baxlin

Seen one since I took delivery of mine 2 weeks ago, and 3 in total since I ordered it in May.

Re post code, I think, if it's anything like the Mercedes system, if you press the 'back' button when it switches to the street name, you can add the next post code character. And repeat! Bit of a pain, but it does mean that if you only have a postcode, you can input the lot.

Thanks, Graham, I was about to start a new thread to ask about this. Good job I thought to search first, otherwise I may have received a warning point........ Malcolm

No comment on the suitability of the IS in bad weather, but I definitely did not enjoy being on the western stretch of the M25 at around 2pm today. It was orrible, with a capital O. Why oh why can't they fit some sort of spray retainer on HGV wheels?

As a temporary measure, if you have an iPhone, there's a free head up display app which gives speed, temp,etc. Don't know about android phones, though. Just put the phone on the dash top to reflect onto the screen.

Just been reading the Lexus IS brochure ( slow business day...........) and it says the rear wheel arches have "hemming treatment", with no explanation of what this might be. I suppose it's the plastic bits we don't like. Certainly these bits, according to the brochure, are not part of the Protection Pack. Hey ho

My Arctic Pearl IS300h doesn't have the Protection pack, but it does have the clear plastic sheet on the rear doors just in front of the wheel arch. I'm in two minds about it: Yes, with the shape of the wheel arch, this area is very vulnerable to dirt and road damage, but on the white car, the front edge shows up as a black line, I've not been successful in removing the dirt along the edge. Several Q's then, has anyone removed this protective sheet? If so do they regret it? Assuming it shouldn't be removed, how can I clean the dirty edge, which has even been commented on by Mrs Baxlin, so it must be obvious! Thanks in advance Malcolm

Isn't it part of the "Protection Pack", which also includes rubber boot tray? I didn't realise they could be bought separately, though.

Thanks, both, I'm happy with the routing of the cable, as I've done it on previous cars, on my Merc I used the lighter socket, and on Gill's Skoda, I semi hard wired it, by hard wiring a trailing ciggy type socket, and using plug that came with the camera, hiding it all behind the fuse box. This was TBH my preference, as there are no wires visible at all. But, while I was leaning towards the hard wired version, taking on board both comments, and as I am a somewhat overweight pensioner and my days as a contortionist are long gone, if they ever existed, I think it will be the ciggy plug option!! Malcolm

OK, I'm sold on the A118 camera, but the question is do I buy the hard wire version, or the ciggy lighter version? Little or no difference in price, and as I hate trailing wires, I'm drawn towards the hard wire one. But on a brand new lease car, do I risk the hard wire? I have used piggy back fuses to pick up the supply on several cars in the recent past, but am I brave enough this time? I'm not even sure where the fuse box is..... Confused of Tring, aka Malcolm

Doh! How stupid do I feel now - just been out to the car and checked, you are quite correct in your assumption, Edward. Many thanks, I had looked at the handbook, and wasn't particularly looking forward to accessing the bulb holder..... Malcolm

Unfortunately not, Tony, but it did cost not a great deal more than a tenth of the cost of a Triking. It's a JZR, with a Honda CX500 engine. Malcolm

ah, yes, Richard, but looking from the back, apart from the steering wheel to the right, it IS perfectly symmetrical...............Doesn't have any reversing lights, though, as it doesn't have a reverse gear! Glad you like it, I built it about 15 years ago, from kit

Didn't think about the camera, as it's the first car I've had with one! But I do like symmetry.... I've also never had a blank reversing light before, hence the thread, but I have had blank fog lights, which, as you say, Tony, were either simply missing a bulb, or I tapped into the live one to connect the second. I think I may pull the light cluster off and have look, because I want to replace the amber bulbs with chrome ones which flash amber. I don't like the existing 'fried egg' look of Amber bulbs in clear lenses. Reporting the fog light mod on another forum prompted the " confusion with brake lights" discussion I referred to, I've probably opened the same can of worms here. Hey ho Malcolm

