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This is very interesting and never having owned this car didn't know - but thought you HAD to have larger back tyres. So, as i'm a careful, rather elderly driver who can't trust their reflexes any more (yes it will happen to you too) i think I can safely go to these 225's and probably buy the front brand of Kumho for the time being. Although I will also weigh carefully what LenT has said. Fascinated by all the suggestions, a great help and amused by the enthusiasm tyres can cause and also the silly byways social media can lead you down if you're not careful! Think it's time to call a halt to this thread - as scudney says, I've haven't even bought the car yet! Thanks people for guiding me to make up my mind. Over and out.

Although not quite on the scale of some of the appliances here, my mum received a Kenwood Chefette food mixer as a wedding present in 1973, and it's still going strong. I think the regular use (at least 2 or 3 times a week) has helped, but as far as I know no servicing or replacement parts have been fitted to the motor or electrical system. I can't imagine buying a food mixer today that would last 48 years!

Could be my fault, but I’ve slightly lost the thread of this thread! Hugh, are you still basing your purchase decision on the tyres this car has? As I - and probably others - have pointed out, tyres will be the easiest element of the car to replace. What you really should be worrying about is everything else! I don’t know how experienced a car buyer you are, but overlook potential problems with bodywork, engine, transmission, seat condition and so on - and you could end up with a lemon on a great set of tyres! If you like the darn motor, enjoy driving it - and the price is right for you - then if you don’t have it, someone else will. To reiterate, as you can see, I have a 2015 IS250 Premier which came with the 18” wheels. Which meant that Michelin only did one of the two specified tyres. Fortunately Goodyear had introduced the Asy 5s and they have proved to be an excellent fit as far as I am concerned. Frankly I am not sufficiently qualified to depart from the Lexus recommended tyre sizes. Are you? If I had bought my car from new, I would have specified the 17” wheels, because at 76 the marginal improvement in handling offered by the.larger wheel is irrelevant compared to the marginal improvement in comfort from the smaller wheel. But the best decision I made was to buy the x!?xing car in the first place! I hope this helps! 😊

People in London are bracing for ULEZ expansion in October this year, sell their diesels and inflate prices for reliable hybrids. I bought mine in 2019, and it hasn't dropped in price. I'd say don't prioritise mileage, because the 200k motorway miles may be better for the car than 60k miles on road humps in school run mode. I think it is better to get a more recent year even with higher mileage. And also put aside a couple thousand for repairs. RX is very reliable, but if and when anything breaks, the spare parts are expensive and often have limited aftermarket alternatives (check the power back door, story: 1k+ to fix). If you are not a smoker, avoid smokers cars - it is impossible to fully remove the smell. Sorry for sporadic advise.

Update: the first switch solved! It switches the dvd screens on/off. I would never have seen. Luckily my son spotted it! One down, one to go!

Before this get really out of hand, can I just say that tyres seem to be a very subjective topic. 🙂 Ultimately, I believe that you can't really go wrong with any premium tyre but everyone has their favourite; indeed, I wouldn't be surprised if you asked 10 people on a forum which tyre is best and get 10 different answers! For example, personally I didn't like the Michelin Primary 4's on mine so had them swapped for Dunlop SportMaxx RT2's, which I had on my old IS and thought were very good.

I had a couple of BMW 635 coupes of the ‘80s which were very nice. But head gasket, rust, rear swing out under hard cornering, tyre grip from cold (limited metric choice) awful. Passenger in the old 3M series lhd this is a racing classic with amazing grip on a wet road... Owned a modern one but average. Jags...done them they are expensive scrap. Lovely designs. Best was 95 XJ 4ltr. currently looking after my eldest son’s 2007 clk 350. Nice car. Just after the appalling engine failures...yet solenoid magnets x4 need replacing as per usual...not expensive at 30quid each but please what of quality control? He’s peeved as it’s “slower” than my 2000 Lexus 400 🤭😁🔧

Doing some housework this morning and, as usual, frustrated by the Miele vacuum cleaner I bought a few years ago. The reviews - including from Which magazine - were excellent, so I spent more than I would normally to buy a ‘great’ product. A few years later, I still find it incredibly badly designed, expensive, cumbersome to use, and with poor pick up. It was a dreadful buy, and easily the worst purchase I’ve made in recent years. Not a purchase as such, but I moved into my current house a few years ago. The kitchen has integrated NEFF appliances. Quality, right? WRONG! They’ve been dreadful, and I’m currently replacing them as they go wrong...one of the repair men told me that in the trade they’re known as NEEDS EVERYTHING FIXED FREQUENTLY 😆 So, what are your worst purchases, or the ones you regret most? And do you ‘get what you pay for’ with such things any more, or are you wiser to buy cheap but more often?

Hi Folks, Finally pulled the trigger on buying a SC430, have wanted one for years so when one caught my eye whilst bored and on Auto Trader (never a good idea) that night I had it parked in the driveway. It's a 2003, 95k with everything working as it should. Not new to Lexus or Japanese cars, currently have a RX450h and CT200h and in the past have had GS450h, Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian, Subaru Legacy Spec-B and Mazda MX5 (NA 1990 Import, technically an Eunos Roadster). Picked up the SC430 mostly as a project car, I've built track/drift cars in the past and I'm a professional detailer so plan to keep the SC430 as standard as possible and having it look like it's just rolled off the production line. So far all I've done to it is a right good clean and lifted up on the ramp to get the full undercarriage steam cleaned then the headlamps wetsanding back to perfect clarity and ceramic coated. It's also been to my local garage and been poked and prodded beyond what a MOT does and only thing that was uncovered is the rear brakes would be an advisory. Next on the list to do is a refurb on the alloys, get rid of the ditch finders and put on some good tyres, new brakes all round then carry out a full machine paint correction then ceramic coating which I'm aiming to have done by the end of April. I also film YouTube videos for my work so have already started a series of vlogs on the project as I go along. Cheers, Ross

Worst gas boiler we had was a Glow Worm 23CI. back in around 2000. Ours was nothing but trouble always flashing a fault code. Installed by me as CORGI registered at the time. Fitted same boiler in relatives house and theirs was fine. Wocester Bosch combi in other relatives also fault free. Replaced with another Bosch for a condensing version when 15 years old. When we sold the house gave 1k back to put in a Worcester Bosch. Had a few houses with Worcester and all good but less than 2- 3 years old as moved house. Moved to France and went with Villager AHI wood burning boiler stove and multifuel in County Kerry. Nice and reliable. Worst appliance was an Intermarche bought fridge freezer, that was always wet inside even though drain in back was clear. Also the same brand FAR washing machine, just as surveyor asking about the electrics, decided to go bang with a big burst of black acrid smoke as well! I can't stand Dyson. Always cringe when client brings one out. Prefer my henry! Replaced with Bosch and not looked back. In 2010 bought a Bosch frost free fridge freezer when lived in Ireland, prior a dishwasher Classix which was at least 15 years old. New buyers didn't want FF as had a large one, so my Sister had it. Still going perfect today with no repairs ever. James👍

It's real wood. A veneer that is sandwiched between plastic backing and a resin coat to protect it from warping/fading etc. Personally I don't like the darker/orangey wood, I think the maple looked much better. There used to be sticker kits to put over them to give you an aluminium or carbon fibre look, I'm sure they are still out there but you don't see them as much now that the vehicle isn't sold anymore. But I assume any wrapping company can cover them in whatever look you want.

I had this same dilemma myself when wanting to get an IS, unless you’re planning to do hundreds of thousands of miles the diesels are not worth it. Not only for the reliability issues, but the economy is not much better than the IS250 assuming there isn’t some issue drastically affecting the diesel economy and the gear changes are incredibly clunky. it is true the is 200d made some slight improvements over the 220d but overall you’re better off with either an automatic IS250 petrol or the auto IS250. It is a thirsty car but on a run you can achieve 42mpg with cruise control at 70mph and a light foot can aid the town driving economy.

Oddly enough I was loaned a copy, RCA Gold label as I recall in 1971 by a work colleague and was smitten, and have played it ever since. Pity is on Classic FM and other ways they only play the adagio and I feel it loses the whole identity as a result. Bit like they only play from the 1812 the sequence Tchaikovsky wrote with the cannon in it 🤡🤡🤡

Thought I'd reply to this on here Jules as opposed to our normal method of communication. 😉 I've decided to keep mine for the foreseeable future, namely due to reasons given above. I've looked around, albeit a bit halfheartedly, and cannot find anything particularly suitable to change it to. I've even looked at Range Rovers again though feel like it would be a step backwards as I've already been there as you know. There does seem to be a dearth of sensibly priced used cars about at the moment, lots of rubbish around but anything remotely decent seems to be advertised for top end money, although not necessarily selling quickly. I'll let you know if I change my mind but I've just renewed the warranty again so after it's service a couple of weeks ago, it's had a bit spent on it. I think between that and the garage queen, I'm hopefully done spending for a while.

Yes stay well away from them, you're going to hate Lexus if you do not.

