YES finally someone stated how reliable it is. if you do the bare minimum maintenance (and dont take it offroading like i did) it will run absolutely great. i have 245k miles on it and have only replaced the alternator and a few hoses, along with timing belt
I absolutely love my 2001 Is300!! I do the majority of the work on it myself. The only “con” in my opinion is how arduous the simplest task. Ex, replacing the side marker light bulb w/o taking off the bumper. Oil filter in the most awkward spot? The “easy” …Not easy stuff
I've owned a lemon 2001 with 158000km its ignition went, radiator cracked, powersteering pump went, catalytic converters (yes all three) crumbled clogging my exhaust causing it to bog, all inside of 6 months. That aside I fell in love with the characteristics of it and since have owned a 3sge 6spd altezza and currently own a five speed 2002 IS and can firmly say these are my favorite car. Sick car loved the vid
Just bought my '02 manual back in March. Great car. Eventually will put a Cube speed short shifter in it. They say it changes the whole feel of the car for the better.
@@rareeddie7221 2 of my friends got theirs at 160k and had no issues they both had to get rid of them around 185k for personal reasons but they said they were both still running great, hope that helps
They’re actually sport design wheels. Sport designs are extremely rare but if you ever come across an L-Tuned is300, snag it as fast as possible, they are more rare than the sport cross which is the wagon version and were VERY VERY LIMITED in number. It was a test car that started Toyota “TRD”
Ben Ila Yes... they made them in red.. buy it without thinking twice. If it needs repairs, just repair it. They are worth a fortune depending on where you sell them
i own my is300 since 2009 used. the clutch lasted 13 years since brand new in 2004, I've changed the clutch to a two stage Centerforce and a light flywheel in 2017. changed both of the catalytic converters. Just changed my timing belt to a Gates racing timing belt in 2020 and new Cam gears, cam seals, and water pump, no more engine oil leaks because of the cam seals. The engine still runs like a champ, accords it needs a new paint job but as long as you keep up with the maintenance and don't floor the gas pedal to the max every time you drive, your is300 will keep driving like a champ. Maybe a R154 transmission next, im going to get a paint job first.
I have a 2001 IS 300. Never had a breakdown or left me on the side of the road. I now have 290,000 miles on the vehicle. Also as reliable as the engine, the transmission is also going as strong! I'm betting at least 500,000 for this car. I can't sell it because I've become attached to it, lol. Definitely one of the best cars ever made!
I bought an '01 Is300 with only 132,000 miles on it (clean and unmodified). I'm gonna drive it forever, even if I have to do an EV or hydrogen fuel swap one day lol. It's such a solid vehicle and brings me joy every time I drive it. I thought about putting a turbo in it eventually, but I don't even think I need to (it has just enough power and torque to be fun). I also have a V6 LE 2004 Camry with 200,000 miles on it, Toyota's reliability is truly unparalleled.
@@kenji_1240 Still going and no end in sight. We're at 312,000. It's funny I become so attached to this car, it's like a part of my family, 20 plus years now.
Bought a 2002 certified pre owned in 2004 from lawrenceville lexus in nj. I was homeless for a short time and lived out of my car, with that said it never once let me down, only thing bad was the ac compressor died in 2019!!!! Its 2023 with 127,000k and going strong
Didn’t take hard to look that you almost collided with another car. The worst part of a bad driver pulling out likely not anticipating how fast you were going by that you didn’t flinch, adjust or slow down, nothing. It was as if that incident never occurred from the way you held conversation, acceleration and eye contact and not even mention it which tells me the type of driver you are and why your MPG’s are also horrendous
Can't say my IS300 owner experience has been the same. I bought mine for $1400 with a snapped timing belt, about a thousand dollars later it's still a work in progress
@@chrispeck9941 You can get the case for the key for $10 on Amazon. The key itself has the chip in it and as long as it hasn't been stripped out or the metal isn't bent then you can put your key in the new case and done! I replaced mine pretty quickly after I bought it from my buddy.
