Lexus IS 300

fredmcmurray

CR rates the IS at the top of the list for safety among "upscale cars", ahead of BMW, Volvo, Saab and everyone else, so that says something. CR considers handling and braking as part of their safety assessment, which the crash test results obviously don't consider. Accident avoidance is way better than accident survival in my book.

As far as insurance rates go, the insurance companies don't care if you survive your accident. It doesn't cost them anything if you kill yourself. They are worried about the likelihood of you killing someone else. So, if a car has a young demographic, its claim history likely is not going to look good to the insurance guys.

nyccarguy

My friend has an A4 3.0. His insurance agent told him that his premuim will increase next period due to the fact that the S4 is coming out and S4 owners tend to get lots of tickets and you know the rest...

riez

nyccarguy... IS300 performed very well in IIHS and NHTSA crash tests. I haven't looked up Japanese, European, or Australian NCAP test results.

riez

Was on a business trip about 150 miles from home and on a lark stopped by the Lexus dealer. Couldn't believe he had a new '03 IS300 5-speed manual (silver with LSD, spoiler, heated seats, and Leather/Escaine Value Pkg). Tried to negotiate a sale but they lowballed me on my '98 540i6. Now we're talking thru e-mail. Will be interesting to see if this dealer does what the other one did: wait a couple weeks before accepting my offer. Would be a bit odd to have two of the same car, but the IS300 is just so much fun to drive and offers so much value for the money.

nyccarguy

reiz: If the price was right, you'd be willing to part with your much loved 540i6? That's a huge endorsement for the IS300 folks. Having 2 of the same cars in a household would be a bit strange, but 2 in the exact same color? OH well, you don't notice the exterior color when you're driving, you just notice that you're driving an awesome car.

compcond

While I still miss driving my old '98 Audi A4 Avant the weekly repairs were a bit much. Car cost $5,700 in repairs during year 5 alone and that doesn't include the new catalytic converter.

IS300 Sportcross has been absolutely trouble free since new. Does everything well. Still miss the Audi.

Insurance didn't change versus the Audi.

Regarding trade-in value of the Bimmer, keep in mind the user car prices are in the dumper. I was quoted $12,000-15,000 for a 5-year old Audi in prestine condition with under 50,000 miles on it. I settled for $13,700 toward the Lexus... not bad considering the pile of Kraut overheated 2 months later!

riez

nyccarguy... My favorite color for a car is silver. Not as boring as white. Not as hyper as red or yellow. Not as perpetually dirty as black. My 540i6 is black. Is the first black car I've ever had in 23 years of driving and owning over 20 cars. I now know I HATE black. I hate it more the more I have it. It changes when and where I can drive. I don't want to drive it on rainy days. Or after rainy days where there are puddles of standing water. And I have to avoid dust or gravelly areas. Or at night when bugs are out and hit your windshield or front end near. And just minutes after it is cleaned, it looks dirty again. It looks horrible the next day after it just sits in the garage. Dust settles on it. I will NEVER ever have another black (exterior) car again.

What can I say about the IS300 other than it is completely FUN to drive and I thoroughly enjoy its looks inside and out! Brings a smile to my face. Not the quickest. Not the fastest. Not the best ultimate handler. Just plain fun. And isn't that what driving is all about?

superman5

does anyone know the paint code for ggp (graphite grey pearl) and what is the average cost of touch up paint

jmess

Go to lexus-parts.com.

http://www.lexus-parts.com/

nyccarguy

Reiz: I couldn't agree with you more regarding the black paint. I had a Black 1998 Ford Explorer Sport (it was only a 2 year lease and we were all young and stupid at one point). I know about how dirty black cars can get (even with the crummy Ford orange peel paint). After I turned it in I swore off black cars! Black cars look their best at dusk and at night with some shiny tires. The night hides the dirt that's always there and the really brings out the beauty of the car.

My Prelude is Red and while it isn't as bad as black, it does show every scratch and gets dirty quite easily. If I were to buy a car today (say an IS300 just to stay on topic), I'd be black. I also love BMW's Sapphire Black Metallic.

