Paradroid

One thing about the TTE bumper I'm not sure of is the bit going across the top of the grill. Could it be made to look like this?

Excellent picture thanks :) It definitely adds to the car. From some angles the front of the IS200 looks a bit small compared to the rest of the car, I think the TTE bumper definitely fixes that.

Another pic

What would look better folks? I'm leaning towards the TTE bumper myself. My reason against the TRD skirt is that the sides are styled to key in with the side skirts, and I won't be fitting those, just changing the front end. Also the TTE bumper has the advantage of looking cleaner around the grill area than a standard bumper and sport grill. This is my car: Would the TTE bumper carry off ok without side skirts I wonder or would the front look too low? Does anyone have good pictures of a Plat Ice car with the TTE bumper or TRD skirt :)

Are your back tyres worn? Tyres often get noiser as the tread wears down. What make are they?

That's gorgeous, I wouldn't talk you out of buying it!!! The GS has really grown on me :) Especially with that interior trim too, that's really to my taste :) Only downside will be either a bad trade-in value on the IS200, or if you sell privately it might take a while :(

Yeah, very poorly done isn't it!!!

I see, thanks folks :) Will have to see if some come up but like you say people will want to sell the whole interior :( Or maybe I should just stop being so fussy lol. Shame though that such a nice car has not quite been looked after by previous owner in the same way as I look after my motors.

ebay item: 190254705907 They look like GS wheels maybe? I've just bought a new set so won't be getting them bit I was wondering if they fit and if so does anyone have them? They look like really nice wheels, was wondering if they suit the IS. I think I'm right in saying they're not the ones that come with the Aero bodykit. Pictures of wheels look odd, one looks like it's got a Lexus sticker over the centre.

What are they off I wonder? They seem to have proper Lexus badges too. Tyre sizes are not quite standard are they, thought it was 225/45 on the IS200? 50 should be ok though. Should hopefully fit :)

All the work for £296 is a good deal, sounds like a good place :)

Thinking some more about this, could there be something affecting the fuel economy of certain IS's? A MAF sensor or an air temp sensor that could be causing the 1G-FE to run too rich? Seems mad that I'm getting 200 miles and only ever put 35 litres in. I do drive quite light footed but then I also floor it when I get chance too :) One recommendation to people getting bad mileage, only put 1/2 a tank in at a time. The tank is huge on the Lexus, it's 70 litres (14 gallons). By comparison the tank on a Rover 45 is 11 gallons, Rover 75 is 13 gallons. Sorry to use Rover cars but I know them off the top of my head

Surely that SR cannot easily/economically be repaired it's in a shocking state. Should be stripped and scrapped. Shame as it's a nice car. All the damage is into the roof and everything.

I get about 100 mile / quarter tank +/- 10 miles on an IS300. So that's about the same as my IS200 manual. Yet the IS300 is an auto. So why is the IS200 auto so much worse, it must be the worst of the three (IS200, IS200 Auto, IS300 Auto). Something's not right.

My door cards have a few marks on them, the main problem is the front passenger side which also has a fine scratch about 3 inches long. My IS200 is the later model with the full leather, what's the best way to sort this out? The only scrap/spare door cards I've seen for sale have been for earlier models. Are the door cards all one piece? Or could I get door cards off an earlier model and change the Ecsaine section (and the silver window switch surround) from my existing door card - to build a new one to match my car? If anyone has mint door cards for a late model IS200 kicking around I'd be interested in buying them :)

Flippin 'eck! I have an IS200 Sport manual, I only put 35 litres in at a time (1/2 a tank) and that usually gets me 200 miles - of mostly town/A-road driving. Shocked at how much worse the auto box is. Surely an IS300 would be no worse!

That's a winner, cheers. Will give it a go at the weekend :)

MINI boot compressor? Is that the one where you give it what you want to put in the boot, it then compresses it down so that it will fit :D

That's an absolute swindle at that price for an oil & filter change. Still it's a premium brand, I'm sure Merc/Audi/BMW would be the same.

Cheers mate! Well useful. Does the bumper need taking off for this or can it be done with everything in place?

You can always paint the horns to make them blend in more. Or you can go the opposite way and paint them a different colour to make them stand out. I guess you could always move the horns too, if you wanted. Been thinking about that actually, have you had any success with this? I was thinking of painting them black to try and hide them.

November is when the chancellor will make his pre-budget announcement - that gives some indication of what is to come in the following years budget. He could, for example, announce an exemption from the huge road tax increases for cars already on the road, certainly 2001 - 2005 models. Would people please consider writing to their MP about the unfairness of massive retrospective tax increases on cars already on the road. You can find the contact details here on this site: http://www.writetothem.com/ I have sent numerous letters, I get some indication of support from my local MP, but the letter from Angela Eagle (someone important?) was basically only worth wiping my ar*e on. A bit more pressure just before the pre-budget announcement might just swing it, it pisses them off answering letters so it's got to be worth a go :) P.S. If I get a bit of support in return I will write directly to Angela Eagle and point out the massive inaccuracies in her snotty letter to me :)

Second hand prices of any 2001-2005 cars with Co2 over 225g/km have been decimated by this ridiculous road tax change which penalises people for cars they've already bought, by taxing then £415 then £430 a year. I risked it buying my 2004 model, thinking they've got to come to their senses or be booted out of office but I may yet be proved wrong Pre-budget speech for the 2009 budget is in November, but personally I don't think there's been enough complaining about the road tax to make them listen properly. I've done my bit and written numerous letters...

It doesn't actually, because with the sport grill you can see into the engine bay more. The twin horns are clearly visible, which ruins the effect of the sports grill a bit to me Great, I've just realised that my sports grill will let more crap into the engine bay and I'll be having to clean it more!!!

looks like it take away a lot of cold air from engine bay Therefore reducing drag, as Carles says :)