My First Lexus Is 200 2003

[lexuslover2012]

Hi All

I was interested in LS 400 but ended in buying IS 200 2003 model due to high insurance costs. This is my first lexus which feels very heavy in first and second gear. It feels really strong on the road though. I heard it is 6 cylinders so I don't think it should be the case but it could be due to it's heay weight.

Also, there is a kenwood cd player which doesn't seem to be multi changer as I can't find it anywhere or in the boot. Where would that be or has it been removed by previous owner :(

Also the car was last serviced at 99,000 now it is on just 3/4 k miles above this. I will be sharing the pictures soon once I took them.

I would really appreciate all of your inputs regarding this.

Thanks

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Hi there and welcome.

The car is indeed a 6 cylinder car, inline 6.

It's not a fast car and I agree it is pretty sluggish off the start due to its weight but soon starts to shift when in second above 4200rpm. VVTi kicks in at 4200rpm and you can feel it when it does. I find the performance acceptable but it is the slowest car I've owned in the last 10 years. Saying that however it is by far the best car I have ever owned. The purpose of the inline 6 engine was for refinement and smoothness not speed. :)

I'm pretty sure your Kenwood system is not standard. The IS200 standard system is an in dash 6 CD changer and isn't a brand. Mine says "Lexus premium sound system" on it. Sounds like yours has been removed and replaced with the Kenwood.

[noby76]

congrats on your purchase lexuslover that was a big change of mind from the comfy limo LS400 to the sporty adrelaline IS200 either way you wont be disappointed. as Chris confirmed the performance is not mind blowing thats if you are used to quick fast cars but if you ever need a bit more power IS300 will be waiting for you with a Supra engine under the bonnet :D and that packs the punch IS200 lacks but saying that i have seen a couple of guys hit 60 in 8 secs and do 140mph in the IS200 so still holds its own by todays standards for a 2ltr.

just to correct Chris VVT-i is always on and does not kick in at a certain rpm like VVTL-i and VTEC's found in Toyota Celica and Honda R's. the kick you feel at around 3800 or 4200rpm is a surge of air rushing into the engine due to secondary intake ports opening to allow more air at higher rpm for more torque and power its like a mini super charge but not quite and known as Acoustic Control Induction system. As Chris confirmed the Kenwood is after market but you can always buy a second hand OE IS 6 changer from eBay will save you the hassle of swaping round cd's everytime...

[matt-c]

Noby, It's nothing like a "mini super charge" because there is no compressed air involved, and no forced induction. Please stop talking drivel.

Congrats on the purchase lexuslover2012 - like Chris said, it's not fast and it drinks like a basking shark, but it's by far the best car I've ever owned, and a joy to drive. Enjoy!

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Oh ok. I thought the VVTi was permanently on too until I read some stuff on this forum and a lot of people say it doesn't kick in till 4200rpm.

[52LAZ]

congrats mate,

be nice to see some pictures. i feel a step in mine when it gets to 4200, its not quick but nice sound, great cars, best ive ever owned,

mini super charge?????? lol

[lexuslover2012]

Thanks for the information.

Yeah it's opposite to what I had expected. I didn't expect it that slow, it's slower than a 1.3 engine in the start which I had owned before as well.

And yes it makes me laugh as well MINI SUPERCHARGE. LOL.

I would say it is a comfortable truck drive in first and second gear. lol. But there is more comfort than the speed. I think speed catches up after few minutes from gear 4.

No one has commented about the servicing. Any advise on the servicing, as I said previously car has been serviced at 99,000 and now it shows 102,700. Do you think I just get the interim service done or just leave for next 3,000 miles

[noby76]

Noby, It's nothing like a "mini super charge" because there is no compressed air involved, and no forced induction. Please stop talking drivel.

matt do some research before you start typing ok.

http://www.lexus.com.bh/technology_explorer/acoustic_control_induction_system_ACIS.asp?model=All

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Noby, It's nothing like a "mini super charge" because there is no compressed air involved, and no forced induction. Please stop talking drivel.

matt do some research before you start typing ok.

http://www.lexus.com.bh/technology_explorer/acoustic_control_induction_system_ACIS.asp?model=All

Interesting! Never heard of ACIS before...

[noby76]

Noby, It's nothing like a "mini super charge" because there is no compressed air involved, and no forced induction. Please stop talking drivel.

matt do some research before you start typing ok.

http://www.lexus.com...S.asp?model=All

Interesting! Never heard of ACIS before...

yep Chris and that was from the horses mouth maybe matt needs to school himself before he starts typing bull.

[lexuslover2012]

haha. come on guys! I am asking a question and this seems to be more arguments forums than the advice and collaboration forum :) :)

[darkoracle]

haha. come on guys! I am asking a question and this seems to be more arguments forums than the advice and collaboration forum :) :)

Don't worry 'usman' it gets like this sometimes, but it doesn't mean we are always at each others throats.

