Gareth Rose

Have I missed something, but I thought this was the Silent Hi power, on ebay This is the I'vebeen thinking of getting, so I can pick how loud I want it. Whats the one in the original post? Does it change tone with revs or something? Gareth

Im not so bothered about the bumper cos as you said it could just be stone chips that have caused it. But it was fitted from new. Its more the doors Im concerned about, cos if Im to keep the car for any period of time, which I entend to do all being well, then its going to go from being a concern to being a real problem. I've sent the lexus contact center (or whatever they call themselves) an email soI'l see what they say. Otherwise I'l have totry and find time togo to the dealer. Do you have to make an appointment to see them? Or can you just show up? Thanks for the repies Gareth

Hi guys, I was cleaning my car yesterday, and I noticed that on the training edges of both front doors and the bottom edge of the boot are starting to discolour. My car is plat ice so you can easily see the brown discolouration coming through. Also, there is some slight blistering on the black painted parts on the B pillar. My car is an '03 so should be well in the paintwork warranty. I've also got problems with my front bumper peeling. Its a Tte front bumper and there are large patches of paint flaking off. I've already raised this with them, and they said the warranty didnt cover bumpers, even though its obviously bad workmanship as the plastic underneath is smooth as a babies provebial. Has any one had any success in asking Lexus to sort it. Cos if I leave it, im gonna end up having to have t resprayed myself, which I really don't want to have to budget for. What is the best way to ask for warranty work to be done? I've learned from experience that they don't respond quickly to emails and I don't really like phoning as I usually end up not saying what I wanted to. So is a letter better? Thanks Gareth

I had a call back from Sky today. Spoke to Daniel and checked all the details, the he put me on hold, and when he came back he said that had to refer it to the underwriters and he'dring me back. He didn't ring me back, although he did say they'd been trying to ring me for a couple of days, but couldn't get in touch with me. So I wonder if theres something wrong wit my phone, although other calls are getting through. Is it bad if they have to refer it to the underwriters? Or is it just cos they're more specialised they do things more thoroughly. Does refering it take a bit more time. Hopefully they'l come back with a good price. He did say I'd have the LOC discount. Il update when I get some news Gazza

PM sent Cheers

Yeah I think you've solved it, its the bloody sheep. Il keep a look out. Thanks for letting me vent my anger. Il let you know how I get on. Gazza

To be honest its not the absolute value im so peeved about, its the rise for no reason. As far as I know my valley hasn't turned into south central detroit in the last year. So god knows where they get they're figures from. By the sounds of it Im lucky where I live then.lol

When you say to the about being a member of an owners club, does just being a forum member count or do you have to be a paid up member, cos adrian flux ask on they're form if Im a member of a club and I wasn't sure so put no. Gazza

I rang them and asked about it. Told her I could get it cheaper on the website, then she said that the web quote was with 350 voluntary excess. So I asked why it had gone up. She put me on hold, then came back with the crap excuse of my area rating has gone up. I live in a quiet village in a south wales valley. God help me if I'd lived in some dodgy part of a big city. I've tried tesco, they were higher. Churchill were about the same as direct line. To be honest if I can find one close even if it is slightly higher I may walk away on principal. I've been with them for 5 years and never made a claim. Originally i was driving my mums car. And gained 3 yrs named driver NCB. So started my own policy and was great. But then when I renewed last year if was higher than I'd expected but it was the first full year of insuring my IS, so rang them up and asked how it was so high, even though I had 3 years named NCB plus 2yrs of my own. and they said that every yr I get a proper NCB if cancelles a named driver one. So I got stuck with them cos of the last remaining named driver one. And this year to thank me for my localty to them the charge me an extra 100 od quid. Plus cos of their policies, i can't modify my car cos Im under 25. I've just filled in the form for adrian flux so Il wait and see what they say If its about the same Il probably go with them. At least then I've got the option of putting an exhaust on or something. Sorry for the long post, but I have to talk to someone, I think my gf is getting bored of the topic,lol. Gazza

Had my renewal from directline today, and they want 868 quid. last yr i only paid 750 ish. I rang them to query it, and the only explanation they could give was that my areas rating has gone up. Bl**dy rip off. Only way I can get it lower is by having a voluntary excess of 350. which totals 700quid if I have a bump. Cant find any cheaper, so looks like Im another motorist that has to just bend over and get bummed by the system. Ok Im only 23, but I havn't got younger.grrr Im tamping. I wouldn't be surprised that labour has countered cancelling the tax rise with screwing us on insurance. For the first time, I can see a future with no cars and in 50 years my grand kids will sit around me and Il tell them about the olden days wen I was young, when we had brilliant things called cars., that ran on petrol that you could drive yourself. Sorry, rant over Gazza

With trailers fishtailing its more about the weight distribution than the total weight. Basically there should be a nice firm weight on the tow bar. I work with and tow boats for a living, and when we deliver boats (especially with our land rover) we get the boat as far forward as we can. I've towed boats that weigh 3.5t inc trailer that have been set up properly, and tow beautifully. touched 80 at one point down a hill by mistake but didnt wobble at all. on the other hand, ive towed small boats, about 1.3t that have been set up wrongly and it makes for a very nervy jounrny. Snakes tend to happen above abut 55, so stick to 50 and things are fine. Sorry bout the long post, i started to babble a bit.lol Gazza

Ive got a squeek on the power steering pump, does your squeek change slightly when you wobble the steering. I sprayed some grease on the inside of the pully intowards the bearing, and it stopped for a week or so but then it came back. Ive got no leaks and the steering works so im not to worried about it. Gazza

