Lexus is200's

[Addymk2]

The IS200 6 pots are pants for boost, bottom ends have been known to let go as little as 7psi boost. They're very expensive to forge aswell. Better off going for an Altezaa RS200 with the 3SGE BEAMS engine.

Day

The beams lumps aren't good with boost either, I had mine running .7 bar, my mate brought it off me, boost spiked to a bar and it chewed itself to death lol

The Blitz superchargers sound nuts and are probably the safest route to forced induction. Or hunt down an IS300, rare but have a lotta potential!

[Starlet__SR]

The beams lumps aren't good with boost either, I had mine running .7 bar, my mate brought it off me, boost spiked to a bar and it chewed itself to death lol

The Blitz superchargers sound nuts and are probably the safest route to forced induction. Or hunt down an IS300, rare but have a lotta potential!

Haha, but the BEAMS are high compression. Best off leaving N/A engines as they are lol. The Blitz S/C is a safer bet by all means and as you say sound epic. I wanted to go down the IS route but the standard cars are a little pants. And i'd love an IS300 but the lack of a manual in the UK/JDM spec cars puts me off too.

Day

[daniel_g]

Was there never a manual option, or are manuals just very rare ?

[Starlet__SR]

Was there never a manual option, or are manuals just very rare ?

For the IS300?

Day

[daniel_g]

Yeah.

*ever

Edited September 13, 2013 by daniel_g

[Starlet__SR]

Yeah.

*ever

AFAIK only for the american market.

Day

[kavan-k]

I think if i was for throwing a turbo in a n/a i wouldn't feel safe without forging it and thats out of the question as starlet comes first! Lol a supercharger would be insane though! Id love to own something with a sc!

[grum-glanza]

my girlfriend has a 01 altezza with the beams engine I think there a great car I love driving her car they handle savage if you can find one thats no diffed to death there is a nice pull of the engine but if it was my car i'd have to have it turbo or supercharged

[Addymk2]

They are a bit torque lacking at low revs, but they're epic when they get going, my white one was on C-One coilovers and it gripped like nothing else, can't recommend one enough tbh, just do it lol check the owners club for one for sale ;)

[kavan-k]

Addy your very tempting! Everytime i look there is more and more reasons to own one hahaha

[asbo-v]

I have an is 300 forsale pm me if interested not that estate style the normal body type let me know taking offers on it above 1500

[asbo-v]

Can sell with a manuel gearbox as well for 1300 extra

[GreaseMonkey]

IS200's are ok, if a little juicey on fuel and a little gutless.

Service History is a must, i.e Servicing has been carried out as per manufacture schedule, as there are alot of poor examples/ "Mutton dressed as Lamb".

Check:

All the Electrics work, as can suffer Electrical faults from poorly fitted Windscreens.

Bottom Ball Joints on the front Suspension, as usually last 40k approx

Shock Absorbers for weeping/ knocking.

The car has at least 1 Master Key (Black/ 3 buttons) as cannot code in new keys if only Sub Key (Grey/ 2 buttons) is present, which can cost up to £1500 to sort.

Tyre wear on front Tyres, normal to wear, quite a bit, equally on inner edges, especially if driven locally/ short distances. expect to see between 5,000 -10,000 miles approx on the fronts alone, rears usually last 10,000- 15,000 miles approx.

Headlamp Washer jets park fully in front bumper, if not may require new headlamp washer units to sort.

Front Fog lamps, if do not work will most likely require new Foglamp light units as the bulb holders Screws corrode the bulb holder into the light unit/ impossible to remove.

Engine Coolant Water Pump and or Bypass hose/pipe for weeping.

Front Brake Discs and Pads usually last between 10,000- 20,000 miles approx. Rear Pads 15,000 - 30,000 miles approx.

Front Brake Callipers seizing/ siezed.

6 Disc player Sterio Head Unit operation, as can be known to eat CD's and can be very expensive to repair.

Engine Timing Belt has been replaced at either *6 years or *100,000 miles (*whichever first) and if the Timing Belt Tensioner was replaced as well, as can wear the Timing Belt unevenly.

