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I Love My Lexus... But Why?


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I love my Lexus IS200. When I was seraching it was a choice betwwen a BMW 3 Series, an Aidi A4 or a Lexus, so I went to see each one in that order. The BMW was boring, common and a flop in the interior. The Audi was better but still a yawner. Then came the Lexus. A car I'd never really thought about but wondered 'what if?' I loved the ride, the interior was fabulous especially the circular dash design and all those gadgets. I bought the car without wondering why. That was 4 years ago and I still look out of the window just ro see the Gunmetal and sparkling alloys smile back at me. I actually bought it as a wedding present to myself and now my 2 yaer old sees it and yells 'daddy's car!' even though it's only a 2002.

I'm used to faster cars as I'm used to the kick of a turbo and the tickling in my tum-tum as the tress wave by - the Lexus isn't the rocket but if you know how to drive you'll know how to get the thrills out of them. I love the way they handle, take corners and feel. Up against anything with a scoop in the hood, well, sit back, out the flat cap on and pass on by. They are one heavy car though. I recently changed the brake discs and they alone were a two hand carrying job. But then I have the SE which means heated seats and in the Winter any fronted seated passenger receive a bummy delight as they wiggle and soothe into the warmth.

It's always passed it's MOT without any to do lists. The only things I've ever done on it is service, tyres, break pads, and petrol. I bought her a new set of alloys as the others were pealing and kerbed badly and that's made all the difference - it's a wonder what a new pair of shoes makes.

And that brings me to why hate her so. Everyone has a wicked side and this one likes to drink... alot! Even with the petrol prices and the offer of a company car I'm still doting over the Lexus. I've learnt how to drive her economically from a slower pace of driving, turning the Snow mode on on the motorway, changing the air filter regularly, adding injector claener to the fuel - so it adds the miles. From a full tank of about 70pounds I get just over 400 miles. I would love a Lexus IS200 with LPG.

Anyway, just thought I'd share my thing-thing. I enjoy all the questions and queries on here, it helps with bits and bats. Obviously I had nothing better to do so thought I'd harp on a bit. Enjoy your cars guys.

<a href="http://s934.photobucket.com/albums/ad181/amberrani/?action=view&current=IMG_3274-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad181/amberrani/IMG_3274-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

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I love my Lexus IS200. When I was seraching it was a choice betwwen a BMW 3 Series, an Aidi A4 or a Lexus, so I went to see each one in that order. The BMW was boring, common and a flop in the interior. The Audi was better but still a yawner. Then came the Lexus. A car I'd never really thought about but wondered 'what if?' I loved the ride, the interior was fabulous especially the circular dash design and all those gadgets. I bought the car without wondering why. That was 4 years ago and I still look out of the window just ro see the Gunmetal and sparkling alloys smile back at me. I actually bought it as a wedding present to myself and now my 2 yaer old sees it and yells 'daddy's car!' even though it's only a 2002.

I'm used to faster cars as I'm used to the kick of a turbo and the tickling in my tum-tum as the tress wave by - the Lexus isn't the rocket but if you know how to drive you'll know how to get the thrills out of them. I love the way they handle, take corners and feel. Up against anything with a scoop in the hood, well, sit back, out the flat cap on and pass on by. They are one heavy car though. I recently changed the brake discs and they alone were a two hand carrying job. But then I have the SE which means heated seats and in the Winter any fronted seated passenger receive a bummy delight as they wiggle and soothe into the warmth.

It's always passed it's MOT without any to do lists. The only things I've ever done on it is service, tyres, break pads, and petrol. I bought her a new set of alloys as the others were pealing and kerbed badly and that's made all the difference - it's a wonder what a new pair of shoes makes.

And that brings me to why hate her so. Everyone has a wicked side and this one likes to drink... alot! Even with the petrol prices and the offer of a company car I'm still doting over the Lexus. I've learnt how to drive her economically from a slower pace of driving, turning the Snow mode on on the motorway, changing the air filter regularly, adding injector claener to the fuel - so it adds the miles. From a full tank of about 70pounds I get just over 400 miles. I would love a Lexus IS200 with LPG.

