Dany

iTrader: (1)

I really like the way it looks. very nice.
I read somewhere that the manual transmistion will be available in a year or so.

I heard it does 0-60 7.1sec and this is with auto.
This is faster than 2000 Maxima Auto, right?

With the stick that car will be even quicker.

I am might be thinking of getting it down the road.


Just wanted to see what people think about.

Thanks.

emax02

iTrader: (1)

it is a bit quicker then a auto maxima so a 5sp would probably do 0-60 in 6.2-6.6 . The 5sp will be availabe next year for sure.I am going to wait and see how the 2003 max looks and then take it from there.

Lordrandall

iTrader: (4)

I think the tail lights are pretty ugly, but if you are looking for an alternative to the BMW 3 series the IS300 might be the way to go. I wouldn't buy one with the auto tho', wait for the stick. Plus you get that legendary Lexus service......

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Jesus. With the same engine as the na Supra, think of the mods! Turbo kits for inline 6 engines are way easier than V6 engines. Hey the kits already exist in Japan. Supra tt swap anyone? muhahahahha*cough*hahahha...

MaxRX7

But the IS300 is simply a wannabe 3 series, which still doesn't have a manual tranny. Plus the rear seats are partically useless and are just adding weight and taking up room that can be added to the front.

Tmeyers

The IS300 is a very very nice car for 33K...The 6 speed
manual transmission will allow it eat Maxima's..I may
have to test drive a 6 speed next year !!!!!!!

Yeah...and the turbo kits will be on sale by then.
Think of what even a light pressure turbo would do to that
car !!!!!!!!!!!

Black VQ

Yet. Maybe if enough ppl make noise, Lexus will offer it. If so, it will definitely have to be the tranny from the Supra. The 6-spd from the Altezzas can't handle the torque of the inline-6 the IS is packin'.

I personally like the IS. I'd wait for the manual as well, and also see if the GS400 V8 is available as an option. Of course the engine will fit, but will Lexus offer it??

WoodEar

I think it's a nice car for its' money. Low 30's, you get a luxury brand, with treat-you-like-a-king kinda service, you get decent speed in the 6cyl class, you get great handling. What don't you like it right?

to da MAX

I heard next year's IS will have a 5speed manual, not 6. The automatic's time of 7.1sec is very off also. Even those in the IS300.net forum admit to lexus' inflation of its 0-60 time. The number is somewhere around 7.5sex. Oops, mind wondered again.

CoolMax

iTrader: (7)

I've also heard that the Supra intercooler will not fit in the smaller engine bay of the IS...perhaps a smaller intercooler will do? But there's too many uncertainties...I guess we'll have to wait! :-p

WoodEar

speaking of rumors, i did hear there will be a 5sp, but with a cyl verion i think. also i heard there maybe a IS400 with the v8 engine.
toyomoto already did turbo on it, looks great, auto tranny is beefed up by level10 also.

CoolMax

iTrader: (7)

Sounds like it'll be hard enough to fit the turbo w/ intercooler...now an 8-cyl...that should be a tight fit. Unless a TT w/intercooler is bigger tha a V8. Sure it's the 4.0? Not the 4.3? Then again, I think Brabus fit a V8 in an SLK.
Rumors...rumors...rumors

WoodEar

http://www.toyomoto.com/is/

ZuMBLe

iTrader: (1)

Them Inline-6 engines are nice! Silky smooth. Styling is pretty nice too. With a 5-speed, it would be nice.

ZuM

Wiremaxless

without a manual tranny its not worth the money.....0-60 times have been exagerated and are more around 7.5-7.7.....not 7.1 like it is spossed to be.....does it come w/ hid's? it should for 33k.......

jgadlage

iTrader: (1)

For $35,000 you get the Lexus IS300 that can outhandle, accelerate faster, and brake quicker than the 3 series BMW. That and you get to pocket an extra $10,000 for what you would pay for a 3 series BMW. Get something that is $45,000 that can be beat in all aspects by a $35,000 car? I think not. I vote Lexus and pocket the cash for mods if need be.