These keys break very easy when people hold them on the back end of the key to start the car. If you grab the key closer to the front while turning it they last forever
Sport Design Wheels, not all 02+ IS300 come with LSD, you need to check the sticker in the driver's side door well, if it says something like "B02A" then it doesn't have LSD, "B02B, B02C" means you have LSD, the first 3 digits may vary but if it ends with an "A" it doesn't have, "B and C" does have LSD.
I always hear about how bad they are on gas. Yeah. Compared to some cars from then that get 30+ mpg only getting 15-20mpg seems low and for sure wish It was higher. I grew up around trucks and v8 cars. So getting 20mpg is decent gas mileage IMO.
Jesse Snyder definitely agree with you. It’s not bad at all considering the car is from the early 2000’s. Just thinking about how such a slow car can get as low as 15 mpg which a modern muscle car could do much better lol
Got mine 3 years ago, no issues. My 05 auto (swapped the rear diff to the Auto LSD DIFF) smokes 3 series BMW'S all day, THIS CARS FAST AN FUN, and highly capable of being modded. I idk what your issue with MPG, I get above 20mpg's on mine but I'm not stomping on it at every stop sign/light like an idiot try taking your foot out of it like your drag racing all day long. This cars highly reliable, it does have some imenities that. Oukd have been better but its an older car not a new one (take that in consideration when purchasing).
Diego the Lexus is300 is extremely reliable,specially 2003-2005. Mine is a 2004 with 308000 miles and still has the timing belt that was replaced at 90000 miles service.
All the people say "you have to replace the timing belt every 90000 miles or it might mess up your engine if it brakes " but believe me, Toyota uses extreme high quality parts that takes forever to brake apart!
About bad gas mileage. It's just a trade-off. It's better to visit the petrol station a bit more often now and then, rather than claim excellent gas mileage, and leave equivalent (or usually larger) amounts of cash at your local mechanic, which is usually the case with premium German brands. I prefer to spent my money on the car in a predictable way, and my 2001 IS300 SportCross delivers just that. Only thing I have to take care of is a couple of rust spots near the rear wheel arches. It's a common issue with them in climate with severe (salty?) winters. But other than that it's just regular maintenance, plus changing some worn-out seals, rubber gaskets and suspension bushings (remember, those cars are now 20 years old or so, and rubber doesn't get any younger).
I mean I could also be looking at this car because personally I think it's better than its successors being that it has a 2j in it 🤷♂️ lol 2JZ-GTE swap for the win!
Try adding the Royal Purple MAX-ATOMIZER I use to get 15 to 16 mgp on my 2002 IS300 now when I fill up the tank I get 295 to 300 miles when the gas light turns on. Oh and for some reason chevron gasoline gives me really shitty gas mileage on my IS300. Arco gasoline gives me better gas mileage.
I don't know what's going on. We both have the same car, yet my '02 IS300 manual is: - Great in snow (Blizzaks on 16s all winter) - Gets fair gas mileage (23 mixed on 89 octane gas) - Fast (0-60mph in 6.2 secs, 0-100 in 15.9 w/simple, bolt-on mods) Get to work on that thing!
I have a 07 IS250 MT, thinking about trading for a 02 IS300 AT, not sure if its a good trade or not, this is my first MT transmission car and im undecided on it, in some ways its fun but at other times its a hassle and I hate hills lo Im also terrified of the clutch messing up and me having to spend 1500-2000 to fix it lol I kinda miss AT and I absolutely love the look of the IS300 in and out. So 07 IS250 MT good condition vs 02 IS300 AT Decent condition.
It’s really more a matter of preference. Both are damn solid cars that hold their value for sure when taken care of. If you traded for one you just want it to be about equal value.
I disagree with 0:39 my Sportcross does good in snow, you need winter tires and you’ll be good. Otherwise this video was great and you had some really good points.
I did a bit of research as well, and I heard that adding weight in the trunk will help the traction with the wheels and the snow too. I'd still be very careful though. 😅
If you want a manual you may have to pay more due to the higher demand of them and the difficulty of finding one. May get lucky enough to get a good deal on a manual though - that is what i meant.
