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Fancy A Is300 Instead Of My Is200se


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WELL I HAVE HAD MY IS200 FOR 18 MONTHS OR SO AND WAS LOOKING TO HOP OUT AND TRY ANOTHER MAKE (C CLASS COUPE TOOK MY FANCY) OF CAR , BUT ITS HARD TO GIVE UP SUCH A GOOD CAR (YOU GET USE TO THE FACT IT STARTS AND RUNS WITHOUT A HITCH AND THE DEALERS......FANTASTIC ! ) SO I HAVE MOVED MY SIGHTS TO A IS300 . SO WHAT ARE THEY LIKE ? I HAVE NEVER HAD A AUTO BEFORE , SO WILL I LIKE THE "E-SHIFT" ?? IS IT EASY TO USE ?? IS IT FAST ENOUGH ?? PLEASE HELP ME DECIDE .

JON .

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I tried the E-Shift in the GS300 and it was alright - prefer the manual though as it would feel like I was playing Outrun all the time! Very easy to use though, just press the buttons and it changes gear. Thing I most like about auto's is the kickdown - just hold on tight and boot it - great feeling!

If you could get a manual IS300 in the UK with the same specs as the USA car and the insurance would let you dabble with it I'd have one no questions asked.

I just really like the shape of the IS, always have. Might not be the quickest car but I like it a lot.

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I picked up my new IS300 yesterday.

First of all, I am not to mechanically minded, so dont expect the ins & outs of straight 6s.

As someone else said about their new IS, this car has a serioulsy large grin factor. :D

The engine note, in normal Drive or using the M shift, is fantastic. Kick down is responsive, particuarly with the PWR button depressed.

Loads of gadgets/toys...or safety features, depending upon who you are showing the car off to. Auto lights are fun when you go under a bridge.

I have an 04 IS300 in black, the tinted windows make the back the car look liek its been engulfed by a black hole, the wheels are the graphite 11 spoke wheels and the car is now adorned with a couple of LOC stickers...it looks rather smart, even if I say so myself. I will probably start a seperate post at some point as its so good.

Back to your questions:

Select PWR and the thing goes quick enough (for me), I think the 0-60 is 8.2 seconds. When I asked a similar question I am sure someone (Fargo I think) suggested NOS...eh yeah maybe.

I absolutley love it. I cant wait to go to an appointment tomorrow morning.

Heres my ultimate test. I see BMs, Alfas, Jags, Mercs and think to myself 'no, I definately made the right choice' and just in case, I switch to M and kick down a couple of gears and listen to that engine!

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Hi Jon,

I had a 200 Sport for two and a half years, and when I decided to start looking around for a replacement I had the exact same thoughts as you - didn't want to lose the quality and service I'd got used to. So I went for an IS300, have had it a couple of months now, and absolutely love it.

It feels *much* more powerful than the 200, and the fact that it's an auto hasn't bothered me one bit. I've driven autos in the US, and had a tiptronic FTO a few years back, and the "problems" I'd had with them don't exist with my IS300. e.g. no problem with it being sluggish when you move off, gear changes are unnoticeable (even on steep hills which the FTO would wait far too long before changing down), performance not a problem. The Power button is also very good fun :-).

I've very rarely used the E-shift as I've not really had any problems with the gear the car chooses to be in! However one thing that surprised me about the E-shift is that I expected that when you press Down or Up, you'd move Down or Up a gear. But I don't think it does. When you hit the buttons, you change the maximum gear you want the car to be in. So for example, move off at 5mph, move to M, and the display will say 5 (although you're obviously not in 5th!). Press Down, and the Display moves to 4, then 3 then 2, but the gear you're in doesn't change (you're probably in 2nd). Only when you speed up do you gain "real" control of the gears.

HTH,

Alan

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Oh yeah, one word of warning ... if/when you take one for a test drive, prepare to be embarrassed as you fly off from junctions and send everyone lurching forward when you hit the brakes ... well, that's what I did anyway :-). It was just a wee bitty more responsive than the 200!

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lol yes allan i had that weh i drove it off the forecourt..

