Upgrading Discs On Is 200

[lee jee]

Hi all, I hav an mot comin up n noticed that my discs are lookin a little tired, 2 hav grooves runnin rnd them.

At the mo I hav a set ov drilled n grooved discs, is it worth me gettin another set ov drilled/grooved.

If so, can u recommend a decent set frm a decent place for a decent price?

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Drilled and grooved look good but that's about it. You don't need uprated brakes on the 200, not powerful enough lol.

The 200 discs, callipers and pads are also exactly the same as the IS300 (3.0ltr) GS300 (3.0ltr) and naturally aspirated Toyota Supra (3.0ltr) so the standard brakes give you more than enough stopping power as they're fitted to more powerful cars :)

[IHgs300]

As above more for looks than function on a 200. I had grooved on my old 200 purely because they were cheaper locally than OEM ones??? Go figure.

Although having uprated brakes can't hurt.

[petayV8]

I had to do my first emergency stop a few days ago and i can confirm there good enough! Very good in fact.

[TigerFish]

Standard ones are pretty good, but it does also depend a lot on how you drive and where. It isn't necessarily about a one time heavy braking session. If you live somewhere with lots of dual carriage way with roundabouts for instance, and drive in a "spirited" fashion accelerating up hard, braking hard for the next roundabout, the standard brakes will soon fade from the heat build up in the pads and discs. Upgraded discs (and pads - they are just as important) definitely improve the standard setup. Drilled and grooved are not as smooth/quiet as standard discs when you have been giving it some beans though.

[lee jee]

I like to giv the car a 'workout' on the daily commute even tho its only a short commute ov 9miles.

I'm findin the same as hgs, I can get drilled/grooved with pads cheapr than I can get standard lexus front discs.. so.. its a no brainer. Thanks guys

[IHgs300]

I like to giv the car a 'workout' on the daily commute even tho its only a short commute ov 9miles.

I'm findin the same as hgs, I can get drilled/grooved with pads cheapr than I can get standard lexus front discs.. so.. its a no brainer. Thanks guys

Can't really go any other way when they are cheaper. At least you know they exceed what the car requires, got to be safer really?

[lee jee]

Yh too ryt. I got a 3yr old n a new born so better be safe than sorry

[lee jee]

Hi all. I just thought I'd update this post.. I got some grooved n dimpled discs n pads all round from brake depot that cost the same as just a front set of discs from lexus.

Having recieved my new set I went an booked it into the garage for them to be fitted.

I was quoted 90quid fully fitted so paid up n went back 2hrs later.

When arriving back at the garage I found my rear brakes still in bits on the ramp, I asked what the problem was and was told I needed new handbrake shoes so I thought not a problem get them fixed.

10 mins passed and the bloke in the garage came into the waitin room to tell me more bad news 'I need a new caliper' the hole that the slide pin goes through is broken so the pin isn't holdin the rear pads in place so could pull the rear pads out when braking.

Now I start to think this guy is having me over a barrel as I was charged;

90 brakes n pads fiited

78 hand brake shoes

98 new caliper

Plus 20% vat

Total 350 quid or there about.

My bank account was a whole lot lighter after that visit, anybody else been through this? I mean you go in for one thing to be done n you come out feeling that you have been blind sided..

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Did you ask to see the damage to the rear calliper? And the bad handbrake shoes? I make a point if asking to see the problems even if I'm at a main dealer!

Wouldn't have thought you'd need a new calliper just for a slide pin. Does sound like a little dodgy to me....

[lee jee]

Yh I saw the caliper and the shoes.

The shoes had about 2mm left on them and the caliper had half the hole missing.

I did wonder if the guy doing the work had broken it himself trying to get the pin, spring clip and pads out..

[petayV8]

Dude that is total BS. Typical garage BS. The handbrake shoes never get worn i just had my drum off a few months back and they looked bran new 13 years later

Never heard of that hole braking off either.Why is is so hard to find a garage to just do the work you ask these days

[paul_tomo]

Even if it was him that broke the caliperhe would have had to been trying to get the pins out with a crow bar or a grinder to be able to snap the caliper :/ sounds a bit iffy to me, storys like this make me so glad my mate owns a garage and lets me use it to do the stuff I need and if I carnt do it he will sort out in between jobs for me for a good price of a bit of banter and a lil drink

[IHgs300]

2mm on handbrake shoes would have lasted another 5 yrs or more and to break a caliper, must have been using a sledge hammer.

Garages like that boil my !"£$

[TigerFish]

Yeah, like the others, the shoes don't have a lot on them brand new, the pads are a different matter of course. Seen a few posts on here about the pin hole braking on the rear calipers, so that one is not so hard to believe and not unheard of.

[steve2006]

£78.00 for parking brake shoes!!!! OEM Lexus/Toyota are only £50.00 retail!

I'd take them to a Jeweller and have the gold content verified!

Mine are the 20 year old originals and still have plenty of lining left on them.

Caliper was quite cheap I assume it was a recon?

Don't go back there for an oil change, if you do buy the new sump,pump and all the oil seals before you go!

[lee jee]

Lol the caliper was brand new.. I know why so little for a new caliper n soo much for shoes!

Anybody know a decent mechanic/garage in Rotherham south Yorkshire area??

[noby76]

as most said the stock brakes on that IS200 is very 'over kill' for 155bhp car. if more powerful models like GS, Supra and IS300 are wearing these brakes that alone should tell you you dont need to spend any more ££'s for aftermarket discs/pads. but if you want one for looks best stick to just grooved as drilled have been known to crack after a while due to heat/cooling cycle. Pagid's are ok aswell as thats what am running at the mo for discs and pads. if you not running high power/ track driving then OEM or well known brands like Pagid/Brembo will. most forget but good/grippy tyres also helps in braking and better traction.

[petayV8]

Take it back about the holes braking if t isn't unknown of after all but still....

Also glad my friends a mechanic, but stil know some trust worthy garages round here but not yorkshire im afraid. They are out there. Believe it or not your brake down cover guys might be best ppl to ask

[lee jee]

Thanks lads I'll keep

that in mind