'04 IS300 - Project (Not Really) Nice Daily

[fiveoh2go]

I second Jake on keeping the OE wheels. They're clean, understated, and FREE....leaves more munnies for turbozzz. :twisted:

[Goodspeed]

Nice pickup :thumbup: I think this makes you the 4th one in the club over the years (you + Rex, Laura & Lee, were there others?

Thanks! I think David M has a red 5 speed one too

Re: lip, I am doing more research. Properly fitting the first one in my earlier post might require custom brackets and drilling, might be more of a pain in the ass than it's worth...I will probably do some wheels and a slight drop and see if it still seems warranted.

And thanks for the support/seceding hate on the trans (how it warmed me though) - I honestly have 0.0 regrets. Hell, I played with the manual mode the other day and actually….kind of…liked it. It was kinda lethargic in its response I guess (I haven’t driven anything flappy paddle etc. to compare it to), but it did what I asked and was less gimmicky than I expected. There is a “power” button that apparently sharpens throttle response, and even when left in D the auto box actually seems pretty damn smart:

[youtube]IMWWCneCSwI[/youtube]

For cruising around/stop’n’go and hitting the occasional autocross, I think it’ll do quite nicely. If I buy an auto MKIV though, rip the wing off and beat me with it.

TE37 Time Attacks... don't overlook these please

If I might add my suggestion, Work VS KF

Mmmm…I would much like to have JDM hotness like the Volks but I will have to ball on a budget with this. I do like the stockers a lot, but I think these cars really come alive with a mild drop and slightly larger + wider 18’s:

(factory riced L-Tuned model, but slightly lower on 18's)

[Jake]

Thanks! I think David M has a red 5 speed one too

Had one, he sold it a little over a year ago I believe. It had weird clearcoat peel in spots, apparently a Toyota/Lexus thing with red paint? So I've heard.

[navin]

A buddy of mine tracked his 'automatic' IS300 for awhile before purchasing Rex's 5spd IS300.... it can be done Goodspeed, no excuses.

[Goodspeed]

A buddy of mine tracked his 'automatic' IS300 for awhile before purchasing Rex's 5spd IS300.... it can be done Goodspeed, no excuses.

I just received my silver license plate frames, am I doing it right?

[ScottyB]

kinda meh on these personally. a little too late 90's/early 00's "tuner style" to me.

i've seen a couple IS's on low/mid offset wheels and its perfect every time.

[interfooler]

Nice! I'm jealous, haha. I was actually trying to find a good condition is300 (manual, though) before getting the fr-s. Unfortunately, every one I looked at was either ragged out, was in a wreck, or was overpriced by a good bit.

I was always a fan of BBS rk -styled wheels on the car. Here's a pic of one on Works


And Team Lexus


You should see if you can find a mazurri or team lexus header, haha. They sound so sick

[Goodspeed]

Nice! I'm jealous, haha. I was actually trying to find a good condition is300 (manual, though) before getting the fr-s. Unfortunately, every one I looked at was either ragged out, was in a wreck, or was overpriced by a good bit.

That's honestly another reason I sought out an auto. I believe the numbers are something like 1 in 10 manual vs. auto, and by this point I bet most of them have been through multiple owners who bestowed them with questionable mods and just generally beat on them. I knew my chance of finding a really clean/well maintained example at a fair price was astronomically higher with an auto.

And it's funny you mention the BBS's...I came across a pic of them like you posted the other day and it did look damn good :thumbup:

[SlimKlim]

The IS is one of the few cars I actually like CCWs on



Mmmmmmmm meaty

[*insertusernamehere*]

If I might add my suggestion, Work VS KF

Jon, go home. You are pissed drunk.

[JPolen01]

:dunno: I love those wheels

[RawrImAMonster]

If I might add my suggestion, Work VS KF

Jon, go home. You are pissed drunk.

They look like what I would imagine walmart selling if they sold actual aftermarket wheels instead of just hubcaps.

[Jake]

:dunno: I love those wheels

They look like knockoff Torque-Thrusts or whatever the fuck older Mustang guys put on their cars. Which only look good on those cars some of the time.

The first Denali I looked at had something in a similar style. I hated 'em.

[JPolen01]

You all are nuts. The Work VS KF look nothing like those autozone specials on the denali


Official thread jack

[ScottyB]

POLEN STAHP YOU ARE DRUNK

[fiveoh2go]

:dunno: I love those wheels

They look like knockoff Torque-Thrusts or whatever the fuck older Mustang guys put on their cars.

LOL wut?

Bruh, those look nothing like Torq Thrust D's, Magnum 500's, Cragar SS wheels, or anything else outside of the fact that all of them are round.

[ViPER1313]

Yea Jon, those look like something that you would have bought from Sears in 2001, and only because all the prettier wheels were out of stock and you just needed something cheap to mount your snow tires on.

[Jake]

Bruh, those look nothing like Torq Thrust D's, Magnum 500's, Cragar SS wheels, or anything else outside of the fact that all of them are round.

The style of the spoke is close enough for me to not like them because a Denali, much like an IS300, is not a Mustang.

[xvxax]

Ah yes, really looking forward to periodic oil change updates with detailed step by step photography on this one.

Syke, congrats on the pick up. Definitely more sporty than the old ride. Do the automatics come with LSD?

[Goodspeed]

Whoops, forgot about this for a while.

Ah yes, really looking forward to periodic oil change updates with detailed step by step photography on this one.

Syke, congrats on the pick up. Definitely more sporty than the old ride. Do the automatics come with LSD?

Some of the autos did, alas, mine does not. I will test its ice-fishing abilities at the next opportunity

I just picked it up yesterday from the shop that did the TB/WP service as well as the other odds and ends - fluid changes, while-you're-in-there seals, etc. They also found that the brakes were getting a bit worn and suggested replacing them before the next inspection, so I had some Centric blanks with the nice e-coating shipped to them, paired with OEM pads. Unexpected, but I have no problems paying for solid brakes after all is said and done, so I don't mind the extra outlay.

They also found the front lower control arms had crusty bushings that again may summon the wrath of certain inspectors, and the front swaybar end-links were also past due. I had heard them clunking around a bit and figured I'd do them myself with a set of sways in the future, but better to do them now. Unfortunately, the LCA (technically the "front lower rear" LCA) is a dealer only part. D'oh...that one hurt a bit. But, the car drives amazingly now, a noticeable improvement and feels tighter than before.

The only other things to sort out are 1) a dying air mix servo in the a/c system - this is a little motor that actuates some flapper doors to route air for either heat or A/C. Moving the temp dial to cold causes some faint whirring and ticking behind the dash. About $100 for a new one, and a fairly straightforward fix - I pulled the glovebox out to do the cabin air filter and it's a few extra screws and some ducting removal to get to the servo and replace it.

And 2)....possibly...the headlight auto-leveling system. The idiot light on the dash came on for this , basically there are two level sensors on the driver's side (in both wheel wells) and a set of motors in each housing to adjust the lights for hills and stuff. I called the shop back in case they knocked something loose or left something unplugged, and they offered to check it out for me so I'll take it back later this week. There are a few shadetree fixes for the problem, and new level sensors are 50 bucks each.

So my Lexus is behaving slightly Audi but, I still love it.