Pumatron

Hi all, Well, what can I say. I had the IS200 for about 8 months. I had the rough with the smooth, but now she has gone......but only just!!!!! I still 'dabble' in car repair as a bit of a side line and one of my 'customers' has a lovely :duh: Renault Safrane which has been playing him up, electrical problems, brake problems etc, some due to age and some down to good old Kwik fit (brief story...car slow start, i checked and battery 6 year old, needs new, he takes to kwik fit to get new battery- i did offer to get batt and fit, he said no as quicker for kwik fit to do- that was a joke :D :D , he arrived at kwik fit with a starting car and left on the back of an RAC recovery vehicle!!!!, the numpty kwik fit goof managed to melt, yes melt the engine earth wire, unbelievable, they charged him for the battery and then when would not start just pushed it out and said not there problem!!!!!-anyway sorted it with new earth lead and rectified no compression-bore washed!!! moral don't use kwik fit) Any way while fixing his car he said that he liked the lexus and he was going to look for a new car as the safrane was past its best. I happened to mention that I was thinking of changing the Is200, he said let him know when I was ready to sell,...... two days later I was on the phone, well I had had my fun!!! I arranged for him to come and have a drive, a day later. Now, this car although has had a few problems, water pump, lumpy running has never let me down, so he came round I explained the car in all its details the positives and the negatives (just call me honest John ). We get in car(not driven since previous day), turn key she starts ok, but hang on, engine warning light on with flashing traction control light, i ignored, as you do!!! went to pull away, no throttle, engine would not rev!!!!!, it had gone into default/limp home mode, tried ecu reset to no avail. I felt a right lemon, here I was with a buyer with cash in the back pocket, after giving all the spill about lexus being the most reliable manufacturer, and what does it do, break bloomin down!!!!!! Aaaaarrrrrggghh! I phoned a mate at lexus, after losing the sale , he scratched his head and said not heard of before, try disconnecting battery. I did that and seems ok, drove to his workshop and plugged the toyota intelligent tester in, no memorised faults, so no idea what the hell happened!!!!! A complete mystery, i reckon the car knew she was going!!!!!! tempramental cow Any way phoned the guy who 'was' interested back up, said he could have a drive to see if liked the IS200 so that he could go and find another one if he liked it, but decided he would buy mine after all as he liked mine so much, so delivered her to his door a few days later and walked away abit sad :( but abit richer :winky: My next car, well was going to be a mazda RX8, but the dealer is being a real tit, so the deal has fallen out of bed, i should enjoy spending 15k on a car, not feel stressed and have to argue with a dealer about there balls up. It has put me off the whole RX8 thing thanks to the crappy mazda dealer. So car less at the moment, abit strange, don't know what to buy, don't know what to do :duh: Just using good old public transport and the legs I was born with! To be honest i am quite enjoying not having to worry about a car, but there is money burning a hole in my pocket.............. Any way thanks to all at LOC, it has been a pleasure, I will still keep active on this fantastic forum!!!! Regards Pumatron.

I thought the flux capacitor was on the options list........

Hi all, I have had my Is200 sport since october 2006, I bought it as the clio 172 we had was loosing money like it was going out of fashion and we had a little one on the way. The IS200 ticked all the boxes and is roomy enough for a child and all the gear plus a bit of shopping It is a great car BUT it is not my first love :( . I have for a number of years been fascinated by the ****el rotary engine, and have worked on and driven a few of the original daddy of the ****el engine the NSU RO80, a real smooth concept of engineering albeit with there problems. In the 1960's mazda hooked onto the ****el engine and stuck by it through thick and thin, and over the years they have produced a smooth reliable engine. So, the first love I have is for the Mazda RX8, it was out of my budget, but circumstances have changed and now allow me the option to purchase the dream car. It is not quite as large as the Is200 but is a compromise from a saloon car into a true sports car, and still allows me room to fit all the childs needs into the car. The down sides is the hungry needs of the engine, oil and petrol being a high prioty but then I only do about 4000miles a year at the moment. If I don't do it now then I may never as there are intentions to increase the size of our family and two children will not fit in the RX8 Its better to have love and lost then not to of loved at all LOL The wife suggested to go and drive one to see if i like the way it drives, what a mistake to make, I loved it and did not want to get out, i had to be pulled out screaming and kicking like a kid who'd dropped his ice cream!!! I have put a holding deposit on the car so it is not sold and now have to make sure the decision is right Can i part with my Lexus??? It is going to be difficult as really it is a great car, I don't know.....its just sooooooooooooooooooo difficult, what do you guys think????? Should I follow the dream or should i leave it as just a dream, or will i regret it later on??? I can always buy another lexus when the family grows some more...... Laters a confused Pumatron. :duh:

I would never use an engine flush as it washes away the 'grime' inside an engine which is doing no harm where it is!!! I used to work for a dealer that ripped off customers with engine flush and fuel additive with every service, boy did we hear some 'knockie' engines once they'd been flushed, real metal on metal knock, :o nice. Even the company that made the flush said not to use in engines with more than 80k on the clock. So in my opinion save your money, buy good oil and change it regular and all should be fine :D Regards Pumatron.