My car has got similar symptoms. Its a 2003 Sport with 18s Cant really remember when it started, but it wobbles between 50-65 gets worse when you brake between the speeds. But I have noticed that if I brake hard from 80 and brake hard straight through to 30-40 it doesn't do it. Car doesn't dive to one side in an emergancy stop (had to slam on this morning on the motorway from 70-80) but it did tram line a bit, but I may just have been in the lorry tracks in the road. Ive had new discs all round recently so dont think theyre warped. Ive also tried driving along in 2nd about 30-40 with the brake on till the car starts to slow down, and cant feel any pulsing through the brake pedal so again don't think they're warped. Next time I have chance Il take the wheels off and check the hubs clean. My brother works in a machining place, so maybe he could clock the discs/hubs to see if theyre warped. Can the discs be skimmed if they are warped? Are the hubs easy to get off? Ive checked my calipers after my commute which is a 25 mile motorway run, usually reasonably fast, and even after braking hard on the slipway then pulling into my street (only 500 yards from motorway) the calipers arn't unevenly warm. Its a shame because it detracts a bit from my lovely cruise to work in my own little bit of paradise (still grin when I see my IS every morning,lol) I hope someone finds the answer to this mystery. Gazza

Thanks for the reply matt. So is it actually worth the hassle of refitting them. Cos il have to cut my bumper and stuff. Just to have a squity on my lights. How well do they work? Cheers Gazza

Hi guys, Ive got a Sport with a TTE kit, and cos it wasn't a 300 with HIDs it didnt get recalled/taken back to have the headlamp washers fitted by the previous owner. Couple of questions if I can, a- is it worth having them, if not disregard the rest of the post. b- would they have left the piping there? c- I take it there should be some sort of pump somewhere and somesort of lift up jets, which I dought they left lying round. I don't know whether it was always like it from when the switch was taken out, or whether the previous owner took it out, but i've got a hole in the dash behind the bottom left of the steering wheel that looks as though there was once a switch, so If I can't do the headlamp washers, I don't suppose anyones got a switch blank lying round. Cheers guys Gazza

In the late '80s Nissan made a Micra with both a supercharger and a turbo charger. Something about they wanted to go 1600 rallying with the micra, but rather than building a 1600 engined Micra, they reduced the capacity of the 1ltr to 930cc or something (superchargers have a capactity multiplyier of 1.6 according to the article I read). Only made a few for homolagation and only sold in Japan. Gazza

I did check with them when I first noticed it, but they (and the warranty book)said that it only includes sheet metal not attachments, ie bumpers. I did try saying that it was bad workman ship but then just said no. And problem is my next nearest dealer is over an hour away, and havnt got the time. At least if its a local sprayer I can go back and winge if it happens again. Do you think it'll be alot more labour cos they'll have to take most (maybe all) the paint off first cos it looks too smooth and shiney under there to be a good key. Thanks for all the replies, may try and pop in a few on the weekend and get some prices. May try and get my bonnet done as well cos its covered in stone chips. Thanks again Gazza

Hi guys, A while ago my front bumper started peeling. The paint has just been falling off, and its just been getting worse and worse. So I need to have it resprayed. Problem is, I dont think it'll be a case of just flatting the old paint and painting over, cos it doesnt look as if the bumper was prepared properly original. Its a tte one fitted from new. But Ive asked lexus and they said that paint warranty has run out, so Im on my own. What kind of price should I be expecting to get it done? Obviously the lower the better, but I dont want it to happen again. So need to know what is a fair price for a good job. Its plat ice if that makes a difference. Cheers guys Gazza

Its strange how some people think that Luxi' are old mens cars, just how many 'boy racers' are driving round with they're beloved 'Lexus lights'. Im sure most of think they were designed for the Saxo and then used on a Lexus.lol.

Yeah as far as I remember it had the metal shims. I just find it strange that it only started doing it nearly 2 months after they were fitted. Gazza

I didn't have any problems before I changed the pads, and I replaced everything as they were when they came out, and didn't notice anythig missing. Can't have a look at it tonight now cos my mates garage isn't available, and its miserable weather here. Il have a look when I have chance and report my findings. Thanks for the replies Gazza

When I fitted them I put plenty of copper grease on them to try and prevent squeel and stuff, so dont really know. Il poke my nose in it tomorrow and see what I can find. Gazza

Cheers wozza, is there any way to get rid of it? New pins? It just disheartens me a bit driving round in my posh car, and it makes a clunk when I slow down,lol. If I have chance tomorrow Il have a look to see if anything has moved around, but otherwise it feels ok so don't think theres any thing loose. Thanks again Gazza

Hi guys, Ive recently changed my pads and discs all round with the mintex sets off that guy on ebay. I changed the fronts first about 2 months ago, and changed the rears 2 weeks ago. The fronts were fine up until just after I fitted the rears (but I think its just coincidence) but they'renow making a knocking noise when I brake when going slow (doesn't make noise above 25-30). Now I've read on another thread that cheap pads can move around, but everyone seems to be liking the mintex ones, and they've been on for over a month and only now started doing it. Anyideas? Could a spring clip have come loose. I'l hopefully have a chance to look at it tomorrow in my mates garage, but just wanted a bit of advice as to what to be looking for. Cheers guys Gazza

Mines alot different to that tray. Mines a 2003 sport with 18s. Mines a big molded plastic tray with a recess in the middle that goes into the gap in the spare wheel. And I dont think I've got a wheel wedge either. Gazza