[killerz124]

Hey guys,


I'm completely new to cars and revscene and I'm looking for a car to buy. I have no idea around what price range cars are supposed to be so I've just been comparing them to the market. I essentially want a car that's already modded (pref lexus, acura or VW). I looked at this ad 2003 Lexus IS300 Sedan (http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/pml/cto/5246800760.html) and I want to know people's takes on it.

I'm really looking for a good RSX type S, IS300 (2002-04), GTI or jetta. I essentially want a car that has nice aesthetics and has some power. Any suggestions on other cars to look at?


Thanks

[Indyjones]

Hey guys,
I essentially want a car that's already modded (pref lexus, acura or VW).
Well, if you buy a VW, it will already be modded from the factory, if you know what I'm saying :whistle:
Look in the 4sale section, maybe you'll find something of interest. There is also a "craigslist good buys" thread that you may find useful :)

[white rocket]

Welcome to RS! That Lexus looks fine. As with any vehicle purchase, make sure you look closely at it when viewing in person. Ask the common questions, How many owners? How long have you had it? Any accidents or insurance claims at all? Any major mechanical repairs? Any mechanical repairs required immediately?

From there, arrange an inspection(BCAA or similar) so you can get a clear picture of it's current state. Run a CarProof to ensure information received is correct.

An RSX Type S can be had for slightly less than that Lexus you posted. Same with a Mk IV GTI/Jetta.

Good luck :)

[6o4__boi]

what's your budget? (assuming around $9k ?)
how will you be using the car? Daily driver?
what type of mods will you be putting on? (ie. suspension? looks? power?).

personally, i prefer clean cars.
you never really know what mindset the previous owner was when they did the mod
Unless i got it from a friend or someone within my network (or a member here with more than 1000 posts and an album of the shit they've done :troll: )

[killerz124]

what's your budget? (assuming around $9k ?)
how will you be using the car? Daily driver?
what type of mods will you be putting on? (ie. suspension? looks? power?).

personally, i prefer clean cars.
you never really know what mindset the previous owner was when they did the mod
Unless i got it from a friend or someone within my network (or a member here with more than 1000 posts and an album of the shit they've done :troll: )

Well budget is around 10K, but it has to be a pretty good catch for me to pay that much. I want a car thats already modded because it would be a lot cheaper than modding it myself since I'd have to pay people to do it for me, but I see where you're coming from.

I'm looking to lower the car a bit, and a cold air intake, nice low sounding exhaust system, nice rims, spoiler, maybe a body kit. Just want it to look nice but I dont want to drive something with low power too. It'll be my only car so it'll be my daily driver. Oh and I would like manual too.

Do you know if it's safe to buy US cars that have already been imported? I've had a couple people tell me not to but they never backed up their reasoning.

[underscore]

Whatever you go with, be sure to do research and find out what problems are common with that particular model. There's nothing worse than seeing someone buy a car without knowing it's likely to give them a load of grief.

[6o4__boi]

all the mods you're thinking of doing are things you can do yourself.

imo, the fun part of owning modded cars is doing the mods yourself or with buddies. You learn and experience so much.

i dunno so much about US imports but unless you're gunning for a specific car with specific usdm features or theres a good deal, you're honestly better off with the local market

like someone said, keep tabs on the good buys on craigslist thread, there are good cars posted there every now and then that may suit you

[The_AK]

Would actually consider that is300 myself if I didnt already have my 330ci. Looks like a good find actually

[Bender Unit]

Consider this from a fellow RS member
I believed he is a Toyota tech himself.
It is freaking nice IS300

http://www.revscene.net/forums/705744-2004-lexus-is300-5-speed-l-tuned.html

Never mind, it was sold

[yray]

Nah, you should use that money on a down for a condo

#realestatescene

[european]

welcome to RS

[entrax]

welcome! for 10k, an RSX would be probably a better bet. mods are cheap and compatibility with hondas are great. IS300 is nice and cheap now too, but i can only imagine that mods would be expensive. rsx base model also has regular gas requirements compared to rsx-s. as a daily, using regular is god-send.

Lowering/intake/exhaust/wheels can all be done in a few hours. It might be something you want to do yourself so you know what's being done to the car. as for spoiler and bodykit...well, truthfully, for these to look any good, you'd have to invest in paint/bodywork and that can easily rack up a lot of money unless you want to have a filipino special.

[maxx]

welcome. out of all the cars youve listed, 06+ GTI would be my recommendation.

GTI is one of the best cars ever made, and since the 70s it has changed how we think about our daily drivers. they are easy to mod, look great, can be very fast and can haul a family

[killerz124]

welcome! for 10k, an RSX would be probably a better bet. mods are cheap and compatibility with hondas are great. IS300 is nice and cheap now too, but i can only imagine that mods would be expensive. rsx base model also has regular gas requirements compared to rsx-s. as a daily, using regular is god-send.

