codlord

I think you can do either but I discarded the cage and head unit surround and used the plastic bits attached to the side/facia adaptor and the surround that came with the facia adaptor. Think it looks much better and is more secure.

Anywhere where paint (touch-up and hopefully a spray-can) can be bought on-line? I have asked my local dealers (Reading) to order me in touch-up at least twice but they just seem to ignore me!

Only use I would have for a screen would be for sat-nav which I would like but in-dash sat-nav always seems to be silly money, i.e. perfectly decent TomTom Go for £300 but cheapest in-dash sat-nav with a graphical screen seems to be £1000. Plus then you have security issues...

Here ya go, you didn't say what size you were thinking, the photoshop job is prob nearest 17"

I fitted my ebay sourced (autoleads) one today. When I first opened the packet I gotta say I thought "this is cheap horrible toss", but actually looks o.k. once you get it all together and the HU in. The brackets and stuff are all plastic (rather than the metal of the stock one) but it does the job. Its does not even attempt to be a match for the stock dash though (not a smooth matt finish like the stock stuff), but looks o.k. and good fit etc. I installed using the method where you discard the stereo surround, use the facia adaptor surround and screw into the facia adaptor (rather than the other way where you can slide the stereo in/out once in place) - just think it (1) looks better and (2) provides a bit more security, although on the downside if someone does ever have a go at it they will prob cause loads of dash damage trying to get it out... Now, does anyone actually have any sensible uses for the little "pocket" underneath the headunit?

I just installed mine today and fitted a Pioneer DEH-P55BT Easy apart from getting the plug out of the amp for the bypass lead - that was a git, but other than that all good and easily got the aux lead routed to the cupholder where my iPod lives too. I installed just to get a proper aux-in for my iPod, was not really after better/louder sounds as I think the stock stuff is pretty good. I gotta say the sounds so far seem to be as good if not better than the stock head unit and goes about as loud as I want it to without distorting. The new head unit allows me the option to send full range signals or just bass (adjustable cut-off) to the rear speakers (latter option I personally think sounds better). I was quite pleased as I was half expecting to have to replace some or all of the speakers and really did not want to go to the hassle/cost of that. So well happy :)

Went for the Pioneer DEH-P55BT in the end - nothing too flash/gadgety but does the job. Installed it all today along with the amp bypass lead discussed here and gotta say I am well happy, looks good (good match with dash illumination and actual in-dash looks o.k.) sounds good even with the stock speakers and lots of features (not used the Bluetooth phone stuff yet tho). iPod aux-in (not an iPod adaptor) sounds much better that the FM adaptor I was using (which was pretty much the whole point of the install). :)

Cheers guys, dunno why I did'nt think of RS...

Yeah I used to use them regularly when I had my FTO as that was one of the cars they first used to specialise in. Always found them friendly and helpful and usually had any order the next day. I got special order stuff through them a couple of times too - i.e. a set of alloy wheels and tyres which was cheaper through them at the time than all the specialist alloy places! Highly recommended, only once i ever had a prob (they sent out the wrong brake pads once) but it was sorted quickly.

I am after a resonably decent, 1 or 2 metre 3.5mm jack cable for aux-in on my new stereo but it need a right-angle head like this on at least one end (the other end can either be right-angle or straight but the same connector): Anyone got any idea where to buy? Tried maplin, ebay, car stereo places. Plenty of straight ones about and maplin has a right-angled gold plated jobby but it has twin phonos on the other end. I know I could use an adaptor but would rather not. Any help appreciated.

No comment ;) The side skirts on mine I think are TRD (well, thay have TRD stickers on anyway). Not sure on the rest of the kit as I just bought the car as you see it. Can anyone deffo confirm what all the kit bits are?

Car looks nice apart from the interior - not my cup of tea. Interiors should be one colour only - black. But thats just personal opinion. Could just be the light/bad pic but the exaust tip seems to be the standard SE type - I thought all sports had a larger chrome tip? Unless it was removed to get the rear skirt to fit or something?

I think this was what it was meant to be. Plenty of other wheels to look at on that top gear site too.

Cool, just ordered from the second guy. Cheers.

