Owners' Stories

The interior finish on the dash of my IS300 has per other observations from stories I've read started to "melt" when touched. Dealership stated problem due to use of Armor All which I did use over last few year. I removed interior dash per instructions I obtained on line and used solution of ammonia, water and dish soap to rub off all paint on the dash. It came off like black tar, then I purchased black vinyl paint from Duplo and used an adhesion primer to re-paint entire dash. I did not apply any clear coat finish. The final finish matched the other black pieces in the interior perfectly. All in all I spent weekend removing parts and that week painting parts in the evening and reinstalled parts the next weekend. Removing air bag, instrument panel and lowering steering column and radio were not fun but well worth the final results.

Great car since new--now 95000. Replaced only Air Flow sensor at reasonable cost (dealer) $250 @ 40K and 90K. Timing belt changed @86K for $600 at Dealer special--noticeable improvement drivetrain performance. Maintenance done in local shops with common Toyota parts. Looking forward to keep car for another 50 thousands miles. Easy tire replacement via TireRack.

Great driving car with nimble handling and an incredibly smooth engine and transmission. Not as luxurious or roomy on the inside as higher end lexus vehicles, but overall a great car for those who appreciate good handling and fun driving.