Lexus IS 300

ttlttlttl

does anyone think Lexus will throw in a 4 banger in the redesign IS? 30 grand is still a little steep for first time Lexus buyers. Personally I prefer a high rev I-4 to a small I6/V6. If they concern about sales volume, they should at least offer a lower output version to push the sales like in the Asian market.

fredmcmurray

I doubt they would offer a four cylinder in the States. That's too far downscale for Lexus. Many people already think the IS is too far downscale for Lexus. I don't think they want to expand to the low end of the market. I think the new model will be trying to drive prices out of the high $20K range back up into the mid $30K range where they started.

jmess

Sounds like the TSX could be the the car for you. Too bad they didn't put an LSD in the TSX to help reduce some of the torque steer, wheel spin, and push when exiting corners. Same deal with the Maz6. FWD is FWD.

skimmilk

Hi usaflyer -- i think it's a very good deal, a lil more than I'm paying for mine but that Nav option is expensive... it looks cool, but I personally don't need it.

fredmcmurray

Try again:
It looks like jmess' information on the 2004 IS was pretty accurate. There is a press release from www.lexus.com reagarding the 2004 IS here:

http://www.lexus.com/about/press_releases

jmess

It will be interesting to see if there is anyway to add the seat memory to an older car. If you don't have to replace all the seat adjustment motors, it could be a plug and play upgrade. I don't really think it will be that simple though.

fredmcmurray

john - I suspect retrofitting would not be a PNP type of thing. Obviously, you need some type of eletronic controller that can memorize settings but you also need something that records the position of each of the motors such as a potentiometer. Finally, you need some kind of selector panel that looks half way decent.

riez

Bought a 2003 IS300 automatic this evening. Couldn't believe that the Lexus dealer called me back today to tell me he'd accept the offer I made 3 weeks ago. I never budged from my first offer (which is my best and last). For the exact same car we had wanted. Silver exterior with black leather/Escaine interior.

MSRP= $33,556. Can't believe how much car for the money. This car is sweet! 3.0L I6, HID, 17 inch Z-rated tires, and LSD!!! And the Lexus dealership treats you like kings in a royal setting.

Tried to get another 3 Series but 330i is just too expensive. IS300 had total MSRP of only $33,556 (including destination) and that is with tons of goodies. Impressive list of standard features. Things like 215/45ZR17 tires, HID, 6-disc CD, foglights, met paint, auto dim mirrors, compass, auto climate control, 240 watt stereo, and more!

But also has following options: LSD, VSC, heated seats, Leather/Escaine Value Pkg (leather/escaine seat trim, 8-way pwr seats, Homelink transceiver, sunroof), cargo net, and trunk mat. Great value.

She paid only $13,000 and her '00 323ia. Got 3.39% financing for 60 months.

What a blast to drive!!! Awesome brakes, steering, and handling.

[Wife and I were sad to trade in the '00 323ia this afternoon. Her 323ia was a great car. Had 52,200 miles. She put on 34,000 miles in 19 months. She bought it CPO at 18,000 miles. I'd recommend a CPO 3 Series in a heartbeat.]

nyccarguy

congrats on the new IS! I had a feeling you'd get the financing and price you wanted. The end of the summer is a great time to buy a car indeed! Your wife will no doubt miss her 323ia, but the Lexus' extra power, crisp handling, and LSD will more than keep her (and you happy).

How do you compare the interior space of your new IS to your now former 3er?

riez

nyccarguy... Think the 3 Series and IS300 are very comparable on space-related issues.

Interior room very similar. Room enough for 2 adults up front. More than enough room in back for both our pre-teens. Trunks are decently sized and shaped.

IS300 has better rear headrests. It uses a center 3-way belt. My old '00 323ia had only a center rear lap belt, but believe new ones have 3-way.

IS300 has better cupholders. Two up front can be used all the time versus only 1 that can be conveniently used in 3 Series. 2 in back versus none in 3 Series

3 Series has the better trunk. IS300 uses the space-intruding goose-neck hinges and has the bulge above the rear differential housing area.

