Is300 Saloon

[rgiblin]

Hi All,

I wondered if someone could give me an opinion on the IS300 Auto, with the plus minus on the steering wheel etc - how good/bad is it???

Also any other tips, or hints on the 300??? (UK Version).

Chances are on Changing my 200 for the 300, but exploring at the moment.

Rich

[ricky_is200]

I think you'll find most people leave it in auto all the time, that applies to any make of car with the manual override on the auto box. They are fun at first but you soon learn that the auto box is very good on its own.

[vince-com]

auto settings for city, auto settings travelling with family, E shift mode alone on twisty roads

[Matthew_McNally]

I think you'll find most people leave it in auto all the time, that applies to any make of car with the manual override on the auto box. They are fun at first but you soon learn that the auto box is very good on its own.

this is what put me off the IS300 Ricky.

didn't want to pay a premium for toy I would only ever use every time someone new got in the car.

that and the fact that they only ever mentioned the sportscross model when they spoke of launching a 3.0 litre, and never mentioned it was available as a saloon

[ricky_is200]

In my Mercedes I hardly ever use the manual over ride now, I guess as Vince said only when driving down country roads. It makes such as good job of changing gears just left in Drive.

As for having people in the car I definately leave it in auto then as its much smoother.

[vince-com]

Mostly all the auto gears box now have the E-shift selection capacity, Beemer, Audi, Mercedes.

A marketing plus surely for people who have previously drive an auto gear box … as americans people (no offense at all but the 300 was previously designed for the US market), they give the impression of driving a mecanical one without having to manege the clutch, we could call it the lazzy gear change. If I'm not wrong there is a special driving licence to be able to drive mecanical gear box there…

They called it sequential, slow one so, compare with a M3 or else the speed change and in absolutly the E shift is a quick one gear change, or compare it with the gorgeous 6 manual speed of the 200. Personnaly it's fun to drive alone on twisties but there isn't in absolutly any fun to have it on in jamed city or with the family (my wife is sick if I push hard on curves so…), now with a few kilometers done in the SportX, I really wonder about the IS200 6 mecanical speed gear box, my father bought me the IS200, guess why I'm with him I always ask to drive the 200, the day Lexus adapt it to the 300 I change the SportX for sure (the 5 manual speed isn't avalaible in France yet)

The E-shift is sympatical to have, especially because you can rev up without a gear change as it is for example in a 325 with SMG, I test drove it and didn't like it at all. Feel a bit like a manual but far away, now on a 3L engine with a lot of torque and poneys the E shift is a plus and workable, especially if you like reducing using the shift patterns by your own and not with a kick down effect, this doesn't work at all on the 200/auto 4 speed due to the lake of power and torque surely.

Would like to see on a circuit what the E shift is able to do, will try if I can.

It's only my point of vue :)

[rgiblin]

Thanks guys - you have me wondering if I have gone and made a big mistake now!!!!! The main reason for change is that I have been unhappy with the paint, and lights on the 200. I drive some 70k a year, so its important to me. Have complained to the dealer since having the car, but they have offered me to upgrade to the 300 for little differance in what I am paying now, and well I thought, Xenon Lights, Full Leather, Auto Box......well I thought it sounded like a good idea

[ricky_is200]

Its a very good car and no-one has said anything against it, we've just pointed out the E-Shift is a bit of a toy and most people end up leaving it in Auto.

If your happy to have an auto (and most people who buy one say they would never go back to a manual) then your'll love the IS300.

[Matthew_McNally]

Thanks guys - you have me wondering if I have gone and made a big mistake now!!!!! The main reason for change is that I have been unhappy with the paint, and lights on the 200. I drive some 70k a year, so its important to me. Have complained to the dealer since having the car, but they have offered me to upgrade to the 300 for little differance in what I am paying now, and well I thought, Xenon Lights, Full Leather, Auto Box......well I thought it sounded like a good idea

whoah - back up a bit!

:D

was not trying to say auto box is crap, just that the E shift buttons are a toy I would use maybe a few times a year, and as such was not willing to pay a price premium for it.

the 300 auto box is nice, smooth gear change, and nice kick down.

if you are getting it for a touch more than IS200 money, then well done - can I have one?

[agalbraith]

I leave mine in e-shift all the time (in preference to drive, I do use reverse and park occasionally too!)

The steering buttons are great for a gentle kickdown, without needing all out acceleration, or when you want slightly tighter handling to take that motorway exit slip at a decent speed.

I don't use them for standard day-to-day shifting, but they're a great aid to a an "anticipated" kickdown. The 5 speed box is smoother than the IS200's 4, and partners the engine well.

It's a more rounded machine, as it has the power that the 200 looks like it should have. The leather isn't as hot quality as it could be, but the Xenon lights are great, and the auto-dipping mirrors are suprisingly useful too.

[UKPulse]

I can only really second what the guys here have already said. I drove an IS200SE Auto for a year (22K miles), and thought it was a great car, my only real complaints were that the 200 Auto is really sluggish, and that when you push it the engine becomes a bit harsh and noisy... unrefined almost :o

So why did I chop in my 200 Auto after only a year, in favour of a 300? Performance was obviously top of the list to start with. 0-60 in around 8s rather than a sluggish 11s, put me back in the rat-pack (although for a 3 litre, the Lex is still a bit behind the competition). But having had the 300 for only 4 weeks now, I'm finding that I prefer it to the 200 for reasons other than why I (thought I) bought it! :o

Full leather is nice, but then the leather/ecsaine of the 200 was nice too. Tinted windows - well they're cool but you don't notice it all the time. Yellow fog lights? Nope. Boot spoiler? Love it, but not essential. Where it really scores over the 200 Auto is that it takes the ride & refinement up a peg or two. The engine is even smoother than the 2Litre, and you barely hear it under 80mph. Also the car feels so much more solid & 'planted' than my 200 did, and that's not forgetting that the 200 is already a beauty!

As for the E-Shift... Well I'm a die-hard auto fan, and I'd love the 300 even without E-Shift. Having said that, I tend to drive around in "M" mode (so that E-Shift is enabled) to/from work, because that journey involves dual carriageways & roundabouts. When trying to get on to a busy roundabout, it's effortless to button it down to "2" then launch on to the roundabout... but then it's back to "M" which is effectively fully automatic again, and to be fair, for all other road types, that's where it stays.

Is the 300 worth the extra? Well if you're getting it for much the same money - then definitely. You'll love it!

[kev dood]

I had a GS300 for a courtesy car once, and my dad also has one. Yes the engine is smoother and less audiable, BUT I found that really dissapointing.

The thing I really liked about getting back in the IS200 was the 6-cylinder grunt and it seemed to 'pull' more! I think the 3 litre is smoother and as such feels a little slower.

What we really want is a more powerfull 2 litre. Maybe even a V6 as thats where people (merc.) seem to be going.

Mind you - the brochure for the IS200 says they went for a straight 6 rather than V to get round the inherent throb/vibration you get from a V - or something like that!! :duh:

[Parthiban]

i agree with you mate, i love the way the 200 sounds refined at low revs, and then roars (a little) at higher revs.

Straight 6s give a much better sound than V6s too, and there must be some other reason cos some sports cars (new BMW Z4) have straight 6s too

[Scorpion]

My dealer had a open day last week-end and i took a 300

for a spin as i may change next year,the one i drove had a

full body-kit 18'' wheels.On the dual carriage ways left it

in 'd' but on the twisties played with the 'e' shift what a

blast, good fun!! was impressed with change up+down

hardly any delay.seriously impressed,looks like i may get one.

Pete :D