Evista

its a shame you cant get evistas sport.. thats in buy and sell think he wants about 13k

well worth a look..his ad

craig

Good on you jac, and its only £12,500 now.

Whether you go for mine or not you wont be disappointed in the GS - especially the sport as it looks so cool B)

Make sure you go for the Quanans (and ask for a discount)

I dont know why you bother with teh display, I think it would spoil th elook of the interior and I personally always look in the side mirrors when reversing so wouldnt be looking at the dash. - The sound is good enough on its own

Congrats Colin - guess well be seeing you on here at odd hours from now on

Jeremy Clarkson: Bling bling! Here comes whitey *****

Lexus RX300

It all started with DJ Tim Westwood, the source and inspiration for the monster that is Ali G. It was all a bit of a joke: nice white boys dressing, acting and even talking like they were black; now everyone’s at it.

Two City types meet in a pub, both young, blond, Pink shirts and subtle suits. Everything about them is very white except the way they shake hands. Both go for the West Indian technique of balled fists and knuckles touching.

Next day, and a kitchen in west London: pine floors, Poggenpohl kitchen appliances, Mark Williamson handiwork. The Persil-white 15-year-old son is coming home from a night out with friends. “Man, it’s kicking out there tonight. It’s a war zone,” he says.

And then we have the so-called Lotto Lout, the young man with a criminal record who won £9.7m on the lottery. He’s a white boy but he turned up at court the other day dressed like Snoop Dogg — baggy trousers, chains as big as a Brunel backdrop and with more gold than the souk in Dubai.

Now look at my daughter, for whom the world is divided into two parts: cool and not cool. There she is, nine years old, at a private school in Oxford, modelling her life on the beach vendors in Barbados. Dr Cool, the man with the aloe (and the cocaine) — he’s all right. Prince Charles, he’s groovy for sure, but cool? Like . . . no way!

And your kids. Ever wondered why their trousers have to be worn so low on the hips that you can see their pubic hair? The trend started in the jails of America, where the po-lice would take your belt to stop you hangin’ yo’self. Low-slung trousers mean you’ve been inside. And being inside is, well, cool.

Then there’s you. You didn’t buy Tatler when it had Naomi Campbell on the cover, but you eat Dorset Super High Fibre cereal because Jamaican guys say it’s better than Viagra. You used to think plasma televisions were vulgar, but now that they’re “bling” you want one. You hate rap, but love Eminem. You don’t want more immigrants but if someone offered you a diamond-encrusted Mac-10 you’d buy it like a shot.

Recent surveys suggest that in the absence of any white subculture such as punk, people are turning to black culture instead. Apparently we’re even starting to speak Blinglish, peppering our everyday conversations with words like “buff” and “standard”. This hasn’t yet happened in Chipping Norton, and that bitch ho at the post office has not inquired after me mampi and me hench, but I’m sure she soon will.

If we’re all going to be niggaz, we’re going to need some appropriate wheels. In the past that would have taken us straight to the door of BMW, an acronym for Black Man’s Wheels. But that was then, and in the old days car firms didn’t like the association with black culture. Now they love it. In America black rappers have taken to driving round in Cadillacs and this has totally transformed the brand. Not that long ago, Caddies were bought only by little old ladies in Florida retirement communities, and now they’re the hottest ticket in town.

Bentley, too, is reaping the rewards after Wyclef Jean bought a Continental GT, but the biggest winner, the ultimate rap-mobile, is the Lexus. The demolition job done on the brand by Steve Coogan, who gave Alan Partridge an IS200 in his most recent television series, has been overturned by the black man’s love affair with this Japanese upstart. Sales are through the roof.

Check out song lyrics to see what I mean. Sarah Jones, in Your Revolution, talks about “The Versaces you buy or the Lexus you buy”, while R Kelly says, “The way you do things you do reminds me of my Lexus, cool”, and 2 Pac & Outlaws wrote, “She’s snorting dope in the back seat of Trigg’s Lexus”. Then you have Allied Meta-Forces with the unforgettable, “Get blast for ya necklace, leave ya brains on the dash of ya Lexus”.