Hi all, There are few things in life that wind me up, but one that is getting up my goat are TV adverts just recently. Look at the adverts next time they are on and sit back and just look at the sexist comments and actions that make the man look stupid. For example New weetabix called oatabix, lorry turns up with stupid name on the side and man asks man 'whats that then', well you know who comes up with the oh so clever name don't you, yes his bloomin wife, clever cow. Or Flippin Kinda, three women sitting drinking coffee and eating kinda bars, only to drop some cutlery just so the waiter can bend over and pick it up so they can eye up his bottom, the dirty old mares. Or Pcworld, why is is that the women no more about the product they are buying than the bloke who is selling it, he can't get a word in edge ways with her rantin on about hard drives and duel core, shut up and let him tell you about it love. Or Diet coke, women get stuck in lift, self inflicted i might add, press the emergency button just to be rescued by the hunky bloke who looks like he got better things to do than rescue finger happy sweet toothed troggs. You can see where this is going can't you. This is just the tip of the ice berg, women are taking over the world. When the adverts next come on take a ganda at them and look at it from my point of view and you know i am right. And the worst thing of all, we don't wear bra's etc so we can't stand in the street burning them to stand up for our equal rights. We are doomed and it's only the start, all we have is our Lexus's, so what ever you do don't let 'her' talk you into selling it as it will be the slippy slope down to the peugeot dealer and she will have you driving a 206cc before you know it. :o Laters, 'i wear the trousers, thankyou' Pumatron :D

Hi all, Ok been burning some rubber bands in the brain department. Why is it that all the great tasting food is bad for you???? I mean look at the good old english breakfast, bacon, eggs, sausages, fried bread, plum tomatoes, baked beans, mushrooms, hash browns all topped off with HP sauce or abit of tommy ketchup, MMmmmmm i can taste it melting in my mouth now. But hang on is it good for you, NO. Can I eat it guilt free, NO Why because boffins say it full of chlorestorol, bad fats, sugars, salt. Every mouthfull of bacon is a step closer to Death, great. SO, that got me thinking(more rubber bands), are there any foods that taste great but are NOT bad for you?? Yeah sure i love an apple or a satsuma, all juicy and sweet but does it satisfy the taste buds like my bacon butties....er NO, but is it good for me? In the correct quantites YES. Get to the point they say!!!!!........................... I'm getting there!!!! So come on give me some foods that taste great but are good for me. And i don't want all that Dr Gillian McKeith garbage , like a adzuki bean shepherd pie. I want a treacle sponge pudding with custard or cream with the calories of stick of celery. So come on scientists, pull your fingers out and stop trying to split the atom for the sake of splitting it, bring me some steak and onion suet pudding with lashings of gravy that ticks all the boxes and makes that Poxy gillian Mckeith happy. Regards a full fat Pumatron. :D

'Quote' Had a problem with the incoming ADSL line over at the exchange server. The PPP server was down and we think it was due to a fluctuation of power on the line Eh????????, oh you mean it was broken, far to technical, power thingy connected to the PPP, eh?? what is that!!!!! Good to see the 'post king' has returned, now go and catch up with the Posts!!!LOL!!!! Regards Pumatron.

Hi all, excuse the time i wrote this, looking after my 4 week old daughter, 'on the night shift'. :o Right, i am wondering if anyone has a sunroof glass for a 2001 is200 as mine has gone rusty on the frame and looks crappy when i open the roof. Why it has gone rusty beats me, looks like it was poorly painted when it was made and has got water trapped under the paint and has then corroded, its only on the front corners but would like to get it done. Lexus want £300 quid for it. When i picked myself up off the floor with the parts guys wafting the well used 'smelling salts' under my nose to bring me round, I kindly said errr no thanks, unless of cause you take arms and legs for payment. I have emailed a few breaker all with no reply I have tried the national breakers search, no reply I have tried Ebay, no reply or nil stock. Anyone else got one or knows where I could get one without parting with a large body organ please let me as that would br great!!!!!!!!!!! :D Regards, a tired Pumatron

Hi, yes the cambelt interval was changed to 60000miles or 6 years, the service book recommendation is wrong!!!!!!!!!!! It is no longer 100000miles or 10 years. This is confirmed, as it is written on the tick sheet that you get given when a main dealer services the car, it took me a while to find this info out as the dealers all had different opinions on it. I had mine replaced by the main dealer but had it paid for by the garage I bought the car off, as a deal that i negotiaited before i bought the car :D , saved me a small fortune.!!! :winky: Regards Pumatron.

Hi, but having the straight stickers would show an avid LOC member that you are loyal to the club. Wouldnt it!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi, it sound pretty normal to me, the gearboxes are not the smoothest and quitest ever built and you may find that some gear changes can be a bit notchy and then next gear change ok, this is as far as i have experienced and read on the forums pretty normal. I don't think you have anything to worry about. Just out of curiosity has the gearbox oil been changed as per the service schedule, as fresh oil will improve gearbox operation, BUT it will not improve charactistics of the gearbox. Hope this settles the mind Regards Pumatron.

