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If you have an IS200, you haven't got a powerful car, but even so, are public roads with no safety net (ie TRC permanently off) the best place to find out what you can achieve and what happens when you go too far - when TRC would probably save you. With a powerful car and no TRC it is even easier to make a silly mistake, in fact much easier to make the mistake than not. By all means have fun on the track when safety, consequences and everything else is just down to you. TRC is just a safety feature like ABS, disk brakes and steering that works. It should be used at all times on the roads both to protect you and other road users from the consequences of you not being as good at getting out of a dangerous situation as the protective systems. You may be good but not superman - but in terms of speed of response to the onset of loss of control, good TRC is! For example it can help prevent a skid in 1/100th of the time it would take you to even notice one was starting. It is an example of what is known as progress - not the nanny state trying to spoil your fun.

Basically because it is quite hard to do well. The peculiar asymmetric beam pattern is created by the shape of the reflector assembly and you would need a host of motors shifting chunks of reflective plastic about to get good results. No doubt Lexus charged a King's Ransom for the new lights when they are just plastic mouldings which would be about £15 if they were kid's toys of similar complexity.

Completely agree about skid-pan or even learning on any empty airfield! When I started driving, all cars were RWD apart from the odd Citroen, and had terrible suspension, rotten brakes and skinny tyres. If you pushed them at all they were always on the verge of losing it; so everybody learnt the hard way the skills involved in keeping cars going in the direction you wanted and what happened if you failed. But then, the roads were unbelievably empty compared with now and you could go into a skids etc without much chance of hurting anybody else or doing a lot of damage - because it didn't take much speed to get you into trouble. Currently these skills just don't get learnt because cars are so much better - so drivers are now that much less capable. You only have to look at most people's pathetic efforts when there is a sprinkle of snow. Lacking experience and skill in controlling cars near today's higher speed limits of adhesion is a good reason for effective TRC. As always, we all think we are better drivers than we actually are, and imagine that we can outdo systems that react and correct before we even notice there is a problem. IS 200 TRC isn't the greatest and there are now better systems, but it is still more effective than most drivers who think they are better than it. Too many seem prepared to be a hazard to other people finding this out!

Good work man. Well that Blue colour, for some crazy reason is not available in Europe, absoloutley madness, I done a poll on here a while back asking if the Blue should be made available for UK/Europe customers and it was a landslide in favour of Yes, I don't know why Lexus work like this it's stupid, they could have launched that Blue as the house colour for F and have it has as limited number, so you have an limited edition within a limited edition if that makes sense and charged more for it???? Lexus are pretty conservative about colours, which have different connotations in the various markets. In the US Ultrasonic Blue is just another good colour and one I like and think really suits the vehicle. In Europe and particular the UK it means Chav with a Saxo or an old Rover on an inner-city estate and is way off-message for Lexus. As a second choice, I like the Black, but am far too lazy for the extreme washing and waxing needed to keep it looking smart. That leaves the White for something a bit "in your face" that shouts "Here I am", but given the known issue of the ISF spreading brake dust down it's sides is also hard work to keep clean. So I opted for discrete slightly boring silver. In the end though, when you are in it you can't really see the colour and it is all down to what you fancy. The ISF looks good in any colour and lives up to its looks.

The IS200 has to be about the easiest car in the world to drive hard, and given the limited power, like its German competitors, really flatters drivers who often believe that at the limit they can detect and control better than TRC. The designers know for certain that such people are rare and exceptional because the speeds etc. for the various conditions are so high that the limit is very sudden. 99.9% of drivers have no hope of correcting as well or as fast as TRC, so something horrible is going to happen. What is really needed is even better TRC. Otherwise heaven help us all if such drivers ever get a powerful car. On the IS200, if the TRC light stays out, it isn't doing anything and it doesn't affect the throttle response except on "Snow" - so it is the same as being off anyway except in some drivers' minds. If it flicks on briefly, it isn't doing much or for long so won't slow you down, but might help you to stay pointing the right way. If it stays on, it teaches you that the car is beyond the point where the majority can cope; and unless there is a lot of space around, an accident is likely. To learn to drive nearly as well as TRC will let you, you need plenty of practice in wide open spaces plus someone elses' car to wreck. To practice on the open roads is all most people can manage and we can't afford the carnage. This all fairly obvious and raises the question: Should the driving test include an IQ test? :tsktsk:

Certainly keeps the car cooler and stops the interior fading from UV, although with the current summers It isn't too much of a problem. And because of peoples' perceptions, also protect your car against vandal damage. Who is going to mark a Dealer's motor? Also, it is good for the pictures to be on here complete with licence plates - it saves the boys in blue from having to wait and see the owner on the roads with such obviously illegal tints. Apart from that, real dark tints look mega cool and are best set off by chrome wheels and expired tax

It is the other way round. 4 ohm speakers will load the outputs less than 2 ohm speakers but may be quieter - but they may not because efficiencies vary by huge amounts. Either way, no damage can result from fitting them.