We thrashed a 3 series BMW, a Lexus IS 300 and the Audi A4 Quattro for a 3 hour session (3 sessions a day for a weekend) and the Lexus felt better than the other 2.

WoodEar

I don't know if IS300 is faster than the 3 series, since your post used the number $45k i will assume it's gotta be the 330, stick 330 out accelarate IS300 without a doubt, auto 330 is still not slower than IS300.

Kenneth

iTrader: (8)

overpriced.

brianw

iTrader: (3)

0-60 around 7.5 seconds... quartermile isn't all that either.

Interesting, excellent handler, but until the manual (5-spd! ) comes out, not worth the attention of the faster Maximas out there.

On a side note, EVERYTIME I drive my dad's 2k Acura 3.2TL, I see **zero** IS300's on the road. No I take that back, I saw one for the first time in more than forty hours of driving earlier this week, being driving by some soccer-mom type person fiddling with the damn sunroof. I can't buy a race against an IS300 in the 3.2TL.....

I'm interested to see how it would do against 2k 3.2TL, but then again I also consider street racing to be unwise, so maybe it's good all the IS300's go into hiding.

Black VQ

It'd be much easier for Lexus to do a V8 IS400 than a TT setup like the Supra. Why? The V8 uses almost the same amount of space-if not less- than the inline-6. An inline-6 is 6 clyinders in one long line, and that's a big engine. A V8 is only two banks of 4 cylinders each, so it would easily fit in the IS engine bay.
The IS also uses a manumatic tranny similar to the GS400, so it wouldn't require much-if any-adaptation.

Stillnmax

i have this illy-matic MPG. of an IS 300 drift racing on a track in japan...... lemme know if you wanna see it... or tell me how to post it ... =)

is300 handles like DOG $#!+ compared to most highend3'ers
but this video Kicks Butt !!!!

Nick97SE

iTrader: (14)

I like the taillights!!

okmaxima

You must be confused. The BMW is better in all aspects if not equal to the is300. The BMW is still going to be better for the years to come. Go ahead and get the lexus, but don't be surprised if a bimmer beats you.

WoodEar

hmm not really true. everything is relative. for what it is, the IS300 is reasonable priced i think. same as domestic car owner can say a high 20k's Maxima is over priced, but we know for as a whole package it's not unreasonable.
you get what you pay for.

WoodEar

all same ****
TL, IS300, auto Max, auto 3 series, auto Audi 2.8... blah blah... all about same fast, unless you consider .2 sec is a big deal in daily real world driving.

tclee

iTrader: (1)

my friend test drove both a BMW 330 and a lexus IS300 and said that the is300 did not feel as nice as a bmw! well, perhaps he is biased cos he drives a heavily modded M3 and has kicked numerous S4(chipped)'s butt.

anyways, have a friend who bought a new 330 BM and took it to race another friend's M3 (E36 version) both were very well matched...!

have not personally seen a IS300 in action...so!!!

just my $0.02!

WoodEar

of course, it's $10k more
hey one thing though if you really compare them, the BMW is no where near as reliable as Lexus.

Kenneth

iTrader: (8)

i seen quite a few ~10 and the car seems like a lowered corolla with engine swap , 35k @ that. in addition this car has roots from the altezza in japan something i also consider an economy car. despite refined powertrain/chasis/etc: too much money.

maxima is fairly expensive when loaded up, why make the same "mistake" twice?

WoodEar

but you have to understand it IS a luxury brand, like it or not, consider it a Toyota or not, it IS a Lexus brand. so you have to shell abit more for it.
i mean what entry level luxury car is cheap? except the stupid demostic who consider Saturn L a luxury car, all the imports luxury are not cheap, the best deal is still the TL, after that all of them are at least low 30's, even an Audi 1.8T can go to mid 30's when loaded.

also i would not consider maxima is expensive and a mistake to buy if i don't take resale value into consideration. other than that and the ****ty dealer experience, my old Max is the best car i can have for $25k, can't beat that.

