Is200Scott

Hi guys, I have been the proud owner of an IS200 Sport for 8 years, I had admired the New IS from afar but as I felt I could not afford to change, I never really paid it much attention and I'd never even seen it up close. In december due to my car needing some new tyres and a bit of other work done I deceided to look at changing to the new IS. Off to Lexus Stockport I went - WOW - it was love at first sight . The car is much, much nicer up close and I felt (IMO) a definate connection / relation to my old IS200, which is EXACTLY what I was after!!! After a couple of weeks of looking on the Lexus approved used car website and trips to Lexus I traded the IS200 in with Lexus Bradford and got this: 2005 (55) - IS250 SE Multimedia, 59k, LSH, Canterbury Blue w/Sussex grey interior - For £11k (I got £2k trade in for the IS200 (W) w/130k) There are a few things I want them to sort out now I've had it for a couple of weeks (corroded wheels, creeky dash, paint problem on top of bonnet) but other than those I absolutely LOVE IT!!!! :P Here are some pics, let me know what you all think!

I have been a member of LOC for quite some time whilst owning my Is200 Sport (which I loved for almost 8 years) and LOVED how helpful everyone has always been on here and how good / funny some posts are. I have started reading this section of LOC as last week I traded the old girl in (the Is200 that is - not the misses) for a luuuuuuvely Is250 SE MM. I have been very surprised with the lack of activity on this section of LOC and also the general negativity which seems to be aimed at anything other than the Is250 Auto (although much more towards the 220d). I think a lot of it is that sometimes people only post when they have a problem and also that Lexus owners are not used to problems with their cars (as they are so great and reliable!). I for one LOVE my new Is250 and my other half likes it so much its put her off all other makes she was considering (Audi / BMW) before and she now wants an Is220d is red (we love the avatar pic of yours javadude!!), she's test drove one and loves it, it's just a waiting game now until one comes in (Red with MM, 17 inch wheels and grey leather seem rare at a good price). As for another point, a friend of mine has had a torrid time over the last year with his Jag X-Type diesel estate. Nothing but problems, he's had to pay out for a new turbo had EGR valve problems, all sorts of things wrong one after another, he went on the Jag forums and said they are totally negative. He only bought it because he was told how good / reliable they were by lots of people. Now he says any car can be a 'dud' and is going to get what he wants without worrying about what other people tell him about it. He's had it for a year now and wants shut for............. a Lexus Is220d. Scott

You will have it then mate! Can't play them while driving tho :(

Hi Big Mick - Welcome to the club, I just traded my Is200 Sport (after almost 8 years of trouble free ownership) in for a 2005 Is250 SE MM with 59k. I can't answer many of your Q's (I'm sure someone will soon) but what I can tell you is that my 2005 plays DVD's (mine is the Mark Levinson system - not sure is all with MM are?). Scott

I've had mine since 2002, it's a 2000 W Reg, bought it with 75k on the clock, it's now done 130k. It's been a fantastic car with no problems, a real pleasure to own and drive. I thought I would keep it until it was ready for the scrapper - but I've traded it in this week, I will be really sad to see it go but can't wait for the weather to get better so I can pick up my IS 250!!! :D

Hay Patrik, Love what you do with your car mate - fantastic projects with great pics and info!! Here are a few other pics you might like of LOC members cars with the Lagana bumper on you might not have seen: Scott

I have to say they look very nice, not so keen on the black ones on the blue though. Should of done them blue ;) I was going for a blacked out look - Dark chrome wheels, black lexus badges, black headlights and rear lights. I think they looked alot better in the flesh than on a pic but I must admit I got sick of them and in the end I hated them , thats why I'm back silver again and love it. :D

thanks dude that help'd a lot but do you have pic's of were you cut the lense??really dont wanna fkcu these up!!!!! I just cut on the line where the clear plastic meets the black plastic, as far back as pos so that you can't see the cut while the lights are on the car. Good luck mate.

Hi Dan, It's easy mate the gap between the bumper grille and the heater (where the horns are) is big enough to get your hands in with ease. So just unbolt the horns from their original position and use M6 bolts and washers (Ijust used some I had knocking around in my tool box) to bolt them to your crash bar,which is also easily accessable through the gap between the bumper grille and the heater. 10 mins max! Scott

Hi Kev, Has the new battery sorted it out? I've been having the exact same problem as you. I charged my battery overnight last night and the car started (just!). Now it won't start again I'm was worried it might be the alternator but after reading this maybe not as my reading is around 9 volts untill I've driven a bit, then it goes up to 18 ish. So if yours is ok now I'll go to lexus and get a new battery. Cheers Scott

thanks peeps just siht my self their thinking i got the wrong one...checked with the seller it is original tte woop woop no nasty replica for me!!!! :winky: cant wait too get it fitted!!!!!! oh need to relocate my horns now!!!! its just one thing after a other!!! Congrats on the tte bumper mate, best you can get IMHO!! I've got a tte bumper mate and I moved my horns at the weekend (which I was not looking forward to) but, it's a 10min job max, no probs at all!! I did it to the Workshop guide and all you need is the right size bolts. I didn't even have to take my bumper off! Scott

Scott how would you feel about doing a swap of your is300 rings for a set of the new ones too be made plus a bit of cash to make up some of the difference in price if needed, when these new ones get made? let me know cheers mate :) ill send you a pm just in case you miss this Yeah, I'm up for that - Sent a PM mate :winky:

I really like them at night, they are quite subtle in the dark and look very classy as the streetlights glisten off them slightly. There is a standard lexus version and I know someone on here has an auto version so I can't se why not. I'm sure someone will know what versions are available.