IS300 has slightly better interior storage. Pockets behind the seats far superior to the flimsy mesh in the 3 Series.

fredmcmurray

riez - Congratulations! It is a great car.

To all - Well, you guys have been putting up with me, a non IS owner, for long enough. After only seven months of test driving, researching, negotiating, soul searching and procrastinating, I'm picking up my IS in the morning. Worked the whole deal over the phone and fax. Now you are stuck with me. But don't worry, I typically only keep my cars for 10-12 years.

nyccarguy

good luck! You'll have to post your colors and options.

jmess

reiz congrats on the new car and getting it your way. What did they give you for a gift? I got a nice Lexus umbrella and I300 key chain.

Congrats to Mr fred also.

It is fun to launch the IS from a dead stop making a turn like at a stop light. The LSD really hooks the car up and gets the power down. For even more fun, do it when it is wet and keep laying on the gas knowing the rearend is going to go loose and let the VSC catch the car. I have done this to a couple of my racing buddies. I go from a dead stop into a turn and continued to accelerate beyond what would be reasonable to make the corner and let the VSC keep me from spinning the car. To add to the fun the VSC beeper goes off :-)

One general IS300 note. Keep a close eye on the inside edge tire wear. If you see any sign that they are wearing faster than the rest of the tire go in and have the alignment checked (it will be under warranty). I know a number of 02 cars, including mine, were delivered to customers with the alignment out of spec. In my case, Lexus realinged the car and replaced one of my front tires. This may not be an issue with the 03 cars.

riez

jmess... Didn't get a gift at time of purchase. Is it mailed to you? (Only thing I'd really like is a metal scale model of the IS300. Sales manager had a blue one in his office.)

Lexus seems to put tire wear disclaimers in all their brochures and sales material. Everything I've seen on the IS300 says "Tire life may be substantially less than 20,000 miles, depending upon driving conditions. See your Lexus dealer for details on the selection of standard and optional 17-inch wheel and tire choices." Noticed some other Lexus models have tire wear disclaimers tied to getting less than 15,000 miles. The 215/45Zr17 Potenza all-seasons on mine have a treadwear number of only 160. That is pretty low. At least it gets As for temperature and traction! Betting I'll be getting a new set of tires within 18 months. (Would love Michelin Pilot Sports but don't like their high price. I've compromised on Continental ContiSportContact 2s on my 540i6.)

riez

Wondering what people here have gotten and are getting cruising on interstate. I normally set cruise control for 74 mph.

Am a bit disappointed that the '03 IS300 automatic only gets 18/24 EPA estimates. BMW 330ia gets 19/27 EPA estimate. IS300 uses a very high numeric final drive (3.9:1) which offsets the 0.75:1 overdrive 5th gear. Leads to a moderately high overall ratio of 2.93:1 in 5th gear.

fredmcmurray

I ended up getting a pretty fully loaded one since selection of 2003s is getting pretty scarce around here and I was able to get it for less than a fairly sparse 2004 was being quoted to me.
Details:
Graphite Gray Pearl
Black Leather Value Package
E-shift
Navigation
Graphite polished wheels (only non 5 speed I have ever seen with these)
LSD
Heated seats
Spoiler
Usual junk like cargo net, trunk mat and wheel locks.
About the only thing I don't have that I wanted was VSC but, as far as can tell, they don't ship cars with VSC to Southern California. I have not seen one and neither has any of the dealers I spoke to. I guess they figure only people who live where there is snow or significant rain want this. Idiots! So why do they send us heated seats? I'm quite sure that feature will be unused when I get rid of this car in ten years.

riez

fredmcmurray... What was the MSRP for your car? Mine--though decently loaded with AT, LSD, VSC, leather/Escaine Value Pkg & the misc items like cargo net & trunk mat--was only $33,556 total (including options and destination).

Since I live in snowy midwest, all three IS300s on my local Lexus dealer's lot had both LSD and VSC.

