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After a slight delay due to the V5 being the only thing I forgot to change my address on when I moved not too long ago, picked mine up today. Immediately impressed as the 42 mile drive back was all on EV, with music and navigation via wireless AA, and A/C on a quarter of the way until it asked me if I wanted to close the window... Definitely more fun to drive than the RX and loving no body roll and general bounce. 450h+ F Sport with side steps and protection pack, Azure blue and red flare is the obvious bit!

Further update. After spending what felt like hours on the phone. I CAN keep existing finance in my name, and remain the registered keeper. My Insurers WILL insure the car in my name, even though I cannot currently drive for medical reasons, and Wife can remain as a named driver so she can drive it. So I think all is sorted now. Next step is appealing the decision to not allow me to drive. That will be interesting.

The bank details you give them are exactly what appear on your Cheques if you have ever written a cheque you have given the person your bank details that's all they need

In theory you only need a single cat in the car, so yes you can remove upper-cats and join pipes into single cat. I assume you want this as it would make easier to do pipe management considering you will have single turbo with single outlet. However, you can't use the standard IS250 cat because it is designed to be used in pair and for relatively low flow (as there are 4 of them to handle everything). So first of all with single cat it would not pass MOT due to emissions, secondly you will burn that single cat, tertiary it will not flow. So what you need is to put single large high flow ("performance") cat in place of one of secondary cats. But if you planning to use it on the track, then why bother with cats? Just straight pipe-it from beginning to the end. Regarding the second point - this forum does not hate mods. Lexus and IS250 in particular hates mods. Have you seen the engine bay? It is so tight you lose your knuckles just looking at it, working on it is painful and where exactly you planning to fit the turbo? Heat management will be bi*** as well, as you starting to realise you exhaust solution will be difficult as well. And that is just beginning of the issues. 4GR-FSE as most of modern engine have low friction rings, they can't handle forced induction (it will blow by and you just going to cook it), so you will need at very least rebuild the engine and add new rings... which you will have to adapt from some other car, because to surprise of nobody there are no aftermarket parts for 4GR-FSE. Now you have your engine rebuilt at the cost of say £1000 (if you do it yourself). Next step actually fitting the turbo and all the fabrication, add another £1000 (if you do it yourself). Once that is done you need standalone ECU, only the part itself is £1500 to handle DI and 6 cylinders and few more nice things like wideband etc. then you will need to tune it. Can you do it yourself? Else it will be another £1000 considering the hire of dyno etc. And here is the key point why these things are not being done to IS250 (and it is not that people here hate mods) - after spending £4500 you may have 300hp if you lucky, but likely unreliable, not road legal and uninsurable car. Even swapping the engine will be cheaper and more beneficial than turboing 4GR-FSE. So add the price of your project car and suddenly you can just buy another 100 different car for similar price and with more power and more suitable for the track use. I mean sure, you can just bolt on some old diesel turbo, put scaffolding around it and just wing it - but that will be less of "scientific research" and more of bonfire, you won't make any power at all without ECU and blow the engine before you can even get to the track. And that is before we even consider all other mods which you may want to do before taking IS250 on track. Answer - just get something else. And this is not because I am trying to save IS250 from being "modified", but because it does not make economical sense for you. Just as example of car which will cost less than your mods and will be better for track in itself: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195294356803 or https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265821350422

I have only ever put shell V power, momentum 99 in the three lexus that I have owned and will continue to do so regardless,call me whatever 😉

Worms, can, opened It's all snake oil. Super-duper petrol in a super-duper engine that's been tuned to use it - great, makes sense. Super-duper petrol in a standard engine makes no sense whatsoever.

Indeed. I would too!

As far as my experience all you need for bank transfer is account name, account number and sort code.

And just dropped the car off. Took about half an hour, price offered online was honoured (and that was based on their highest condition category) and money was in my bank literally as I walked out the door. All in all, very impressed.

Found it on the SC430mods forum on Facebook. A written guide with pictures on how to install the camera thanks to Mark Dressel. Here’s the link https://www.facebook.com/groups/5768778186473135/permalink/8210156749001921/

Here a link to the installation video I thought someone also did a guide to installing it on the SC430 UK Facebook Forum but I can’t find it now. That’s the trouble with Forums on Facebook you can never find anything afterwards.

I'm not so sure I am a fan of the watered down stuff. But if I get the same mileage and there is no noticeable difference in mpg or performance then why throw the government more money?

Each to their own. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. But as to 'difference', difference in what... mpg, smoothness, cleanness, emissions etc? Best to do what you want but I don't think anyone truly knows or knows whether it's worth the extra cost?

In the absence of independent directly comparable tests over a good distance, the difference could be subjective. Looked at another way, the higher octane or E5 contains less of the dreaded Ethanol which is a problem with some cars and produces less power when added. In other words, the normal unleaded has now been further adulterated. I was under the impression that the super grade, contained additional additive(s) to help clean engine and maximise performance. The difference could vary with the type of vehicle. Some high Octane fuel contains 5% Ethanol while some is Ethanol free. Let's hire a track for a day and do various tests!

