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Thinking about a new daily driver, and a manual IS300 seems like a nice option.  I know the LSD is a somewhat rare option, and I know I talked to someone at the Milwaukee Tour last year about what the option package code was, and what it said on the door jam sticker.  But of course now I can't remember it.

I know it's not top dog DS car, but it'd be mostly used as a daily driver, and local autocrosser.  Anything to look out for with the car in general?  Are there available OTS shocks that aren't terrible?

Common problems?

How much static camber can you get?  Expected tire life?


 

 

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Jesse
-2002-2006 E-stock 93 MR2 (sold)
-2007-2008 XP Spyder

You must have talked to Donnie Bartalone. He runs an IS300 in DS. I actually flew up to Milwaukee Tour to codrive it with him last year but I got traded for another codriver! Anyways, you can contact him at metric_motors at msn dot com. He can tell you all about it.

Good luck!

Van
 

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1986 Trueno GT-S (DSP), 1989 Honda Civic Si (HS)
Autocrossing on the cheap.

Dude talk to Derek Butts. He ran in DS in his for a while and was in the top 5.

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David Hedderick
Pearland (Houston), TX
01 CRG YZ125 (FOR SALE! $2500)
08 Mazda 3s
02 Mazda Protege (automatic tow vehicle)
92 Miata SE - Fun half-arsed STS2 Car

Chris Cline...kumho driver.  No clue how to get in touch with him though.  Ran one at nationals in '06.

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1991 Saturn SC-226k miles- HS #106
1990 Miata- Blue, with black spots- daily

MTBGAEL:

Chris Cline...kumho driver.  No clue how to get in touch with him though.  Ran one at nationals in '06.

You mean Chris Kline. Cline drives an STX BMW with Sienkiewicz and Tara. ;) Jesse, I have his number but I think he's on here too.

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Karen Kraus
2005 SCCA SEDiv FS Champion
2007 SCCA DSL National Champion
2008 SCCA ProSolo L1 Champion

Cline....Kline....whatever :p

 
 

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1991 Saturn SC-226k miles- HS #106
1990 Miata- Blue, with black spots- daily

Pete Mottaz , drove his in DS at the El Toror Pro Solo a few years back, thought it had potential then but not so sure these days, I'd go with Hoosier A6s myself despite the limited front camber

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"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car and oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car.
Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall, torque is how far you take the wall with you." --Anonymous

129STS:

Thinking about a new daily driver, and a manual IS300 seems like a nice option.  I know the LSD is a somewhat rare option, and I know I talked to someone at the Milwaukee Tour last year about what the option package code was, and what it said on the door jam sticker.  But of course now I can't remember it.

I think the big problem is finding a manual. My old roommate bought one and the dealership told him something like 5% of all IS300's sold were manual.

*of* the manuals though I think a lot of them came with the LSD for some reason. His did, and he didn't even especially want it, it was just the only manual that was anywhere near Alexandria at the time.

There is some info on my.is (used to be is300.net) but the site appears to be DOA right now...

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John W: 2003 WRX (#7 STX) | 1998 ///M3
Washington, DC Region

What do you want to know Jesse?  I've had 2 of these cars in the past. I never really auto'x it...well, I did one time just to try it out. (on street tires). It was competent.  I love the cars and wouldn't hesitate buying another one. The package you're wanting is called the Escaine Pkg. It is available in a manual, and comes with a leather trimmed seat that has a suedelike seating surface, and has a light grey piping around the seams. It is also identified on the exterior by a small lip spoiler. So if you find one with the escaine seats, spoiler in a Manual...it should have the LSD.  While they aren't for sale on every corner, they can be found without too much effort if you're willing to travel to get it. My first one, I had to go to St Louis to get it, but that wasn't a big deal. My second one I found locally, when I wasn't even looking for one...so I had to buy it. Call it an impulse buy.

 

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Greg Reno
'06 Mini Cooper S
#36 GS

I'm still just doing some legwork to learn more about the car.  I think the next step is that I really need to text drive one of these cars and just see if I like it at all.  From there, I can think more seriously about selling my current E36 M3.

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Jesse
-2002-2006 E-stock 93 MR2 (sold)
-2007-2008 XP Spyder

I had one for a few months and took it nationals in '04.  On a grippy surface they can get the job done and actually be a lot of fun to drive.  The cars transition beautifully and can put what power they have down very well.  Weaknesses are limited front camber, heavy front end, and soft springs.  Absolutely requires "slow in, fast out." 

OTS Koni's aren't enough, but I had fantastic results with a Pro-Parts SA revalve (Donnie ended up with those shocks).  Typical stock class balance act between gaining front roll stiffness through a bigger bar while minimizing low speed push.  Best results were with the TRD front bar (yellow) and pulling almost all the rear camber out.  Front will max at about 1 deg.

Even with the limited development on my car, the times were right there in contention making it hard to argue that they're not competitive against the ITRs.  Here's a pic from Topeka '04....good times.  :)

 

Be sure to get a good test drive though.  For some reason neither myself nor my wife could really "enjoy" the car on the street.  While there's certainly nothing wrong with the 5spds, it seemed to remind you everytime you rowed through the gears that the engine was developed and tuned for an automatic.  They're great cars, and we both think we'd have kept the car a lot longer had it actually been an automatic (autocross aside).