So I borrowed one of the new RX300s and went for a drive with Nas’s Watch Dem Niggas on the stereo — “Crime infected. Drivin’ a Lexus, with a death wish”.

This new quasi off-road car will afford you more respect from the brothers, and your children, than a Porsche Cayenne V6 or a BMW X5 3 litre. But is it any good?

From the outside it doesn’t have the traditional Tonka Toy chunkiness you’d expect of off-roaders, and on the inside, apart from a mildly raised driving position, it feels like a Lexus saloon — there’s wood and leather along with the most beautifully organised dashboard I’ve ever seen.

Then there’s the quality. Toyota actually employs a man whose sole job is to ensure switches have a robust but smooth feel, and a satisfying click when you push them. It shows. And the stereo is magnificent, while the ride comfort is extraordinarily good.

Like the Range Rover, the Lexus is of monocoque construction which — in top models at least — is supported by adjustable air suspension. But unlike the Range Rover, or any other off-roader I’ve driven, it doesn’t fidget or bounce. It would certainly make a stable gun platform in any drive-by shooting. The old RX had an awful ride, but this one gives no impression at all that you’re in something that’s designed for the big outdoors.

Perhaps because it wasn’t. There are no buttons to push if you get stuck in mud, no transfer box or locking differentials, no gubbins to keep you moving when nature would rather you didn’t. But what you do get is a camera in the rear tailgate to help you park.

And it’s very clever: you pull up in front of a parking space then press “I agree” on the dash-mounted TV. A box comes onto the screen showing you how much you need to turn the wheel in order to park. Follow the instructions and you’ll slot into the space perfectly.

This, then, is an off-roader designed for the urban jungle. Maybe that’s why the boot is too small for shotguns and hunting rifles, but the glove box is large enough to hold an Uzi.

So far as peeps are concerned, you get five beautifully trimmed leather seats and that’s it. They don’t swivel or turn into sherry trifles, and nothing pops out of the boot floor.

Which brings us, in sepulchral silence, to the RX’s biggest problem: I don’t know what it’s for. When we buy off-road cars it isn’t because we want to go off road, it’s because we like the raised driving position and the sense of solidity, and we’re prepared to put up with the downsides — the ride, the fuel consumption, the lack of performance, and so on.

But you don’t get any sense of chunkiness with the Lexus. As you drive it you can’t help thinking: “This feels exactly like a normal car.”

So why not buy a car instead? It’ll be faster, more comfortable, and will do more than 23mpg. What’s more it’ll be the GS300, which is as cool as they come, the chilliest model in the Lexus line-up. Nirvana for P Diddy, ambrosia for 50 Cent (or 28p, as I call him, to annoy my kids).

Lexus engineers were probably hugely pleased with the RX300. “Rook at how such a big, high-liding car is so sophisticated and smooth.” But in making it so, they’ve erased all the appeal, thrown the baby out with the bathwater. It’s good for an off-roader, but only because it isn’t one.

So what’s the alternative for around £37,000? I’m no fan of the BMW X5 or the VW Toe-Rag, the Porsche Cayenne V6 isn’t very bling, the Mercedes ML is 500 years old, the Discovery is for murderers (they all have one) and you’re more likely to find an NHS dentist in Scarborough than a Volvo XC90 on the roads. So that leaves the Range Rover, which unfortunately is a deal more expensive.

Still, don’t give up hope. Simply study the teachings of BG in his song I Be Thinking. He wisely says: “I be loaded, thinking of Range Rovers. Maybe I could get a Range Rover if I stay my ***** sober.”

VITAL STATISTICS

Model: Lexus RX300 SE-L

Engine type: V6, 2995cc 

Power: 201bhp @ 5600rpm

Torque: 209 lb ft @ 4500rpm

Transmission: Five-speed automatic, four-wheel drive

Tyres: 195/60 R15

Fuel: 23.2mpg (combined)

Top speed: 124mph

Acceleration: 0 to 62mph: 9sec

Price:  £37,825

Verdict: Apart from guaranteeing respect from Compton to Chipping Norton, what is it for?

