fjcfarrar

Hello again!

I was active on this forum a lot about five years ago when I have my IS200.

My Ford Mondeo TDCI 130 looks like it might be at the beginning of it's last legs so I'm putting some feelers out for a new vehicle.

My budget would be around £7500.

I am trying to choose between:

Ford Mondeo

Lexus IS

Mazda 6

Honda Accord

Honda Civic

I am looking at purchasing a diesel due to the fact that I have loved every minute of driving my Mondeo! (I would never have though i would've said that 5 or 6 years ago!)

But after reading about the head gasket problem I may look at a petrol.

I do quite a few miles (50k in 3 years). Its a 40 mile round trip to work.

I usually spend about £160 a month on fuel, and im sure if I was in my old Lex that figure would be closer to £400

I naturally have a few questions about the Lexus IS MK2:

1. What is the average MPG on the 220d and 250? I used to get 47 on my Mondeo but in the past year it has gone down to 39.

2. When did the facelift occur, 09 plate?

3. What are the differences in trim levels?

4. Does the multimedia pack come as standard in any trim level of car or is it just an optional extra for and trim level?

5. Am I right in saying there is a 7yr/100k (which ever come sooner) warranty on the 220d engines only? What is it like on the petrol variants? Does it need to be a Lexus service history?

6. When viewing 220d's I should check to see if the heaters work. Check for that emulsified white gloop in the water reservoir. Anything other telltale signs of a blown head gasket?

I'm sure I will have more questions :D

Over the years Lexus have made a variety of fine cars that are a pleasure to drive. They also made the IS220D.

Wouldn't have happened if they had actually connected them to the Exhaust System glad all going to be sorted under warranty though!

Possibly not - but the rear bumper catching fire if connected may be a worse problem. The separation is a sensible move that allows the final silencers to move freely, insulating the bumper both from from heat & movement/vibration. It keeps the rear-end neat, also eliminating alignment issues in manufacture & accident repair.

Tango, backing up over snowdrifts or over kerbs if doing a slightly careless three point turn on narrow roads with a large camber will lift the rear silencers enough to close the gap and can damage/loosen the mounting of the tips by force from the "real" tailpipes. You can't feel or hear it happening - have a look and see if the bottom of the rear silencers look a bit scraped or the black perforated tip surrounds look slightly buckled. Whatever the cause, glad Lexus are dealing with it under Warranty.

My own experience of stainless steel systems is that they seldom fit properly and are invariably louder in an unpleasant metallic way. However they may be an option to replace a rusted out system - but the "Austenitic" steel used in decent OEM silencers nowadays usually lasts for more than 15 years.

Traded in a Mercedes SLK 350 for a USB IS-F MY2010.

Lexus Guildford were truly superb, can't thank them enough! Very enjoyable morning and driving the 'beast' is just a true delight B)

Enjoy - and that is easy to do! I agree Lexus Guildford sales & support is second to none.

I thoroughly recommend Lexus Extended Warranty. Its a Lexus so not much chance of faults; but if they do happen, the costs could seriously dent a Banker's Bonus.

Just three minor things to watch out for:-

(i) Don't kerb the alloys - matching touch-up paint doesn't exist even from Lexus or BBS.

(ii) Never allow the front lip to ride over kerbs in car-parks etc. Easily done & when you reverse away, the entire front assembly can be pulled off.

(iii) The sides of the car will cover in brake-dust which embeds in the paint because it arrives pretty hot. This happens until the paint hardens with a couple of season's weathering and is due to the way air flows along the body. The dust contains iron particles that rust - so dust should be cleaned off before that happens. Unfortunately this is also true for the lacquer at the rims of the wheels.

Could anybody tell me the specs of the 19"

Black OEM alloys you get with isf?? 08 model)? I was wondering if those alloys would fit on a gs450h??

The most significant spec is that a set is said to cost £5500.........

The point is that lot of european people like diesels, and is220 is more economical than the 250. Yes, its not the worlds best diesel, but it does its job well.

I can cover about 700+ km in full tank in my 220, with 250 you will be able to cover only half of that. In one year you can save a lot of money.

And is220 IS QUIET. It runs very smoothly and quiet. I dont know if its luck on just well serviced car, but i havent had any major issues.

I will never go back to bmw, audi or a merc.

If you are a diesel hater then there is nothing to talk about it anymore.