Do find it odd that Southern Cal. car would have heated seats. When it is 30 deg below zero around here in winter you really appreciate them. (I always think of So Cal as being at least 65 degrees in winter and 105 in summer.)

fredmcmurray

riez - The MSRP on mine was $36,346.
Around here 60 is probably a typical high for the day in winter but it is often in the low to mid 40s when I have to go in the work in the morning. Maybe I'll swallow my pride and turn on the seat heaters occasionally.
And we might get a couple of days in the 100s in the summer, but usually the high is more like 85. We really don't get extremes in either direction often. Some call it boring, I call it heaven.

jmess

They just walked me back to the parts department and offered me an umbrella and a key chain. I think I remember other folks, different dealers, saying they got something in the mail. I don't know if Lexus has a policy on the gifts but a lot of dealers around the US do it from what I have heard.

riez

Anyone here modified their IS300 with TRD parts or accessories? Do they have a catalog? Web site? Remember reading something recently about TRD developing two modification packages for IS300. You could order direct thru dealer or get the parts from TRD.

nyccarguy

The new for '04 11 Spoke wheels, are they the same wheels on the '03 SportLine Edition (or whatever it is)? I love the 5 spokes that come standard on the IS300.

There in the NYC area on the "build your own" part of the Lexus Website, it shows that all (popular ccombos I guess) IS300s come with the 17" All season tire option (bummer). The 5 speed models have LSD, while the E-Shift models don't.

riez

fyi... Being lazy on a beautiful Labor Day, I culled thru all my old back issues to find IS300 tests. Found a ton. For anyone interested in researching published reviews & test results.

Long-term Tests:

- Car & Driver, March 2003: 40,000 mile test
- Motor Trend, August 2002: 1 yr, 11,316 mile test

Comparison Tests:

- Road & Track, July 2002: 3rd out of 11
- Car & Driver, February 2002: 3rd out of 7
- Consumer Reports, May 2001: 2nd out of 4
- Road & Track, April 2001: 1st out of 4
- Car & Driver, January 2001: 3rd out of 6
- Motor Trend, September 2000: 2nd out of 3

Individual Road Tests:

- Car & Driver, October 2000
- Road & Track, August 2000
- Automobile, June 2000

Miscellaneous:

- Motor Trend, Sept/02: IS300 L-tuned Edition test
- Car & Driver, Jun/02: SportCross Short Take
- Motor Trend, Oct/01: SportCross First Test
- Motor Trend, May/00: IS300 1st drive, no test
- Automobile, Apr/99: Toyota Altezza AS200

nyccarguy

I believe the C&D test in 'o2 was when the car finally got the MT option, but Lexus sent them a car with the 16" All Season tires as opposed to the 17" wheels w/ Z rated tires. If I'm not mistaken, a stripped 325i w/ SP, 5 speed, & leatherette won that comparo.

riez

nyccarguy... The 2/02 C&D 7-car comparison test ("36 on the Floor") was "won" by the 330i. All of these cars were manual transmission. The 3rd- place IS300 in this test was shod with Yokohoma 205/55VR16 tires. Lexus provided it that way as the test was in November. But the weather was nice so the car suffered. As they put it, these less than high performance tires "transformed the IS300 from a stallion to a skittish mare in the tight stuff and doomed it to a third-place finish."

The 1/01 C&D 6-car comparison test ("Blood Warmers") was "won" by a low-option 325i 5-speed with Sport Pkg (riding 225/45WR17 summer tires). The 3rd-place IS300 was an automatic riding on Goodyear Eagle GS-D 215/45ZR17 tires.

jmess

reiz, is300.net has a ton of info on mods.

I have the L-Tuned Muffler and K&N Typoon Intake on my car. Nice thing about L-Tuned Muffler and K&N is they are both California Air Research Board (CARB) certified. Which means they meet California's more stringent emission and noise standards.

The muffler and the intake made a noticeable improvement in the midrange power band. Passing cars is even easier. I would guess I have picked up at least 10HP at the rear wheels and 1-2 ft/lbs of torque. Not a lot for the money but noticeable.