Lowering/intake/exhaust/wheels can all be done in a few hours. It might be something you want to do yourself so you know what's being done to the car. as for spoiler and bodykit...well, truthfully, for these to look any good, you'd have to invest in paint/bodywork and that can easily rack up a lot of money unless you want to have a filipino special.

I like the look of the IS300 more, but with what's on the market right now, I'd consider either or. I'm just afraid of modding myself because I've never done anything car wise other than fill up the oil lol.

[killerz124]

welcome. out of all the cars youve listed, 06+ GTI would be my recommendation.

GTI is one of the best cars ever made, and since the 70s it has changed how we think about our daily drivers. they are easy to mod, look great, can be very fast and can haul a family

I GTI is pretty much my last option because my family owns a 2015 GTI and I want to have a car that we don't have. Although the MK4's are sick, I just prefer a RSX type-s or IS300. Those were the cars that stood out to me when checking craigslist, but sadly there aren't many available :(

[killerz124]

Consider this from a fellow RS member
I believed he is a Toyota tech himself.
It is freaking nice IS300

http://www.revscene.net/forums/705744-2004-lexus-is300-5-speed-l-tuned.html

Never mind, it was sold

I was actually looking at that one, but he said sale pending so I was too late already.

[Limitless]

E46 330ci or 325ci? :)

[killerz124]

E46 330ci or 325ci? :)

I always thought that bmw's break down after 4-5 years. I'd go for the 330 if anything, 325 is too slow I'd say.

[Limitless]

:okay:
325's aren't slow, they're not fast but they have really smooth power delivery. 330 will be a lot better though yeah in terms of power, they're not too far off in price too but I'd say don't let just the power difference completely rule it out. I'd say e46's are more reliable than the newer gen bmw's. Go for a test drive in them, best way to find out in regards to power :)

[ncrx]

for 10k, i'd get myself into an early sts built miata and use the rest of the money to autocross. learn how to drive :D

[killerz124]

for 10k, i'd get myself into an early sts built miata and use the rest of the money to autocross. learn how to drive :D

2004 Acura RSX type S (http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/rds/cto/5276117546.html)

I was thinking of this car but it seems sketch because there are no photos are it seems too cheap to be good.

Nvm he just posted pictures

[Ferra]

2004 Acura RSX type S (http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/rds/cto/5276117546.html)

I was thinking of this car but it seems sketch because there are no photos are it seems too cheap to be good.

Nvm he just posted pictures
189xxx miles on the body
65000km on engine and transmission (rebuilt?)

I had an rsx before and loved the car
but I don't think that's a good price for a car that age and mileage tho
the rsx-s brand new was only$31K...

I would think most parts on a car are pretty much worn out after 300k KM unless they were really well-maintained...

[jpark]

:okay:
325's aren't slow, they're not fast but they have really smooth power delivery. 330 will be a lot better though yeah in terms of power, they're not too far off in price too but I'd say don't let just the power difference completely rule it out. I'd say e46's are more reliable than the newer gen bmw's. Go for a test drive in them, best way to find out in regards to power :)

its pretty slow dude lol. Had one myself and it wasnt fun times

[Gucci Mane]

i'd snap that is300 up quick if i were you. its so hard to find a manual one..

[The_AK]

its pretty slow dude lol. Had one myself and it wasnt fun times

To be fair yours was an automatic. I've driven my friends automatic 325 as well and was tempted to jump out of a moving vehicle. I'm assuming the manual 325 probably feels substantially better (never drove an auto 330 so cant compare).

[BoostedBB6]

If your looking for a 5 speed manual, then that grey one is the one to go for right now.
Mine left last night sadly.....sucked watching that car drive off.

As for the IS300, there is not a lot out there to do with the car aside from aesthetics. You can put a header on there but its pointless as the gains are so minimal due to the self learning ECU.
This is why I was planning on doing the turbo setup. Proper gains but sadly was not able to get that done.

I still have the turbo kit and wheels from my IS for sale tho. If you are looking for parts when you get yours.

The 5 speed autos are decent as well. The auto is a great tranny in the IS.

[mickz]

Hey guys,


I'm completely new to cars and revscene and I'm looking for a car to buy. I have no idea around what price range cars are supposed to be so I've just been comparing them to the market. I essentially want a car that's already modded (pref lexus, acura or VW). I looked at this ad 2003 Lexus IS300 Sedan (http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/pml/cto/5246800760.html) and I want to know people's takes on it.

I'm really looking for a good RSX type S, IS300 (2002-04), GTI or jetta. I essentially want a car that has nice aesthetics and has some power. Any suggestions on other cars to look at?


Thanks

If you're new to cars you're probably better off buying something stock and adding mods yourself. The last thing you want to do is to buy someone else's can of worms.

welcome. out of all the cars youve listed, 06+ GTI would be my recommendation.

