Why are these never discussed here?

Seems like it should be a meme car, but I've only seen a couple of mentions of it here in the past several years. Is it because the manual trans is so rare/everyone rides the bus?

I'm trying to pick between one of these and an AP1 S2k, kind of leaning towards the IS, it seems a more rational practical choice. There's a clean well-maintained manual one with 120k miles for sale in my area for $8000 exactly like pic related, the cheapest AP1 in good shape is like 12-13k. Should I pull the trigger? Seems like a hell of a car, like a Toyota 3-series or some shit

id rather have a g8 gxp

The E46 was better in terms of power and handling.

However yes its a proper substitute for it, as well as being more reliable.

You would need a 330+ to have more power than the puny little 2.5 in this car. The engine makes bmw fags look silly.

Also no one wants a fwd Pontiac from their dark ages

>G8
>FWD

>2.5
Uhhh, you're not from Murica, are you? They came with the 3.0L 2JZ-GE, the 2.5 was the 1JZ, but that never came with these

My bad, I have a 92 lexus and it was made with a 1j. The 2j makes 330 power so my point still stands. Toyota made engines just as hot as bmw.

Also my bad, I thought you were referring to a different Pontiac that wasn't designed in Australia and that actually sold in large numbers

>Great build quality
>Steering quick as hell and very responsive
>Manual trans feels weird, no clutch feel or shifter feel. Has a clutch damper and even removing it, it still shifts weird.
>Gauges are cool
>Stock damping is pretty GOAT. Shit's great.
>Very reliable, but if you have to remove the starter you're fucked and need to remove the engine halfway lol.
>Audio system is very good from factory, AC is also very good
>Decently quick, nothing to go home about.
>Very easy to slide

>Interior controls are clicky and cheap
>Seats (leather) are stiff as shit and are wide with no bolstering. Also very slippery. They suck hoe dick.
>18-20 mpg for ~200hp, also needs premium for 200hp.
>Most dashboards get sticky and the IS300 was the only Lexus that didn't get the recall for it at the time. Will rub off but it will turn light brown.
>Cassette player lol
>Cat converters (2) are part of the exhaust manifold, it'll get the P0420 code always.
>Throttle and brake pedal are so far apart and unequally spaced from the firewall that it's literally impossible to heel toe.

I own an 03 w/ manual trans, let me know what you need to know.

230 horsepower*

The 2jz-ge in the first gen Is only made 230 at the most.

I don't know where you're pulling 330 from.

E46 was a better car and still is apples to apples.

>Manual trans feels weird, no clutch feel or shifter feel. Has a clutch damper and even removing it, it still shifts weird.

Interesting, I've heard about the damper removal but how does it feel weird? I drive a 2000's Subaru right now and the shifter feels like stirring a bowl of Jell-o with a pool noodle, so kind of like a 90's BMW, anything you can compare it to? I don't expect a Miata shifter but I don't want it to feel like shit I guess.

I hit the touge daily, does it still perform like a Japanese meme machine should in terms of cornering/sliding/fun? The inability to heel-toe kind of worries me, I have pretty big feet and roll onto the gas pedal with the outer edge of the foot while braking with my toe, not actually rotating my foot and using the heel, I looked up some photos of the IS300 pedal assembly and while the spacing does look weird it seems manageable.

>Sticky Dash
ugh this seems pretty gross, how is it to live with?

Can I put a mat over it or resurface it somehow?

>it'll get the P0420 code always.
Fuck yea I get the P0420 code always If u kno what I mean

Thanks dude

I would definitely leave it stock besides maybe wheels/tires, I don't need a racecar but something spirited is nice

> If you can get one where you live i would go for the GS300
Meh, 400 pounds heavier and autotragic only

What a coincidence, I just got this one. I don't know what year it is but it's the 3SGE BEAMS with a 6 speed

Things I've noticed
>solid built car, but hell its a late 90's/00's Toyota
>steering is light but quick and direct
>Numb as fuck throttle, I can change gears without having a bit of a lurch about 70% of the time
>I fucking hate having Reverse and 1st together
>BEAMS engine sounds angry, revs to 8K, but nothing to write home about in terms of power
Stock suspension is very floaty at high speed

Overall I give it a 5/10

cool, is this an Altezza then?

BEAMS is easily one of my favorite NA motors, I always thought it would e a bit gutless in a ~3300 pound car though

you really don't know the year lmao?

Yeah Altezza. I really don't know what year it it lol it was $750 and it's a temporary car

Turbo the BEAMS, you won't regret it

I have one that I riced up, I have the auto 5 speed. Sucks fuel because the gearing ratios, but makes for good acceleration. Overall it's a perfect first car, I use it as my daily.

I'm sure it'd be cool but nah, this thing is destined to get sold and maybe even become a missile

I really want one with the beams engine. Seems like a good daily.

>>Steering quick as hell and very responsive

The steering and clutch/shifter feel are absolutely terrible. I felt like the car didn't respond/communicate with you until you were close to its limits compared to my chatty BMWs and Hondas that feel entertaining even at 6/10ths. And the shifter is truck-like.

Honestly, a AP1 and a IS300 are leagues apart in how they drive. The IS is the better daily but the AP1 is one of the benchmarks for sports cars in its class, next to the E36/46 M3 and RX8.

On that note, get a RX8 and a $1500 Corolla. Spend the rest on deferred maintenance on both, and stash the leftover for when the motor pops on the RX8. They're great sports cars but garbage daily drivers and horrible 1/4 mile cars. .

It was a joke. The is300 gets mentioned all the time except it is understood that in the US they are all fucked by the previous 4 boiracer owners and still have muh 2jz tax so people reccommend the SC300 moreso since it is slightly easier to find a clean one.

That's why you fuck getting the RX8, spend the money on a 3rd gen 3SGTE with the S54 LSD trans and put it into the corolla

One of the guys at my work drove one of these, I kind of got the impression that it was a better looking Subie without the stigma. Having both friends and a two seater has made me appreciate the aspect of having a sedan. Definitely thinking about getting one of these for my next car, they run around 5-8k in my general area, manuals are few and far between but don't seem to have some exorbitant drifter tax on it, and after working on my current car so often I'm also beginning to crave something with a bit less maintenance, that Toyota reliability.

I bought one a few years ago to use it just for a daily, one thing led to another and here I am now..

Man that looks like shit

fuuuuuuuuck i used to have a hard on for these but after reading this they just sound like utter shit

...

I typically hate these (lol rwd why not just get a bmw) and most of those widebody kits but I really like this for some reason

Yeah just needs to be painted then its gunna be mint senpai

...

>mfw these seem like a promising sporty DD, check prices
>mfw these have turned into "i know what i got" craigslist adds
>$10k, 150+k miles

Is it because its RWD? Because it has a 2JZ? Because the guy who helped design the AE86 was on this car's development as his last project?

Pretty sure he means E46 330, not 330hp.

because its a fucking toyota trying and failing to be a mercedes or bmw

Everyone loved the original IS.

Every review spent time comparing it to the 3-Series and calling it sportier, edgier, etc.