Used Lexus IS200 review and buying guide (1999 to 2005): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Lexus IS200 should you buy?

Go for a six-speed manual IS200 with a smooth clutch, because the manual suits an engine that has to be revved before it feels quick, and the optional four-speed auto can feel sluggish. There's a catch: some manuals develop a clutch judder that new clutches haven't fixed, and it can go on to cause gearbox problems. Drive any manual before you commit, and leave one that judders where it is.

Every IS200 has the same 2.0 straight six, sold from 1999 to 2005, so it's the gearbox, the cambelt and the recall paperwork that separate one car from another. Cars built from 2003 to 2005 were covered by a recall on the brake master cylinder, so ask for proof the work's been done. The cambelt's due every 60,000 miles or 72 months, and a car past either limit with no receipt for the belt needs the job doing before it's yours.

Which IS200 engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

The IS200's 2.0 twin-cam straight six runs a timing belt, and it's due every 60,000 miles or 72 months. Lexus first quoted 100,000 miles, but that's been revised down to 60,000 miles to stop a failed belt causing catastrophic engine damage, and the tensioner should be replaced with it. Ask for a receipt for both on any car that's past either limit.

The six-speed manual's the gearbox to pick, provided its clutch is clean. Some IS200 manuals have had a clutch judder that came back even after replacement clutches, and it can go on to cause gearbox problems. You'll feel it as a shudder through the car as you pull away, and if it's there, don't buy that car.

The four-speed auto's the alternative, but it can feel sluggish, and that doesn't suit an engine that needs revs before it pulls properly. If you'd rather not risk a juddering manual clutch, it's the one to look at, as long as every change goes through smoothly, up and down the gears, on a long test drive.

What should you check when viewing a used IS200?

The clutch comes first on a manual IS200: pull away from rest several times and feel for judder through the car, then check the gearbox action just as carefully. Judder that came back after earlier clutch replacements has been reported on these cars, and it can lead to gearbox problems, so ask for receipts for any clutch work and be wary of a car that's had several.

On an auto, drive it through every gear and note any rough or thumping change. One owner reported that four-speed Toyota and Lexus autos from 2000 to 2003 can develop a control unit fault that makes shifts harsh and damages the gearbox over time, eventually breaking it. A harsh change on a car of those years isn't something to shrug off.

Look hard at the front tyres, because IS200s can wear them quickly even though it's the rear wheels that drive. One owner traced it to soft front suspension bushes letting the wheels toe out on the move and scrub the inner edges, even when the alignment checked fine at a standstill. It got worse on bigger, lower-profile aftermarket wheels, so check the inner edges on any car wearing them.

Check the alloys for pitting, which salt on UK roads has caused on these wheels, and try the radio on the move, since poor reception's been a problem that an aerial booster sorted, and check it hardest on an independent import. On a 2003 to 2005 car, ask for proof the brake master cylinder recall was done, and look for the cambelt receipt at 60,000 miles or 72 months.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What does a used Lexus IS200 cost to run?

What do IS200 owners like about them?

The IS200 handles like the proper rear-drive car it is, and its steering's much sharper than you'll find on other Lexus models. The six-speed manual has a precise, bolt-action shift that makes working the straight six through the gears satisfying, and it's an engine that wants revs, so it rewards a driver who's happy to use them.

The cabin's instruments are an interesting design that gives the car some character, and the styling's fresh, drawn up from a clean sheet rather than adapted from an older model. There's an impressive reliability record behind it too, so it isn't only the driving that makes it appealing.

• The car features fresh, clean-sheet styling, offering an alternative to German rivals in the executive saloon market.
• The 2.0 litre straight-six engine produces 153 bhp, paired with a precise six-speed manual gearbox and rear-wheel-drive handling.
• Sport models include traction control and three three-point rear seatbelts, enhancing safety and driver assistance features.
• This model demonstrated excellent value retention when new, holding its market price very well.
• LE models from November 2003 feature 17-inch alloys, HID headlights, full leather, electric front seats, and an 8-speaker sound system.