Tyre Tread

If your dashboard rattles they can cure it while the dash is out.

If you crack on and have no issues you could do it in a couple of hours easy but it depends on how you tackle that awkward bolt. The rest is pretty straightforward.

All done. That bolt at the back is a PITA. Found the bolt while looking for a socket I dropped. The plugs that cane out were white - running V lean.

Since I had some spare time today and won't need the car for a few days I decided to change the plugs. Firstly a big thank you to those who have produced how to guides and videos. Without them it would have been much more difficult to figure out what to do and what was needed in advance of starting the job. The difficult to remove bolt on the back of the air box was a bitch to get undone. Not only because access is difficult but it was tight. VERY tight. Ended up putting a 1/4" drive ratchet on it but couldn't get enough pressure on it to crack it free so I looped a thick, long cable tie around it so I could pull on the ratchet with one hand on the handle and the other pulling on the cable tie and it eventually cracked. I also soaked it in penetrating fluid but not sure if that helped. I eventually got the bolt out and dropped it down the back of the engine. It was tight... tight... tight... fell out! No sign on the garage floor so it must have hung up somewhere underneath. I heard it hit the exhaust heat shield and then it sounded like it fell through to the floor. But if it did, I can't find it. So I'll have to see if I can find a replacement in my spares. I checked the new plugs supplied from Lexus Birmingham and all were gapped correctly and the electrodes were protected by a plastic tube so they couldn't be knocked in transit. I am surprised that all of the plugs are white on the electrodes suggesting its running extremely lean. Most of my mileage is on cruise at 70mph so not so surprising I suppose. I'm now heading back into the garage to put it all back together. Anyone know what the correct torque setting is fo the plugs?

Definitely not fob related as I got back in the car and it started so it must have been recognising the key. Unlikely to have been radio interference as I was in the middle of a very big car park, in the same place I park every day so nothing close by and no changes in the surroundings as far as I can tell.

Bit of an odd one... Drove to work this morning. When i set off the car doors unlocked as usual as soon as I touched the door handle. I arrived at work and the doors wouldn't lock either using the rubber push pad or using the button on the key fob. I tried getting back in the car and starting it and turning it off again but it wouldn't lock. I had to leave it as late for work. Went back to the car at lunchtime and it locked and unlocked fine. Any thoughts on what might be the issue in case it recurrs?

...about your car. I've owned mine for 18 months and done 30K miles but didn't realise until yesterday that the footwell lights are dimmable using the instrument backlight dimming control. Anyone else got any any hidden gems?

I need to do the spark plugs on my car as its approaching 90K miles and never been done. I have been offered a service kit from Lexus Birmingham to include: "service kit including oil filter, air filter and pollen filters as well as spark plugs and intake gaskets for £164.75 inc VAT. Does this sound like good value? I'm assuming iridium plugs but will check.

By all means put up your spreadsheet. If I can figure out how I'm happy to put up the figures over the last 1.5 years and 25K miles from the "Mycars" app using brim to brim calcs. You may be lucky and have an accurate calculation on your car but it will be a rare beast.

And of all the cars I've had with trip computers I've never had one that gave a correct MPG reading, they have ALL, without exception, been optimistic. From A Jazz to and XF S Jag. Every. single. one!

Thanks Paul. I've heard Lexus Birmingham are good. I'll order the plugs from them. Problem with a wait and see approach with the gasket is that if they aren't any good I'd have to delay reassembly and its my every day car so I'll pay the £27 if I have to but was surprised at the limited option to obtain the gaskets.

My car has hit 86K miles and not had the plugs done yet so I'm lining up the parts and time to do them. The guides and videos are excellent and the only thing I've been having a bit of trouble with was tracking down the gaskets mentioned. By taking the part number 17176-31050 off a web photo of the packaging and searching the web I've located them for sale here https://www.onlinecarparts.co.uk/ajusa-7188927.html at £6.27 and it states 3 are required so £18.81 plus £8.45 postage so over £27 - Does this sound right or expensive for a few bits of rubber. Also, please can anyone recommend the best place to buy the Iridium plugs. Lots of choice but also lots of fake plugs about.

