Eunos800

Jamboo - my dealer now has a nice 250 auto with all the toys in your second fav colour ( caspian sky) - just in case you change your mind ( and you should )

1) if you want quality sound- then get sky+ box as it is the only digital STB that outputs proper dolby 5:1 via optical. Picture can be output via svideo conector on same unit ( thats how I do it - and pitcure quality is superb through my sony HS20 P/J onto 8' screen :D ) 2) Yes but they are generally crap compared to a decent cable - I wouldnt personally bother. 3) depends on your needs...if you dony mind fiddling about unplugging and changing leads / inputs over etc etc, then no. However, you may finfd it preferable todo what I did, and get a quality Amp unit that wil switch your video inputs as you select the audio input simultaneously...if u c what I mean. :winky: 4) Our HS20 has been used for over 1700 hours so far, and still on same bulb, but had one air filter change. Most PJs reckon around 1500 - 2000 hours..depending on quality of unit of course. Budget several hundred of pounds incidentally for replacement bulb PS dont know if it is within your budget, but the HS20 has been fabulous :D :D AND it is H/Definition ready via a socket named HDMI ( High definition Multimediua Interface) for when sky start to transmit proper HD telly :D :D Jock forgive me for asking....but should that not be SVIDEO cable you are referring to NOT svhs ( a different standard )

Bristol are having to put more peeps on. Just had an invitation to go and meet them/have a Danish pastry/browse the Saturday papers/have the car valeted :) . Hey Tango...where did you get the fancy car cover?

The other odd thing with the 250 is that the auto is claimed to have BETTER fuel economy than the manual - never seen that before PS Jamboo - my dealer now has a nice 250 auto with all the toys in your second fav colour ( caspian sky) - just in case you change your mind ( and you should ) :D :D

Yep - St Lucia pearl with grey interior :D Pity you didnt have your camera mate - we still havent actually seen one in the colour....most of the ones we have found online seem to basically "white", I'm guessing that they are maybe "foreign" versions, as we know they get a different selection from us here in blighty B)

Thanks to all who bothered to reply to this one :D It seems generally then that my experience is pretty mujch the norm. If you want a specific colour combo, and MM pack, then expect to wait around 12 weeks for it - and then expect that date to keep slipping :o The reasons why seem to be a combo of 1) dealers holding orders to match sales target dates etc 2) MM pack demand higher than expected 3) Lexus production is just not up to speed?? Anyhow, I reckon my patience ( now "expecting" delivery in June earliest ) will be rewarded with a snag free car, and it wont be as old in the summer as it would have been if it had been delivered in March :D :D

Yes - provided you ensure that the iron tip itself does not short out the Voltage across other wires as you are working. The 12v alone is harmless to us humans:-)

check for 12 v on redand black as Isuggested.if so ...follow post :D ( yes - replace the reed and magnet assembly ( maplins or the like )

It could of course be that 4 core cable was used for this contact switch, which in actual fact may require just 2 wires. 4 core ( or more) is common in alarm systems and generally is such that 2 wires ( usually red and black/blue) carry 12v supply for passive infra red ( PIR) detectors (which are common throughout the building)-the other 2 wires are switch wires ( usually activating the panel when open circuit) so .....if there is a red and black use a meter to detect 12v. If so, tape 'em up (seperately)and join the other 2 wires together. Set alarm, and pull apart the 2 wires, - see if alarm acivates :)

I ve seen only 2 cars on the road around here...mind you of course as everyone knows we have only just had electricity

Hi Jamboo :) You are right to be "relaxed about it" - I have spent most of my life being enthusiastic and aggresively competitive, and have come to the conclusion that now having taken early retirement, it just aint worth it I am learning to chill out, and realize that other people will generally never understand my sense of care, commitment, and sense of urgency. If they can't relate to it, they sure as hell aint gonna match it , so I will continue to be disappointed and frustrated and angry.....and be heading for my second serious stress problem. I now believe the old adage of "if you cant' beat 'em join 'em"

Hi matey....no! We got to see an actual IS250 in caspian sky...and I agree...it is a nice colour :-) However, she who must be etc, has fallen big style for St Lucia Pearl, and we have confirmed our order for this variant ( with sussex grey interior) today. My Dealer says it will probably be JULY !! before delivery :o As I have now got resigned to waiting anyway, a month or two more doesnt stress me too much and I reckon pearl will be quite rare, PLUS with an anticipated build of May /June a few more gremlins may have hopefully been sorted on the line rather than as after sales issues. :D Know what you mean about having to do the chasing though.....seems that's the norm theses days - obviously most people in the service Industries either go AWOL when the training courses come around / fall asleep in them / or are just so complacent and resigned to "It'll do mentality" hemselves, they just don't give a s**t. Still on for March for you then?? Feel I know some of you guys like buddies by now...perhaps we should arrange a get together in the summer or whatever?? :D

Jamboo, I too dealt with Lexus Leicester when ordering my new IS and I felt that there service had slipped since my last purchase. I have the car now and am very happy but then yesterday I received a letter from Lexus Financial Services that I owe them money because there is still an outstanding balance. Even though I traded the car in December! When I ordered the car in November I said I didn't want to have to make an other payment and Leicester agreed, told me to cancel my DD. I've since been told by Lexus FS that Leicester had no right to tell me to do that. I too spoke too Richard the dealer principle, he does like to waffle...new IS is great, exceeding all forcasts blah blah... He did say that he would get Jon Browne to ring me the next day to sort it out because he was not in today. I'll keep you posted. Cheers Saracen - we'll need to meet up for a drink sometime...a stiff Coca Cola! Well my Bank manager came to see me yesterday, and he cancelled my DD there and then 'cos I told him to (but only 'cos Richard told ME to...)! My payment was being taken today by First National for my old car (which I gave them 14th January and they hadn't settled still...). Richard did state that he was personally sending a recorded Del cheque yesterday and that FNMF would "note" the records... Good news is that I got my £6g back yesterday! I better prepare for the hassle this will no doubt cause...such is my confidence at the mo! Why isn't anything b****y simple these days? "Why isn't anything b****y simple these days?" Amen to that

My dealer says that "mystery shopper" is already a big operation measurement tool in use at ALL Lexus GB authorised dealerships :o Time perhaps then to change the company doing the shopping - or at least the measurement criteria. I suspect that this is currently items such as initial host greeting , availability of coffee and biccies etc, rather than the "real thing". I would imagine that using 3rd party people to check the sort of issues we are having would be nigh on impossible.