I have a 2001 is300, the fuel gauge dropped and the gas light is blinking it’s so annoying I have replaced the fuel pump and nothing. Any recommendations on what I could do? Thanks
They're relatively easy to work on if you have some knowledge in working on cars. Engine bay has good amount of room due to inline 6 design. Parts are not that expensive if you know how to look online. Just remember to use quality parts as it will be worth it in the long run. I learned that the hard way.
One problem I see is most people that own these beat the shit out of them and drive them super hard, while doing pointless mods instead of more important maintenance.
YES finally someone stated how reliable it is. if you do the bare minimum maintenance (and dont take it offroading like i did) it will run absolutely great. i have 245k miles on it and have only replaced the alternator and a few hoses, along with timing belt
Extremely reliable! Mine is a 2004 with 307000 miles and still running on the 90000 timing belt!
Just got mine at 245,xxx. Remind me of my 02 camry just rear wheel drive. Not going to lie it definitely run good.
I absolutely love my 2001 Is300!! I do the majority of the work on it myself. The only “con” in my opinion is how arduous the simplest task. Ex, replacing the side marker light bulb w/o taking off the bumper. Oil filter in the most awkward spot? The “easy” …Not easy stuff
I love this car so much I bought two.. one auto, one manual. 😍 Definitely the best car I've ever owned. Way ahead of it's time.
I've owned a lemon 2001 with 158000km its ignition went, radiator cracked, powersteering pump went, catalytic converters (yes all three) crumbled clogging my exhaust causing it to bog, all inside of 6 months. That aside I fell in love with the characteristics of it and since have owned a 3sge 6spd altezza and currently own a five speed 2002 IS and can firmly say these are my favorite car. Sick car loved the vid
Thanks! Agreed, will always have a soft spot for these cars. Unfortunately as they age it will become a pain keeping up with maintenance.
2001 is the worst year
Just bought my '02 manual back in March. Great car. Eventually will put a Cube speed short shifter in it. They say it changes the whole feel of the car for the better.
is 200k miles still good on these cars ?
@@rareeddie7221 2 of my friends got theirs at 160k and had no issues they both had to get rid of them around 185k for personal reasons but they said they were both still running great, hope that helps
They’re actually sport design wheels. Sport designs are extremely rare but if you ever come across an L-Tuned is300, snag it as fast as possible, they are more rare than the sport cross which is the wagon version and were VERY VERY LIMITED in number. It was a test car that started Toyota “TRD”
I came across a 2001 L sport line in my area for $2700 in the crazy lava color. Is that the same??
Ben Ila Yes... they made them in red.. buy it without thinking twice. If it needs repairs, just repair it. They are worth a fortune depending on where you sell them
Ben Ila They also made some in black but mostly red
Ben Ila did you buy it? if not can you link it so i can?
i own my is300 since 2009 used. the clutch lasted 13 years since brand new in 2004, I've changed the clutch to a two stage Centerforce and a light flywheel in 2017. changed both of the catalytic converters. Just changed my timing belt to a Gates racing timing belt in 2020 and new Cam gears, cam seals, and water pump, no more engine oil leaks because of the cam seals. The engine still runs like a champ, accords it needs a new paint job but as long as you keep up with the maintenance and don't floor the gas pedal to the max every time you drive, your is300 will keep driving like a champ. Maybe a R154 transmission next, im going to get a paint job first.
That's awesome. It's a good feeling knowing your car is all caught up with maintenance as well. My clutch is still original from 2002 lol
I have a 2001 IS 300. Never had a breakdown or left me on the side of the road. I now have 290,000 miles on the vehicle. Also as reliable as the engine, the transmission is also going as strong! I'm betting at least 500,000 for this car. I can't sell it because I've become attached to it, lol.
Definitely one of the best cars ever made!
Hell yea!
I bought an '01 Is300 with only 132,000 miles on it (clean and unmodified). I'm gonna drive it forever, even if I have to do an EV or hydrogen fuel swap one day lol. It's such a solid vehicle and brings me joy every time I drive it. I thought about putting a turbo in it eventually, but I don't even think I need to (it has just enough power and torque to be fun). I also have a V6 LE 2004 Camry with 200,000 miles on it, Toyota's reliability is truly unparalleled.
