Scarlet Pimpernell

Other than that mate, how is the car? PS are U sure that it's not just plain simple new car protective WAX? Some of these can look orangy, and on my previous car the original factory fitted wax was still there 3 years later on some "hidden" surfaces...when I sold it! That looked a bit specledy yellowy orangy rustyish - and that too was a silver car!!

The monies still on a polution type problem, metal filings in the door seals etc. (WE ALL HOPE) I would still suggest that you take some snaps of the bits that cannot be removed easily (i.e. just plain simple water) and get advice from Lexus...there could be an underlying problem with poorly galvanealed, primed panels. I would err on the side of caution when using anything to get these markings off on such a new car - you want the evidence so that Lexus take some quick decisive diagnosis, prognosis...and hopefully action too... I understand that Galvanealing is a metal prep process which most Japanese manufacturers now use as the norm, whereas the germans use both Galvanealed and Galvanised panells (there is a difference between the 2 I was reliably told by a mate with a body shop) - which really won't rust for a long long time...... PS I dunno about lexus body/paint warranties, but if you read the small print most only cover against "perforation", yep you've guessed it - a hole...!

Poor woman... I think you're right...lots of fettling and rubbing instead... :shutit: Seriously, a solution that you can clip on and remove and still be un-noticeable would make the inventor millions...

Guys, just seen this (pompted by Saracen's remarks on good quality of the paint)... http://www.chipguard.com/search.asp?make=L...=2006&Submit=Go Has anyone ever tried these? On a trip to the states, I noticed "Bra's" on so many cars (i.e. black plastic lips on the bonnets of 4x4 or tied on PVC). These look good and are different - clear plastic/film...and there is one for the new IS!!

AND don't forget that you should get a dealer to match the online discount and get a PEX...but only mention the discount once he's given you a PEX price...(I did and it worked...good PEX and £1147 off) ^_^ If you end up ordering a new one, he may not give you a PEX price now...

Back on original topic (sorry to hi-jack - - :iraqi-info-minister: ) Check the BMW paintwork, sheen and lusture. Notice how in the showroom light it looks very "orange peel" and distinctly not mirror like. Compare to the Lexus - any model - in the show room. Black is best...there is hardly any "orange peel" ripple on the paint - it's flat and glossy how it should be. It's like a mirror. No amount of polishing can totally remove the orange peel effect of a badly painted car (I worked in a body shop for a while a few years ago). Also notice the underside of the bonnet and boot (possibly). On the BMW there is no lacquer... Also, look at not just the quality of the materials in the BMW, but their fit and finish. They are pretty good, but then compare to the New IS or an Audi A4 - which are both on a different level. The Merc C Class improved alot in 2004 (with that facelift) but the fit and finish is still not very good (for the money IMHO). Whilst it looks OK, the metallic plastic around the gear stick, the shaft, gear knob and gaiter look cheapy on the IS - I wonder if the Auto's knob would fit...the aluminium insert adds a dash of contemporary, yet modern style...IMHO! On the SEL you don't get this, but you do get a wonderful piece of Yamaha piano wood!! Superb... How does that compare to a german car's interior...the new IS is on a different level!! PS I wonder if you can swop out the plastic trim, ashtray etc for the Yamaha wood on an SE in the New IS range...there's a thought...might need a hacksaw to get the gear knob in... :D

Cheers Scott - I found a manual check much more accurate than the trip computer on previous cars... My old car normally showed 56-58 MPG on a fastish commute/motorway run from Leics to south east and back (AC on, 230 mile round trip), but when you brimmed the tank against the miles covered etc, it was closer to 53 MPG actual brim to brim, so a 10%ish over reading (largely due to it going to 99MPG when you lifted off). On the test drive the 220d had 1/4 tank of diesel and the range showing was 155 miles...which is not bad...mind you the car had a total of 80 miles on the clock, so am not sure what it was forecasting against One thing to remember (I think I mentioned it before) is the Oil level - diesel engines do "use" more oil than a petrol, and you need to keep a watchful eye for the first 10,000 miles especially. Don't be surprised if you find you need half a litre to a litre for the first 1000 miles... Also, fuel consumption will improve by up to 10% from my experience of VAG and Peugeot diesels over 10,000 miles.

