A Few Questions About My New Lovely Lexus

[Davearia]

Hi,

This is my first post on here. I became a Lexus owner over the weekend. Wow, that's all there is to say really.

It's a GS300 in 53 plate, 77,000 miles. Paid £3000 for it and I'm made up. I giggle everywhere I drive my Lexus is simply the bee's patellas.

Got some questions I would like to ask if that is ok. If I have to post them individually so say and I will.

1. Normally the mileage for a timing belt needing changing for most cars is roughly 60,000 -70,000 miles. The Lexus book my car came with says 100,000 miles would this be correct?

2. My aerial is stuck up but I can hear the motor working. Should I be looking to fix it rather than replace it? (Been told sometimes they just need greasing)

3. Is there much point in buying an update for the Sat Nav maps? (Already have a new Tom Tom which can work by post code which the Lexus navigation seems to not which given its age is not surprising at all)

4. The front headlamps seam quite cloudy, not sure if this is inside or out or both, is there any way of removing this?

Thanks,

Dave.

[The-Acre]

Welcome to LOC Dave, Not sure on your model about the first 2, but I wouldn't update the sat nav, its not cheap to do either. Some have used this method for headlights, and I'm about to try it myself!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lZ96BXoT10

[Alex Coul]

On a car of that age I'd replace the cambelt even if it only had 10,000 miles. Rubber isn't designed to last for that long!

[aly-g]

Welcome to LOC, always good advice here ....1.The toothpaste trick works if the lens is yellowed on the outside, i've done it myself, 2..change the cam belt the recommended is 60k or 5-6 years whichever is soonest, 3... worth dismantling the aerial to try and fix, 4 stick to your tom tom for navigation and save money......

Allan

[ColinBarber]

cambelt is every 100,000 miles. Not sure Lexus place a time limit in the UK but in some countries it will be 100,000 miles or 10/12 years. If you don't want to get it done unless necessary then at least inspect it for any cracking / wear.

A Nav update still won't get you full postcode destination. Depending on age you may not be able to enter a destination whilst the vehicle is in motion, an update may remove that restriction. If you are happy with the TomTom then don't bother with an update.

As others have stated if the cloudiness is on the outside then it can be polished out easily. If it is on the inside then you have to remove and bake the units in the oven so the lens can be separated so you can clean the inside.

[aly-g]

I thought that lexus/Toyota have revised the cambelt change to 60k or 6years ???

Allan

[Davearia]

Spot on!

1. I have a good friend who is a qualified mechanic I'll pass the information about the timing belt onto him and let him do what is necessary.

2. I'll inspect the aerial and see what I can find. Found a Youtube video on getting it off the car so I have a good idea of how to.

3. I'll stick to Tom Tom

4. Toothpaste for my headlamps it is

BTW I got one of these for my Lexus http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00007EDLW it came today proper bargain. Contemplating http://www.justconnectme.co.uk/justdrive-digital-radio-dab-car-adaptor but it is a more expensive option so it will have to wait.

Thanks for taking time to answer my questions :)

[39buss]

There's a small inspection cover, on top of the engine at the front, held on by 4 bolts (allen bolts?)that you can take off to inspect the cambelt

[ColinBarber]

I thought that lexus/Toyota have revised the cambelt change to 60k or 6years ???

Allan

No, years ago they used to be 63k when the service intervals were 9,000 miles. Most of the vehicles since 2000 have been 100,000 miles and the latest Toyota engine designs use chains rather than belts and don't need a regular change.

The IS200 is an exception, there is essentially a design issue where a lot of belts were being worn down and so Lexus revised their service schedule from 100k to 60k

[Davearia]

Just a quickie the new aerial mast came today. The old one had snapped a piece off inside so I took it apart and remove the piece, reinstated the aerial base and put the new mast in. Switched the ignition on and boom works perfect.

Thanks for you advice on this thread and the other ones :)

[aly-g]

Just to confirm, is the cambelt change just at 100k regardless of age ? Except the is200, for example a 30 year old car might only have 30k miles ,surely the rubber cambelt would deteriorate with the years, are the belts made of different materials for different cars ?

[Davearia]

Hi Allan,

Personally I'm not qualified to say one way or the other. I'm getting my mechanic friend to inspect it and by removing this cover. But if honesty I would say it will be replaced to be on the safe side. Just out of interest how much will one be? I saw these are they suitable? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/360147257878?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

[aly-g]

Hi dave, my last post was not meant for you to answer, I was hoping that Colin might confirm about the age of the belt to do a change, ...the cambelt you looked at on eBay is from abroad so I would not bother with that one, also if your going to change the belt not knowing the last time it was done I would also change the cambelt tensioner , you would normally buy a kit with everything included, search on fleabay for this item number :- 281305240446, it's the sort of thing you would be looking for ..... Let us know how you get on...

Allan

[The-Acre]

Just to say I cleaned the headlights (and they were quite bad) but I spent an unnecessary £20 at Halfords on their cleaning kit. It didn't really contain anything that I don't have lying around, except for a small wool disc for the end of a drill. Anyway, they came up a treat, what a difference it makes to the overall look.

[ColinBarber]

Just to confirm, is the cambelt change just at 100k regardless of age ? Except the is200, for example a 30 year old car might only have 30k miles ,surely the rubber cambelt would deteriorate with the years, are the belts made of different materials for different cars ?

I don't think they are rubber and they are reinforced but I would want to change it after 10 years, especially if the engine is an interference design (which the series II GS300 is) to reduce the risk of a failure. I think most Lexus service schedules do state an age as well as a mileage.

People have run belts much longer than that but I don't recommend it. The belt that came off my wife's old RX300 looked new, that was after 101,000 miles and 10 years, I'm sure it would have lasted a long time.

[aly-g]

thanks for the comfirmation Colin.....

Allan

[Davearia]

So Phil would you recommend toothpaste or is the kit you bought any better considering the difference in cost?

[aly-g]

Dave try the toothpaste , honestly it does work and you don't need a lot, just try a bit on a corner of the lamp lens....save yourself some dollars....wash off properly after polishing...

Allan

[The-Acre]

So Phil would you recommend toothpaste or is the kit you bought any better considering the difference in cost?

I would try toothpaste first to save money. When you look inside the Halfords box you straight away realise you've not got good value for your money! I only did it with the kit because I was in Halfords anyway and felt lazy. Some say you can use baking soda as well, although it may be slightly more aggressive. The only real advantage with the kit is the small polishing mop that comes with it, I put it in a cordless drill and it was really easy (apart from the fact that is goes everywhere)

[jpjsavage]

Toothpaste works well, grittier the better!

[Davearia]

The only real advantage with the kit is the small polishing mop that comes with it,

I've got a pad similar to this for getting marks off the windscreen I could use it with toothpaste. Giving my car minty freshness at the same time :)

[The-Acre]

The only real advantage with the kit is the small polishing mop that comes with it,

I've got a pad similar to this for getting marks off the windscreen I could use it with toothpaste. Giving my car minty freshness at the same time :)

Not to mention preventing decay, sorry, but someone had to say it! :shutit: