alpappy

Hi we have relocated to Aus and need to buy a new car Are the newest built cars now sorted? Once again when you compare prices here the new Merc C Class( 18 turbo) is about 10,000 dollars more than the Is and the spec is lower..but dont want to go ahead if there are still issues withthe lexus The dealers here claim that they getting very few problems now ..mostly with the sunroof..one to avoid for sure Glad to see all the same names on the forum after so long Cheers alan

The dealer can tell you but if the fuel filler switch is side by side and illuminated it is 07 spec alan quite a number of 'old' 56 platers out there

Alan - that's the problem then - they sold you a left over '06 build on a '56 plate...and that's why it's no different to the other 3 cars you have on your fleet! If they stated to you on the order that it was an 07 Model Year (07MY), then this clearly isn't (at least I don't think it is). Some '56's have new positioned switches and some don't. Did you have to wait long for the car to be delivered? I suspect not...they probably had it in stock...??? No in stock so its an o6 build thus the problems Build date late June! I suppose that explains why no better alan

Good point Tel ! I suspect The TT is in the new car phase much like we are . VW is not great for build quality whereas Lexus pride themselves on the standard of build quality We run a 4 year old E class ..no rattles since new If Merc can do...I am sure Lexus can. Lexus still have the best customer care bar none so I am sure that when they report to Japan this will get sorted.. i am only really annoyed that this new one was supposed to be an 07 all issues sorted and it is not.( switches are in th e06 positions) alan

Yes nice in theory but on all three cars and countless dealer visits rattles are not sorted They either come back or new ones start up! Show me a dealer who can sort them and I would try.. My local dealer is very good but when fixed its just a matter of days before the rattles are back ..now its even a tick in the window ( b pillar area) ! Just give up alan

I was also told the same July plus 06 cars fully sorted ,The rattles I have are just as you describe I have given the dealer a few goes at it. As they fix one another starts. I stand to loose about 3k but the longer I keep it the worse it will get so cut the losses and move on. I have really wanted to keep at least one lexus but thats it now. Almost every loan car has rattles/ squeeks. I am just amazed that this cannot be sorted out!! Tested a VW and BMW both seem to have no rattles! alan

Dealer has been quite decent they fix one rattle and a new crop appear! They are buying thr car back afer 4 months with a fair drop in value but much better than he trade i offers that I have had alan

Just a short note..after still more rattles I have decided to cut my losses and sell the last of our 4 Lexus Is's. I have offered it back to the dealer and am waiting to see if they will buy it back else I will trade it come what may. best trade price IS25 se-l mm with hoshis 25 K!! Such a pity there is so much good in this car but it just is not up with best of luxury cars by quite a bit. I have NEVER spent so much time with new cars back and forward in the past year as with these cars..CArs are there to enjoy not to be stressing with dealerships etc. When I find that lexus are sorted I would certainly buy another but who knows if are getting the message at all!!! I dont see any attempt at this as even the new build ( which mine was supposed to be) was only quiet for about 2 months. This forum has been a great help Take care Alan

That is my feeling as well Soon I will have more foam inthe dash than Britaney Spears has in her bathtub! My conclusion after one year and 4 of these ....most rattle and if not now will do at some point Its a grat pity as the cars have thepotential to be outstanding in every way alan

They re packed the air veNT onmine on Friday is better but still little ratlles all over when cold. I give up!! ALAN

Used carlak onmine seems very good! alan

Can't be much worse going from 2.5 to 3.0 I wouldn't have thought. any way I hope you enjoy your car, I prefer the looks of the new GS to the IS but I just love the toys you get with the IS, I dont think you can get the full MM system in GS, am I right? Good move the IS really is not up scratch !!! I am thinking of changing as well alan

I was given a loan car day almost new 220d 56 plate Seats squeek dash and b pillars rattle. So much for the 07 build story I have concluded if your Is does not rattle you are lucky indeed! alan

Yep that is the story even if they start out OK I a driven quite a few low milers all have rattles or squeeky seats etc alan

Well now its the turn of the front passenger air vent to rattle and creak!! my daughters 4 year old Yaris is doing better than the IS The dealers must be making a fortune in warranty repairs on these cars! Anyone else had this one! Alan Is case you guys think I am being difficult/ pathetic: Merc class 4 years old went back for rattles=none BMW 320 d none Daughters Yaris =none Sons Citroen( yes citroen) one Lexus 4 cars lost count! alan

Even the o7s have rattles Many cars out there are still o6 spec YOu can check by the fuel filler switch is next to not above the other switch O7 builds started aroung August build dates alan

