Ludovic

Based on their website it looked very much like snake oil or even a scam website (except for the part where it says it's out of stock), but since the idea seemed so nice, I looked into it a bit more. After reading through http://www.cyclingforums.com/forum/thread/213119/spray-on-tire-chains and http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/tires-wheels-and-brakes/158567-do-spray-on-snow-tires-work.html, my opinion/understanding is the following: - it doesn't work at all as well as winter tyres or snow chains - it should help traction a bit - it will wear off very quickly - someone also reported that it was a messy thing to put on So basically: it's pretty cheap, and if you don't have winter tyres, it might be useful to have this in your car and use it if you ever get stuck (e.g. up a hill or something). It'll probably help you get past obstacle if the obstacle isn't too bad. Then it'll quickly wear off again. I haven't tried, that's just my understanding of it. Anyone have any experience with it/anecdotal evidence of it? (Just how messy it is would also be an interesting thing to clarify.)

I have a standard IS220d and I'm considering buying AutoSocks, so I'm very interested as well in hearing whether others are having issues or not fitting them on an IS 250/220. (Since both the 250 and the 220 have 225/45 R17 (front) and 245/45 R17 (rear) wheels, I assume if it fits on either of them, it'll fit on the other.)

Hi Dave, I know the recommendation is to put the socks on all 4 wheels for RWDs. However, I was wondering how important that really is. I have no doubt that it will be safer and more comfortable, but wouldn't putting it only on the rear wheels be already a big improvement? Why do you say it will not be enough to stop the car?

What about diesel cars which explicitly say you can't use biodiesel for them (e.g. I saw such a label on the Mini One diesel's "fuel door")? Are you supposed to just ignore that warning and use biodiesel anyway?

Interesting question, I'd like to know this as well.

That surprises me - I find my IS220d to be very responsive and lively, very much "a driver's car" (except for all the problems I have with it). Can't compare it with a BMW though, so maybe my definition of "a driver's car" is a bit off. Definitely piqued my interest, now I need to try out a 320d :)

Impressive list :-) I always wonder how people like you get Lexus to fix those things. I'm having problems with my 220d as well, but it's hard to prove the problems I'm having. And since I can't prove it, Lexus just dismisses them, they say they couldn't find anything wrong. So, seriously, how do you get them to fix all those things? Problems mine has: - pulls to the right when driving - I *think* it also pulls when breaking (meaning the breaks could have a problem) - the consumption is way too high (they say it's because it's new, but I have 20K km by now) - the engine makes a noise (they say they can't hear it) - I have ice on the inside of my windshield after a cold night (they say it's normal for a car to have that, but it's the first car I have this problem with) - Not so great radio reception, but then again it has a wire on the back window instead of a real antenna, so I guess there's not much to do about it -- I just expected better from a Lexus - I have the impression that it slips easily (while this one is by far the most annoying issue for me, it's also very, very hard to prove this one - Lexus says it's fine, and that the slipping treshold depends on the tyres, but *they* sell their new 220d's with those tyres)

Newbie question: what's FSH?

Sure, but I was saying that even if you don't do procedure, logically you should end up with tyres filled mostly with nitrogen anyway -- since the oxygen is the first to get out of your tyres.

From tonz's link (thanks for that): The corrosion seems a bit far-stretched, no? As for the slower rate of pressure loss: logically, this will happen automatically when you fill it up with normal air as well: the oxygen molecules will go away much quicker, leaving mostly nitrogen molecules. After a while, you'll have almost nothing but nitrogen in them. Or am I missing something?