Lexus IS 300

1wiseguy · February 2003

I've been cross-shopping a lot of cars lately and want a sporty sedan with a manual transmission. Since I live in Ottawa, Ontario, I need something that can perform well in the snow.

Does anyone else have any comments about the IS300's snow performance? Do the extra traction controls make up for the fact that its a RWD? Sure, if I lived in Phoenix I'd be looking RWD all the way, but since there's snow on the ground from Dec-April where I live, I'm more concerned.

Also, how does the IS compare to other RWDs in its segment for winter performance (i.e 3 series, G35, etc)

Thanks.

wale_bate1 · February 2003

Here's one from that www.lextasy.com site:

I don't know if that's short enough for your clearance needs, but it's smaller than OEM.

Lexus shows a roof rack part number on their website, but it does not specify SportCross. I saw a pic in the accessory catalog at the dealer, but again, it only said "IS300". Worth a call maybe to the parts counter to see, then you can go wholesale on the web.

brydymond · February 2003

I would never say that RWD is as good as AWD or to some extent even FWD. My IS300 has the snow button (helpfull), TRAC, Limited Slip and VDC. The VDC is a real butt-saver. During a snow storm the other night I was driving down a very slight slope under a train bridge, the roads were pure slime, the rear end started to slide sideways and I figured I would be hitting the curb for sure. VDC kicked in and it corrected fully. I have OK snow tires (the dealer through them in). If I did it over I would buy the best snow tires. I drive every day in Toronto and it seems to get less snow than Ottawa. I wouldn't rely on it to get to ski country everyday, but for around the city its fine.

inthezone · February 2003

Has anyone seen the latest model? I logged onto lexususa.com but the pictures are too dark. There will be a new grille, new tailpipe, black pearl logo, new tires (I think what's shown already exists as an option) & three new colors. Can anyone post a picture of their model or clue me to another website. The dealership here has not received their allotment. The interior should be same.

wale_bate1 · February 2003

I saw it in Monterey.

The wheels are the 11-spoke 17"ers, which you can now option on any IS if you so desire. I found them kind of fussy, but then I firmly believe real wheels have five spokes, period!

Incidentally, this is the first car I've owned (other than my '65 Olds 98 conv. and '62 Ford Anglia) that I didn't feel like shopping for new wheels. That sport interior is grey with black piping, and looks quite nice, though now that I have it, I actually prefer the black. With all the elements matching inside (black), it looks less busy, and I think more sophisticated. Why I tried so hard to find Ivory is now a mystery to me!!:O The new color is basically grey pearl, so it changes color in varying light. Not bad at all.

All in all it looks nice.

Been driving a bit. After the little ones are snug in their beds, I kiss the Mrs. and go out for an hour or so.

Saturday night was funny. I'm of course being cautious for the first 1K or so, and restricting use of gas pedal and brakes a bit. So I'm cruising fast, but it's not like I'm looking for thrills or anything; every pubescent dipstick in Daddy's 330 or A6 apparently felt obligated to climb up my backside and drop the hammer on a lane-change boogie! Happened four times in 45 minutes!

Ah well, I was a pubescent dipstick once upon a time, too. No, really!

jrct9454 · February 2003

Actually, this illustrates why I go out of my way to avoid being on the road on any Saturday night...

...and when I WAS that age, I was driving such things as a '59 Ford Anglia [we should have a club] or a '61 Beetle, or a '62 Peugeot, none of which were capable of any performance more demanding than going to and from school and work with a minimum of fuss and fury. Oh well...

wale_bate1 · February 2003

You had a Singer Special (Anglia)?!?

Small world. I got mine as a gift when I was 15 from an old friend of the family who owned a garage (British car service). It had been abandoned and was in pretty dire shape (no rust though). His idea was to teach how to rebuild it and keep me out of trouble at the same time. It mostly worked. Mostly. Well the car worked anyway...;)

Great little car BTW. I gave it to my sister when my Dad gave me his Olds.

Had to buy a new Raiders cling today. New car, new cling. It's hard work to find a Raiders cling I can live with. Most of 'em are stinkin' huge, like, for pickup trucks or semis or somethin'. It's all the rage in the East Bay to fill up the entire rear window with a huge logo. Not my cup of tea, thank you very much! The only reasonably sized shield I could find says "Orgullo Y Porte" across the top. Not that I have anything against pride and poise, or Spanish in general, but I just wanted the shield! So I cut off the top.

