LexusForever

Hey guys well i think i must be doing something right - i average 29mpg commuting to work on a B road, admittedly driving miss daisy most of the time, but if i take a motorway run then it averages about 32-33mpg. and that's on an automatic which usually gets worse consumption than the manual. if i come over all reckless and unleash the beast then i still get about 26mpg and a very large smile :)

Thank you for your advice and help :) well, i tested it this morning on the way to the office. it shuddered almost from the second i pulled away from the house, and then seemd to ease off again after a couple miles, but came back once i was about half way. when i got to work , i felt the discs and there was no discernable difference in temp to me, but they both seemed hot enough to fry an egg on. the wheels themselves were almost cold. the shuddering always seems worse first thing in the mornings, and then comes and goes throughout the journey, sometimes very bad and other times just noticeable. i have noticed that the brakes are sqeaking under very light braking and if i brake on full steering lock sometimes there is a clunk?? don't know if this is useful information or not but i'm just trying to be thorough...

Hi I think i need to see the Doc! Rikos tells me you can solve my problems - well the car related ones anyway I have shuddering occuring on my IS200 when cruising above 50mph normally, and so far i've changed all four brake discs and pads (the front in April and AGAIN in August), all four tires, had the tracking and wheel balancing checked and still it shudders!!! Now i'm being told by one dealer that i need new calipers, and by an independent that my hub might be warped, and quite frankly i don't know what to believe. Do you guys open at weekends and if so could i book a slot to check my geometry? I live in Basingstoke so weekdays would be a little difficult, but i will try and make a plan if you can't do a weekend - i just need to get this sorted for my own peace of mind. thanks

Thank you Rikos, I'll do that as soon as i can. can't tell you what a relief it is to know there are others out there to help complete mechanical numpties like me :D thanks a mil!

i went to lexus because they were actuaally cheaper to do the rear brakes than any independent i could find in basingstoke, believe it or not, otherwise it has been going to a non lexus dealer since i've had it. the problem is that i wasn't sure about what the non lexus place was doing so i went to the lexus dealer to get them to check it. i have had the full tracking and everything checked but am planning to get it done again just in case. both the lexus dealer and the independent guy told me the tracking etc was fine. as far as the timing belt goes, lexus are only 30 quid more than the cheapest independent i could find in basingstoke, so i figure why not? unless you guys can point me in the direction of someone local who's cheaper???? i am really grateful for the help and advice by the way :)

it's only when driving. since i had the front brakes replaced for the second time, they are perfect, although i can hear them squeaking a little till i put my foot on the brake. i think that's the calipers brushing the discs constantly to keep them dry and improve braking???? The shuddering happens usually first thing in the morning and then again once i reach cruising speed above 50. sometimes it really noticeable and other times you hardly feel it at all. very strange. i feel stupid not knowing more about cars, but it means i have to go by what people at the dealership / garage tell me and i never know whether they are just saying it to get money out of me or whether there really is a problem. i added it all up the other night and so far this year i've spent 1100 on the car and i still have to change the timimg belt and have all the fluids changed. beginning to wonder if it was such a good idea to buy my dream car LOL the trips sound fantastic but unfortunately with all the bills on the car i'm flat broke LOL

Thanks. it's a 2002. not looking too bad for 108000 miles but i must say it is costing me a fortune in repairs this year. According to my Lexus dealer the front calipers are seizing and have to be replaced for a whopping £860.00 and i'm on my second set of front discs and pads since April! it has also started shuddering while driving which is a bit unnerving :tsktsk:

Thanks Mate I want to change the headlights to match the smoked effect tail lights as well. I think it will look really aggressive then, especially with the dark paintwork.

Thanks for all the help folks, i figured it out as you can see :D

Well, here goes. These are from Yesterday just after she's had her weekly pampering B)

Thanks. I'll give it a try

Sounds a plan to me - best name and best car what a combination! how do you put pics on here?

Thanks for the welcome. i will definitely keep an eye out cheers

Hi Everyone My name's Jason and I'm from Basingstoke I have had my IS 200 SE Auto for 18 months now, and keep getting grief at work (BMW and Porsche drivers all of them!!!!) cause i keep telling everyone to wake up and buy a decent car LOL! so i decided to join all you other enlightened folk instead! i couldn't go back to driving anything else now!!! finding it really interesting reading some of the topics - getting an insight as to what i can do to mine although i'm not big into modding but all the pics i've seen are fantastic. i bow to your greatness B) looking forward to getting to know everyone. are there regular get togethers held or anything like that?