@@chrispeck9941 same thing happened to my key at the screw hole so I just 3D printed the back cover
How’s it going? Still going strong?
@@kenji_1240
Still going and no end in sight. We're at 312,000. It's funny I become so attached to this car, it's like a part of my family, 20 plus years now.
Bought a 2002 certified pre owned in 2004 from lawrenceville lexus in nj. I was homeless for a short time and lived out of my car, with that said it never once let me down, only thing bad was the ac compressor died in 2019!!!! Its 2023 with 127,000k and going strong
I have a 2001 IS300. It had a few issues but overall I still enjoy driving it😊
What issues
Farooq Ali a small oil leak and I believe my rear wheel bearings are shot
I do have 2001 IS300. Can’t fix some issues also.
Did that car almost run into you when you said “let’s find out how fast it goes” ?????
Definitely had my eye on them but thankfully he just stopped in the median! Good catch!
Didn’t take hard to look that you almost collided with another car. The worst part of a bad driver pulling out likely not anticipating how fast you were going by that you didn’t flinch, adjust or slow down, nothing. It was as if that incident never occurred from the way you held conversation, acceleration and eye contact and not even mention it which tells me the type of driver you are and why your MPG’s are also horrendous
Micah Watts YOU COOKED HIM
Can't say my IS300 owner experience has been the same. I bought mine for $1400 with a snapped timing belt, about a thousand dollars later it's still a work in progress
I've owned one about 10 years ago and its one of the best cars I've ever owned aside from the fact that you cant drive in Winter due to the RWD.
Seeing how you inserted and turn the key, I’d understand why you’re having issues. Never had a single key issue with both my LS and GS models, ever!
Yea I learned after my first key that you need to ease into it. It didn't help that mine was cracked already when i got it
@@chrispeck9941 You can get the case for the key for $10 on Amazon. The key itself has the chip in it and as long as it hasn't been stripped out or the metal isn't bent then you can put your key in the new case and done! I replaced mine pretty quickly after I bought it from my buddy.
These keys break very easy when people hold them on the back end of the key to start the car. If you grab the key closer to the front while turning it they last forever
I got an 04 manual, and to get better mpg on highway, slap on the cruise control lol
yea that did help a bit
I used to get 30mpg on highway on my 2004 auto. Using power mode,manual mode and cruise control
These cars are amazing as hell. Grateful to own a sportscross version with only 105,000 miles!
nice ride!
i might buy a 2004 is 300 from a auction and it has 204k miles
Straight to the point 🤟🏽thanks man
just bought a 2004 IS300 for 350$ only issue is the radiator, definitely got a steal
Brooooooo
Sport Design Wheels, not all 02+ IS300 come with LSD, you need to check the sticker in the driver's side door well, if it says something like "B02A" then it doesn't have LSD, "B02B, B02C" means you have LSD, the first 3 digits may vary but if it ends with an "A" it doesn't have, "B and C" does have LSD.
I always hear about how bad they are on gas. Yeah. Compared to some cars from then that get 30+ mpg only getting 15-20mpg seems low and for sure wish It was higher. I grew up around trucks and v8 cars. So getting 20mpg is decent gas mileage IMO.
Jesse Snyder definitely agree with you. It’s not bad at all considering the car is from the early 2000’s. Just thinking about how such a slow car can get as low as 15 mpg which a modern muscle car could do much better lol
Got mine 3 years ago, no issues. My 05 auto (swapped the rear diff to the Auto LSD DIFF) smokes 3 series BMW'S all day, THIS CARS FAST AN FUN, and highly capable of being modded. I idk what your issue with MPG, I get above 20mpg's on mine but I'm not stomping on it at every stop sign/light like an idiot try taking your foot out of it like your drag racing all day long. This cars highly reliable, it does have some imenities that. Oukd have been better but its an older car not a new one (take that in consideration when purchasing).
