archangels

folks who own is 300 how reliable are they? and are they more reliable and a better choice then bmw or mercedes? i want to get a little taste on luxury but a little reliable? any suggestions? i already got advise from some bmw and mb forums, now i want advise of folks who own is 300's thanks... oh and im new to this forum

mkiiina

is300 hands down, no real issues minus the cd changer being a pain.

remember that any car can be only as reliable as its owner. dont do routine maintaince and you have no one to blame but yourself.

BlueIS05

No issues here in 30K+ miles...except for a blown cigarette lighter fuse which was simple to replace by going to the local auto parts store. Pretty good I'd say...

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

Ultimate reliability will no doubt go to the Lexus IS300 and pretty much any Japanese made car over German. However, while the reliability of a BMW may not be on the same level as the Lexus, or other JDM made car, it is not that bad. It's not like it will constantly leave you stranded, or it will be in the shop for repairs every week or month. Things may or may not break down in the BMW more often, but they are not unreliable. My previous E36 BMW and my current 2002 330i has never broken down on me and left me stranded. My SC400; however, left me stranded once or twice due to a bad fuel pump ECU.

If I were a betting man, I'd put money on the Lexus being more reliable more often than not. However, I have no problem buying the BMW since they are good cars and not nearly as unreliable as people make them out to be.

If you are just looking for ultimate potential reliability just get the IS300.

97-SC300

iTrader: (17)

Agreed with the rest, IS300 is a very reliable car.

archangels

i know ive heard the toyota luxury division is strong on reliability, but for a price of an 1s300 vs gs300 which one bette choice almost same price range and both reliable... thanks

archangels

how does that auto shifter work? lets say if i own one will it really shift like a stick shift and wont mess up nothing? hows it work i was thinking if i get bored with auto i could use the auto manuel shift? thanks is this a fun car to drive and
accelerate with no lag thanks

archangels

which one you like better out of the is300 the regular sedan or sportcross? for some reason the sport cross is rare and i like it because it looks different

archangels

do most have the automanuel version? or stick shift? hows it like to use the automanuel seems interesting... thanks

mkiiina

flip a coin between the 2. the gs will have a little more space than the is but thats about it as most of the underpinnings are similiar

i have a 5spd supra and an e-shift is300 and im sorry, but they arent the same. no auto car will be a manual but the e-shift is a great toy to have (i actually use it on a regular basis zipping in traffic and soon to be autocrossing it.

i own a sportcross and yes they are rare. our best information says that between 3k-5k were imported and sold from 02-05. i love my sportx in that i can actually haul stuff around (just took my old stock rims to fedex, 2 big boxes, plus me and my buddy without issue to ship) heres mine ->







the sportx was not available in manual here in the states. the manual in the sedan is pretty had to find.

archangels

wow that sport cross is amazing looking for some reason im drawn to it... i think because it's different? i guess because it doesnt look like your average wagon luxury looks more like half car hatchback or something, plus you won't see much of those come around, i figure if i bought a regular is300 it will look like most then if i bought one of these sport cross id be different with one as they are rare... how does the auto manuel work? do you put shifter all the way down to last slot then move it left or right and is there a guage or something that says what gear you are on? moving it to right increases gears ? very interesting and different but sonds like fun... because if i get bored of automatic i can use auto manuel kool technology... nice rides you know more info on these and more pics of ones on this forum that i can see? are parts same like sedan? thanks

mkiiina

to answer your question, yes 90% of upgrades for the sedan fit the SportX. The biggest thing is fewer spoilers (personally like the stock one myself) and the rear bumper is what you are stuck with unless you go custom like TWSTD.

Past that intake, exhaust, wheels, body parts, interior. All the same.

archangels

thanks seems like i got better replies on reliability on the lexus products vs. bmw vs mercedes but they ar 3 amazing products that are nice thanks for your help

mrlexusmn

The Lexus wins hands down. I've had a auto IS I drove 35k miles, no problems, and a 5spd I drove 107k miles. Neither spent even an hour in the shop for anything.....find me a BMW or MB that can say that....The 107K car drives like the day is was new. Original clutch, brakes, and everything. Great cars.

mkiiina

/\ if you have 107k on your stock original clutch you arent driving the car hard enough