Mine came back from dead feb 2020 and has worked ever since

https://blog.lexus.co.uk/lexus-rx-v8-glorious-stretch-of-the-imagination/ Came across that... Would love it to be a production run 😅

I've seen that RX V8 in a marty motoring video. What a wonderful marriage which Lexus should do personally speaking. I'd rob a bank to buy one lol.

It appears as if it is a manifestation of the well known,but not documented blip Vlad ,often called Lazarusitis.😊

Maybe not that bad luck after all. My second order from Dubai (the one which shipped to London, ON, Canada) has been fully refunded via eBay (loss on USD/GBP exchange rate is inevitable though). With a degree of disappointment I decided to put interior panels back on car until I procure a replacement PBD unit, pulled the string attached to the manual opening lever since January, and ... the lights turned on, PBD is back alive somehow! Since it stopped 3 months ago, I drove hundreds of miles, long and short trips, disconnected battery overnight, charged it, removed and put back the PBD unit and the tailgate lock unit at least two times for inspection, checked every fuse in the car, pulled out and tested the glovebox button and its wiring, the weather changed a few times from snow to late spring and back - all with zero effect. Now it suddenly started working again for no obvious reason. Anyway I'm going to put the plastic back properly, and lazily monitor reasonable PBD offerings. So, please don't throw away / leave to the dealer the replaced PBD units - they may well work in different circumstances / different cars. I think it may be worth putting them on e-bay with an appropriate description or donating them to electronics enthusiast owners for examination as discussed above. And if you order from abroad, keep in touch with the seller to find out the actual availability and make sure they get the part number, address and other details correct.

Better still, get a Jaguar.

Much too cheap!!!

That’s my favourite “proper” version of the Concierto but any of Narciso Yepes’ several recordings of it come close.

I know the album well, and although Miles’ performance of Gil Evans’ arrangement of the Concierto is superlative, I find some of the minor tracks such as Saeta and Solea even more impressive.

Alternatively, spray a bit of nip on the wheels each evening 😄 the cat will soon become very protective of that area.

I think in some respects electrical appliances can be like cars, you can be unlucky and just get the occasional very poor one or the particular model of a range that is known to be less reliable. Our first gas boiler, a Vokera, needed replacement quite soon after purchase and the Ideal needed some replacement parts and quite a bit of servicing too. When we moved to Devon I did quite a bit of research before deciding on a new heating system and got the boiler selection down to two viz Worcester and Viessman. The 100 model Viessman at the time had been known to have had problems but the 200 model was highly rated an recommended in the 'Which' tests. Unlike the Worcester, it had a stainless steel heat exchanger with a 10 year warranty. I opted for the 200 along with a Viessman high pressure water cylinder. There were only two listed installers listed in North Devon at the time who had done the Viessman training course and I used one of these but I suppose most boiler installers could do an install. I am very happy with my choice. The boiler has been serviced once in the 9 or so years since it was installed and has just been left to do it's thing. A device is incorporated that senses external temperature changes and adjusts the boiler appropriately in preparation. Viessman boilers for the UK are made in Germany where they have won a number of awards. This illustrates my point about considering not just a make but a specific model that might suit your needs. Of course models have subsequently been upgraded and you can now control boiler remotely with your phone etc. I didn't use these people to install but they give a useful brief run down for anybody that may be interested. https://heatingforce.co.uk/blog/where-viessmann-boilers-made/ Also some interesting information here https://www.boilerguide.co.uk/articles/worst-boilers-reviews-prices-warranty Again, as with cars some boiler manufacturers make changes that do not work out well in practice. My daughter had a boiler with a model that 'Which?' made a best buy quite some years back and it served her well. However, plastic was substituted for metal components in later versions causing leaks and failure giving it a bad name. I don't see the make now, although it may have been taken over by another company. So past experience is not always something you can set store by. Attempts to cut costs don't always benefit the consumer - just look at the enviable regard Mercedes Benz once enjoyed and it's reliability standing nowadays.

From a Japanese product perspective, Sharp still make appliances but in general the reviews aren’t very favourable. Panasonic used to - my microwave is coming up for 20 years old, regular use and no issues at all - but I haven’t seen Panasonic branded white goods for many years. If there was a good Japanese option for built-in appliances, I’d be there like a flash...so perhaps I’ll give Sharp a try next time if I can confirm where they are actually manufactured.

Good to know, thanks John 👍

Sure https://www.lexus.co.uk/owners/about-my-lexus/my-lexus-portal/lexus-link#features-table

Get a soft comfy cat bed and take him for a drive with the sunroof open on a warm day? If I were a cat I'd appreciate that. Maybe then he'll deem the car "his" and guard it, as cats tend to do with things.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and mindful comments - very useful indeed. It seems like I could be another Lexus driver who turns the lane assist function off as well, but I'll give it a go before making a decision on it. Best wishes Phil

Shahpor, we have had Neff for 7 years without problems. We have a 5 ring gas stainless steel (I think) hob and two Electric Ovens for which I`ve had to replace a bulb in each.

