C Andrew Green

@Eame64Haha, I recently had occasion to bollock Lexus Reading for their test driver doing 42 in a 30 zone! Didn't however get a satisfactory answer when I asked them why they left it running for 20 minutes while they washed it? i was amused by their confusion over what aHUD (head up display) was. Andrew

@zippyone This thread should help: Dashcam recommendations and Dashcam compilations Regards, Andrew

Is a 1998 LS OBD II? If so get a Mini VCI dongle with Techstream and try to read the (hopefully) stored codes might give you a clue. Also possibly investigate the EGR valve and it's plumbing. Andrew

@KenMavor I had occasion to remove the rear wheels (to replace rear pads and a caliper) and was surprised just how heavy a wheel and tyre is (I must be getting old and weak!) So I can see why manufacturers fit much lighter spacesavers. In 200 odd thousand miles in my old Mazda 626 I could count the number of punctures on one hand so it does seem logical not to lug around several Kgs of full sized spare wheel to the general detriment of fuel economy. According to the handbook and the tyre data plate on the drivers side 'B' pillar for 16" & 17" it states W and for 18" it's Y. Andrew

Same track in a car just as mad!

Mechanical design engineer (SolidWorks), design seismometers and associated systems (data recorders, deployment systems, subsea housings and such). I thought it was a company rule that everyone at Vodafone in Newbury drives an Audi! That's all I seem to see going there when I drive past every day! Another Andrew.

Good spot @XT5 picked up two on the way home this evening, look like they should do the job! @rayaans I'll try and check out Lidl this weekend and have a look at theirs! Regards Andrew

I'm not a hooligan, honest, just like to make progress! 'Haven't tried the roundabouts yet' how can you not have tried roundabouts yet? This is England, home of the roundabout! Much to my other half disgust (Thailand doesn't have all that many roundabouts , they just have dodgy 'U' turn gaps in the central reservation everywhere) Andrew

If it's anything like the IS250 it looks like you may have the pull-pull cables swapped...... swap them over and that <should> reverse the operation sense. No sorry, scratch that idea, the pictures I have aren't too clear on what goes where! The two pull cables I saw are the latch and the lock cables not pull-pull! Andrew

My IS250 lives in ECT Power mode!, I found the throttle curve (response) was too non linear in normal, if I'm on a long drive with my other half in the car I sometimes stick it in normal mode to have a gentle drive as she gets car sick if I hammer it round too many roundabouts! Andrew

The IS250 owners manual is very specific in that when you use an automatic car wash you must fold the mirrors in (use the switch in the door panel) Page 252 of the US manual refers, might be different in the UK manual (I've got a .pdf of the US manual here and my UK manual isn't to hand at the moment). I've forgotten a couple of times and folded them at the last minute! My old Mazda 626 went through fine with the mirrors out, but the weren't electrical folding mirrors............. Andrew

It's going to involve a fair bit of fiddling! My brother just fitted a set of those to his 2005 IS250 in place of the original halogen dip beams. All the wiring and boxes that come with them won't fit in the headlamp rear housing behind the bulb access hatch. His HID kit also didn't come with a suitable plug to connect these to the original loom, although tbe crimp pins were already in place on the end of the wires??? An appropriate plastic plug housing was swiftly sourced on eBay. He then drilled a suitable sized hole for the supplied gasket in the hatch, passed the wires through and fitted the plug housings after confirming the polarity of the headlamp loom with a multimeter. Currently the boxes are fitted on top of the airfilter housing (R) and fuse box (L) with double sided tape, although this may have to change when he refits the plastic engine covers. I've not had a go jn his IS at night yet, but he reckons it's significantly better and they must be OK for aim, as he hasn't had anyone flashing him thinking his main beams are on! Reading on the DVLA website their guidance is that HID lights aren't permitted at all (new or retrofit!), but as manufacturers are fitting them they're allowing them, but they specifically say that "their view" is that they're not acceptable as retrofit, as the housings aren't specifically designed for HID. Brothers MOT tester said he doesn't care what they are so long as the aim and pattern is OK. Andrew

Yeah, I assume that's short for Very Idiotic People!

Appalling thing, 1200 miles out of the tyres like that, Why bother?