Re the tiptronic,, yes the the gear you select via the up/down is the MAXIMUM gear that it will change UP to,, it wil still pull away as normal..

so if you select 3 for example it wil pull away in1then shift to 2 then 3 and then will stay at 3.

i find it useful for slowing down from high speed as per a manual shift.. also i find the engine loads more responsive when i touch the acc pedal and leave it in the gear..hard to explain

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Stop being a wimp Jon and go buy an IS300....

Now get your cheque book out, go to the dealer first thing tomorrow morning and I expect you to be posting by midday what colour the IS300 is and how great it is....

nuff said.

:zee:

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Best thing I ever did was to swap my 200 for a 300. I've really noticed the difference in speed when overtaking in th 40 - 70 band, the car just flies... :) Like fargo I've also found that it seems more responsive if I change down (say 5 - 3) on the e-shift and then accelerate, rather than boot it in auto - which appears to have a slight delay as it kicks down.

It's also quieter when cruising on the motorway. Don't forget that you also get some extra toys; hid, lsd, vsc, auto-dim rear view mirror, arm rest, full leather, chrome-effect pedals, chrome effect kick plates, coin holder (!) etc.

Go for it! You wont regret it one bit.

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John.....

I too had a 200 for about 9 months, but really wanted the full leather, and hid etc......I did'nt realise just what a different car you get with the 300.....

So, where do I start, well there is the obvious things like I have mention, the wonderful full leather, and it is wonderful, really fine quality like you would expect to find. The HID lights - (in true friends tradition) OOOH MY ***! What a difference - I was never impressed with the 200 lights, but hell those 300 lights are fab - would never go back to "normal" lighting. Its silly, but when you switch them on, you can hear the gas ignite, and then you get this white glow in front you - WOW - really wonderful.

E-Shift is great, I live slighty of the beacon track, winding roads down to the river, and as soon as I get off the motorway in an evening, I switch to manual - total fun (Within legal limits of course ;-) ).

The power of the car is well balanced, so the drive is good, the exhaust note is still tuneful, but not as much as the 200 - although no doubt this could be enhanced with a back box change.

So in summary -

Am I happy - O yes

Do I have any niggles - O no

Would I have another 300 - O yes (Probably a sportscross though!)

Hope this helps tip the scales :-)

Rich

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Petrol......bit more than fargo, (he obviously has a brick on his right foot!!! <g>), seem to max out at about 360-380 to a tank - mainly based on motorway driving, and I do use the cruise control a lot :-)

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The IS300 is the only way to go. The sportcross is the ultimate - plentry of versitile space by the folding seat combinations (including the forward folding front seat).

The fuel consumption was my concern when I swapped the IS200 - I've only had the 300 for a fortnight but got 26.4 mpg last week on a 210 mile journey with the AC on for half of it and the dreaded M25 'parking' problems. I was also trying to test the acceleration in all modes and in Power mode it was awesome (probably didn't help the mpg). Once I get over the novelty I'll get a better idea but you have to pay to put a smile on your face :D

The bottom line - go for the 300 - sportcross if you can afford it!

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Petrol......bit more than fargo, (he obviously has a brick on his right foot!!! <g>), seem to max out at about 360-380 to a tank - mainly based on motorway driving, and I do use the cruise control a lot :-)

360 MAAANN i wish..

so tell me richard,, what does your weekly drive consist of on average.. how many miles on motorway,, what speeds etc..

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Just went through the same delema...

Have been living OS for the last 9 months without a car, spent all that time looking at new models etc and had made up my mind that a change was due upon my return to OZ.

My IS200 was in the shop getting a major service done when I returned, so still not being able to drive convinced me a new "powerful" car was needed, found a nice low KM 540i with full Schnitzer kit and was ready to start talking dollars when I picked up my IS200... just could not see myself switching brands once I took my car for a drive again.. but what to do, needed to buy a new car ( just had too because I made my mind up) but didn't want to get rid of IS200 but wanted more power... 2 days later the 200 was gone replaced by gorgeous Pearl White IS300.. and wow.. took it for a little 4000km drive in it's first week ( the car had 20000km on it) and loved every minute of it, the power.. the comfort.. the lights.. the pop up washers whilst very gimmicky never cease to crack people up.. only thing I would say as a criticism is that it is not as "chuckable" as the IS200, but I am sure some suspension work will fix that.. still a great handling car though.. I say go for it!!

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