Scarlet Pimpernell

My BMW dealer did that, and then cocked up the tax discs...had to fight to get my money back... Basically they are trying complete all paperwork before month end or something

That explains it then! 32 MPG average culd have been due to the fact the car has had several "cold" short starts, but for an 06 model this could be normal where 60% is town driving...min was worse at times, but may be mine had big issues....who knows! You have to ask yourself whether this MPG is acceptable for your needs. Only a long test can prove things... The ECU recalls are normal - I would get your local Lex dealer to check things out IF you buy the car. The ECU flash and 5th injector won't necessarily improve MPG

The dealer is pulling yer leg - how can they find a standard production "SR" without the standard spec? Lexus don't have any individual options...so it's impossible to have one with heated seats and one without...it's not an option that could be missed! If the SR has heated seats then it comes with heated seats. End of...else you offer them a lot less than £200!! As for the 250 performance....I though it was sluggish overall, unless you stick in ECT and really thrash it's kahuna's off...keep the revs near the red line and it does shift well - but then so it should...it has over 200 BHP - but you can only really feel them horses after 4200 RPM and stretching your right foot...typically VVti!! PS - from the Lexus website: THE IS 250 SR IT'S ALL IN THE DETAIL Note the understated sculpting of the rear spoiler and the deep front skirts. The powerful stance: low, confident and poised. Inside, subtly luxurious details slowly reveal themselves: heated front seats, leather steering wheel, LED interior illumination and responsive climate control. At your feet, the aluminium sports pedals connect luxury to performance. The 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine starts at the touch of a button. Its sublime bass note gently underscores its dynamic nature. Naturally this refined combination of power and styling comes at a price. A surprisingly low one. The subtlest details speak the loudest: the IS 250 SR, just £25,040 on the road. It sounds like a Base plus some after kit (wheels, body and pedals). I'd offer them £1000 off any deal you've got...sounds like they're shifting something a bit sus....this is why I hate dealers with a passion!

Is this a main dealer? If so, why are they asking YOU to check? As far as all 06, 07 and most 08 model years have been affected...

I drove a couple of Auto's - a base 250 and an SE (courtesy car). The base gave 28mpg (TComp) all town driving only, so real would have been approx 26 and the courtesy car gave me high 30's on a "spirited" cross country run with ETC on. I reckon that could hav easily been 40mpg if I drove it sensibly and didn't keep hitting that kick down switch and then playing too much manually with them paddles... I also had a manual 250 for a week which averaged 32mpg on a moderate run to newcastle and back (400 miles) It was at that point, 2 years ago, that I think I conceded to myself of the fact that I had made a terrible mistake... Still - people do buy the diesel so there must be something about it that they like...each to their own! I suppose that the Auto smooth box, the engine which likes to be revved, and the lower Co2 make it perfect...that is if you want a Lexus.

Gord - spot on - The older model A4 was the benchmark, and I reckon still is, even now!!! I had a '52 plate TDi 130 and I hav to say it still remains the best made compact exec I ever owned...my 5er is on a par, but it should be - it's the next level up...

Lack of product knowledge at the dealerships blites any customer experince, especially when the sales man takes a brochure out and reads it to you as soon as you ask them a question...

We had one of the new A4s - 2.0T petrol in a rather striking white with tan leather interior, it certainly turned a few heads. It was a bit bigger inside and handled a bit better too, but it didn't really feel like a massive leap forward over the previous model. I did think that the interior was not constructed as well as the previous model either. It certainly wasn't rubbish though - just not attractive enough to get me out of my Lexus. A4 - my humble opinion: Looks - the rear end looks very "fat". Those rear lights do not do the car any justice at all. Not in my eye's anyway...It just looks peculiar... The only colours that look good are White and Silver. Anything dark and the car is un-noticeable on the road...that might appeal to some...but the cars that are dirty look decidedly "old" and not like a new car at all... The handling is good, better than the IS imho (not bouncy going around corners), but not good enough really. The new C Class and 3 series are better. The ride is typically germanic - firm... The driving position in the manual - both your legs go too far to the right. After a 12 mile test drive, I felt uncomfotable - especially my left hip!! The MT or TpiT are OK...overall driving position isn't too clver though...and I wanted to get out!! The level of kit is typically stingy, though the standard stereo is nice and the sports seats in the S Line are great The interior construction/some materials have taken a slight step backards. Some of the knobs turn without the same robust feel...like the Stereo on/off - too much lateral play in the buttons... Overall it's a missed opportunity, and it will always come third in the german ranking...and like I say - compared to the A6, the A4 just doesn't feel like good VFM at all...that's why I think it's a bit rubbish! The A6 on the other hand is bigger, but tht aside for the money it feels like a propr prestige marque... Exiled - Go try both A4 and A6 for yourself...then compare the A4 to a VW Passatt - OK the VW is a cheaper, but I think a cracking car for the money!!

