Gruntfuggly

Anybody know where I can get a replacement clip that holds the bonnet stay in place when the bonnet is closed? Mine snapped off tonight when I was filling my screenwash... :(

I've got some Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited in mine - they are a definite improvement over the standard bulbs. I had an HID kit in my old Calibra - the difference is well worth it (and it's not expensive) but the IS200 headlights are reflectors, not projectors, which means that the beams aren't focused properly if you use HIDs. There is a website though: hids4u.co.uk where you can get a kit with a modified HID bulb (patented I guess as they are the only people selling them) which works apparently. I'm going to get a set at some point, just haven't pulled the trigger yet...

If you do get some from hids4u, use the discount code "toyota pro" and you'll get about 20% off too. Works out at about 60 quid or so for the set...

Hi - I've just checked and I have still got the kit in the shed. I imagine you're getting desperate to get something fitted, but unfortunately I'm on holiday until Monday. If you can wait till then, ping me a PM with your address and I'll stick it in the post for you...

Economy: approx 30-32mpg (70 mile round trip combination of A roads/Motorway/B roads) - I get about 400 - 430 miles per tank...

Insurance: approx £300

Road Tax: Band K - £285 (ouch)

Clutch: Depends on how it's been driven, but if it's been looked after, I'd say no...

Not sure about the rest...

That looks like the "tray" part of the aftermarket kit that's sold for converting the double din whole to single din. It's not a very good piece of kit, but seems to be the only one available. You can see that the point of the screw is point towards you - this is supposed to screw the "tray" into the facia part. You're probably better off getting hold of the whole kit. I might even have a spare one if you want it (for the cost of postage)...

The windscreen stick on jobs are fankly crap. The best ariels for DAB are surface mounted. However, I didn't want to start drilling holes in my bodywork (and I am too cheap to get one professionally fitted) so I got a window mounted one which sticks on the outside (in the corner of the rear screen) with a receiver that sticks on the inside. It works very well - I get a few drop outs in where I am (sussex) but it's much better than the old windscreen one I had...

Got mine from dabonwheels.co.uk - they're very good. This is the one I have:

http://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/Kinetic_DEGA-4001_glass_mount_DAB_car_aerial.html

but its worth having a look at their whole range...

I bought a set of those cheap eBay blades a year ago. They look a lot more modern and they work fine (after 12 months they still clear the screen fine) but they have been quite noisy for the past couple of months. Cleaning as noby76 says does work for a couple of weeks, but doesn't last long...

Just voted - and I'm quite surprised by the poll result. I've always thought of Lexus as an old man's car... (I'm in the 41-50 bracket so I don't consider myself to be an old man)

Keep it.

It's a good looking, reliable car. If you've had it five years, you must know it pretty well. IMO, it's definitely better to keep a car you know well than to take a gamble on another.

The only downside is the road tax. :(

I had an Astra estate which had 100,000 on the clock when I bought it - I did another 90,000 and started to get cold feet, because it was making a clunking noise. So I agreed a PX for something else, but the guy wanted me to get the clunking checked out before he took it. Turned out it was just an exhaust mount (cost about 5 quid). I really regretted selling changing it in the end...

My favourite is when people know that one of their headlight bulbs has gone so they use full beams to make up for the difference. :megaangry:

If I'm honest, the "auto" mode of my IS200 is pretty good. Personally, I'd prefer it if the side lights could be on permanently with the headlights on auto... let's face it - we all took the mickey out of Volvo/Saab drivers for years, but it makes perfect sense to have the on all the time.

Just wondering what flag/image makes your plate legal/illegal - not fussed about the number part! :D

WTF? 13 year gap between posts! And wayneyboy's post is totally off topic...

@wayneyboy - Why didn't/don't you take it back to the garage that did your cam belt/water pump change? Maybe they've screwed up the timing with the new cambelt?

@rayaans - have you got a pic of your plate?

A leaking Battery? I would never have thought of that! Maybe it was dropped at some point before being installed?

Do they still work as fog lights though?

If you get the right lead it just plugs straight in, although be prepared to lose some skin from your hands when removing the old cable from the amp...

I had this with a Ford C-Max - basically water was getting into the switch in the tailgate and shorting it out. Had to dismantle the switch and clean it out and then pack it with silicone sealant - was fine after that.

Not sure where the switch is on the IS, but it might be worth checking?

I'm a bit less bothered than you guys - at the end of the day they'll take it from us one way or another. If it's not fuel tax it'll be somewhere else. At least fuel tax is fairer based on how much you use your car. It's the road tax does gets on my nerves. Why should I be penalised for effectively recycling a car just because it's old? Buying a new car might save on emissions but consider the raw materials (rare metals etc. that go into all the electronics) and cost of development. To my mind I should be rewarded for keeping an older car on the road...

Me and my missus had a discussion about this when we were driving through France a couple of months ago. She reckon's that the French have tax breaks or some other sort of incentives to encourage them to buy French. So we had an experiment - she counted French cars and I counted everything else... turned out to be about 50/50, so maybe she's right.

Didn't see a single Lexus either.

Sorry to hear about the accident - that's never a good thing. Glad nobody was injured.

It might be a blessing in disguise though - I expect you've been put off the is200 (and Lexus) for good, but I can't believe you could possibly find another one as much trouble...

Hope you find a decent replacement car - whatever you go for!

This is a massive long shot, but it's not somehow connect the wrong way? Have you tried lifting it to see if it goes down? If it's clicking, I'd guess that something has hit an end stop somewhere...

Cheers guys! Those Subaru ones like perfect...

@bob.bowring - do you have a link to the ones off amazon? I'd like to take a look at those too.

Not a switch, but a switch blank - on my 52 IS200 - it's to the left of the steering wheel on the lower part of the dash. Anybody know what it's for?

It could be the sunroof drain pipe - I've never quite worked out where it comes out. Try pouring a small amount of water into the front part of the sunroof surround you'll see the drain hole when the sunroof is open...

I have the same metallic rubbing noise - when turning - doesn't seem to have any effect on anything though. Just sounds annoying when you have the windows down on a sunny day...

Just had my IS200 serviced/MOT'd at my local garage, after a year of ownership, and it passed first time. In 25 years of running cars, that's the first time that's ever happened!

I realise that it's slightly preaching to the converted, but I have to say that I continue to be impressed by this car.

Anyway, just wanted to share. B)