Northern Boys Luv Gravy

This is the first spec change - and it's 2.5 years since the IS launch...

I know they are changing the seat backs from the hard plastic pocket to a soft leather pocket and sculpting the seats more to increase rear knee room. I hadn't heard anything about delays though - I can't see any of these changes affecting factory throughput.

I have Bridgestones on the OEM wheels and Toyo Proxes T1-R on my Volks Rims, and the Toyo tyres are much quieter. When I put the original rims and tyres back on the 250 while the Volks were being refurbished the increase in road noise was immediately apparent. You could be right - I noticed some of the new IS in the showrooms have Toyos on them. I never considered them because I didn't think they were a premium brand, but if Lexus think they are OK then I may consider them in future.

I had Dunlops on mine and swopped them for Bridgestones at 30k miles - I couldn't detect any difference whatsoever.

Don't forget the old IS ran as a Toyota for a year before it came over here and at first sales were modest. They had more time to iron out any niggles before we got our hands on it. My new IS250 does feel more solid than my old one - and I've had no issues whatsoever.

Do you think if I ask they'll do a turbo mod for my IS250??

Just out of interest - assuming you got offered £23900 for your car and the fact that the dealer then has to make a margin (including paying VAT on the difference between buy in and sell out price) - how much do you think the dealer could sell it for? Can you really see your car sitting on a forecourt with a sticker saying, say £25900? And as a prospective punter would you pay that for your car based what a new one costs (after discount)? Fact is if you choose to sell any car so soon after purchase you are going to take a hit. Factor in the fact that the Freelander2 is an in demand model at the moment and any trade in is not going to be that good. The figure would change significantly if you tried PXing against an A4, for example, as they are trying to offload them before the new one comes out.

Try Adrian Flux Insurance. They put me with Royal Sun Alliance for £393. Me and the missus, both 40s, living in Newcastle, 4 years NCD. Me - two convictions in the last 5 years (armed robbery and public indecency! )

We are! I just bought another and the feeling just gets better and better.

I wouldn't worry Jamboo. A family up the street from me had a big party and I came out of my house to find over 28 Mercedes E and C class saloons (most of them silver) of various ages parked all around. As well as thinking what a stunning lack of car buying imagination the owners showed, my IS looked outstanding compared to the backdrop of Stuttgart Taxis.

Did you really think it was big in the back? I thought it was tiny and little bigger than the new TT - which I think has a preferable driving position. The missus dragged me into her dealership to look at the A5 but I came away a bit underwhelmed by the interior and more interested in ordering another TT.

You can get "Show Plates" made up - basically, the platemaker will space the reg or use any font you want provided it is for use only at shows and events and not for use on the road. A lot of people keep their show plates on and a legal set in the boot so if stopped they can say "sorry, officer, I must have forgot to swop them back". Friends in the force do like a chuckle at that one as they write the ticket out..

I got rear ended in July (<700 miles on from new) and got my car back after 5 weeks. Total bill was somewhere around £7500 + hire costs of a Merc C lass @ £180 a day through Accident Exchange. AE pursued the 3rd party and I didn't claim on my insurance. I did, however, notify them and they marked the file "Notification Only" - they do require you to do this even if it's not costing them anything. Although the hire charges were £180 a day and on paper this racks up a big bill, this is only for a starting point for negotiation with the 3rd party's insures and they settle on a sum considerably less.

I have a brand new IS250 and want to swop the engine out for an IS350 engine I have imported from the States. I have all the parts and the the new engine is sitting in a large crate in my garage. Luckily I won a tool set at the local fair this summer so I am all sorted and ready to go. I only have two questions: 1. How do I open the bonnet? I can't find the lever. 2. Will this invalidate my warranty? (P.S I am not VAT registered)

Mate of mine bought a C-Class and proudly announced that the leather inside was known as "Leather Twin". When I asked what this meant he admitted that only the facings of the seats were leather - the rest, sides, back etc. were vinyl. Oh how we laughed.....

If your garage ceiling is that low you will need to bend double to get around in it! :)

Dealerships don't just stamp the book - they enter details of the service into Lexus' computerised records, which all dealerships can access. That way when a car comes in to any dealer they can enter the reg and chassis number and get a print out of service work performed, any recalls done or outstanding etc. No warranty work will be authorised by Lexus GB without these records being up to date. You can have your Lexus serviced elsewhere but a fully stamped book is meaningless unless the non- Lexus 3rd party garage that performed the work also included receipts and details of work carried out and that work matched the service schedule laid down.

In my 5 weeks with a C class auto diesel I found it generally competent, if uninspiring, but there were a few things I wished my Lexus had: 1. Unlocking at night switched on dipped beams and front fogs - these acted as follow-me-homes at night. 2. Unlocking the boot made the lid pop right up. 3. You could pull the front face of the headrests forward to reduce the chance of whiplash. 4. The indicator stalk was quite low on the left and could be flicked to give four or five flashes signifying a lane change. The rest you could keep. I left my pipe and slippers in the boot when I returned it.

Mine had 33k on when I sold it and it was sweeter and smoother than when new. I wouldn't expect anything less from a Lexus.

I don't know about the other German manufacturers but Lexus, Toyota, Mazda and Nissan alloy wheels are made in the same Chinese factory by the same supplier who also supplies Audi/VW. They must make so many hundreds of thousands that the ones they get back are a drop in the ocean.

My front pads were changed at the 20k service. Cost me something ridiculous like £160.

Yeah the driver was OK - these pics were posted on the US Lexus Owner's site. The driver was a young lad hooning around on his way home, lost it on a bend, hit the curb and rolled it.

My wife has spent many years working in Audi Aftersales and they replace plenty of alloy wheels as well - it's just regarded as some sort of ongoing cost. Actually, having looked over the paperwork she brings home you realise VW/Audi engineering isn't that good after all.

I used Adrian Flux Insurance and the policy is with Royal Sun Alliance. I've tried all the websites and comparison sites and none of them can get within £100 of Flux.

I'm assuming you have an auto? Sounds about right - they are always harder on pads and discs because there is less engine braking. Also I have no idea how you drive - could you be hard on the brakes. Because of the lack of asbestos in brake discs these days they are harder and do wear the discs quicker.