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It worked!

My insurance is up next month. If it goes beyond £700 I'll look at getting rid of the car as I can't see the insurance situation changing anytime soon. Any savings I intended to make with regards to ongoing costs will slowly evaporate. My wife has just exchanged her PHEV for something far less green and more sporty and is now enjoying far cheaper insurance. The whole car market is complete madness with any incentive to go 'green' being kicked into the long grass.

Ready for the cut.

Update installed 12v socket arrived today 15 min job at the most. Socket is Hardwired to the battery. The most difficult part was making a hole to insert the 12v socket into the battery compartment cover. Spare socket now live can monitor the 12v battery voltage if it drops below 12v will trickle charge it.

Hi Col and welcome to the LOC. Starting with the easier answers yes the engine is a 4 cylinder in line and does have a timing chain along with a double overhead cam. Engine type is 1ARFE. There are very few if any in the UK as these were produced mainly for the Russian and Chinese market. Pricing is difficult taking into account all the possible variables but looking on Japanese auction sites normally gives a good indication. Buying at a Japanese auction bear in mind you won’t actually see the car until it arrives at the UK port but they are usually very honest with their descriptions. It is usually easier to get an agent to handle everything unless you fancy filling in a mountain of paperwork. Most imports are subject to customs duty at 5% and then VAT on the total cost of the vehicle including shipping plus registration, MOT and insurance. Regarding insurance you will have to find a specialist as mainstream companies won’t touch them and it may be an idea to get some quotes before committing any further. I own a JDM import (my second) but being a Toyota Celsior it is 95% the same as. Lexus LS430 so most parts are freely available. In your case I would imagine again that most parts will be the same as a UK spec RX of the same year and any non standard parts can generally be obtain from Amayama.com The cost of importing a JDM car has significantly increased over the last few years now approaching the point where it is becoming unviable so think carefully if a UK spec option would be better. Have a read of the link below. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexus_RX

Thieves steal the car and then you are robbed again by the insurance company. So sorry.😢

That's correct Steve it is known as a subject access request

Picked up my LS400 after service and MOT pass. Surface rust underneath most components but nothing structural to worry about, I was informed. Pleased for a 25 year old car! Another year of wafting, hopefully more often!

Spent a contented few hours reading this.many thanks. Thinking of getting an LS 430 (to complete the set….ser 2 then 3 then….) need to shift my RAV4 first.(3 door Ser 2 car ,silver,71K miles) nice maroon lpg car on Autotrader…or the ‘slight panel damage’ 50K mile blue one on t’bay. Chris in Bristol.

LS400 This the info I have: back window part# 64810-50041 from1/8/92-31/10/94 [SERIES2] part# 64810-50040 from 1/12/89-31/8/92 [SERIES1] The last two numbers on 50040 and 50041 change according to the glass colour DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS ANY USE

Probably wants to drive it like........lol 😆🤣

Job well done 👏🏻👏🏻

It won't be hunting for gears all the time. It's only a 6 speed. It's not bad like that at all. IS250 will treat you well, and they are much more suited to the auto box than manual.. they're no sports cars. Not to mention, go for a test drive mate, you'll know then.

Yup. 32psi all around. I use my garage door and masking tape to check mine. If you don't have one that is suitable, a wall in a carpark is good enough. Take a tape measure and masking tape. Alternatively, take it to Halfords or any other Autocentre and they can check it for you with a machine. Of course, that costs money 😁

Agree if you have the space, time and interest scrap it and sell the parts. I scrapped my LS430 with 220k on the clock and achieved more for the parts than the retail value. Then just had the shell collected. Really enjoyable to see the engineering up close. All through eb..

Hi Justin and welcome to the LOC. Given the age of the car, the rust issues, the damage and obsolete parts I think you are down to scrapping or breaking. If you have the space, time and patience break it then get the shell collected or get it collected complete for scrap. As cars age the demand for spare parts tends to decrease as there are fewer cars requiring parts, wheels normally go first if in good condition with legal tyres but if that’s all you sell you now have a shell on bricks making it more difficult to remove. If someone wants the engine are you happy to remove it for them not to turn up?

