BuildSideways

What to check before buying a IS300

6 checks, in the order to do them, with what each problem costs to put right if you find it. Asking prices were $6,000–$18,000 when we checked on 2026-10-06.

Walk away

If you find any of these, the car is not cheap, whatever the price is. Structural problems at a suspension or subframe mounting point get worse on a locked-diff car.

  • Manual or automatic - this is the first question A manual car is worth paying a real premium for. An auto plus a conversion usually costs more than the premium. $2,000–$5,000

Negotiate, then budget for it

Not dealbreakers, but each one is money you will spend in phase 0 whether you planned to or not.

  • Confirm the 2JZ-GE on the block Particularly on an imported Altezza, which may have a smaller engine. -
  • Service history and oil condition The 2JZ-GE is durable but not immortal. A documented history is worth having. $1,000–$4,000
  • Rust at arches, sills and the rear subframe area Less severe than the Japanese imports here but still worth twenty minutes. $500–$3,000
  • Cooling system condition Radiator core, hoses, cap. Twenty-plus years old on a heavy car. $300–$1,500

Worth knowing

Changes what you are buying rather than whether you should.

  • Whether it has a limited-slip differential Tight circle on full lock. Most do not. -

The right-hand column is what the fix costs, as a range. Solid rows are the ones that should stop you; dotted rows are negotiating points.

Why this chassis goes wrong where it does

Most of them are automatics verified

The manual IS300 was comparatively rare and is the one worth buying. Converting an automatic is a complete job - gearbox, pedal box, hydraulics, driveshaft, shifter and loom - so price it before buying a cheap auto. This is the single biggest practical obstacle with this chassis.

Weight verified

Around 3,250 to 3,400 lb. Brakes, tires, cooling and spring rates all need specifying for it, and the consumables bill is higher than a lighter chassis.

Thinner drift-specific aftermarket than the S-chassis community

Angle kits and drift-specific suspension exist but the selection is narrower, and there is less published setup knowledge. Expect to do more of your own measuring.

Open differential on most cars community

Welding is cheap. Used LSDs for this chassis are findable but less plentiful than for an S-chassis.

Cooling and radiator age general

Twenty-plus years old and a heavy car. The Phase 0 cooling baseline matters, and the Phase 2 upgrade should follow quickly if you add power.

Steering side, imports and paperwork

Sold new in the US as the Lexus IS300 in left-hand drive, which makes it one of the few 2JZ cars you can simply buy locally with no import process. Japan-market Altezza cars are right-hand drive and often came with smaller engines, so the US car is usually the better buy for this purpose. Mechanical parts are shared with the wider Toyota range and are cheap and plentiful.

This matters more than it sounds. Industry reporting on parts returns names regional variants and mid-year production changes as a leading cause of wrong-fitment orders, and steering racks, knuckles, angle kits, master cylinders and pedal boxes are frequently not interchangeable between left and right hand drive.

Bought one? Start here

Phase 0 is the chassis inspection you just did, plus fluids, cooling, brakes, bushings and steering wear. It is the cheapest phase and the one that protects everything after it.

Build a IS300 plan See what it will cost

Related

Questions

What is the one thing to check on a IS300?

Manual or automatic - this is the first question. A manual car is worth paying a real premium for. An auto plus a conversion usually costs more than the premium. Putting it right costs $2,000–$5,000 if you find it.

What is the most expensive thing that can be wrong?

Manual or automatic - this is the first question, at $2,000–$5,000. A manual car is worth paying a real premium for. An auto plus a conversion usually costs more than the premium.

How much should I pay for a IS300?

$6,000–$18,000 was the asking range when we checked on 2026-10-06. Where you land in it depends almost entirely on the structural condition - and a cheap car with a problem from the blockers list below is not cheap.

Sources