[ME]

It seems like a lot of people have decided to get the IS before they've even driven one. This is a car we're talking about, isn't the way it drives the biggest factor in your decision? Especially considering the early reviews of the car aren't that great. Just wondering, I would think with a sports coupe the character of the car would be most important.

 

[chiem]

I'll definitely be test driving it and deciding between it and the 330ci.

A lot of people complain about understeer, but that's not a very bad thing. Oversteer is dangerous. Understeer just means that the front tires skid before the rear tires do. Sounds strange, considering that this car is front heavy. If you lower the tire pressure in the front wheels just a tad, this might be enough to compensate and make it neutral ?

--k

 

[TEG]

I plan to move the battery to the trunk and have the suspension tuned when the car is lowered. Hopefully they can get it to be a bit more neutral.

Everyone I have talked to who has actually driven one says that they are great fun to drive! The handling issues are probably at the extreme limit which I don't plan to do (much).

 

[JW]

A bigger rear anti-roll bar may help if you don't want to spend a lot of money on aftermarket shocks and springs.

[This message has been edited by JW (edited June 03, 2000).]

 

[Longhorn]

I agree, ME. I don't understand these
people who buy a new model before even
seeing it and driving it. It's obviously
an ego thing. They have to be the first
on the block to get one, no matter what.

 

[tony]

I have my heart set on the IS, but the drive is the final word. I don't think anybody here is going to buy the car without driving - that's like buying a house without even looking at it. Still, I want to get out of this ES300 so bad!

Since I'll probably end up with the springs, I'll need to get the alignment done anyway and can work on that over/understeer. Unfortunately I don't have years of suspension expert experience like I get from the Miata people. (There's a set of alignment specs that are accepted as optimal for the miata, you just bring those to the shop.

) So we'll have to bug the Altezza folks for some input.

 

[SpectraBlueIS300]

ME,
I'm sure most people in this forum WILL go on the test drive before they buy any car. Everyone (or at least myself) is talking like they plan to buy this car because they ANTICIPATE that the IS 300 will be a great car based on:

1) The car did extremely well as the Altezza and IS 200.

2) Renowned Lexus reliability and performance.

I admit that I have put a deposit down, but it is fully REFUNDABLE contingent on a test drive (it even says that on my deposit receipt). So to conclude, yes it would be silly to buy a car without test driving it, but I think you're making a wrong assumption here.

 

[Brandon]

What kind of a stupid question was that? Of course we are all going to test it before we like it, but like spectra said, we love the car so far, and it has done well in other places, so we expect it will here to.

 

[torque]

ME: You will have to excuse Brandon's
lack of civility and manners. After all,
he is young--and from California. Your
question was not stupid at all. There
are plenty of people who buy cars without
taking them for a test drive.

 

[Brandon]

hey dumbass, no he should excuse that comment, and what does coming from california have to do with anything? Half the people in this forum are from california. So to you, mr. torque, go masturbate, itll do a body good.

 

[TEG]

Sorry Brandon - I think you are proving his point...

 

[torque]

Thanks for your comment, TEG. And
thanks to you, Brandon, for validating
my initial post in such an eloquent
manner.

 

[TEG]

Don't let it go to your head, Torque - us Californians might really start to take offence.

We were both 16 once too, right?

BTW, torque, care to tell us how old you are and where you are from?

 

[TEG]

By the way - Brandon - you were awesome for going to Lexus HQ and getting those early pix of the IS300 for us.

Also my mom was never hip enough to consider a car like the IS300...

 

[torque]

No problem, TEG:
Occupation: Emergency Room physician
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Age: 41
Yes, I was 16 once, but I was raised
to respect the opinions of others and
to treat others in a way I would like
to be treated. Obviously, there are
some individuals in this forum who
do not adhere to such a philosophy.
"C'est la vie."

 

[TEG]

Well said, torque.

Luckily (for you), you weren't around when the old site was "really active" with posts from "partygirl", "pimpee" and "crackwhore".

Opinions were flowing quite unfettered by manners!

Brandon is quite polite in comparison.

[This message has been edited by TEG (edited June 04, 2000).]

 

[Brandon]

Thank you TEG, you know, if you look at my initail post, you would see that it wasnt all that obnoxious and "California" like as "torque?" said. I still think it was a dumb question, because really, unless you are so rich and frankly dont care what you are buyin, who would not test drive the car before you buy it.... duh. The only reason i insulted back, was because he made a really, un 41year old remark of, must be those californians. Just wait till you here what we think of y'all out here. YOu know i respect elders, just not idiot like you (torque), but i totally respect TEG and just about everything he has to say. So I think you should take your Nerse ass off this forum and buy a b'mer, because you seem like the type that would.

 

[dude]

Torque:

A very wise comment..... That's exactly how I was taught and raised......

I always thought people like you have been extinct....

 

[TEG]

I probably should have stayed out of this topic!

1> I am being an "idiot" by committing to buy an IS300 before I have even test driven one.
[My big ego is telling me that I know enough about the car already from all the magazine reviews because some publications (like Autoweek) have proven to be "so right on" about other cars (that I eventually drove) that I feel I know more from their reviews than from my own observations]

2> I am a native born Californian...

Oh, and I play way too much QuakeII as well.

 

[TEG]

Another reason why I actually feel (somewhat) OK about deciding to get this car before actually driving it:

To me, cars these days have become far more uniform than in years past. Often when renting a strange car I just hop in and drive and feel (almost) like I am driving "every other" rental car I have had in recent years. The car makers follow similar schools of ergonomic design and test the heck out of things to the point that cars drive alot more similarly than they used to.

Now don't flame me because I am saying that everything is the same... My main point is that I can say (with some confidence) that I know pretty well that I can get into most any mainstream vehicle and drive it comfortably.

The long term issues are ones that I probably wouldn't catch on a test drive anyways.