Anyway, just thought I'd share my thing-thing. I enjoy all the questions and queries on here, it helps with bits and bats. Obviously I had nothing better to do so thought I'd harp on a bit. Enjoy your cars guys.

<a href="http://s934.photobucket.com/albums/ad181/amberrani/?action=view&current=IMG_3274-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad181/amberrani/IMG_3274-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

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There are 2 cars in my family, an IS200 (Y) and a 6MPS (06). I love driving them both even though the Mazda feels twice as fast. I can drive either and don't mind if it's the IS200, so why? For me it's because it is such a refined and luxurious car which is so easy to drive. I have driven the IS250 and was bored out of my skull in about 5 minutes. I feel far more part of the car in the IS200. Then there is the quality of the car. The only replacement part, apart from consumables, was a shock absorber. Never failed an MOT. Finally, there is the look. It is still one of the best looking medium sized cars on the road - and it's 5 years out of production.

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I bought my IS200 after having never even been in a Lexus before, plus i bought it from somewhere 3 1/2 hrs away & online and hadnt even seen the car in person lol (and it cost £1000's i might add). I got it last friday and i am the most pedantic man around now, fussing over the smallest things over it and just want to clean it all the time, i spent 3 days cleaning it already and now looking forward to the weekend when i can clean it again and test out some new products on it :S

I just love it. The first car i have had with a 6 speed, rear wheel drive and many other features. Just the folding wing mirrors make me crack a smile each time :)

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what a good original post quaisser ! always meant to write something nice about the lexus myself as i dont feel many people really vocalise how much they like or love their car on forums which quite often are a place for problem airing,solving and such but are also a place for likeminded enthusiasts to gather to praise their marque

I love the shape of the is , in my humble opinion it is a future classic much like the mk1 golf gti in the memories it evokes - for me the is200/300 will always be beautiful to look at in years to come

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Yes it still looks stunning today dispite the fact that it is 5 years out of production and there are plenty of them about. That's usually a recipe for ignoring a car. The Japanese have produced some great shapes over the years. Can anyone remember the Mazda 323 with the slopey front and the spoiler on the hatch: Or the similarly shaped Celica. Couldn't believe it when they stopped it.

If you really like the Is200/300 and want to upgrade, I would seek out a IS300. The mpg is slightly worse but the VED is the same.

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I agree with the OP, there are faster and then what people would call 'better' cars out there, and the Alan Partridge thing didn't help but I'm really fond of my IS200. I went from a Smart car (which got lots of 'gay' and relentless eco-jibes) to an IS200 which used twice as much petrol but then I would get places in style, not thinking there was a chance my car would unbolt from the chassis (which is what a Smart car feels like if you ever drive it faster than 70mph) and the image was about a thousand times better, not to mention a lot rarer sight than all your A4s, C-classes and 3-series.

I don't want to sell my IS200 but I can't keep both it and the GS300. Whoever buys it from me will enjoy it as much as I did I'm sure. I put 19000 miles on the car, had it serviced once during that time and got told how nice a car it was, and the most expensive thing I replaced was the wipers due to wear and tear (also front tyres but that's my own fault for knocking the tracking out, not the car's). There is a reason these cars get 5/5 for reliability and build quality, it's one of the highest-rated cars on Reliability Index (38 or something where the average is 110 I think and higher is worse).

And then like others have said, the IS seems to have a timeless shape and design, you wouldn't think a car from what must be 11-12 years ago would still look modern. The IS will be missed by me, but I already decided that if I ever have to sell the GS, the car I replace it with will be a first-gen IS (probably 2003-2005) in black with the Aero kit...

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Yes it still looks stunning today dispite the fact that it is 5 years out of production and there are plenty of them about. That's usually a recipe for ignoring a car. The Japanese have produced some great shapes over the years. Can anyone remember the Mazda 323 with the slopey front and the spoiler on the hatch: Or the similarly shaped Celica. Couldn't believe it when they stopped it.

If you really like the Is200/300 and want to upgrade, I would seek out a IS300. The mpg is slightly worse but the VED is the same.

I looked at an IS300 and the performance is great (I'd have to have one with the Aero kit though), like you say, driven carefully the MPG on an IS300 is about the same as an IS200 Auto - I think this is the 5-speed box it has vs. the 4-speed in the 200. I don't believe the IS300 is rated at 8.2 seconds 0-62 though, people have been recording times of 6.9s in it.

