Jack300

I'd go for a 300 SportCross if you can find one - at least then you'll have the difference of a bigger engine too. I'm not sure if the 200 SX has all of the goodies that the 300 has - self dimming rear view mirrors, HID lights etc. Finally, get the 300 converted to LPG then you've 200(ish)bhp to play with on fuel at 60p per litre. Good luck Jack

This weeks Auto Express surveyed 23000 drivers and in the Build Quality category the Lexus Is (old style as they refer to it) came top out of 100 in terms of Build Quality - it says ''Bulletproof - that's how most owners describe their old-shape Lexus IS''. ...thought you'd like to know. Good luck Jack

Nope, it doesn't. Simply gas is a leaner fuel than petrol and that's the reason, why the light comes on ;) It says that something is wrong to me,a decent LPG conversion should have a system that allows for this and prevents the EM light from coming on... As I said previously, there are plenty of poor or even dangerous conversions about. I would question why he is ditching the car 12 months after forking out a hill of cash for a conversion... I've run my 300 sport cross on LPG for almost two years now. The EM light came on shortly after the conversion - running too lean. It's a quck fiddle with the injector trim (it has 6 aditional injectors for the LPG and these need to open and close at as near the exact timings of the petrol injectors) via the installer and it's never come on again. ...cant fault LPG - slight loss of power (like having a passenger in the car) but it's offset by the 55.9p per litre (filled it up this morning for £31.99) which means the car hardly see the inside lane as the fuel's so cheap... might as well drive fast. Good luck Jack

Terry - if you find a (cheapish) replacement source, will you let me know? ...and viceversa, if I come across anything, I'll give you a shout. Cheers Jack

Terry ...I've been looking on t'net via Google and it refers me to this forum actually - and that's where I've picked up the £140... I've not been to the local stealer so maybe the £140 is very out of date. Good luck Jack

I've had surprising results getting rid of scratches using Autoglym Leather Care on plastics - mind you it was the wifes Almera. Also, worth a thought, I use a matt finish interior spray cleaner/polish for the insides - maybe a matt finish will help hide the scratches - bit like painting your house, gloss shows up all the imperfections, matt hides them. Good luck Jack

Got something similar on my 3 litre Sport Cross and am considering blanking it off first and if there's not reduction in power or vast increase in intake noise, getting rid of it. Here's why... Got a book for Christmas called 4 stroke engine performance tuning. Slowly reading it and the first aspects it covers is air intake. basically it says keep the air as cold as you can and the intake pipe as smooth as you can ..that's about 20 pages condensed into half a sentance. On the 3ltr the intake runs right across the exposed exhaust manifold - so, I'm going to shield those and make the existing black plastic as smooth as etc. ie remove the resonator I'm not sure if there will be any noticeable gains as they tend to be at the top end, but it's a cheap 'mod' and it's fun. Cheers Jack

I've checked ebay - was the first place I looked - but Pablo of Poland wants £180 for the pair - even at half that for one (second hand) it's still loads of dosh, and then there's the risk involved in money going abroad... I think I'll try walking into my local Toyota dealership and see if they can help - being a synic (can't spell), I'm sure we are paying Lexus prices to subsidise development of the Toyota range - so maybe the same wing mirror glass exists on a 'cheaper' model. If it does, I'll let you know. Cheers Jack

There's a fine crack developed in the drives wing mirror glass (and it's loosing it's silver) - it's an IS300 Sportcross - and at first I was shocked reading a £75 replacement cost - and then realised that that was for a heated glass - and that it was £140 for the one that dims too (which I think mine does). Does anyone know is the same glass is used in any of the Toyota range? ...ie know of a cheaper alternative? Thanks in advance. Jack

if you are going to go LPG, why not buy a 300 - at least you still have some power remaining after the conversion. Good luck Jack

Had te same problem with a Nissan Auto - the safety device that stops you taking the key out unless you have the gearbox in Park fails - it's a solenoid on the side of the ignition barrell. The fix was to get at it and hold it open so that you can remove the key whatever position the shift lever is in. I held it open with an elastic band - nice low tech fix to a high tech problem. Good luck Jack

Fixed a friends Lex the other day - she said it wasn't as responsive as it used to be. Turned out to be a rubber overmat wedged under the accelerator pedal. ...makes you wonder. Cheers Jack

...and guess what - the Ford Fiesta was deemed to be a great car by Jeremy - told you so. Off topic a little, you think the Nissan badge spoils the 350Z, look what it did to it's predecessor (can't spell) ...the 300ZX - completely anialiated it. In a survey (granted it's an American survey) the 300zx was voted the 19th best looking car of all times - so unfortunately, badge is everything. Cheerz ...homage to Z ownership. Jack

Out of my depth here as mines a 3ltr - but is there an auto choke mechanism on the 2ltr car? If there is then I'd suggest it's stuck open. There's stuff called carb cleaner that comes in an aerosol - if you can get at all of the breathing stuff on the top of the engine and give it a clean with this stuff, it might help - it's worth a try as it's low tech ie easy to do. Good luck Jack

Sounds like head gasket failure to me. Good luck Jack