Hi Niaz. Are you sure Vertu went bust? I looked them up after seeing something on TV about how they're made. They're still in existence according to Google. They're a French based firm. I fully understand that some folk want to and do fork out a shed load of money for items like mobile phones. I'm just not one of them. There was a time I had more money than I knew what to do with. I spent it on cars and motorbikes. Not on top of the range 'jewellery' (I'll use that word for phones). Where I fekked up on was not buying a house back then.

Maybe try this - pretty sure I did this once I had sorted my broken link to check levels were as they should be. How to check levels BigBoomer beat me to it

When changing blades, I generally play a bit of a game with the ignition, switch the car on use a bit of screenwash and run the wipers, when they are about 1/4 to half way up the screen switch the ignition off and they should stay there (unless the 460 has autopark!) makes it a lot easier to change them 🙂 I have to order another drivers one (that will make 4 in as many years) as for some reason every single one manages to get a bit of damage right in my line of sight 😕 first one was of all things an acorn, 2nd was something a bird dropped, 3rd was a tiny defect I did not spot that just got worse so 4th time lucky? Lucky enough it was just the wiper rubber that was damaged and not the screen.

Hey Padraig. I never drove the auto but my own preference now having owned the manual would be an auto box. I sold my IS250 about 2 years ago for the reasons mentioned above. I had really high expectations for it which I think was ultimately the problem as the longer I owned it the more I disliked it. It's probably the one car I've owned that I never clicked with. My expectations was it would be an improved upon IS200 manual. They are certainly more refined and grown up but I felt the manual option was an afterthought by Lexus. If I was to repeat I'd 100% go auto and ideally SE-L spec and just enjoy it for a daily cruiser to waft around in. I can't weigh in on the E10 impacts as I sold mine before it came into affect. I'd imagine you'd be relatively safe if you've went for something 08 or older that's been in continuous use. I'd be more concerned about something doing minimal mileage that has E10 sitting stagnant in the fuel system pulling in moisture. I'd start with the E10 additive then. The Wynns stuff is great. I use it in my bikes which range from newish fuel injected to old carburetted stuff. They do sit up over the winter with fuel in the tanks and have had no issues to date.

Why ever not? I agree with Al, no business is going to pursue loss leaders if the loss gets out of hand or too large to recover. Insurers are not obliged to insure you or your items if it's not considered profitable. It's not greed, it's basic economics. Ultimately the manufacturers will suffer if their product is considered not fit for purpose (ie. too easy to steal) so it's down to them to make cars more secure rather than the insurer agreeing to make a loss.

Is it a case of the levelling link on rear wheel has snapped, I assume the 430 is the same as the 400. cannot recall whether it is on near side or off-side.

Got the edfc set up mine years ago, still going string no issues yet

Your spot on Niaz in respect of technology

I agree, the main thing is whether you want it now and pay over the odds or wait a bit and the technology will all be the same but you will save the excess money

Hi Andy, Google…. Lexus IS 250 Exhaust should give you plenty of options. My journey below…. Front section…. https://www.onlineautomotive.co.uk/car-parts/Lexus/IS250/2.5L/Petrol/Premium/Exhausts/Catalytic-Converters/LEX5005H/1/34?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD9ghT5R5Th_Qf-P-Qtl9WfnSWRz3&gclid=Cj0KCQiAzoeuBhDqARIsAMdH14EPA5iCzfUZgNIUCJmP_NHRNobRVTfPpqbPKhho6OL2hh2jb3M-MxIaAqPbEALw_wcB Rear section…….E-bay similar to this, fitting was very difficult to align properly. https://www.cats2u.co.uk/lexus/37133-lexus-is250-25-rear-exhaust-box-silencer-08-05-03-13-ety784.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiAzoeuBhDqARIsAMdH14Fg2Xw-l6dn2JqO_Ollp3ClMXfwH_APb9wJlo2oHofR6SXnWdQaBr8aAh4lEALw_wcB Custom made stainless section…..don’t be put off by the cherry bomb address. Jason and the team can fab anything you need. https://www.cherrybomb.co.uk ….and when you’ve mulled over all this stuff, you’ll start the debate of cost & sound etc of going full stainless. 😁 KEEP Your original tips they just knock off….. they’ll clean up and keep you OEM look if that’s what you want. Last time I looked they were £80/£90 each OEM to replace 🙄.

Yes Silicone spray, works every time.