The IS 220 IS quiet(ish). The IS250 is quiet enough to hear quiet(ish) cars driving nearby.

For people owning their car rather than one the company supplies, I still think that if you are cash-strapped enough to need the economy of a diesel; then it makes sense to buy a Toyota or something with most of the toys but without the Lexus premium price.

I'm afraid I have the personal feeling that the IS220D as the entry-level version of the entry-level car in the Lexus Range, is an average car pretending to be included within the Lexus Marque's more up-market image. It seems to be for people who need to display a high-end badge on the cheap. The word "pretentious" may be too harsh but close. Similar to sporting a knock-off Rolex rather than a real Seiko to suit the pocket.

For the sake of balance, other types of IS 220D owners surely exist and I don't mean to offend them.

mine dosen,t have the parking sensors.

I was told a total of 800 LE's were built which may or may not be so - fully loaded cars to boost sales when the IS250 was due. Parking-Sensors were an extra-cost option but may have been included as standard at the very end of production.

Hey all

I'm looking to buy a IS220d around 2007/2008.

Please could you tell me what i should be looking out for?

Thanks

The IS 200D is not a bad car; but it is the nearest that Lexus have got to one and is certainly the least good car they have ever sold having a catalog of common problems and niggles which afflict many - although not all. You should choose the IS220D if you are desperate for the potential better economy, are easily pleased and don't mind a gearbox with ratios ill-suited to the engine. 170 BHP is achieved over a portion of the rev range so narrow that some never find it.

Don't like driving? The IS220D will reinforce this.

If totally wedded to getting an IS220D DO NOT in any circumstances have a test drive in an IS250 Auto. The IS250 is a totally different kettle of fish, particularly the Auto. Virtually no niggles/problems, better performance achieved with a refined drive in quiet luxury and fuel consumption which is not very much worse. I suspect it might be the same if driven as ponderously as the relatively sluggish IS220D can manage.

I was originally taught to use the gears to slow down and the brakes to stop. But back then cars had drum brakes - and usually ones that were really too small and/or badly designed (Ford). These would fade to useless after any real braking or going down steep slopes etc. This meant it was actually absolutely essential to use the gears/engine to do the bulk of slowing down etc. or you just could not stop. Since then, brake design and materials have improved beyond all recognition and you usually have to try really hard to make them seriously fade; so I don't think it is any longer necessary or even a good idea to use the gears to slow down - particularly with an auto.

If you don't believe me, find your favourite long steep slope, and when the road is clear and quiet, drive down it using just the brakes to control your speed, letting the auto do its own thing. When you get to the bottom give it some speed, then brake hard to see if the brakes work as usual. They will.

Yes, it can take a while to get out of old habits or adapt to progress - but it did when 5 or 6 gears came along.

Remember: Doing things for a reason is good; but doing them after the reason has gone isn't.

I don't see how the reason has gone, particularly since the Lexus handbook (for the GS 430 anyway) encourages the use of engine braking as I stated earlier and Rick (Tigerfish) has confirmed. Would Lexus really give this information if it was bad practice? Whether a car is manual or auto this practice is efficient use of the engine/gearbox and also gives more control.

A lot of the development and massive improvements in car brakes came about when Auto gearboxes first became popular. Most of these happily changed to the highest ratio going down any sort of a hill with only ineffectual ratio limiters to help - which few users knew how to use. Most recent autos provide a reasonable amount of engine breaking which can help without any action by the driver, but reliance can genuinely be placed on brakes now good enough to stop a runaway building. With manual cars, just driving in the gear appropriate to the speed you are travelling is all that is needed without dropping to a ratio that has the engine revving its nuts off.

Nevertheless, I think it is good to have in the background an alternative technique to slow down and stop should the brakes fail as all mechanical devices can - but not to drive as though they already have.

We are all different though - years ago most people used to fit horrible seat covers to protect car seats from becoming knackered; but I only ever used them when the seats were knackered. It took me years to get out of the habit of double-declutching from when all my cars had worn out synchromesh and admit I still rather miss the lovely exhaust sound when you did it.

bolted to the fuel rail with a union bolt

Cheers mate just gonna try one of these fuel savers to prove if they ARE good or useless ill let u know how it goes , not holding much hope out

They are of course completely useless. If something that simple did anything useful all makers would have fitted them by now instead of investing millions on complex technology to achieve the same thing. The only simple device proven to work is the rubber ball thing under the loud pedal that forces you to drive hard to keep up with cyclists.

