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Still love the look of the first gen IS, and I love how many of them are getting modded these days. There's a 1UZ swapped car knocking around the Edinburgh area but I don't know which it is, there loads of modded ones.
I was always told that the lacquer peeling was such a problem on Lexus wheels that they invented the free car wash on a Saturday at the dealer to keep them clean and extend the life, cheaper than thousands of warranty claims apparently. It had other advantages too, obvs, but the warranty claim rate was massively reduced.
We have a 2005 car that we got new, one of the run out LE models that's not quite a sport and not quite the posh one. It was my car until early 2009 and then my wife's car since then. It's thrived on the abuse she's inflicted upon it, they're really well made. She crashed it into a massive ditch and after it was recovered to the dealer and jetwashed, the Service Manager said that he wouldn't have known it had been crashed into a ditch unless we'd told him.
I can't see us ever getting rid of it, it just goes on and on so it's always been our dependable, reliable car among all the old Benzes we have.
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Curtis
Part of things
Posts: 622
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The LE is the posh one Both the Sport and LE are derivatives of the SE, the sport got the LSD, tints, chrome bits and lowering springs on top of the SE's standard equipment, whereas the LE got all leather, the armrest, Kodiak Sky exclusive colour and other trick bits. I think of the two as equivalent models for different clients. Interesting fact about the free car wash, mine clearly never took advantage of that, all of mine were knackered, and 2 of the 6 wheels I've had for it successfully held air for any length of time.
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Driving: Shitbox Honda S-MX
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tenman
Part of things
m00000000000
Posts: 899
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heh, mine neither, all the wheels were knackered on it and wouldn't hold air well, really don't know about mine, it is an SE but it most definitely does have the LSD which I didn't fit, and powerfolding mirrors. Interestingly I replaced the engine after the timing belt snapped with an engine imported from Japan, the Japanese engine seems to REALLY prefer higher RON petrol even though I didn't replace the ECU so I dunno if there's any differences in the head between the J spec one and a euro one.
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RWD Fanatic...
2003 BMW 320d Wagon (getting old and boring) 1996 Mini Kensington (SWMBO's)
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Hahaha, none of our wheels hold air either! And we did the free car wash thing every two weeks for the first five or six years of ownership and still had to make warranty claims. But we got a lot of free tea and cake from them while the car was being washed... Interestingly I replaced the engine after the timing belt snapped with an engine imported from Japan, the Japanese engine seems to REALLY prefer higher RON petrol even though I didn't replace the ECU so I dunno if there's any differences in the head between the J spec one and a euro one. Guys on the Lexus forums were importing engines when these were reasonably new cars because the J-spec two litre cars were known to be in a better state of tune than Euro cars. More torquey from memory, different flywheel and valve gear. By the way, our LE isn't one of the genuinely limited production models from 2003 (so limited, they don't even make the effing paint for it anymore, according to the dealer) it's one of the later LE models from the end of the run. It's probably just an SE with lots of options thrown on to be honest and was missing some things that it was meant to have. Armrest and reversing sensors being the most obvious but it's got an LSD for some reason, which wasn't on the build sheet we were shown when we ordered it. Gawd, I feel so bloody old now that I've discovered a car I bought new is on Retro Rides...
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Last Edit: Jun 4, 2015 9:54:37 GMT by Battles
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Curtis
Part of things
Posts: 622
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So after my third line failure on the cheap and nasty lines behind my gauges, and a difficult 3 mile drive home completely aired out, I've finally replaced it with much sturdier stuff. However its so sturdy the folding mech in my gauge housing no longer works >.< Looking at larger illuminated gauges and I've got a replacement power plug for it anyway so I'll get new, softer, but stronger lines in there all in one go
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Driving: Shitbox Honda S-MX
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Curtis
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Posts: 622
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So I haven't had many updates lately, been moving house It has a nice big Garage behind it though which is cool I went to the dyno day that Chas organised, somehow still got bang on standard power ...oh, and I bought this
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Driving: Shitbox Honda S-MX
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Great looking garage, nice and wide. Good internal colour for reflecting light, too.
