TonyGoose

SE + Sport both have the 17" wheels. Only the IS200 (formally S) has the 16's. Oh and my brothers Sport which he got May 2001 is lower than my SE of the same vintage. Could always ask Lexus GB why the towbar isn't recommended for the sport - my moneys on the LSD.

Check your U2U top right of furum page ...

If you're looking to save a lot of mney, you're pretty much wasting your time at a uk dealership. You should find Denmark the cheapest place but Holland is also worth a look ... One Dutch dealer i know of has a seperate phone line for their uk customers :) Only problem with this route is unless they have unallocated cars, you may have to wait a while... Ireland may get you over that though. Alternatively, have you tried the car supermarkets - motorpoint, trade sales etc ?? They sometimes have IS200's in stock at prices comparable to import deals ... As for finance, i got 7.9apr from the rac last year and 8.9 seems about normal now... unless you can take an advance on a mortgage at a lower rate or something like that. As a final idea, does it have to be new ? You could pick up a 6/12 month old car with 4-8k miles from a forces dealer quite reasonably. You'll be paying more used than the original purchaser did new but that's just a tax issue which manufacturers use to their advantage ... Hope that's of some use.

I'd heard it was the SIX speed manual that couldn't take the 3 litre grunt. Presumably the 5 speeder is a bit more robust. And that's the same worry i have about fitting the kompressor ... Specially as people are having bother with the 6 speed box in standard cars ... But then mine is a 2001 so i guess should have the revised box. Think i'll have a chat with our man Frank next week. Quite fancy the idea of fitting it myself :o I feel the sensible head burying itself in the bottom of the wardrobe again :P

I have a friend with a car bodyshop. Whenever the local lexus dealer get a used car in, they send it down to him to get the front blown over before they put it on the forecourt. Interestingly, they use him rather than their 'approved' lexus repairer ... They clearly know (as i do) he does a far better job. Bummer is i need my front bumper repainting due to flaking lacquer and bad chipping, but because it's a warranty job, they insist it'll have to be done by the dodgy 'approved' repairer. You may be interested to know that being an 'approved' repairer has more to do with whether you offer 24hr recovery than the quality of work you produce !! L8r all Tony Goose Is it my imagination or do all my posts seem to have a cynical tone to them :)

I've used a wooden cocktail stick to 'rub' any orange tinge from the bottom of stonechips before using another cocktail stick to apply touch up ... Of course the ideal solution would be if car companies didn't pander to the over represented environmental lobby and used proper paint like they used to instead of the crap water based stuff we're lumbered with now. In the meantime then it's back to the cocktail sticks.

I have some publication numbers for the IS200 manuals ... RM684E1 + RM684E2 will be the 2 main volumes ... fat books. EWD368F Jan 1999 contains detailed wiring diagrams. RM776E is i think the May2000 supplement with updates to the above. I believe there are 3 or 4 other relevant but thin books but i don't have the publication numbers for those ... Think i'll try asking my dealer again if there's any way to get these at reasonable cost. L8r all TonyGoose

That looks sweet. Can i have my boot back now :)

Wouldn't it be helpful if those of us interested had access to the workshop manuals for our cars ... The ones they use at the dealerships. I managed to get them easily enough for my MR2 turbo + CRX at reasonable cost but the local Lexus dealer won't even look at the possibility of supplying them for my IS200 - says they can't sell them + non disclosure agreements etc ... A dealer in Denmark offered to get them for me but at 100ukp+ each (there's 6 or 7 of them) i though that a bit much. 100ukp for the set maybe .. but each ?? It's not like i want to set up in competition against the dealers, i'd just like to know the ins and outs of what is after all MY CAR !! This maybe a bit sad but i'm actually genuinely interested :) Maybe they exist in pdf format or something similar that we could have access to ? Anyone @ Lexus care to comment ? L8r all Tony Goose

I've been meaning to investigate whether it's feasible to get a line level output from the standard front end as i don't wanna trash the dash ... Then change all the speakers + pile my subs and Genesis amps in the boot ... Having said that i'm such a lazy arse these days i'm not sure i'll ever get round to it :) That and the fact my local dealer won't sell me the workshop manuals for my car - the Danish dealer i bought it from would but there's about half a dozen @ 100ukp+ each .... Ouch!

Since TTE supply the bumper with or without cut outs for the washers, seems to me TGB just can't be arsed to buy one with them. And someone said the paint is ******* - well i think we all know that ... but pretty much all car makers now seem to use crap 'ultra chip' water based paint that falls off at the sight of a teaspoon full of pigeon poo .... though i did hear a rumour BMW (or was it Merc) went back to traditional paint for the mo - fed up with respraying peoples cars under warranty. Who was it that said durability + environmental friendliness are mutually exclusive :)

Could swap it for the spare ...