The words you wrote about the IS300 emulate how I feel about my Prelude. It is not the fastest (it is fast enough for me), nor the quickest, it does handle phenomenally (very impressive even for a FWDer). Most of all I have a blast driving it every single day!

bjtjps

i think it makes a world of difference. they seem harder to come by, at least in the midwest. as for color, i have silver (hides a multitude of sins)but like the graphite gray as well.

ron_m

The more I drive my 02' IS300, the better I like it! These cars are most DEFINITELY a great value!!! They handle great and the powertrain is really smooth and sturdy feeling. I also feel as though they have excellent brakes. For a guy like me, the IS300 has enough power too. It's like I've said on here before, I have ZERO interest in shelling out one cent of my money on court costs and attorney's fees for speeding tickets. It just doesn't make any sense to take huge risks on public highways. The exterior and interior styling is pretty good by my definition, and some people I've talked to have RAVED about the look of the IS300. The overall look of my vehicle has grown on me in the last year. I've got the graphite grey metallic pearl color. Automatic tranny with black, suede/leather interior, power sun/moonroof and 6-disc CD changer.

This particular vehicle is only the second brand new vehicle that I haven't had to take back to the dealership for some sort of problem within the first month of ownership.(The other flawless new car I bought was a 1985 Toyota MR2.) I'd better knock on wood, but so far I haven't experienced a single issue with my IS300. To me, there's a WHOLE LOT to be said for that. Especially after what I went through with our family's SUV a couple of years ago. What a disaster that vehicle was from a mechanical, electrical AND trim/finish standpoint. By the way, it was a brand new, 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer LTZ. I thought about replacing all of the Chevy bowtie emblems with custom-made SUNKIST logos! :-)

At any rate, it's good to be back with the Toyota family.

Regards,

Ron M.

riez

ron_m... How many miles does yours have now? When did you buy it?

riez

I love driving my wife's '03 IS300 automatic sedan so much that today I bought an '04 IS300 sedan manual. She has LSD, Spoiler, Full leather Value Pkg, Heated Seats, and Preferred Accessory Pkg (mats, net, and locks). Silver exterior with black interior. MSRP only $32,936. The car just came to my local Lexus dealer yesterday. Only the second '04 IS300 he has received. Can't believe he had a manual.

Compared to her '03, the '04 has the covered storage compartment on the top of the dash (where the optional Nav system fits, if you get that option), the automatic door lock/unlock feature, 2-person driver memory seat, and smoked gray surround for headlights, taillights and foglights.

Both cars are a blast to drive! (Only gripe: too bad the manuals don't ever come equipped with VSC.) Her's has that option.

jmess

Riez, that is pretty cool. You aren't crazy, you just know a bargain when you see/find one.

One option you might want to consider for your IS family is clear bras for the hoods. The low nose of the IS and the air flow seems to collect rock chips. Even with the clear bra on my car I still get some on the unprotected area on the hood. The clear bra solves 85% of the problem.

As far as VSC goes I personally have found the IS300 VSC tuning to be too aggressive on my 02. When I took my car out on a damp/dry track the bloody thing was complaining and interfering in every corner. I was driving the wheels off the car but I was hardly anywhere close to loosing control. Anytime I would get the backend to rotate with throttle the VSC would cut in and straighten out the car. I have yet to be in any situation where the VSC did anything but anoy me.

Speaking of how fast the IS300 goes, I got a 19 over ticket today. First speeding ticket in 15+ years. The Cop got a lucky shot coming at me with instant on and I didn't hit the brakes hard enough. I had him beat until my decelleration rate flattened out and his radar got a lock. I won't say how fast I was originally going but I am glad I wasn't driving a faster car.

ron_m

Hi riez,

I bought mine last Sept. and it now has roughly 4,000 miles on it. Haven't driven it a whole lot, because I use a 1990 Nissan 300ZX to commute back and forth to work in. The Z is what I knock around in to run errands and so forth too. We drive the wife's car to take the kids to the soccer field and all, so I just get the IS300 out every once in a while on the weekend afternoons and drive it for 2 or 3 hours at a time. So far it hasn't gotten the first scratch, rock chip or door ding on the exterior--and the interior is still 100% immaculate. It's a known fact that once you start using your vehicle as a daily driver they begin to get hammered. Unfortunately, it's inevitable that this will happen sooner or later. I've been trying my best to keep the IS300 looking flawless, but I'm going to start driving it more often in the not too distant future.

