sprinter2012

That does sound very odd...I fitted my GROM for iPod a couple of weeks ago and it worked straight off with no problems. Only thing I had to do was turn the radio off and on again to get it to recognise that I had attached it. Only thing I can think is that maybe the fact you have the NAV spec could be the issue?

p.s. OEM 7" screen is on eBay HERE

This thread started off asking for advice, but having now completed the conversion I thought I'd put myself out there to answer questions if anyone else wants to do this. I used THIS screen to replace the factory one. High resolution, touchscreen (via USB cable to pc of some sort), 2 composite video inputs, VGA input and provision for a reversing camera all built in. It's a perfect fit for the factory housing if you sit it on top of a strip of 6mm number plate fixing foam. B) Once it arrives the input will for now, be a 1/2 DIN DVD player in the glovebox, and at a later date a reversing camera will be added too. I'll get some pics uploaded once it's all fitted. A couple of issues and the relevent solutions I came across are... Problem: Operating the screen without the buttons once it is fitted in the housing Solution: Un-solder the IR receiver from the circuit board with the buttons on, and solder in a length of cable between the board and the reciever. This way you can glue it in behind the little IR window built into the housing to save cutting holes in it. Problem: Screen closes and then opens when you start the engine Solution: Solder in a capacitor between the ACC/SWITCHED LIVE (bottom right of plug) and EARTH/NEGATIVE (bottom left of plug) terminals on the plug at the rear of the unit. This keeps the circuit live for a couple of seconds while the engine starts. Problem: Getting the sound to play through the factory speaker system Solution: I've already got the GROM iPod adapter fitted which has an AUX In socket that I don't use, so I've run the DVD player sound through that. Overall not as hard as I thought it was going to be but there were a few moment during the inital disassembly where I thought...ooh god what have I let myself in for. Luckily most of what you take out doesn't need to go back in. :) Anyway if anyone has any questions feel free to comment or PM me.

I think THIS is what you need. Toyota/Lexus Astral Black, which although it doesnt say on the web page, is paint code 202, it says on the paint rack in the shop but its listed under Toyota Altezza.

who you insured with mate as my policy has been cancelled as i was paying £220 a month and that my dad as the 1st driver and me as 2nd driver fully comp gutted car,less help guys please!!! recommend me some insurance companies or brokers please!! I've posted on a new topic on Lexus general discussions any suggestions please post there or here. What ever you guys can do to help me. im insured with admiral at the moment, i started the policy to cover my *cough* fiat stilo. and then i just payed the difference on the remaining 6 months when i switched to the is200. and thats with me being the registered keeper, main driver, and with my parents added as additional drivers. and having got my first year no claims as the main driver on my own insurance with the fiat. getting a woman on there takes hundreds off it too, even if they are only a secondary driver! so if you've got a wife/gf/mum then stick them on there even if your never gunna let them behind the wheel. lol

you guys have got it easy...try insuring an IS200 Sport as a 20 year old with 1.5 years driving time/no claims....NOT cheap. worth every penny though ;)

Just wondering if anyone has had their steering wheel re-covered? I was thinking of maybe getting it done in a nice sporty perforated leather, but still keeping the two tone colour scheme. What are your thoughts...too much hassle? Or would it just look naff? Opinions/experiences please. :)

Not really sure how good that kit is to be honest, I only really got it to touch up a few 'down to metal' stone chips on the bonnet untill I get it all sorted properly. Ooh and as for the poor range, I totally failed to think that you might need a colour other than black...oops. I guess yours isnt one they stock?

stick me down provisionally for one of these, just waiting on quotes from a few bodyshops before i go ahead and get one. p.s. if anyone knows of a good bodyshop around oxfordshire gimme a shout. :)

I'd love one of these too if you happen to be doing a couple...

I recently bought THIS the other day, halfords don't list Lexus paint colours but they have Toyota 202 Astral Black (exactly the same stuff as far as I know) not bad for £8.49 I thought, comes as a 2 pen kit, 1 x Grey Primer, 1 x 202 Astral Black, a little fibreglass stick/brush for cleaning crap from chips/sratches and a little sponge for... Hope that helps. :)

done, fingers crossed now. :) and if you win remember to drink responsibly... B)

"We are not aware of any problems in the past with these bulbs and would really appreciate a link to the forum that states that others have contacted us about this very problem so we can look into this matter." :tsktsk: It's a cover-up! :tsktsk: I'll keep you guys posted when/if they come back with any sort of response.

i second what parthiban said, even without anti-glare bulbs you wont get a lot of glare as long as you dont have your lights set too high to begin with. but obviously this problem is affecting some more than others so i guess it depends on how far in your particular bulb/housing setup will allow them to screw in. as far as my situation goes, ive now fitted the standard bulbs and im pretty happy with them, got my lights on the highest setting and not been flashed once. HIDS4U said they will refund me the cost of a set of anti-glare bulbs, which i will be returning to them, and also the postage on the original order. but NOT the postage from when i ordered the normal bulbs...so dont go getting the new ones super expensive delivery if you do go down this route. they also said they had no record of anyone mentioning this problem before, so i pointed them in the direction of the posts on LOC stating they had been contacted in the past. so hopefully they will pull their finger out and do something about it now.