I think Einstein would have called it spooky action at a distance. Something to do with quantum entanglement. Much like Schrodinger's cat, the window possesses both possibilties of it either squeaking, or not, and only adopts a singular state when you use it. The broader question would be whether it makes a sound if no-one's there to hear it.

Also looks like the one on the left has larger sun visor shading. I guess these cars go for ever in Dubai, as less rain and mud to allwo the tin mice to get their teeth into the arches etc.

Im in an 06 just creeping up to 138k - fully original exhaust system.

If you go to a car supermarket type place & are willing to part-ex or at least spend the money you get for it at their place, you could get a good price.

Mines an 05 and started replacing sections two years ago….. so I guess the same time scale. Lost a back box first & then the dreaded y section went next. Finally replacing cats etc. I had a custom stainless steel section made for the y to support it better…. Apart from that just went with mild steel replacement sections. OEM is galvanised from factory rather than mild steel….. but I still think they have pretty remarkable longevity.

I’m privately selling Toyota avensis estate and despite being the cheapest in the country I have not had a single call about it. Car market is sort of devastated at the moment and no surprise good, expensive cars don’t sell. Big car traders around Swansea have different employees every week as there is no provision to make any more and people change jobs desperately. Im wondering if anything is going to change during spring months.

They don't seem to be very easy to sell which is a mystery to me. I have blown hot and cold about mine and one month want to sell it then the next keep it. I'd be tempted to put your details in to Motorway as I've had some reasonable figures. I always kept my cars about a year then changed them and although I quite enjoyed the process of selling them privately I did come across and lot of idiots who tried my patience.

If you want a quick sale it's either selling direct to a dealer or one of the many car buying websites. When I sold my 2016 RCF last year I phoned round the nearest Lexus dealers, they all gave me very similar offers. If you want to get more then private would be the way to go as you're selling somewhere between book price and dealer price. The problem is, not everyone is happy to buy a £30k+ car privately, and the cars are niche, so it might not happen quickly. If you do want to sell privately a good ad goes a long way imo - nice pictures showing the car at its best, details of the servicing and maintenance you've done during your ownership, etc.

Lexus will offer you 'book price' - so criminally low 🤣, but Lexus Swindon have always been keen on their F-cars, so maybe offer you something more respectable? I know it isn't quite the same, but my GS F sold through Monza Motorhouse, Asim was lovely, responsive with emails, fair price and quick turn around, might be worth a shot. He also funnily enough has good connections with Lexus Swindon.

Thanks Neil, appreciate the feedback, will take on board what you have mentioned and try and resolve this problem some how.

Thanks for the responses people. I was granted another 7 days to settle at the reduced £60, and I've paid it. My heart was telling me I should fight them and pay nothing, but I'd rather just take my lumps and get it over with since the reason why I parked in that ****hole in the first place, was not exactly a happy one (a funeral). For reference, should any of you find yourself in Falkirk...avoid the Callendar Square car park at all costs. 🤬

Hi Guys, Having considered all the options I have eventually changed my tyres from the original 225/45/17 to 225/50/17's (Good Year Efficient Grip). My local tyre shop were very helpful and fitted these to try out while giving me the option of changing them back again within a day or two if they was any problem or if I wasn't happy. The new sized tyres transformed the car completely and now it feels and drives more quietly. It is vastly more comfortable on the road, and feels like a luxury vehicle should. The tyres also look much better while filling the wheel arch more and the car sits slightly higher. I can't understand why Lexus persist with fitting the lower profile tyres. I checked with my Insurers and they have no problem with the change. Also, I checked the speedo against my Sat Nav and an independent App on my Phone and both confirm the car's speedo is now accurate i.e. I have lost the manufactures built in leeway but I can live with that. Thanks for the previous advice.

Last year I paid £760; this year's renewal quote is £1,135. I've tried the comparison sites, and the cheapest is about £970, but for equivalent cover (Europe, Legal, Protected NCB) it's about £1,100. Lexus Insurance want £1,220. I thought I'd try Adrian Flux, as they have their own dedicated page on the forum - £3,300. They did say I should phone them to see if they could improve on that!

my nx300h 2021 was stolen on the 8th of jan 😞 outside our home. Lucky I had gap insurance. Just ordered a 450h+ PHEV and I'll put an immobiliser, they quoted me £4500 for the insurance ... gutted.