3 MSF

Late 20's around town, and early to mid thirties on a run. This is disappointing really; I don't know where the official figures came from - the sales dept?? However, you have to experience the performance and tranquility afforded by the vehicle - quite extraordinary :)

Tony, I think you might be talking about the direct fuel injectors? I'm in the process of converting from the IS 250 SE-L Auto which is really quiet when moving, but even when warm, you can still hear the 'ticking' when the vehicle is stationary (a little annoying). However, I can't say that on any occasion I'd heard anything like that on the GS450h SE-L though. At the end of the day, Mark Levinson can always help you 'hide' any number of 'perceived minor imperfections' with a delivery second to none; Lexus plays its trump card... :winky: Mark

Well, it only ever happened the one time around 3 months ago. Not happened since.The annoying thing is the concern at the back of your mind that it could happen again, but when? Who knows. I'll just take care to ensure that the 'key' gets special treatment from now on... :winky: Mark.

... and therein lies my concern. I understand how the system functions, and the windows were absolutely, definitely 100% closed as I walked away from the vehicle; I know this for a fact, because sadly (or otherwise) I always take a look back at the great looking car and walk away feeling a little proud with myself on having made the right choice... For the function to work, you have to be relatively close to the vehicle (otherwise all around, those with pacemakers would start dancing!) and as I was more than 300 yards away in the clubhouse, I just can't see it. I sit in my house literally 20 feet from the car on my drive and it's never happened there. I'm still not sure - Mark.

Exiled, I left the BMW marque (last one 330Ci Coupe Sport - fantastic car) for exactly the car you're considering. Must say I'm very pleased; not got 230+ bhp, but does everything with more refinement, less petrol, and don't be fooled - it's certainly no slouch, and the standard in the SE-L Mark Levinson 300 watt hi-fi / MM package - well, what can I say! The dealer shouldn't be too much of an issue (pretty much standardised across the patch, although some really are exceptionally good) as the only time you will probably need to see the dealer is for the purchase and the annual service. There are a couple of really good guys on the site, so I'm sure they'll chip in and give you all the information that's necessary to help you to make the right, considered purchase :winky: Best of luck! Mark

... my point was that the IS250 Auto is far more refined than the 220d, so only disappointment would ensue if you own the diesel and compared them directly, so I wouldn't advise it unless you're willing put up with a tremendous desire to suddenly change your model! W.r.t. interior mirror, I would suggest that if yours doesn't vibrate, you're possibly in the lucky minority :winky: Might be my 'rattling' sunroof aperture that weakens the roof structure sufficiently to make it so bad; if you drive at speed with the roof open, you might as well forget the mirror altogether! And please, don't get me going on creaks and rattles... :tsktsk:

Guys, I think there might be an issue here. It has only happened to me once, but... Car was locked up after placing trusty sticks in the boot. Friends admired the motor, and we walked away to the club-house for our meal. Club-house was around 300 yards from the car. Around an hour later, a guy from the hotel desk came looking for the owner of a Lexus in the car park which had been reported as having been left with all its windows half-way down and the sun-roof open!! I don't think so... Sure as eggs is eggs, that was the condition of the car when I returned to it. There may be an issue here... Mark.

... mine's just the same; starting to blister from the back of the wheel spokes outwards :tsktsk: . For a corporation with some of the best automotive engineers in the world, I find it incredible that Toyota can't seem to nail this issue from across their range! Having had 3 BMW's, all shod with beautiful yet neglected alloys, I never had an alloy corrosion concern, not once. Come on TMC - take a look at some of the fundamental issues (rattles / squeaks / alloy wheel corrosion) which are just as important to the Customer as the innovations! It's alright having great dealer service, but I'd rather not need it!! Mark

... re. previously learned suggestion, the last thing you should do now is try out a V6 2.5 litre Auto petrol version of your car; if you're happy with it, then don't spoil the moment... If it's any consolation, the mirror vibrates in all of them :tsktsk: Mark

Dude, never seen below 31mpg for a tankful - been around 38 on an easy run, but typically 31~33. Not bad for a 2.5 litre V6 :winky: Mark

