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It's Round 4 of the International GT Open season this weekend at the Hungaroring. As usual, there will be two races, one today and one tomorrow. Live coverage is available on their YouTube channel at: Saturday 01/07/17 15:00, Race 1 Sunday 02/07/17 13:00 Race 2 After a stunning start to the season, it was back down to earth with a bump at Paul Ricard for both the RC-Fs. Current free practice times (available on the GT Open home page) suggest it might be another tough weekend for Lexus, but you just never know, even if it is notoriously difficult to pass at the Hungaroring. Also this weekend of course it is The Goodwood Festival Of Speed, with their live stream here. I'm sure there'll be at least the LC500 in the supercar run up the hill.

Welcome Dee, hope you enjoy your time here. Looking over an RC-F the last time I was at a Lexus dealer and it was stunning, but I think they look even better in motion. It'll be great to see your photos. Interesting you've been a BMW boy, what made you go for the Lexus? If you read the (largely dreadful) UK motoring press you would have rejected it for lacking low-down torque and being overweight!

For the price of them, I'd say get one. I've a basic Autel one for about six or seven years and it's help identify a code on my IS and my previous car. Admittedly all I get is the code so some internet research is required, but still a lot cheaper than taking it near a main dealer. It also of course it means I can turn the EML off. But then if you have "zero mechanical knowledge", I guess you won't want to get the spanners out! In which case, you'll likely be taking to a mechanic who'll have to diagnose it anyway, so perhaps there's no advantage. I must admit I keep mine in the car so that should the EML come on while I'm away for work at least I get an idea if I should carry on driving or park it for recovery. Another benefit is I know some people connect them to cars they are thinking of buying to see if there are any stored codes. Never doen that myself; I image most traders would clear them anyway...

And of course remember to check MoT history before you go to view.

Seconding what the others have said, but I'd add as few previous owners as possible. If it has had ten keepers, walk away! At the age and mileage you are looking at, I think you'd be wise to budget for some big service items (belt, radiator, calipers, may be exhaust); your £1500 capital cost could very soon become £2000. I'd also cheekily suggest at only 5k pa, you look at IS300 as well (I'm prejudiced, I know) although the very few listed on Autotrader are being hawked at ridiculous prices. Perhasp you should make me an offer I can't refuse...

First off, mods I'm sorry for so many new posts; I'll stick to one for each series from now on. Anyway, for a number of pathetic reasons, I have completely forgotten the International GT Open series this year. Suffice to say, I've missed both of the two-race meetings so far - Estoril and Spa-Francorchamps - the first of which marked the RC-F's debut in a European international series (if you know what I mean). When I watched GT Open last year, it was a pretty small grid lacking variety but it was a nice surprise to see that in 2017 it is much improved. The grid will be 28 cars this weekend; no match for the Blancpain GT Endurance series, but pretty healthy none the less. And with the notable exception of the Audi R8s, most of the current GT3 cars are present. The field is immeasurably improved of course (!) by the presence of the 2017 débutante RC-Fs, one each for Farnbacher Racing and Emil Frey Racing, two very experienced teams. If like me you need to catch-up on the season so far, you can watch full coverage at the GT Open YouTube channel. But if you only watch one, watch Race 2 from Spa; anyone who has watched racing from that magnificent track will know how the Ardennes weather can enliven a race in the blink of an eye. I'll steer clear of letting slip any spoliers! If you can't wait to find how the Lexus did, the official site is here. So to this weekend and the series has its third race of the year at Paul Ricard. Now, I'm assuming they will be using the same circuit layout as the Blancpain series have used in the past it should suit the strengths of the Lexus, as it has the similar front engined Bentley and Nissans before. If that's not the old Murray Walker curse, I don't know what is! Live streaming should be on the YouTube channel. Good luck, Lexus!

Remarkable last hour of the race, even if the only Lexus involvement was as a lapped backmarker! Excellent result for Gazoo, no disgrace there. The IS-F was running as that backmarker at the end, albeit a long way down. The RC-F (I think) was involved in terminal a collision early on, sadly. It's a great event, let's hope for a bigger GT3 involvement from Lexus in the future.

I think Leon this post has your answer Seems it's to do with the position of the slot in the external barrel. Never tried it myself, never put my key into the barrel!

Starting very soon is the 24h race at the Nurburgring, with three Lexus competing (an RC-F, an IS-F and the 'factory' Gazoo Racing RC). There's a wide range of car specifications, with GT3 spec machines dominating the fastest times; Lexus will likely not be challenging for an outright win but should do well in their respective classes. Streaming has already started here, and coverage at Radio LeMans will be continuous for the whole 24 hours, even if the dubbed Vodafone Deutschland video stream stops.

