true blue

Thanks for the info , I will look into going onto the above sizes ,I assume the rears on 255 are on 8 1/2 J rims Dave

That has come up well ,a real credit to all your effort .I think it is the same blue as my is250C but looks sharper ,what wax did you use ? Dave

Hi not wishing to hi-jack this thread but after reading these comments I checked the tyres on my 2011 is250C ;all 4 dunlops are 245/40 R18 ,I don,t think they are the original tyres as the date on them is 2 years after registation .Where would the 8J section mark be on the wheel ? and if they are 8J am I best going back to 225 on the front or replacing like with like ? I have happily covered over 3000 miles in the car since I purchased it with no ill effects .the car has a full Lexus service and I notice they have put these sizes on the check sheet with depth measurements,without comment ; I will be replacing the tyres in the next 2000 miles Thanks Dave

Hi ,I have not had any previous problems getting touch up paint ,I have just got some Ultrasonic blue 8U1 from a dealer using the code off this plate . if you ring Lexus with the Vin number they may be able to help ,or talk to the guy from the body shop who ordered the paint ,he must know the code , Dave

Hi ,Normski, thanks, you have triumphed once again ,This was on my list of jobs prior to our trip to the continent later this year . We have gone across for the last 15 years in an MX 5 and had to put various stickers on the headlights ;this time we intend to go in our 'grown up ' convertible IS 250 .I will keep a copy in the glovebox .The next job is to get a spare wheel as I do not like the idea of stopping on the motorway with no spare .The MX 5 had no spare but we travelled as a club and a couple of cars had spare spacesavers we could share in an emergency . Dave

Hi ,the grease I use I get from an E bay seller ,it is american but sold in this country ,Permatex ultra brake caliper lube 20353 , Item no 222020397006 this is a synthetic grease and seems to work well .I think ceratec was designed as a non metallic anti seize grease ,and I cannot find any reports on whether it affects rubber.You can use red rubber grease or lithium based grease but DO NOT use copper grease for this job as it is a anti seize compound which contains ingredients which will attack rubber ,and can cause it to swell . Dave

Hi ,I am sure everyone would be interested in an alternative key supplier, I recently purchased a IS 250C from an independent dealer in Nottingham ,when they told me they only had the 1 key ,I insisted on a 2nd or they would lose the sale .They agreed as they said they could get it done through the trade cheaply .They tried all ways but ended up having to take the car to Lexus Nottingham and pay for the key +1/2 hr labour total £340 !!!! ,OK for me but their sales guy was not a happy bunny . Dave

Thank you Normski for solving a problem that has puzzled me regarding the air filter ,on both the Lexus models I have had with full stamped histories ,the air filters have been dirty in the extreme,I have E mailed the dealer without success ,and as I do all my own servicing ,I will continue changing air filters at 10,000 miles .With regard to the ' no spare ' situation ,I have used a rubber mushroom TIRE PLUGGER system on motor cycles and on my MX5 with excellent results if the hole is caused by a nail or screw ,not feasible for side wall damage or split .If you do use the ' goo ' it makes such a mess inside the tyre that most repairers will not repair it . If you google stop and go tire plugger you will find a selection of tubeless repair systems . dave

Hi , I agree ,good workshop practice with brake pad renewal, 2 brake manufacturers Mintex and Textar market a non metallic anti squeal grease called CERA TEC .this works very well and is sold in a handy 75 ml tube . There have been reports that the copper in the copper grease can effect the abs sensors ,so I use the non metallic one Dave

Hi ,glad you are pleased with your purchase ,the IS 250 really is a great car .With regards to the brake dust it depends on the pads that are fitted ,some create a lot of dust ,you can address this issue when replacement is necessary .I have found the original Lexus items are quite good in this respect if a bit more expensive . Dave

Hi yes I have been an MX 5 fan for 15 years ,and currently have a year 2010 retractable hard top 2 litre ,They are great cars and very reliable.Rust is a major problem ,especially on the mk 2 and 2.5 ;sills wheel arches etc and always have a proper inspection underneath before parting with any money .Wheel alignment is important and fully adjustable ,our friend at wheels in motion is an expert on suspension and steering .The mark 3 ( 2006 on) has the Ford mechanicals ,which are very reliable as Mazda assembles them in Hiroshima,it does need a regular check on oil level ,as some poorly maintained units can ruin big ends . Go across to the owners forum ,and also there is a lot of technical advice on MX5 Nutz forum . I can post pictures if it wont upset too many folk on here Dave