Like you say the Japanese do build good-looking cars sometimes (I'd like to throw in: Mazda MX-5, Skyline R34, 350Z) but they can also build a lot of truly forgettable cars. Still I'd rather it that way than the Italians who build almost all good-looking cars but without any care for reliability or residual value.

EDIT: I'd also like to add the OP has a really nice IS200, that was the colour I'd have wanted if I had the choice - that or flat black. I think his image tags aren't working but the URL works.

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I tend to agree with the OP too..... The IS is a funny car, it does nothing particularly well, it's not fast or frugal but it is pretty and the interior is always welcoming. The last car that I liked as much was my Dolomite Sprint when I was a kid.

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I bought my lexus after owning two astras. Before anyone judges the astras the second was a 2001 1.8 coupe not a big engine but it had a close ratio gearbox which made it very nippy off the line....anyway i decided that i wanted something a bit more luxurious that is unusual. My first choice was a Jaguar X-type sport 2.5 awd. i went to view it but before i had the chance to get the funds together to buy it the guy sold it so then in a strop i went on autotrader and found the IS and i can honestly say I have never had a moments doubt.

I like the way it looks, the noise it makes the gadgets it has and the reaction you get when you tell people you have a lexus. Might not seem that way for some of you guys but i am only 22 so people dont expect me to say it.

The only downside is the petrol.....i always complain to people about it and say i'm thinking of getting rid....but i dont think i could because it just looks that good and the cars i really want to replace it i would need a few more grand to get haha

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I tend to agree with the OP too..... The IS is a funny car, it does nothing particularly well, it's not fast or frugal but it is pretty and the interior is always welcoming. The last car that I liked as much was my Dolomite Sprint when I was a kid.

I agree and think the IS200/300 may be on its way to becoming a classic. Just compare the drive, equipment and looks to any other 2 litre car from 1999 - and for that matter, is there any current 2 litre car that betters it overall, even against an IS200/300 that has already completed an interplanetary mileage?

It set new standards for quality which don't seem to have been surpassed, giving really exceptional reliability and requiring virtually no change throughout production.

The look showed that the Japanese could do simple, unfussy and sophisticated - almost timeless - styling that made the car a bit special, conferring much more "presence" than its competitors.

Yes, there are cars now which improve on some things and return higher mpg; but I don't think there has been a better total 2 litre package since its introduction. Lastly, owners are devoted to them, and non-owners still admire them; what else is needed for a classic?

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how does it help for mpg by turning on the snow mode on the motorway?

never heard this before...

and which injector cleaner do you use and how often?

Thanks

I know you were talking to the other poster but I was going to say I use SNOW mode on my IS200 Auto and my GS300 because it makes the throttle response less peaky when pulling away and accelerating. On the motorway I use cruise control anyway so SNOW or ECT PWR modes make no real difference to my driving.

When I did use injector cleaner, it was Redex from Halfords.

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I bought my IS200 after having never even been in a Lexus before, plus i bought it from somewhere 3 1/2 hrs away & online and hadnt even seen the car in person lol (and it cost £1000's i might add). I got it last friday and i am the most pedantic man around now, fussing over the smallest things over it and just want to clean it all the time, i spent 3 days cleaning it already and now looking forward to the weekend when i can clean it again and test out some new products on it :S

I just love it. The first car i have had with a 6 speed, rear wheel drive and many other features. Just the folding wing mirrors make me crack a smile each time :)

folding mirrors?how long you've been driving cars?icon14.gif

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how does it help for mpg by turning on the snow mode on the motorway?

never heard this before...

and which injector cleaner do you use and how often?

Thanks

I know you were talking to the other poster but I was going to say I use SNOW mode on my IS200 Auto and my GS300 because it makes the throttle response less peaky when pulling away and accelerating. On the motorway I use cruise control anyway so SNOW or ECT PWR modes make no real difference to my driving.

When I did use injector cleaner, it was Redex from Halfords.

in SNOW MODE your car will start from 3rd gear.never heared of it?excl.gif

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how does it help for mpg by turning on the snow mode on the motorway?

never heard this before...

and which injector cleaner do you use and how often?