Hey all.

I've got a question that's been niggling me for a while.

In a manual, the adage 'brakes to slow, gears to go' is justified, because banging the car down a couple of gears with the sole purpose of slowing down puts a fair bit of strain on the drivetrain and wears the clutch prematurely...

Now, in my automatic IS250 I've got the 'manual' option on the paddles and stick (or at least manual selection of the highest gear it'll go into) which is fantastically useful for holding speed on slopes and general boy-racery if I'm in that sort of mood.

My question is, as I'm trolling up to a steep downhill, if I simply bang the stick across from full-auto to paddle-icious and select 3rd, say, will this process harm my transmission in the same way it could a conventional manual? There's no physical connection and the TC clearly allows slip in the non-driven direction or overrun wouldn't happen, but there is quite clearly a difference in the drivetrain between ratios or there'd be no engine braking.

What's the answer? Brakes then gears as per IPSGA (as you would/should in a conventional manual), or just bash it down without a care?

I was originally taught to use the gears to slow down and the brakes to stop. But back then cars had drum brakes - and usually ones that were really too small and/or badly designed (Ford). These would fade to useless after any real braking or going down steep slopes etc. This meant it was actually absolutely essential to use the gears/engine to do the bulk of slowing down etc. or you just could not stop. Since then, brake design and materials have improved beyond all recognition and you usually have to try really hard to make them seriously fade; so I don't think it is any longer necessary or even a good idea to use the gears to slow down - particularly with an auto.

If you don't believe me, find your favourite long steep slope, and when the road is clear and quiet, drive down it using just the brakes to control your speed, letting the auto do its own thing. When you get to the bottom give it some speed, then brake hard to see if the brakes work as usual. They will.

Yes, it can take a while to get out of old habits or adapt to progress - but it did when 5 or 6 gears came along.

Remember: Doing things for a reason is good; but doing them after the reason has gone isn't.

Anyone point me in the direction of someone to fix my headlights, they auto level but stay down too low.

Presumably the rear height sensor?

I'm near Guildford

Many thanks

Firstly, if it has a recent MOT, if the headlights were too low it would have failed so they may just be lower than you expect. They have to be accurately levelled with HIDs to avoid dazzle.

If something has happened since the MOT, I have seen this problem on this forum which turned out to be damage to the bracket holding the sensor - which if my memory is correct is near the rear axle. This site will help you locate it from the Service Manual:-

http://bahamutcars.free.fr/workshop/IS_98-05/menu_tree.html

Hey there

Can anyone tell me how do I change my foglights to parking lights in my is200

Also can this be done in a way that it can be reversed quickly for nct testing

Thanks in advance

I don't think there would be a lot of point in doing it. The fog-lights have higher wattage bulbs and will flatten the Battery much quicker than sidelights. You could probably shoehorn some LEDs into the fog-light assemblies and switch them separately. LEDs use much less current for equivalent brightness, so you could easily leave them on overnight etc., plus no problem for tests.

Just wondering if this is possible or am i being stupid? Just so they come on when the engine is running and thats it. thanks

Yes, perfectly possible. They take very little current and the power can be picked up from what the ignition switch makes live when switched on. Check the wiring diagram on this site - http://bahamutcars.free.fr/workshop/IS_98-05/menu_tree.html

Hi All,

Also posted this in the IS-F forums as would like to get views from both group owners.

Been debating between these two cars. For very little price difference between a new 250 Advance you can get an IS-F; the car will be a daily driver but only do about 4-5k miles a year.

Looking for some thoughts, comments on which to go for and why? At the moment I'm stuck with the typical thing of heart says IS-F and head IS 250, about half the insurance cost, half the Road Tax and better fuel etc. Prob be about £1-1.5k cheaper each year for the 250 (But I guess the depreciation on the 250 will more than make up for that extra cost)

Given their rarity haven't been able to test the IS-F yet but I haven't seen a single bad review really.

I guessing either of them are going to be useless once temps drop unless I fork out for a set of winter tyres.

Have your cars been reliable? Any issues or problems that would put you off owning another? Anyone got a baby seat in the back?

Moving from an Mercedes SLK 350 and have always liked fun cars. Other car is an RX and been so impressed with Lexus service (Croydon) really want next car to be another Lexus.

