[ComposiMo]

Well, at least from a daily driving perspective... lol :lol:

So its been no secret recently with me that i have been wanting something very nice as a daily driver... and by 'nice', i mean quiet, plush, slushbox... "urban appliance"

I got misdirected from that path not too long ago by purchasing a set of wheels for my 4Runner, thinking that would solve my desire for a nicer vehicle, by making my truck look nicer, and shutting it up all at the same time (tire noise)... well, when that unfortunately fell through because of the wheels not actually fitting a vehicle they were designed to fit (4x4 hub was too big), i threw my arms up in the air and said SCREW IT!... or something to that effect.. hehe.

A week or two later, i found my new baby... a 2001 Lexus IS300.

I'm still building my new project CRX of course, but it got delayed a tad by this purchase... car payments suck, cause you wind up paying twice what the car is worth... lol! So thankfully i had enough saved up, and sold off a few parts i didn't need anymore, and bought it outright.

This car has plenty of enthusiast support, its very modifiable if need be, and quiet-n-comfy to ride in... a/c is perfect, interior is damn near perfect, and it is based on one of the most bulletproof (reliability-wise) engines Toyota has ever made. And since it is in the same 2JZ family as the Supras 2JZ-GTE, that swap is not out of this world to do... but thats not why i bought the car... motor-wise, it'll be staying stock for a long time to come.

Just got back from driving it on its first road trip of sorts, and it did it very very nicely... i love this car. It handles great, has 'ok' acceleration (faster than the 4Runner, which i was ok with how fast IT was, so... ), and its a damn comfy ride.

 

[xJamesX]

MMM I've always wanted one of those....to bad I'm a poor one day I'll have a nice luxury daily driver.

Looks good. Nice choice on the color. Any plans for Wheels? or suspension?

-James-

 

[ComposiMo]

Thanks! Yea, it is a sweet ride... i've always had my eye on them, but they were always more than i really wanted to spend on a car. This was a touch out of that reach as well.... but i really really wanted it. lol! Definite 'yes' on the wheels/tires/suspension though...

I'm looking into some slightly cooler looking wheels (i actually like the stockers though), but mostly i want to change the tires to a slightly smaller diameter to affect the speedometer... i want it to read faster than i'm going (psychological thing). Its worked nicely in my 4Runner for a couple years now... hehe. Either that, or see if there is a way to change the display speed in the computer.

As for the suspension, i'd like to bring the ride height down a touch, but i like how the suspension feels, so i won't be too keen on making it much stiffer than it already is.

 

[dohcrxl]

Sall good long as it's a Toyota, or it's blue, in either case it is.

Hey John, did you consider that say for example if you get smaller tires and the speedo reads 63 when you're actually going 60, that's a 5% increase on the mileage being put on the car? This means that if if you put 190k on the car, it'll actually read 200 and you'll depreciate 10k miles though you shouldn't've. Then again, a guy who can buy an "is" cash isn't worried about that.

 

[ComposiMo]

yea, i thought about that, and i DO care... but also, it already has 95k on it. It'll be depreciated enough shortly, and to the point where i don't believe that slight change in mileage will affect the car price much... lol!

 

[coldtotouch]

Congrats dude! thats a nice car!

I have read the 2JZ GTE isn't a direct swap in! There is quite a bit of work involved... (nothing you can't handle though )

 

[I4sillypwr]

MINT AS CRAP!!!!!

I want one.

 

[Jonny_Black]

looks sweet john..I am so jealous

 

[red89si]

I havent heard of swapping in the 2JZGTE into the IS until now, theres a guy here in wichita who is either building or has built a complete turbo kit for his IS300...

Heres his website, the name of the guy who owns the shop is Ray, I highly recommend looking into it :wink:
http://www.fusionworksracing.com/

 

[ComposiMo]

cold: Yea, it isn't... but its close Its all good though, the likelyhood of me actually -doing- the swap, is very low... i've basically said the 2J will only happen if there is a major problem with this engine first.

I4: well, it has flaws... for what i paid for it, i'd expect it to, but its still way purdier than my 4Runner... hehe

Jonny_B: Its ok, you're still faster than i am

red: Thanks for the link. If i ever decide to do a turbo kit for this though, i'll be building it myself There are a lot of turbo IS's out there... this may wind up being yet another one :twisted: But not for quite some time. I'm happy with the speed as-is.

 

[red89si]

red: Thanks for the link. If i ever decide to do a turbo kit for this though, i'll be building it myself

I thought that would be what youd say 8) My main reason for posting the link is if you wanted to "compare notes".....

 

[SETI20]

hmmmm.......[ponders]....

I approve.

 

[rex2nr]

looks sexy...I'd hit it.... 2X!

 

[Dren]

pimpin, glad you bought this over a benz

keep it stock! even though it'll be hard to do...

 

[ryan_long_01]

FOUR DOORS?! Ack, Grandpa!

Nice ride...I woulda gone BMW, but I'm sure this was a better deal and will be cheaper/easier to maintain.

 

[toxiclows]

Very nice ride..... . . .some times it is nice too to have a nice comfy car just to drive..... and not be stuck in yer ride that rides like poop and requires work and thought to drive... . . some times it just feels good to drive some luxury and you sure got it..... I REALLY REALLY like that car... . . . .and the blue with the black windows looks killer.. . . . . . Congrads man..... you did well for yourself there. . .

Chris

 

[ComposiMo]

red: its all good. I won't be doing this for some time though, but when i do, i already have the entire thing planned/mapped out... should be fun

Dren: Me to... the Benz was cool and all, but this was basically just as nice imho, and had better 'workability' from a mechanics-point of view.. muuuuch easier to work on.

ryan: Hey, if you gotta be a grandpa to rock this thing, then i say give me my fuggin walker! lol!!! This actually was more expensive than the Benz and Bimmers i was looking at (not by a lot, but still), but it'll definitely be a bit easier to maintain and work on for me.

toxic: That is the exact line of thinking with this car... easy, it runs great, is quiet as hell, is nice and smooth, the a/c works great, the tint is nice (although i will be getting it replaced with something less-dark), and yea... sometimes it feels nice to be able to just hop into something, and know it'll be like chillin in your la-z-boy at home

 

[Devin]

I am extremly envious. Ive wanted that car since I saw this one in Super Street awhile back (Dec. of some year). It was boosted, and was JDM *drool*. All the work was done by TRD too. One day Ill have an IS. Till then Ill just stare at yours :shock: