Is200 Sport Cat D

[Cathal]

Hello, i went to look at a lexus is200 sport today, its been sittin up for a while Battery was flat, engine had small bit of corrosion on it, its was advetised as stolen/ recovered and needs cosemitic repairs. Got it checked using mycarcheck.com and car came up a cat D, but i've found out that this is because it was stolen/ recovered right???

Took it for a test drive drove ok, but seemed a bit bouncy, 98000miles 2001, no service history but mot until may 08, do you have to knock the gear stick over that bit harder to get it into reverse?? breakes seemed to be ok, needs new pads on the back but i think, he said he thinks one of the front disks is warped or rust on pads or sumtin,

Inside is clean enough few scuff and scratches on seats and dash (porbaly when it was stolen) but other than that it seemed ok, the gear box is a bit weird (different than my lancer anyway) there porbaly not there strong point,

Engine sounded fine, ticked over nicely, since it was not started for a while, needs a small bit of work.

Price £4,500

clean enough on the outside few minor scratches, wheels kerbed etc

what do you think??

[DJ Wozza]

Walk away mate.

A bit more money will buy you a better car I think.

[Cathal]

Walk away mate.

A bit more money will buy you a better car I think.

yeah im thinking, could be problems down the line

[DJ Wozza]

If you know an MOT tester or a Motor Trade then no worries,

but without someone who knows taking a look, I'd have to walk away mate.

[Chris.S]

Plenty of better cars out there for the same price

[Guest]

£4,500 Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole,

The fact it was nicked explains the lack of history

98,000 on an 01 plates a little on the high side, and you'll be due a new cam belt.

CAT D? Corroded engines? A bit bouncy? yeah you got to push the stick through a gate for reverse thats normal, but you'll get a lot more for you money elsewhere, the money your gonna spend sorting it out you'd be better off buying a more expensive better quality Lex

[kam05]

Like everyone else says, its not worth it, £4.5k will buy you a clean/unmolested IS.

[Cathal]

great site v. fast replies,

problem is i am in ireland and lexus's are pretty expensive, but much cheaper in the north and UK, so it was all that was really availible withi my price range,

thinking i will give it a miss because it is just going to lead to problems down the line, or maybe not but not worth the risk,

it did;nt feel that solid on the road i was being thrown around a bit, but this could be because i am used to drivin my old car with tein coilovers,

Does anyone know any postcodes i could put into autotrader.co.uk, i'll jus fly over from ireland and drive it back, but have not postcodes to look at the cars

thanks

[kam05]

great site v. fast replies,

problem is i am in ireland and lexus's are pretty expensive, but much cheaper in the north and UK, so it was all that was really availible withi my price range,

thinking i will give it a miss because it is just going to lead to problems down the line, or maybe not but not worth the risk,

it did;nt feel that solid on the road i was being thrown around a bit, but this could be because i am used to drivin my old car with tein coilovers,

Does anyone know any postcodes i could put into autotrader.co.uk, i'll jus fly over from ireland and drive it back, but have not postcodes to look at the cars

thanks

I have been told in the past that you can pick up cheap cars from Scotland (compared to the South). Don't know if this is true, could be a myth?

[Guest]

Have a look in the classifieds on pistonheads.com there's usually not a bad selection there just spotted a couple in your price range that will be in much better nik

Pedros :)

http://www.designfreedom.co.uk

[Steve ( West Mids )]

Here's one:

Manchester Airport

Manchester

M90 1QX

Just google airports or rail stations etc.

[Cathal]

i've been in work for the last 4 hours, maybe i was a bit too critical, cars been lieing up for a while and started up fine, drove fine apart from the bouncing (but was a country road)(and im going to be lowering it anway) engine sounded smooth and quiet gear change was ok just not used to it, inside is pretty much immaculate apart from scuff and seats which are minor, no unusal light on the dash, (i.e engine light) mot until may 08. body is pretty clean aswell just small scratch on front and small scratch on drivers door,

all electrics work, good bit of meat on the tyres, not smokey when it was started either,

if i got the price down to around £4,200 what do ya think?

In my oponion it needs a good service brakes oil, oil filter which i can do myself,

what do you think??

thanks

Cathal

[Steve ( West Mids )]

No history and Cat D, who is going to want to buy it when you come to sell it?

[Cathal]

Yea ture but not really worried about that just for the time being, and service history is not as much of a deal as it is in uk, even though it is important.

going for a second test drive tomorrow and if im happy i'll take it.

and time will tell if it was a good idea or not, hoefully good

[Chimp]

postcode next to southampton airport is SO18 2HQ.

mate, from what i can see i think you are going to be much better off flying over here and driving back, before getting the tezza i looked at what i consider to have been a mint IS200, the guy was asking £5500 and it really was in cracking condition, i didnt make him an offer when i viewed and 3 days later he emailed me saying he would take £5000 as he was getting desperate to sell, i then told him that i found my tezza and was picking it up that weekend and he dropped his price to £4600!! (really was in good condition for that money!)

stick with the search mate, if i can be any help (as im right next to southampton airport, e.g if you want picking up and running around viewing motors then give me a shout ok)

[Cathal]

took advise, found a similar car, wit mot and service history, well looked after aswell, few scuffs on the 2 wheels but, cost me €7000, interior is mint as is exterior and engine bay, although 2 or 3 10mm bolts are rusted but nothing to worry about, sound quiet drives well.

Few questions what oil does she take? and there was no manual with the car, he had in house somewhere but could'nt find it said he would post it if he did but,

so just wondering is there one online because i just want to know about the symbols the come up on the dash (just when the ignitoin is in the "on" position)