doobs

My IS200SE Manual is now 9.5 months old and the front two tyres in particular are showing noticeable wear on the outside edges and slightly less wear on the inside edges. The tyres are Bridgestone Potenza RE040 215/45ZR17 (fiited from new) and I check the pressures every few weeks. I am not a hard/fast driver - the car is used for family motoring on albeit mainly shorter journeys. The car has currently done about 7.5k miles and I think I will be lucky to get much more than 10k out of them - the rears are faring better though. I am not looking forward to the propsect of new tyres after 10k miles. The fronts also have small cracks in the tread lines - I remember reading about this point b4 but can't remember the answer. Any comments/ is this normal wear??

Andy You may well have read I am also going on the 6th June - I assume you used your 4 passes - I have not had any luck yet as my local dealer (Ipswich) did not have any passes. I will have to flash my keys and hope that I can experience their hospitaility (and massage!). If you hear of any passes going, let me know please!

Steve AudioX Is your pass still available - if so I would not mind it! Perhaps you can PM me

SteveAudioX - I wouldn't mind your pass (if youre sure you won't be using it) and I have pmed you

I am not a Gold Member yet - I enjoy the car and the club, but the motor is under warranty and I am not into modding yet! I have not got anything to flash then !!

Here are my opinions Plusses Well built, reliable,attractive and I think reasonably practical/spacious (for its class of car) Minuses Poor alloy wheel quality, 1st-2nd gearchange a bit clonky, bottom end performance mediocre (unless you floor it -then it flies), poor fuel economy Dealers I have mixed feelings about my local one - they may win awards but don't be surpirsed about average customer service on occasions - I find the little things (like phoning you back and they don't) don't always happen.

I am going on Sunday 6th June and have already purchased general admission tickets. However, I understand Lexus has a stand and may well be doing a VIP type pass for admission to their stand (and possibly also including show entrance). I have tried my local dealer and they do not have anything to offer me and the Lexus contact centre could not help either saying it was "a dealer matter". Anybody aware of any Lexus dealers that may have spare/unused passes for the show (I understand it is pot luck as to which have them and which don't) or who else I can try!!!

I am on 3.30-6 session at Braxted Park on 9th june- same session as Tony Goose?? - if so see you there!

Thanks for the replies- if I had it done by someone else and they did a good job - would the dealer ever know if had been resprayed? The other option is to do nothing - whilst it is a bit unsightly, it is not vital that I get it done

Unfortunately, my son caught the door with the handlebars of his bike - the scratch is about six inches long and has taken off the paint layer (scarletti red) - not sure who to use to repair. The car is only 7-8 months old, if I use a non lexus dealer to repair, will this invalidate the paintwork warranty??? I have heard good things about chips away, so i might call them. If I knew how to post a piccie link in this message I would but I don't - perhaps someone will let me know how I do this!!

I quite agree with Nick My vehicle/wheels are only about 7 months old and are supposed the be the revised finished/lacquered ones (or so I was told) but are already showing early signs or corrosion. I will also expect them to be replaced as and when. If they know there is a problem with the UK climate (and they must know by now) then why on earth continue to supply the vehicles with the same wheels - it is a shambles. I will also ask about a revised design of wheel as a replacement. Why should I accept the same design of wheel again only to find out the same thing will happen again. The gearbox which in the main is a joy to use, is a frustrating beast when changing from 1st to 2nd - the usual clonky noise etc. Both these issues are out of character with the rest of the car. Lexus - if you are reading this please take note - matters like this are very frustrating for us and you will start to lose customers and your accolades if this continues. Sort it out!!!!!

Even though its a straight six and I do nearly all town type driving and the performance is only mediocre, the economy on the IS200 is probably it worst point. I am lucky to get any more than 22-23 mpg .

Do you work for Kodak - if so I wouldn't mind a spare 35mm film or two!

Exactly the problem I have !!!!