You'll be surprised how much good stuff comes out of little interchanges like this.

There are some good threads around that start out like this, but it doesn't come to blows! - well not usually.

[matt-c]

Noby, It's nothing like a "mini super charge" because there is no compressed air involved, and no forced induction. Please stop talking drivel.

matt do some research before you start typing ok.

http://www.lexus.com.bh/technology_explorer/acoustic_control_induction_system_ACIS.asp?model=All

Thank you, that web page has really made me laugh! Does it/you mean to tell me if I breath through my nose, and then open my mouth too its like I have a supercharger strapped to my face?

Do you understand how a supercharger works? It compresses air and then forces it into the engine. That's called forced induction. The IS engine is a naturally aspirated engine - it isn't equipped with a turbo or supercharger.

Please, I'd love you to explain to me how the naturally aspirated engine can become forced induction by opening the intake valves for longer, or even opening more intake valves at any given time.

I mean are you saying a 16 valve engine is supercharged because it has more intake valves than an 8 valve engine?

Again, do please stop talking drivel

[darkoracle]

But then again - I could be wrong.

[noby76]

Noby, It's nothing like a "mini super charge" because there is no compressed air involved, and no forced induction. Please stop talking drivel.

matt do some research before you start typing ok.

http://www.lexus.com...S.asp?model=All

Thank you, that web page has really made me laugh! Does it/you mean to tell me if I breath through my nose, and then open my mouth too its like I have a supercharger strapped to my face?

Do you understand how a supercharger works? It compresses air and then forces it into the engine. That's called forced induction. The IS engine is a naturally aspirated engine - it isn't equipped with a turbo or supercharger.

Please, I'd love you to explain to me how the naturally aspirated engine can become forced induction by opening the intake valves for longer, or even opening more intake valves at any given time.

I mean are you saying a 16 valve engine is supercharged because it has more intake valves than an 8 valve engine?

Again, do please stop talking drivel

Have you even read the info in the link?? and i quote 'The effect is a little like that of a supercharger. Normally, this extra rush of air happens at only one particular engine speed.' this is from Lexus not me...

[lexuslover2012]

Hi Noby

I think I will back you up on this as this is from Lexus not from just any body making it up and to be honest I have noticed as well. As I said previously it will feel very heavy in gear one and two then gradually speed and comfort gets better with the speed and higher gears which is explained in beliow lines from the link:

One way to increase the amount of air entering the engine is to optimise the length of the intake manifold.

At a certain engine speed, the airflow through the intake manifold increases naturally as a result of physical forces at work in the induction process. The effect is a little like that of a supercharger. Normally, this extra rush of air happens at only one particular engine speed.

Noby! What about my question about servicing:

Also the car was last serviced at 99,000 now it is on just 3/4 k miles above this. I will be sharing the pictures soon once I took them.

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Who was it serviced by? Was it at Lexus or a Lexus specialist? If so I wouldn't do anything, I'd get the oil and filter changed 10k since last service and that's it.

If it was serviced by anybody else then I personally would put it in for a full service. But that's just me, mine was supposedly full services 3k miles ago when I bought it but I noticed they didn't do the brake fluid, diff oil, spark plugs or cabin filter so I got it fully serviced for peace of mind. It's your call really :)

[fjcfarrar]

Ignoring the "like a supercharger" arguments, the IS200 is not a fast car or a particularly economical car - but it is not as sluggish as it seems because it does its thing so smoothly and without fuss. It competes reasonably well with most 4 cylinder 2 litre car on roads & motorways and gives a quieter, more relaxing, less tiring drive.

However, if you want to improve performance, nothing short of a supercharger will make any real difference. Cheap fixes like induction kits, panel filters and "better" exhausts will achieve nothing worthwhile - Lexus had already thought about the basic breathing. As for economy, a straight 6 inherently suffers because 2 more bores and extra bearings contribute higher friction losses than in a four-cylinder engine. A better solution for more oomph without a huge penalty in economy is the IS300

[matt-c]

Have you even read the info in the link?? and i quote 'The effect is a little like that of a supercharger. Normally, this extra rush of air happens at only one particular engine speed.' this is from Lexus not me...

Yes, I read it twice, because I had to be sure I wasn't imagining it!

The effect is nothing like a supercharger - no matter who writes that it is. All that webpage proves is you are susceptible to marketing PR, no matter how ridiculous it is. And you know nothing about engines.

VVTI (ASCI) works by varying (advancing/retarding - or speeding up and slowing down, for those that clearly don't understand) the inlet cam. At certain revs, the cam speeds up, meaning the inlet valves open and close quicker. Try it yourself with your mouth - breath in an out 1once a second, and then do it twice a second. Your mouth is now VVTI equipped!

