tyrrp

I normally would agree but working out the full cost of that car to you plus VRT I recon you will pay total €17,400 or so plus your travel. One quick look on carzone and I found this one. Carzone Or even cheaper but higher milage. Carzone 2

Not a bad idea :D I'll try that and report back :) i'll have a look at the wires as well :) i have an is200 with parking sensors fitted by lexus and i have 4 sensors not 2, they are spread across the bumper.. try seeing if there is a little switch inside the the boot on the left hand side that is so you can turn the sensors on & off... :) Two sensors will not give you full coverage of the bumper. Only your corners will be protected properly. The beam travels out from the sensor at about an angle of 30deg and weakens as it does. So the middle of yours might not have any detection at all especially as they seem to be slightly around the corner as well.

Any sign of an Auto set yet??????

Absolutely sure. It actually annoys me sometimes because I get the musty smell for a minute if it hasn't been on in a while. I had a look and I also have it set to Auto on the fan so that might make a difference.

I might be missing something here. When I turn my system to windscreen only it automatically turns on the Aircon to clear the screen.

Actually I don't wash my car in the winter. I usually just give it a good prep job. Seal the paint and 2 or 3 coats of a good wax. They don't use salt on the roads over here though. Only grit so no stuff to slowly eat the paint just some nice violent stones. So no wash from Nov till end of Jan

Actually there is now but at the moment I think it is only available to the industry. Don't know if there are plans to open it up but for all I know it might be already.

OMG those rear parking sensors are brutal .... could they not have colour coded them I agree. I got Halfords over here to put a set on for me last year. They said they could colour match as well. They put them in the wrong place and they sprayed so much paint on them the sensor couldn't work. Ended up costing them €850 for a new bumper, painting, pro fitting of sensors and car hire for 2 days but at least they look right now.

Basically, I bought a "keenly priced" car from an independent, later found out that it had been stolen/recovered before and repaired with slightly dodgy 2nd hand parts. I've been eating brake discs for breakfast, recently replaced a hub, OSF wheel has been pushed back and so castor is out, car is sometimes "sluggish" for no apparent reason and Lexus can't find any reason and think I'm nuts, and to top it all off I have balancing problems that just will not go away, even having balanced the wheels on a mounting plate rather than the center holes. Basically, the sheen has long since gone off it and I'm fed up. I never really had the full Lexus experience though, and before I move to BMW or the like, I'd quite like to do it properly. I would, and have thought about it many times, but having been burned already buying from an independent, my next car will have to come from the main dealer with a full 12 month warranty. Tell me now, the whole "automatic" thing bothers me, and I keep saying I'm too young for an auto. Should I just get over myself and forget about such things? I am of the opinion that if someone has gone through the pain, sweat and tears to design something to make your life easier it would be just rude not to use it. Auto is great. The amount of time you actually get a chance to play with your car nowadays, especially in this countries traffic does not make me miss the manual. Modern Autos are very good units. Quicker change times, kickdown and economy (the new IS auto is quicker to 60 and more economical then the manual). The reason I went auto is that my wife only has an auto licence and it makes life easier (I can decide to have a drink if we are out in my car rather then hers). I'll never go back though. Give it a try and let me know how you get on. I might be pushed yet.

Any update on your progress?

They are very rare over here all right. Is it the 2004 one on Carzone that is in Kerry you are looking at. Looks nice. There seems to be always one on sale somewhere in the country but never near Dublin. I have been tempted a couple of times but not willing to travel to Limerick or Cork which is where they seem to turn up. The real thing that does put me off is the extra road tax. €539 as it is for the IS200 but €1,109 for the IS300 is just to much to justify.

That Alfa is . It looks all wrong.

Look at the side view of both the BMW and the Audi. They could almost be the same car. Just a couple of minor style lines different. I suppose it's what's bound to happen when computers are so involved in the design of modern cars.