Max Speed

Well, i almost traded in the max for an IS300 this summer when they first came out, i stopped myself because i was waiting for the 5spd next year (it is 5spd not 6spd btw).
Then i found out that I will be getting a LARGE amount of money in January, so now then i wanted a GS430. But NOW i am in love with the LS430, but there is a HUGE price difference between that and the GS. Plus the gs is a lot sportier than the LS. Then again I could always get an IS and just have fun with it (turbo). What to do? I guess I have 3 months to figure it out, but as you can see, Im definately going Lexus

Guest

is that the BMW's are a little more hands on friendly... you can work on those cars - isure you can work on lexus's but i found that workin on BMW's is fun- and you never go to a dealer for OEM parts unless you like it in the **** but then again most of us know that so y did i even bother posting ....

me is BMW friendly - although i wouldnt mind owning a GS other than that i think most lexus's look Ooglie- SC 400 and 300 are ooglie-est

Guest

if i did get a Is 300 id have to change the tail lights, until the "euro style " fad died down alot - why not just wait for the altezza =)

Blu Max

I love the IS300, did you guys forget they are rear wheel drive.(wish maximas still were).I love Maxes, and i'm glad they aren't as popular as Hondas (you don't see as many hooked up) which would be the case w/ the new Lex.
no i haven't drove either cars,but i would most likely pick the Lex over an M3 even jus' b'cuz it'd be a rarer car( w/ 18's, big exhaust and a nice drop) 5 speed and more TRD performance could give a M3 a nice view of those distinctive tail lights, hope he don't think it's a Honda.

Guest

depends on whats invested in the m3 - enough cash and you can get AA turbos from FLA and make 500 hp - not typical though ....

stage 3 or 5 cant remember dinan software
dinan intake
shrick intake manifold (extrude hone)
euro hfm
nice tires - rims - bbs lm's or even bbs rc's
5 spd
stock clutch
STS shifter - times of mid 13's possible with perfect launch


not bad for a car but then again

do a turbo upgrade for the IS 300 blah blah blah

i think for the same amount of cash the M3 is better - besides - no is will match the handling of the M3 - stock for stock - modded vs modded

so na na na naa na na

Mr. Rose

not much I can say that is poor about it. now i would like to drive 1.

VQracer

my dad wants a Black one, nice!!!!!, but i told him to wait next year for the 6 speed, he said sure.

WoodEar

i will honestly suggest GS instead of LS, LS430 is nice but it's a old people's car, from what I guess you are young, so the much sportier GS430 should suit you better.
btw, any reason not considering a BMW? if you want a maunal car, the E46 M3 is the top choice, 333hp with 6sp, 13.2 stock. can't beat that

Max Speed

[/QUOTE]
i will honestly suggest GS instead of LS, LS430 is nice but it's a old people's car, from what I guess you are young, so the much sportier GS430 should suit you better.
btw, any reason not considering a BMW? if you want a maunal car, the E46 M3 is the top choice, 333hp with 6sp, 13.2 stock. can't beat that [/QUOTE]

I know the LS is kind of a grand daddy car, but the new model looks so good! I think I will probally go with the GS, yes Im young 22 and want something sporty. I have thought about the M3 because of the specs, but I just dont like the interior on bmw's.

Stillnmax

why not get a 540i sport 6spd V8 - e34 - nice car FAST AS HELL !!! nice interior - more low end torque than the e34 m5 - actually it has a better 0-60 ... good car - looks like a sleeper

im a bmw nutcase - can you tell - will get one when i can raise the $$$ anyone wanna donate $$ for a ride when i get it ? =)

Kenneth

iTrader: (8)

audi 1.8t is overpriced, souped up jetta. paying a premium for *non-****ty dealer experience* is valid with maybe a maxima vs. i30 with 2-4k cost differences. there's will be no way an altezza will be a twenty thousand car and is300 will be an upscale lexus model stateside so; it's overpriced in that aspect, also.

btw motortrend showed an is coupe, convertible and even wagon for the november issue.