This ain't like those water bubble type things that others have complained about before ? My personal opinion would be take it back to the stealership and tell them you're not happy and want to change the car for another one. Did they wash off? If they did easily and there is no visible paint "deformaty" where the marks were (i.e the paint is smooth and perfect underneath, rich and glossy with depthin the lacquer) then the chances of a defect are remote...and it could be polution as mentioned. If on the other hand the paint does not look deep and lustrous then you have a serious problem. Either way - report it immediately to the garage and keep a photographic record if you can/and the marks are still there. Don't use anything like T-CUT or other paint cut to remove it, tempting as it may be, until the manufacturer has seen it first hand and follow their recommendation...that way you're "protected". Good luck...

Could it be that the oil-burner makes so much smog itself that the detector would be working overtime Cheers Scott/Tony, I could have sworn I saw something in the test 220d...looked like a switch with the "roundabout" sign. I suppose it was built for London...seeing that none of us live in London it's OK...but I take it that there is a manual switch for switching "re-circ" on or off... PS sense of humour on this forum gets better and better... Scott - what MPG are you showing now? (AND have you stopped smiling yet?) Hmmm, you probably don't want to know the mpg ... it's showing 35 mpg after 500 (mostly motorway) miles I'll see where I am after 2000 miles, if it's still showing low 30s then there will be a conversation with my Lexus dealer, cos at that rate I might as well have bought the 250. But, I'm still chuffed to bits with it :D Interesting...so I wonder where the 44.7 comes from...down hill with engine off? I will not be very happy if I can't get >40MPG...that's the least I would expect. But then it is tree huggingly green with all that emissions reducing technology... :luck: AND....can you reset the MPG readout easily on it's own or does it reset "trip odo" and other things too? PS Sorry for the hijack...the 220d is still better than the 320d 35MPG or not....

Could it be that the oil-burner makes so much smog itself that the detector would be working overtime Cheers Scott/Tony, I could have sworn I saw something in the test 220d...looked like a switch with the "roundabout" sign. I suppose it was built for London...seeing that none of us live in London it's OK...but I take it that there is a manual switch for switching "re-circ" on or off... PS sense of humour on this forum gets better and better... Scott - what MPG are you showing now? (AND have you stopped smiling yet?)

Just noticed this - is this really true? I thought it was a standard fitment across the piece...

It's not just about price of the MM (being wirth £700) at trade in...the Lex comes with Leather, keyless, heated e/seats etc.... To get a reasonably spec'd BM would cost you thousands more. At trade in time, you get back a percentage of base list plus a small return on the factory fit extras...you would lose £000's on the Bm. True the gearing is a bit strange, and no auto, but the Bm will be as common as muck and not as well built. Lexus all the way. The closest in terms of quality is the Audi A4, but with a new model around the corner and a bland interior the Lex wins. It's so much modern metal for the money...

My local dealer had metal plates with the colours - helped me to choose. They were the size of oval dinner plates...if that helps...does yours? PS this is the St Lucia Pearl me I think: http://wheels.carpoint.ninemsn.com.au/Desk...&Alias=wheelsau

Most of the lighter metalics are brill, but one thing I have found (to my amazement) is that the St Lucia Pearl, which of course is "metallic" white, looks cool. The pictures make it look awesome (AM I GOING LEXUS MAD?). I know red is making a comeback...but white?...someone shoot me!

Nice one mate. Your colour choice means you are a cleaning freak...both'll be hard to keep tidy (both inside and out), and I still haven't found mud flaps for the IS. I think they look good on most cars - they give the sides a "grounding" effect, and oh yes they help keep it clean, especially in the winter!

Well, form signed, and it looks as though the new IS sales have really picked up. Demand for MM is very high - the majority appear to be selling with this, so if you want most coulours without MM you can have one quickly - but if you want MM it's now April/May earliest - all factory orders! Good news is that mine is still destined to arrive early March, so delivery by mid March still on the cards...Phew... BUT he said he will keep me informed should that change...still sounds not 100%! Oh, also said he would recompense me for the petrol today - 10 mile round trip, wifes jazz does 35mpg in town, so I estimate approx £1.15 - that's got to be worth a set of rubber mats at least! ;)

I will ask the awkward questions...and let you know Scott... Cheers...

Finally, common sense...

So we might be in the same boat (literally). I'm in similar limbo...the wifes Honda Jazz is getting the brunt of this...my A4 was taken in early, but I now face potentially a long time without a car, hopefully they will guarantee a date tomorrow...and I have been panicking for nothing! The dealer is really courteous etc. But today I got the impression that they were too busy selling and not sorting out my situation...just 'cos I've signed up I'm at the back of the Q! The wifes not happy (and nor am I)! :o Oh dear. Oh dear, Oh dear... PS - look on the bright side...do you remember the ship that sank with x000 beemers on it?