This is a good thread to take a look at:

I had previously found iron filings on the tops of both rear ABS sensors. Today I took the sensors out and found more filings on the tips of the sensors. I picked them off, then cleaned the tips with contact cleaner spray. I used a round magnetic tool inside the sensor holes to clear the remaining debris. The reluctor ring castellations are less than 1 mm deep, so I don't think they will be sending much of a signal to the sensors. I put everything back together and a test drive showed the problem still there. I did not want the hassle of fitting new reluctor rings, so I ordered 2 new driveshafts from Rockauto. They come with new rings and dust covers, and I will also get the benefit of new rubber boots and bearings. They are due to arrive next month. I will post the outcome in due course.

The thought " It seemed like a good idea at the time" comes to mind. Firstly, body lift. Secondly, getting the hump. Thirdly, my wheels and spoiler is bigger than yours. I found these while looking at SC430 images on line and after initially feeling nauseous I thought it only fair to share them! Anthony

Yup, traded in my 2019 RC300h for a 2020 RX450h, fewer miles and many more toys!!

Ha, had the exact same issue. Was only steering 1-2' right to correct but was starting to annoy me 🙂 I think my mistake was letting Halfords do a wheel alignment after getting my tyres changed... that garage didn't seem like the most competent in the world to me!.

Hi MrT. Look on the American Lexus forum. A few years ago someone fitted twin turbos to their is250. From memory the turbos were located at the rear of the car and the forced air back to the front. It was a very intense build which took quite some months and various trips to specialists. The car ran very well and he sold it about a year later. I think I found the article c/o googling turbo is250. If you've got it in your head to do it then best of luck. Don't be put off by it or by anyone. Do find that article as it's a ruddy good one.

Why should they ask for that Simon ?

I’ve not bought a car through Cazoo or similar, like you I prefer the dealer experience. But I wonder how long dealers will exist or the sale of new cars. With the popularity or leasing and internet sales comparing prices and finding the best deal it seems as though the days for dealers are numbered. Which is a shame at it is nice to pick up a new car, spend time with the salesmen explaining how it works, setting up you phone etc. With leasing I suspect they tend to deliver the car and hand the keys over then leave, letting you to figure out how it works and as cars become more complex this is harder to do. Even making you resort to reading the manual. The Lexus dealer experience is part of the brand and if this goes it will take away some of the special feeling of owning a Lexus. Sad times 🙁

I agree, hence why I stopped the transaction

Woodford. Hopefully no one is stupid enough to pay that much for it.

They don’t need it just your name as it appears on your bank account

Nice! Enjoy! I'd love to see some interior photos if you don't mind doing that.

Glyn, that's a very helpful post—thank you very much! I had a look in that Facebook forum, but didn't find this splendid guide, which I can now pass on to the firm that's agreed to install the kit in my car. I was a bit worried that the video posted in SC430mods seemed more concerned with how to get at the car's chassis than in how to make the necessary connections, but this guide is much clearer on the subject. I haven't got a date for the installation yet, but when it's done I'll be posting on the outcome.

I had a similar experience selling to Cazoo as well, I selected highest condition category (car was 13-years old), price quote paid without any quibbles.

👏🙌 yay!

There have been many discussions about this over the years on the LOC with no consensus being reached one way or the other. As for me, I have noticed no improvements in mileage and performance when using premium grade fuel in any car I have ever owned. As a consequence I have in all humility come to regard enthusiastic third-party claims about extra punchiness and better acceleration as a possible confirmation of my own personal inadequacy in properly judging a car’s performance. With the best will in the world I have tried to apply the principle that if I always want the best for myself, I should also want the best for my car, but, since I get no objectively detectable response after filling it up with “the good stuff”, I have given up on it (for the car, I mean). Filling up with premium every five or six tanks in order to “flush out” the system might seem a good compromise solution in respect of always using regular grade alone. At least you might get the feeling that you are doing something good and certainly not bad for the car. You would probably get the same result by using an injector-cleaning additive like STP with similar frequency and maybe save a few pennies at the same time, but why bother?

Having read that the engine needs unleaded normal (here it is 95 octane) that is what was used the first several months we had the car. Then for some reason started with Shell V-Power super bla. bla. bla. and used that for a very long time, did not get better mileage. The last half year went back to the 95 and engine sound like always, mileage is no worse. Do not think the CT engine will run better on super (98) than on normal (95). These are the only 2 unleaded choices we have here.

Hi Ken Thanks, for the info. It looks quite complex, I may have to dig deep and make another purchase from Calvin! Anthony

Just curious on how ‘very broken’ this 250 is? I guess they never ran it dry of oil or you would not be thinking of engine mods. Bodywork?

Point taken Brian but if you go on utube you will see plenty of video's of disappionted owners who have been hammered with expensive rebuilds of the front suspension and struts.Perhaps those lovely smooth Dutch roads built with bycycles in mind are treating your car well.

Indeed, HMG believe if you can afford a 'luxury' car you can afford to pay the 'luxury' tax. That said it has nothing to do with Lexus, whom I'm sure would welcome a reversal in this additional cost borne by their (potential) customers.

That makes sense. I should have been clearer in that you should only press against the inner ring if it is being pressed onto a shaft, and the outer ring if being pressed into a housing.