...my dealer has advised me that, although other phones work well, the best functionality is achieved with the Sony Ericsson models. To help customers who don't have one, yet would like to transfer their SIM card info into the MM unit, our dealer is purchasing a phone that we will be able to drop our SIM card into and transfer the data across in a couple of minutes. I don't recall my BMW dealership ever being that helpful, especially when it meant them incurring a cost

Jamboo - good point well made :) Now what was the question...? :D

Swager, as intimated by others, it looks like you need a new unit. I've just had mine replaced under warranty. The screen was saying 'DVD error'; this is apparently a new way of saying 'Error code 3' which has been the blight of many a Lexus in the recent past. More annoyingly, the damn thing failed intermittently, twice deciding to spew out my disks literally on arriving at the dealership, so I couldn't show them the issue (but I think they had an idea, as it was replaced without seeing the actual failure mode) For information, the unit finally failed whilst retaining 3 CDs; I had to wait nearly 8 weeks for them to be returned from TMME in Belgium, so there must be a bit of work in progress... The problem is so widespread that the unit is now covered by a 5 year warranty, so pop in to your local Lexus dealersip for a free latte or other coffee of your choice, and at the same time you can arrange for a replacement unit to be ordered and fitted, no questions asked :) . Mine's a '56, so it's clear that problems still exist. Good luck with the repair - Mark

... the other couple of things were related to the position of the glass. The glass location holes in the regulator plate may not be in the design intended position as a function of volume production variation. Secondly, if the door inner panel is not optimally related to the outer panel, the whole regulator assembly could be positioned slightly forwards again. The quick check for both of the above is to confirm the gap between the glass front and rear edges to the door frame inner surfaces. Did you try the tape test? I took the mirrors 'out of play', but you can still get the wind noise at 80 mph+, so I don't think they are the reason. Let me know how you go on; good luck! Mark

It must be the clear coat that's soft, as it appears to mark real easy. The finish is very good but as a consequence shows up every imperfection. Perhaps the best option is to stop detailing :D It's a good point well made. When using 'solid' paints, the hardness is typically a function of the pigments. For example, solid black is one of the 'softest' paints, along with red. These are both buggers for being susceptible to scratches. The benefit here is that the softness also makes these two of the colours that polish-up beautifully. The hardest paints typically are whites, but you'd not work to achieve a 'shine' on a white vehicle, as they tend to just look clean or cleaner As Tango says, and I'm inclined to agree with him, it must be the clear-coat. It could be a function of the materials, or the processing of those materials; either way, if my Cadoxton takes a fly down the side, it looks like someone has gone down the panel with skates on! It might be OK that these surface blemishes polish out quite easily, but I'd rather not spend my time slowly removing one of my key anti-corrosion protection layers. Mine's under monitor, and the jury's out... Mark

Tango, I don't think you'd have any issue with using a solvent based paint repair on a water-based paint substrate (is it actually water-based? I didn't think the Japanese were too concerned with all that whilst there was money to be made, unless there are now financial penalties to be had... :winky: ) The primary reason for phasing out solvent based paints in volume manufacture (in Europe at least) was the issue of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) entering the atmosphere, contravening the requirements of ISO 14001. When the carrier medium (be it water or solvent) is gone, you're still left with the same paint pigments baked on your vehicle. At Toyota's Burnaston plant, the introduction of water-based paints was phased in as the technology was relatively new, and even then, the clear-coat outer layer was solvent based until some time later on, as correct coalescence of the painted layer was difficult to effect until the (very expensive) rotating 'shear-bell' paint systems began to deliver good water-based paint finishes. I think the Chips-Away guys use solvent based materials (this often helps to speed-up the process), and my Beemer had water-based paint. This never caused any problems. Hope you find the right solution anyway - Mark.