All models have full sized air bags too

It was D5 Auto. The sound system was very good (certainly compared to the weedy 5er!)

Just done a quick calculation.... ISD = 40mpg average over 1 year. Over 10000 miles = 250 gallons, or approx 17.9 tankfulls at 14 gallons per tank 250Auto = 30mpg average over 1 year. Over 10000 miles = 333.3 gallons, or approx 23.8 tankfulls at 14 gallons per tank Then you factor in that Diesel is 10%ish dearer!! Then you factor in the extra VED for the 250 Auto... The way you have to look at it is that for a few extra tankfulls per year, you have a proper "Lexus" if you get the 250 Auto... (Edit - the auto does seem to sell for more money, even used).

Haf, I'm sure I've seen you on the beemer forums... Basically the choice is huge...and you are in a good position!! I can fully recommend the 5er, it won't have the kit any Lexus has, and the Satnav hasn't been improved even though they have just put the new quick access buttons around the idrive. The SatNav has better features (expecially the googlemaps and connected drive stuff), but overall the Lexus one was better at actually using roads you would use if you looked at an AtoZ. The BMW nav uses strange combinations though it does work and gets you there... On the 3 series however, you now have a Satnav/Bluetooth system with a HDD (hard disc drive) and I think USB port, all fully functional through steering controls, with better resolution screen. In fact it so similar to the Audi MMI now, in look, feel and functionality. the ride on both 3 and 5 LCI is much improved over the earlier versions, even with RF's. The Sport models have a firm suspension, and you can't really tell it's on Runflats any more. Seriously...the Audi A6 (forget the rubbish new A4) is an awesome car, and had it not been for the fact that I couldn't get a slightly used Mulitronic 2.0TFSI Sline with the DVD I would have bought one in July. They are awesome - the space, comfort of the SLine seats etc!! They wanted to me to wait for the faceliftd one (which is out now)...even they come with the new MMI and HDD etc...the ride is brilliant, the quality of the interior etc is excellent and in many respects and it's an equal to the 5er...(though the interior is marginally better made than a 5er)... I couldn't wait as the Lexus had to go...so bought the 5er, and I am totally happy wih it!! I wouldn't change it for anything, except maybe an A6 3.0TDI Quattro Sline!! Other cars? Well the Passatt CC is great, the A5 is awesome if you can live with 2 doors...but you really should look at anything/everything in the lease price bracket...and Volvo! The S80, if you want a bigger car ticks all the boxes!! It really is a buyers market and any exec car is a bargain (not just BMW)...deals are there for the taking, with most offering up to 15% discount if you are prepared to haggle on cars "on hand". the GS is selling for so little now...as are even the petrol 5er's. You can get a fully spec'd 530i Sport Auto, 2008, or a GS300 SE for less than £30k. That is a bargain! BTW - it looks like the F10 will not be out for possibly 18 months yet. normally it's 3 years aftr LCI, so 2010 I rckon, and even then it will hit USA first!! EDIT - forgot to add - I sat in the new V70 the other day (mates hire car) and was totally impressed...what a cracking car...didn't actually drive it, but it seemed well made an smart inside.

£146 for ONE bulb and £90 to change it? Sounds very "German priced" to me... Surely it's a DIY jobby - no more difficult to change than a normal H type bulb... There are a couple of very good ebayers out there. I've seen people running Day Running Lights with Xenon's for years (literally thousands of hours) and thousand of miles without a blow out... Check these out on eBay FOR A PAIR

With the Lexus I never felt that confident.... ...Ditto...ultimately if takes your confidence away you walk...

Fully agreed...and make sure it's the Auto Petrol SE! There are only a few things you don't miss too much - they would be ripe for removing and making them an option at cost, but ultimately it's the bundlig which mean you end up spending a fortune... EG - MLS/MM - it's great, but the standard 13 speaker system is actually better than what the compeition offers even on a premium upgrade...so just Nav and BT could be one option, then you could add rear camera for a few £00 and get it in for £2000 all in without the premium sound...but no - you can't! Though in the states I think you can! Or just factory Adaptive lights. I hope they do add some logic with the facelift, though I bet they don't... Even just Lumbar suppoprt on base cloth seats would be great!