I see there are at least two different facias available on ebay, see here and here I know one or both of these are sold by forum members (so no bigging up your own product!) but any impartial views on these, i.e. are they both the same? Is one a better match/quality than the other? Should I look elsewhere? Thanks

Cheers for the info people, Adie that unit looks awsome but a bit OTT for my needs and I would be worried about security too, plus you still need an iPod adaptor on top. After reading some reviews of the Alpine even that it seems is nowhere near as fast as using the iPod click-wheel (which is the kind of response I was hoping for). I think I will go for a headunit with an aux-in and use that. Some disadvantages but means I don't need an adaptor and I can probably keep my FM-adaptor in place to do the charging only. I have the ipod currently wired into the center console cup-holder so easy to control there.

Hmmm, so if I say have 1000 artists and want to play the "Zutons" which is last in the list do I have to press a the scroll down button 1000 times?!

Navigator just means its got the optional Lexus sat-nav with a pop-up screen built into the top centre of the dash (other models just have a tray here). The aero packs are different optional body kit parts like side skirts sport grille etc. Not sure on the exact types/shapes avail. There were never that many options on the IS, just the three modes (S, SE, Sport) + a few optional extras as above.

Cheers, that Alpine unit seems to have "proper" iPod integration rather than most that just have an iPod/CD changer interface. Pity it's not orange illumination - I would like to keep it looking standardish and try and match the dash... Bazza - with the pioneer unit can you scroll through all your artists/albums quickly using the main spinning control or is it a case of having to press a button each time to go up/down through a list?

I guess it comes with a microphone for the hands free? Where have you installed it? Either of you use the Pioneer iPod adaptor? Not looked at panasonic before, don't see them about much. Those touch-screen ones I guess you are talking about look pretty sweet, don't seem to be readily available tho. Panasonic UK site does not even list them! Can't find any info on them or if they are compatible with the Panasonic iPod adaptor etc. http://www.panasonic-europe.com/car/about/...emo.asp?lang=en Although the CQ-C7303 or CQ7703 ones might fit the bill too - they have variable colour illumination.

Most manufacturers seem to have some sort of iPod interface/adaptor available now that allows you to control an iPod to some extent via an aftermarket headunit but not been able to find out just how good or otherwise the different brands actually are and exactly what features can/can't be used. Can you still operate the iPod itself or is it like when you plug it into your PC and the iPod screen/controls are disabled while it is plugged in and controlled by the head unit? Anyone got one?

As the Prolex aux-in adaptors seem to be a thing of the past (and I really want a better sound via my iPod than my current wired-FM cable) I was thinking about going the aftermarket head unit route but I really want to keep it looking standard-ish, so a black single-din with orange illumination - anyone know of any that fit the bill? Only ones I found so far that may be o.k. are these two: Pioneer DEH-P55BT http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/products/DEH-P55BT/print.html Pioneer DEH-P5800MP http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/products/DEH-P5800MP/print.html Don't mind spending a bit more that those two are but not interested in nav stuff (nav headunits seem to be ridiculously expensive when compared to standalone Tom-Tom type stuff) or double-din/dvd stuff as I dont have any use for that.

Looks good, i'd go for front debadged, Lexus is obviously nothing to be ashamed of but I just think it looks nicer/meaner without the Lexus badge up front. Sport badge still there although you can't see it: And I have never liked model/engine badges, its kind of obvious what it is and why do other people need to know what spec car you bought???:

Isn't it a semi-automatic "tiptronic" style gearbox with up/down buttons on the steering wheel? I would have have loved one over the IS200 if they were a bit cheaper. I had a tiptronic box on my last car (Mitsi FTO) and I loved it - a lot of people are prejudiced against any sort of auto box but unless you have owned one or used one for a while (tiptonic I mean) you really don't know what your missing. In the real world a tiptronic box really is the best of both worlds.

Have you tried Japanparts? http://japanparts.com/ They do loads of stuff/bodykits and they send to UK, I think that spoiler you are after is listed at GBP £297.96, then you gotta add whatever they charge for delivery obviously, then I usually work out vat/import by adding 10% for import duty and then 17.5% on top of that for vat, so guessing you would be looking at around £387 without delivery. If the TDI price is inclusive of spraying/fitting then its probably not all that bad, but does seem way high if its just supply unpainted...