Paradroid

I used to really like the KP S&V peanuts, the original version, they were kind-of like dry roasted but in a salt/vinegar coating.

They've been unavailable for ages, but tonight I saw their return in Tesco. Except when I opened the bag and tried them, my taste for strong flavours was defeated, they are seriously strong - after 2 or 3 handfuls my mouth was pickled! They're not dry roasted style any more so must be a new recipe.

Anyone else tried them?

Slightly but why do we always have to interfere in the internal politics of other nations? Can you imagine the outrage if, say Russia, had tried to interfere with British policies in N.I. during the troubled times a few years ago? We would not be prepared to let others interfere but successive governments seem to think that they have the right to do just that.

"Our" foreign policies are a major part of this unfortunate killing so should we hold the politicians responsible rather than the Police?

Yes that would have been outrageous. Although there was always stories of US support for the IRA which is disturbingly close to your theoretical example :)

I think you're right the politicians are more responsible than the police service. They just messed up under pressure, but the pressure wasn't their doing.

I can't work out how handing over an IS220d and an awful lot of cash for a BMW 125i is a good deal.

I'd get a used 130i M Sport and save a fortune. Quicker too I suspect?

German reliability is a myth. Sure the interiors are usually nice and the bodywork is solid, but they make stuff more heavy than it needs to be, you get that Germanic feel but it doesn't guarantee it won't go wrong. Japanese cars are built in a much more intelligent way.

I thought Clarksons review of the GTR was a bit off too, he couldn't fault it I think that was the problem. What can you say about a car that wipes the floor with 911 turbo's etc. for 1/2 the price :)

No Stella tonight on the Tennent's :P

Tell me it's not the blue can

I think this case is a real problem, they obviously killed an innocent man, but locking up the police officers is unpalatable to the general public I'm sure, so we're left with this alternative.

The root cause of the problem is years of bad US foreign policy making enemies round the world, and then us being desperate to stand shoulder to shoulder with them. That's why we were under attack and scared. Meanwhile places where we really should be going into like Zimbabwe are being left alone and are costing us millions in aid to clean up the mess. Oops, sorry for the rant

I've been playing Mario loads so that really made me laugh :)

Has anyone tried the polybushes? I've heard they can squeak.

Are the TRD ones uprated rubber, and they're OEM replacements? If so those are the sort of thing I'm after. Any ideas of prices?

Are the TTE bushes available separately or just with the ARB's? If so are does anyone know if they are rubber or poly?

Cheers guys.

I was thinking of the opposite actually, retaining the standard ARB's but just changing the bushes for uprated ones. I'd like the ARB's but can't afford them after my suspension issues cost me dearly :(

But I still have suspension noises that I'd like to be rid of, hence looking at the bushes.

Can anyone tell me something - in this thread it talks about Mark @ TDI:

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...0&hl=bushes

Does it mean this TDI:

http://www.tdi-plc.com/

?

Thanks :)

Thing is with digital TV signals they don't really get fuzzy from signal problems, you either get a perfect picture or none at all. The only real interference or signal problems you'll see will come across as the picture stuttering.

If the picture is smooth and not stuttering, then the picture problems are more likely to do with cables or equipment rather than reception of the dish.

That is an awesome looking car, transformed from standard but in a nice way.

I think the grill would look better with a Lexus badge if it can accept one though.

I was never sure about the looks of the SC but now that I've joined the Lexus family it's really grown on me, I like the idea of one because it's exclusive and has a V8 under the bonnet.

Good luck with your purchase :)

Drop links from Lexus have a list price of £49.06 plus VAT for each front one, and £37.08 plus VAT for each rear one.

Someone posted yesterday that you can get Blueprint ones for £30 plus VAT.

Also there are some on eBay, but by the time you add a bit of postage and take off a Gold discount from the Lexus price there wasn't really a lot in it.

Dammit that's a bit steep. Why are they so expensive I wonder?

I'm not even sure they will need changing on my car, I was just wanting to be safe. Is it obvious to tell by looking?

Thanks Steve :)

I'm trying to price up getting the ARB drop links and bushes changed.

The bushes I hope to order from the states @ $30, do you have any idea how much the drop links cost?

Mine's booked in on Friday to be looked at but I'm tempted to order those uprated bushes and then take it in then, to get them fitted and ask my mechanic to look round everything else at the same time.

Roads were dangerous near me this morning!

I was on a back road where there was obvious ice and crushed snow on the road, someone coming the other way slid into a hedge on a sharp corner.

Then right near my office a truck pulled out on me coming the other way, I braked and slid about 15 metres with the ABS on all the way. Luckily there was plenty room.

I had to laugh as I left the house this morning, my neighbour had got an extension lead from his house and an electric fan heater. He put the fan heater in the car, shut the door and left it running to de-ice has car.

Surely it's more hassle getting the extension reel out than just scraping the windows! Mind you I've no idea how long it took for his windows to clear, but I can't see it being that quick.

Looks like I might have found some:

http://www.tmengineering.net/suspension/daizen/make/is.html

They're IS300 (being a USA site) but they should be the same right?

By the way Steve I read your comments about how good the ARB's are, wow I want some :)

Sure enough, the noise from my front suspension has disappeared, now that I've had new ARBs (C-One) fitted, complete with new bushes and new drop links. So I don't know if it was the bushes or drop links, but suspect one of those two.

Nice one Steve!!!

Your noise sounds exactly like mine does, it does it over speed bumps. But it also does it sometimes on full lock accelerating and braking in first gear, I had to find an empty car park to try this though, it doesn't do it on normal driving.

Any ideas what the bushes and drop links would cost me alone? Is there any uprated bushes available - like polybushes?

I left my house in Wigan this morning and there was just a thin covering of snowy ice on the ground.

I got over towards work which is only 7 miles away, but near the start of the Pennines, and there was a good few inches, and it snowed quite a bit in the morning.

Work car park was entertaining: TRC off, full lock, full throttle

I've been in a six month old one, and there was a smell of diesel and the dashboard rattled, so I wouldn't say build quality is comparable to the Lexus!

Mine does the same, but only at very low speeds, it clears above say 10mph.

There's a few possibilities from what I've read on here:

a. brake pads moving in calipers

b. ball joints (these normally knock or clunk, but replacing them has cured some people's problems)

c. upper wishbone bushes

Mine's going in on Friday to be looked over but the mechanic isn't that confident of finding it because there's so many possibilities. If I find out what it is I'll post up on here, do the same mate if you get lucky :)

came off better than the sc 430 which they had a go at just after

Don't forget the rest of the range that Clarkson slagged off too, like driving in warm wallpaper paste!!!

I think it was somehow meant as a compliment though, he said it again later and said something about reading a novel, so I think he means they're calming and relaxing to drive