Hi Steve ,the wheels are listed as a lexus optional extra on the original paperwork ,I think I have seen them before on a GS Dave

I'm biased but I have to agree the car looks better with the hood down . Image attached (I hope) of the dealer picture when I went to collect mine Dave

Looks great ,worth the effort you put into the cleaning . The interior is uplifted in the light colour ( mine is black ) ,but I opted for the lighter exterior . We have had the monsoon season up here as well ! managed to get a trip in today with the hood down . Dave

Hi I can only agree with what has been said before, I bought mine at Christmas and I am really enjoying the ride and the auto box .I had a IS200 sportcross for 6 years ,and this car is a big step up .It seems a lot bigger on the road but I am getting used to this ;and I am suprised at the fuel consumption at 32.2 over the last 1000 miles (I don't drive any city commutes) .Your prospective purchase sounds fine ,buy it and enjoy. Dave

Hi,some good advice regarding getting the car to a good safe working height ,to enable good leverage ,but I wonder if the correct tool has been used .I have just purchased a laser tool for the IS 250 and was confused by this 64 m/m description .There are 3 tools in the Laser catalogue ,the one which broke 5160 ,which is described as for the prius ;corolla,and avensis .The 4880 which specifies the Lexus is250 among others ( which I purchased ) and the 5176 which mentions Lexus and 'universal'. The first 2 are aluminium cast and look the same except the 4880 is black and has a hexagon on the end to allow the use of a 1/2 socket and a decent knuckle bar.This removed the housing O K .I do not know what the difference is ,perhaps someone does ,but I do not think a tool company would sell 1 tool with 2 part numbers if a common tool did the job Dave

Hi take your time looking for a good car, there are plenty out there .A car with low mileage should not show excess wear as you have described ,I have recently purchased a IS 250 with 20,000 miles on the clock and it is in 'as new'condition. You can check recent mileage on the government MOT site by just inputting the reg number ,this will also show you any advisories ,which you can check for when you inspect the car and paperwork .If you need some guide on prices ,you can input the Reg number on the www.confused.com/car-valuation site as a guide ,A more accurate guide is Glasses Guide but you will need to pay for that. Dave

THANKS Steveledzep ,I have been looking for a replacement for the ' candle ' in the boot of my recently aquired IS 250C .Very poor on a high end quality car considering all the other lights fitted on the SEL .Ordered Dave

Hi my experience with Lexus and Toyota timing belts has been that the original belt has been marked toyota or denso so the SKF will be a replacement.If you read the postings on here about belt replacement ,you will see replacement of the tensioner is also advisable .

Hi try the obvious first , the battery leads need to be pushed right on the terminals and fastened tight ; the alternator drive belt needs to be in good condition ,tensioned correctly and not slipping ,sometimes if the belt has slipped previously it hardens and does not drive properly .Take the car to an auto electrician , electrics confuse most 'mechanics' ,he will check the battery which should give approx 12.7 volts as it is new and the alternator should charge approx 14 to 14.5 volts when running .A load test can also be carried out on the battery as it is not unknown for a new battery to have problems . Dave

Hi ; Bigg Red list various pins and kits along with their refurb kits .Their web site seems to be having maintenance but you could E mail them at calipers@ biggred.co.uk I have bought from them in the past without problems Dave

Ah a trolley jack Jack! I have 2 .I am a retired engineer and do all my own routine maintenance . Dave

Hi the drive is busy due to holiday time. The lexus and the MX5 in the garage are ours ,all the other vehicles parked up belong to family visitors . Dave

Hi thanks for the help I'll try again I don.t think the wheels are std are they GS wheels?

Thanks for the advice Mike I am not much good with PC'c (generation thing ) I tried what you advised but when I click the image in the folder ,a gold colourerd lock appears in the bottom left hand corner of the image and it will not transfer .The images have been downloaded from the card in my camera as usual . Dave