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Comments
The only thing that's bothering me and making me reluctant to buy the IS are the rear seats. They Don't fold down. All there is, is a Trunk pass through. Does anyone know if this "pass through" is big enough for a snowboard to go through?
It had everything except for the nav system.
oh, btw, I live in NJ, and don't know if the deal is applicable in other parts of the country.
As for baffling noises, I too am baffled. I love the car otherwise, but am reluctant to take the car in to fix rattling noises that I can neither locate or duplicate with any kind of consistency. The last time I dealt with rattling noises was with an 87 Nissan Pulsar, a sorry excuse of a car.
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Att:Soo Manai
Re:2001 Lexus IS300 Paint Problems
Dear Ms. Manai,
As per our discussion I have faxed to you a copy of the report by my detailer about the problems with the finish on my Lexus IS300. I have also enclosed a copy of a thread from IS300.net about this paint problem. There are literally 100’s of people that have posted about this problem. I would like you to note the post by is300soon, who had the exact same problem as my complaint, and who had his car replaced by Lexus. I am hoping to not have to go to the BBB with this complaint.
In my opinion I am driving a Lexus, not a Chevy. In the 2 years that I own this car, I have had 3 radios replaced, the dashboard replaced(damaged during the removal of the first radio), 4 rotors replaced for rusting(an item repaired in the 2002’s), 2 wheels replaced and 2 wheels repaired(Lexus told me they couldn’t be repaired, Wheels of America told me that Ralleye Lexus is their best customer), and all the tires recalled. This is in addition to constant complaints about the finish of the car. Besides the letter from my detailer that I have enclosed a copy of, I also had the car detailed by Penn Toyota when it was one year old. The Toyota dealer also told me to bring the car back to Lexus, that the finish is defective.
I find it amazing, that with the reputation Lexus has, that they refuse to do anything in the name of customer satisfaction. Elliot, the service manager at Ralleye Lexus, will not come to the phone for the last 6 months. He is always out of the office. Sheila, my service writer, has told me that she is stuck in the middle and must do what Elliot says .
I would like either the finish repaired, the car replaced, or the lease terminated. I am fed up with the response of Lexus, a company that supposedly prided itself on customer satisfaction. Please contact me at your earliest convenience.
http://www.clublexus.com
thanks!!
Translation: the engine in the IS is noticeably busier at any given speed than the ES.
I seldom check MPG any more but I would see the high teens in town with very short freeway hops. I was surprised to see 22 one time on a 240 mile road trip where I was driving the car pretty quickly; I expected to be in the teens based upon how hard I had been pushing on the pedal.
For me, after I drove my SportCross the MPG rating really wasn't a big concern. I have found the total package on a daily basis to be worth a few extra bucks at the pump. I have also found that I spend less on gas than I did with my former Tundra Pickup. Nice truck but you were still driving a truck after you filled up the gas tank. So depending on what vehicle you are jumping from the impact on your wallet may vary.
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Sat. 10-26-02 bought 03 - IS 300. I cut a check for $34,702 out the door. Wanted Lexus of Mission Viejo to install gold lettering-chrome wheels--spoiler. Called on Mon. to find out if dealer installed equip. was done. Got bad feeling from salesman. Went to check on car Mon. night and was told gold lettering was not in stock. Was also told there was some slight damage to car that they were in the process of fixing. I asked to see the car and after that cancelled the deal. The dealer -Lexus Of Mission Viejo- was trying to get the car into the body shop to do the repair before I found out about it and then sell me the car as new. These idiots are not to be trusted. They play like they are a cut above the rest but this experience showed me they are at the bottom of the heap. Don't go to Lexus of Mission Viejo...
http://clublexus.com/Articles/Industry%20News/Lexus/102802/102802.html
i look at 15k service list, it was exact same as 5k but few more check ups but nothing more , i decided to do oil change only at a local shop. $200 vs $20 bucks. does everyone does oil change only or full/major/minor services all the time?
I change my own oil; the IS isn't the easiest car to do an oil change, but it isn't hard either. I have always handled service via the alacart method; just pay for what I can't or don't want to do myself. I also use the 7500 mile intervals.
Also, I find it tough to belive the avg retail price for an IS 300 is now 24k.
Paul
Thanks for any info.
The breakin period is more for the gearbox and rear
differential. Taking it easy for 300-500 miles will give all the parts a chance to get to know each other. I focused mainly on not doing full throttle loads on the drive train and varying the speed when on the highway.
The engine is so smooth that I found it pretty much impossible to drive the IS below 55 for 1000 miles as recommended in the manual.
The wild card is dealer proximity to where you live - Infiniti dealer coverage can be spotty in some areas of the country, even more so than Lexus. That aside, I would go with the G35 without hesitation.
I still get a smile on my face when I see my IS in the garage. It's more of an emotional decision for many of us, don't really care about the comparison stats. They provide information only to a certain point.
Love the way the IS drives, love the manual shift, the way it absolutely hugs tight to the road on curves, great brakes, more than sufficient HP. It's pure fun. As far as I'm concerned, my IS is a definite keeper.
JMO
My advice about winter driving is look at the cost of your insurance deductible and the time it will take to get the car bought repaired if you crash it. Then go out and buy a set of winter wheels and tires. Nothing beats a good set of snow tire when things get slick. All season tires are a compromise for all seasons. The IS tires work really well on dry and wet pavement. A good set of winter tires works really well on snow and ice. All season tires fall behind all year long.
After having driven both, I think the IS is more nimble and fun to drive, but not as much raw power like the G35. The interiors are both fine, neither are great. The exterior styling award definitely goes to the G. The IS is nice, but still looks too similar to a slammed Civic. And although it might be a insignificant to some, the G gets positive reactions from everyone I talk to. The IS300 is much more ordinary.
My friend has a G-35, I took it for a spin and did not find the same feeling that I got from my IS. Both brakes feels about the same (quite sensitive), both have decent interior, the G definitely feel a bit roomier. But, perhaps it's a matter of taste. The G just didn't do it for me. Also I'd have to agree with the general consensus on the rear end styling of the G, it's a real turn off.