and so on...

Most of these had impeccable service history and were well-maintained examples. All good quality, well made cars, some of which would have cost upto £50k when new.

I know they are expensive to fuel, maintain, etc. But, everyone should live a little and enjoy these lovely cars whilst they are at bargain prices and before they all get shipped over to eatern Europe!

Edited by pSyCoSiS on Friday 27th July 10:21

An SLK for £1500! That would have been a bag of ste, even rough ones still go for over £3k. As for the prices of the other cars you mention, they've all been around those prices for quite sometime.