I have 246,328 miles on mine and she still runs like the day it was bought!
Diego the Lexus is300 is extremely reliable,specially 2003-2005. Mine is a 2004 with 308000 miles and still has the timing belt that was replaced at 90000 miles service.
All the people say "you have to replace the timing belt every 90000 miles or it might mess up your engine if it brakes " but believe me, Toyota uses extreme high quality parts that takes forever to brake apart!
@@coesforever1735 wow 🤩
I thought I was the only one pushing my luck - Same story here man; Thanks for the encouragement haha
@@alcantarainterior8078 . 320k miles right now
About bad gas mileage. It's just a trade-off. It's better to visit the petrol station a bit more often now and then, rather than claim excellent gas mileage, and leave equivalent (or usually larger) amounts of cash at your local mechanic, which is usually the case with premium German brands. I prefer to spent my money on the car in a predictable way, and my 2001 IS300 SportCross delivers just that. Only thing I have to take care of is a couple of rust spots near the rear wheel arches. It's a common issue with them in climate with severe (salty?) winters. But other than that it's just regular maintenance, plus changing some worn-out seals, rubber gaskets and suspension bushings (remember, those cars are now 20 years old or so, and rubber doesn't get any younger).
fair response, if you take care of it; it will take care of you
I mean I could also be looking at this car because personally I think it's better than its successors being that it has a 2j in it 🤷♂️ lol 2JZ-GTE swap for the win!
Theres no need to swap a 2jz gte in it. Keep the 2jz ge and turbo it
If you are gonna swap. Get an is200
Just turbocharge the 2JZGE. It costs less and you can get just as much power if you are shooing for under 500HP and reliability.
Try adding the Royal Purple MAX-ATOMIZER I use to get 15 to 16 mgp on my 2002 IS300 now when I fill up the tank I get 295 to 300 miles when the gas light turns on. Oh and for some reason chevron gasoline gives me really shitty gas mileage on my IS300. Arco gasoline gives me better gas mileage.
I will give that a try! Thanks for the recommendation
@@chrispeck9941 Let me know if it works out for you.
I don't know what's going on. We both have the same car, yet
my '02 IS300 manual is:
- Great in snow (Blizzaks on 16s all winter)
- Gets fair gas mileage (23 mixed on 89 octane gas)
- Fast (0-60mph in 6.2 secs, 0-100 in 15.9 w/simple, bolt-on mods)
Get to work on that thing!
Oh wait, I forgot to mention that mine also has over 300k miles on the odo and still purrs like a cat.
I own an auto in Australia. I once babied the heck out of it and drove only on the highway and got 8.5 L/100KM which is around 28 mpg
Bro nice video! I’d prefer to have a minor hood dent than to have faded paint (my 2000 red civic)
I have a 07 IS250 MT, thinking about trading for a 02 IS300 AT, not sure if its a good trade or not, this is my first MT transmission car and im undecided on it, in some ways its fun but at other times its a hassle and I hate hills lo
Im also terrified of the clutch messing up and me having to spend 1500-2000 to fix it lol
I kinda miss AT and I absolutely love the look of the IS300 in and out.
So 07 IS250 MT good condition vs 02 IS300 AT Decent condition.
Dang I’d totally trade you mine for that lol I can vouch for the is300 though. It’s a solid car I love driving it.
Michael Diette a couple other people said keep my 250, it would be a bad trade on my part than?
It’s really more a matter of preference. Both are damn solid cars that hold their value for sure when taken care of. If you traded for one you just want it to be about equal value.
I have an 05 fully loaded is300 with less than a 100k on the dash. Kbb sets it about 6200 give or take
Michael Diette damn where you live I’d trade you lol
Some 2001 came with lsd also
oh didn't know that! - as far as I know 2002+ all had lsd
@@chrispeck9941 lsd was an optional package. My '02 has no lsd
itsn1ck you’re right seems like 5 speed and 02+ is mostly manual. Best way to find out is to look at rear diff and if it says M85 then it’s an lsd.
mine does
Most reliable car ever
Me who buys a 250k mile oem manuel engine blown for 4.8k$ 👍
I disagree with 0:39 my Sportcross does good in snow, you need winter tires and you’ll be good.