Key fobs definitely need erasing prior to re-programming, I bought one for my IS250 and the seller wasn't aware of the need, but checked with his programming expert 'mate' who confirmed it was needed. (paid extra to have it done) TechStream took a lot of fiddling with drivers and stuff but got it going eventually. Similar service advertised on eBay. To add a new blank key you're asked to put the existing key on the start button (with the new key outside the vehicle) and then there's a time window to place the original key on the back seat and the new key on the start button. The instructions in TechStream are quite precise and it still took me two attempts to get the time and sequence right. I now have the security of having two working key fobs. Cutting a new blank was straightforward enough at a branch of Timpson, you'll need a bigger branch with a computerised milling machine for the double sided Lexus keys, then I just had to saw and file it to fit my key retainer. Regards Andrew

Haha, After 40+ years in three pedal Manuals with conventional handrake, when I got my IS250 automatic in April it took me a little while to retrain my left foot into the correct sequence to release it at the right time! If I pull up to traffic lights that have just turned red I tend to apply parking brake & select 'N', feet off pedals aaand relax, if my prediction is a short stop, foot on normal brake and shift to 'N', brief stops it stays in 'D', I only use 'P' and parking brake when parked up and shutting down. A long while ago I actually had a brief drive of an american car which had the same parking brake system, so I kind of knew what to expect. I agree with 'comfortable smooth quiet and refined' and with enough 'Go' to make usefull progress. It's a lonnnng time since I owned and drove a RWD car in the winter so we'll see how much fun we can have! I also seem to have broken my initial habit of driving off with the (somewhat weedy) parking brake on! (it beeps at you after a few yards). Andrew

@capese & @parkman, Funny you should say that, what I did was go on Wagners part finder direct and identify exactly which part number I needed (in my case ThermoQuiet Ceramic #QC1113) then search Amazon for them, Amazon.co.uk = £68.00 (not Amazon but sold by someone else) Amazon.com £40 odd (sold by Amazon with import taxes (allegedly, we'll see) included). As it happens I was initially looking on Amazon.com (US) and it was only later that I tried searching the .co.uk site. I'm not at all sure how I've got an account on Amazon.com as I've never bought from them before, maybe you automatically get a reciprocal account when you sign up to Amazon.co.uk? I wait with baited breath to see how the import side of it goes and whether I have to pay ParcelFarce / Royal Snail's 'clearance fee'................ Andrew

@capese21 Thanks again, off to Amazon I go to place an order..... Andrew

Ah, OK thanks, I thought that would be the answer. Might I ask where you sourced them from? Andrew

Hi, I'm thinking of getting a set of Wagner ThermoQuiet for the rear of my IS as rear pads getting thin was the only advisory on the MOT. As far as I can see they have to come from the USA, unless anyone knows of a UK seller? Amazon appear to have the correct parts for $48 (~£36) including taxes, how did others buy theirs? And finally did you leave out the OE shims and stuff and go with Wagners applied shim material? Thanks in advance for suggestions. Andrew

Just got to rearrange the laws of physics and we'll be good to go! I don't inherently disagree with the convertiplane concept but as the Americans have found with the V22 Osprey it's almost like the worst of both worlds. With a wingspan that small you're looking at 200~300 MPH in the cruise (a 35' span Cessna 150 weighing ~1600 pounds cruises @ 75MPH on 100BHP, just!) to achieve those kind of speeds is going to require a significant power input......... Nice to dream though. Andrew

Hi @cortinas, My IS250 is from a similar era and merely has the 'cruise' caption that lights up when on, but no indication of what speed you've set it to after having cancelled it. I think the display of the set speed comes with the radar cruise option. Certainly the RX300 loaner (with radar adaptive cruise) I had while having the airbag recall done displayed the set speed. Andrew

Hi @TBi, When you say 'firmware' do you mean for the navigation system or do you mean so you can talk to the OBD port? Andrew

Sounds like good deal, I wonder if that includes oil? Or is it just the labour? Lexus Reading (Jemca group) advertise 'Essentials' sevice @ £165 for cars over 10 years old, I wonder if they'll do something similar? Andrew

Hi all, The Toyota Recall checker is here , claims to work by reg number but not for mine or my brothers car I had to enter my VIN for it to work.... then you get a number to ring and register..... Andrew