I'll describe myself as middle aged i think. 35 - so start counting backwards from here on ... Old enough to have had a 250+bhp car in the past but sadly also old enough to have been banned from driving it :( I'm suffering this huge internal urge to take a long weekend in Germany including a day in Koln to re-enter the 200+bhp game. But, the equal and opposite urge is the fear i'd have to hand my licence over again as i arrive back in the uk :P So, old enough to be sensible then .... now where's the number for Stena :) L8r all Tony Goose

I bought my RHD car from a Danish dealer and he gave me the LHD mats. They are black carpet with edge binding in a dark (wine) red colour. Front mats have IS200 lettering also in wine red colour. Only used for about 2 months before i got a RHD set. Anybody want them ? Rgds Tony Goose

Here's my list thus far ... memory seats telescopic adjust steering wheel more of the switches illuminated decent paint - not that water based sh!te door mirrors adjust down when reverse gear selected some grunt - for dartford tollgate grand prix :) AND MY BIGGEST GRIPE ... Mirrors which drain completely when washed. Despite sticking a leather behind the glass and violently wiggling them in and out, there's ALWAYS some water left to fly out and leave drip marks down the car

I've also been told by my local dealer that engines have been known to fail after fitting of the 'kompressor' kit. Whether they were just referring to the one TDI fitted using old instructions (cut the fuel at red line or something) i'm not sure. I do remember a statement from Lexus that the reason for not offering the IS300 in 6 speed manual form was that the transmission couldn't take the extra power. So, while i'm very tempted by the TTE kit, i think my main concern would be the longevity of the transmission rather than the engine blowing. That and i don't want to lose my license again :) L8r all Tony Goose

Regarding the surges ... Haven't had aircon running for most of winter so that's not it ... Here's a couple of examples of what i experience :- Bucking when cold. Notice this most when leaving off work. Start engine from cold (been standing since morning or lunchtime) and drive out of car park around extended hairpin in 2nd gear. Lift off throttle on approach to roandabout approx 200m further. Fuel shuts off and car jerks into deceleration. See r/bout is clear so apply light throttle. Fuel comes back on and car jerks out of deceleration. In the event r/bout not clear, deceleration continues to about 1500rpm and fuel cuts back in - car surges (or rather stops decelerating abruptly) and i have to jump for the brake / clutch. Probably sounds worse than it is and is a consequence of the higher (1500ish rpm) cold idle but that's not the point. My previous crx/mr2/bmw all managed not to do it so why can't this one ?? Surging. Notice this most on long bends or big roundabouts. Holding revs at around 2-3k in 2nd or 3rd and i can feel slight surging. It's like somthing switching between 2 close but different settings. Imagine the throttle works in whole numbers - i'm holding at position 8.5 and it can't decide whether to use 8 or 9 so switches between the 2 - does that make sense ? Either that or it's TVIS switching back and forth between 2 settings or maybe it's really clever and trying to anticipate an acceleration request ... Nah ... Think that's about as good an explanation as i can do - sorry if it got a bit 'way out there' :) L8r all Tony Goose

I'm planning a dealer visit soon on my my01 se bought new last June and will mention the following for checking / fixing under warranty :- 1) Lacquer peeling off front bumper. It's obviously been half repainted (badly) at the factory coz i checked back as far as arrival in Denmark and no record of damage / paintwork. 2) Juddering clutch - while in traffic. Thought it might get better but not so at 7k miles. 3) Throttle surges. I can feel slight surges when trying to maintain constant revs in 2nd / 3rd for example. Also bucks when cold as fuel cuts off / on. 4) Wheel alignment. Tends to pull slightly across cambers etc. Think alignment is a bit out. 5) Occasional non-start problem. Very embarrasing as people stare at your quality lexus as it turns over and over like a knackered old ford :) I've also noticed the following :- Occasional creak from drivers seat. Slight rattle in dash - around satnav screen / heater control area. Also had one at pass side dash which i largely cured by packing out the bottom of the A pillar trim. Slight corrosion beginning to set in on wheels where painted surface meets machined faces. My car has bridgestone tyres with a single ply sidewall. Wonder if i'll get a new set with twin ply sidewall free of charge like in US and Oz factory recall ? Think that's about all .... bound to have forgotten somethiing ! L8r Tony Goose

I'll email some pictures. If memory serves, it's amber backlighting. My previous Denon units could be easily changed - clear lamps with coloured covers. Not sure if this one is the same or not.

I have an unused Denon DCT-950R CD/Tuner going spare which has removable face (single din). Also the DCH-520 10 disc changer to go with it and the optional remote control. Cost together about 900quid new but i'd only be looking for around mid 300's for it ... Never got round to fitting it in anything so just taking up space now. Anyone ?? Sorry if posted in wrong place but seemed relevant here.

'Altezza' is the Italian word for 'Height' Just thought you should know that ...

Dya reckon we're likely to get a recall to have tyres replaced like they have in US and OZ ? My car has the offending single ply sidewall bridgestones which they seem to be changing free of charge for a set with 2 plies.

I don't have any trouble with my gearbox so they're clearly NOT all like that.

I'm in Felixstowe, uk - closeish to the mainland. My brother however, also an IS200 owner, is in Gutersloh.