Bratman91

- I can't remember any other Fords of that era that had that sort of styling?Has anyone said Ford Popular?.......cos my Dad`s was 1172 side valve !!RegardsJohn I think you've got it, John. In the back of my mind, I thought that there was another Ford of that era but I could't remember what it was called.

Anglia - I can't remember any other Fords of that era that had that sort of styling?

My previous post..... should be Maigret, I think. Whatever the front car is, that's one heck of a rear spoiler it's got!

Mk1 Ford Consul ? What's the black car behind it - reminds me of Magret Citroen (traction avant)

Following and accident and the write-off of my 2009 IS250 SEL auto a few weeks ago, I visited my local Lexus dealer to search for a replacement. I was offered a brand-new 300h (a top of the range version, I think but cannot be sure) for within a few pounds the same price as a top of the range brand-new IS250 auto. The suggestion was that Lexus are very keen to boost the desirability of the 300h by putting a goodly number on the road as mobile adverts, as it were. Perhaps the offer you have had, GaryD1975, is part of a strategy to boost the image of this model. For what it's worth, I did not test-drive the 300h but was driven around by one of the sales staff (at the time, I was still suffering from the effects of my accident and was not up to driving). I was not particularly impressed with the car, apart from the very attractive price being offered. It was no quieter than my 2009 IS250, particularly when accelerating, and did not seem quite as smooth. My annual mileage is very low so the fuel economy advantage has little attraction for me, and the additional complication of a dual power source and the loss of boot space because of the need for batteries is, to me, a down side. I opted for the top of the range IS250 auto and, after 650 miles, am very pleased with it. The main advantages over the superseded IS250 are a bigger boot space, fold-down rear seats and more leg-room for rear-seat passengers. The interior has been re-vamped and the controls are rather more modern, but, otherwise, there's not much difference. I haven't heard (yet!!!) any dashboard rattles and the seats, and ride, are harder than the previous model. I am still undecided about the exterior styling - it's a bit too close to the sort of cars that ordinary people drive!!!!!

I guess that the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are on their own, being not part of the United Kingdom or the EU (according to that authoritative source, Yahoo Answers).

I wonder where the line is drawn. What about a Cornish flag, or Sealand? Given the EU's pedantry and penchant for red tape (OK, its precision, clarity and attention to detail), I would imagine that only flags of EU member countries would be allowed, and it is the UK rather than England, Scotland or whatever that is the member here.

The cheapest isn't always the best, particularly if you have a quality car and, if you have a ding, want to maintain it in as good a condition as possible. A repair shop selected by an insurer may not be one that is capable, or allowed by the insurer, of restoring your car to a Lexus-standard condition using Lexus parts etc. I have insured with Lexus for the past few years and have found them to be excellent in every respect. Furthermore, they have typically given me premiums that were no more expensive, and often cheaper, than their competitors. On the one occasion when I needed some repair work following a collision with a pheasant, they very quickly dealt with the claim and authorised the repair with a Lexus dealer without quibble. Admittedly, my 40th birthday was many years ago (although I am still 25 in my dreams) and I do not do a high mileage but I recommend that you give Lexus a try - you might be surprised. Maybe you could post back in this thread what you decided as it could be of benefit to others.

From a grandparent's perspective: Yes, the IS 250 does have Isofix anchor points in the rear (both sides) and, yes, a buggy does fit in the boot although it takes a bit of manipulating to get all the wheels in. It's worth investing in seat protectors for under the child seat as even the best children/grandchildren have recessive Vandal/Visigoth genes and, even if they don't, they ALL have a projective vomiting tendency. Down memory lane..... Before grandchildren were even on the horizon, I had a Morris Montego Estate and this was great for packing in 4 kids and vast amounts of luggage. The IS250 has nowhere near that capacity but neither does it have that loud hissing noise as its metalwork converts to rust!

I have owned two IS250 autos but have driven a number of IS220 as "loaners" when my car has been in for servicing. Fuel consumption for the 250 is excellent (unusually, the auto is probably better than the manual box) but cannot equal that of the 220. However, when it comes to driving pleasure (silence, performance, smoothness etc) the 220 doesn't come anywhere near the 250. Over 15000 miles, the 220 fuel costs will clearly be less than the 250 but, even so, I would encourage you to opt for a 250 auto - you will not be disappointed.

Further to my post above, the US Lexus Club site has a query about a new key for an IS250 and indicates that a Lexus dealer wanted a total of the equivalent of £150 for a new, programmed key. Add 20% for UK VAT and that's getting close to £200.

