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Is this your first diesel?

There's also the issue that in some situations the safest thing to do is accelerate out of trouble instead of being squashed - my driving instructor used to go on about that one!

Just a quick question and sorry if it's a stupid one I don't seem to have the problem that a lot of people talk about regarding the uneven tyre wear on the front wheels so is it still worth having the geometry checked? Thanks :)

Diesel was my immediate thought as well. Especially in the wet. As a biker then I know just how bad it can be. On the first day of learning to ride my mate who I was learning with slipped at a T-junction. Luckily it was only a bumped knee and nothing else but it shows you how it can happen. All the salt and grime doesn’t help either. Don't lose faith so soon – the IS is a brilliant car – just an unlucky start Take it easy :)

I'm planning to fit a Grom Audio iPod kit and have been checking out the various links from here. Can someone confirm that the GROM-IPOD-TOY (from In Dash PC) is the correct kit to buy for a 2004 IS300? I'm just a bit confused because I checked the Grom website and there is mentions a GROM-TOY1 kit for the Lexus IS 99-04, and the In Dash PC website says that the GROM-IPOD-TOY is for the IS 05-08. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks :D

They didn't give me an advisory, but didn't have a problem with the aftermarket lights themselves, just that the beam wasn't legal. She actually said I can put them back as soon as I leave the dealership (unofficially of course ) As the guys at Lexus are decent (and probably want to hang on to my service business) I doubt they'd kick up a fuss over some bulbs, but even so might be an idea to just stick the standard bulbs in for future tests. In terms of emissions, how much are they going to crack down? The emissions report I got shows my car well within the limits prescribed, and technically I'm all for it if it gets those stinky bangers off the road :shutit: From what he was saying, its all down to the new emission based tax system so they have to be more acurate with the readings? The garage owner wasnt too happy as its just cost him £6000 for a new machine Mine was very low on the emissions so had no need to worry :D The new analysis equipment is to detect the lower levels of emissions given off by newer cars more accurately and is nothing to do with the new tax bands. The tax bands are linked to CO2 figures and the MOT analysis looks at pollutant gases - CO2 currently isn't considered a pollutant. Don't get me wrong here though - I think the new tax bands are a stupid idea - yes they should apply to new cars but not work retrospectively. As far as I'm aware the only other retrospective law enforced on vehicles has been the fitment of reflectors. Not even seat belts are a legal requirement on many old cars! Now that's stupid!

Google it!! :) Just thought some people may have heard of that term instead. I'd never heard of interference and non-interference before today - good to learn something new. Thanks

There's another terminology as well I think - engines that do not damage the values, pistons and so on when the cambelt or chain snaps are referred to as "safe engines."

9...

I use a turtle wax micro fibre wash mitt, which works a treat. A few weeks ago got some of the new Autoglym Aqua Wax. Comes with wax and two cloths. Wash the car, rinse it (I live in a really hard water area and used to have loads loads of problems with water marks), and then while it's still wet spray on some of the wax. Use the first cloth to run in the wax and remove most of the water and then the second cloth to dry completely and give a shine. The finish is brilliant and it only takes minutes to do. Really smooth when it's done and looks great. No more water mark problems. Also got some RainX lately and that works brilliantly as well :-)

The cars are sold as performance hybrids and not economy. They are designed to give the performance of a car with a larger engine - hence GS450h when it only has a 3.5 litre V6. I took one for an extended test drive the other weekend and I have to say I thought it was brilliant. It had the capacity to keep up with many other smaller performance cars from our friends in Germany. Cornering was fun!! It is a massive car. There are hours of fun to had pulling away in electric motor mode as well :D I'd recommend one if you can afford it - brilliant - you GS450h drivers are lucky people. I'm saving up :)

The numbers are quoted in g/km because the figure is obtained from the European drive cycle, the test that all cars are tested on and have to pass for a given emissions legislation in Europe, and being European it uses metric units. In North America they use the Federal cycle, which is measured in g/mile. Even if we did report our CO2 figures in g/mile in this country, then our lovely government would simply weight the figures and put us all back into the current groups! Anyhow, as eXOBeX said the numbers would go up not down ;)