The intake at full song can be a little loud though; much louder than the HP it produces. The muffler makes nice noises with a little droan at 55 MPH in the E-Shift 5th gear (since I seldom drive that speed it isn't a big deal :-) The PLP Silent Flow intake is supposed to make less noise but it doesn't have CARB cert yet.

The most bang for the buck is probably the PLP PowerDyne based SuperCharger Kit ($4500 + install). If they follow through with CARB cert I would be tempted to buy a kit. http://www.prolexperformance.com/nav/fproducts.html

fredmcmurray

nyccarguy - As far as I can tell, the packaging of options on the "Build your own" section of the Lexus website has nothing whatsoever to do with the way the options are actually packaged on the cars going to the dealers.
One of my frustrations when buying this car was constantly getting different stories from Lexus versus the dealers. The dealers all claim that Lexus just allocates them cars and they are forced to try and sell what Lexus gives them. The customer reps at Lexus kept telling me that that was a load of bull and that the dealers get exactly what they order, Lexus doesn't just give them cars. They said that the dealers where just feeding me a line to get me to buy what they had on the lot. I didn't know where to go to find the truth. There seemed to be a somewhat openly adversarial relationship between Lexus and the dealers, which surprised and disappointed me to some extent.

wale_bate1

Well, there goes the neighborhood...;)

Congrats, big guy.

Yes, I too found the discrepancies at the dealership level a bit disturbing. I still do, frankly. If they'll tell tales on the showroom floor, how's about the service bay?

But the car rocks!

I did something on Friday I have not done since 1986. I drifted an on-ramp. Yes, it's true. Highly irresponsible, I know, but well, there wasn't a soul in sight and, well, I just kinda felt like I HAD to. I hope it won't lessen anyone's opinion of me...;) Cathartic, I'd call it.

Congrats again, Fred!

Hey, congrats to riez too!!

riez

My salesperson was pretty much up front. He said they do NOT ever order IS300 with manual transmissions or SportCross. Both are too hard to sell off inventory. But they will allow a cash-in-hand buyer to special order one. (Used to have two Infiniti. The nearest Infiniti dealers were the same about manual transmission units.)

He also said they tend to order the same equipment on all the IS300s. Here in midwest where it snows that means AS tires, LSD, VSC, and heated seats. Plus buyers in this market want either full leather package or leather/Escaine package and sunroof. They get the Value Pkg to save bucks and get these options bundled. And they tend to stick to the neutral exterior colors like silver over flashier colors like bright yellow or red. They avoid spoilers. Their average Lexus buyer doesn't want to be too flashy.

Each area of country has its own pecularities. Betting that in So. Cal, land of the boy racers, you might see manual transmissions, spoilers, and bright exterior colors.

wale_bate1

I'm in NorCal, though I travel the SoCal roads quite a bit on business, and to date I still have not seen a living example of a sedan or SX in red, green or gold.

I saw a white SX the other day for the first time. Very sharp.

nyccarguy

Well being from NY, I just assume that everybody (especially car dealers) is full of salt until proven otherwise. I'd tend to believe Lexus over a dealer that is trying to sell a car that is on the lot and in stock. I can almost guarantee that Lexus doesn't give them cars based on focus groups and say "here, sell these!"

inthezone

Everybody,

Check out lexususa.com for the lowdown on the 04s!! Some of the features are similar to the 03 SportDesign (smoky color detailing on the headlights, foglights & taillights, chrome exhaust tip, 11 spoke wheels). Two position memory seats now! For those who do not a nav setup in their area a spring loaded cover is in place so you can utilize the space. Bummers! Also, check out is300.net for additional news! Still love my IS tho'. IMO it is THE car!! I get stared at everytime. BMWs always (really, not kidding!) wanna drag. Especially, when I'm minding my own business & passing 'em. Man, they do NOT like that!!

riez

inthezone... The October issues of Motor Trendm, Car & Driver, etc. have their New Car summaries. MT's discusses the '04 changes.