Lordy, I love this car...:)

inthezone · February 2003

Thank you for responding! Just exactly what does the new grille look like now? The color that I am interested in (viewed only on the website) is Thundercloud Metallic. Have you seen it? Did you get Graphite Grey Pearl? Is the escaine (suede like material) on the portion of the door - just like the regular model? How do you clean the escaine?

wale_bate1 · February 2003

I'm afraid I didn't really pay close attention to the grille (I was picking up my new car!), but the Thundercloud is like a grey-silver with more mica in it. It's a bit more pearlescent. I have the silver myself.

There's escaine on the door, color-matched in grey. I haven't cleaned my escaine parts, nor read about it in the manual yet, so I can't tell you the proper method. Maybe one of our other owners can shed some light.

Shop said they had it on display over at the Pebble Beach ProAm.

vocus · February 2003

I saw a pic of the new 11-spoke wheels, and I HATE them! I like the 17s on the IS300s with the charcoal-ish finish. Are they still available? The car price publication said one of the 03 changes was new-design wheels, but the IS300 at the carshow had the 17s I speak of, so I don't know which is right.

mdvol · February 2003

Hello to everyone,
I have been looking for an IS300 and there are very few that I see with the VSC and LSD. I am looking for advice on whether the traction control by itself is sufficient enough or if I should keep looking for one with VSC and LSD. I live in East Tennessee and it only snows very lightly a few times each year, so traveling in snow is not something I would have to do very often. Any advice would be appreciated.

Also, does anyone think the IS looks good in absolutely red? Thanks.

hky · February 2003

Hello mdvol,

I just have an experience for you. I live in Dallas and we seldom snow - but today we have a big sleet/rain/snow storm. It's should be around 1 - 2 inches on the ground, without VSC/LSD, I'm stranded on the road; lucky enough - I almost got home with someone pushing my sportscross to reach my sub-division but I can't climb to my drive way into the garage. It took me 4 hours to drive 20 miles! Anyone in Dallas care to share?. Nevertheless, it is absolutely fun to drive.

n.b. Haven't seen a red one, but I love black except it's hard to keep it clean.

inthezone · February 2003

Thanks for the info! Have another question! A while back I heard that silver oxides quicker than any other color. Is that true? Could it be that the composition of the car paint back then was not perfected? What if one diligently takes care of the car - it shouldn't matter what color it is huh? Thanks from a rookie car buyer!

inthezone · February 2003

I really don't like the 11 spoke wheels either!Just thinking about cleaning them gives me a headache! I believe the tires you speak of "charcoal-ish" is the 17" summer tires w/5-spoke graphite polished alloy wheels (215/45R17 tires). Its the wheels that I want for my car too! Lexus also has another 17" summer tire w/5-spoke but its a shiner material (sorry don't know what material it is). Looks like stainless steel. According to Consumer Guide's March 2003 - Auto Rating Guide its states that: "Revised wheel/tire options are the only 2003 news for the sporty compacts at Toyota's luxury division....For 2003, all-season tires are newly available with 17" wheels, and there are new designs in both wheel sizes. Its a long paragraph - try & borrow the guide!

mdvol · February 2003

Thanks for the advice hky.

wale_bate1 · February 2003

From my discussions with my sales guy (old high school friend), you can get any wheel you want on the car; they'll change 'em out for you at the lot. I asked specifically for the silver 17" five-spoke, because the 11-spoke didn't appeal to me. He said whatever I wanted, silver, graphite, 5-spoke, 11-spoke; no problem.

Re silver: Early experiences with clear-coat over silver evidenced that the clear coat fried from the inside out, resulting in clouding, then flaking of the top coat, while the silver metallic underneath was still in good shape. I couldn't tell you if that's still a problem for anyone anymore, but I'd think regular care should keep it glossy for as long as you own it.

My experience (limited) is that red is still the worst oxidization offender, and that fastidious regular maintenance is required. My experience is also that it's well worth it!

I LOVE red!

BTW, I have used Lexol on leather in three cars now. The stuff is unbeatable in my book.

vocus · February 2003

I have that guide you speak of. That's where I read the info.

I like the graphite colored wheels. The others you speak of are polished. I hate the way they look.

wale_bate1 · February 2003

Gad, Paul, that's harsh!

The graphite's nice looking, but I'm a traditional kind of guy, so silver was for me. Actually, the rims are painted silver with the hard-edge elemnts on the spokes being polished and clear-coated.

