LS vs. IS ??

Motodrew

Motodrew

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I just helped my buddy out with his new purchase of an '02 Lexus IS300. Pretty nice ride if ya ask me. I havn't got the opportunity to drive it yet, however, what should I expect compared to my LS8? I know the IS is a lighter car, but him and I will someday race on some twisty backroads once the weather gets right.
 
Lexus IS 300
215 hp, 218 lbs. torque
Curb Weight : 3255 lbs

0-60 - 7.6
1/4mile - 15.3
 
I helped a lady friend buy a car a few months ago. She really wanted the Lexus IS300. I talked her out of it. I couldn't find anything about that car I could get enthused about. I was VERY disappointed. Took her over to the BMW dealer where she fell in love with a 5 series and bought it on the spot. She has never regretted it.
 
2001LS8Sport said:
I helped a lady friend buy a car a few months ago. She really wanted the Lexus IS300. I talked her out of it. I couldn't find anything about that car I could get enthused about. I was VERY disappointed. Took her over to the BMW dealer where she fell in love with a 5 series and bought it on the spot. She has never regretted it.
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What, you couldn't take her to the Lincoln lot? :rolleyes: :p ;)
 
I was looking at both when I bought my ls. It has alot bigger aftermarket since is has the same motor as a supra. The main thing that turned me off of it was my insurance was double the price of the ls. Also te interior is not as roomy.
 
the stick IS is kinda quick, the auto is slow. When I had my v6 LS back in 2002, I raced a IS300 auto and were were dead even.
 
The NEW IS is a screamer. I drove the IS350 and all I can say is holy crap. Very different car from the LS, though. More along the lines of a 3 series BMW where I'd rank the LS more against the 5 series.
 
I've beaten two IS 300's pulling decently on them with a 2000 V8.
 
beaups said:
The NEW IS is a screamer. I drove the IS350 and all I can say is holy crap. Very different car from the LS, though. More along the lines of a 3 series BMW where I'd rank the LS more against the 5 series.
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I agree, stay away from the new IS350, it will rip you a new one.
 
I drove the older IS when I bought my Lincoln, and I wasn't impressed at all. It drove okay, but it wasn't very quick and I just hated the chintzy and odd interior. Definately not for me.
 
I test drove one while deciding what to get, the LS or the IS. Personally I loved the IS, fit my style and was just a nice car all around. I thought it was decently quick, had the auto w/ sport shift.

I wish I would of gotten one of them instead, smaller, and more out there for it.
 
I raced one with my VIII once, I was even loaded with 2 other people and some crap in the trunk, rolling start, he didn't even have a chance. It must have been the auto and it has to be alot slower than 7.6/15.3 for me to have pulled that good.
 
SoonerLS said:
What, you couldn't take her to the Lincoln lot? :rolleyes: :p ;)
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Yea...I know Sooner. There's just no explaining bad taste in people!! LOL

She is one of those who insists on an imported vehicle. She went from an Acura...which I didn't care for either. It had 100,000 miles on it and showed every one of them...and was giving her lots of maintenance costs. But at least I got her in a BMW instead of the Lexus....
 
2001LS8Sport said:
Yea...I know Sooner. There's just no explaining bad taste in people!! LOL

She is one of those who insists on an imported vehicle. She went from an Acura...which I didn't care for either. It had 100,000 miles on it and showed every one of them...and was giving her lots of maintenance costs. But at least I got her in a BMW instead of the Lexus....
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I don't think that BMW is a better car than Lexus by any means. They are just very different. I think that she would have been happier with a used GS or a new IS in the long run. The one bad thing about the BMW is that everytime you take it in it is 300 bones and that is tough, and they don't give you a loaner car while you are getting serviced. Lexus has very reasonable maintenance if any at all, and you take your car in you get one to use while they have it. That being said my dream car is the last body style M5. I don't think there is a better looking car out there.
 
i agree with you on the m5 (not the new one). for performance the new one is king but the last one was beautiful....
 
Being a former '01 IS300 owner, i honestly LOVED that car.

Loved it alot better than my LSV8. The IS had alot more charcter. As for fast, not too fast, it had just enough for what it needed. And once on the highway, it would pass ANYONE in a snap. Fantastic automobile, i miss her :(

As fpr maintenance. I had ZERO problems in the two years i had it. The LS in 9 months i had it, alternator, battery, rear window broke, now my window is leaking, horn works when it wants to.

LexusPics4-7-04_006.jpg


EbayFocus_012.jpg
 
V-8 said:
And once on the highway, it would pass ANYONE in a snap. Fantastic automobile, i miss her :(
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Sure as hell wouldn't have a chance passing me ;)

I personally think the LS is a MUCH better car. IS kind of has that ricey boy racer look to it with those ugly tail lights. I'm also 6'2 225lbs so I'm too big for an IS.
 
i raced an is on the highway in my aurora v8 with 165000 and was neck and neck and started to pull on him until i hit the speed limiter. is300 just isn't fast. great car but not fast.
 
In the February 6, 2006, issue of AutoWeek, the IS350 and the BMW 330i go head-to-head. The last lines of the article is included below:
Lexus brought a knife to a gunfight and still managed to shoot itself in the foot. The 3 Series is indeed the better car.
-- Double Take: Lexus IS350 vs. BMW 330i; AutoWeek, p. 23, February 6, 2006
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My cuz has the same exact IS as V-8 posted above. It is a nice car, but to correct you V-8, on the streets and highway I would pass him all day. Not to bash the ride tho, it's a nice looking car. Not to mention I have a Mark VIII, so it's not the same as an LS.
 
i feel my V8 doesnt pass as well as the IS. This being said from an owner of BOTH.

Oh, and im 6'3" 280lbs, and i fit fine in it.
 
V-8 said:
i feel my V8 doesnt pass as well as the IS. This being said from an owner of BOTH.

Oh, and im 6'3" 280lbs, and i fit fine in it.
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I'll admit my 5'-9" comment was ignorant as I never been in a IS, however I did race one if you could call it a race, probably was an auto and it was kinda a rolling take of then OK were racing and the Mark is great that way, the IS fell back fast. Also they look like small cars to me, my LSE is the smallest driver I've had in a while.
 
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