Is firm pricing data out? What happened to prices? I'm guessing Lexus held the line. IS300 sales are down dramatically (down by over 30%) so far this year over last.

Sales decline can't be tied to pricing. IS300 is a better value now than when it first came out. Noticed that when I compared my '03's MSRP to similarly equipped '01s, that the MSRP had come down by about $1,500 (mainly due to the low price of the leather/Escaine Value Pkg).

jmess

Back in about Feb02 the price of the 02 SX dropped $2500 due to Value Pkg bundling and a base price reduction. Unfortunately I had already bought my car. (In this case leasing would have been a better deal). When I talked to Lexus about the instant depreciation they had hit me with they listened but couldn't/wouldn't directly do anything. In the interest of my satisfaction as a customer the dealer/Lexus gave me the Lexus extended warranty; which will help me sell the car or deal with any problems that might occur during the 8 years of coverage.

The only down side is it will be a lot harder to convince the wife that I need a new car until the extended warranty expires. Good thing I really like the car.

fredmcmurray

riez - 2004 pricing has been on Edmunds since Friday. About the only change is that the VK and VP packages went up by a couple of hundred bucks, presumably to pay for the memory seats. You can also see the pricing on Lexus.com.

In terms of colors here in the land of boy racers, the predominant color is still silver but I do see a lot of IBPs and a handful of reds, even a few yellows, greens and whites. The only color I have never seen is the gold but I've seen a few of the old "rust" color.

riez

fredmcmurray... Thanks. Looked it up. For the way my car is optioned, price only went up by $260. All in the Leather/Escaine Value Package which went from $805 to $1,065. She is still very competitively priced for what you get and what others offer!

Pulled up the '03 pricing on the BMW 325i and 330i. Optioned as close as I could to my '03 IS300 (total MSRP= $33,556, with L/E Value Pkg, LSD, VSC, Heated Seats, trunk mat, cargo net, & wheel locks), a 325i would have an MSRP around $36,520 and a 330i would be around $41,870. Even at these prices, the 3s wouldn't have some things (e.g., LSD, 6-disc CD) but would have some things not on my IS300 (e.g., wood, rain-sensing wipers). The similar 325i would be about $2,964 over and the similar 330i a whopping $8,314 over the IS300.

The IS300 certainly gives you a lot of car for the money! And even more so when you consider Lexus reliability and its great warranty.

jmess

I like the 3 series and have even turn a few laps on the racetrack with them; sadly not with a new M3 yet. Still, I am sort of cheap by nature and I couldn't pass up the IS300 for all the reasons you have outlined. The LSD sealed the deal for me.

I am surprised at how many articles have been written about the 330/325 and no mention is made about the lack of an LSD in the Ultimate Driving Machine. They aren't really driving the cars if they don't notice it. All you have to do is go around one tight corner in a lower gear and get on the gas hard and you will feel the LSD help launch the car out of the corner.

riez

jmess... You are absolutely right. I still can't believe that my 540i 6-speed doesn't have LSD. Only the M3 and M5 have it. BMW dropped LSD with the advent of TC/SC systems in the mid-1990s. Too bad too many buyers don't understand how LSD is a performance enhancer. Can't count the number of times I read an article about someone modifying their car and the first thing mentioned is LSD. (Did you know that Dodge is adding Quaife LSD to the SRT4? Infiniti is adding it to the G35 6-speed manual sedan.)

pjj14

I am thinking about buying an '04 Lexus IS 300 in the next several weeks. With this in mind, I would like to find out what current IS 300 owners think about the car's handling, performance, and reliability.

Any comments or insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

riez

pjj14... What IS300 are you interested in? Sedan automatic? Sedan manual? SportCross? There are significant differences in how they perform and handle.

Take a thorough test drive in the one you are interested in. On the roads you drive at the times you drive in the conditions you drive. That is the single best thing you can do.