Another update on this thread, got CarPlay/Android auto for the car. Was very much after a system that integrates with the existing multimedia without any extra buttons etc and looked as close to OEM as possible. Eventually ended up with a unit form ICEBOX Auto in Liverpool. Turned up well package and in quick time, approximately 2 weeks. installation was initially hard work due to a lack of instructions but once I got these from Icebox the rest of it was fine. Overall the unit is really good, ties in seamlessly with the car and feels OEM. Any questions just ask Marcus

Anthony, Herewith a couple of shots of the pack I received this morning (amazingly quick delivery!). I'm afraid there were no instructions with it and I hope the people I'm handing this over to can work out what goes where! I haven't tried to unravel all the cables and I've no idea what the black-banded box contains. The separate item is the camera in its fitting strip.

Having bought from several (different brands of car) from 'Dealership chains' over my lifetime, and had good and indifferent experiences, I am reconciled to the most likely fact that the performance of any specific dealership is down to the manager/owner of that location, rather than the ultimate owner.

See explanation above Barry. You'll notice I talked about the zones, and specifically mentioned the symptoms of cancer arising in those zones not detected by a DRE. The urethral symptoms will give warning. Your link says the same thing but with less of medical explanation. Also, those cases of GP vs urologist, again see above when I said with proper training. I've had the misfortune of dealing with GPs who were as thick as a plank. A urologist would have proper training, one would hope. Just an FYI there is no such thing as a 100% accurate test. You take the best combination of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values that you can get. For example, a PSA test was thought to be good enough until it turned out to be not sensitive enough (missing too many cases, i.e. false negatives), not specific enough (ejaculating, riding a bicycle, having a DRE or an infection are all things amongst a host of other non-cancer related things that can elevate your PSA, so massive over-diagnosis i.e. false positives), but good enough to follow a case post diagnosis/treatment after you have established a personalized baseline. You see a screening test needs to be sensitive enough to catch most cases (notice I said most, not all), without over-diagnosing cases that don't need to be treated or non-cancer cases. The PSA failed on both accounts. Currently, the DRE is the only thing that even comes close to fitting that description until studies on the newer diagnostic modalities provide statistical evidence. What you're quoting in that link sadly is medical legalese. They are covering their collective behinds as well as informing you, that a negative test does not mean you are cancer free, and if you read the whole thing, a positive test means we need to investigate further. It's the same warning on every single test. So if you do end up having cancer, "but the test was negative doc" "yeah, but we told you...". See where I'm going with this? This is my bread and butter specialty. I'm an MD/PhD in oncological sciences, researching and teaching this stuff for a couple of decades plus. If you're wondering my subspeciality is actually colon cancer, it's what I researched/wrote my thesis and published quite a bit on. Feel free to ask questions.

Just had an app and email update saying car now built (5days) and in transit 😀

Thanks Ken for starting what has been a very interesting feed. As I am currently considerating the alternatives of this very upgrade I have followed it closely. I already have a reverse camera but need to know where and how to connect it into the sat nav screen. Let's hope you clever guys out there will explain to me and others who are interested in simple terms what needs to be done to achieve the desired result. Anthony

Is there a similar programmable adjustment for the volume ascribed to the passenger in the co-pilot's seat? (Please do not assume for a moment that I am suggesting/referring to any married partner or immediate member of my family - that could be misinterpreted!)

I believe one can reduce the volume of the beep (at least on later models) in 3 steps via the multimedia interface but not silence it completely, which IMHO would be a bad idea..

I agree with Herbie on this, but I believe the Carista app and OBD dongle will allow you to alter this setting.

Annoying it may be, but it's there for your own safety as well as others. It's a warning that the tailgate is operating and that people should stand clear or there's a chance they may be hurt. You may think it's not necessary but when I first started driving back in 1975, car workshop manuals like Haynes told you how to remove engines or how to replace valves; nowadays they tell you not to drink the contents of the car battery - that's how 'dumbed-down' our society has become. And let's face it, how long does the beep last? Two seconds? As the saying goes, "Suck it up Buttercup". There's a lot more things in life to be concerned about than a two second beep every now and then

My thanks to Anthony, Glyn and Neil for their helpful comments. I've bitten the bullet and ordered the reversing camera modification from SC430mods. The cost, including postage but not customs duties, was just shy of $200, which seems very reasonable. The kit is shown on their website together with a video of it in operation. Bromley Audio have agreed to install it for me when it arrives, which will be in about a week's time. I'm getting the work done by Bromley Audio because they'll be able to remove the kit that I don't like, knowing where everything went! They also do excellent work! I'll post an update when I've got it all done, together with pics.

Wbac, motorway and carwow. Dealers give you offers on motorway and carwow so takes out the haggling bit

Old story but high five for Toyota for the buy back offer

It does depend on how good a respray your are looking for - remove the whole interior to do it properly if changing the colour will cost a lot. I don't think they are comparable though - a wrap is reversible. Resprays are covering up accident damage in the eyes of the motor trade when selling your vehicle. 🤣 I wonder if the DVLA will accept psychedelic.