I noticed yesterday that although the rear light clusters are mirror image of each other, there is only one active reversing light, on the nearside. Many vehicles have this, with the rear fog on the offside, but that bit of the lens is then red, whereas the IS has a matching clear area. Is it just a cost cutting exercise, or is there a reason? I can understand why only one rear fog light might be fitted, so it's not confused with brake lights (although I disagree, but that's another topic!) but only one reversing light? Come on..... Hopefully everything's there except the bulb, I haven't had chance to check yet. Malcolm

OP here! Not had chance to really look at the manual, but I will, eventually! 59mpg, well, it is a brand new car, and I haven't had a hybrid before, so while keeping to the speed limits, (but only just) I was driving deliberately, trying to keep out of the white "power" band of the meter. The manager at the dealership suggested that often better mpg could be had in 'normal' rather than 'eco' mode, so that's what I did, along with, as advised by various members on here, getting up to speed as soon as reasonably possible, and feathering the gas pedal to maintain speed. This I did with the CC. I had the display showing mpg all the time. BTW, now there's been more mixed use, it's down to 53. My previous car was an exceptionally frugal manual Merc C220, which on a similar run, I would have been disappointed to see less than 64 mpg. I suppose it's my driving style, really, I reserve the spirited driving to my 3 wheeler, where I get 35-ish mpg from a 500cc V-twin, redlined at 9500, and which has little to offer below 6000rpm! Malcolm

Don't just tell us, tell CAR mag - just to see if they publish......................

Love it! New IS300h Advance in Arctic Pearl picked up from the dealers today. So smooth and quiet, and obviously I was not pushing it, but 59 mpg recorded on the 90 mile trip home, mainly M6 and M1 can't be sniffed at. Very impressed, as is Mrs Baxlin, with how comfortable the seats are. But...... Need a long session with the handbook to get to grips with the Satnav and radio - and there's very little storage for the spare specs, torch, hi vis jacket,etc,etc that the Mercedes swallowed with no problem. And for a 'luxury' brand car to have no warning triangle or first aid kit is a bit cheap IMHO. Having said that, though, I'm sure I'm going to enjoy the next couple of years. Malcolm

I'm going to shout this, as I'm so delighted......... I PICKED IT UP FROM THE DEALER!!!!!!! Drove it approx. 90 miles back home, and thoroughly enjoyed the smooth ride, but as others have said on here, the Satnav/radio workings are not user-friendly! Malcolm

Yep, you got it................ The 3 wheeler's a JZR, for more info and quite a few pics, google JZR Pilots Association.

Well, to hijack my own thread, I saw quite a few Lexus cars today - at Lexus Birmingham. I took the train to Brum, hopefully to pick my car up, unfortunately it had been delayed, and only arrived at the dealer today. I did actually see it though, as it disappeared into the workshop!! I was given a courtesy car, an Executive Edition, which I'll use for a couple of days then swap when mine's ready. An yes, I know I could have had it delivered, but I chose not to! First impressions, well the loaner has just under 4,000 miles on it, and I managed 60.1mpg displayed, on the approx 100 miles mainly motorway run home. Extremely smooth and comfortable, I haven't got to grips with any of the bells and whistles yet, I'll have a play this evening. Took me ages to work out why I couldn't lock the car though - I didn't realise you had to physically switch it off at the power button.................. Malcolm

Rob, Thanks for the reply, It DOES have a JAP engine up front!! (as in Japanese?) Des was living just north of Watford, but his wife wasn't Helen, began with H though.............. Model 50, 1958, unfortunately pre-featherbed frame. Malcolm

My daughter used to be Des Barry's children's nanny! My biking days are over - passed my bike test in 1963 on a Lambretta, the next dayi bought a Norton 350. Big gap (25 years ish) before a 400 Yamaha and various Hondas, the last being a CX500. The motor from a wrecked CX powers my 3wheeler (see my avatar pic), through the drivetrain to the rear wheel. As many other bits from the bike were used, you might say I'm still biking, but with stabilisers....... Malcolm

Since I ordered my IS300h a couple of months ago, I have only seen three others, possibly only two, as the white ones I saw in Tring may have been the same car! Any owners in or near West Herts? Malcolm

Thanks, I may well try this, once the current gallon of Last Touch is used up.