Sounds the usual to me LOTS of work and to an fro with the car Be prepared! lots of patience needed onthe good side you will get to drive losts of cars which they will loan you that will make you feel good about yours!! alan

http://www.infoarena.com/lexus/navhack/ this lexus is my fist ever new car and except occasional problems with rattles I am absolutely happy and satisfied owner and I am sure that I decided correctly when I picked up IS220d over BMW 320d (which is not bad car at all) My dad buys new car app. every 3 years. He had mazda xedos9 2,5 v6, alfa 166 2,5v6, citroen C5 3.0 V6 and now he has merc e400cdi. Mazda was a great car, with almost no problems, only the servicing was quite expensive (oilchanges every 10.000km...) Alfa romeo and citroen - both disaster (however both were always able to get to the service by own). Alfa had multiple electronics problems - gearbox, middle console, power steering etc). "Very special" was, when something happend during summer. Italiens take one month off, so we were waiting for spare parts 2 months... Specific was the middle console. It did not work when it was freezing. My dad wanted to complain about this, but it wasn't enough cold anymore and the warranty had to finish soon, so to prove his words, he had to order a cooling truck, put the car in (in -20degrees) for three hours, and then proved that it really didn't work.... So the service exchaged that part (it was worth about 3.000euros) We had the car for 1,5 year and it was just a problem and problem... C5 was very similar, although we kept the car for almost 6 years (my dad 4 years and then I had it for more than 1 year). He bought it at early stage of the production, so first two years he was in the service every 2 months!! The courtesy car was Saxo 1.0i... Third and fourth year was quite OK, but after about 140.000km it started to have problems again. For example, the hydraulics pump for the suspension broke down, the replace was 1.200euros. We complained to the general importer, because citroen officially states, that the suspension doesn't need any servicing for 6 years or 150.000kms. They replied, that repairing a breakdown is something else than servicing... Mercedes will be now 3 years old and has 100.000kms. So far we had this problems: -once the battery got flat during night, we had to call the assistance service. -some sensor in air intake got broken, so the car didn't have full power. -power boot opener got broken -power steering wheel adjustment got broken. All fixed in warranty. The car is almost rattles free, makes 0-60mph in less than 7 seconds, city driving consumption is about 22mpg and extra urban is always more than 29mpg. We are very satisfied with merc, although I know, that e-class had huge problems with the quality and early stages. For the moment, if somebody asks me what car to buy I say: don't buy a new production car and buy japanese car. Well over the past 14 months We have bought 4 ISs 1 diesel and 3 petrol Only one is free of rattles ,creaking groaning. Much worse when cold We have now got rid of two and have two left The newest one now has a ticking. creak in the passenger window area I am sick and tired of taking the cars back and forward. Have seen and ex demo 530 D BMW Driven it..no rattles at all. We run a car pool for the partners and I am sure that our change from Merc to Lexus was a mistake. We still hav an 02 Merc e class..rattle free. ALthough it had had a few minor repairs( electrical sensor for abs and front ball joint) it is a pleasure to drive. If these cars rattle from new I dont think any amount of fiddling by the dealers will get rid of it 100% If we are anything to go by 75% with build quality issues is just not good enough! Alan

Well another year and another place drop for Lexus now 6th Behind Mazda ford skoda etc as measured by the reliabilty index from Warranty Direct Also in the Telegraph today Toyota had more recalls last year than cars it sold in the US. Is the shine about to come off the brand? Alan

Yep been diagnosed its the lock stricker plate that needs to be adjusted .. the noise sounds just like its next to your ear!!Known rattle in IS alan

HI Not really My local service dept advised normal driving..in fact they found that being too gentle on the revs seems to increase oil consumption later on! I just kept the revs below 2/3rds of max and for the first 500 miles under about 2,600 good driving alan

HI Has anyone had a rattle more like a ticking sound from the drivers window glass..or it could be the upper seat belt mounting if so what has been the fix for it . I am really getting annoyed with the new rattles that seem to appear jsut as the last lot are sorted!!! alan

powder coating is very good but not that many places do them. like everything else, it depends who does them and how good they are at what they do. The local place that has done my wheels are superb, no hassel, quality thick, glossy finnish and they last years. I sold the last car with the alloys on and they looked great 2-3 years down the line. The design of the wheels are poor and very liable to damage We havea 4 year old Merc e Class The wheels suffer corosion but the rim edge is chamfered inwards and inspite of many attempts by my wife to damage the wheel rims it has never happened..just the tyres get scuffed alan

HI My new Hoshi front wheel without me ever parking next to kerb at all is quite badly scuffed along about 1/3 of the rim edge. Dont ever remember hitting anything!! Any one have any experience with these hoshi alloys. I have a wheel repairman who can repair it Wonder if its worth while ..if it just happens that easily!!! alan

Totally... having had both - the A4 is categorically better in terms of quality, materials, fit and finish - though boring and staid - and quite dated looking! Both are better than 3 series. Though FWD, the A4 drives very well for it's age of design. You do get a little torque snatch though!!! 'Although the IS250 is also being portrayed as a "sport sedan" the ride is actually on the soft and comfortable side instead of sporty and nimble. It isn't quite as entertaining on the road as a 3 Series and a comfortable ride is more the name of the game ' What a poor description of the ride It is quite to very firm. South Africa is very much into German luxury cars At least the Lexus will have been assembled out of SA.. Just look at MErc and BMW for build quality problems with the models built out there. The C Classs built out there were a joke!. alan