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im24601
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Hi all.

Been an IS200SE owner for approx 5 years now and amassed a respectable 70000 miles in that time - all happy, comfortable driving. The only mods I have had made are the covert blue lights and sirens fitted a few years ago (all legit, I swear!)

I stumbled across this site a few days ago and already have taken on-board some advice given - a 40-or so mile blat to Hemel Hempstead to see Tony at WIM.

More on that shortly, but needless to say - I will be looking for help very shortly, as Lexus Oxford and Lexus GB and me are about to fall-out bigtime.

24601

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Hi all.

Been an IS200SE owner for approx 5 years now and amassed a respectable 70000 miles in that time - all happy, comfortable driving. The only mods I have had made are the covert blue lights and sirens fitted a few years ago (all legit, I swear!)

I stumbled across this site a few days ago and already have taken on-board some advice given - a 40-or so mile blat to Hemel Hempstead to see Tony at WIM.

More on that shortly, but needless to say - I will be looking for help very shortly, as Lexus Oxford and Lexus GB and me are about to fall-out bigtime.

24601

You didn't suffer from severe tyre wear by any chance? :whistling:

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You didn't suffer from severe tyre wear by any chance?

Suffer? I think the pics of my fronts at 7115 miles (5 months) on Dunlop SP9000 Made in Japan which Tony took yesterday will answer that question!

What I would like is as many people as possible to let me know their experiences (just of tyres :winky: ) and I will make the drive to Epsom and sit in Lexus GB's reception until someone is prepared to listen and take note of what we, the owners and everyday drivers, are saying.

Lexus Oxford have been happy to fob me off with "under inflation" as the cause which is absolute rubbish (confirmed by Dunlop) as the cause of the front inners wearing to the wire after 7000 miles - and this from the "harder and more durable tyre" of the ones Lexus recommend.

Love the car - hate the after-sales service/customer service. I wouldn't touch Lexus Oxford with a barge pole. 3 four-wheel alignments from them and several tyres fitted by their own techs to their specs and the problem hasn't gone away. An muggins here keeps footing the bills.

Lexus have also told me that the reason for the excesssive wear is that I have fitted "Made in Germany" tyres previously and, given that the Germans drive on the wrong side of the road, German-made tyres aren't suitable for those who drive on the left. If anyone wants the powerpoint presentation emailing to them - let me know (as a newbie do I have restricted PM abilities?).

Rant over for now...

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You didn't suffer from severe tyre wear by any chance?

Suffer? I think the pics of my fronts at 7115 miles (5 months) on Dunlop SP9000 Made in Japan which Tony took yesterday will answer that question!

What I would like is as many people as possible to let me know their experiences (just of tyres :winky: ) and I will make the drive to Epsom and sit in Lexus GB's reception until someone is prepared to listen and take note of what we, the owners and everyday drivers, are saying.

Lexus Oxford have been happy to fob me off with "under inflation" as the cause which is absolute rubbish (confirmed by Dunlop) as the cause of the front inners wearing to the wire after 7000 miles - and this from the "harder and more durable tyre" of the ones Lexus recommend.

Love the car - hate the after-sales service/customer service. I wouldn't touch Lexus Oxford with a barge pole. 3 four-wheel alignments from them and several tyres fitted by their own techs to their specs and the problem hasn't gone away. An muggins here keeps footing the bills.

Lexus have also told me that the reason for the excesssive wear is that I have fitted "Made in Germany" tyres previously and, given that the Germans drive on the wrong side of the road, German-made tyres aren't suitable for those who drive on the left. If anyone wants the powerpoint presentation emailing to them - let me know (as a newbie do I have restricted PM abilities?).

Rant over for now...

Now thats good, big meet @ Leuxs HQ with all the problems peolpe have/are having with them over warranty.

Call the press, dont think Lexus GB would like this :winky:

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Hey Gord

I am more than happy to organise or as be involved as I can.

It's been a while since I last got arrested for harassment... :tomato:

What we need though is hard-evidence and experiences of as many as possible....

Now thats good, big meet @ Leuxs HQ with all the problems peolpe have/are having with them over warranty.

Call the press, dont think Lexus GB would like this :winky:

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Lexus have also told me that the reason for the excesssive wear is that I have fitted "Made in Germany" tyres previously and, given that the Germans drive on the wrong side of the road, German-made tyres aren't suitable for those who drive on the left. If anyone wants the powerpoint presentation emailing to them - let me know (as a newbie do I have restricted PM abilities?).