This weekend is the third round of the 2017 Japanese Super GT season at the Autopolis circuit, missing since the devastating Kumamoto earthquake. Lexus have been doing very well with both the LC500 in GT500 and the RC-F in GT300 but a little more effective competiton would be welcome! Qualifying take places tomorrow with the race on Sunday; live streaming will be on the Nismo TV YouTube channel from 6.00am UK time. A link to the official website is just here, and a picture from the website is attached...

It's Round 4 of the IMSA Weathertech series this weekend with the Advance Auto Parts Sportscar Showdown at COTA in Austin, Texas. The two RC-Fs have qualified second and seventh in their GTD class of 17 cars (don't worry, the 'D' bit refers to Daytona, not Diesel). I somehow missed the last race (The Bubba Burger Sportscar Grand Prix, I kid you not) at Long Beach. It's not the best of circuits but was notable for two big blockages, the second of which was unfortunately caused by the #15 Lexus at the last corner on the last lap. You can see the ambitious overtake here. I read something that appeared in my alerts that was posted on a BMW fan site that said: When on the road I often say "if anything is going to screw up your day, it's going to be a Lexus". I say this regularly witnessing Lexuss driven poorly, or well under the speed limit. And it looks like things aren't different on the track, that was the stupidest crash The irony! Live coverage of the race will be streamed through imsa.tv, starting I think at 2300 1930 UK time.

For anyone fortunate enough not to face the daily commute tomorrow morning (how I envy you!), the second race of this year's Super GT will be run at picturesque Fuji, 6am UK time. No, I don't know why its been run a Friday either; perhaps it's a public holiday in Japan? You can catch live streaming at Nismo TV on YouTube. At the first race, it was a Lexus benefit with Honda self-destructing and Nissan being way off the pace. Official website is here: Super GT

If you are at a loose-end, a single Toyota Gazoo Racing Lexus with an all Japanese crew will be competing today in the Qualifying Race for 24h VLN2017. It's a big and varied field, so you might be lucky to spot the Lexus, but live streaming is available here: http://www.nuerburgring.de/en/events-tickets/automobile/adac-qualifying-race-24h.html Elsewhere it is the first round of the Blancpain Endurance Series today. Sadly no Lexus involvement as yet - although Lexus racers Emil Frey are competing with two venerable XK8s - but it is a magnificent 52 car grid in the beautiful royal park at Monza for three hours. Worth a look, coverage on-line is through http://www.blancpain-gt-series.com (including live timing) or through NISMO TV channel on YouTube.

The more I search Autotrader, the more I realise that my current IS300 will be the car I miss most when it finally goes. I love everything about it, except perhaps its appetite for unleaded! But when I try to find something to replace it, there is nothing that ticks all the boxes. So, being bought-and-paid-for, the fuel bill is - on reflection - a minor negative. I'd buy another, without hesitation. Apart from that, I miss my old FIAT Coupé 20v Turbo; a fast, fabulous but infuriatingly fickle and flawed motor...

Do you mean the light on the centre dial showing external or recirculated air? That stays on even if the fan is off. Some air will be forced through the vents when driving; I think to stop that all you can do is put it on recirc.

Strange no EML showing; even if it's not something being monitored you'd have thought the cat might complain and light it up. Got to suspect coil packs, plugs or MAF initially. Might be worth doing the simplest thing first; is the filler cap sealing properly? It should his when you go to fill after running down the tank. Then, any effect if you disconnect the battery for 30 minutes?

I'm sure I've read the guidelines by the ACPO are for a leeway of 10% plus 2mph for speeding offences (stress, guidelines). So 35 in a 30 is the practical limit if they aren't to be pulling-over 90% of drivers. I assume the IS200's speedo is calibrated much the same as the IS300's and I can say from experience coming into villages with those "Your speed" signs that an indicated 35mph they show 30mph, so you'd have to be pretty careless to get done, or unfortunate if they've set the speed trap is right at the entrance to the zone after a derestricted stretch. Helps of course with 30s to be in the right gear; in my 300 fourth or third make it less likely I'll creep over, even with down hill bits. 50s are trickier, but again being in fourth helps me. In some counties you have to be more aware than others as they have a habit on A-roads of sticking in little bits of 40, 50 and derestricted until you get punch drunk with signage and can get caught out.

This weekend, Lexus will be challenging on two fronts in the first round of the 2017 Super GT series in Japan. There'll be plenty of the new LC500s competing in the premier 'silhoutte' GT500 category against the NS-Xs and GT-Rs, while the new GT3 spec RC-F will be competing in the 'production' GT300 category. If you haven't seen any Super GT, it is definitely worth a look. The Japanese have some great circuits with frequently unpredictable weather and the fanatical, partisan crowds are quite something to see. The GT500s are - from what I remember - all based on the same chassis and are closely related to those run in the similar DTM. However, where the two series differ in terms of car spec is while the DTM run normally aspirated V8s, Super GT use turbo-charged four pots, and are very quick. The GT300 category not only allows international GT3 spec motors like the AMG and Ferrari 488s, but also some domestic specials; you'll soon spot the very fast Prius. Other highlights are the Police parade lap at the start, the twin grid start and the HSE nightmare of spectator buses running round the track with cars at full chat! And this season, Nismo TV will be streaming races live on their YouTube channel which means some early mornings. The official Super GT website is here.