Early IS200's Manual gearboxes are slightly slacker in Gear shift feel comapired to later modified/ uprated manuals which have a shorter tighter shift feel.

Very slight judder only when cold can be felt from Clutch is normal. Also if the Gearstick hits the handbrake when selecting reverse, this may indicate the gearbox has been off at some point and (Gearstick) refitted incorrectly.

Accident damage at the rear, some times indicated by water ingress or the way the spare wheel is jammed in the boot and cannot be removed for this reason.

Corrosion on the front bottom edge of the Sunroof glass frame. (can be seen when sat in car with Sunroof glass slid halfway back.)

Corrosion on Alloys.

That's all I can think of what I have had with these over the years.
Personally would rather go for the IS300 as has the 3ltr 2JZ-GE vvti Engine which IMO is much more driveable and just as economical (equally juicey on fuel) as the IS200.

[kavan-k]

IS200's are ok, if a little juicey on fuel and a little gutless.

Service History is a must, i.e Servicing has been carried out as per manufacture schedule, as there are alot of poor examples/ "Mutton dressed as Lamb".

Check:

All the Electrics work, as can suffer Electrical faults from poorly fitted Windscreens.

Bottom Ball Joints on the front Suspension, as usually last 40k approx

Shock Absorbers for weeping/ knocking.

The car has at least 1 Master Key (Black/ 3 buttons) as cannot code in new keys if only Sub Key (Grey/ 2 buttons) is present, which can cost up to £1500 to sort.

Tyre wear on front Tyres, normal to wear, quite a bit, equally on inner edges, especially if driven locally/ short distances. expect to see between 5,000 -10,000 miles approx on the fronts alone, rears usually last 10,000- 15,000 miles approx.

Headlamp Washer jets park fully in front bumper, if not may require new headlamp washer units to sort.

Front Fog lamps, if do not work will most likely require new Foglamp light units as the bulb holders Screws corrode the bulb holder into the light unit/ impossible to remove.

Engine Coolant Water Pump and or Bypass hose/pipe for weeping.

Front Brake Discs and Pads usually last between 10,000- 20,000 miles approx. Rear Pads 15,000 - 30,000 miles approx.

Front Brake Callipers seizing/ siezed.

6 Disc player Sterio Head Unit operation, as can be known to eat CD's and can be very expensive to repair.

Engine Timing Belt has been replaced at either *6 years or *100,000 miles (*whichever first) and if the Timing Belt Tensioner was replaced as well, as can wear the Timing Belt unevenly.

Early IS200's Manual gearboxes are slightly slacker in Gear shift feel comapired to later modified/ uprated manuals which have a shorter tighter shift feel.

Very slight judder only when cold can be felt from Clutch is normal. Also if the Gearstick hits the handbrake when selecting reverse, this may indicate the gearbox has been off at some point and (Gearstick) refitted incorrectly.

Accident damage at the rear, some times indicated by water ingress or the way the spare wheel is jammed in the boot and cannot be removed for this reason.

Corrosion on the front bottom edge of the Sunroof glass frame. (can be seen when sat in car with Sunroof glass slid halfway back.)

Corrosion on Alloys.

That's all I can think of what I have had with these over the years.

Personally would rather go for the IS300 as has the 3ltr 2JZ-GE vvti Engine which IMO is much more driveable and just as economical (equally juicey on fuel) as the IS200.

Thanks for the info matey the is300s are auto only are they not? I like auto dont get me wrong, but not really a drivers car, and its all about the experiance for me! And i wouldn't want to go into the hassle of conversion costs if it where possible!

[scottyb]

http://www.stancenation.com/2013/09/13/definitely-dapper-chris-689whp-lexus-is300/

Do this! Maybe less of the stance stuff though!