I originally ordered a base Mesa with MM (220d). I was told within seven days prior to Christmas that the car would arrive 17th Feb for March 01 del. I suffer from Spasmodic Torticolis of the lower neck, and to cust a story short, I need a comfy seat, and for example cannot drive Vauxhalls (!). Changed the spec after a bad bout of ST over Christmas - first week of Jan. The SE was always in my budget, but the car definately rides better on 16" wheels, and I thought (and still think) the leather is not top quality (too shiny - not Nappa soft), but it's bosltoring is top notch. The seats with their venitlation would help my ST, so in Jan changed the spec to SE after I test drove it...the dealer then told me by looking at the computer that the new one would "possibly" arrive 20th March, "possibly" earlier...and have heard nothing else. That's what worries me. I am going tomorrow to sign the dreaded form and find out when it comes...but I'm not hopeful. I think you ordered yours ages ago? PS - I think I've said this before Lecus will have aggressive targets to sell...Quality V Quantity can degrade quickly - they'e too busy selling to new people to be bothered about fixing errors made when the job wasn't done right in the first place, a problem which hits the other dealers...in my line of work we are keen to "zero" cost of failure...but not by not paying attention to the problem or the complaint...!

Here here - well I've just had a call back from the salesman...no driver available today, his boss won't let him come over (too busy) and no drivers available until next week... :tsktsk: and until they do this they can't sell my PartEx, so it's really not my problem! I offered to pop in as I'm around there tomorrow anyway, and I have been told I will be compensated for the fuel (I must be mad or tolerant)! That makes me feel so valued And this is before I've even had the car... Eunos800 - I feel it for you. I am going to look at the small print and pull out if I get messed around with delivery dates. Enuff is enuff... I'll just go and buy another Audi A4, dealers weren't much better, but at least that's what I came to expect (so they met my expectation)! I feel I've been 'ad as Lex can't even do something so small!!! They certainly appear to have started to fail even at the simplest of things!

I may have posted on this before - IMHO - The manual is very very good on the 250. But the Auto is just much better. I have driven Auto's before (BM's, Merc's, even the Audi Multitronic CVT) but would normally only ever buy a manual. However, the Lexus Auto is the pick of the boxes. The way it changes gears etc is remarkable for a non-CVT type. It is seamless, and had they made an auto Diesel, I personally would have bought one without question. No one normally buys a saloon Merc with a manual, not even the C55 AMG...'cos the auto's are so much better than the pondersous manuals. However, in the new IS, the Auto and Manual are both equally as good...but at £1000 it's a bargain! I think they will hold onto some of that £1000 better too...

I am about to sign a cherished transfer form for the 3rd time today...they keep making me sign the wrong one...I am taking the garage up on their offer of actually sending a driver to me to me today with the correct form... The first trek to Lexus Leicester was disappointing...it was Saturday and 20 minutes prior to closing. I made a hasty appointment for the next day and they could not be more hospitable, and to cut the story short decided to buy the car eventually. They are good, but it's attention to detail, which for me is not perfect. Afterall, we should be king...we are paying their wages, and it's not often that we spend £2XXXX+ in one transaction of our own money. Not as good as I had hoped...yet they will tell me that I can have free car washes (as if that'll make a difference). If the cherished form shannanigans are anything to go by, then it's a thumbs down do far! I still don't have a delivery date yet, other than mid March...and I know I changed the spec so my base was effectively cancelled, but I am hearing stories of delayed delivery into April/May (GULP)! Not as good as I was led to believe through rave Cust Sat indeces!!

Nice to hear you're doing so well...I've seen 4 so far, a silver one yesterday on the A43 (in the Roadworks) towards Northamptonshire in the morning, and 3 in Leicester (one silver and 2 black - though the Black one's in Oadby could have been the same car!!). They don't half look gorgeous on the road in motion ....they'll start selling themselves soon...a heck of a lot of road presence... Back on topic then, it's take it easy and make sure you cool that Turbo down... :D

There's one at Leicester showroom - similar colour spec but no MM ...Looks the bizzzzzz...It's a personal thing - I prefer lighter metallics or reds'cos they "wear" better with muck...if you like that shade it is gorgeous!