It seems like ages since the first race at Daytona, but this weekend it is the second round of the IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship. After going in at the deep end with 24 Hours at round 1, it should be a breeze for the GTD spec Lexus with only 12 hours to complete at Sebring! Not really of course; aside from the regular hazards of endurance racing, the Sebring track is notoriously harsh and they'll need to ride like an LS400 if they aren't to be shaken to bits. Plus of course, the ambient temperature will be higher than they were at Daytona but it won't necessarily be any drier! American team 3GT Racing will again be running two Lexus RC-F GT3, hopefully boosted by a change in their Balance Of Perfomance figures. So while they must carry 10kg more ballast they will gain 2mm on their intake restrictors and they will refuel quicker thanks to a 2mm larger filler restrictor. In addition, their fuel capacity has been increased by 2 litres, which doesn't sound much but could mean an extra lap on track just when you need it. You can read a testing report here (with some nice shots of the RC-F): http://www.sportscarillustrated.com/News_2017/C/news17C_0214_IMSA_Sebring_Test_Lexus.html For Twitterers, 3GT Racing is here: https://twitter.com/3GT_Racing?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Race start is at 10:40 a.m. on Saturday local time. Streaming coverage should be available at: http://imsatv.imsa.com Elsewhere, exciting news that Emil Frey (they of the XK8 GT3 cars) and Farnbacher Racing (already experienced with the RC-F elsewhere) will each be entering an RC-F each into the GT Open Series in Europe. GT Open is a lower-key but still international GT series; I've watched quite a bit of it in the past but it always feels one step down from the Blancpain Series, just a little bit disappointing. However, it is a start for Lexus on the European tour and the effort should benefit from the associated Farnbacher work in the VLN (big domestically but not known much outside Germany) and from the two-heads-are-better-than-one of two experienced teams. The GT Open article is here: http://www.gtopen.net/article.php?cont=1935

Took a bit of time to get used to! Seems to follow the style of other manufacturers now which rather than logging in, must use cookies to identity your favourites and searches. I do like the Sunroof option being right at the front though; compared to entering a text search in the Autotrader website that is wonderful. Unfortunately it just highlights how difficult is is to get a sunroof now.

I found the cure eventually - after wasting a set of front discs and one lot of on-car disc skimming - was new calipers and carriers and another skim. Touch wood, 21,000 miles later and no wobble.

I'm assuming the 200 has a dipstick like the 300; on mine it's up against the bulkhead on the nearside (so to the right of the engine as you look at it). Orange T-shaped top with a clip retaining it. There is a PDF workshop manual somewhere on this forum I'm sure.

Funny, from what I've heard locally, Pompey is dying on its a*se but it's interesting by contrast you think it's better now than it was. I often visit places I knew as a kid 'up north' and I find it incredibly depressing how run down some look, and yet other places seem to be booming more than they ever were. Places seem to be increasingly polarised, the UK over. Anyway, you are lucky to be in Somerset; I love Exmoor, it's about the closest 'wild' I can get to. A lovely 2.5hr jaunt down the A303 and I am there. Do you recognise the location in the attached picture? On a day off work just over two years ago and enjoyed a day on the roads of Somerset, Devon and Wiltshire. One of my regular quarterly 'road trip' days in the old Lexus. Meanwhile, I will do my best to keep the Lexus Motorsport section up to date, even if it only for the two of us!

I haven't seen that. I don't see much of it apart from what some enterprising people put on the internet, not having Sky or anything. I was going to buy a season pass for the UK streaming last season until I remember all the races would be on at some ungodly hour of the morning! But they do go to some great old school circuits. And boy, it can rain in Australia, can't it? Something you might be interested in - Nismo have done sterling service in past seasons streaming Blancpain races etc, but they were hinting at the tailend of last season they might be streaming the Japanese Super GT races this year. We have to wait until April for that to start, and iirc Lexus will be running the new LC500 in GT500 category and the RC-F in GT300 category. No, not in Pompey, I'm in north Hampshire, for my sins!

Sadly Paul, a lot of the race was under full course yellows because of the weather but worth catching what you can. I just read a bit about the difficult time the 14 car had, including this incident in the night that effectively ended any chance of a decent finish. But a finish is a finish; better luck hopefully next at the Sebring 12 hours, the third weekend in March.