Otherwise this video was great and you had some really good points.
I did a bit of research as well, and I heard that adding weight in the trunk will help the traction with the wheels and the snow too. I'd still be very careful though. 😅
Just bought a sportcross wagon with 60k miles. Noticing the area where the gear lever / cup holder area gets warm. Is this normal?
Manuals on seem hard to find in america cause here in nz there is more 6 speed manuals than autos and have a better motor lol lucky me
I've had my 1is for 15 years and i've never had the key fob problem
I found a manual I’m going to snag it up
which steering knob was this?
I'm getting 22MPG in my '03 automatic.
The 5 spoke are sport wheels
Thinking about buying one it’s pretty clean but 189k miles I’d pay 5800 what you think ?
If it’s manual yes otherwise try to negotiate down to 5
30k miles in 6 years? Do you even drive bro? Looking into a 2004, good video man 👌
Jordan Hanly a lot of it I was at college so that’s why. I babied this thing
So what i misheard is that if it's an automatic you have to pay for premium fuel and if you find a manual you dont?
If you want a manual you may have to pay more due to the higher demand of them and the difficulty of finding one. May get lucky enough to get a good deal on a manual though - that is what i meant.
Alex. Both cars run on premium gas
The engine requires 91 octane "PERIOD" due to the compression ratio. Auto or Manual doesn't change that fact.
I have a 2001 is300, the fuel gauge dropped and the gas light is blinking it’s so annoying I have replaced the fuel pump and nothing. Any recommendations on what I could do? Thanks
did u fix the issue?
These engines run to 300 K on a regular
What is the difficulty of working on these cars. And is it expensive , or cheap to look for parts.
They're relatively easy to work on if you have some knowledge in working on cars. Engine bay has good amount of room due to inline 6 design. Parts are not that expensive if you know how to look online. Just remember to use quality parts as it will be worth it in the long run. I learned that the hard way.
Chris Peck thanks for the help. Would you recommend this a good first car to buy ?
@@ADChopz yes I would it was my first
One problem I see is most people that own these beat the shit out of them and drive them super hard, while doing pointless mods instead of more important maintenance.
That is a very good point. Good to see how many precious owners it had and make sure it wasn’t some kid who just got his license
Mine is a 04 and has 255k miles he’s saying the truth 😏
I got a 02 but when i burn out one only wheel spins why is that?
Check what engraving is on your diff. If it's M85 than it's a lsd
Im buying an 05 model woth 89k miles tomorrow
Nice find!
Bro how much money would u spend on a weekly on gas ? Just curious
Ricky Jimenez full tank lasts 2 weeks for me which was around 40$ premium fuel
@@chrispeck9941 .........The horrible gas mileage is really one of the only downsides of owning a IS300 IMO.
Doesnt the 2jz-ge have a timing chain not a belt?
Carson AC it’s a belt
thanks
16 miles per gallon?!
yessir it's terrible i know
@@chrispeck9941. 16mpg highway or city?
@@coesforever1735 mostly city
B A L L J O I N T S
froggo doggo I replaced it and still no luck
Altezza is the car u want
The 05 has a 2jz ge
Just got one and it’s dying :/
Let’s get to the part we all wanna see do the automatics burn out Orr wqwww
They came with 217hp and 218 ft lbs of torque but close enough lol
I got 215hp when I looked it up. But not enough to matter anyway. What it comes down to, is that it's slow lol
Chris Peck fair lol all motors make different numbers anyway so it’s irrelevant, plan on boosting my MT is300 to give it some more
@@dr.dodrugs8963 that's true especially with how old these cars are. Sweet man these things sound so good boosted
Bruh, those are LE wheels 😆 you got scammed 🤣
Bro what you mean not good in snow. It’s real good in the show, if you know how to drive.
Hahaha bad on gas... *me with my jeep getting 8 mpg*
Yeah the keys are poorly made and fragile and break easy - *JAB* *TURN*
Strait pipe it