RE: Shed of the Week: Lexus IS200 SportCross

RE: Shed of the Week: Lexus IS200 SportCross

Friday 25th August 2017

Shed of the Week: Lexus IS200 SportCross

Remember when SportCross was just Lexus's take on the estate? Shed does, and rather likes this one



Time to talk sensors. Obscenity laws prevent Shed from airing his view on these infernal (and usually lying) electronic grass-up merchants of doom. His own ancient Golf has just had various constantly bleeping warnings about BRAKE FAULT, COOLANT, OWNER'S MANUAL and STOP cleared. Admittedly, the BRAKE FAULT was real, a trifling matter of two seized rear calipers, one of them leaking, plus a bent brake pipe, but there was absolutely nothing wrong with either the COOLANT or the OWNER'S MANUAL. And as for STOP, well, what's that supposed to mean?

Well now here is a rare beast
Well now here is a rare beast
Why are we talking about this? Because one of the two snippets of info we are given about this week's Lexus IS200 SportCross Shed is that it has EML LIGHT ON DASHBOARD.

Now, assuming they mean 'the Engine Management Light is illuminated on the instrument panel', rather than 'there is a random bulb rolling about atop the dashboard', this is the sort of phrase that strikes fear into the heart of any used car buyer. Not because it refers to something specific: that would be a blessing. It's because a lit EML can mean just about anything, and it's your job - or that of the Lexus Diagnostic Technician, at an impressive three-figure hourly labour rate - to discover exactly what.

But let's have a look at the car in question and have a quiet think. Two minutes' research tells us that on the IS200 there's a sensor near the petrol cap. Apparently the cap seal gets hard over time and stops sealing, tripping this confounded sensor whose only job is to bring misery to your life by alerting you to a world-endangering leakage of petrol fumes. This wakes up the EML, and suddenly you're in a whole new world of angst.

Aging better than the saloon perhaps?
Aging better than the saloon perhaps?
Once you know the trick, though, it's a two-minute job to clear things up simply by tightening the fuel cap and disconnecting one of the battery leads for two minutes. Et voila, with one bound you are free to enjoy the exotic pleasures of Lexus's compact - and quite rare - executive estate.

Why is the SportCross rare? Well, potential buyers weren't convinced that, even with VVT-I variable valve timing, 155hp and 144lb ft of torque would be enough to push 1,430kg along. A low-to-mid 9-second 0-62 time, 134mph top end and average fuel consumption figures in the high 20s would seem to back that up.

There was a 3.0-litre IS300 SportCross to address the performance complaints, but at £28,450 it was a lot more expensive than the £21,990 IS200. Still, there was good news for IS200 owners to compensate them for their lack of grunt. The SportCross wasn't just a rear-driver in the best (and deliberately copied) BMW tradition, enhanced by double-wishbone suspension, it also inherited the limited slip differential from the IS200 Sport saloon and a snickety six-speed manual gearbox. The steering is a bit light but stick an aftermarket air filter on it and keep it over 4,000rpm and you'll be having fun before you know it.

Snazzy dials, manual gearbox, sat-nav...
Snazzy dials, manual gearbox, sat-nav...
It will be comfy fun too. The SportCross was a genuine mini-Lexus, with lots of nice kit including a nine-speaker premium sound system with six-disc CD auto-changer, an electric sunroof, drilled aluminium pedals, stainless sill plates, headlight washers, climate control, half-leather seats, rear tinted glass and those (at the time) shockingly radical chronograph-style instruments. From the looks of the pop-up sat-nav, this Shed is a Navigator model. That was a £2,300 option.

As a used proposition, the SportCross has the usual IS potential to run through consumables at a fair old lick. Some say the wheel geometry was wrong ex-works, causing excessive wear on the front tyre inners, although others believe this was only an issue with the OE Bridgestones. The front dampers could be noisy from cold, but that should have been sorted on most cars under warranty.

... and a ruddy sunroof too? Get it bought!
... and a ruddy sunroof too? Get it bought!
Shed reckons that not only is the IS estate styling somewhat crisper than the saloon's, it's wearing its years a lot better. Late-model IS quality is generally excellent, and this looks like a well cared for example with just two owners. And remember, EML LIGHT ON DASHBOARD might not be quite the sick-making scenario you're expecting. It could be an opportunity to march into this dealership with £874.50 and an offer to relieve the dealer of his unshiftable motor.

Of course, the problem could be something else. It could be cheap, like plugs, or more expensive, like injectors, coil packs, or a coolant issue arising from a radiator leak. But it might not be. This is the excitement of 21st century motoring.

Here's the ad. It won't take long to read.

. E M L  LIGHT ON DASHBOARD M O T  TO   28/02 2018

 

Author
Discussion

Captaincheese

Original Poster:

247 posts

153 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
If the EML light issue can be resolved with your petrol cap trick then that looks like a very good buy.

Friend of mine had a saloon version of these which got past 200,000 miles without too much drama - they are pretty robust mechanically.

Good shed - loving the new (exotic!) stuff that the marginally increased budget unlocks!

miken2k8

362 posts

82 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
i can vouch for the is200 being a great car

had one since june everything works air con ice cold, does pick up ok from around 30-40mph i'm sure they bogged the gearing so it didn't get near the gs300.