The last two domestic vehicles that I owned ended up in the shop for mechanical and electrical issues within the first 1,500 miles of operation. One of them with a transmission problem. It's looking like the IS300 is going to break that bad luck streak. Fingers AND toes crossed! :-)

Ron M.

nyccarguy

Congrats on your new (once again) IS300 (5 speed this time...NICE)! It has to be a pretty special car for you to give up your 540i6:) It sounds as if you were driving your wife's car more than she was. Does your '04 have the 5 spoke wheels or the new 11 spoke rims? Does the Silver have the Smoked tail lights ('04)? Are there any differences between driving the E SHift and the 5-Speed (besides the obvious)? Did you trade in the BMW or sell it privately?

dardson1

We've had a ton of cars. Without a doubt my wife's '01 ES300 (first Lexus) is the best we've had. Only problem we've had was resolved in 48 hours with a nice Lexus loaner for the trouble. Can't beat that. Her lease ends in 3 months. We're thinking but not testing yet.
    She'd love a little BMW. Our 1984 (19years!) was her favorite car. The darn thing was in the shop more than we drove it. The laundry list of problems and customer no-service is still in my car file in the form of a letter to BMW. I read it when I'm tempted to let her have her way.
    Anyway, the perfect solution.......maybe, the IS300. When I look at standard features, the reviews, and the price, I wonder why the public receives it with a big yawn. Yes, it looks a bit like a fancy Corolla; but most of the Lexus line looks like fancy versions of a Toyota cousin.
    Many years of car buying tells me to buy something that everybody wants. It pays off in 3 years when you trade. I can't figure why this car isn't on anybody's list. I'll drive one soon and see what I think. The wagon would suit her to a T, but I haven't seen one on the Lexus lot for a year. Very curious.

fredmcmurray

Woohoo! The odometer passed 1000 miles this weekend. No more [non-permissible content removed] footing around. Even babying it, I've only been averaging 18 MPG. There goes my gas budget.
jmess - I don't have VSC, but based on how easily TRAC kicks in, I can believe that VSC would probably be overly intrusive. I'm about to turn the TRAC off. It kicks in anytime I try accelerating out of a turn with any sense of urgency.

riez

dardson1... The IS300 really is a performance car with some luxury touches. But if you really want luxury, then the IS300 really doesn't fit the bill. By luxury, I mean a cushy ride, a quiet ride, separation of the driver from the road, light steering, etc. The ES300 gives you all that. You float quietly and are cocoonned in isolation. The IS300 is much noisier. Rides much harder.

The IS300 is a pretty compact sedan. Small on the outside. Not too large on the inside. Efficient packaging. Trunk smallish. Rear seat a bit tight for 2 adults (you wouldn't want 3 adults in back). ES300 much bigger all around, inside and out.

You really should take one for a serious test drive. But if you want a performance-oriented car that begs to be driven (not ridden in), then the IS300 might fit your bill.

Lexus really hasn't marketed the IS300 much. They really push the LS, LX, and ES. Seems like Lexus hardly mentions the IS or GS. They have to sell themselves. And the IS300, esp. manual transmission and SportCross versions, don't appeal to the average Lexus buyer demographic.

riez

nyccarguy... Q1: "Does your '04 have the 5 spoke wheels or the new 11 spoke rims?" 5-spoke wheels. I've yet to see an 11-spoke one on any new or used IS300s I saw at two large Lexus dealers. (Think I'd prefer the 11s, as they are like my former 540i6's wheels, though think they have more than 11.)

Q2: "Does the Silver have the Smoked tail lights ('04)?" Appear to be clear, but I haven't compared them to my wife's '03. Seems like there is a gray plastic piece surrounding the lights that tones down the look, but I will have to compare both in direct sunlight.

Q3: "Are there any differences between driving the E SHift and the 5-Speed (besides the obvious)?" Keep in mind she has only around 100 miles on her. I've put about 90 on her so far. Surprisingly, I really haven't experienced the less obvious differences. Lexus says the suspension set up is more aggressive in the manual versions. If so, so far, it seems subtle. Maybe I just haven't pushed hard enough? I can rectify that once I get out of the break-in period. Want to treat her right.

Q4: "Did you trade in the BMW or sell it privately? I traded it in. I got the best deal from my local Lexus dealer. He beat my local BMW dealer and another city's Lexus dealer by about $4,000. Fact I had bought another car from him recently likely helped.

riez

Put 73 miles on my '04 IS300 manual today. About 40 miles on a lightly travelled scenic hilly road with many nice twisting turns and sweeping curves. Too bad I'm still in break-in period. On same roads I've put a couple hundred miles on my wife's '03 IS300 automatic.

