krisby1

I am mightily confused, this forum, vehicle specs, everywhere, refer to the IS200, and sportcross have a full size spare wheel. So I bought a spare to match the standard 16" 7 spokes on my sportcross, only to find...dum dum duuuum, its far too big, I mean like about 4 inches, alteast, to big to fit in the spare wheel well. So how is that people on here are fitting 17s and upwards? I'm gonna have to now order a spacesaver off ebay, in the hope that a nissan 5x114 will fit, as I can not find a lexus is200 space saver.

depends on the equipment, lexus will only be using an OBD2 reader, any decent auto electrician should also have multiple OBD2 readers and software, my guy has VAG COM, OP-COM, Bosch, and some others I'd not heard of, let alone what I haven't seen. Before I got my own reader he read my Toledo with 3 different software just to make sure they were all telling the same story. So I would say no, you don't need Lexus and pay them double. Not sure about Lexus, but I know I've read on seatcupra about many mechanics, both seat and independents who simply don't know how to read the codes or interpret them, and seeing as often a google search is required to understand the cause, and sometimes a fault code is caused by another one, so fixing one issue resolves a few others.

pleased to report, the sportcross strut is the same as the one for the sedan.

Yeah, I got mine last week for a 2002, well 6 months anyway, and that was £148.

I see a couple. I commented to the wife the other day though that I was pleased we got the sportcross as you don't see many around at all (unlike in NZ where in Altezza Gita guise they are semi common), then we pulled into a car park and there was an IS300 sportcross, doh!

I'm wondering if part of this due to it being japanese though. When I moved to NZ in 2003 I bought a 1995 Mitsi Diamante with a 2.5V6 and a 5 speed tiptronic gearbox, I think only porsche had 5 speed autos at the time, and tip, excellent quality interior plastics, back lit dash (i.e. no printed dash, only visible when ignition on), digital climate control, gorgeous double headlights either side, the 5 series and mercs were all very staid inside at the time, heck most other jappas were too, until the IS and Altezza came along. You get in any circa 1995 euro car and the design of the dash was way behind what the quality jappas were of the same period.

No idea, hence my reason for having it looked at. I only got PSH with the car.

Well an empty garage brings up the questions really. He is right outside my work so I only use for him things that are not too demanding, brakes, oil service, cleaning EGR valves, replacing cats, I'm just not sure I would trust him with something as intricate as a cambelt change, only because his english not the best and when I've asked for specific things to be done he has not done them or misunderstood me, even told me once he had tested a car after removing the EGR and giving it a complete clean, only to find the car had no power, popped the bonnet and found he had not plugged it back in, so clearly not tested. It was only something that dawned me into work and I wanted to drive the car that afternoon to Devon, so I needed it looked at quickly, as well as looking at it myself. Largely just going on the comments on here about belts looking like elastic bands and frayed to buggery, I got a bit worried, but to see what looks like a mint belt and then told it is knackered, wouldn't you doubt? I'll call up my less convenient but more trustworthy mechanic to take a look when I work from home during the olympics, to be sure, not taking it to Lexus, Teddington not worth the effort to get to, nor the cost. I learnt my lesson with dealer mechanics many moons ago.

Asked a mechanic near work to check the cambelt, would have done myself but we driving to Devon this afternoon so thought I better get it checked out. Anyway, only took top camcover off and I thought the belt looked perfect, no visible signs of wear, teeth look fine to me, belt looks clean. However, the mechanic said the teeth felt wooden, to me they felt like reinforced rubber teeth, the tensioner was able to be rolled by hand, which he said it shouldn't, I don't know about that though, and as there was movement in the belt he reckoned it was loose, but to me it felt really tight, barely any movement at all, like not even 5mm. What do you guys reckon, 2nd opinion needed or does he sound full of it? Bare in mind his shop was empty, I've been his only customer all morning, so I reckon he's fishing. Plus he said he would change the drive belts (a/c, water pump etc), but they all look new, Toyota printing all over them looks brand new. I know you can't be too cautious with a cambelt, but unlike some photos I've seen on this site of frayed belts, perished belts etc, mine looks fresh.

sorry, I know old post, but you paid what? Eurocarparts have the clutch kit at £198 and flywheel at £838, even found a new clutch an flywheel on ebay for £795. Still a lot though, my clutch squeaks too, but I hope it doesn't come to this, but a lexus dealer won't be touching my car at those prices.