Thanks,

Matt

Being realistic, nobody needs an ISF - and yes it is useless in snow because of the low delicate front & winter tyres won't help with this although a good idea with winter temperatures. Great fun to drive in EVERY situation even if you can rarely use more than a fraction of its potential. Mine has been totally reliable and maybe my 5 year warranty wasn't worthwhile except major repairs could prove horrifyingly expensive. Insurance for me luckily proved only 10% more than the low figure I paid for my IS200 and 24ish mpg doesn't bother me. The £460 "Green" Road Tax annoys me because my low mileage means my carbon total is actually much less than for Ford Focus doing average mileage - but that is just a rant about the slightly unsound basis used to calculate the Tax. I would have genuinely been happier if the Government had just said they were stiffing me for buying an expensive(ish) car so must be able to afford to be screwed.

Sadly, the lovely V8 noise is not something the driver gets to properly hear even with all the windows down & the sun-roof open. It mainly entertains pedestrians and people in other cars. Probably the only disappointment.

But, and it is a big but. If you have to really consider price and running costs; the ISF isn't for you. It is the kind of car where you have to take the attitude that every penny you spend including the massive depreciation is throw-away money to go straight down the drain just to have the pleasure of it. An IS250 will do most of what you want, and the extra cost for the extra the ISF provides can't be justified in strict "value-for-money" terms.

:)

PS: the comments about drivers of other brands reveal nothing but the state of the poster's mind.

Absolutely & Unashamedly :<0

I had a look at the new 3 series in some auto magazine and it just looked like the current one to me. hardly any difference to the body. dont know if there is any improvement to the interior.

what do others think?

I think it is wrong to suggest that BMW don't make fine cars. Choice is very much down to individual taste. What seems to be true is that Lexus cars are often owned by their drivers whereas BMWs & Audis tend to belong to their Employers and perhaps attract younger (or if you prefer: less discerning) drivers. Of course in the picture, still favouring the more "thrusting" image of German Marques are "Sales Executives" attempting to belie they are in so many ways - including never quite learning to drive - really of scant consequence.

I had a look at the new 3 series in some auto magazine and it just looked like the current one to me. hardly any difference to the body. dont know if there is any improvement to the interior.

what do others think?

I think it is wrong to suggest that BMW don't make fine cars. Choice is very much down to individual taste. What seems to be true is that Lexus cars are often owned by their drivers whereas BMWs & Audis tend to belong to their Employers and perhaps attract younger (or if you prefer: less discerning) drivers. Of course in the picture, still favouring the ore "thrusting" image of German Marques are "Sales Executives" attempting to belie they are in so many ways - including never quite learning to drive - really of scant consequence.

i would be interested in the mpg that 200d owners are getting.

Have only driven the IS200D as a courtesy car - but found it drove much better than IS220Ds as a result of a wider power band giving greater flexibility, and gear-ratios that actually suit the engine. I think IS220d drivers will take some time to adapt to it after the IS220D's grudging engine and absurd, eccentric gear-ratios. I did not find it any more sluggish than the IS220D, but do not believe that to be possible anyway. I did not have the IS200D long enough to comment on fuel efficiency; but think it is probably reasonable to pro-rata the official figures for both against what you are getting from an IS220D.

Quite early on in the owners manual there is a reference to the engine switch being in ACC mode, can anyone please tell what this means?

Also, having just purchased my car, an IS220d I have noticed that the manual that I have been given with the car is for an IS 250. When I contacted the dealer about this I was told that the manuals are 'generic' and cover both vehicles. I'm afraid that I cannot believe this as there is absolutely no reference whatsoever to the IS220d, all of the specifications refer to the IS250 and the fact that you should use unleaded fuel, no mention of diesel!

Does anyone have an answer to this please and, if there is a 220d manual, does anyone know where I might get one.

The 'Navigation System Owners Manual' clearly makes reference to the IS250 and the 220d.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. many thanks

ACC: Adaptive cruise control which I think is only available as an option on IS250 Auto & not at all on IS220D or manual IS250's.

The Manual: Dealer telling porkies I am afraid - what a surprise. If he is supplying a user's manual with the car, he is obliged to supply the appropriate one for it, which of course he should now get for you from Lexus or wherever else he can.