YES

Havent asked yet why it was cancelled....maybe they got p****ed with customer service As for colour combo....iyt has the same interior as my original choice ( sussex grey leather ) should be nice - still gotta convince wifey that I am not just being tempted 'cos its available March rather than May :winky:

Hi Jamboo....as stated, think you got it pretty well covered there m8. My 2penceworth - 1) Show a sense of urgency about problems raised - If my sales guy was any more laid back he'd fall over 2) Follow through on actions promised - when someone says " I will call you tomorrow" - DO IT ! 3) Make EVERY customer feel like a King - It costs nothing really... 4) Recruit nice "people people" :D - you can't train personality into someone.

Hi matey...both sorrow and Joy heh? Well I will keep fingers crossed that it does arrive March :winky: My dealer rang this morning, and has offered me a Caspian sky model ( cancelled order apparantly ) Thing is......I could have it March All other spec is exactly as my original choice, and I really need to see a caspian Sky in the flesh now :D Thinks me will be tempted......... :D :D

Has anyone got a picture of the 250 in either of the two colours above....we have been told by our dealer this morning that a Caspian sky is available for March delivery in caspian sky !! - but we cant tell what it is really like - lexus GB website colour chooser is crap ! The other colour we fancy is St Lucia pearl, so again any piccies or links appreciated :D

Wish I hadn't asked now, 'cos loads of you lucky blighters have got their motors pretty quick:duh: No seriously...thanks to all who replied, I guess it sort of confirms what dealer is saying - a lot depends on spec and colour etc. However the comment about black being more likely to be available ( Tango I think )somewhat throws it out again, as Black was the colour I chose! Ah well....guess it comes down to having to be patient, or buy another car altogether :)

Linked to my other threads.....when did you guys actually order your car, and when was it actually delivered?

The problem with sourcing from "abroad" is that of continuous service - even though the purchase price may be less, I want to know I have a "local" ( even tho' it's 40+ miles from home ) dealer who will sort out any problems. I could have bought the same spec car through "drive the deal" and saved approx £1000 - but for the reasons above decided to buy from "local" dealer. "Drive the deal" would not reveal the supplier location until I placed a firm order...all they would say is that the dealer was "approx 100+miles away from my home location" I reckoned that the advantages above would outweigh the cost difference....and also worried that I may get 2nd class service from the local dealer when it came to after sales care, had I chosen to cancel with him and buy from "The Net". So far the only visible difference in service has been "free" coffee and bikkies at the dealer ( expensive too at £1000 ) Dealer rung this afternoon and claims he has checked "all over the place" and no cars that match my spec are available sooner than "back-ordered" ...due now May 2006. Will there be yet more slippage of both delivery date and crown ???

Quick update...Dealer did reply by email at 5.48 pm tonight - apologies to him Not great news though....apparantely ALL 250 SEL auto MMs are now on "back-order" - which I take to mean a confirmation of what was hinted at earlier - I'm gonna' have to wait until May. :duh: Still I guess the upside (see how positive I am trying to be :winky:) they should have sorted the rattle problem out by then !!

Had considered "necking" the whole deal - but felt that taking a more reasonable and calm approach ( most out of character for me ) was worth a go ? Got quite a few other "hassles" at the moment, so trying to avoid a blood vessel bursting scenario :D Also....I really want the car :D :D - especially after all the good reports I keep reading on here. I will see what tomorrow brings..... The longer I live - the more I think that I am the only one who ever actually abides by his word, and recognizes what a handshake was really meant to mean. I will go and take my medication now :duh:

Having posted in various other threads over the last few weeks, I thought I would update the forum. I complained of less than super service from the dealer and Lexus GB. Concerns over the "rattling reports" were made to dealer and GB Lexus - 3 emails to GB - no response. Snail mail to customer services director @ Lexus GB resulted in a non commital reply from a junior employee. I eventually drove 40+ miles to the dealer to ascertain why I had received no reply to my snail mail letter after almost 2 weeks. They "explained" that the letter had gone ignored due to "internal mail sorting system". After much noise (polite but firm) I was assured that I would not be dissapointed with my chosen vehicle. Having STILL not received an answer to the other 3 items of concern, I emailed the salesman again, and received a vague reply. Within this reply was a mention that my car delivery date was still un-available, and was on "back-order" now showing possible delivery of May 2006 Considering that the order and deposit was placed in December, and delivery was scheduled for March 1st....I was none too happy with this latest info :duh: I wonder when all the people who have received their cars over the last few weeks ordered theirs?? I emailed again last Friday, suggesting that maybe an alternative colour choice /spec would result in a March delivery - or ...if that was not feasible, and May 2006 was still the likely date, could I change my original colour choice? ( I kinda fancy that st lucia pearl now :D ) An e-mailed reply on Saturday said no information on either of those questions was available until Monday, but he would email me on Monday with answers. I thanked him for his response, and said I would look forward to hearing from him on Monday. As I sit here now at 5.30pm - no such emailhas been received. My initial enthusiasm and excitement is diminishing daily