What's on the Powerpoint presentation? Surely Lexus haven't given you one on why you shouldn't fit German made tyres??

My IS200 Sport had the inner tyre wear issue, but nowhere near as bad as yours. No problems at all since Tony has been looking after both the IS250 and IS200 for a year or more now. As for their remark on under inflation... :tsktsk:

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Hey Gord

I am more than happy to organise or as be involved as I can.

It's been a while since I last got arrested for harassment... :tomato:

What we need though is hard-evidence and experiences of as many as possible....

Now thats good, big meet @ Leuxs HQ with all the problems peolpe have/are having with them over warranty.

Call the press, dont think Lexus GB would like this :winky:

Snowman from Loc is having problems with Lexus and warranty of his gearbox, coz he has the supercharger fitted.

Any sort of protest outside Lexus HQ, will give them bad press, as for the hard evidence, Tony has all the evidence we need.

As far as snowmans case, more than 1 on loc have had warranty work done with superchargers fitted in the past.

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Send me the Powerpoint presentation to mail at djwozza dot com.

Can't believe they are still pumping that nonsense.

I had a Lexus technician in my car the other day, and the subject of tracking

came up, he is using his own settings on the IS200 as he recognises the

Factory settings are just plain wrong, from the numbers he has set

& the number that return with the dreaded wear.. (all of them)

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Seen the pic of your tyres matey and i think they were very slightley worn on the edges :o :ohmy: Couldnt believe they said they were under inflated,

I also couldnt believe the state of them after the low milage you did on them and what would have happened if you were on the motorway and they blew out? i'd take them to Lexus GB and show them what state they were in after you had it set up again by the dealer, as to me its a very big safety concern for all owners :msn-oh:

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Aztec et al

Yeah, I said to them that it was only by the grace of God (or whichever divine spirit you believe in) that they didn't blow out on me.

Let it be said that Lexus picked the wrong person to pi5s of in me.

I need evidence from individuals - we can all assume that Lexus GB will say that (and already have) that Tony has a "commercial interest" in changing the settings. I pointed out that they have a commercial interest in recommending another 4-wheel alignment and another set of new tyres. At that point the General Manager of Customer Services (can we name names here? - oh well, sod it - I will) Samantha Betts told me that Lexus have no commercial interest in selling me tyres!!!!! Funny that, as National Tyres sell the Dunlops £40 cheaper than the dealerships (certainly Lexus Oxford). No commercial interest, my arse.

Anyhow, if anyone wants to join me at Lexus GB for a show-down - let me know...

Perhaps I should contact BBC Watchdog? I think I will.

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Perhaps I should contact BBC Watchdog? I think I will.

Watchdog emailed.

Fingers crossed for a response.....

Must admit to being welled pi$$ed off with Lexus in how they differentiate between issues in the USA and the UK. The number of TSIB's issued to the USA dealers to settle customer complaints under warranty is considerable, and producing copies to the dealers over are met with 'only in America'....even though the cars are produced with the same parts in the same two factories in Japan.

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Im24601, I can understand your frustration regarding the extreme/uneven tyrewear on your IS, I too (like most of the IS200/300 owners on LOC) have experienced extreme/uneven tyrewear on our cars. I don't think you (or anyone else) would be able to get Lexus GB/Toyota to admit liability on the extreme/uneven tyre wear issue on the mk1 IS. If they did admit liability, just think how many people would be claiming for tyres, previous wheel alignment attempts, stress, loss of faith in their cars etc. I discussed this with Tony at WIM when I had by geometry done.

Remember the mk1 IS was not just sold in the UK, it was sold all over Europe, the US and in Asia (as the Altezza). The financial costs to Lexus/Toyota would run into millions if they compenstated all IS owners.

Best thing is to get Tony at WIM to do a full geometry setup/check (if you have not already had it done) and your car will be transformed. Once you've done this- move on. That reminds, I'm now due a fine tune by Tony now...

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Best thing is to get Tony at WIM to do a full geometry setup/check (if you have not already had it done) and your car will be transformed. Once you've done this- move on. That reminds, I'm now due a fine tune by Tony now...