Firstly, as previously / expertly advised, don't aim your pressure washer at your glass runs / door seals, and if you feel you do have to use it, be very careful! There is one way to prove for certain if this is your wind noise source (I know you have this problem already :winky: ). Take some sellotape and tape over your glass-runs, ensuring that you effectively seal your glass to the door frame. Then take the car for a spin, and if your noise has gone, be confident you've found the point of cause. Stop the vehicle and remove the tape (this won't harm your paint-work) and if you drive at speed and hear the noise return, then be certain youve found it. If you can switch the problem on and off at your command, you're very close to solving the problem. If that's the case, I suggest you then go to the dealer who should fix it for you. It might not necessarily be the glass run, but the position of the glass with respect to the door frame (possibly set slightly forwards), usually caused by its location to the window regulator plate at its fixing point. Could be a couple of other things too, but again, your dealer should be able to fix it for you. Regards, Mark.

As I tried so eloquently and humbly (in my experience of having worked for the company for many years) to say above: One Lexus. Two Lexus. Like one fish, two fish. It's not a matter of opinion, it is a fact . - Mark.

Tango, have you tried the 'Chips-Away' franchise? Always did a great job for me on paintwork and / or alloys, and at a competitive price, repaired on your own driveway or a location to suit. Just fill up with cups of tea and they work wonders! :) Oddly enough, which seems to fly in the face of convention, you are more likely to suffer with stone chips with thicker paint :duh: And as for the earlier comment about potentially inferior paint, I wouldn't think so. Paint is one of the more expensive components in the engineering bill of materials, usually developed with world-class companies such as DuPont and Axo Nobel :) Apart from having to be aesthetically pleasing (and I agree, the IS has one of the best volume production paint-jobs on the market today), it is also your anti-corrosion protection layer; it would be foolish to risk the potential warranty cost to the officially worlds largest car manufacturer (as of today - and that's official! :winky: ) - Mark

... as an engineer having worked in Europe, the States and Japan for Toyota Motor Corporation, including the new development Motomachi plant, Tsutsumi, Kamigo, Honsha etc., I can inform you once and for all that, having had discussions with 'Lexus' project engineers and asking them the same question (whilst wanting to know the plural of Avensis at the time, which similarly just happens to be Avensis) that the plural of 'Lexus' is indeed 'Lexus' You don't need to be a scholar or language expert, that's just the way it is :) - Mark

...personally, I believe your choice is the sensible choice! Your gonna love it, and my fingers are crossed for you re. rattles - thankfully, my couple of minor gripes were dealt with by the dealer and have not returned ;) - Mark

Tango - beautiful motor mate :) I can honestly say, and maybe it's because the Lexus isn't common, those idiots that don't really know that much about cars but like to damage what they don't have themselves (do they not realise we weren't given them, and that we have to work hard week after week to keep up the payments? ) only tend to recognise the more 'common' BMW / Mercedes offerings that really seem to hit the nerve when it comes to jealousy. My last Beemer was keyed, as was the previous. And I spent years sat at junctions However, the Lexus seems to command interested, quizzical and approving looks, and exiting from junctions is no longer a problem. By my powers of deduction, and from the fact that Lexus has not been keyed (although I found someone taking a photograph of it on one occasion...) you shouldn't worry about being keyed again ;) Go get! - Mark

...not so sure that Lexus has struggled in Japan - it's just that most of the 'Lexus' cars that we know (Soarer, Altezza etc.) are still badged as 'Toyota' over there, and sell in good volume. I also think that the incredible sales of the TMMK Kentucky plant's Camry, winner of numerous JD Power awards, certainly laid the way for Lexus' American conquest :winky: (and the Americans' own inferior offerings...) As for the other dealers catching up, my last BMW dealer is the reason for me now owning a Lexus - Mark

It's not glued, it's held in place by double-sided tape. Trouble is, you often destroy the sponge by pulling it off the tape, rather than pulling the tape from the frame. I suggest you pack more sponge into the gap between the door inner and outer panels if you think thats the source of your air-leak. - Mark

...not so sure about the pollen-filter guys, but I'm all ears. Typically, it's an issue with bacteria in the system. I must admit, as Oldcro suggests, I find that turning the air-con off is usually when the odour appears; perhaps leaving it on is the best way to prevent the issue. - Mark ps worst smell I ever had in a car was when a bloody moggie pee'd into my air inlet from the bonnet Needless to say, I'm not much of a cat-lover nowadays!