I have a 7 month old IS200SE and I am already on my 2nd set of Lexus black floor mats as there was evidence of excessive wear in the heel area of the drivers mat - the dealer agreed to change them but already the 2nd set is showing signs of wear again - wife and only wear flat soled shoes / trainers and I have doubts again over how long this set will last - anybody noticed similar things???

I didn't realise there was a mrket for these things either - I only need Jaguar XKR convertible , Invicta S1 and of course the Maserati Copue! - I have a few swaps if anybody is interested in PM ing me. I see some of these cards are classed as rare - are they different ? / is there a rare and non rare version of the same card - Shell website competition quotes "obtain all 24 cards including at least 1 rare card" - does this mean that if you have all 24 cards you still have to have at least 1 other rare card (whatever that is!) - Any thoughts folks

It really is time that Lexus (are you listening?) got this alloy wheel problem sorted out - if this problem now exists on LE wheels as well (and it sounds as if it might) it is a poor show and lets the cars and more importantly the customers down - come on Lexus sort it out - I have had far less distinguished and cheaper cars where this problem did not exist - my car is just over 6 moths old and is already showing very early signs or pitting - I clean and polish/wax my car and wheels regularly as well - I hate to think what the wheels would look like without regular cleaning - no doubt at some stage I will be asking for replacment wheels like many others before me have done so - I was also told that my wheels were improved because of lacquering etc - but I believe that I may have the older ones as the edges are not rounded off etc

Do water marks really scratch the car ? If so how as I didn't know they did

Situation now resolved - I now have the correct made in Japan/Lexus version of the dunlop sp sport 9000 tyre fitted. I can now see (side on) that the side wall appears tapered inwards more to allow the more visible rim protection "banding". You can also "feel" the rim protection on this tyre whereas you can't on the standard sp 9000. Dunlop also said that they recommend the Lexus version as it is tailored to suit the weight and handling characteristics of the IS200

I will add this info into the knowledgebase. Thanks - Colin, I also contacted Dunlop myself as I was concerned about which version I had been supplied with and I confirm they told me exactly the same thing! However, as my supplier fitted a "made in Germany" one and I requested the Lexus version (made in Japan) I contacted them and they have also contacted Dunlop to be told the same thing - Guess what they have now ordered me the Lexus/made in Japan one!

Chris - what are your personal views on optimax and do you use it. Also what is Lexus view on using optimax???

besty has pm'ed me but my pm to him was a mail error - not sure if it worked or not (if so sorry besty) - so any other dunlop sp 9000 owners can you help - I have the made in germany tyre but have heard that it may not be the right version of the tyre - although it says MFS (dunlops rim protection???) on it - I can't see any clear rim protection (side on) and if I have the correct tyre I can't see how it will prevent kerbing of the alloy as the rim protection (if I have it) is minimal. I have also heard that the japanese tyre may have double rim protection - how visible is it on the japanes tyre though

Thanks Colin - mine is made in germany and says MFS on it - which i believe is dunlop's version of a rim protector - however unlike the Bridgestone Potenza RE040 which had a noticable protuding band running round the tyre to protect the alloy, the dunlop (side on) does not appear to have any real protuding part of the tyre to protect the rim - although the sidewall of the tyre may be stronger??, I can't see how the rim protector would work!!! Any thoughts

the revised readings (on a number scale) after they laser checked/adjusted it

Just bought one of the above (fitted to spare in boot though) after hearing good reports about the tyre. How do I know if I have got the "Lexus" version though rather than the "non Lexus" one - is the tyre marked differently ?? I am sure the tyre fitters supplied the right one - but how do I tell. Receipt just says 215/45/ZR17 DUNLOP SP SPORT 9000 MFS I bought if from local Formula 1 centre and I was quite impressed by their fitting etc - I also had a 4 wheel laser alignment done for £24.99 + VAT - and they showed me how they do it and the "after effect" of the check etc