Jack300

With luck here's three pics

I've some pics of the kit fitted to my 300SC - I'll try and upload them. It'll be a first so wish me luck... Cheers Jack

Fitted a Supa grounding kit to my 3ltr SportX a couple of weeks ago expecting not much, maybe a smoother tick-over, but, the difference was very noticeable. It's like driving with a galeforce 8 tailwind. Definately worth the £40 I paid for it... I look after the car inside and out so wasn't expecting this much improvement. I'd had one fitted to a previous 300ZX and it tidied the tickover but not much else. But this one was a big improvement. Just thought I'd let you guys know. Good luck Jack

PIAA silicone - nice and expensive...

you can try using carb cleaner - just follow the instructions on the can - real easy.

the Saab won't last anywhere nearly as long as a Lex. Have a look at a Saab 93 with 100k miles on it - the leather seats will be shot - do the same with a lex and note the astounding difference. Now apply that thought to all of the rest of the Saab. I've a 200bhp Saab (9000), full leather, walnut, the works - full SSH, 138k miles and it's worth £250... Can't give them away. I've also a SportCross... If you are looking for an alternative buy Subaru (part owned by Toyota). Good luck Jack

Matt ...Xspurt Tyres, bottom of Harvey Street. Always good on price whatever tyre you choose. Ask for Marcus. Good luck Jack

you could try some carb cleaner. remove the air intake right up to the metal and spray it into the (technical description here) bit that has the circular valve attached via cable to the accelerator pedal. Bought from Halfords - aerolsol can about £5 - last you forever. Have a look at your air filter whilst you are at it... Good luck Jack

Rory - you are right. I thought it ridiclous that I was driving a car where I didn't know what certain buttons were for, so after trying them on the way home (to no avail) i dug out the user guide and it does state that it controls the throttle... Looking forward to some snow. Cheers Jack

Isn't the Snow button the same as a Hold button? It's for when you are decending a long hill. Normally an auto gearbox would keep changing up and the car would go faster and faster. You'd have to apply the brake to slow the car down as there's no engine breaking. If you use the Snow button it'll apply engine braking (I think this is the key) so that you can control the car on the engine. Unfortunately I live in Suffolk - never snows and there's no hills... Cheers Jack

Boots not very big - I'd suggest you go and look at one. If you want good fuel figures too, maybe you should go for the 2ltr - cheaper to buy too. They are a relatively small car - which is either good or bad... I've got one (3ltr) and it's great - but then my kids are grown, and if I do any miles then the company pays the mileage. Interior build quality is great to - all be it in a work-a-day sort of way (durable). There's a few niggles - centre arm rest adjustable? ...fraid not. Lumber support - fraid not... but these are by far outweighed by everything else. Re the 2 levels in the boot - it does open up a bit more depth. Normally the floor is at rear sill level, you can drop it about 4 inches. Good luck Jack

I bought an o2 plate SC 3 months ago for £10k from a dealer. 50k on the clock full service history. In very good condition. At the time it was the cheapest 3ltr on Autotrader. Ther was one cheaper but it went quick - but it was in black (not my favourite colour) and it had more miles. They seem to hang around, no-one knows what they are, which is, a short wheel-base Supra (give or take a few bhp) in an Armani suit. ...great car.

the calipers float on two steel rods. you should be able to clean these up with wire wool and the same for the holes that they fit into. liberal application of grease and you should be ok. worth a try, it's an easy job. also worth noting that the amount of movement needed via these rods is minimal, so just freeing them off a little will most likly do the job. Good luck Jack

...came from an article in auto express - some university consultant to lotus and others. all above-board. i think it's more suitable for up to 2ltr cars - because of the comfort factor as you point out. at the time I was driving 230bhp normally aspirated so foot to the floor driving could be considered dangerous... I never tried it. Don't think I will with the sports cross - but then again...

