fostertom

How come? http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Ownin...cle/DG_10012524 says for over 225g/km it's £165 for half year (£300pa). They've charged you the 'registered before 1.3.2001' price. Is it possible to get my own spanner man to sort this, before the SVA test?

Also, what's an AS200 - sounds like it's a lo-spec model with 6cyl motor?

Blimey - so any newly imported Altezza wd be registered now and be subject to tax like a new car - £300pa or £225 if lucky. As I presently pay £110pa on a pre-2001 under-1548cc, that's something.

That's good. What about sunroofs - how common? Is 6MT the handling package, while 5AT is same as IS, suspension-wise? Is 6MT/5MT an early/late thing, or did they run simultaneous?

So which is true, about suspension difference?Altezza's not an uncompromised handling/driver's car then, not a homologation special - just fatter engine? Seems there's basic, Z and L. Z and L have better tyres and lots more. Only difference between Z and L is L has 'leather and excene', and an all-leather seats extra-cost option. There's also 6MT or 5AT - 5AT lacks sports suspension, oil cooler, fuel consumption gauge, aero grille, and LSD and TRC are extra-cost options. Sunroof is extra-cost option on all models - what chance of that?Looks like I need 6MT L-pack with leather option and sunroof option. Is that being too picky?

Thanks for the advice in 'Rs Mpg?' Here's some more. How can I get to drive an RS - anyone let me have a go in UK West Country? I'm near Exeter. Is RS a track-day car with trim? Compare with IS, as far as uncompromised handling? Noise/bumpy suspension/harshness compared with IS? Trim style and quality, and gadgets, compared with IS? Do UK Altezza owners convert trim etc and badges to Lexus IS, or leave all as Altezza?

21 to 35mpg - I can live with that - thank you, all

I meant is200. 30mpg, not too bad, what kind of slow do you have to do to get that? How about 50% steady on Mway, 20% in town, 20% gently in the lanes, 10% going for it? PS I want a pure white one just like that, sunroof, leather.

Fancied a 200i for some yrs but gave it up cos of only 25mpg in this day & age. Now I'm thinking why settle for anything less than a real drivers car, so how about the RS - what mpg wd that do, compared to a 200i?

Hey boys and girls Somewhere the LOC site there's got to be comprehensive archive of road test/reviews? Can't find it. My impression is that early reviews were ecstatic but when you see thumbnail descriptions in Parkers etc. nowadays, they get more and more lukewarm. Must be because they're unconsciously comparing an oldish model with newer ones from e.g. BMW. I'm interested in how the is200 compared with its competitors when new, cos that's the alternatives if I'm buying secondhand now. The is200 is the first car I've really fancied since my late lamented Lancia Prisma ie. I just want to read things that prove me right! I've bookmarked all the reviews I can find mentioned on LOC but nothing dating from 1998/9, when new. Any ideas?