The interior plastics are pretty dated though but iv'e ran mine for 3,000 miles and haven't got round to servicing it yet. That should tell you all you need to know. The sound system really is very good as well.

Richard-390a0

2,224 posts

90 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
I didn't even know they did an estate version of this, it has flown well under my radar!.

Resolutionary

1,253 posts

170 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
I think this is a classic case of the estate looking better than the saloon. Quite like these, could be a real bargain for someone.

Dale487

1,334 posts

122 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all

I bet if the dealer has read this, he's just done the petrol cap trick & upped the asking price if it worked.

I think the increase in budget has allowed SOTW to return to form - as the Lexus IS interesting but as important likely to be useable.

Looks like a lot of car for £1250.

lucido grigio

44,044 posts

162 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
Well ,the ad tells all you need to know.......confused

Quite an unusual car ,don't see many about.

C.A.R.

3,967 posts

187 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
Ugh, those 'lexus' lights are appalling tongue out

Saw one of these just yesterday (it tried to pull out of a junction in front of me, which wasn't ideal) and thought they were a rare sight. Didn't Japan get a much swifter 2.0 T four-pot? My Gran Turismo days are a distant memory but I seem to remember something like that.

mrpenks

368 posts

154 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
That's quite nice

WIL35

525 posts

209 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
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.

J4CKO

41,284 posts

199 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
The EML light can be simple stuff as mentioned, but it can also be stuff like a stretched timing chain or knackered cams, take an ODB code reader and plug it in, see if anything pops up, quick google and take a punt on whether it is a simple or involved fix, if it still runs and drives fine and doesnt clock or smoke then its more than likely nothing too heinous.

These are very well made cars, they didnt seem to dumb down the quality from the LS models too far to make the smaller ones, they seem pretty tough and long lived.

I drove one once and it was ok, they arent fast, the performance is adequate but it is the antithesis of the turbo diesels so many are used to now, you need to rev it to make any progress, it is quite an old school straight six type delivery, most arent used to that, il.e. adequate power, delivered in a refined and smooth way, it all contrives to make them feel a bit feeble after that grunt laden tdi, it is how things used to be done, there arent many comparatively low powered straight sixes now, it was your next step from the 2 litre four, not massively faster but certainly more refined.

My boss, a non car person has a saloon, in gold, it just keeps on going, he has had it years, never given any trouble, ok not great on fuel but if you dont ever really have to spend anything else aside from servicing and tyres, probably makes more sense than a diesel if doing lower mileages, good shed.

alorotom

11,907 posts

186 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
it may be rare but rare doesnt always equal good ... its just a bit 'meh' IMHO ... I wouldnt punt 1250 on this even with no EML illumination

culpz

4,881 posts

111 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
I actually think that these are one the best value cheap cars out there.You do get alot for your money. Good equipment, good looks (subjectively), RWD, smooth 6-cylinder engine and that well-renowned Lexus reliability. The only issues are the old man/Alan Partridge comments and the terrible MPG for the adequate performance on offer, which isn't too bad.

On a non-shed topic, i'd go for the IS300 for the 5-speed tiptronic (i'd want an auto and the 4-speed 'box on the IS200 doesn't seem too great) and better performance for the same MPG but they are quite rare and also alot more expensive. I do look at the GS300's aswell but i much prefer the size and dimension of the IS. It would be the saloon for me, either way.

SonicShadow

2,452 posts

153 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
C.A.R. said:
Ugh, those 'lexus' lights are appalling tongue out

Saw one of these just yesterday (it tried to pull out of a junction in front of me, which wasn't ideal) and thought they were a rare sight. Didn't Japan get a much swifter 2.0 T four-pot? My Gran Turismo days are a distant memory but I seem to remember something like that.
Altezza RS200. BEAMS 3SGE, around 210bhp NA.

confused_buyer

6,610 posts

180 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
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. wink

Blackpuddin

16,409 posts

204 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
confused_buyer said:
It won't be a stretched timing chain as these have a belt (I think!).
yes

Daninoxon

19 posts

107 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
Ran one of these for two years until we had a second child & it became a bit too small - my Dad runs the Lexus now & it still runs great. The engine reminds me of a small BMW 328i - super smooth & sounds great when pushed but lacks power, gear change is snickerty slick, all the kits is ace, sat nav very dated but hey it was 2002. Nothing ever broke, used no oil even at 110k miles (a feat my BMW f10 never achieves even at 40k), plenty of space in the engine bay to tinker - belt replacements etc. If I remember gear box oil,Diff & plugs scheduled service/replacement was at 100k miles - refreshing to have a manufacturer admit that sealed for life does not go with longevity. Great car for wafting about in comfort - I think they look like a baby Ferrari ff in profile (if you squint after a beer - pic of mine from the advert:

BMWill

447 posts

178 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
I sooooo very nearly bought one of these when i needed a van for me and the german shepherd.
Got nothing interesting to drive and this has an lsd... online support seemed limited so £500 astra van for now. E36 m3 in the new year with the remaining budget = )