Check with your dealer - most IS200's didn't have one and there is some variation with year and model. The service history doesn't help; dealers are not above charging to change one when it isn't there!

The only "sport" features for the IS 200 sport are a limited slip differential which you may never notice and the car is lowered by about 1/2 inch - which is less than the standard car drops when filled with 4 passengers. The rest are purely cosmetic changes. The performance of the sport is absolutely identical to all the other IS200 models. They were often bought by people who didn't read the specs and thought "sport" meant fast & sporty, and have been thrashed to within an inch of their lives; so another version is probably a better buy.

You don't have to - its in the handbook.

Front alloys on virtually every car do this. The cause is mainly heavy braking especially from high speed which makes the brake dust very hot and more likely to embed in the lacquer and tar deposits from the roads. I am afraid the first answer is to drive a bit better and use less heavy braking by anticipating the need and slowing down by taking your foot off whenever you can. This way uses a lot less fuel too, your brakes and tyres last longer and you get where you are going just as soon. To clean alloys, a visit to the supermaket for stiffish washing up brushes and an all plastic wall-paper brush to use with a simple detergent will shift nearly anything, and you just have to do it as often is needed.

IS300 & IS200LE and maybe some other versions have mirrors that-self darken together with the interior mirror when headlights from behind hit the sensor on the interior mirror. Not all the models have that feature which has extra wiring.

They're not fake, only the chrome tips are not connected, but this is on the same on a £200k lambo but no one complains about that do they actually, i have the same gripe with lambo too. :) i would hate to think that on a cold day or when i have just started my car up, and am stuck in traffic, that only 2 of the 4 exhaust trims were smoking.... and someone like me might come along and laugh and point at them!!! Don't know about the Lambo, but all 4 exhausts steam on the ISF on a frosty morning, so people might wonder what you were laughing at.

There are things you could choose not to like about the ISF, but fake tail-pipes isn't one of them - because as has often been covered before, they are not. The four pipes from the rear silencers poke into the larger trims on the rear bumper but are not clamped to them to avoid setting the bumper on fire etc. The ISF and the M3 are both technically superb - just different and neither is really better. This is a terrific achievement for Lexus's first attempt at a car in that sector. It is true though, that the ISF doesn't appeal as much as the German marques to those who combine speed with bad driving.

Are you sure about the mileage on the car - does it tie up with the service history & old MOTs or are these mysteriously missing? What you describe is an indicator of a much higher mileage, well worn engine particularly as "topping up" suggests it is using oil and the IS 200 just doesn't unless it is continuously driven hard. Generally, bore wear will show as a blue haze following you when you are giving it some stick. Worn valve-guides/seals or breathing problems will show up best if after running downhill with the foot off, when you put your foot down again a good cloud of white/blue smoke happens (this is because prolonged high vacuum in the induction tracts on the over-run will suck oil past worn valve guides and seals which gathers until you next accelerate). If you have head-gasket problems, it will mostly show up by coolant loss and possibly excessive steam from the exhaust when cold long before oil and water mix with each other. After you have checked all the possibilities out, maybe your 3 month warranty should come into play. Good luck and enjoy the IS200 when it is all sorted out.

My IS 200 LE did that from brand new. Once the balance was eliminated from the issue and possible prop-shaft problems, it was clear that the vibration was not at wheel speed. Like yours, it was over a narrow speed range at light loading and in my case, once spotted in 6th gear you could detect something similar in gears 3, 4, & 5 at different speeds but slighter and not related to engine revs. The complete cure - after trying everything, Lexus replaced the gearbox. Hopefully yours will be will be a balance problem, a slight misfire or soggy engine mounts etc - because if it was a faulty gearbox, it would have been sorted out long ago. Good luck and hope you get it all sorted out.

Try your friendly Lexus Dealer. They certainly supply touch-up paints and I think they do spray cans as well. Also, paint suppliers will usually make up spray-cans to match most cars,

Hi got mine from Quik fit all 4 bridgestones £800-00 was fitted well, carefull with wheels oldn ones managed 21,000 mls Interesting. Mine should last a bit longer then because despite being incredibly ancient I still work full time with 10 hour days, but only 10 minutes from home, so the daily miles don't rack up fast for me. The majority of my mileage is for pleasure and at weekends. What pressure do you set your tyres at? The recommended pressures cover a wide range. Because I stay off the track so only drive at speeds suitable for public roads (that is put carefully because this is an open forum); I find 39 psi all round gives the best compromise of ride-comfort against potential grip. 42 psi may possibly give something in terms of high-speed handling but makes the ride noticeably much harsher.