The cars are so well spec'd that an SEL without the fancy bits would be an SE...they would be better off reducing the price and allowing you specify Sat Nav without rear camera, Bluetooth on it's own or with rear camera, just lumbar support, leather without cooling etc.... Lexus make cars efficiently because they don't appear to give much configurable choice...things come in "packs" and their suppliers make the same widgets over and again. The assembly lines run efficiently as there are less "variants" and suppliers are pushed to keep costs low....for example, leather seats all come heated/cooled - so the supplier only makes one type...and so on. I don't think Lexus could change that easily as the cost model would be hit hard and it would start to gt expensive to factory order bits olike BMW, MB and Audi...BUT you would have choice!

Actually it was 5k on the clock and £11k cheaper...and for that I have an efficient car that is beautifully put together and I don't feel I've paid too much for silly things like wooden steering wheels or Yamaha Piano wood!!! My advice would be to go check out the Lxus website, and see how much GS's are going for... Let me sav you the bother...Lexus have several GS450h's SEL's, with less than 10k on the clock for less than what I paid for mine. Some are newer with a "*" next to the price - so offers welcome...Now that's what I call depreciation, especially as it's supposed to be the ground breaking car of the future and Lexus's saviour...so lets not go there! And how much was that new? over £45K - that's more than £4k more than the list price of mine...so your argument has fallen over over in a small heap. As for the GS300, well, just see how many nearly new ones are going for a lot less than £30k....so whilst BMW (according to you) are having bad times and no one wants their "junk", Lexus aren't reeling anyone in, no matter how much bling they chuck in... I fear that brands like Lexus will be hit harder than BMW, MB Audi or anyone else in the credit Munch...the cars are not efficient enough - not even the Hyb's., and that will not help...

Firstly - why do you need a diesel? Lexus are incredibly good at making what they know best - Petrol Auto's. They are the best around wen it comes to Luxury and equipment, with a superb creamy smooth feel... The Diesels are somewhat different, though the ISD Sport is the Diesel one of choice (IMHO). I'm sure that the newer ones are better. I have no doubt that Lexus will have addressed many of the issues on the new ones - especially on the facelifted 09 MY - that is the only one I would consider TBH!! But you are looking at an 06 - same as mine was...and I'm assuming you had the E40 series and not the E90 series? My only advice would be to do the following: Take one for a long drive, on your own (without a salesman or the Missus/kids distracting you), switch off the AC/fan, stereo etc. and reset the "Ave MPG" by scrolling to it and holding the button in for 2 secs: 1) Pay particular attention to the gear change - 1st to 2nd - can you accept it? 2) Drive at 65-70 in 6th, and constantly without cruise on and go up and down some gradients on a motorway. Then try and overtake quickly. Can you do it without changing gears? Is it acceptable day in day out? How do you feel about the 6th gear in the ISD Sport? 3) Stop somehere. leave the drivers seat in your position and sit in the back. is it acceptable? is there enough "knee" "Head" and "foot" room for your pasengers. Would you feel claustrophic as the windows are high (as that can cause travel sickness)...? 4) Drive in a busy rush hour and attempt some quick getaways at roundabouts from standstill. Is it acceptable? 5) Have a good look at the boot....is it acceptable for your gear? 6) Drive it different rev ranges in different gears on an A road at national speed limits. Is the expected performance and the handling good enough? What is the ambient noise like? Road noise on coarse surfaces? Vibrations? 7) Check the Ave MPG I don't mean to patronise at all (honest) as people don't do the basics when they test drive a car. I didn't and have learned the hardway, in spite of a string of several new cars in the last 10 years... What I have done though is highlighted those areas where I feel the IS has weakness's compared to the competition, after having had one for 2.5 years. I have no loyalty at all to any brand of car. If you can live with these then you have your perfect car as nothing else comes close in terms of VFM (possibly except a Mondeo TitaniumX with Nav etc, but it's a Chav Ford with a silver chrome console ) Your immediate comparisons will be with your current car - which is regarded as a benchmark in the key areas where the Lexus can seem a little compromised according to most pundits (on a Lexus Owners Club these are regarded as being biased). Ultimately you and only you can decide!! Good luck...

