Keefey56

and to complete the look a Smiths stick on heated rear window where you had to run a cable to a switch, heater on or off, wipers on or off! such a short while ago

Next you will be talking about how a starting handle was so good on a MkV Hillman Minx, because you could not afford a battery but the old handle got it going first go!!!! Which actually it did, for those that don't remember the handle went through the bumper into the crankshaft pulley, check in neutral, bit of choke and wind away.

or "old farts unite"

I am sorry but you have become an old fart, it just sneaks up without any notice, apart to the people around you who seem to be aware, I would advise against trying to recapture a long lost youth as people will say "look at that silly old fart" I used to work at Hills Garage on the petrol pumps in the school holidays, 4 star & 5 star petrol, blimey I am an old fart as well, now where did I put my driving gloves.

Looks superb From A Lurker 520se

I can only speak of my own set up and preferences, but with same parameters FM is I would say clearer than same parameters in DAB, to me the BMW system sounds comparable with a ML system I tested in a GS, but maybe that is just me.

I have a BMW, and to be honest pretty happy with the sound system, but by chance I have found the same FM quality is far better than DAB, and I always thought that it was the other way around.

I opted for 520 SE with sports seats, multifunction dash rear camera, sports steering wheel extra power sockets, should come early October

Thanks for your comments, Blisteringblue, you are not rubbing it in at all GRRRRRRR, got to put it to the back of my mind now, if I can. In the words of Arnie, i'll be back (most probaly)

Have just placed an order for my new company car, have had a BMW 520 for the last 3 years and 75k and it has been faultless to be fair, really had my eye on an IS300h executive which I tried and I thought was really good, but stupidly I followed that with a drive in a se which for some reason I just could not get on with, the revs on this model did seem to be a bit intrusive something I did not experience with the exec, but I was getting pushed for an answer and could put off no longer so played it safe and chose another 520, now starting to regret the huge tax savings that I won't be making, but just did want to take the risk of not enjoying the next 75000 miles. So if you see a white soon to become grey 520 driver waving at you, it's me, I yet to have a wave returned, probably think I am mad. Will continue to keep looking in on this forum

Appreciate all your replies, hope to get a drive in both today, will report back

Hi, do you have an F sport? do you find the ride Firm/hard, just deciding on an IS, to be honest have done XR3 and so forth in my youth so do not really want a hard ride, but also SE seats do look a bit on the thin side.

Even though they are Xeons, you find them weak?

Appreciate all the replies, I go through this every time I change a car, I have driven members of Jaguar, Audi & BMW forums to distraction, with some members still on medication.

Hi Steve, do you have the fabric seats? if so are they ok, I have a thing for leather, that does not sound right does it, I have a thing for leather seats, but the sports seats look really good in the F sport, but £2300 is just something budget will not allow, mind you with those wheels I will be getting a taxi to the kerb. Wife thought she was getting a back ache in the Luxury we tried, I didn't but did find the leather a bit sticky compared to my BMW.

Thanks Colin, I was hoping that the is had auto hold like they put on the audi and Bmw now, but it has not, it is like on the bmw I have now, hard press on the brake, I am just looking for reasons to stick with what I currently drive although in a 518, but I did try an Is last week for a complete day and thought it was great, but a week later you tend to forget the complete experience, now just have to decide between executive or f sport

Hi Colin, so in theory it could on a steep hill in drive, an upward hill that is, I am making a mountain out of a mole hill here really as my current 5 series is a manual and I rarely use the parking brake except for when parking

Does the car actually roll back on a steep hill in drive? my last auto was a Cortina 2.3 V6, and I never remember that rolling back, mind you was a few years ago!

Thanks for the replies, really useful, and will help in making final decision, I have a CD slot bracket that mounts the Tom Tom, and that should be at a decent height when in use.

Tinka, my wife is threatening to leave me, to be honest I should just be grateful that I get a company car, but it is just so important to get right as I do a minimum of 25k a year, so I really want to enjoy what I have, my current 5 series is great, but the BIK savings are pretty big on the Lexus, and the one I drove for a day I really enjoyed, even the active sound! The only thing that is putting me off is the footbrake, I really wanted an auto with auto hold. Do you know if the tyre monitor in the F sport measures each wheel, but does not in the other models. BMW, or Lexus, maybe a Quashqai, even a Mercedes Hybrid, no that's 36k, The IS Exex has everything I want but no sports seats, its the F Sport then, but that has no Nav as std. please help!!

Just an update, went to my dealers yesterday, armed with a USB lead, and I could run it from the dash, into the usb port, and from the back seat, and the cover closed ok with the cables running from both directions, I assume the USB would power a Tom Tom? Shame that there is not a power point in the rear/boot

Hello, have to make a decision on an is300 this week and am considering the f sport which does not have the sat nav, which is ok as I have a tom tom but not sure where the power point is and how many, not keen on running long power leads if I can help it, is their one in the boot? Keith

Thanks for the replies, really appreciate it, strangle if I get the exec, I cannot upgrade the Nav, only the paint, which seems strange, as I said I really like my BMW but is it worth £1000 a year more in tax to drive over the 300h, I certainly did not thinks so. I am of that age now where Audi TT, 3 series Coupes, Triumph TR6 are all a think of the past, I just need a bit of oomph sometimes as to as my Dad used to say "get out of trouble"!!

Hello, I am seriously considering a new IS300H Executive as my new company car, I currently drive a BMW 5 Series 520d manual, which is at 71,000 and will be 3 years old in October, car has been faultless, and is a joy to drive, and to be honest I was just going to replace with a 518 auto, dropping down to the 518 would allow me to put a few extras on, sports seats multifunction dash, but I wandered into my local lexus dealer, and he persuaded me to try a GS & an IS, The GS I really liked, but in SE spec, has fabric seats and to put leather on takes it to £33500 without sat nav. Dealer mentioned the exex IS300 which with paint is still under 31k and has leather and sat nav, like most I had read reviews about poor performance, and the whining, droning, poor CVT, well I have to say I did not find any of that, I though acceleration was good, quiet, refined, and handled well, so really not sure how some reviewers come to the conclusion that they do, maybe there publications receive good advertising from some brands, or perhaps I am being cynical. Only dislikes, footbrake, would rather have an electric brake with auto hold, but I suppose you only use footbrake when leaving the car, and sat nav did seem a little complicated although I did not really try with it,, I believe the exec does not have the mouse, is the wheel better? As a company car user the BIK is a massive saving for me up to 3k over 3 years, a concern is though that I have averaged 51mpg over 70k miles and can often get 58mpg on long trips, I only saw 47mpg driving the IS300 for a day. Would appreciate any comments on the sat nav, could my Tom Tom, be mirrored on the screen? Keith