For published automotive press reports, see my summary at Post #2317 above. [Since then I also looked up AutoWeek's web site. They had large story from 9/18/00 plus their Long-term Wrap-up from 1/17/02. Web site easy to search. And I forgot to mention all the material here at Edmunds.]

Consumer Reports and JD Power have a lot of data on reliability. Lexus, in general, and IS300, in particular, have done quite well from MY2001-2002 data. CR recommends.

So far I love my IS300 sedan automatic. Fun car. Boy racerish. More powerful and exciting to drive than my former 323ia (non-Sport Pkg). Much better value for the money. If you want a fun car that is also practical, the IS300 fits the bill. But if you really want a practical car or a luxurious car, then the ES300 might be better. The ES300 handily outsells the IS300 by about 4 to 1 ratio.

nyccarguy

I agree with you guys that the IS300 is definitely a greater bargain than it was just 2 years ago when it was introduced.

Most IS300s I see around are mostly on Lomg Island and in New Jersey (there aren't too many here in the city). Mainly silver, black, & that cool blue color. The other night I saw 2 Solar Yellow IS300s driving right behind one another. Quite a bizzare sight.

The styling has definitely grown on me to the point that I like it a lot. I like the chiseled, aggressive look (it reminds me of the E36 3ers) The tinted taillights make the car look somewhat less boyracerish.

Thanks for the info on the new for '04 stuff. I'll have to check it out and let you guys know what I think.

nyccarguy

Are the 11 Spoke wheels now standard or optional? The 11 spokers are cool, but the 17" 5 spoke wheels that have been around since day 1 are very handsome.

I know the '04s are just coming out now, but we (as car nuts) are already looking toward '05 as the IS is slated for a major redesign. We know the Inline 6 will be dropped (BOO!). Lexus seems to be sticking that 3.3L V6 in everything it can nowadays.

jmess

I will have had my car for 2 years in Nov. The only significant problem I have had was an alignment issue that was taken care of under warranty. I feel the cars are really well made and the drive train feels very solid.

The IS isn't the fastest car from a dead stop but on the highway you can pass cars with ease and hit triple digit speeds at will. Handling and braking are really good. The car stay pretty well composed until you start getting up to racetrack cornering speeds, then you will notice the IS suspension tuning has some bias towards a smoother ride. The automatic cars have softer springs and a little softer ride than the manuals.

I think most of us were won over by the total package of options, safety, reliability, and Lexus service. You get all this in a car that has very sharp distinctive styling IMHO, is fun to drive, and comfortable to take on a long trip.

I think many of us also found the option bundles and discounted prices for the IS hard to pass up. I personally have a hard time paying extra for metallic paint or HID lights on a car that costs over 30K already.

fredmcmurray

nycgarguy - I believe the 11 spokers are a no cost option. Personally, I have always liked 5 spoke wheels dating back to the Cragar SSs on my 1970 Z/28. And I think the IS five spokes are among the best looking factory wheels out there. I was even toying with getting a set for my MR2 but, unfortunately, the offset is wrong.
It looks like Toyota may be following Nissan's lead with their V-6. Nissan has that wonderful VG motor all over their line up - Altima, Maxima, Quest, Murano, 350Z, G35, I35 and FX35 - Did I miss any? I guess, if you have a great V-6 (I'm not sure that Toyota does right now), you might as well use it everywhere that makes sense. As much as I love the good ol' cast iron I6, it really is behind the times in terms of power production and efficiency.

fredmcmurray

pjj14 - As noted by others, for reliability, the IS is top rung. CR doesn't merely recommend it, it is the highest rated upscale car, period. And one of the top rated acrs overall.
Performance and handling are somewhat subjective. It's by no means at the top of its class for power and acceleration, but there is more than adequate power. Its slalom and skidpad numbers are very good but, again, there are better. What sold me was the feel. This car makes you feel more connected to the road than anything else I drove (which included BMW 3 and 5s, Infiniti G35 and M45, Maxima, GS430, Saab 9-5 Aero, Mazda Protege5 and PT Cruiser Turbo (don't ask)). If you like the feel of a sports car but need five seats, the IS is the best thing out there IMO. The downside, which is a big one to most people shopping this class, is that the IS has a somewhat harsher ride and a less luxurious feel than most in this class. That doesn't matter to me. I wish Toyota had brought this over as a Toyota Altezza with fewer luxury features and sold it for $20K.
Btw, if you want to feel kick in the seats accleration, go test drive an M45. That thing scared the hell out of me a couple of times.

