anyone who has an 00-03 max consider an IS? My buddy picked his 03 Lexus IS300 today, and i have to say its a SWEET car! there are a few things that the max has better, but the lexus is sweet. It was $$$ though, it cost him 32.5K out the door. Sticker was almost 33K, he got it for 29.8K, without taxes and bla bla bla... Too bad lexus dont deal like nissan! My 02 was 30.8K sticker, and i got it for 25.8. Either way, just wondering what your guys thoughts were on the car. I like his car A LOT, partially becuase of the color!



and



I already told him he needs Teins and tint!

 

I liked them a lot too, but they finished third overall on my purchase list last year (behind the new 4.7L 4Runner Sport 4x4 and the Maxima, of course).

 

Aside from the smaller interior room, I think the IS300 is a superior car.

On the other hand 23k for a brand new '03 SE Maxima can't be a better value!

 

All I have to say about the IS is SLOW! I raced one a while back with my intake and a friend in the car, and a beat an IS just with the driver in the car. 3.0L Inline 6 that delivers only 215hp, and that car is heavier than ours. Fortunately for that car, its show is much more than its go.

 

yes thats true...but they have many more options when it comes to mods.....Its the supra base engine dont forget!

i would sport an Is300!

 

Absolutely! RWD, handles awesome right off the showroom floor, and has a nice fat turbo kit for it. They have massive potential, no doubt.

 

yeah..like 400-500WHP turbo kits! I have to say, i really like the car! I wouldnt trade my max though!

 

area 51 makes a sick super charger for it.

I've always loved IS300's, I'd definitly hit that up if I could afford it

 

I would trade it for a turboed IS300, but not a stock one Of course, if someone were stupid enough to do that, I'd be driving one now...

 

they are pretty slow, but with that turbo kit....it would be a reallly fast car that handles really good too.

how much do you guys think that turbo kit is?

 

your car looks great with the drop. hows the ride quality?

 

215 out of a 3.0 v6 isnt bad. the 4th gen maximas have 190hp out of a 3.0 and run high 14's. but then again, i would say that 4th gen hp was underrated.

i like the car, its definatly sporty, good looking, but i dont like how the hood is. not high enough. but like others have said, with that engine, the possibilities are endless.

 

I considered the IS when shopping for a new car. Looks, in and out, RWD (although the wife wasn't thrilled with this, along with the fact that we'd need a full set of snows when winter rolls around), quality of materials, seemingly better overall than the Max.

However, the dealer not willing to negotiate (that Lexus mentality), the weak-kneed engine (can't buy a turbo kit when your building a house...unless your a baller, in which point you should be getting that E55 AMG in the other thread), RWD (me=good, wife=bad), summer perf. tires only, sent me to the Nissan dealer.

One drive is all it took. The 3.5 reeled me in, not to mention the bigger cabin, and the feature to $$ ratio. I drove the Max home that night.

 

i think it is one of the sharpest looking sedans out there right now.

but thats as far as it goes, it is tiny as hell, meaning if yo uare a big guy and have to slide your driver's side seat all the way back to drive(like i do) forget about having passenegers in the back unless they got legs as thing as toothpicks, which kind of erases the whole point of the sedan,

if they made it bigger, like the size of the ES300 but with the body of an is300 it owuld be hotter

again love the looks, but no interior room

 

Just wait for the IS430...ahha....400hp....don't know if it will be introduced to north america....once saw it in a mag...

 

looks like a civic! slower than the max. interior is terribly uncomfortable.

but it handles great and is great fun to drive on errands, not on long trips or simple commuting. plus its a lexus- great service and prestige.