[Addymk2]

If you buy an IS300 and a manual box ill send you the shift surround etc for the price of postage mate, and the headlight washers are only on xenon cars

[GreaseMonkey]

Thanks for the info matey the is300s are auto only are they not? I like auto dont get me wrong, but not really a drivers car, and its all about the experiance for me! And i wouldn't want to go into the hassle of conversion costs if it where possible!

No probs dude, yeah the IS300 they are, as far as I'm aware, all Auto/ semi Auto tiptronic with the Gearshift lever and tiptronic Shift buttons on Steering wheel as well.

Thats fair enough, Auto ain't going to be as fun as a manual/ drivers car, more of a quick point and shoot cruiser to be fair, but can still have a bit of fun manually shifting the Auto (although I get bored after 5mins and stick it back into "D" point and shoot mode lol!). Just an option to throw out and consider.

Yeah doing a manual conversion would be a pita considering the options out there. In that case from what your writing Imo I'd go for a Manual Altezza, as have driven 2 in the past and are I thought alot more fun experience than the IS200 manual tbh, and as like some of the others say, the 2ltr 3SGE beams engines are better to tune/ more bhp rewarding than the IS200's 2ltr 1GFE, which to tune are quite frankly a waste of time and money lol! and for the money & bhp gains would rather go out and buy an Altezza or do 2JZGTE conversion.

If you buy an IS300 and a manual box ill send you the shift surround etc for the price of postage mate, and the headlight washers are only on xenon cars

As far as I'm aware, all Lexus IS200's (with the exception of the base model/ poverty spec "S" model which wasn't fitted with them) SE, LE & Sport models Halogen or Xenon were fitted with headlamp washers. as far as I'm aware only later IS200/300 LE and Sport models were fitted with HID Xenons, as far as I'm aware.

The HID/ Xenon Headlamps have clear indicators on the Headlamp lens/ whereas the Halogen Headlamps have an orange stripe/ section for the indicator on the indicator portion of the headlamp lens.

Although there are some later spec IS200/300 Sport models Fitted with the TTE front bumper which did'nt have headlamp washers fitted, but were later replaced as per a Toyota/Lexus recall to have the bumpers replaced for modified ones with Headlamp washers fitted on to the Vehicles fitted with Xenon/ HID Headlamps.

Edited September 15, 2013 by GreaseMonkey

[Addymk2]

Ahh, I had 2 altezzas and didn't have them.

You are the oracle of the IS200 world lol

[kavan-k]

You are a human lexus wikipedia! Haha. Will have to keep my eyes open, my mate also pointed me in the direction of an altezza! Will just have too see how it goes, but i think this is an itch that needs scratched right away so i will have to get a drive in one asap! Thanks again for all the info! Will let you all know what happens in the following days, i might get a drive in one and hate it lol

If you buy an IS300 and a manual box ill send you the shift surround etc for the price of postage mate, and the headlight washers are only on xenon cars

Thanks buddy i would send you some flowers as a gift haha

[kavan-k]

http://www.stancenation.com/2013/09/13/definitely-dapper-chris-689whp-lexus-is300/

Do this! Maybe less of the stance stuff though!

That looks awesome! Would cost a fair bit to sit like that though!

And holy shit balls, that shifter

[Mikeyallgood85]

They also do a limited edition altezza 280t it's one witch trd got their's hands on from Toyota and turbo charged it plus a full trd body kit, they are rare as rocking horse sh#t but that's the one I'd get for definite, if you can find one you will be looking at paying from 5/7k

[Mikeyallgood85]

They also do a limited edition altezza 280t it's one witch tom's got their's hands on from Toyota and turbo charged it plus a full trd body kit, they are rare as rocking horse sh#t but that's the one I'd get for definite, if you can find one you will be looking at paying from 5/7k

[daniel_g]

^^^ Was gonna say TOMs lol.

[Addymk2]

Aim for a Z edition, LSD etc, you'll spend a life time looking for a Toms, when they do crop up they're über expensive aswell.

Avoid AS200's as they're just expensive to insure IS200's and your onto a winner. Do it, do it now.