But a drifty estate oem. yes pelase!!

unsprung

5,467 posts

123 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all

"...alerting you to a world-endangering leakage of petrol fumes."

hehe

ps: I like this shed. Pull out the hair dryer and remove that excessively-dark tint on the windows.

bicycleshorts

1,939 posts

160 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
SonicShadow said:
C.A.R. said:
Ugh, those 'lexus' lights are appalling tongue out

Saw one of these just yesterday (it tried to pull out of a junction in front of me, which wasn't ideal) and thought they were a rare sight. Didn't Japan get a much swifter 2.0 T four-pot? My Gran Turismo days are a distant memory but I seem to remember something like that.
Altezza RS200. BEAMS 3SGE, around 210bhp NA.
thumbup

I have a reader's car thread on mine here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

ETA: I put a note on differences between Altezza and IS200 (I currently own both) in the thread but I'll copy it here for anyone interested smile

Engine
In both cases, the engine is one of the strongest points IMO.

The straight 6 2 litre in the IS200 is wonderfully smooth right from low revs. It may only have ~150bhp but the short gearing means it's usable. The noise is great - amplified by a partially blowing backbox in my case! I've personally never found it slow - but I drove a 60bhp Ford KA for 3 years and still found that had enough power to overtake on Northumbrian B roads.

We've had the car for 2 years, other than regular servicing the only problem I've had is a single fuel injector failing on me. Car was happy to crawl back on 5 cyls and a replacement fuel rail inc. 6 newer injectors was only £50.

Overall, it makes the IS200 a great cruiser but also a decent town car. I'd certainly recommend them for anyone wanting something a bit different as their daily driver.

The BEAMS 4 pot is a very special engine indeed. When I owned my MK2 MR2 I longed for one of the final Revision 5 models which came with the BEAMS 3SGE. I know the engine is strong and workable, if not that tuneable, from my MR2 experience. This one however takes it to another level.

The pick up is rapid, with a noticeable jump around 5,000rpm when the cam timing changes. amongst other top trumps, standard compression is 11.5:1 with titanium valves. It'll rev all the way up to and just passed 8,000rpm. Peak power is at 7,600rpm so this is very much an engine you need to rev. Overtaking on a single carriageway will need 3rd (sometimes 2nd!), putting your foot down in 6th just won't work at all. A quote from a passenger recently was: "Does it ever stop revving?!"

Even having put 6,000km on the car, I still find myself in the wrong gear on occassion. The engine means the car is always involving, if not a little tiring at times!

A lot of people will talk about the thirstiness of the straight 6, the 4 pot isn't much better, but I don't do enough miles for it to matter to me for either car.

Transmission and Diff
I haven't done too much research but I believe the transmission, gear ratios and diff casings are the same. In the manual IS200 Sport and Altezzas, the differential is a Torsen LSD, found in other applications but notably the 1.8 import MX5s. It locks up well when needed, though in the IS200 it's very difficult to overpower the tyres unless its wet. The Altezza is a little better, but the 215 rears really don't offer much in the way of slip (especially after I fitted Rainsports).

HOWEVER, the final drive in the diffs is definitely different. Cruising at 70mph on the motorway in the Altezza is 4,000rpm! This results in rapid through gear acceleration offset with a terrible cruising gear. If I'm being picky, this is the worst part of the car. In particular maintaining speed with an engine that is constantly engine breaking/pulling through the revs is a bit annoying. However, I drove it to and from Le Mans from Scotland, arriving awake enough to enjoy a beer on behalf of PH so it can't be that bad!

Handling
My IS200 is a Sport, so it is lowered slightly from factory. Looking at both cars, the gap appears to be the same so I'm inclined to say they are sharing suspension and springs.

Both are higher mileage cars (~120,000). The suspension has held up well over those miles, however, there is a noticeable "settling" on initial turn in. Not sure if this is as they were from the factory, or a result of some slightly tired springs/bushes. Did anyone have one new to chip in?!

In any case, my plan is to put some Meister Rs on the car ahead of a European road trip in November.

Interior
The interior on the IS200 offers a lot of bang for your buck. Electric heated half or full leather seats, 6 disc multichanger (normally broken), historic sat nav and so on. In the Altezza, the opposite is true, they've really cut out as much unnecessary stuff as possible to save weight. The seats are all manual and cloth, there is no Sat Nav, I believe it is supposed to have the same radio/CD player but mine came with an incomprehensible Japanese lady who thinks I'm in Yokohama and shouts a lot instead (see pic below).

One of my biggest annoyances about both the IS and the Altezza is that the rear seats don't fold flat. I don't need this regularly but it's nice to have. The ski hatch does mean you can get a decent amount of timber in the car I recently found out.

That's about it in terms of a comparison! If anyone has any questions, let me know.

Edited by bicycleshorts on Friday 25th August 13:25

alpha channel

1,386 posts

161 months

Friday 25th August 2017
quotequote all
I didn't know they made them for this market I've only ever seen the import versions. My sister and brother-in-law had the saloon IS250 (until it got very literally flattened by a roof during a particularly stormy night, neighbours), of what I saw of it I actually rather liked it, loved the shade of blue it came in.