On closer inspection I think we're fighting a losing battle trying to adjust that black location ring, because it would still have to line up with the 3 slots in the metal housing behind it, which cant be moved. I did however on fitting the non anti-glare bulbs today notice that these new ones only screw in a very small amount compared to the 1/4 turn I got from the anti-glare bulbs. And what I've realised is that while the o-ring on the anti-glare bulbs was perfectly central on the bulb holder. On the new ones its slightly off centre, only by about 0.5mm (probably a dodgey mould on that batch), but its enough to mean it wont screw in as far, meaning its more vertical (how it should be for the anti-glare). Sooo..I'm guessing if you purposely put on a slightly thicker o-ring. It would stop it screwing in as far, and maybe give you that extra 15-20 degrees you need to acheive your perfect cut off. Just an idea. Other than that I wouldn't know what to suggest. :duh:

Well assuming that plastic ring with the slots just comes off with those 3 screws, it wouldnt be too hard to work out where to drill new holes to remount it in the correct position. Just a bit annoyed that HIDS4U didn't say anything after asking for the Make, Model and Year of the car both at the product selection stage, and then also getting me to write it on the order form so they can check its the correct one. I didnt bother to check how high the beam was because they looked pretty low anyway. But as far as the light pattern on the road, it looks sort like this... And yes it is symetrical as the picture shows, because the blanking bits on the bulb are blocking the light that would normally give you the extra vision on the passenger side.

I think it was actually now you mention it. Strange, because mine are mounted almost exactly 90 degress from where they should be. So if yours arent that far out perhaps the bit it fixes into can be rotated? I was looking at the three screws that attach the ring with the slots in...wondering if i loosened them I might be able to swivel it round a bit, or are they for adjusting the beam? I guess they didnt need to build in the ability to adjust the orientation of the bulbs as the ones its designed for are the same whatever way you put them in.

apologies for repeating this topic, I just found a thread from february stating the same problem so ignore this one. I'm just gunna get some standard bulbs to replace the crappy anti glare ones because to be honest, it shouldnt make any difference to oncoming drivers if it isnt blocking upwards light anyway... Plus the concentrated area of light in the middle keeps drawing my gaze because it stands out. I'll let you know how the standard bulbs affect the light pattern.

Story is I just bought a dipped beam 35W HID kit from HIDS4U, with their super duper anti glare bulbs. I was under the impression that the bit the bulb blocked out should either be at the top or bottom of the bulb? Depending on how many times the light is reflected before it leaves the lens. But because they only go in one position due to a little tab in the housing they are blocking out light from the sides, so im getting a wierd trapezoidal shaped light on the road because its blocking the part of the light that normally illuminates the edges. Any suggestions? Can anyone else whose got these fitted tell me which way theirs are orientated? Can i rotate the bulb inside the holder?

I'm definitely interested if another one of these group buys is organised. :)

Nope that's right, when you put a master in the light goes straight out, when you put the valet key in the light is supposed to stay on for a bit. The black ones are definitely the masters, and the grey is the valet key. Aaah I seee, I just got confused because I thought that being a 'master' key there would only be one. But thanks for clearing that up Parthiban, much appreciated.

I'm David, 20. Engineer in the solar/renewable energy sector. Just bought myself a black 2003 IS200 Sport with 28000 miles on the clock. Single with no kids...that I know of. ;) No plans for any real mods as yet, just giving it a nice 'clean but original' look. Xenon HIDs on the font, possibly LEDs on the back. Black painted calipers with white Lexus decals, refurb the wheels...and that should just about do it I think. :) Main pass time is running, I'm a sprinter for a local athletics club, and not too bad at it if I do say so myself. Used to do downhill mountain biking but I'm in the process of selling my bike at the moment due to lack of time to use it. And I quite like to do a bit of photography, photoshop, graphic design-ish stuff in my spare time too. I look forward to my time in the LOC....and I'm also trying to create world peace. :D

Thanks for the heads up guys, the car came with 3 keys anyway so I've got one to play with. Something else which is slightly confusing, I'm sure I read somewhere that the master key is the one with 3 buttons. Yet the car has 2 black keys both with 3 buttons which dont light up the dashboard security light when inserted. And one grey one with only 2 buttons, which does light it up. I can only assume that the grey one is the master, but I'm sure people said the master has 3 buttons? :duh: I'll get past the nooby question stage soon...honest. B)

Basically I've just bought myself an IS200 Sport, love the car, just not too keen on the keys. I can see them poking holes in my pockets after a while. Would a Lexus dealer be able to sell me a new style folding key programmed from my master? Or do Lexus just not do folding keys? I've been looking up these DIY style kits where you buy a blank folding key, get it cut and then just swap over all the internals? Here's what I found on eBay Has anyone tried this before? Any feedback much appreciated.