I can't think of a mfr who sells a plain polished wheel anymore, but if you find one, run, don't walk, the other direction as fast as you can. Polished rims are the biggest pain in the keester ever!

wale_bate1 · February 2003

Forgot all about it:

The bra and leather shift knob arrived yesterday. Little disappoinment there. I was under the impression that the knob would be a ball wrapped in leather, but it's a small contoured knob instead. Comfy enough, but not what I thought. They sent the wrong bra too. Sedan has different lower fascia and foggers, so they have to send me a new one.

Ah, well. I think I'm going to try the clear bra method anyway. There are already two tiny chips down low on the lip; I can see that multiplying as summer and faster cruising come along.

inthezone · February 2003

HELP! Trying to purchase the IS300 by end of March. Can someone tell if the 2003 IS300 has a belt or chain? Is one better than the other? Which requires more maintenance? Costly? Should this be of importance in purchasing a vehicle? Does one wear out quicker because of how the car is driven?

vocus · February 2003

I can tell you that a timing belt has to be changed every so often (usually between 60-100K miles), and the replacement usually runs $300-500. The timing chain is more durable, never needs changing. The chain will make the engine slightly louder though, from what I have heard.

Sorry, but I don't know if the IS300 has the chain or belt. I am thinking 'chain', but not totally sure.

jmess · February 2003

The IS300 I6 has a timing belt and the recommended replacement interval by Lexus is 90,000 miles.

Timing chains do wear out but you should be well over 100,000 miles before have to worry about a chain.

vocus · February 2003

The reason I said chains never wear out is because most manufacturers say their chains never need changing (like Saturn, for instance).

dudleyr · February 2003

I thought I read somewhere that the IS300 is being redesigned for 2004. Is this true?

vocus · February 2003

What year did the IS300 debut? I can't remember if it was 2000 or 1999...

Since Toyota is usually on a 5-year cycle, the car should be up for a redesign soon, depeding on when it came out.

wale_bate1 · February 2003

Gad, all sorts of rumors on that. Which ones have you heard?

A) Redesign to coincide with re-intro of Supra.

3.0L to be dropped in favor of 3.3L V (I hate that idea)
C) Availability of a 4.3L (ridiculous)

Just a few I've seen or heard.

dudleyr · February 2003

I double checked, and it was introduced in 2001, so if it follows normal procedure it won't be redesigned for a couple of years. The only loophole could be that the IS was based on a Japanese vehicle that was already a couple of years old when it came to the states. In that case, I guess it is possible that there will be a redesign for 2004.

wale_bate1 · February 2003

You know what I find remarkable? There are people who spend money turning their IS300s into Altezzas. I mean, I realize that they're the same car, but really, to spend money to retrofit badges, mats, glass and such?

I could see de-badgeing the car, I suppose. I personally see no real value in the Lexus name itself, but spending cash on Altezza stuff?

jatdee · March 2003

Got my new IS300 Graphite Gray, black ecsaine/leather interior, manual trans with LSD December 31. I'm very happy with it. Its a great driver's car. The interior is not as luxurious as the Audi I had previously, but that was an easy tradeoff for me to make. The LSD is great for powering around tight corners, etc., as long as you remember to turn off the trac control. Otherwise you lose power right when you are trying to really get on it. Be nice if there were a way to set the default setting of the trac control to off, and just turn it on when it is raining or the like -anybody have any thoughts on that? I like my colors, the black interior even more than I thought I would - it seems to me the black makes less obvious some of the less expensive looking plastic, like on the doors. For the price, I got about $2400 or so off the sticker - paid $29,400 - the sticker was $31,816 -and leased at a 4.7 percent effective rate. Manuals have been fairly rare at my dealership (in central Texas) and the only other color choice was silver. I think silver is nice, but around here it almost seems like most IS's are silver. Anyway, aside from a few little interior items (not enough storage -that little space on the top of the dash is useful for only long trips and anything you put on the console in front of the ashtray shoots out with any vigorous driving -and you can't roll up the windows with a key in the door if you got out without rolling them up) I think it is a wonderful car, probably the sportiest sport sedan there is. Not the fastest -it would certainly lose to a 330i on a track - but the most fun. The three series seemed to me to have lost a little of the playful edge; its too serious and you have to be getting into serious speeds to have fun. With the IS you can have fun driving to the convenience store, or on some of your favorite roads without terribly excessive speed. Anyway, sorry to take so much space, but this is the first time I have written about the new car and I got carried away.

wale_bate1 · March 2003

Congratulations!

