Advice Needed On Is200

[ek-is300]

Hi, i live in NSW (Australia) and am considering buying a new IS200. But there are a few things i would like your advice on, such as the performance of the car. I read this review http://www.autoweb.com.au/A_0687/page1.html and since i want a car with reasonable performance (i drive a corolla currently) this review is really discouraging. That and the fact that the car has been around for quite a while (since '99), so are there plans to discontinue the model, or to introduce a newer model in the future?

BTW im looking at the 4spd auto - the sales guy told me it has a 'gated shift' - what is this? Is it similar to tiptronic autos??

One other thing, the guy said that lowering the car would void the warranty. But with a car like this, how can you NOT lower it??

Well, thanks for any info u can provide

[vince-com]

Bonjour,

- Regarding the lack of performance in the article, the best is probably to go to a Lexus center and have a ride, the IS is a really great car, compare it to a BMW 320 and you should see better equipment, less expensive and better feeling on the road driving it.

- IS series will be changed in 2005

- The E-shift gear box is only on the IS300, the IS200 comes with 6 manual or 4 auto, I guess it's the same in Australia

regarding the waranty, I can't tell you about

@d'taleur

Vince

[Duff]

My girlfriend and I have just bought a IS200 SE second hand , year 1999 V registration Lexus. So far the car is great although we have discovered a fault. :( The CD player refuses to play , or indeed eject the CD's we have in it.

The CD player worked for about an hour after we had bought the car from a reputable 2nd hand car dealership. I have made an appointment to get the CD player removed and examined to find out the problem and hopefully fixed.

This is a really annoying little fault as this car seems great :D otherwise. Really comfortable to drive etc etc ... even on the crappy Scottish roads I have to use it on.

[mik]

Hi Duff,

Welcome to the club! :)

Have a look at this thread about problems with IS200 CD changers.

[Duff]

:D

Mik

Further developments on the CD player in my Lexus IS200 SE.

Took car back to the garage I had bought it from and the guys removed the CD player. They were able to see that 2 cd's had made their way into the one slot (alledgedly) and were able to remove them both and test the CD player. Which worked fine.

I have only been using one CD at a time now and observing more carefully the time delays needed between loading/playing/ejecting the CDs. So far I have had no problems.

I am a little reluctant to fill the Cd player up with 6 CD's as I just dont want any more problems to arise. I can live with one CD at a time in my machine. (I always remove my CD's when I leave my car anyway to avoid them falling into the grubby thieving hands of those scummy neds :arrrggg-matey: who target such cars fitted with CD players)

Thanks for the link

Duff

:doggy:

[andyhart21]

One other thing, the guy said that lowering the car would void the warranty. But with a car like this, how can you NOT lower it??

I cannot comment on Lexus Oz, but Lexus GB would not invalidate your warranty for lowering the car. Lexus GB's view is that they only invalidate the part of the warranty which has been modified, IF the modification has DIRECTLY caused a fault.

For example, if you fitted a HKS muffler and the catalytic convertor malfunctioned, they would still honour the warranty and replace the cat.

Conversely, if you lowered the car 100mm and this caused part of the suspension to break due to the fact it was lowered 100mm, they you would have to foot the bill for repair, although the warranty on the rest of the car would remain intact.

Hope this clarifies it a bit OZIS200 :) :) :)

BTW, Lexus GB customer services told me this, so don't blame me if it is wrong :D :D :D

[ricky_is200]

Friday 7/2/03: TTE Coilovers fitted at R-Tec in Hatfield

Andy, are you coming down to Hatfield on friday? Thats a long way just to get Coilovers. How long are you going to be there for? Its only down the road from here.

[Mattj]

I have only been using one CD at a time now and observing more carefully the time delays needed between loading/playing/ejecting the CDs. So far I have had no problems.

I am a little reluctant to fill the Cd player up with 6 CD's as I just dont want any more problems to arise. I can live with one CD at a time in my machine. (I always remove my CD's when I leave my car anyway to avoid them falling into the grubby thieving  hands of those scummy neds :arrrggg-matey:  who target such cars fitted with CD players)

Duff, I have a slightly newer IS200 than yourself, so yours might not be the same, however when you want to put a CD in, there are orange lights that flash on the side of where you put the CD into and the display will be saying something like "wait", when its ready to accept it they flash green and the display will say something like "insert disc".

The dealer said its very important no to try and insert a disc before its ready, therefore when you are talking about delays, I hope you are following this advice, as perhaps if you haven't been it could explain some of your problems in the past!

[andyhart21]

Yes Rich, cant find anyone else to fit them nearer to me :( Well actually I can, but they cant fit me in for a few weeks, so Hatfield it is. Me an Zee (or Zee and I ) will be there from 9am untill its done, which should be around 12ish. You coming round to R-Tec then??

[ricky_is200]

I'll try and pop down, but I've got to be at work friday morning. My office is in St Albans which is not far at all from R-Tec. Are you going to be around lunchtime or are you heading straight back up north?

[TonyGoose]

Yes Rich, cant find anyone else to fit them nearer to me :( Well actually I can, but they cant fit me in for a few weeks, so Hatfield it is. Me an Zee (or Zee and I ) will be there from 9am untill its done, which should be around 12ish. You coming round to R-Tec then??

What dya mean 'nobody to fittem' ... Lazy g1ts ...

Why don't you do it yourself ?

Ah yes, forgot ... Zee + Andy .... They'll be asleep :duh:

[andyhart21]

I'll try and pop down, but I've got to be at work friday morning. My office is in St Albans which is not far at all from R-Tec. Are you going to be around lunchtime or are you heading straight back up north?

I have got to be back oooooppp north for a meeting in the afternoon Rich, so it all depends on how long R-Tec are........

[Zee007]

What dya mean 'nobody to fittem' ... Lazy g1ts ...

Why don't you do it yourself ?

Ah yes, forgot ... Zee + Andy .... They'll be asleep :duh:

<_<

[ek-is300]

Hello again, well i went for a test drive of the 200, and has anyone else noticed that there is a slight delay of 1-2 seconds when pushing the accelerator down and when the car gathers enough revs to move??

The response is much slower than say a Subaru Liberty/Legacy B4 which i am also looking at

[ricky_is200]

I've never experienced that. The snow button wasn't pressed was it? That causes the throttle to be less responsive. You could try test driving another IS to see how that feels.

[JOHNNY-BOY]

As the traitor ( :P ) above said you sure snow mode was not selected.

My IS revs with no delay for pulling off etc.

[ek-is300]

Yes i was sure to disable both power and snow buttons

Its weird because i drove two different cars. This is in comparison to my corolla, which has a cat back exhaust and air filter and lowered suspension fitted. Could this have an effect at all on my perceptions?