Surprisingly, both seem to handle and ride nearly identically. (They do ride on identical tires.) Kudos to the automatic version. The automatic impresses me with its excellent shift qualities, though I would never consider owning one as my very own. The manual provides more control and feel, but I can see why so many are now willing to go for a slushbox. (I think e-shift is gimmicky. Tried it a couple times but I just don't like buttons. Need to move the shift lever.) Both are an absolute blast to drive. I have a perpetual smile plastered on my face!

Now about that break-in period...

riez

Now that I've put hundreds of miles on both cars, new small things are starting to stand out.

Dead pedal is short. I'm used to a full-size dead pedal. IS300's is only about 3/4 of normal size. It ends and my foot keeps finding the space between the top of the dead pedal and the bottom of the lower dash. Wonder why it is so short? (Maybe I only notice it because I like to drive with my shoes off.)

jmess

When you start throwing together a series of medium to sharp curves where you are doing a lot of upshifts and downshifts, the e-shift buttons can become harder to reach. Out of habit I slide the wheel through my hands and maintain approx 9 and 6 on the wheel. So at times the buttons aren't where my hands are. So moving the chrome ball to gateshift is more reassuring at speed.

Another thing you notice is there is no rev matching for downshifts and you chirp the rear tires during a downshift from 4th to 3rd under heavy braking.

bjtjps

reiz -

now that you have one of each in the family, maybe you can answer something for me. i had my manual in for service and was given a auto is300 loaner. the autoomatic seems to have a softer suspension than the manual (which would be expected), and (this is what surprised me) it seems to have a different sound - quieter, less buzz/hum/growl from the engine while driving. this was quite notable, in my opinion (i missed the sound!). overall it made the automatic seem more like a sedan. my husband agreed with my observations, but i wanted to see if anyone else has noticed these differences.

riez

bjtjps... Tend to concur. Wonder if it is psychological. Seems like my manual is a bit louder than the automatic. Bit more exhaust growl.

I've collected a ton of magazine articles on the IS300. Most mention Lexus' claim of differing suspension set up but all that do also point out that Lexus won't provide any details. So far, I can't tell BUT I am still in the break-in period. Maybe after that I'll find out???

Do you have the all season or summer tires? I have all seasons on both. I wanted summer tires on mine. Having different tires can make a huge difference. I haven't seen one on either Lexus lot I looked at that had the summer tires. Likely a midwest winter sales issue.

mazda6sam

I drove a silver '03 MT this past week and I was very disappointed. I have read and salivated over IS300's for 3 years now but I couldn't believe how much this car let me down.

It is a lot heavier than I thought and I didn't care much for the weight bias. I drove with the traction control on and took some high rpm 2nd gear corners and the gas kept cutting out. Very annoying so I turned it off. The RWD was pretty transparent as far as I was concerned and I didn't think the inline 6 was as fast as some late 90's non-turbo Supras I've driven (I believe they were the same 3.0 liter engines). Also, the guages were awful. If I wanted to look at a chronograph I'll wear it on my wrist.

Some of the other nits have already been mentioned for a car that costs $33,500: hood prop, trunk hinges, no telescoping wheel, and small cramped interior. All in all I am glad I test drove this car because I don't really care to look or lust after it anymore. I was very glad to be leaving in my '03 Mazda6 that cost half as much and gave me twice the thrills as the Lexus.

itsmeehkyle

boo hoo i took my car to oasis car wash today.... the guy that drove my car onto the rail to take my car to wash hit the rims... big scratch took a chump of my tire off.... oasis will pay for the rim and tires hopefully my alignment including with the other side tire to make it even too... how much is the regular 5 spoke alloy rims??? any knows?

jmess

I thought somebody said a stock alloy from the dealer was in the $300-$400 range.

You should have a new alloy wheels and tire in the back. If the tire rotation direction is wrong you could have it remouted.

ron_m

I was quoted $465.00 USD from a Lexus dealership in the state of North Carolina. The price can vary though from dealership to dealership. As an example, there's this one Nissan dealership out in Texas that a lot of 300ZX owners order from because they're usually cheaper on almost all parts. Sometimes by a fairly substantial amount of cash too. Depending on the nature of the part of course.

Ron M.

jmess

http://www.lexus-parts.com has them for $375.

itsmeehkyle

how do you know your car has it? i forgot to ask when i bought mines LOL yea i'm only 18... got a little too excited and forgot....

superman5

why do people compare IS300 to a family car? differnt class

jmess

Here is a paste from another board:

"Open the door and look at the sticker on the door jam. If it is an e-shift and has the code B01C it has LSD. If it is a manual and has the code B01B then it has LSD."