If I were you I would ring the two Lexus dealers that supposedly carried out the two services. Confirm for sure if the car was with them and what was done. See if they will fax you confirmation if they were not then bring your evidence to the manager directly. Be nice and polite and document your discussion as you speak. Let him see you are noting what is being said. Ask what he suggests to solve the issue. Don't leave till you have an agreement in writing. If he tells you to take a jump then bring up "Trading Standards" etc. IT IS IMPORTANT YOU MAKE SURE YOU KEEP A COOL HEAD THROUGH IT ALL.

Never said it was the same. Just said it was the start of the variable timing. VTEC actually slides the cam shaft so there are different cams acting on the valves making them stay open longer etc. Much more of an ON or OFF system then VVT but still lots of fun and probably more designed for performance then the VVT systems. Remember that Honda were the first to get over 100bhp per litre from a normally aspirated engine with the VTEC system. It actually uses oil pressure to push a roller into the cam lobe to change the profile and increase lift. Sure I read that somewhere edit - both wrong as it happens, here is a short VIDEO showing how it works :D Doh! That's right I remember it being explained to me properly now. It's a different rocker that's engaged.

Never said it was the same. Just said it was the start of the variable timing. VTEC actually slides the cam shaft so there are different cams acting on the valves making them stay open longer etc. Much more of an ON or OFF system then VVT but still lots of fun and probably more designed for performance then the VVT systems. Remember that Honda were the first to get over 100bhp per litre from a normally aspirated engine with the VTEC system.

I used to have an old style (gen 2) Honda CRX imported from Japan. It was a VTEC which was the start of all the variable valve timing stuff. It had a VTEC Controller installed. You could set the revs at which the timing changed anywhere from 500rpm to 7000rpm. It was very handy. Must say, that was the most fun car I ever owned. Unfortunately became the car of choice for drug dealers over here so it had to go. I do miss it though.

I am fairly sure it is to do with humidity. The more moisture in the air the more friction over the body so there can be a build up of static. Some people are more sensitive to static also. Perhaps they retain more water which makes them better conductors or something. Could also be something to do with the clothes or shoes you are wearing? Anything changed in your wardrobe since this started. I once knew a mechanic who wouldn't touch a car until someone else had earthed it first because he always got hit. Actually saw the spark jump to his finger a few times.

I think what everyone is trying to tell you is that the systems with only two corner sensors are ment for protecting the corners of the car while parking. However if you are parking straight on to a wall etc they will also work as the wall will be within the sensing area. I wouldn't trust them to work if you were pulling up to a bollard which was nearer the middle of the bumper though as this could be missed by them.

Don't know if it's the same on the LS as the IS. If you look to the front of the car when the bonnet is open on each side there might be an adjustable rubber pad. Turn it to raise is slightly. This will tighten the fit and might solve the problem.

My father has a 2005 RX300. Had to go in for rattles from the boot lid. Also watch out for the top flat area of the rear bumper when you are putting things in and out of the back. I scratches easily. He went into them and insisted they fit a cover which is actually an option.

I was lifting my bum off the seat with the effort of pressing the brake which I think felt normal. It all happened so fast!! The bloke who followed me thru the red light cos I'd hit him and he thought I was escaping (!) said he didn't think my brake lights were on - he would have thought I was stopping if they'd been on, but he can't be sure. I KNOW I was pressing the brake pedal. OK, I know this is going to sound a bit off but the reason I ask is because it happened to me once. Luckily there were no other cars around to hit so I got away with it. Does the new IS have a foot rest to the left of the clutch pedal? What happened to me was that I put my foot on the rest, thought it was on the clutch then brought my right foot over to the clutch pedal instead of the break. Foot went right to the floor but the car kept going. It took me a second or two to realise what I had done before I corrected myself. I know it sounds a bit mad but I still don't know how I made the mistake. Even when I do it on purpose to test it feels so wrong that I can't believe it happened at all but it did.

I'm surprised. I have an IS200 auto executive model (Same as SE) and it came standard with the silver ball knob on the gear stick.

Have a look at the fuses to make sure they are all seated properly and you didn't blow one.

That's right. The Auto stick has a bend normaly. Can't remember which way it should point off the top of my head. I think it should be bent away though. Need to check mine to be sure but it's raining now so I'm not going outside.