Rating:

I had similar situation with my old MD and he treated everyone like a piece of *hit. I didnt stand for it and stood up to him from day one and he never tried again - typical of bullies, there just cowards and pick on people who are weaker (or in the workplace, pick on people who they know cant answer back)

If you leave, I think you can claim constructive dismissal as he has made your working environment in such a way that you have no option than to leave. This would only work if you went to the MD and he didnt change the situation.

I am not sure about the breed you are looking for, but with mine (Hungarian Vizsla) there is an owners club (and a forum like LOC) where they have a lsit of breeders

You should also try the kennel club web site where all reputable breeders have to register themselves to become a 'breeder'

good luck in your search

depends what yuo want out of a car, but we looked at the crv for my wife as we wanted the internal space and liked the looks but the boot space wasnt all that. we ended up with a Colorado and are absolutely delighted with it. People are always put off by its size but it isnt really that big especially if you have the parking sensors.

They have excellent residual value compared with teh CRV as well if the mileage is right

My father in law (who has a GS300) hired a Saab in France - arriveed at hotel and tried to remove keys but they wouldnt come out and this was in a MANUAL. With Saabs, you have to put them in reverse before you can remove the key - Imagine a 65 year old Irishman asking a Frenchman how to get the keys out of a Swedish car - took them over an hour to work it out

Battersea?

Just completed this. There is no need to remove the bumper at all. All you have to remove is the trim to the rear of the boot loading bay and the cover that goes over the rear light cluster (to one side only)

If you have a look at this picture you can see the position of the sensors.

Just run the cable over the bumper irons otherwise the cables will get a bit close to the rear silencer at could melt. Its quite fiddly but can be done. I then drilled a hole in the top of rear edge of the spare wheel well (which is why you have to take the plastic tril off) and fed the cables through and placed the connector box below the rear light cluster. Once all the panelling is back on, nothing is in sight.

Good luck

I have never seen or heard of a GS with LPG conversion, only LS400's

So your best starting point is to buy a standard GS and convert it yourself.

You could try this one :winky: GS 4 sale

I met Mike Brewer a couple of years ago and have met up with him a few times since. Not really A list but it's car related...

.... and his wife had an IS Sportcross for gratis - how cool is that

Forgot to mention an interesting bit about knowing Nike Brewer, got invited to the final show of Driven when they had teh best car of the series - Mini Cooper S v Porsche 996 Turbo v Merc SL - had Jason Plato drive us around teh preimter roads of an airfield in pitch darkness - man can he drive and can those cars go B)

I met Mike Brewer a couple of years ago and have met up with him a few times since. Not really A list but it's car related...

.... and his wife had an IS Sportcross for gratis - how cool is that

It is big time mileage, I would like to have seen new discs and shocks at somepoint in the history. Good price although you may have trouble selling it again with such high mileage.

Apparently not, 7 bids and up to £3950 now.

Does it come with a "Captains Log"

am i being stupid, but what is it and how can bidding get up to $2.5m???

It was kind of my fault leaving the phones in, its just after 6 years of doing so, you become comfortable about where you live. I dont get any netwirk coverage here so I never need to bring it inside, but will do from now.

Funny thingt was that despite saying that my car was a 99 and had a green tint, they still came out with a 95 GS window in bronze. They couldnt get one until today so I had a GS mk 1 glass in the car with the last 2" covered over in gaffa tape, where its a little shorter.

"Symptoms of being over 25"

How many of these would you admit to....

1.You leave gigs before the encore to "beat the rush".

2.You own a lawnmower.

3.You stop dreaming of becoming a professional footballer and start

dreaming of having a son who might instead.

4.Before throwing the local paper away, you look through the property

section.

5.You prefer Later with Jools Holland to Top of the Pops.

6.All of a sudden, Tony Blair is not 46, he's only 46.

7.Before going out anywhere, you ask what the parking is like.

8.Rather than throw a knackered pair of trainers out, you keep them

because they'll be all right for the garden.

9.You buy your first ever T-shirt without anything written on it.

10. Instead of laughing at the Innovations catalogue that falls out of

the newspaper, you suddenly see both the benefit and money saving

properties of a plastic winter cover for your garden bench and an

electronic mole repellent for the lawn. Not to mention the plastic man

for the car to deter would-be thieves.