Thanks! It may be that I need to upgrade my phone. Lexus Hatfield did suggest that Motorola weren't the best for Lexus systems. Anyone have any suggestions for a new phone that might work better? If you go to the Lexus UK site and click on sitemap, you will eventually find a Phone Compatability List, although I can't remember what it is found under - I just remember it took me a long time to locate it. The likelyhood is that Nokias will have the best compatability.

The keyless system should detect a key in the boot if the fob battery is good. If you have the time, Lexus have record of the key number for your car and should be able to supply the mechanical key to unlock the boot. The Police or your Insurance company may be able to direct you to an expert who is able to break into the car to operate the boot release - there are surveys that show that the car can be broken into in under 5 minutes so somebody must be doing it! If you know someone who knows someone who knows a car thief, that is another possibilty. Failing that, it is probably going to be expensive i.e. drilling out the boot lock etc. or breaking the driver's window (cheaper) and then having to replace it.Sadly, this is an example of why Lexus ALWAYS supply 2 keys/fobs and you should make sure you get both when you buy, or failing that get a copy made of the mechanical part of the key (which pulls out of the key body on keyless entry models). This is something a reputable dealer should ensure for you but rarely bothers. Good Luck!

The first time I drove the 220D as a courtesy car, I was disappointed after IS200's & IS250's. After further drives, I revised my opinions. It is everything the IS250 is except for quietness, smoothness, performance, refinement, handling etc. with a gearbox second to everything and questionable reliability. It does have a bigger boot, lower VED , the prospect of better economy and a number of owners who are easily pleased and think it is great. In case you think I am biassed; take the opportunity to really experience the 220D whilst waiting for the price to reach your budget. Your IS200 will have become quite elderly by then, but you will probably rather keep it than a straight swap for a brand new IS220D - although I think Lexus may well have dropped it in favour of newer green technologies and something that doesn't threaten their reputation for quality cars:tomato:

You need to get ready to spend a long time in a small room with a toilet in the corner and a big bloke who is far too friendly if you have a serious accident which can be put down to using these facilities. Crash forensics would soon spot them, and imagine the view a court is going to take of deliberately disabling safety features which are manufacturers original equipment and are part of the conditions under which the car enters the UK for sale.

Hi Chris, and welcome to the club :D. I am sure you will like the ISF after the M3's - it is a little quicker than even the latest M3's up to speeds on public roads, and although some say the handling is not be as perfect, away fom a track I doubt you will notice. What you will notice is how much more tractable it is particularly in slow traffic - but the devil in it is still waiting for your right foot when conditions are right. May I suggest you enquire with your dealer about the Lexus prepaid service scheme, extended warranty and tyre insurance which might be worthwhile particularly as a bundle at this time. It is not that the car is unreliable (as if a Lexus would be), but a lot of the parts are unique and these "insurances" could prevent a nasty shock when you least want it. So enjoy. I haven't a single proper gripe about mine and don't know of any who have. But to keep it pristine, you will have to wash it often - very often - because it generates a lot of brake dust which the airflow spreads down the sides, and on a white car, that is going to show.

Also agreed. All the figures can show is that if you drive the ISF to achieve what you can by driving an IS200 or 250 hard; it doesn't drink twice as much fuel - you do that for fun, but in those odd times when there is more month than money, you can can still get to work if you ease off. Great when you consider the last car I had with a 4.6 litre engine only managed 8 mpg at best on long, mainly downhill journeys and performed like a moped towing a wardrobe

Sorry, the site I gave for the official consumption figures was wrong and is rubbish. The correct site is vcacarfueldata.org.uk. This gives information past and present. All the figures are probably optimistic for real-world driving, but they may be useful for comparison. MPG as follows: ---Urban (cold)---Extra Urban---Combined IS200 Man 2003/4---21.4---36.2---29.1 IS200 Auto 2003/4---20.2---36.7---28.5 IS300 2003/4---18.2---35.3---26.2 IS250 Man 2006/7---20.9---36.7---28.8 IS250 Auto 2006/7---22.2---40.4---31.0 ISF 2008---16.8---34---24.8 The figures vary a bit year to year, and those for the IS 300 seem better than I remember them when I was thinking of buying one in 2003, but that is just probably my memory. Sorry it looks a bit of a mess - tried to put it in columns, but that didn't work!