I loved my IS. Yes it was slow, but it was an excellent handling car and served well for daily duty. I eventually replaced it with this 2.3-16 nearly seven years ago.
http://fe3miata.com/pics/13_0810_Benz-01-800.jpg
http://fe3miata.com/pics/13_0810_Benz-02-800.jpg

Yes, the chassis is really nicely balanced. Quite a joy to throw around when it rains.
Already have it for 2.5 years and I am not getting rid of it, rides really nice for a DD. As I average only around 8000 miles a year (daily commute = bicycle) I do not care so much about the economy anyway.
I will track the IS next weekend, lap times will be terrible, but it will be fun nevertheless.

That 190E (W201) is super mint! Really lovely car! Unfortunately these W201s have a really bad reputation here in The Netherlands. Due to tax regulation the >25 year old diesel powered W201s were extremely cheap to run here. So the cities got flooded with these old diesels driven by poor immigrants. A testament to the durability of these things, but an irreversible blow to the imago of W201s here.

Sounds like fun, hopefully you can get it sorted. Silly engines are tanks, and the amount of space in those cars is insane. Loved mine, except that stuff was always going wrong with it, haha.

I had no idea the IS200 was a straight six. I always thought the 200's were a 4-cyl! The more you know...

Most of the pics I have are on the old wheels.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...3c8c9c09cd.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fee4127c4b.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a7f81cd536.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8be30ef502.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...17ce94697c.jpg

Obligatory stance life dat camber yo pic lol

Your Festiva ranks high in cool-factor for me. I like Festivas the way some like classic minis.

Wicked Matt?

No, it's an APR tune. Just happens to be the same place he tunes at, I'll be having him tune my miata soon though. :)

wew.
I'm actually looking (sort of) for an IS300 right now as a DD. My Subaru sucks as a DD so I've been DDing my Miata and it only sucks a little bit less.
I've reached the age where driving a stick in california traffic makes me angry.

The Japanese (JDM) Altezza RS-200 has a ~200HP 3S-GE 4 cylinder. The more tame Altezza AS200 and the European IS200 have both a 155HP 1G-FE 6 cylinder.
That 6 cylinder is really quiet, so it is nice on the highway. In Germany I can drive this car at 180km/h+ (100mph+) for hours without getting fatigue or having to turn the volume of the radio up. First time I drove my IS200 I thought it stalled at the traffic light, you simply cannot hear the engine idle when the interior fan is on its lowest setting.
But forget the 1G-FE, it is quite terrible, it only makes its 155HP at the revlimiter and gas mileage is as bad as the 2JZ-GE. It is a shame they never sold the IS300 as a manual in Europe, otherwise I would have bought that.

I would say: do it! The first generation IS has aged well in my opinion.
The funny thing is the BMW 3 series probably outsold the Lexus by a ratio of 25:1 here in The Netherlands. So they are somewhat rare, my neighbor thought it still was a 10 grand car and was surprised by the fact it was actually just a 18 year old 3 grand car.
Also I would pick the IS over a E46 3 series any day, every day as they are put together so much better imho.

Bucket list car for me, how has it treated you?

By the way, R.I.P. MWIR(I use to be w8lifter21 on all the forums back in the day, and actually I think I bought some Rota slips from you a few years back)

My brother and I shared a 92 9000 turbo. That thing was quick (we had a tune/3inch exhaust) and built like a tank.

My daily is a 2006 crew cab duramax. It has a tune and a 4 inch turbo back. Good, roomy, and air conditioned. It gets 18-20mpg back and forth to work, and can pull away from 350zs. I also have a smoke switch so that I can roll coal on shitty drivers on their phone or clogging the left lane when warranted. (Disclaimer: I am not the asshole who fumigates cyclists, pedestrians, and small car drivers for giggles).

I drive my Miata on days that it doesn't require AC, and I have remembered to fill the tank up (there are no convenient E85 stations on the way to work) and days without school, because I don't feel like getting it plowed into by some inattentive cell phone wielding heifer.

Hah! I still stay in touch with some of the old MWIR folks. Car is treating me well, costing a few bucks to maintain but thankfully nothing outside of what I estimated/expected as a car ages. It is also pretty damn amazing each time I go for a drive, instant smile and luxury that is still odd (but nice) even a year/half later.

Autox'd it over the weekend again, fresh shocks were so very much worth changing over.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a90333e587.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ae5613a4bb.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f3c931556d.jpg

2000 RS (UEL, KYB/Perrin, Nardi wheel, STI Ver 4 driver seat, endlinks w/WRX sways, vapes on vapes on vapes)
Attachment 230045

Beautiful RS. Every time I see a nice little Subaru I get bad thoughts.

My daily is as heavily modified as my Miata... on the inside. From the outside there are only a couple of visual cues there is something else going on. A true sleeper. 420whp & 470wtq @ 11psi & 4200rpm

2003 Infiniti FX35 (VQ35DE - same as 350Z & G35)
Custom Twin Scroll GT35R
Fully built motor
Haltech standalone
CJM Stage 3 fuel system
BC Coilovers
Carbon Fiber Driveshaft
Built 5AT
Exhaust dump solenoid
StopTech BBK
2011 Nissan GTR Wheels
Pirelli P0 Rosso
http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/p...w.jpg~original

http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/p...h.jpg~original

http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/p...y.jpg~original

Just sold the 1994 Miata so the only cars we have are daily drivers.

My daily is a 2001 Sentra SE 2.0 PP. Not terrible for an econobox (SR20DE, LSD, reasonably competent suspension), but after 230K miles, the age and cheapness of the B15 platform is definitely apparent.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Vt...Y=w800-h600-no

And my wife drives the family wagon, a 2007 RAV4 V6. It's fine, it does what it needs to. The engine (3.5l V6, 269 HP) is pretty beastly for a smallish SUV.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/s7...DlhB9k=s775-no

That FX is badass.

Indeed.

That would be an amazing DD.

Agreed. How do you smog that FX in Cali with a Haltech?