Simply moving on would be accepting that Lexus were right and that it is ok for them to do what they do. It isn't. On principle alone I shall see this through - the one thing I haven't got is definitive "proof" - what I hopefully can get hold of though, is lots of pee-ed off people like me who have bought new tyres after Lexus, in their infinite wisdom, wrongly set-up the geometry on a costly 4-wheel alignment.

I have told Lexus time and time again that there is "something wrong" - all they have seeen fit to do is charge me for this and that.

I am fed-up of costly fire-fighting. Now it is time to do something about it: if I have to sit in Epsom everyday for a week until someone in authority sees me I will.

Lexus will not even entertain the idea currently that the reason there are so many owners experiencing extreme inner tyre wear because of their miscalculated figures.

Must someone die before they take note? Because they will. Or, they'll lose their license - who knows what effect that'll have on them/their family. Not if I can help it.

I will not be dissuaded. This is the right thing to do. Are you with me?

Tufor.

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Best thing is to get Tony at WIM to do a full geometry setup/check (if you have not already had it done) and your car will be transformed. Once you've done this- move on. That reminds, I'm now due a fine tune by Tony now...

Simply moving on would be accepting that Lexus were right and that it is ok for them to do what they do. It isn't. On principle alone I shall see this through - the one thing I haven't got is definitive "proof" - what I hopefully can get hold of though, is lots of pee-ed off people like me who have bought new tyres after Lexus, in their infinite wisdom, wrongly set-up the geometry on a costly 4-wheel alignment.

I have told Lexus time and time again that there is "something wrong" - all they have seeen fit to do is charge me for this and that.

I am fed-up of costly fire-fighting. Now it is time to do something about it: if I have to sit in Epsom everyday for a week until someone in authority sees me I will.

Lexus will not even entertain the idea currently that the reason there are so many owners experiencing extreme inner tyre wear because of their miscalculated figures.

Must someone die before they take note? Because they will. Or, they'll lose their license - who knows what effect that'll have on them/their family. Not if I can help it.

I will not be dissuaded. This is the right thing to do. Are you with me?

Tufor.

Just got round to reading your post, mate.

Have you been in contact with Lexus GB? How did you get on?

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How did I get on...?

Well, General Manager at Lexus GB said that she was unaware of any problems with tyres and that it must be driver error.

The previous owner of mine who did just shy of 30k in it, is probably 20yrs older and lo and behold had the same problems I had when he bought it and replaced tyres at every service until he got shot of it at 29220 miles or so.

I am 35-yrs old and not a "boy racer". I'd like to think I know how to drive a car better than the average punter out on the road - having worked for the Emergency Services previously - and having sympathetic driving hammered into you from Day 1!

Then I mentioned WIM... Tony, she said (sorry, her name is Samantha Betts) that he (Tony) has a vested interest to correct Lexus' settings! When I mentioned to her that Lexus Oxford told me the reason was under-inflation - something that Dunlop-Goodyear in West Midlands completely dismissed - she said I should believe the manufacturer not the tyre experts!!!

Another Lexus dealership not too far from me told me that they have revised geometry settings from Lexus because the other ones (previous ones) were "too wide"... Too wide? I have asked them for the new settings and am still waiting on them. Apparently they can't locate the website with them on. The obvious way to get them would be to go into the sodding workshop area and speak to one of the technicians for the current settings! However, I am evidently over-simplifying things and don't feel it is my place to make recommendations to them.

And curiously, why would a different "less wide" settings have been adopted if the previous ones were as good as Lexus have made out? The old adage of "if it ain't broken, don't change it" springs to mind.

Lexus Oxford, however - do not accept that the other local dealership have new settings, they don't accept that WIM's findings are accurate and the thought of anyone questioning the manufacturer is abhorrent.

So, Lexus Oxford won't speak to me now (at least the Service Manager won't - apparently the Dealer Principal has told him so).

I now have the readings from the 4-wheel alignment in August '07and the ones taken 7000 miles later (Jan '08). [For those interested, Tony has taken a photo of my tyres and put it on the WIM forum]

I shall be emailing Tony as soon as I have finished this post with the settings for his opinion, albeit an opinion with a vested interest :whistling:

Very shortly, there will be a thread starting here for people to add their names and experiences re:inner wear on front tyres. I am not a technical person by any means but I do recognise when something is awry.

Please, please, please add your comments to that thread - that will be the evidence to give to Lexus GB and whoever else can make a difference.

That's where we are so far.

Cheers

Tufor

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