11.You start to worry about your parents' health.

12.You complain that ecstacy's "not as pure as it used to be coz you

know that if you have some it will take about 48 hours to recover and

anyway, you might look a bit of an idiot.

13.Sure, you have more disposable income, but everything you want to

buy costs between 200 and 500 quid.

14.You don't get funny looks when you buy a Disney video or a Wallace

and Gromit bubble bath, as the sales assistant assumes they are for

your child.

15.Pop music all starts to sound crap.

16.You opt for Pizza Express over Pizza Hut because they don't have

any pictures on the menus and anyway, they do a really nice

half-bottle of house white.

17.You become powerless to resist the lure of self-assembly furniture.

18.You always have enough milk in.

19.To compensate for the fact that you have little desire to go

clubbing, you instead frequent really loud tapas restaurants and

franchise pubs with wacky names in the mistaken belief that you have

not turned into your parents.

20.While flicking through the TV channels, you happen upon C4's Time

Team with Tony Robinson. You get drawn in.

21.The benefits of a pension scheme become clear.

22.You go out of your way to pick up a colour chart from B&Q.

23.You wish you had a shed.

24.You have a shed.

25.You actually find yourself saying "They don't make 'em like that

anymore" and "I remember when there were only 3 TV channels" and "Of course, in my day...."

26.Radio 2 play more songs you know than Radio 1 - and Jimmy Young has some really interesting guests on.... you know.

27.Instead of tutting at old people who take ages to get off the bus,

you tut at schoolchildren whose diction is poor.

28.When sitting outside a pub you become envious of their hanging

baskets.

29.You make an effort to be in and out of the curry house by 11.

30. You find yourself saying "is it cold in here or is it just me?"

Alarm went off on the Lexus at 3am this morning - woke me up, looked out the window and couldnt see anything so went back to sleep.

Went to go out this morning and found they had smashed the passenger door glass and stolen the mobile from the car kit. I know I shouldnt leave the phone on display but its a private driveway on a dead end next to the woods so no passing foot traffic

Thankfully the wife left her car unlocked (eh? ) so they didnt do any damage to her car but took the phone and cd player. If it had been locked, they would have just smashed her window in any case so i was better of with it unlocked.

funny thing is that they left the DVD player and headrest TV screens, her handbag and my golf clubs, so it could have been alot worse.

Just waiting for autpglass to come out with a replacement glass for the GS.

makes you wonder why we bother locking cars as its so weasy to get in and no one takes any notice of alarms nowadays. just need to rely on a mobilisor

Do you really need parking sensors with a screen - the mirror idea is good but the others would be a pain.

come on, you know that mirror idea is cool!!! (as long as it all works )

No, i think 2 or 3 sensors are fine.

Steve would you have to wire them all up?

I would have gone for the mirror type, except you lose the auto dipping function in the exsiting mirror so didnt bother

stick a fake cat on ya bonnet every night

would have thought a fake dog would have been better :doggy:

Blimey, I thought you had sold the GS - good to see theres still one here!

Anyway, check the oil fluid level - exactly the same happened with me and it just needed topping up

Do you really need parking sensors with a screen - the mirror idea is good but the others would be a pain.

Most car manufacturers just have an audible warning (except Merc) I just fitted some with just a speaker and 3 flush sensors and there great. With Gold discount it only cost £65

I have always bought private to get a cheaper deal. However, a friend of mine bought a B*W 540 from a second hand car dealer recently. He took it for a service and as it was a bit lumpy on idle so they did a compression test.

Turns out it is either the engine block or something else expensive and B*W suggested he budgeted £2-£3k to fix it. Took it back to the SH dealer and whilst he tried to wriggle for a while, we got all his money back. I did have to remind him of the Sale & Supply of Goods to Consumers Act!!

Whilst he paid top end retail price for it, he had the protection if it went wrong. The same car could have been sold privately for a £1k cheaper but there would have been no protection.

with that said, money talks and I hate paying over the odds for something that I could get cheaper elsewhere. and you can always buy a warranty

On my Black GS Sport I did red calipers with white stickers. Depends whethe ryou want the calipers or the stickers to stand out or both!

Does it have a map display or is it just voice commands