MR2-Mike

Hey,

Hows everyone doing? Well I've been wanting a sc300 for so many years now, (and I'm only 19 lol). Since I'm about to get a second job, I need something reliabe. And nothing is like a Toyota engine. I orginally wanted to get an SC300. But I figured I already have my toy car I need something to drive my mom around in. So today I stopped by a dealership and test drove a 01 GS300. I fell in love =]. Its been so long I have driven something with luxury. I forgot thought you dont need to feel the bumps in the road when driving lol. I didn't really get to push the car but It felt like it will getup if I wanted it too.

I have a few questions before I go out and purchase one if I do decided to go GS route
Right now I drive a 87 5.0 as my daily (230miles to the tank) and a built 93MR2Turbo as my weekend warrior (100miles to the tank). Anyway here are the questions I have:

1. How is the GS300 on gas? Can I go a few days with out having to stop at a gas station? I drive 80+ miles a day so its a must.
2. What are the major problems that come along with the car.
3. When I go to look at one what should I be on the look out for? Rust, etc.
4. Are there any freemods that I can do once I get the car?

Thanks,

jspecdan

wutup and welcome!

1.) The GS300 isn't that great on gas mileage but it's not bad when highway driven. There's a huge thread on gas mileage somewhere. I've been able to get 26-28 mpg driving 65mph for a few hours on Ohio's back country roads.

2.) Usually the 30k mile check-ups. A big thing to watch out for are the ball joints. There are some horror stories posted up here but that is usually done at about 90k.

3.) When I was looking around for a GS I looked at basic visuals, rust, foggy headlights, aesthetic imperfections. Others are a lil more **** about what they want and I don't blame them.

4.) One free mod is an ECU reset every once and awhile.

Good luck with your search!

stockgs300

Welcome I'm also a 19 yr old gs300 owner myself I don't trust myself to answer your questions but I'm sure other well informed members can do so. or you cause use the "search" and things should come up.

semi-off topic but have you considered a gs400? you might wanna read some of the things on here about the differences between the two. the extra money for a gs4 seems pretty worth it to me right now.

as for your questions (just my experience):
1. im a jobless college student so gas seems like a ***** to me. from what i hear the gs4 doesnt even use up that much more gas then the gs3
2. i've only had my car for a short while but its given me no problems so far. just keep up with the usual maintenance and you should be good.
3. someone else can help you with this
4. not sure what you mean

UberNoob

welcome to the forums

to answer some of your questions
1. my 01 GS300 in stock form gets like 16 mpg for all city driving
can be like 25~26mpg if doing all hwy
it has a 19.5 gallon tank so u can fuel up like every 4 days or so

a GS4 has more power but around the same mpg sadly
so you might want to look into a GS4 if u can afford one and dont plan on turboing the 2JZ engine in GS3 in the future

MR2-Mike

Thanks you guys for all the replies.

UberNoob:
Maybe I will look into the GS400. Now when I was going to get the sc300 I was going to do the 2jz swap. Then decided I can probably do the same in the gs300. If I was to turbo the stock 2jz whats the most I'll get out of the engine on stock internals?

stockgs300
LOL. Bet the girls are loving the whip =]. um when I said freemods I meant something that can be done in the backyard to open up a few more ponies or what not.

jspecdan
Thanks for the info.

Thanks,
Mike

Ay-nako

iTrader: (25)

well as a 20 year old gs owner ive owned me gs for quite a while and i will tell you one thing- as soon as you get this car the mod bug will bite you in the *** pretty hard haha... you might resist it for a month or maybe even two but it will get you eventually! hell i bought two of em now!

Ay-nako

iTrader: (25)

oh and you get get a load ton on the stock internals maybe around 450 just with a new headgasket and bigger injectors and new standalone and fuel rail and alot more stuff but it will hold up to it as long as you dont pass 450//500 hp our trannys really cant hold up to that! im actually going after 420-450 hp myself!

MR2-Mike

lmao thanks man.
haha i like the community already. I'm really leaning towards the GS300 instead of the SC just because I think the GS will look better with the VIP look that i want to do later down the line. And I already have my toy MR2 ..hmm

How long to the stock trannys usually hold? I'm looking at a 1998 one with about 150k "highway" miles. I drove it and it felt good. IDK if its just how the car is but if it moves slow with a lil gas..just toeing it. Then you press down and it wants to pull. lol maybe I'm too use to the hard gas pedal on my mustang.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Stock tranny will be good for a LONG time if you get your fluids changed like you should. And the crappy response you're feeling is not out of the ordinary. You're in a big heavy (3600lbs) car, with not too much torque (225ftlbs), isolated luxury chamber, you're going to feel that lag in throttle response. I've driven a boosted GS3 (400whp) and even then, the throttle response isn't as sharp as another buddy's 250whp Integra. Weight plays a huge role so unless you have a bajillion foot-lbs of torque, dont expect super sharp throttle. Besides, Toyota built this car with isolation in mind.


But when you first get your GS, change out the balljoints RIGHT AWAY. Too many people try to hold it off for just a bit longer. Instead of paying $130 for the parts upfront, they're faced with a $900 bill for a new fender, ABS sensor, and balljoints.

MR2-Mike

Damn sounds like the cv-joints in the mr2s after 300+rwhp. Hmm seems like Toyota has a problem with drivetrain lol.

Thanks for the info on throttle..yea I'm def not used to driving a heavy car at all.

Anyway this is the one I was looking at.
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/car/628532013.html

There are a few chips here and there..but If i do decided to build it up anyway It'll be repainted and what not. I got him down to 8500. What do you think?

Mike

I appreciate all the help guys.

Ay-nako

iTrader: (25)

i think its a good deal but id even tell him to do down more for those awful rims!

DarKnight

iTrader: (3)

Oh you must be in northern NJ, that's in the next town over from me.

MR2-Mike

Oh what town are you in? I really live in Perth Amboy. But I'm in Bloomfield,Newark,Bellville all the time.

ElitistK

iTrader: (4)

the only reason why you would get a 300 is because you are going to turbo it.

the 300 and the 400/430 gets the same gas mileage. Aside from the problems plaguing '98s and a few in '99 and '00, these cars are very solid.

MR2-Mike

Yea I do plan on turboing it later down the line. I want to get my MR2 done first.

I read somewhere that the stock internals don't hold up as good as the JDM motor. Is this true?