GTI is one of the best cars ever made, and since the 70s it has changed how we think about our daily drivers. they are easy to mod, look great, can be very fast and can haul a family

A MKV GTI on a $10k budget might be a tad optimistic unless you are looking at rebuilts or Kingsway dealerships.

[The_AK]

Curious, how come you sold your is300 anyways?

[BoostedBB6]

Curious, how come you sold your is300 anyways?

It didnt make sense to keep the car when all I do with it is drive to and from work. Never really got to go out and drive the car and it made more sense to have the $$ in the bank rather than tied up in the car.

Wanted to put the Advans on the new car but not going to work out so there selling and the new owner bought the car without the turbo setup.

[killerz124]

I had someone test drive the IS300 and apparently they said the gear grinded a little. On top of that the paint on the front bumper was peeling off (he probably got it done by someone that wasn't that great) and it has cigarette smoke residue in the car. Idk if that's worth it then

[thumper]

welcome. out of all the cars youve listed, 06+ GTI would be my recommendation.

GTI is one of the best cars ever made, and since the 70s it has changed how we think about our daily drivers. they are easy to mod, look great, can be very fast and can haul a family

as a past owner of a mk5 gti, i am forced to disagree... worst car i've ever owned :(

[Lomac]

I had someone test drive the IS300 and apparently they said the gear grinded a little. On top of that the paint on the front bumper was peeling off (he probably got it done by someone that wasn't that great) and it has cigarette smoke residue in the car. Idk if that's worth it then

Grinding gears can occasionally be fixed by replacing the fluid with something better suited for the car, but not always. It could also be a sign of bad synchro's or even a faulty clutch system. The first is a cheap fix, the last two not so much.

As someone has already said, you might want to rethink buying a car that's already been modified. Unless you get into the nitty gritty, it's often hard to see what's been properly modified and what has had corners cut. That goes especially for anything that's not a simple bolt on (think ecu mapping, upgraded cams, etc). If it's only a cat-back or coilovers, those are pretty easy to see and eventually swap out, but at the very least have someone who knows wtf they're doing to put it up in the air so you can see if bolts are properly in place or if questionable repairs were done to fit them in.

[BoostedBB6]

The IS300 has a common 4th grind because of how the gears are set in the case.
Running thicker gear oil solves the problem. Most only grind when there hot if its this problem. If it grinds in other gear then chances are its been driven rather hard. The W55 is a rather weak transmission.

The gray IS was also checked out by the guy who bought my car and he said it was clear the car was driven hard and not taken care of well. No reciepts for work done, past due for a timing belt but the owner claimed his mechanic said it does not need it yet (replace riming belt every 5 years of 120k). Car had 140+ and is over 10 years old.

These cars a are reliable but have there common problems. Weak standard trans, common security light staying on problem but thats about it.

Check things like the auto leveling light system. Lots of people disconnect it because the motors stop working especially on lowered ones.

[underscore]

It didnt make sense to keep the car when all I do with it is drive to and from work.

What did you replace it with? I would've thought an IS would be a great DD.

[maxx]

as a past owner of a mk5 gti, i am forced to disagree... worst car i've ever owned :(

:(

OP should just go lease the new GTI and call it a day

[westopher]

as a past owner of a mk5 gti, i am forced to disagree... worst car i've ever owned :(
Funny, mine was great. I literally never had one issue in 3 years and I beat the fuck out of that car.
To OP I'd suggest the is300. Toyota reliability is always going to be better than german, not to mention they look great and are RWD. As for mods, buy a car you like in stock form. Modding cars is great, but not if you need to mod it to like it. Thats why I'd never buy a VW ever again other than a golf R maybe. They just need some tweaking to look and drive better, then all of a sudden you've doubled your purchase price.

[BoostedBB6]

What did you replace it with? I would've thought an IS would be a great DD.

It was a great DD, no question but just more car than I needed to get me around. The only thing I was not overly happy with was the fuel mileage. Given a 6th speed the car would do much better but 95% highway driving and I averaged 19-21mpg.
Sell it, buy something cheaper (both cost to buy and to keep running) but something I will still enjoy and bank the rest.

I have to go in for surgery tomorrow so I will be picking up the replacement on Saturday morning.

[thumper]

Funny, mine was great. I literally never had one issue in 3 years and I beat the fuck out of that car.
To OP I'd suggest the is300. Toyota reliability is always going to be better than german, not to mention they look great and are RWD. As for mods, buy a car you like in stock form. Modding cars is great, but not if you need to mod it to like it. Thats why I'd never buy a VW ever again other than a golf R maybe. They just need some tweaking to look and drive better, then all of a sudden you've doubled your purchase price.

i wish i were that lucky. the longest i was without it while the dealer tried to fix the car was 23 days. went through two service loaners during that time because the jetta they gave me broke down as well :(