Is Lexus Hanley the one on the A34 - Newcastle Road in Stoke?? I might give them a call and go for a day out :)

Just asked for a quote from Lexus Cambridge for a 30,000mile service (just an oil and filter service needed - as they said - not a four year service given it's a 2004 model) which they said could be done while I wait - about one and a half hours. They came back with £365 - that seems a bit steep to me. What's the usual for a Lexus oil and filter service? Thanks

I had loads of trouble the other day. Took a few attempts to upload a photo. Finally worked but then kept on crashing IE when I tried to resize a picture. Seems OK now though. And yes they've changed things again!

Does anyone know if the IS has knock sensors on the engine?

Not actually true mate. Can't remember who pointed this out but modern cars have quite efficient fuel cut off systems....... Easy way to illustrate it, next time you're in a traffic jam, shift the car from D to N, and you'll actually see the engine revs rise..... If you look at the full output from the ECU when an auto car is running, then you see that as you shift from neutral to drive the load value on the engine increases (when you have the brake on and the car is stationary). This is because the engine now has resistance supplied by the torque converter and to overcome this it has to put more fuel in to maintain the required idle speed (and hence use more fuel). The reason the engine speed rises when you move from drive to neutral is because that resistance is then removed and the engine is allowed to run more freely (higher revs) until the ECU regulates it back to the standard idle speed. If you look at the CO2 output from and engine on a dyno it confirms this.

If you are in traffic and keep your foot on the brake or but the handbrake on, then you use a lot more fuel than you do putting it into neutral. Using L, 2 and 3 is recommended when you are towing stuff - it give you more control over what's happening

Yeah - I find that mine only goes into first when to reach a complete stand still and then it changes to 2nd almost straight away when you move off. Also it tries to get into 5th as soon as possible when it's in normal driving mode. I find the creep is much more noticeable when the car is cold and the oil is cold in the gearbox (torque converter). Otherwise it's only a small creep. It is good they way it doesn't go backwards though, even if you are on quite a steep gradient. Snow mode does help you go backwards less aggressively.

What's involved in doing it??

Noticed in another thread that the new IS has "LEXUS" sill lights which look great. Is this something that could be fitted to an IS200/300? Thanks. Dave

Don't have one myself but have been investigating. If you've got enough juice in the batteries then the car will run in electric model only while in traffic (slow speed and if you don't give it the full beans when you pull awawy - as you said - no point when there's lights around) therefore giving you more mpg than you can possibly imagine! The engine will probably cut in now and again if you are in traffic for ages to keep the batteries topped up. It's quite strange because it makes almost no noise at all. Quite cool as well though B) Certainly better MPG than the BMW and all the toys in the world!!

Ah I didn't think of them! They've always got prestige cars, and did you know the little shop there stocks Hershey's bars, yum! With regard to the windscreen, I've phoned RAC Autowindscreens and they've qouted me £197 fitted for a non heated, and £248 for a heated, all inc vat and fitted, sounds better! Sounds like Autoglass just don't want the work or they were supplying OE Lexus glass. Wingmirror on, being sprayed up next week and having the body damage sorted out! I'll post up some before and after pics when it's finished! They seem to sell everything in there!! Do you do your own spraying or know a good place in Cambridge??

Regarding servicing near Cambridge I would recommend a garage called Wallis and Son in Barton, just outside Cambridge on the A603. They specialise in luxury brands but don't charge the earth. Really really good traditional family run garage (but with all the modern stuff to service the latest Lexus/BMW/Merc/etc...) and you get a free courtesy car. Not had mine serviced there yet (will do soon though) but they did a few fixes for me under warrantee and were brilliant. No messing - just got the job done. Give them a call perhaps for a quote?

I have a similar thing with mine when it's cold. It also looks like it has a slight flicker to start with and that goes away as well as soon as things have warmed up a bit. Not really a problem and only notice it in the dark. The SatNav still works fine though :)