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vinnyh

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  • First Name
    Vinny
  • Gender
    Male
  • Lexus Model
    IS200 Sport
  • Year of Lexus
    2003
  • UK/Ireland Location
    Lancashire

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  1. Purchased a set of new front shocks for my IS200 Sport (53 model). Local garage has quoted me £75+VAT per side to fit (£180 in total). Does this seem like a fair price? Sounds expensive to me but I'm not a mechanic!
  2. Cheers - did it today and it was indeed fiddly, ended up taking out the rear seats, C pillar covers, and parcel shelf to get to the hinge bolts. The ones nearest the windscreen are a real pain as you can only reach them with a spanner which is slow work. Changed one hinge a time like you said which made things a lot easier. Boot is working like a dream now, very pleased indeed! Thanks for the advice, much appreciated. Vinny
  3. Cheers for the tip! Got the bits from a breakers, to do the swap, it looks like I need to remove the bolts which go down into the weld nuts on the hinge. It's looking like the only way to get to these is to remove the rear parcel shelf, which from memory is a lot of faffing around. Did you have to do this as well, or is there an easier way I've missed? Vinny
  4. Boot has been slamming shut with the slightest wind for the last few months. Last night heard a huge clang, and opened the boot to find that both hinges had broken in half. See photo - driver's side has completely fell to bits, and passenger side (inset in photo) is broken as well. What's my best option for dealing with this - can I just buy an assembly somewhere and fit it? Also what are the options for putting some spring back into the boot? I read about gas struts.. is this a good way to go and does anyone have photos of one they have fitted, so I can work out what's required?
  5. Further to my previous post re overheating brake and flat tyres! (link here) After taking the brake caliper off, one of the pistons will only retract with considerable pressure from a g-clamp. The other retracts easily. When trying the brakes, the good piston extends but the bad one just stays put. Is it worth attempting to overhaul, or should I just get hold of a new caliper with pistons? If new is best, where is the cheapest place to pick one up?
  6. Thanks - these are great - I will check these out. However the mystery deepens. The spare tyre has now gone flat as well after approx a 2 mile trip. Brake caliper is red hot as well. I thought the first tyre was co-incidence, but perhaps not. I can't understand how a sticky brake would cause 2 tyres to go flat? Actually it's all making sense now. The caliper was smoking when I got home and the tyre rim was also very hot. Probably the temperature increase is heating up the air in the tyre and forcing the air out if the tyres have slight leaks. I've pulled it off the road for now and will wait for recovery to the garage - I dare not drive it again in case something melts at speed.
  7. Thanks - these are great - I will check these out. However the mystery deepens. The spare tyre has now gone flat as well after approx a 2 mile trip. Brake caliper is red hot as well. I thought the first tyre was co-incidence, but perhaps not. I can't understand how a sticky brake would cause 2 tyres to go flat?
  8. Had a strange incident the other night on the motorway, all of a sudden the steering wheel started to rattle and it felt like I had a flat tyre. Pulled over to check and all 4 tyres had good pressure, however there was a terrible burning smell. Limped back home off the motorway and all seemed OK. Then yesterday it happened again. I noticed that the front driver's side brake caliper is getting extremely hot after only a couple of miles, while the others are still cold. Could the caliper be jamming? How could I free it? The front driver's side tyre was completely flat this morning, I had to put on the spare. Don't know if this is just co-incidence though or whether the overheating has affected the tyre in some way?
  9. Hi Folks Could you give me a rough idea of a reasonable service cost on the IS200 Sport - 70K service? I've had: £282 (Lexus dealer 1) £195 (Lexus dealer 2 - 20 miles from Lexus dealer 1!) Dealer 1 blamed their labour costs, but dealer 2 said it's only an hours work so labour costs don't really come into the equation!
  10. Thanks, doing some reading up on the forum and the must-dos seem to be 1. Put some heavy weight in the boot (e.g. bags of sand) 2. Lower rear tyre pressures Also read: - turn off traction control - not sure how this would help - use snow button - although it's debatable how useful this is
  11. I'm in Liverpool and it took me an hour and ten minutes to do the usual 8 minute drive to work. Got stuck on the way and had to dig myself out. Then stuck again in the works car park which wasn't gritted - another digout. Then after going home couldn't get the car up the drive which has a very slight incline. Spade out again to clear a path - what a nightmare! The snow button is useful on ice but next to useless in snow. The IS200 seems to be more prone to wheelspin with the snow button on than off. Anyone had similar experience? I read earlier that putting a lot of weight in the boot of a rear wheel drive car can help the rear wheels grip better. I may try this tomorrow, assuming I venture out again.
  12. I got a quote from a Lexus dealer, which is around 420, including the tensioner. But they've told me they will inspect the tensioner first and only replace if it's worn, bringing the cost down to a possible 340. I will ring another dealer to see if there's any difference on price.
  13. My IS200 sport is nearly on 60K and it's approaching the dreaded cambelt time! I haven't obtained any quotes yet, will probably take it to a Lexus dealer, could anyone give me an idea of the kind of money I'd be looking at. I've also thought about changing it myself, roughly how long would this take (I'm fairly competent and should have the tools), what would be the likely saving (assuming I source the timing belt from a Lexus dealer.. and indeed, should I source it from a Lexus dealer)?
  14. I got some leather cleaner / restorer I got with my suite from DFS! Works a treat although the leather is a little cracked on the drivers seat (wear and tear getting in and out).
  15. Does sound like something has come loose. Hard to say what - I would get it up on ramps before something flies off. I did my back brakes last week and the things I can think of are - Loose caliper (not bolted back on correctly, or bolts worked loose). Pin which holds on the clips (which in turn holds the pads in place), could the split pin have snapped and it's worked loose? Could the 2 spring clips have snapped / come loose? Did you fit the anti-squeal plates back on the pads? I nearly threw them away when I fitted new brakes, thought they were junk! I used Mintex pads back and front and have no probs with them.
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