...brake servo? I'm out of my depth here but dosn't the servo help apply pressure (via hydraluic fluid) to the brakes? What if the servo thinks that the pedal is being pushed? ...could be the brake master cylinder having a rubber seal mounted the wrong way around... What if the brake servo non-return valve (works on a vacumn dosn't it) is failing - just made that up but it sounds right. Not making this up. Wife's Saab brakes have always been grim. After 3 yeras it fails it's MOT on a rear handbrake not working. It's siezed. I freed it off and adjusted both back hand brake mechs at the same time (didn't know it has them) and what happens - all of the breaks now work great - front included. So, problems with the front brakes, look to the back brakes for the solution... Good luck Jack

...could be a tyre failing. If the structure of the tyre is damaged then you'll get an out of round tyre. It's easy to check. Visually you'll get extra wear where the tyre bulges - assuming the defect is in the tread area. You can check by jacking up the car, place a screwdriver on a paint tin close to the wheel rim, screwdriver point almost touching the rim, turn the wheel and if it touches the screwdriver tip, the wheel is buckled. Now do the same with the screwdriver tip almost touching the centre of the tread - same again, rotate and check for any abnormalities. You can do this for the sidewalls as well, the most difficult to check being the inside wall. You need to check also that the rim isn't buckled on the insde rim too. Speed bumps cause a lot of this type of damage to fat alloys. Make sure once you've jacked up the car that you leave it for half an hour so that the natural flatspot caused by the weight of the parked car has had time to go back to round. Good luck Jack

There is a school of thought that says for max economy, you drive like this... Foot to the floor in every gear, change up at 2000rpm. When you achieve your desired speed, foot off the accelerator, when you slow too much then foot back on the accelerator to the floor. It's supposed to save about 16% of fuel. Theory is, throttle fully open most of the time means least resistance for air, plus engine management system is most economical at full throttle. Also the mgt system can control fuel economy better than a driver can. Sounds complete bol***ks to me but it's evidently true. I've never tried it but a colleague has and he conforms that it works. The driving technique takes some getting used to - so I'm told. Good luck Jack

..so - Lexus do sell them - all I need to do now is find Lexus in Ipswich. Many thanks Jack

Ian ...thanks for the pic - if I'm looking at it right, mine has the protective L shaped plastic pieces held on by 3 / 4 screws, but they are more like protective edges for that leading part of the wings. If Lexus do them I'm assuming that these get removed and the bigger 'mud-flaps' screw into the same place. My previous car had something similar but they were moulded rubber and bonded in place - and very effective. Ive sent Chris S a PM - awaiting a reply. Cheers Jack

Sorry if this has been asked before... only owned the 300 for a month or so - and in this weather it's covered in mud. ...thinking therefore that mud flaps would help. many thanks Jack

Dave I've always used Bramford Motor Engineering for all the difficult stuff on my cars (inc wifes Saab 2.3T). They are good and not expensive. On Bramford Road in that garden centre place. Tel 749944. As I've only had my IS 300 for about 2 months I've no direct experience of them working on Lexus cars - disclaimer - but, they've done work on previous cars - Nissan Z, loads of Saabs, my sons BMW(s) and friends Toyotas... Good luck Jack

Got the same problem with a motorhome! You have to wait till the fuel pump has everything up to pressure. Turn the key but not to start it and you can hear the fuel build up pressure until the fuel pump switches off - then start it - works every time. Had the same with my previous car - normally aspirated Z, and it was most likly caused by a non-return valve in the fuel line failing (assuming there was one)... I never fixed it as the above method always worked... Good luck Jack

Peter I have a 300 sport cross - I assume this is what you are talking about when you use the term is300SX. If it is, then my car is an 03 and as far as I know there is only one model of sport cross and that it is always 3 litre automatic and always leather - black or cream. The navigation package came in after 03 and the car was not made after 05. I could be wrong with the above info so forgive me if I am. ...it's the 200's that have all of the variations. Good luck - great car by the way... Cheers Jack

...is the mount know to sag with age? That was the problem with the previous car compounded by the exhaust hanging from it too. Maybe my fix for the sport cross is to add a spacer between the support bracket and the mount - in effect raising the mount and sunsequently the gearbox a little. If I try this and it smooths out the prop vibration then I've either found a fix or at least I know what needs replacing. Cheers Jack

...many thanks for the advice - it's much appreciated. I havent had a chance to get under the car yet - only owned it a few weeks. Of interest, the trouble with the previous car / prop was tired exhaust hangers putting too much weight onto the rear gearbox mount, dragging the box down and causing the prop to be out of line. I eventually changed the hangers (after replacing the mount) and the vibes went away... I'll report back on progress and hopefully a fix. Cheers Jack