On some cars, they may have auxilary inlet valves that under normal driving aren't needed, but when required, they open and close too.

Either way, the effect is the same - the engine sucks in more air. More air require more fuel, and more air + more fuel = more go.

But in no way is that ANYTHING like a supercharger, OR it's effect. A supercharger, and a turbo charger, works by drawing in outside air, compressing it with rotor blades, making it denser, thus more air per cubic volume, and forcing it into the engine. The engine has no choice but to take it. Since the air is denser and takes up less space, more oxygen is crammed into any given space - add more fuel and you have more bang.

Simply opening and closing inlet valves, or opening secondary inlet valves, does not mean the engine can contain any more air, because the air is not compressed. It's still 100 parts per volume rather than say 150 parts per volume.

So back to what you, and Lexus, are saying - variable valve timing is NOTHING like supercharging, or the supercharging effect.

[noby76]

Have you even read the info in the link?? and i quote 'The effect is a little like that of a supercharger. Normally, this extra rush of air happens at only one particular engine speed.' this is from Lexus not me...

Yes, I read it twice, because I had to be sure I wasn't imagining it!

The effect is nothing like a supercharger - no matter who writes that it is. All that webpage proves is you are susceptible to marketing PR, no matter how ridiculous it is. And you know nothing about engines.

VVTI (ASCI) works by varying (advancing/retarding - or speeding up and slowing down, for those that clearly don't understand) the inlet cam. At certain revs, the cam speeds up, meaning the inlet valves open and close quicker. Try it yourself with your mouth - breath in an out 1once a second, and then do it twice a second. Your mouth is now VVTI equipped!

On some cars, they may have auxilary inlet valves that under normal driving aren't needed, but when required, they open and close too.

Either way, the effect is the same - the engine sucks in more air. More air require more fuel, and more air + more fuel = more go.

But in no way is that ANYTHING like a supercharger, OR it's effect. A supercharger, and a turbo charger, works by drawing in outside air, compressing it with rotor blades, making it denser, thus more air per cubic volume, and forcing it into the engine. The engine has no choice but to take it. Since the air is denser and takes up less space, more oxygen is crammed into any given space - add more fuel and you have more bang.

Simply opening and closing inlet valves, or opening secondary inlet valves, does not mean the engine can contain any more air, because the air is not compressed. It's still 100 parts per volume rather than say 150 parts per volume.

So back to what you, and Lexus, are saying - variable valve timing is NOTHING like supercharging, or the supercharging effect.

matt(mr know it all) if you read my original post i said INTAKE PORTS and not intake valves. VVTi varies the intake valves and ACIS varies the intake ports or should i say 'intake manifold' they are two different things and as a mechanic you should that valves are different from ports(manifold)..hope you dont end up breaking a customers car by changing valves instead of ports(manifold) :D . like i said previously the effect was like a supercharger but not quite.. in other words yes its not a full blown supercharger but gives a slight effect like one i.e. 'a kick' at a certain rpm where more power and torque is unleashed to the car. listen and read carefully to what people say before you start ranting ok.

[janet]

Weather's been nice this past couple of day's, nice for country walks..........nice pint by the fire maybe? (!)

[noby76]

for your eyes only matt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKxtuGzDQH0&feature=related

[matt-c]

matt(mr know it all) if you read my original post i said INTAKE PORTS and not intake valves. VVTi varies the intake valves and ACIS varies the intake ports or should i say 'intake manifold' they are two different things and as a mechanic you should that valves are different from ports(manifold)..hope you dont end up breaking a customers car by changing valves instead of ports(manifold) :D . like i said previously the effect was like a supercharger but not quite.. in other words yes its not a full blown supercharger but gives a slight effect like one i.e. 'a kick' at a certain rpm where more power and torque is unleashed to the car. listen and read carefully to what people say before you start ranting ok.

Hahaha knoby. You are too funny! (ps, I'm not a mechanic, so there's no danger of me replacing valves on a customers car - but your concern is sweet)

Ok, tell you what - if you want to feel that your car has a supercharger "like" engine, then please do so. It actually only makes is funnier to me! :D

[petayV8]

I sometimes like to think the wine in first gear is a turbo lol :zee:

[lexuslover2012]

I am seeing the more quality as my foot is getting used to the heavy car and accelerator. I am not sure how people are finding it a sluggish or slowest car. I have taken it to 30-40 MPH in second gear and then 60MPH in 3rd gear easy. So how is it slowest than any other 2 liters car? Not so in my opinion.

Fuel consumption is not good in local but I have achieved good mileage on motorways. It is working for me, the best quality car. I thought I will keep it for a year but now I am definitely going to keep it for 2-3 years if nothing goes wrong. Even if I would want to replace it will be another Lexus again.