Its also going to depend on the abilities of the driver you are (potentially) racing, or their own perceived abilities. My mate has a 911 and claims he races everywhere, on the few times I've been in the car with him, he drives rapid, but not as fast as I do, he also admitted he does not put his foot to the floor, whereas I do on a daily basis, heck, in both my cars I see the red line on a daily basis, its there for a reason. Had a mate in NZ with a Toyota Altezza Gita (IS300 sportcross), drove it once, it was quick, but not 911 beating, wasn't as quick as my Skyline GTS-T, Nissan Cedric Cima and maybe only just as quick as my 2.5L Mitsi Diamante. Heck, my work jeep in NZ was a 1.6 Vitara, lifted and offroad tires, yet I used to go through the twisties faster than drivers of Holden Commodore V8s, simple reason? I was prepared to use 100% of my cars performance, but they only used, and probably only had the capabilities to use 30% of theirs. I raced a Gallardo a few weeks, but I had no delusions that my car was in the same league as him, he was clearly playing with me, and I'm sure he enjoyed it too, even though he could have left me for dead, but then he probably likes his licence too.

. Also accelerating no more than you need to reach the speed you want can make a big difference. Sorry to say, this part is a false economy, if you need to get to 40mph, then get their quickish, don't take your time, as accelerating, no matter how quick or slow, always uses fuel, so if you take 20 seconds getting to 40mph, that is 20 seconds at say, 10mpg, rather than 5-6 seconds at 8mpg. Plus, you won't annoy the people behind you that would like to do 40mph. My wifes old car, a Seat toledo 1.8 automatic was especially noticeable at this, as it has a digital dynamic mpg readout, and sure enough, her car would show 8-10mpg under slow acceleration, and 8 mpg under brisk or swift acceleration, then would settle at about 28mpg, which is really where you want it to for the majority of the time.

My newly acquired sportcross needs new boot struts, unfortunately in all my searching over the past 24 hours the only boots struts I can find apply to the sedan, not the wagon. I've found some in NZ, but thats not particularly convenient. I emailed Lexus and they said to visit my nearest Lexus service centre, which is also not convenient as I work in London, and popping out to Twickenham in my lunch hour doesn't really compute either. I'm going to Devon this weekend so had hoped to get them ordered online before then, something that Lexus didn't quite seem to understand. I've been in contact with SGS engineering but they also only have the sedan struts, but I have given them the part numbers, or atleast, all the numbers on my struts in the hope they can find an equivalent. I was surprised to see on here that no one else has asked the same thing. Hold the Press....SGS just called me, they have matched my codes and found it is the same as the sedan struts, hmm, I'll risk it, but if it doesn't I'll be wanting a refund for postage as well.

Hi guys, Just moved in, bought an 2002 IS200 Sportcross yesterday, technically for the Mrs, but I think I will enjoy driving it too. Got 117,000 miles, but seems ok all around, a couple of rust spots that I will get sorted, the usual alloys that think shed their skins, past seems mechanically sound, though I did put it in to my mechanic this morning to do oil and filter, new sparkplugs, and replace gearbox and rear diff oils, not sure that will make any difference, but taking on a 700mile trip this weekend, so want to make sure its all clean as I have no frame of reference. My car is a Seat Toledo 2.3V5, so the Lexi is a bit down on performance, and disappointingly, toys, but still seems rapid enough, and is happy to burble along in 6th at 30mph. Overall, 30 hours of ownership so far, and I'm not disappointed, and importantly, the wife is chuffed.