Hope some of that helps.

Brian    

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Brian Peters

In that case, you REALLY outta talk to Pete Mottaz as mentioned above as he sold the IS300 to get an....E36 M3

Pete is off playing with F125 now, but has run the E36 a few times at local SFR events.

 

Having spent considerable time developing/driving these things they are a pretty good balance of capable handling and a decent road car.

I have autocrossed 4 different variations nationally.  A 2001 Automatic no sunroof w/ LSD, a 2002 Manual no sunroof w/LSD, a 2002 Sportcross w/LSD and a 2001 M/T conversion in DSP.   In stock form it was hard to argue with the manuals gearing (60mph in 2nd versus 54mph in the automatic) and less weight but I felt the automatic was a better all around car.  The clutch action/gearshift smoothness was uninspiring on the street.   This is much improved with a short shifter and removing the CCD valve on the slave cylinder.   My feeling is the Lexus would make a better STS/STX car than a DS car.

 If I were to buy another one I'd find a Sportcross and run that.  Left foot brake it and hope the course doesn't require 3rd gear!  These things are very practical!   LSD pumpkins are readily available and cheap ($600 ish).

 Drive one and see what you think.

 -Derek

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Derek
2005 Subaru STI T2

www.godoggoracing.org

Go for it!  I think the as a daily driver and weekend autocross car, the IS is the best option along with the 3 series.  Personally, I think the fun factor of an IS is a product of the torque (I'm used the autocrossing the R), the steering ease, and the typical, notchy Japanese gearbox/shifter. 

The brakes are definitely the achilles' heel in the car however.  The defeatable traction control is great, but Lexus is heading away from performance in the normal new IS's with no such thing.

 The LSD equiped ones are designated by the build date on the door jam.  I'll see if I can search on myIS.com and see the dates.

 

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1997 Acura Integra Type R #50/318
Tarheel Sports Car Club
DS #78

DYSLEXUS:

Having spent considerable time developing/driving these things they are a pretty good balance of capable handling and a decent road car.

I have autocrossed 4 different variations nationally.  A 2001 Automatic no sunroof w/ LSD, a 2002 Manual no sunroof w/LSD, a 2002 Sportcross w/LSD and a 2001 M/T conversion in DSP.   In stock form it was hard to argue with the manuals gearing (60mph in 2nd versus 54mph in the automatic) and less weight but I felt the automatic was a better all around car.  The clutch action/gearshift smoothness was uninspiring on the street.   This is much improved with a short shifter and removing the CCD valve on the slave cylinder.   My feeling is the Lexus would make a better STS/STX car than a DS car.

 If I were to buy another one I'd find a Sportcross and run that.  Left foot brake it and hope the course doesn't require 3rd gear!  These things are very practical!   LSD pumpkins are readily available and cheap ($600 ish).

 Drive one and see what you think.

 -Derek

 

Derek, just saw the new replies, and thanks.  I spent a few hours on myIS and read a bunch of your old posts.  For now, looks like I'll just be sticking to my current car.  This is definitely a possible next car, but we'll see.  Maybe I can get the girlfriend an IS, and keep my car.....   :) 

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Jesse
-2002-2006 E-stock 93 MR2 (sold)
-2007-2008 XP Spyder

Utilitarian:

Go for it!  I think the as a daily driver and weekend autocross car, the IS is the best option along with the 3 series.  Personally, I think the fun factor of an IS is a product of the torque (I'm used the autocrossing the R), the steering ease, and the typical, notchy Japanese gearbox/shifter. 

The brakes are definitely the achilles' heel in the car however.  The defeatable traction control is great, but Lexus is heading away from performance in the normal new IS's with no such thing.

 The LSD equiped ones are designated by the build date on the door jam.  I'll see if I can search on myIS.com and see the dates.

 

A Type R was on the list, but without a garage to store it in, I figure it'd be stolen within a year, so I went with the M3.
 

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Jesse
-2002-2006 E-stock 93 MR2 (sold)
-2007-2008 XP Spyder

129STS:

  I know the LSD is a somewhat rare option, and I know I talked to someone at the Milwaukee Tour last year about what the option package code was, and what it said on the door jam sticker.  But of course now I can't remember it.
 

It's not nearly as rare on the MT as the AT. I was looking at IS300s last year and ended up buying a Subaru LGT Ltd, but absolutely loved the road manners of the IS. It felt a little tubby and pedestrian at 8/10ths, but I don't have any experience near the limit to speak from. Very nice cars, I'm a fan.

My.IS Lexus Forums:

How to tell if my IS300 has LSD?
Look at the sticker on your driver door sill/jamb, look for the area that reads "A/TM"
You'll see numbers such as B02A, B02B, B02C
A=no LSD
B,C = LSD
If you are still unsure, call 1800 25 LEXUS and ask them to look up your VIN and they can tell you what options it came equipped it from the factory.

Here's the link  to the thread, answer is ~halfway down the first post along with some additional links.

 

Cheers,

--e