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Curtis
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Posts: 622
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Not much to update, popped to GTI International on stand with the Ibiza Owners Club, decked out in support car livery Legitimately had to assist as the beemer lost its immobiliser chip in the key. Had to tow it through the show to clear ground for a flatbed
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Driving: Shitbox Honda S-MX
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Curtis
Part of things
Posts: 622
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Aug 15, 2015 20:47:43 GMT
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Not much to report, just some little things. Tilt bracket for the front plate because JDM Debadged the boot, need to give it a bloody good buff to get rid of the residue Oh, and new wheelage Dirty 17x9.5 et12 specs were a struggle, but they juuuust about tuck into the arches at full drop Just bought myself a DSLR as well, so hopefully the photo's are of better quality now Off to Japfest 2 tomorrow, on stand with the rest of the Slambox team, Shall update with photo's when I get back
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Driving: Shitbox Honda S-MX
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That's really quite a lovely look you've achieved there. Always liked these. The new wheels give it a 'tougher' appearance, very nice.
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Looking fierce. Great work.
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Aug 17, 2015 13:44:06 GMT
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Looks ace! What's the plan with the r33 wheels?
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Curtis
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Posts: 622
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cheers chaps, appreciate the kind words The House, they're currently sat in my garage waiting to be sold
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Driving: Shitbox Honda S-MX
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those new wheels make a world of diffrence to the look of the car !
imao it went from good looking to very good looking xD
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Earth Rocker
Part of things
Among the living.....Just!!!
Posts: 215
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Aug 18, 2015 14:57:19 GMT
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I'm quite fancying one of these, what do i need to look out for...
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tenman
Part of things
m00000000000
Posts: 899
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Aug 18, 2015 15:45:43 GMT
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the usual, they are pretty tough... make sure the cambelts done and the brakes can be quite sticky and need work... not noticed any rot on mine at all, the standard alloys look good but are curse word quality on the SE and Sport, dunno about the base model alloys which are slightly smaller...
they are a very nice chassis and feel very stable to drive and very controllable on the twisties, they have a really rather pleasant interior to sit in as well, gearchange feels good, for me the only thing that lets it down is the engine which is gutless and thirsty, it might be worth looking into getting an imported Altezza with the 4-Pot BEAMS engine in it, the 4-pot sounds much better than the 6 as well.
the base model has 16" alloys, the SE has a much better speaker arrangement inside, sunroof and half leather interior and 17" alloys, the Sport is the same as the SE but also has an LSD, shorter springs and a small spoiler at the back, there seems to be a bit of mix and match though, my SE also has the springs and the LSD but not the spoiler, Navigator version comes with Sat-nav as standard but I'm not sure if thats just on the estate sport-cross version.
there is also a 3ltr model about, think these are mainly sport-crosses and are all automatic.
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RWD Fanatic...
2003 BMW 320d Wagon (getting old and boring) 1996 Mini Kensington (SWMBO's)
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Curtis
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Posts: 622
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Aug 19, 2015 10:27:35 GMT
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Tenman got most of it, the 3ltr is the IS300, the sport cross is rare as hell though, much more saloons. They are exclusively automatic. In terms of issues, be wary of poor fuel consumption and power output. Listen and feel for balljoints, they are known to fail and give you about 10 seconds warning before they fire your wheel out of the wing. All the wheels are poor, lacquer peel and rot will kill them off no end, get aftermarket or other oem wheels on or pay for a proper refurb. Give me a shout if you have any questions, I've done a fair bit of research on these cos I'm a sad b*stard
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Driving: Shitbox Honda S-MX
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Curtis
Part of things
Posts: 622
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Nov 17, 2015 18:43:42 GMT
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Haven't updated in a long while, for good reason, bad car accident shattered my arm! Slowly on the mend though so all is well. Little things to keep you interested: 400mm Dildo Shifter (Show use only, 5th turns the high beams on!) And a rare as hell Chrome Altezza Grille, less badge, so cheap as chips Thats it for now, though big things are planned if my compo payout comes soon
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Driving: Shitbox Honda S-MX
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Rich
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,237
Club RR Member Number: 160
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2002 Lexus IS200Rich
@foxmcintyre
Club Retro Rides Member 160
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Nov 17, 2015 18:53:51 GMT
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Just need the toyota badges to Go with the grille for the ultimate JDM look. I like these when done properly, they are really not a bad looker.
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Curtis
Part of things
Posts: 622
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Nov 17, 2015 19:14:21 GMT
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Just need the toyota badges to Go with the grille for the ultimate JDM look. I like these when done properly, they are really not a bad looker. Thing is, I'm not going for the 'JDM' look as such, its a Lexus, it should be badged as such. Its always irritated me seeing cars badged as something they're not, and this would be no different
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Driving: Shitbox Honda S-MX
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