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WRX vS IS300??

23K views 43 replies 19 participants last post by  s0yb0mb 
#1 ·
what do you guys think?? I think it's waaaay possible. WRX has a faster 0-60 time. I know if i met this guy, and he finds out i have a WRX he'll be like..come on man...let's race. So yup..what do you guys think?
 
#6 ·
oh contrere mon frereI raced an IS300 starting from 80 mph- 120+ and smoked him.
It was simple. We were at eighty, he pulled to the right to pass slower traffic I followed down-shifting. He had a jump being in front but by the time I hit fifth gear I was up to his drivers door and pulling. As I continued (completely dusting him) he looked over and smiled with his hand in a fist in the air as if to say that this is fun and your car is fast. I gave him the thumbs up as if to say your not doing bad either. It was great!
I backed off at 125 or so he seemed to have kept going I said to myself no-buddy these cops will put me under the jail.
The IS is nice on a roll, but it won't; I repeat it won't beat a WRX on a roll.;)
 
#7 · (Edited)
Well 0-60 times aren't really a factor in racing(ie road course)...IS300 has a lower first/second gear which allows them to take it to higher speeds in those gears at the expense of initial hit. Anyways, I'm currently debating whether to buy a WRX or an IS300. Luxury means nothing to me and I view the IS as what it is supposed to be(Altezza-a sport sedan not a lower end lux). I like the IS because it has a 2JZ-GE(speaking of which, Dan how come you didn't consider the IS given that you are such a Supra fan?), it's RWD, Toyota reliability...The 2JZ is fairly potent and can make loads of power and still be daily driven. WRX has that nice boxer EJ20T, AWD(though it needs a KAAZ clutch type front LSD), fairly cheaper to mod, but lower hp potential(well... without going in excess like a Rigoli dragger). BTW, has anyone put an anti lift kit on their WRX? I've been making a list of all the performance mods I want and both seem similar with a variability in how much a turbo kit will cost for the IS. Anyone know if XS eng's upcoming kit is similar to the custom one put on the XS engineering modded car in Turbo several months back and how much?...I heard it's like $7500 installed(quite steep...)
 
#8 ·
Like the others have stated. No contest. If you know how to drive your WRX you will have no trouble smoking an IS300. If your are a good driver you can even beat a GS400 in a 1/4 mile race with a stock WRX.
Learn to launch your WRX off the line and there aren't to many cars that can hang in a short race. Just don't go racing big V8's on the highway with a stock WRX. Thats not what a stock WRX does well.
 
#9 ·
IS300 food for thought

I'm currently debating whether to buy a WRX or an IS300. Luxury means nothing to me and I view the IS as what it is supposed to be(Altezza-a sport sedan not a lower end lux). / I've been making a list of all the performance mods I want and both seem similar with a variability in how much a turbo kit will cost for the IS. Anyone know if XS eng's upcoming kit is similar to the custom one put on the XS engineering modded car in Turbo several months back and how much?...I heard it's like $7500 installed(quite steep...)
I think you answered you own question. Especially if your looking for performance and not luxury. The IS300 is a sweet car and it does have the 2JZ-GE motor which can be modded like crazy. The draw back to this is the cost for those mods, and the question if the drive train can handle the mods. If you have the money and are willing to spend it I say go for it. However you can have less then $30K total investment in the WRX and be making 320hp. How much will it cost to bring the IS300 to this level? Not to mention the extra $6K for just the car.

Shawn
 
#10 ·
The IS300 is a beautiful car, inside and out, and it has lots of cool features like HID headlamps, clear tamps, neat (or ugly depending) chronograph gauges, and a nice sound system.
The Lexus is not a fast car or even a great handling car.
C&D said that if it was aimed at the 3-series BMW, Lexus had their work cut out for them and with some 2nd generation refinements it could be on par with the 3 in the handling department.

You gotta go for what you like. The WRX is a way faster and better handling car and it is less expensive, though.

-Jim
 
#11 ·
Actually in Canada the IS300 and WRX are pretty much the same price(strange isn't it?). HID lamps are a plus, and can someone confirm about IS300's fly by wire throttle system or am I imaginating things? I think there are steering ECU piggybacks to sharpen the feel of the IS(ie via power steering intervention). Mods for the IS will definately be pricier in general...even the short shifters are ridiculous...$270 for a Prolex. Anyone want to answer me on the anti-lift castor kit(ie anyone have one put in and comment on it)? By the way, who wants a harness bar like the Speedware one in the Sparco car say "aye"?.....AYE..hehe
 
#12 ·
I ALMOST bought an IS300 when they came out. I REALLY liked it and was planing of doing a 2JZ-GTE Supra 6 speed swap into one but it proved to be very complex in terms of the ECU. Toyota uses mutioplex computers in their Lexus cars which means you have about 12 computers in there, one for each item. It makes things incredibly difficult to work with in terms of engine management is concerned. We have it quite easy in comparison. On the other hand the chassis is about as balanced as I have ever encountered and the brakes are superb on the car. I would say for sure the IS300 is a better track car if prepared properly. If only it had the 1JZ turbo motor from the JDM only JZX110 Chaser. Now THAT is a cool car!!!
 