It should also be listed on the window sticker if you saved it also?

fredmcmurray

I'm about to bring my car in for its 30 day inspection and I have only one issue. When I put significant pressure on the dead pedal, like when I'm adjusting my position in the seat, and then release the pressure, the dead pedal makes a loud click. There is no click when I apply the pressure, only when the pressure is released. Anybody else get anything like this?

riez

superman5... Why can't the IS300 be a "family car"? Serious all around sport sedan like the IS300 can make a nice family car. Family cars do not have to be boring. They can and should be fun to drive. The IS300 has enough interior and trunk room for my family of four: self, wife, and our two pre-teens. It has decent cupholders. Great stereo. Interior power accessory outlet.

But you are right that the IS300 doesn't compare to your average dull FWD 4-door sedan (e.g., Chevy Malibu, Ford Taurus, Pontiac Grand Am, Toyota Camry, etc.). They are just plain unexciting and not very much fun to drive on roads that should bring a smile to your face.

bjtjps

my car came with 17" summers, but they stink in any sort of snow. so they came off last winter and were replaced with all seasons. i chose all seasons over true winters as i don't think i'll replace the summers when they go. too much hassle and i could not tell only a minimum of difference in the performance.

riez

bjtjps... All-season tires really don't provide too much winter traction. The summers are horrible in winter (they should never be used in snow or ice) and the all-season are just bad. If you drive in winter areas a lot, only way to go is dedicated winter tires. Plus the summer tires are often much better in rain and provide a lot better dry grip. So 3-season summers and 1-season winters really the best way to go. This holds true for RWD, FWD, AWD, 4WD, etc. cars.

wale_bate1

I'm driving with the Mrs., 02 who is 10 and Jr. who is 7, on weekends and for all our local needs, the car is perfect.

Add a couple of the kids' friends, or take a trip of an hour or more, and forget it, we're in the Town & Country with seats for seven, an entertainment system and the Mrs. doing the driving...;)

Yeah, it's a family car.

Fred: No click here, though mine is loose!

inthezone

itsmeehkyle - as soon as you turn on the ignition, look at the dash, you'll see the letters VSC & LSD. it disappears fast tho'. off hand, i can't tell you exactly where it is. too lazy to go to the garage now. but its there. the salesman told me where to look for the confirmation. wasn't really sure if i had it too although it was on the Mahroney (?) sticker. (mandatory sticker (by law) on the car which should have been given to you.

don't you love your car? i purchased the '03 SportDesign in March. it still gives me the ultimate pleasure - just like "day one"!!!

riez

VSC is an option for the cars with automatic transmission. Not available on cars with manual transmission. If your car has VSC, it will show up as an option on the original window sticker. (And I believe Inthezone is correct that there is also a dash light.)

riez

Gassed up my '04 IS300 manual for 1st time. Drove 358 miles using only 13.443 gallons. 26.63 mpg. Beats the 18/25 window sticker. Mostly rural 2-lane county highway roads at 64 mph. Probably 80 percent highway miles.

She is an absolute blast to drive. Great steering. Outstanding brakes. Fantastic handling. Good ride. Hard to admit, but I don't really miss my 540i6.

The gear ratios are nicely matched to the engine. She even pulls nicely in 5th gear. I can see why many magazine writers have commented on the nice gear spacing which minimizes the need for a 6th gear.

fredmcmurray

Wow, great mileage. My first three filll ups have been 17, 18 and 19 mpg respectively. But, there's a lot of stop and go traffic in there (the down side of living in SoCal).

I'm guessing that itsmeehkyle bought his IS used and doesn't have a Monroney (sp?) sticker.

riez

Received my TRD catalog in the mail. I was surprised at how few parts there are for the IS300. More parts for cars like Camry, Solara, etc. Was really surprised to see no supercharger for the IS300. Seemed like they have a supercharger for a ton else. Only things really interesting were the brake upgrade (expensive at $2,367) and the suspension upgrade (expensive at $1,429). Besides air and oil filters, there are some brace and strut reinforcers.

There is also a tire/wheel upgrade to Yokohama ES100 (225/40-18) which they state is "plus-one wheel/tire combination". German-made BBS 18 x 7.5 wheels. No price for this upgrade.

Besides no supercharger, they don't even offer a shortshift kit. They do for various Corollas, Celicas, Solaras and Camrys. Nor is there a high performance clutch kit upgrade. And no muffler upgrade. No cat-back exhaust upgrade.