Kinda hard not to go driving, isn't it. It's remarkable how helpful I've become these days.

"Honey, we're out of Kleenex, could you pick some up on the way home tomorrow?"

"Why wait, dear, I'll go NOW!"

"At 11:30 at night?"

"For you, dear? Anything!"

vocus · March 2003

Still enjoying the new car, I see.

I think alot of people are the same way with their new cars. Now when the car's a year old, see if you feel the same way. I know I do about my VW after 32.5K miles and 16 months.

rsr742002 · March 2003

I've been reading this thread for a while: great forum. I got my black full leather 5-speed 40 days ago. It came with LSD, Spoiler, heated seats, etc. Great equipment level at $29,350.
I was glad to take advantage of Lexus financing as well (3.9%). The car is wonderful , great power, although the ride can be a bit stiff on some roads. The only complaint is a very slight dash rattle when it is cold. Not too intrusive though. Heated seats are very helpful in Chicago (8-10 degrees). BMW 3-series in very overpriced IMO. The 325 I drove was around $34,000 with fewer options (although free maintenance is included). I still believe that Lexus has a better build quality and value...

wale_bate1 · March 2003

Yeah, I'm seriously into it. I go look at the car at night. I offer to run little errands in neighboring towns at odd hours. I vaccuum about once a day...

I can imagine the same feeling with the Dub. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if the Jetta GLX VR6 wagon was RWD (and available), I might easily have ended up in one.

rsr: describe said dash rattle please. I think I've got the same one, but I assumed it was coming from the NAV. I also noticed the eensiest, tiniest chatter from the sunroof on cold mornings.

They sent the correct bra for the car. I find it funny that Toyota/Lexus parts ship from about two blocks away from me, but they went down to Monterey to the dealer and then from there to me. Twice the shipping for a couple of block walk!

I have a bunch of redwood sitting on my side of the garage just now, so l'il mule sleeps outside. As soon as I finish building the the pergola and get the wood out of my spot, I'm going to stick with the bra. I looked at an application of the clear bra, and I like the concept, but as long as I can keep the car clean and dry (garaged here), I prefer the look of the more traditional approach.

rsr742002 · March 2003

It is more like a creak when I ride over certain types of pavement and when it is cold. I am assuming it is because of the dash materials which tend to contract when cold, and expand when warm. I guess, I've always been obsessive about this stuff, and it is, in fact, very sporadic and infrequent. I do wish Lexus starts using better quality plastic.

vocus · March 2003

You might quickly change your mind about that bra once you have to remove it a couple times in the rain. I had a magentic bra on my last car that only covered the front edge of the hood, and even that became a pain in the rear when it rained or I washed the car.

I like the GLX wagon, but you're right. It's not available anymore. VW's answer was to make a 'Premium Pkg.' with the GLX's features available on the 1.8T wagon. No more V6 wagons though. I prefer the T anyway (which is what I have), it has about the same power as the V6 (albeit with a little turbo lag), and has much more modification potential than the V6 does.

vocus · March 2003

I sat in an IS300 at the carshow, it was a silver sedan. I have liked IS300s every since they debuted in the US, but I can't get with that cheap interior. I refuse to pay more for an IS than I paid for my VW, only to have the cheap interior look me in the face everyday. I love the chronograph gauges though, they are totally cool.

rsr742002 · March 2003

I also considered G35 but:
1) No manual (sedan).
2) MSRP only (both coupe and sedan).

ok, it is a great platform (Nissan Skyline)but MSRP! Forgetaboutit.

The scariest car experience I had though was with a Mitsu Diamante: that car was assembled like a GE toaster...

wale_bate1 · March 2003

I only had the 325it as competition. I had removed all the FWD/AWD choices from my list except for the A4 Avant.

The RWD thing figured very heavily in the equation. It's a driving dynamic I have missed for quite a while. It's nice to get back to it. I have driven some wonderful FWD cars, but the feeling is quite simply different and AWD isn't the same either.

Anyway, the 325 is a darling and beautiful, but around these parts adding another 3er to the roads is like adding alcohol to Everclear, and frankly my little beast seems a better car to me.

I suppose I can't say it was the only competition; I was seriously considering a 540it with the M package for a while, but I really didn't want anything that big, heavy or thirsty. Wonderful car though from every angle, and a joy to drive. To spend that kind of money for something I didn't really want, though undoubtedly worth the price, seemed foolish.

