koshime

Bluetooth compatability works perfectly wiht my sony erricson phone (all sony's work fine... with the contacts being ported through rapidly)

I love the blue tooh connectivity so much...I make any excuse to go sit in the car to phone folks and do purchasing./banking/talkign to relatives..whilst in the car, even when not driving...hah ha

You have two cradles/cig lighter ports. One for the Ipod (in the arm rest) and the other hidden in a recess panel under the Audio system

My spec is IS250 SE - with multimedia pack and automatic

The multimedia pack comes with the rear camera park assist (the SE-L gets sensors in addition) + mark levinson and sat nav all thrown in for a decent bundle 1/10th of the cost put together seperately

The automatic...is the smoothest, fun thing coming out of the lexus garages. I used to drive teh old 6 speed is200. lvoed the manual to death. but the automatic wins hands down..and if you want more fun, the paddle shifters are just as good as a manual, but no knee ache after 4 hours stuck in london traffic!!

got my first stone chip today - grater....although they said the primer will be the same colour as the paint..(my primer seemed white below the black paint....)

Guess its time to call that chipsaway guy for two tiny tiny microscopic chips..maybe(why do we still have flaky paint!)

will the new IS250 need any tony magic yet>?

was wondering if I could pop along if i was not doing anything....

well - I'm from Malysia originally itself and i know that (any car) import versions from UK or Sing have a slight duty on it, but is better for those wnating to buy. I kno wmost people just sell it off (always a large market in Malaysia)

> Steppy: I'm based in London (north and central). Give me a buzz prior to you comign over, and I'l see if I'm doing anythign with my other half on the weekend. Optionally, might have the guts to just pop in and see TDI to meet fellow LOC ers!

bet its something...comparable, but since I come form malaysia, i know that in the asian market, teh import duty might be a nightmare...making the cost of cars x 1.5 of its cost...

at the rear portion of the central armrest, is 2 air conditioning vents. for the rear passenger cabin. I'll grab some pictures later

Plus it was terribly icy in devon/cornwall. So i thought it in best interest to leave alot of space and allow for possible ice/black ice formation overnight..incase a car /granny skidded perhaps

lol . You mean like this?

It's not too bad with the rear parking assist camera. Very useful espcially for central london parking, where a step out of a line gets a ken livingstone ticket

dont know if adaptive is worth the extra cost......doesnt make much difference if you're a lexus dealer though. get SE-L for freee..heh

the cruise control i have...

changes the gears dependign on whether you go uphill/downhill once set.

Not sure what adaptive cruise control is.

So far -

Motorway: Auto and autcruise gives 27.8 - 35mpg average

Uphill: Auto 27 mpg

Downhill: Auto 37 mpg

Paddleshift town, revs 4-6: 25mpg

currently, work as a anaesthesiologist SHO in hammersmith Hosp, central london and moonlight as a games/movie concept artist

it is great for starting/warming up the car in the morning knowing that folks cant drive off with it, but you CANNOt lock it either if the engien is running..only the immobilizer is on

Some pics on my 450 mile round trip to devon and back to london

Friday! For all week, reports of snow were coming in. It was only in devon that i finally met some decent snow! The whole township of Newton abbot was a picteresque picture post card of a christmasy english village

The car after travelling in snow for 2 hours. Still looks decent

Err some smatterings of fresh snow powder

The morning after. Most of the snow is already melting in Kingsteinton, Newton abbot. Meanwhile, horrific reports of stranded passengers, and travellers on the motorway in cornwall are coming in

THe new lady still makes me smile. I'm sure all you other lucky IS250 owners beam with pride as well! Woohoo!

Sightseeing to a new business for the Other half's family in the quiet seaside town of Dawlish (where you say....) Since its winter, busines is pretty much dead. But most can afford to close the shops from autumn to spring, and the intake from summer season alone is sufficient for these lucky guys to live a life of relative enjoyment post summer seasion

Dinner with the in laws the chinese way in Plymouth. The bloody roadworks again. Its like the whole of South england is fille dwith roadworks that no one seems to be working on. But walking aroudn in high vis jackets, but empty tractors..and trying to look busy while most of the lanes are closed down to one lane and strange...strange miniscule GATSO 2 spped cameras poised to snap ones plate (autocruise to teh rescue again - with it. set the speed to 40mph...and i cant speed...)

We prepare some live sumptious seafood, consisting of lobster/crab/scallops and chinese noodles!

Giant crabs - measuring 2 1/2 hand widths. Local devon chinese delicacy! Yum yum!

Scallops ready to eat. The chinese way , means generally family dinner consists of placing newspaper on ones expensive table set while lots of relatives gather round for a extensive gut busting meal lasting 5-6 courses... could...barely...drive us and the inlaws home...after

In the end

I baptised the new lady with 1000 miles on the clock in swindon.

Passed 3 lexuses on M4 into London. Listened to "the calling" and robbie's new album, singing aong with the missus, and brother in law all the way home.

I think i am ready to redline this Is250 soon.

Autocruise works a treat up those 45 degree slopes on devon. Far better than automatic by itself! Try it for yourself....

Seating - the front driver/passenger lumbar support was great. Especially since the father in law had chronic back pain. Even the two old grannies had a good treat with the sat nav/ and voice command. We let them sit in front for easier acess with the cane.

The back seat, although seemingly abit cramped was actually quite enjoyable for the 450 mile trip. As long as you are not longer than 5 11 - it should seat most folks fine for short or moderate road journeys.

I've been testing the sat nav extensively, over the past few days. Will give my devon /cornwall trip later.

Suffice to say

Week1

Mileage: 1000 miles (swindon)

Satnav and traffic avoidance/alert worked a treat.

There were like 7 bloody road works/going on at night on Friday night, prior to the snowfall on the cornwall route (luckily, took the bristol route to devon)

The satnax, with voice assistance works as such

You can choose to alert you to the RDS-traffic with voice or just as an icon on 1/ en route or view all traffice

But you need to make sure it is enabled, with each destination i think for it to work. You have 2-3 diff icons that tel you abtou traffic holdups, congestion. you have to press info for further info on the particualr hazard

yeah, hope to see you too. Saw a few lexus...es on teh way back today on the M4, North circular..live in cockfosters/oakwood so drop by if you'r ein the neighbourhood..

Still driving like a nun in the new car but it's gone past its 1000th mile now

I also found - you can switch the engine on, and then leave it. It will start beeping (so that it is immobilized)

I did think it would/should have shut like the back of a standard RX boot. Sadly no...Force is required.....but otherwise....the potential for engine detailing will be interesting.

For example, if one were to add any mods, what parts of plastic would you consider cutting through to increase the BHP?

oh no! Good ol mr. miyagi will not be abel to do any cool asian/chinese fu flicks.. feel sad :(

I confess. It was me!

I normally take the shortcut on the M1 south from Leicester through St Albans/Hemel Hempstead. Less traffic and onto M25 and into Cockfoster/Southgate where I reside

My IS250 Diary

Will be heading down the M4 now, onto Torquay! I think the snow will finally come as well!

escaine is semi leather/suede leather ..just like the way sports seats are not quite leather but sporty!

hey - another fellow malaysian. Last i heard, toyota did not do much altezza/lexus support

well - I'm free that eve, so I'll reckon I will 80% pop in. not too far from Southgate (Narf Lon) me thinks! Perhaps you can help me decide if the IS250 requires any future modifications..hehe