RE: Shed of the Week: Lexus IS200 SportCross

[J4CKO]

confused_buyer said:

It won't be a stretched timing chain as these have a belt (I think!).

If the OBD reader doesn't help 10 minutes with a torx drive and bit of chewing gum will sort it.

Was a generic example really, just to say an EML light can be a very minor fault with an easy, cheap fix, or something fundamental, just because it runs more or less ok doesn't mean its not knackered.

[HannsG]

Any rust issues?

Decent for hauling bikes?

[confused_buyer]

J4CKO said:

Was a generic example really, just to say an EML light can be a very minor fault with an easy, cheap fix, or something fundamental, just because it runs more or less ok doesn't mean its not knackered.

Agreed.

[Scottie - NW]

Good to see an interesting choice this week.

[SonicShadow]

Just bring a cheap code reader with you and see what's what. Takes 30 seconds to read the codes.

[MJ85]

Biggest issue with these, for me, by a country mile... headroom (or lack of it).

[TrivsTom]

There's one of these local to me with a turbo 1uz swap. Mega.

[gmaz]

As its being sold by a dealer, surely they would reset the EML if it was something simple to do? A lit EML would scare off most potential customers.

[MorganP104]

gmaz said:

As its being sold by a dealer, surely they would reset the EML if it was something simple to do? A lit EML would scare off most potential customers.

Maybe the dealer reset the light, and it came back on again.

[Cookeh]

HannsG said:

Any rust issues?

Decent for hauling bikes?

Perfect for bikes, some have rust issues towards back of sills if wheel arches weren't cleared of mud/salt at least once in a blue moon.

MJ85 said:

Biggest issue with these, for me, by a country mile... headroom (or lack of it).

Eh? We had one for 90k, and with my Dad and I being 6'2" and 6' we never had an issue or thought it was lacking. Fair enough if you're over 6'4" you might find it a feels a touch close, but how many people does that apply to in a country where the average height is 5'10".

Edited by Cookeh on Friday 25th August 13:42

[Leins]

Am I correct in thinking the IS300 was only available as a SportCross, not a saloon?

[diehardbenzfan]

I had an IS200 saloon and enjoyed ownership, a lot of car for the money, sound system was brilliant and you got a lot of toys compared to an E46, only thing I didn't like about mine was that if you're doing 70-90 mph, you're gona be on 4-5k rpm which meant fuel consumption on a long run was terrible. I had an e46 before & after the Lexus (went back to e46 for a 330i) and both bmw had various fault codes and an oil leak each while the Lexus didn't have a single thing wrong with it.

This is a very good shed but only if the cambelt has been changed as the cost of changing mine cost 350.

[culpz]

Leins said:

Am I correct in thinking the IS300 was only available as a SportCross, not a saloon?

Nope, they can be had in saloon guise. Although, they do seem to be fairly rare and you will generally find more SportCross models of the IS300.

[marshall100]

We've just got a dog. Mrs M is going to find getting Boris into the iggy sport a problem, this is a very interesting alternative as a dog ferry....

[Bladedancer]

Nice shed, robust mechanically but I'd check extra carefully for the tin worm.

[PistonBroker]

WIL35 said:

We have an Avensis Verso, we bought new in 2003 with the same engine. EML came on at about 60k miles. Error code said it was post cat O2 sensor related, so replaced all of them. EML came on again 200 miles later and has been on since, with the car now on 190k miles and the car passing the emission test at each MOT.

I think there was an ecu software problem, rather than an actual problem.

That's interesting. An entirely unrelated car, but the Mother-in-Law's BINI has the EML light on and when Brother-in-Law took the car to MINI one of the things they noted was the need for an o2 sensor. But it's passed its MOT without him having replaced it and I've subsequently driven it a couple of hundred miles without bother. I think I may continue to ignore it!

This looks like a decent enough SOTW but spending that amount of money with the EML light on would unnerve me. Otherwise ideal for my needs in a month or so. If I hadn't just taken on the aforementioned BINI. ;-)

[MJ85]

Cookeh said:

HannsG said:

Any rust issues?

Decent for hauling bikes?

Perfect for bikes, some have rust issues towards back of sills if wheel arches weren't cleared of mud/salt at least once in a blue moon.

MJ85 said:

Biggest issue with these, for me, by a country mile... headroom (or lack of it).

Eh? We had one for 90k, and with my Dad and I being 6'2" and 6' we never had an issue or thought it was lacking. Fair enough if you're over 6'4" you might find it a feels a touch close, but how many people does that apply to in a country where the average height is 5'10".

Edited by Cookeh on Friday 25th August 13:42

6 foot 5. The seat doesn't go low enough, unfortunately.

[BFleming]

So, an insurance write-off Merc 190, followed by a poverty spec E39 OR a well worn 166, followed by an IS200 that's even less appealing than a regular IS (which in Japan was a Toyota Altezza). The engine light wouldn't get through an MOT, so SOTW is officially unroadworthy. Come on Mr Shed, spend the new budget & wow us.

Edited by BFleming on Friday 25th August 16:37

[ES335]

Great cars IS200s. Bought a shed for my wife as a stop gap to replace our W201 which finally died at 300k miles and 23 years old. The Lexus was the closest (affordable) thing I could get to the Merc 190. It turned out to be so good, I bought a proper low miler to replace it - which has run faultlessly for the past few years. The main bad point with these is paint - and the lacquer specifically. As far as the EML light is concerned, its more likely to be a lambda sensor or a coil pack - they do eat coilpacks with high miles. Oh and they can feel a bit skittery at high speed!

[Blackpuddin]

BFleming said:

So, an insurance write-off Merc 190, followed by a poverty spec E39 OR a well worn 166, followed by an IS200 that's even less appealing than a regular IS (which in Japan was a Toyota Altezza). The engine light wouldn't get through an MOT, so SOTW is officially unroadworthy. Come on Mr Shed, spend the new budget & wow us.

Edited by BFleming on Friday 25th August 16:37

Damn those PH advertisers for not selling their interesting/rare/powerful cars at knockdown prices!