Wonder if the lack of all these goodies means everything on the IS300 is as good as Toyota can make it?

riez

Now that I've put about 1,000 miles in my IS300s, I've noticed some things that bug me.

1. The speedometer marking is a mess. There are no 1 mph or 5 mph increments. So you can't tell exactly where important points like 65 mph or 75 mph are located. So you then try to use the Canadian metric kph markings. So if I want to go 65 mph, I have to go a bit past 100 kph. I'm being forced to learn metric kph to US mph equivalents. (Thinking 100 kph is about 62.5 mph) All speedos should at least have 5 mph-increment marks to go along with the 10 mph-increment marks.

2. Instantaneous fuel mileage gauge is a waste due to the numbering. Runs from 0-80 mpg. But only has 3 numbers: 0, 40, and 80. With small lines marking for 10, 20, 30, 50, 60, and 70. But we all know that most of the time in real driving we'll experience 15-35 mpg. This part of the gauge is tiny. Wish the gauge was just numbered 0-40 mpg with say a small + symbol for the time it hits more than 40 mpg.

3. No steering wheel controls for the stereo. Miss them. Once you have those, you're spoiled and don't want to go back to leaning over and pushing the dash unit. And Lexus should've reversed the location of the climate and stereo controls. The more used stereo controls should be higher up for readier access, with the less used climate controls down low.

4. Not sure I like the 3-spoke steering wheel design. Keeps your hands at 3, 6 and 9. I've grown used to keeping my hand at 4 or 8 with 4-spoke steering wheel. But you can't do that with a 3-spoke and it seems unnatural to keep hand at 6.

fredmcmurray

riez - I hope you don't let these minor things distract from the overall experience.
1. Marking a speedometer in 1 mph increments would be a bit silly, since no prodcution automobile speedometer is anywhere near that accurate. Judging where halfway between 10 mph increments are is probably as accurate as you are going to get.
2. I agree that the mpg gage is useless, but I feel to see the value in any instantaneous mpg reading anyhow.
3. I've never liked steering wheel controls for things, maybe because I've only had them on rental cars and never developed the habit of using them. I've always felt they were more of a gimick that would just lead to more expensive repairs down the road.
4. Keep your hands at 3, 6 and 9? How many hands do you have?
Seriously, 3 and 9 are the currently recommended hand positions, 10 and 2 is what they used to teach when I was a kid, 4 and 8 seem rather unique.

riez

fredmcmurray... Don't worry, these are only small nits. They certainly do NOT outweigh the great steering, handling, braking, and ride of the IS300.

But, like I said, the speedo should clearly have mph marked out in both 5 mph and 10 mph increments. I don't care if only the 10 mph ones are numbered as long as there is a mark for the 5 mph ones. There isn't on the IS300. All you get are 10 mph and 10 kph increments.

I do a lot of 2-lane county road driving in the middle of nowhere. Took a 120 mile trip yesterday and Tuesday on the same rural route. On the 60-mile trip down, I saw one car (though lots of turkey vultures, hawks, etc). So I tend to drive in a relaxed mode, wanting to rest my right hand around 4. Can do that with 4-spoke steering wheels but not 3-spoke wheels. Purely a personal preference.

superrobo

My IS 300 seden comes with the 215/45R17 Bridgestone summer tires.
Can I replace them with a 225/45R17 Michellin A/S all season tires ?? Will the larger tires fit in the wheel wells ??
Do I have to get new wheels for the larger tires ??
Any advise ??
Is the Michellen A/S a good choice ??
Thanks.

riez

superrobo... Always only buy tires that will fit your car (e.g., without rubbing) and that fit the wheels you plan on using.

Here is what I wrote at post #2390 in regard to TRD's catalog concerning IS300:

"There is also a tire/wheel upgrade to Yokohama ES100 (225/40-18) which they state is "plus-one wheel/tire combination". German-made BBS 18 x 7.5 wheels. No price for this upgrade."

Believe Tire Rack and other sellers have info on what sizes will fit the IS300. Keep in mind there is even a 16 inch tire/wheel combo option to the IS300.

riez

superrobo... All season tires are normally a compromise. Many are a horrible compromise. The best aren't bad, but they still remain a compromise. They aren't the best in summer or winter. A RWD car like IS300 really needs dedicated winter tires. And the dedicated summer tires bring out the best in the other 3 seasons. Dedicated summer tires are usually best for both dry and wet (rain) performance.

If winter driving is a concern, winter tires are the only way to go.