Hi, yes these radios are a problem, the original head unit can be repaired for around £300 through my local dealer. I saw on ebay a repairer fixing them for £220. I would go for a repair as there would be a guarantee on the repair done, or on the whole set if it was service repaired. Regards Pumatron.

Need i say more, just confirms what I wrote, avoid them!!!!!!!! Oh and vauxhall build the renault trafic-or did up to when i left the trade)- and the inside view was that vauxhall was 'more careful' when building there version(vivaro) than the french counter part, As star a has written build quality is dire...and thats the better build, just imagine what the renault version is like!!!!!!! The people who owned them made my life hell (and looking back rightfully so), i was the guy who had to sort out there problems and keep them on the road and listen to there woes, and boy was there some woes.

Don't go for renault vans, utter rubbish, i worked for renault for 13 years on the workshop floor as a senior technician the last two of them running a renault van centre, and have gotta say they got worse not better....diesel pump faults, diesel leaks, engines going bang, suspension faults, brake faults, doors falling off, electrical fires....real proper rubbish. Vauxhall vivaro and movano, nissan interstar, kubistar, and primastar all same van as renault so avoid like the plague. Merc load of tosh not all that there cracked up to be, slow and not that reliable. Some Ldv ok, maxus was originally a daewoo van but never got past prototype stage until LDV bought the rights and finished it off, never worked on any so can't comment but believed it won a few awards, go to your nearest LDV dealer wander into the workshop and ask the guys who work on them, they will tell the truth where 'sales executives' won't. Transits...mmm.....reserve judgement as have heard good and some bad reports on the older and new ones. Forget citroen and peugeot, complete french plop. Toyota hiace good van but abit expensive to fix when they do go wrong.....seem to remember immobiliser faults a problem. Doesn't really leave alot!!!!! They all have there faults and problems my advise steer clear of the french junky ones. :duh: Regards Pumatron :D

Like it!!! I think the whole experience has come as abit of a 'BLOW' to her though.......!!!!!

Well, aint you a little 'David Bailey' ..........Very nice pictures of a very nice car!! B) , Laters Pumatron.

Hi, you need 6 spark plugs, the seller that ADIE suggested is the seller i bought mine off last month, took about 5 days to arrive and cost £35 inckuding postage and packaging, arrived as described. oh, and boy does it make a difference, so much smoother and responsive!!!! :D Regards Pumatron.

Jamie, yes it is sad to see something you like so much go, I know the feeling, but hey look what you have got instead.....you can now 'FOCUS' all the attention on the IS200....if you know what I mean!! :D Regards Pumatron.

DRINK IT........or the wife gets it......

Hi, no it come in Royal Sapphire Blue, which was the only blue that the parts assistant and I could see on the accessory list, but it was specific for my year of car (2001), so don't know if they do the other two blues? Still, the cost of buying the grill in the wrong colour and getting it resprayed the correct colour has got to be worth it still as the grill is so cheap to buy intially ;) . Laters Pumatron Cheers for that pal, I'm chuffed indeedy! I'm gonna be heading upto the pennines first thing in the morning to catch the sunrise to get some proper pictures hopefully this weekend. All the best, Jamie Looking forward to the piccies.....whats your next purchase gonna be??? Regards Pumatron

I know what you mean, you pace up and down like an expectant father waiting for 'the news'...LOL

Cheers Jamie, glad to hear you got a good'un with the spec you wanted :D , well worth the wait eh?, looks real good in the photos i've seen. Will post some photos of her as soon as. Laters, Pumatron.

Hi all, had the Is200 MOT this week, passed no problems....would'nt expect anything less now, decided to treat her so bought some new IK20 spark plugs off Ebay, which turned up ultra quick from the USA. Also ordered sport grill from local dealer which i picked up saturday. Fitted grill, spark plugs today and while I had air filter off gave the Motorised throttle housing a good clean, reset the ECU and corrected the over filled engine oil level(Not my doing!! :duh: !). Run her up and let her settle for a while so the parameters in the ECU adjusted to happy medium, gotta say she is running a real treat now, with the combination of Shell v-power she is really responsive, a quick blast up the motorway to give her test proved mid range power band as smooth as silk!!! Sport grill looks real good, better than expected, and for £27 plus Vat :winky: a real bargain!!! Well pleased!!!!!!!! :D Just a set of front pads to fit now, abit of meat left on old ones so gonna leave that for a while to get me money worth out of em!! I treat this car like a spoilt kid!!!!!LOL Laters Pumatron

Yes, dealer confirmed mine is Royal Sapphire blue, matches up to the car a treat, and have got to say a real bargain at £27 plus VAT!!!! :winky:

Just ordered mine in Royal sapphire Blue, the accessory listings for my car which the parts guy showed me only listed this blue on his sheet, but don't know if it differs for later cars? How different are these two blues because to look at in photo's you would think it was the same colour!!!!