riez

jmess... You wrote, "I think many of us also found the option bundles and discounted prices for the IS hard to pass up. I personally have a hard time paying extra for metallic paint or HID lights on a car that costs over 30K already." Amen. HID should be standard in this market segment. Not a $600 plus option as it is on too many cars.

The way the IS300 is packaged overall makes it the great value. Essentially comes standard with the equipment you really need (e.g., the Sport Pkg-type equipment you really want and need on a BMW 3 Series to bring out its best) without too much of the electro-excess that is hitting this market segment (I've had three cars with rain-sensing windshield wipers and I don't think I've ever used them more than once each, as I can control the wiper blades on the available settings better than the computers). And it has some interesting touches that set it apart from the crowd (e.g., the chronograph instrument cluster, metallic-like foot plates for the door sills, and the metal foot pedals).

Only two gripes on equipment: LSD and VSC should be standard on all IS300s. IS300 is a boy racer. LSD should be part of the basic package. But thankfully LSD is an option. Too many cars (e.g., all 3 Series except the M3) no longer have LSD available at all.

riez

Just got my insurance paperwork from USAA. My annual premium is going to be $1,154.40. That is an increase of $430.36 over my '00 323ia. The 323ia's annual premium had been only $727.04. I made no changes in usage, where garaged, who drives, etc.

This is a whopping 59% increase! Ouch!!!

Noticed USAA puts the IS300 into insurance category 22. The 323i was in 18. (My 540i6 is in 24.)

This premium is even after I get 5 groups ($170.25 worth) of discounts: anti-theft, passive restraint, daytime running lights, fewer operators than vehicles, and multi-car. USAA does NOT give a "vehicle injury rating discount" to the IS300. It does for the 323i and 540i (though this is a small discount).

Would all the boy racers getting into accidents with the IS300 please buy something else??? I'd like a lower insurance premium. Just kidding.

jmess

riez,

I got my semiannual insurance bill this week also. For the 02 SportCross it is $400 every 6 months. For the wife's 03 Accord EX 4 banger/auto it is $395. What surprised me is our little 95 Civic EX Coupe is $307.

The combined Liability and Basic Personal Injury premium costs are interesting:

95 Civic $183
03 Accord $182
02 SportCross $154

Looks like the SportCross is so rare and unpopular with boy racers that the claim rate is really low. The IS300's crash rating is really good so the risk of injuries is really low also. The Civic obviously suffers from lots of crashes, injuries, and thefts. The Accord has the highest Basic Personal Injury Premium which is kind of strange for a new car. I guess Honda sells so many of them that the stats show a higher risk. A 1% claim rate on 100,000 is 2x more than 1% of 50,000?

riez

jmess... Concur about the SportCross. What is the insurance rating category/number from your company for your 3 cars?

Even though IIHS and NHTSA give the IS300 sedan good crash test results, the lost history must work against it. But doesn't for the low sale SportCross.

fredmcmurray

Hmmm, I just added the IS300 to my policy and didn't drop anything and it only raised my premium by $257. The increase will be less once I drop the Maxima after I sell/donate it.

nyccarguy

I don't have the source, but I remember reading somewhere that the IS's chassis is very rigid and performs extremely well in crash tests.

Insurance: Those boy-racer types definitely must be keeping your premium high. I just found out that other driver's accidents/speeding tickets/thefts are taken a lot more (as well as your own) into account when your insurance premuim is calculated.

I can't see theft being a problem with the IS too much. It doesn't share too many parts (besides the I-6 motor) with any other Toyota/Lexus products.