How's the EF 75-300mm 4-5.6 USM III Lens?

I've seen a couple of these for under $200. Its non IS, but I was wondering if its a sharp, decent starting zoom lens. I like to shoot automotive events (AutoX) and landscapes mostly, do you think this would be a decent lens for the job? I really don't have $400 to drop on a truly good lens, so I figure if I buy something cheap now, eventually I can replace it with something much more expensive down the road and not lose much money. If you wouldn't suggest this lens, is there something in the $200-300 range that is an acceptable zoom?

It's good enough for the money. You'll find it's a little soft at the long end, and there's some CA on it, but it is cheap, and it will give you a feel as to whether this is a focal length that you need.

If you understand its limitations you can get some good shots. It is soft at 300mm, and definately needs to be stopped down for best results. You might want to take a look at the Sigma 70-300, as it seems to be the top performer in this price range.

I assume that if I were to go with the Sigma, I should go for the APO one right? Its the most expensive and I remember seeing something about APO being worth the extra $$ in another thread.