Hi Everyone!

[sineda31]

Hello folks! I'm new around here. Got an '05 Lexus IS200 SE 6 speed manual with every available factory option installed. Only covered 50k miles. Had no faults back when I bought it and was inspected by an AA engineer upon purchasing. No service history, but it didn't put me off. Had some small scratches around the car that will be polished off without a problem. This Lexus was supposed to be my weekend ride since I already had an '06 Volvo S40 1.6 S. Therefore, my Lexus was garaged without use for a year; I had no time what so ever to do anything to this baby.

Three weeks ago, my daily car reached 90k and I thought it was about time to sell it. Slowly started to work on the Lexus by buying it a new Battery and starting it for the first time in a year; started from the first time without a problem. Booked it for an MOT and sold my Volvo. It failed on front O/S driver side brakes, needs new caliper, disc and pads. Kwik-Fit quoted me £420 with the MOT. I thought, forget that, so bought 2x front Mintex discs and pads for £72. Going to fit it next week along with a caliper, decided to buy 1x since the other one is mint. Been driving it from home to the MOT centre, forgot how amazing the 6 cylinder sounds! Other than the brakes, the car is spot on. Due to not having any service history, I think it's best for me to change the timing belt and water pump; along with a full service history, new plugs. Anything else to watch out for?

Thanks in advance.

[Stuno1]

Welcome to the forum, nice car :)

[IHgs300]

Hello and welcome to the club, Nice choice of car.

[CRAIGOS]

Hi Denny, Welcome to LOC nice motor just the colour I wanted but my gold one come at the right price had it 6 years now, by far the best car I've ever owned. Well I'll be getting Timing belt and water pump done real soon as it's due on time. Think you can get the full kit off eBay including water pump for £155.00.

Keep me updated mate.

Cheers

[steve2006]

Hello and welcome to the LOC.

Only ever used Kwik-Fit once and never again.

You can get caliper rebuild kits from a company called Big Redd including all the pistons and seals.

Common problem on the IS200,just make sure you put plenty of grease on the moving parts and slide pins on assembly.

You dropped in lucky there with a 50K miler, I didn't get any service history with mine with 38K on it. Bought in 2006 and still going strong.

[sineda31]

Thanks a lot for warm welcome guys! I'm extremely jolly to start driving it asap. Will need to check eBay for the kit, as it seems like one of the best places to buy good parts for the car. Now, I'm heading to browsing on some help :)

[HoodRich]

It looks to be in top condition! Congrats on owning such a lovely car and welcome to the forum.

[sineda31]

So then, front Mintex discs and pads were fitted, along with front caliper that became seized. MOT has been passed too. Been driving it for two weeks now and damn!!! It feels good!!!

One thing though, every time I turn my car to the left, it makes a weird rubbing noise. I have read a lot on here and people say that it can be either the lip that needs trimming, the arch or in the worst case the bearing. I have ran it through full service at Kwik-Fit and they haven't found anything wrong with the car, they've stripped its brakes and checked all measurements (that's what they said). I did say to the guy that there is a noise when turning left, he said he didn't hear anything. Of course you wouldn't, because you'd hear it if your windows are down only. Hmmmm, I wonder what it is... The other problem, is CD Error1 but that'll get fixed once I clean the lens.

Any suggestions? I doubt it's the bearing, as it'd be a loud noise and I'd hear it with windows closed.