#15 ·
yeah, and in Japan the don't have the 3L engine, but a small 4 banger ;)

Hi, n00bie here, and current IS300 owner... looking to buy a 2nd car, and i'm thinking the WRX STI may be it (don't want to wait though ;) ).

For those of you who are taking all your factoids from magazines and reviews, let me shed a little light on the situation (and feel free to ask me questions as I know a lot about the IS and it's internals): The IS is hands-down one of the most fun cars to drive in it's class today. The car loves to be whipped around, it's appetite only limited by the grip of whatever rubber your wheels are shod with. I'm an unfortunate soul who bought the car w/ 16" wheels instead of the 17" (equal option, but the 16 are all season tires stock vs the 17 are summer-only stock) due to my outdoor-livestyle. I didn't want to deal w/ bent wheels, and bubbled tires as I do some rough/dirt roads often, and 16" are better in snow.
wow, I'm babbling. Anyway, there's no way, either on a straight, or a road course that teh IS can beat a WRX... the wrx just has too much of a speed advantage for the IS's handling to make up for. The IS is targeted at what is referred to as a "near-luxury" segment, and thus is sprinkled w/ goodies, but isn't an all out luxe car like some high-end 3-series or A4's.
I tested these 2 cars b4 I bought the IS, and obviously the IS won.
The 325 was slow, and had little the IS did when standard models were compared. the steering was soft, I think because they're targeting more women for sales. The 330 was just out of my price range... speed was nice, handling like the 325, and zero options still put it too expensive in my mind. The A4 wasn't even close to either IMO, so it was knocked out after my first test drive.
 
#16 ·
Re: IS300 food for thought

scurry said:
I think you answered you own question. Especially if your looking for performance and not luxury. The IS300 is a sweet car and it does have the 2JZ-GE motor which can be modded like crazy. The draw back to this is the cost for those mods, and the question if the drive train can handle the mods. If you have the money and are willing to spend it I say go for it. However you can have less then $30K total investment in the WRX and be making 320hp. How much will it cost to bring the IS300 to this level? Not to mention the extra $6K for just the car.

Shawn
The 2jz-g(t)e are great engines, but the ge, in the IS, is tricky to mod. Currently several companies are competing to produce a viable FI kit for the IS and almost all have failed to date. The issue is the blasted multi-link ODBII ECU that is proving to be a major pain in the ass. the work-around has been a stand-alone computer, and I don't think there's any way around this. FOr example, I have a piggy-back ECU that works w/ the MAF sensor in my HFI to alter the stock ECU's air/fuel ratio (more power) but the stock ECU, somehow, "figures out" what is going on and sllllooooowwwwwly starts to slide the A/F mix back to stock. So you have to unplug the Neg. terminal on the battery and reset the SOB every 2-3 months.
 
#17 ·
schischwein said:
Mods for the IS will definately be pricier in general...even the short shifters are ridiculous...$270 for a Prolex.
yes more expensive, but your price quote is off here: It's about $230, assuming you let them buy back your old shifter for $50.
Email Mike (sales@prolexperformance.com) if you're interested. Mention my name, he should hook you up ;)
 
#19 ·
tan said:
The SportCross does have the 2JZ in Japan

Man I'd love to drive a 210 bhp (@ 7600 rpm) 3S-GE Dual VVT-i with 160 lb-ft (@ 6400 rpm), with 6 gears of forward motion
why, when you can drive the 2jz w/ 215hp & 218ft/lbs torque? ;)
The 5 speed puts about 10 more hp to the wheels over the auto too. Man I wish I waited for the Manual... :(
 
#21 ·
I forgot to mention the other day, I spanked some WRX on the Pulaski Skyway here in NJ the other day ;)

I was cruising about 80 mpg heading east and I'm sure you guys run into this on a daily basis, I pass some chump going 55, and he decides to gun it. He catches up as if I were racing him and so I punch it. I pop over 100 and he lays off, I guess scared of the speed, but in the meantime we passed another WRX and he tried having a go at it and was also scared of the speed.
I break 100 every time I'm in the car, these guys must have just been pooskies. So it's not a legit kill story ;)

Keep in mind I had my snow tires on too :)
 
#22 ·
s0yb0mb,

The WRX (even mine) doesn't pull very hard above 100mph. With a turbo upgrade, this will be a whole different story. I like to roll on it fifth at 80mph and hit like 100mph, but after 105, even in fourth gear, the stock turbo just doesn't have much more to give. For this reason, the fastest I've ever had my car is ~125mph and I've only been up in the 120mph region about three times.

-Jim
 
#24 ·
It's not a matter or revs, it's a matter of boost. In fourth gear, the boost gauge starts declining sharply at like 6200rpms. Actually, I never thought to just upshift and try accelerating more in fifth. Maybe this would solve the lack of boost at high rpm problem. This sounds like a new thread topic: How do I get to 140mph? :D

-Jim
 
#26 ·
I Agree with most said here. The IS is WONDERFUL, a go-kart, instantaneous responses, very cozy and the whole Lexus experience thing. You would not figure this is a Lexus.

WRX is great in it's own right, and is faster for sure.....

And the TRUE battle will begin in May when the TRD supercharged 305hp L-tuned IS 300 hits the streets!
 
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