2003 Lexus IS 300 Review

Love this car

Written by: bosco on 02/07/2009

Vehicle

2003 Lexus IS 300 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M)

Review

Bought this car with 29,000 miles on it. Love the styling inside and out. Seats are very comfortable with high quality leather. Dash and instruments have a great design and cool orange color at night. Also love the 6-disc in-dash CD changer. Low profile tires look awesome, but the stock tires rode rough, so I switched to similar tires with lower speed rating which ride much smoother. I get compliments on this car all the time. Other than oil, tires, and brakes have had absolutely no issues. I did get a disc stuck in the changer - think I jammed it in there, my fault - but the dealer replaced the whole unit under warranty in 2 days. Engine rocks, especially around 3-4k RPM.

Favorite Features

Styling, great engine, 6-disc changer, wheels, integrated tool kit, comfy seats, full size spare.

Suggested Improvements

None - love this car!! 86,000 miles and going strong!

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Reliable

Written by: Reliable on 06/23/2008

Vehicle

2003 Lexus IS 300 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M)

Review

Love the car. Bought it with 15K on it and it's got just over 80K now. Sporty, handles great, looks great but most of all it's reliable. In 65K miles of driving, I have had to do squat to the car other than oil and change the tires. Obvious normal maintenance but still haven't needed brakes, belts are getting ready but no mechanical problems at all. Especially the A/C - works like a champ and still freezes me out.

Favorite Features

Love the turning radius.

Suggested Improvements

Change the camber on the tires. Stock angle wears the inside of all 4 quickly. Obviously it helps with handling but I don't race it, so no need.

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A Different Breed of Lexus

Written by: Modder on 03/25/2007

Vehicle

2003 Lexus IS 300 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M)

Review

I buy cars for their performance and moddability (and this car is very moddable having the Supra's 2jz and all), but I'll rate this car from a consumers point of view, since you are probably interested in buying this car. This is not your average type of Lexus. Lexus' are usually known for their comfort and amenities, but this car is different. The IS 300 was designed to compete with the 3 series, and that it does. This is a SPORT sedan, so it drives like one, do not buy this car expecting the usual laid back handling of the other cars in the Lexus fleet. This is definitely the car to buy, if you are looking for a RELIABLE car that will add some excitement to your daily commute to work.

Favorite Features

Moddability. The 6 disc in-dash CD changer is nice. But my favorite feature of the car is definitely the handling. It drives like a true sports car should... fun. And of course there is the fact that is a Lexus, the definition of reliability.

Suggested Improvements

Being a "sport" sedan the car could have had more power, but it's decent enough. The dash is made of some extremely cheap plastic, that not only scratches very easily, but has a talent for showing dust unlike any other material.

4 out 4 people found this review helpful

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Best car I have ever owned

Written by: Dabrt on 03/23/2007

Vehicle

2003 Lexus IS 300 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M)

Review

I have had my Lexus for a year and a half and its been wonderful. No problems at all. Driving it is so much fun and it handles great. The only downside about owning a Lexus is the upkeep is very expensive if you get it done at the dealership.

Favorite Features

Headlights, 6 disc in dash CD player/cassette, power everything, auto dimming mirror.

Suggested Improvements

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A Great Replacement

Written by: astro403 on 02/04/2007

Vehicle

2003 Lexus IS 300 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5M)

Review

Decided it was time to upgrade from my 1999 Honda Prelude but was a little skeptical at first. I loved that car. Great handling, good power, unbelieveable reliability, the list goes on. After I bought the IS, all my skepticism was put to rest. Love the handling (although I had to get used to RWD again) performance, sexy styling and yes, even gas mileage. My IS gets about the same as my prelude. And we're talking about a 3.0L V6 compared to a 2.2L 4 banger. I was impressed. Traction is OK in the snow. Living up in Canada you need winter tires, but even with them and with both trac. control and snow mode on, the wheels still slip quite easily, but if you pay attention like you should, you'll be fine.

Favorite Features

Love the styling the best. Best stock rims out there. Good combination of luxury and performance. The dash is great. Unique and functional. If you want solid performance with some luxury then the IS is for you.

Suggested Improvements

The transmission with the MT needs work (when you shift from 1st-2nd-3rd you hear a "clunking" sound). It's the only flaw I notice, but talking to dealers and other IS owners, it doesn't have impact on reliability or performance. You just have to learn to shift a little differently and it goes away.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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