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Is200 Driving...sluggish


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Hi guys

I've had my IS200 (2001) for about a yr and a half now.

About a few days ago (after my wife last drove it, funnnily enough), as soon as I started to move the car, it just felt...sluggish. Almost like it didnt want to move.

The car can drive, but it feels like its taking a big..effort to do anything...acceleration is proving a pain...Almost like I have to rev the car a lot harder than I used to in order to get the same acceleration.

Im getting overtaken by cars that have no right to pass me too :)

The car's last service has only been a few months ago.

Had the RAC come round to check it...they kindly drove the car as well, and the guy thinks the fault may lie with the clutch.

Unfortunately, the car's 1 yr warranty (approved used), expired awhile ago, and I didnt bother to renew, as the car's been faultless.

Now that this issue has occurred, which looks like it will probably cost quite a bit, I'm in a quandary over whether to take out another warranty( and if so, with who? Warranty Direct?), and then take it into the Lexus dealer, or whether to just take it into my local garage for them to check it out.

Im getting better low to mid range acceleration out of my old Renault Megane at the mo! :s

Please advise! :)

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It may be worth you looking into a replacement clutch made by Blueprint, I had one fitted to my IS when it was still supercharged and it was great, didn't have any problems whatsoever!

You could then get it fitted by any local garage, it's a couple of hours work tops!

The combination would work out probably half the price of what Lexus would charge for the same work.

A lot of the mechanics at the dealers get a bonus for how quickly they can finish the jobs, say a job might take them 45 mins but the customer has been quoted 3 hours then the mechanic gets a kick back! Might as well keep the money in your pocket!

I know Prolex sell these as I bought one from them!

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Good point, it will only be the clutch if you see the revs increasing but the speed staying the same - ie the clutch is slipping - is that what you're seeing then?

how much do clutch replacements on is200s go for these days

The Blueprint / ADL replacement clutch on the Prolex site is £210 - there are performance models available from Prolex and TDi for approx twice that.

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Good point, it will only be the clutch if you see the revs increasing but the speed staying the same - ie the clutch is slipping - is that what you're seeing then?

how much do clutch replacements on is200s go for these days

The Blueprint / ADL replacement clutch on the Prolex site is £210 - there are performance models available from Prolex and TDi for approx twice that.

Pretty much...

O well.

Thanks for the responses guys.

On the subject of warranties (and being a total newbie about such things)...Is the following feasible and more cost effective than just paying for clutch replacement as normal?

1) Ask Lexus Dealer/local garage to confirm (although it looks like being clutch anyway) that clutch is at fault, and needs replacing.

2) Purchase a warranty & get clutch fixed under warranty?

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Don't quote me on this fella, but from what I recall for them to sell you a warranty they would have to give the car a once over anyway to see what problems exist, and then these will be excluded from the warranty cover or they won't sell you one until they are resolved.

Otherwise everyone would just buy a warranty and claim for everything!

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Any feedback on this one yet?

Just thought something you can try if the clutch isn't slipping is just reset the ECU, takes five minutes, just pop open the fuse box on the right hand side of the engine bay near the Battery and remove the ETCS and EFI fuses for about 30 seconds - see if that makes any difference as well in case the ECU has gone bonkers!

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ive got a is200 03 plate..sometimes when i try n put it into 1st gear it seems really stiff n hard. anyone else had this problem? its only on the 1st gear. all others are fine. just thinking ive got a few months left on the approved used car warranty from lexus..if i take it in, would it be covered?

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Thanks for replies!

No feedback yet, local garage been busy, but he'll check it out Thursday.

Hes a good chap so will advise me.

I'll recheck on the slippage as well, and perhaps the ECU reset. Good to know about in any case!

Cheers

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ive got a is200 03 plate..sometimes when i try n put it into 1st gear it seems really stiff n hard. anyone else had this problem? its only on the 1st gear. all others are fine. just thinking ive got a few months left on the approved used car warranty from lexus..if i take it in, would it be covered?

think the answer u will get is " its a charactaristic" its normaly 2nd and 3rd gear that people have trouble with.

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ive got a is200 03 plate..sometimes when i try n put it into 1st gear it seems really stiff n hard. anyone else had this problem? its only on the 1st gear. all others are fine. just thinking ive got a few months left on the approved used car warranty from lexus..if i take it in, would it be covered?

Ist gear mainly, 2nd gear sometimes....only typically when started from cold though. Soon as the cars been running a short time its fine.

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Ist gear mainly, 2nd gear sometimes....only typically when started from cold though. Soon as the cars been running a short time its fine.

Try changing your gearbox oil :)

Helped on mine, gears now go in with ease, even from cold.

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Ist gear mainly, 2nd gear sometimes....only typically when started from cold though. Soon as the cars been running a short time its fine.

Try changing your gearbox oil :)

Helped on mine, gears now go in with ease, even from cold.

Will do mate, what Oil did you use?

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Ist gear mainly, 2nd gear sometimes....only typically when started from cold though. Soon as the cars been running a short time its fine.

Try changing your gearbox oil :)

Helped on mine, gears now go in with ease, even from cold.

Will do mate, what Oil did you use?

Believe it was fully synth, Steve changed it when we uprated the clutch.

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Hi all

Well..it was the clutch...

Apparently my local mechanic advised it wasnt broken due to wear and tear but due to clutch not being fully de-pressed.

My wife was driving the car at the time, and she sometimes doesnt fully depress, so thats that.

Anyway...I've had the clutch replaced by my local mechanic.

Picked the car up (out of hrs, mechanic left outside garage), and tried to put the car into 1st gear...

I COULDNT locate 1st gear easily at all...it was like I had to get used to the gearbox all over again...but this time, 1st doesnt feel like 1st..the gears dont seem to be properly defined...and with an IS200, the gears are normally very defined. I had no problems with 3rd, 5th, and 6th...but 1st and 2nd do seem *very* undefined...

Im getting an earful from the missus about this, and why I didnt just get it done by Mr Clutch... *sigh*

Certainly wishing I had got it done by Mr Clutch now...

I'm wondering what I can do about this.

Could it just be a case that the gearbox needs to be realigned properly?

I'm going to speak to the mechanic, but as I know next to nothing about clutches, I dont know if its simply a case of the gearbox needing to "find itself" or settle in, or whether I should be giving the mechanic an earful about a job not done properly.

Please advise (if only to lessen the earful I'm getting from my other half!!)

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Gearstick does look in the right positon yeah.

Tested the car again...2nd to 6th look to be fine. Still a problem seeking 1st, although with practice can find it.

But according to the forums, a no of ppl have issues with this I think.

Will see how it goes...

Cheers.

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