I have a set that I bought a while back but they are so rare that I had to get them from US ebay and they cost quite a lot (around £50 delivered I think). Mine also have IS300 on them which I wish they didn't, however they still look the dogs nuts! I have thought about trying to get it off but I don't want to wreck them.

Thanks mate. Yeah it was yours that I first saw on the post that made me want them! I've got them set up with white LED's (which I got from goodwillsales on ebay from one of your other posts) but they are dull in parts and a little patchy so I think I'll have to go back to orange.

Thanks guys! I think it was Jason who designed them looking at some older posts - Hats off to him, they are amazing, the pictures don't do them justice, they look MUCH better in the flesh!

Got these a while ago and finally got round to fitting them at the weekend and I LOVE the results!! I know a few of you already have these but I wanted to share mine with everyone - and let everyone know how easy they are to fit. I had been very nervous about fitting them as I was worried they would be a pain to fit and that I'd risk breaking my dials, However they were much easier than I thought and only took about an hour from start to finish (and that was being very careful and taking my time!). You just need to be gentle with the orange/silver coating on the needles, which is no problem really. I really like the way the stainless steel on the dials and clocks match in with my chrome heater control rings, the chrome gearknob and my stainless sport pedals. Please give me your thoughts and feedback, I think the results speak for themselves :D : Original dials: New Dials:

Hi, I opened/painted my rear lights a while ago, I used a sharp heat knife (like a soldering iron with a sharp end attachment) to open them and some sort plastic weld glue and silica sealant to put them back together. I've taken them off and sold them now because I got bored of them, but they were great and 100% water tight for 3 years! I also did some for my freind Niel on his Granite Sky IS, just using tinting film, he was happy with them but I wasn't so I did the whole hog on mine. Here's some pics: Niel's car: Hope this helps a little :) Scott

A walk through and parts list / ball park cost to DIY would be GREAT!!!!

Congrats mate!!! I have to agree the "Morning Frost White" on that Aston looks the dogs and I think the IS would look amazing in that!!

I'll take some pics (just not sure how to post them - I'll sus it out tho). As for the display, no it doesn't, it makes your stereo think it is just cd autochanger so all you get is CD01, CD02 etc on your stereo, it's not great for that. Ipod wise you just use your ipod as the screen + to control it. Bluetooth - Not sure about that as I've not tried - I think I've seen it stated somewhere that you can play audio via it although off your mobile phone, but I'll have to give a go and let y'all know. It does not cut off from any other source then the Xcarlink ie, Radio or normal cd - but all you have to do it press the CD button twice to go to Xcarlink source and then answer via bluetooth (it's alot quicker than it sounds!).

Hi, I'm not sure about ALL bluetooth kits but the Xcarlink has it's own mic so you do not need to use your phone, the caller's voice comes through your stereo speakers and your voice goes into the Xcarlinks bluetooth mic (your music automatically goes off when you make/recieve a call and the comes back on when your finished). My old sony kit (visor style - model HCB-105) had it's own speaker and mic built in and just clipped to the visor, still no need to use your phone but it didn't go through the stereo at all.

Hi guys, I've been reading this forum for years and found it incredibly useful and great fun ( thanks LOCers! ) - so I thought I'd share my thoughts on this new little gadget I bought from ebay (£75 inc pnp from China). I know some of you already have one of these (or the Grom alternative) - but I've not read about anyone having the Bluetooth version. First I want to say that I have wanted something like this for AGES!!! but I have always been put off by the thought of how big a job taking the whole centre console out to get to the back of the stereo is - until I tried it today. It took me 20 minutes from start to finish, it is SO easy, there is only 4 10mm bolts to take out everything else is plug n play. (I used a walkthrough off here - as always - thanks guys!). So if that is holding any of you back then don't let it! It's called the Xcarlink and it basically makes your standard Is200 headunit think it has a CD Autochanger plugged into it as it connects via the CD Autochanger connection on the back of your standard headunit. It allows you to play MP3s through either SD card, USB memory stick or Ipod. As your headunit thinks the Xcarlink is a CD Autochanger you have to put your tunes in folders on the SD card or USB memory stick named CD01, CD02 etc.. upto CD12 (that is the max it will go upto). you can have upto 99 tracks in each CD folder. The bluetooth handsfree is very good as it links into your stereo and turns off the music while you receive calls. The sound is very clear through your speakers and the reception (I've been told by people who have called me) is fantastic! (much better than my old Sony ericsson visor one - so the misus tells me!). So in conclusion I think this is a fantastic bit of kit, the sound is great, the Bluetooth is great and the ability to play MP3s is something the my IS has really been missing. I'm over the moon with mine Please note: the Bluetooth and the Ipod lead go into the same place so you can only use one or the other. however I'm told that you can get a USB to Ipod lead and use the USB part of the Xcarlink for the Ipod. Cheers Scott

Yep same as mine. 123k on a 2000 Wreg Sport - sailed through it's MOT last week no problems at all!