I think recondition what you have. That colour was in anycase OEM on late IS200s (together with "smoked" lights). Maybe 18" wheels could look better to some but have no handling or any other advantage & will increase road-noise a little and make the rims a bit more susceptible to kerb-damage.

a month in & still all good with the X , been asked a few times if car is import ( which it isn,t)

most folks have never even seen one & i know they are a rare breed ,

just wondered if any figures on how many were sold in uk ?

My guess would be not many, seeing as I've only ever seen about 5 on the roads...........seems to be confirmed by howmanyleft.co.uk which suggests roughly 700 of each 200 and 300 sportcross exist currently.

The Sportcross came out at a time when Estates had become deeply unfashionable - nevertheless, there was still a core of people who saw the advantages to them over people-carriers or MPVs, particularly in the US. But car-maker's marketing people in an effort to make Estates seem cool, decided to give them new, silly & meaningless names, so potential buyers browsing through their offerings found things like "Touring" for BMW & "Sportcross" for Lexus and didn't realise they were estates! Why would they? So they went on and got a Volvo or maybe even a Ford or Peugot. A good case where marketing people allowed their own way shot themselves in the foot and wrecked their own niche market. Hence the rarity of Lexus or BMW etc. estates.

@lance : it wouldnt be hard to be a better quality finish than the standard Lexus wheels. And I've a mate who's a sprayer for BMW so I'll be getting some BMW wheel lacquer so will last until I'm getting rid of the car.

@jasons: I agree they are falling in price but so is everything.. and why would a boy racer want an is200? there too big, too heavy and too slow.. Dont get me wrong I love mine but there not for trashing and certainly nowhere near a boy racer car.

@fjcfarrar: Then Lexus should change supplier. For a company that prides itself on luxury etc the least they could do is have quality manufacturers for every part of there car, especially something as obvious as wheels. Its not about the climate I see 80's BMW's everyday and wheels are still perfect from new. Even early 90's Citroen AX's around my area with original wheels so it's not the climate it's cheap lacquer..

Lexus use 5 different manufacturers for their alloys, Far East suppliers, European and American - so I don't know what the problem can be. I regularly see my old 2003 IS200LE and the wheels have no corrosion. No problem on my 2008 ISF. My Neighbour's late 2006 BMW has just had his wheels refurbished for the second time. My other neighbour's 2009 Ford Focus Titanium wheels were refurbished earlier this year, but his daughter's oldish Toyota Yaris is fine. Maybe it isn't just our climate, but perhaps stone-chip damage before the lacquer toughens-up with age? If they survive intact for the first year or two, alloys do seem to keep OK indefinitely.

FINAL UPDATE: Tracker came out today and located faulty unit using the code I found. Unit Replaced and tested very quickly and efficiently.

NOTE: If it is raining, YOU have to provide some sort of shelter. Tracker do not provide portable shelters etc. for their installers, nor do they have any premises where they can carry out the work in bad weather. On the upside, they are now about the only provider with a Thatcham cat 7 certificate for the service.

Painting wheels looks cheap and nasty. That belongs to the boy racer with their £300 Peugeot's and Vaxuhall's and the like. Not on a prestige marque like a Lexus.

And driving around with lacquer peeling and chipping off every wheel because the "prestige marque" that is Lexus used the worst wheel lacquer they could get their hands on looks a lot better does it?

Please note: Lexus do not make or finish the alloy wheels they fit but use manufacturers that supply wheels to a large number of car manufacturers. Yes, they do deteriorate, but so do nearly all alloy wheels in our climate - particularly designs with sharp edges rather than rounded contours.

Yea that was my thoughts on the gold/bronze too but was thinking like a charcoal with a very light gold hint but then again could look terrible.. what I was thinking about charcoal is that they might not stand out at all then and just look like cheap wheels with a s**t finish ye know??..cheers for the reply

True. To avoid a sh*t finish you could think about having the work done by a proper wheel refurbishers who could powder-coat them or similar to give a finish that is also durable and withstand the heat from the brakes which spray paint might not. Costs more but results guaranteed. I also think that if you go for something like the charcoal that Lexus themselves used on 2004/5 IS200s you could avoid being accused of bad taste as well as "matching" the smoked lights you already have. I suspect that light gold hints would probably look like mildew against your blue paint. In the end though, it is your choice and you are free to choose what others might think looks terrible.