In the end, I bought the only car out there that I could honestly say seemed like a "gotta have it" to me.

I'm not disappointed in the least.

vocus · March 2003

You know, the only rear-drive car I have ever driven is/was a 1994 Mercury Cougar.

I have a co-worker who has a 2000 323i, I might see if she will let me take it for a spin to see what all this RWD handling fuss is about.

I like her 323, but my Jetta was cheaper when new and has more luxury features inside (real leather, more power from the 1.8T, Tiptronic, curtain airbags, heated seats, etc) than hers does.

wale_bate1 · March 2003

Frankly I think VW does a better job with interiors than, well, just about anyone.

Watch out though, some of the interior magic comes at a cost. The sumptuously padded and covered door panels in our Passat turned out to be particle board underneath. Nasty shock when your elbow sinks an inch or so for no apparent reason (fixed under warranty)!

If you want a real 3-series RWD cheap thrill, I'd suggest a spin in a 318ti. Too bad Americans dislike hatches so much; that was a hot little ride.

vocus · March 2003

I don't know what the big stigma is about hatchbacks over here. I happen to like them because of their cargo carrying abilities, as well as having a rear wiper/washer on the back for improved visibility in inclement weather.

I have to check out a 318ti, but they are definitely hard to find.

rsr742002 · March 2003

The biggest issue I have with FWD is torque steer:
it is more obvious in cars with powerful engines.
Hondas are wonderful with FWD because of very thin torque most of them have. But try Nissan Maxima or TL-S and you'll see. I've mostly had Hondas and Nissan with 4 cyl. so FWD was perfectly acceptable. My rule of thumb: more than 200 HP, go with RWD or AWD.

vocus · March 2003

I drove an 02 Maxima SE, and it was a total handful to keep on course without traction control. It felt like it was going to get away from me. I have a Jetta 1.8T, and it has a fair amount of torque steer because of its turbo. Not as much as that Maxima did though.

rsr742002 · March 2003

Maxima is definitely the worst offender when it comes to torque steer. Altima (3.5) is second. I would say TL-S is more tame in comparison. I'll be honest: RWD feels far more refined and controllable that FWD. No wonder Mercedes and BMW has been building RWD only. There is an overwhelming trend in Japanese luxury car divisions to switch to RWD and eliminate FWD (i.e. G20 & I35 Infinity models).

In the Lexus lineup, only ES300 is FWD and it is a just a Camry with LS400 features (good deal for non-enthusiast types). But RWD platform is gaining more popularity as people start to realize that handling dynamics are as important as horsepower and suspension types, especially now, with traction control and VSC...

wale_bate1 · March 2003

Excessive torque steer in FWD cars is usually due to unequal-length half-shafts. Newer high hp and torque applications are out there with equal half-shafts (SRT-4 for one) that exhibit very little torque steer.

Not that I'm arguing the basic premise, it's just that the flaw can be rather neatly minimized.

Anyway, I like power going to back end. Feels...right!

hunter001 · March 2003

I believe the 318Ti used a different (cheaper and inferior) suspension when compared to the other 3-series that were sold here at that time. It did not have the famous BMW z-link rear suspension.

Later...AH

wale_bate1 · March 2003

You're right, hunter, about cheaper, but a big part of the reason was that they chopped almost 9 inches and 130 lbs off the coupe, so the trailing arms wouldn't fit. I don't know about an inferiority complex though. Pretty tossable little ride.

vocus · March 2003

The interior was also noticeably downgraded, if I remember correctly, from other 3 Series models. I think BMW interior are austere already for their prices, I can imagine how the 318 looked.

brydymond · March 2003

I had a 318ti and it used the previous generation suspension in the rear (I guess the late eighties design). It had a different dash, fewer options than the regular 3s. The car was a hoot to drive though. I had the "M" edition with 16" (large in 1996), sport suspensions and the coolest red cloth/leather sport seats.

wale_bate1 · March 2003

Switchgear is also more generic parts bin stuff, but brydymond is right, the car is a hoot to drive. I never owned one but a friend who owns a classics restoration business did.

Back to IS300s: people are now constantly asking me what my car is. "I had no idea they made that", is what I'm getting on a regular basis. I think Toyota marketing dropped the ball on the SportCross in particular, and IS in general. I've seen some press, but I can't even remember the last time I saw a television ad for one...

Lexus IS 300

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