I use the cheapest phone that's functional...so got a SE K750i. It does everything well, without any drama's or complicated menus. A great little phone with a handy camera. It pairs easily with the Bluetooth in the car (as with the Lexus), is small enough, and wouldn't worry me if I lost it...I've also got some retro games (space invaders, pacman, Arkanoid tc) so it keeps me entrtained... I somehow don't like the new iPhone type thingies - too bling and just a status thing, unless you need to be totally wireless. may be I'm gtting old and becoming a dino!

I suppose they will be finished if the government tak them back lock stock and barrel (like NRock) - else surely the government will sell all the shares at some point at a profit??? It's a tuffy...I'm thinking of buying 500 shares in RBS and 500 in HBOS, and then just forgetting about them...it's a long term thing...also I reckon they might revalue the shares and give you a few less back at some point to "increase" the value per share... I wish I knew somone in the know - now has got to be a good time to spreadbet, if you know what I mean!!

What's interesting is that the Nikkei has bounced back big time, Dow Jones did too, and we are teetering on less than a 5% increase since start... It's scary to think that HBOS shares are still sat at 92p today. The question is - is it a good time to buy any? I know the merger will happen, the gvernment is buying 40% of the combined LloydsTSB/HBOS, more shares created = more share value dilution etc - but surely at that price they make a good longterm bet, don't they??? All our pensions, unit trusts, ISA's etc depend on this...

I suppose that ultimately, if you were buying a car because it was cheaper per mile, you would buy a smaller car, or a 2nd hand luxury car (where somone else has taken the hit). Also, people should consider headroom, legroom, boot space, driving dynamics, comfort and reliability etc before buying any car - not just economy or cost per mile - these are all important things - and if you're spending >£20k on a car, simple cost per mile might not mean too much to some people. Otherwise we would buy a 2 door sports car everytime ! Ultimately though, costs aside, the IS250/220 has all the gear you will ever need and some people are happier with that. Who can blame them?? It was good enough for me to make me buy one... Also - there is a good reason why the D is cheapr than the Petrol one - it doesn't compare!! The petrol is 6 Cyl, the D is a 4 pot, smaller displacmnt, like Jag XF range where I think in the UK the diesel is cheaper, and I think the outgoing the 7 series (730d v 730i) was too.... If Lexus made, for exmple, a IS250d (6 cyl 2.5) it would be more expensive...and a Hybrid certainly would be! I think the 7 series were both 3.0l 6 cyls, but the diesel was cheaper as no flagship model of a luxury car should ever be a diesel!!!!! Ultimatly it coms down to what you want to pay and what you wat to buy...it's a personal choice.

I jut looked at Autotrader - can't believe how cheap a 55 plate new shape M5 can be had for - less than £30k! Blast - I wish I'd checked! For the same money as my 525d, I could have had 500+bhp.... And with reasonable miles...so like I say - all these "Q" cars are gonna fall like a lead balloon.... It's a buyers markt totally now - if you can do it, now is the time...

They (FIA) want it to go t the last race. TBH, Hamilton is suffering from the typical British Sports Person syndrome - a lack of consistency - especially when the pressure is on!! If he wants to be World Champion this year, he needs to pull his finger out and just do what it takes...any mistake he now makes for the next few races will see him lose points, get flagged etc. He's got that sort of reputation now...and he will not get any benefit of doubt... Just look at Alonso - I was never a fan of his until yesterday. I think the guy is truly awesome! That's what it takes to be a double world champion...just watch him next season!

I haven't seen it yet - it's black and he did mention that it needed some polish as it was swirled badly and had a small dent on one door (like a ding). It apparently looked like it had been standing in a field. It was washed, but the front lower valance still had hay, mud and grass (might have been chased by police camera action across a field in Sheffield) and the interior wasn't very clean at all...probably hidden on some farm to stop the baliff's... Dunno which auction he bought it from, but he said there was half the normal crowd there - looks like the motortrade are battening down the hatches! He also wasn't sure if it had a FSH or not - but at that price he didn't care too much! Might affect the warranty I suppose which is why there was no reserve. He's chuffed anyway! He has a body shop. Might have been a stolen recovered at that price, but I don't know...I'll call him and ask... EDIT - Just rang him - confirmed it was finance reposession but also an import (is out of warranty - no wonder it's cheap) though does have a FvagSH. He collected it on Friday, and loves it. He's thinking of detailing it, removing the ding and keeping it for his own...can't blame him. Back to topic though - I really do think that Jan/Feb time will see performace cars hit bottom deck!