New To Is200 And Lexus

FlintyGP · August 30, 2013

Jezza here, hi

Great website and forum guys, thanks for the mine of information!

Introduction for the car:

Just purchased an IS200 SE 2005/05 plate car as a bit of a project. Platinum Ice, with black leather and satnav. Interestingly, it has the TTE supercharger kit.

Think the car has been drifted in the past as the suspension set up is WEIRD. Replacement springs have lowered the front and rear, but the rear is still high and floats around into oversteer in every corner. It drives like a BOAT above 60mph in a straight line. Fun, yes, but worrying the wife a bit!

Had the car inspected before purchase and it's basically sound, even though the Eaton M62 has a horrid rattle and the front shocks are 'misting'. Slight crack on rear bumper too. Otherwise, really tidy and the interior looks like its never been sat in.

Have already had the Supercharger worked on by a specialist and the M62 is on borrowed time, which I budgeted for. Its been stripped, cleaned and re-lubed which has got rid of the rattle for now. Its a direct drive supercharger, so the replacement Coupler and bearings I bought from the USA are useless! Hey-ho. Looks like i'll be on e-bay for a new charger soon-ish.

Anyone know if the first gen Merc 200 SLK Compressor is exactly the same body? or is there another solution?

I've also changed the standard 11 spoke alloys (17") and Falken / Autoguard rubber, with some nice DOTZ Rapier Dark 18" rims, with 45 offset and Pirelii P Zero Nero 225/40/18 tyres. Just to evidence that decent rubber is worth paying for, it makes a massive difference to the drive and handling (not to mention the looks), but the car will still definitely need alignment and possibly new springs/shocks to make it handle better and corner flatter. It has some weird unidentified purple coloured springs at the moment, but the rear is too high, which looks wrong.

If anyone recognises the car and has any information, i'd be grateful, good or bad! Reg starts DK05 and was owned by a chap in north Essex between @2009 and 2011.

Anyhow, I'm in West Sussex and if anyone does meets down this way, I'd be pleased to join in when family commitments allow.

Cheers and thanks again for a great site!

Jez