Thanks

I know you were talking to the other poster but I was going to say I use SNOW mode on my IS200 Auto and my GS300 because it makes the throttle response less peaky when pulling away and accelerating. On the motorway I use cruise control anyway so SNOW or ECT PWR modes make no real difference to my driving.

When I did use injector cleaner, it was Redex from Halfords.

in SNOW MODE your car will start from 3rd gear.never heared of it?excl.gif

Actually it starts in first gear on an IS200 Auto - I know this because it's a 4-speed gearbox and I can feel all 3 gear changes until top gear. It does dull the throttle response, making it more graded - so when you touch it rather than revving straight to 2000rpm, it will slowly creep up to it as you press harder. In SNOW mode you need to apply more pressure to open the throttle a given amount, the idea being you don't spin the wheels up as fast in snow.

I also totally didn't see the point of your mildly aggressive, three consecutive posts and found the Prius concept a bit lost on someone with an LX430 (and as far as I know, no such LX430 exists)...

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I bought my IS200 after having never even been in a Lexus before, plus i bought it from somewhere 3 1/2 hrs away & online and hadnt even seen the car in person lol (and it cost £1000's i might add). I got it last friday and i am the most pedantic man around now, fussing over the smallest things over it and just want to clean it all the time, i spent 3 days cleaning it already and now looking forward to the weekend when i can clean it again and test out some new products on it :S

I just love it. The first car i have had with a 6 speed, rear wheel drive and many other features. Just the folding wing mirrors make me crack a smile each time :)

folding mirrors?how long you've been driving cars?icon14.gif

7 years, but i have only had 3dr hatchbacks and there not the sort of thing that had 'electric' folding wing mirrors (which is what i meant, not just bog standard folding mirrors...) Since my wife and i had our first child 5 months ago i decided to get something with 4 doors last week and upgrade to saloon. And i enjoy everything about my car inside and out

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I bought my IS200 after having never even been in a Lexus before, plus i bought it from somewhere 3 1/2 hrs away & online and hadnt even seen the car in person lol (and it cost £1000's i might add). I got it last friday and i am the most pedantic man around now, fussing over the smallest things over it and just want to clean it all the time, i spent 3 days cleaning it already and now looking forward to the weekend when i can clean it again and test out some new products on it :S

I just love it. The first car i have had with a 6 speed, rear wheel drive and many other features. Just the folding wing mirrors make me crack a smile each time :)

folding mirrors?how long you've been driving cars?icon14.gif

7 years, but i have only had 3dr hatchbacks and there not the sort of thing that had 'electric' folding wing mirrors (which is what i meant, not just bog standard folding mirrors...) Since my wife and i had our first child 5 months ago i decided to get something with 4 doors last week and upgrade to saloon. And i enjoy everything about my car inside and out

Don't humour him, all 17 of his stupid posts have been trolling. We knew you meant electric folding mirrors & if I'm being honest I like mine too. No more of that get out, grab mirror, apply force til it locks inward.

And you should enjoy and cherish your IS200 it's a great car!

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I bought my IS200 after having never even been in a Lexus before, plus i bought it from somewhere 3 1/2 hrs away & online and hadnt even seen the car in person lol (and it cost £1000's i might add). I got it last friday and i am the most pedantic man around now, fussing over the smallest things over it and just want to clean it all the time, i spent 3 days cleaning it already and now looking forward to the weekend when i can clean it again and test out some new products on it :S

I just love it. The first car i have had with a 6 speed, rear wheel drive and many other features. Just the folding wing mirrors make me crack a smile each time :)

folding mirrors?how long you've been driving cars?icon14.gif

7 years, but i have only had 3dr hatchbacks and there not the sort of thing that had 'electric' folding wing mirrors (which is what i meant, not just bog standard folding mirrors...) Since my wife and i had our first child 5 months ago i decided to get something with 4 doors last week and upgrade to saloon. And i enjoy everything about my car inside and out

Don't humour him, all 17 of his stupid posts have been trolling. We knew you meant electric folding mirrors & if I'm being honest I like mine too. No more of that get out, grab mirror, apply force til it locks inward.

And you should enjoy and cherish your IS200 it's a great car!

Cheers dude, and i will :D

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