That price is probably about par for the course - it's a seller's market as I doubt that there's anywhere else you can go to get a reliable duplicate key. Please post back if you do find an alternative source as I suspect that others might be interested.

Have a look at the thread "Coolant guage" in this forum - I think that you might be reassured.

Thanks ColinBarber, that is a good idaea and, according to the documentation, should work. However, I have an iMac and it is not practical to place it near enough to my Lexus for bluetooth to work.

This is re-visiting an issue that has been discussed in earlier posts but which seems to have been dormant and unresolved for over 9 months. I believe that iPhone contacts can be transfered in bulk by bluetooth to the post-2010 (hard disc satnav) MM IS250. However, this does not seem to be possible on pre-2010 MM cars. Most suggested solutions seem to involve either copying the details one by one from iPhone to the car or copying the phone book to a phone that will allow bluetooth transfer. In my case, I have an old Samsung that I might be able to use except that it it will not pair with the iPhone (the iPhone say that the Samsung is incompatible) nor will it connect with my Apple computer. Has anyone found a straightforward way to transfer iPhone contacts to the pre-2010 MM system? There are some iPhone apps that hint that it should be possible but nothing specific.

When I refinanced my IS250 at the 3 year point, the warranty was extended to end with the refinance period - it made the refinancing a bit more attractive.

This sounds (smells!) like the well-known problem of fungus in the air-conditioning system. The cheapest and one of the most effective cures is to run the aircon at full power and with the heat turned up - the smell typiclly disappears after a few minutes. There are some discussions of the problem in the forum. I lived for some years in the USA where temperatures and humidity tended to encourage the growth of fungus and I think that, once the system is affected, it is difficult to purge it of every single spore, so the fungus grows back. It's probably a bit like black mould in a bathroom - once there it can't be irradicated entirely and always returns.

I was provided with a CT200 courtesy car when I last put my '09 IS250 SEL auto in for servicing. It seemed devoid of the luxury and performance that I associate with Lexus's (Lexi?) and was a distinct disappointment. The petrol engine cut in very soon after getting underway and it was obviously far from being as smooth and quiet as the IS250. They are more expensive to buy than other cars of similar size and quality, probably more expenive to service and repair, and of unestablished reliability and durability. I cannot see any good reason to buy one other than to raise one's green credentials or perhaps reduce congestion or car tax charges. OK, that was based on a day of driving one example but it was enough to deter me from even thinking about getting one.

I assume that your difficulty is securing the seat into the rear passenger compartment. As a generaiisation, there are two ways of securing a child safety seat: firstly by using the existing seat belt over the safety seat and, scondly and if the car and seat are ISOFIX compliant, using the ISOFIX system. The latter uses "hooks' at the rear of the seat to clip round anchorage points at the rear of the passenger seat. I am pretty sure that your IS250 will have these anchorage points (my '09 model does) - there are two of them at the rear of the left and right hand seat backs and are hidden behind velcro-secured flaps. The ISOFIX system is by far the most safe and secure method. However, it can seem a bit fiddly, especially if the rear seats are not used much and the upholstery is still well "puffed up". The trick is to make sure that the ISOFIX hooks on the child seat are fully extended and, if it is adjustable, the seat is in the most upright position (ie. not reclining). Then, push the seat into the anchorage points in a slightl;y downward slant. I myself have a Britax seat - they are not cheap but how much is a child's life worth? Britax have an interactive tool to help you chose what seat is best for you. The link is below.. http://www.britax.co.uk/car-seats/fit-finder/

Before changing anything, check that your entry system hasn't been set to "one click - opens driver door only, second click opens the remaining doors". This is a security option so that the passenger doors do not offer carjackers and other criminals an easy entry into the car.

I would not buy that car simply because it's an IS220D. Go for an IS250 auto which seems to me to be far superior to the 220D in every respect except, perhaps, fuel cost and, even then, the difference may not be all that much. I believe that they (IS250 auto) were far more popular so there should be plenty of good examples on offer at any Lexus dealer.

As others have said, go for the auto - one of the best, if not the best, auto box around and gives better fuel consumption than the stick shift.

There are a number of posts on the tapping-when-cold syndrome - here's one such thread that I started http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=54369&st=0&p=595194&hl=+tapping%20+when%20+cold&fromsearch=1entry595194

The loud cracking noise is a safety feature - just when you are dropping off, it scares the daylights out of you! The first time it happened to me, I was convinced that a stone had hit the windscreen!

I have had two IS250 automatics and both of them typically needed to warm up a bit before 6th gear was selected. However, I didn't notice any delays in any of the lower gears being selected.