I think you're opening a can of worms there John. If Peter gets a cat, he will need a Cat Lock, otherwise he will spend all his time worrying that some ne'er do wells will come along and steal it for scrap... I shall fetch my seasonal outwear.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the Ignore User button works extremely well.

Said it before, and I'll say it again. By no means you need more than 225s on the rear of an IS250. Yes, the manual says so and so. These cars are not tail happy, you don't need to overcompensate with big tyres to reduce oversteer. You will ruin dynamics, mpgs, and acceleration. 17s or 18s, start searching for tyres on any online tyre shop and look for a decent brand tyre and low sound ratings if that's what you need. Stay away from budget ditch finders and you'll be good. No point discussing something so subjective in advance if you haven't tried any options yet. Get the car, drive it. Go from there.

Sound advice. Rodents can lead to expensive problems - http://www.agcoauto.com/content/news/p2_articleid/297 I would jump on this and do everything you can to keep them away.

I'd recommend you replace the radiator as a priority over the ATF. The LS430 has been known to have failures of the transmission fluid cooler within the radiator resulting in coolant entering the transmission.

The Toyota Sienna, a model sold in the states has a built in vacuum cleaner. Now how about that?

Not necessarily! Very drawn to Goodyear 5's as sooner or later front will need to be replaced.

Michelin are good, but not for comfort... they are great for mileage in my experience, but they are very expensive, so perhaps not the best value. I would says PS4 are good for performance tyre outside of track tyres, but again they are not that comfortable. I had PS4 on my old IS250 and they were kind of overkill already, PS4s would be complete overkill and costing double the price than Dunlop RT2 or Goodyear Asymmetric 5... I just cannot see the benefits you getting from Michelin. Kuhmo are ~OK... I would not throw them away if I get them when buying the car, but I would not get them myself... the that "relatively cheap is the reason"... for something like £5-8 more per tyre it is possible to find substantially better options... and for purchase like tyres which will last at very least 2-3 years £20-30 is negligible amount, for substantial difference. Same could be said about many mid-range brands nowadays, say Uniroyal Rainsport 5 - excellent tyre all around, but currently they are price as such that you can get Goodyear Asymmetric 5 for the same price and sometimes few £ cheaper... and that tyre is just on another league.

Hugh. Don't be confused. Get the car. See how it drives but give it some time. Looks like the car you're getting has the wrong tyres fitted somehow but don't be put off. If after a good few hundred miles you feel the car is a tad uncomfortable then change the rears to the correct size as per lexus handbook. Clear your head of confusion and simply enjoy the car when you get it.

Hi Bilal. Wow you've been busy with all those posts posted at the same time. Bad luck with the prang and damage but glad it's sorted. I'm intrigued by you wanting the grom vline thing. To me it's got far too many negative reviews. I'm not informed about apple car play. Is it a form of Bluetooth music streaming? If so save about £480 and get a Bluetooth adapter plugged into the aux socket in the armrest cubby hole. I have that and my ML sounds outstanding. Hopefully below is my install Note I've used a 90 degree cigarette socket adapter and a 2v cigarette power socket but a shallow one. Simple effective and out of the way.

I also have the same issue with my cashmere gold 98 reg. Bonnet roof and boot faded. Pretty sure it's a respray or live with it as you say. Mines now just a project car really as I have a company car for daily use. Should get rid, but everytime I drive it I remember how good these are, even compared to a 2 year old 5 series!

and my knees too ! Malc sorry, too much attempted humour

I'll pop the link to my channel below. I've got a few filmed alongside work vlogs which will come out in order of filming. https://youtube.com/c/BlackbeardsDetailing

This trouble code indicates too much air or not enough fuel to the engine for a stoichiometric combustion. Check and clean the Mass Air Flow sensor. Check that the air induction system from the Mass Air Flow sensor and beyond is intact and does not suck any air in. Check all ventilation hoses and ventilation valve for any damage. Check A/F sensors of bank 2 and their heater and relay circuits. Check engine coolant tempetature sensor. Check for any gas leakage from the exhaust system. If the above checks do not reveal the cause of the fault, check the fuel injectors for any blockage and spray pattern. Check the fuel pressure as well. Start from the easy checks first. Chris.

I don't like snobs John.

V8 in a bus. has to be done!!

🙄 Missed it by a month ...