Was your MPG based upon what the trip computer told you? Be aware the computer is about 7% optimistic on mine.

I am getting a genuine 40mpg brim to brim calcs using an app over the last 18 months. That's mostly motorway commuting of 44 miles each way to work, about 38 of which is motorway. Summer gets me 42 and winter about 38. The temperature really affects the overall mpg as does sitting in traffic and lots of local runs. I tend to stick the cruise on at 75 on the motorway.. Expect around 500 ish miles on a tankful on a motorway run as long as you don't hammer it.

Ha!

I've had my IS250 just over a year now and covered 18K miles mostly on my commute and I've been monitoring the fuel consumption using a phone app called "mycar". Firstly its clear that the trip computer is about 10 to 12% optimistic when compared to a brim to brim comparison. The lowest figure in that time was 25.45 (brim to brim calculated) when doing lots of short runs and the best was genuine 40.87 2 weeks ago. (indicated 44.4 for the tankful) From the data its obvious that temperature is a critical factor for warm up times to get the best mpg along with type of use (daily commute is 80+ mile round trip of mostly clear motorway). Today I'm doing an almost non stop trip up to Scotland and it will be interesting to see what MPG I get if we don't get caught in too much traffic (the other MPG killer) I'll try and report back in a week or so. ETA it seems aircon hits the MPG to about 3 to 4 mpg.

Must admit I didn't notice the 4mm remaining comment. On that basis I'd wait a while and save a few more pennies for better tyres. I generally run mine down to about 2.5mm so there should be a few thousand more miles left in your existing tyres yet.

Took mine to Lexus Cardiff and they put fuel in but didn't mention it.

I very muchdoubt they leave the factory with cheap tyres as manufacturers have huge buying power so pay little for good quality tyres and tyre companies know that people are likely to fit like for like when replacement is required so happy to do fantastic deals with them. Those cheap tyres will have been fitted by second hand car dealers wanting to save a few quid as the cars will have been traded in with shot tyres. If you're paying £10 a tyre for fitting on top of your quotes prices are you really saving that much compared to the fitted price on the likes of black circles for known brands.# I'm a cheap skate with most things. Most of my clothes are 10 years old or more but I will pay for quality car components and tyres because I trust my life and the life of family and friends to them on a regular basis.

Are those prices inc fitting and balancing?

Now I'm confused. £89 is out of budget but £80 front and £90 rear is OK? A difference of about £20 all in? Just think about the loss of NCB if you don't stop in time in the wet. Really, £20 for budget versus known label?

These: https://www.blackcircles.com/tyres/brands/dunlop/sport-bluresponse £65 a corner fitted and balanced at your local fitting centre is excellent value and they are great in the wet, quieter than most and fuel efficient. Why fit anything else? Seem to last well too. You only have four small patches of rubber between you and the rest of the world so make sure they are good patches of rubber. Please don't use part worn tyres. you may be lucky and get some good ones that haven't been bounced on and off kerbs and hit potholes or you may not.

If you buy one that hasn't had the airbag recall done its an opportunity to get the creaky dash sorted. Mine is now quiet as a mouse after I got them to change the dashboard clips while doing the airbag. Just had to pay the £25 for the clips.

Nope. Not a dicky bird.

My thoughts exactly. My wife's Audi had an over zealous tester reporting surface corroded this and surface corroded that and it made it really difficult to sell. Fact of the matter is that it was no worse than most vehicles on the road which all have some surface corrosion on components underneath the vehicle. It was just an over zealous tester. I mentioned it to the local garage owner who apologised and said the tester was no longer with them. From the way he spoke I suspect that was the reason. So I wouldn't write it off but I would check it VERY carefully and specifically ask if it had been involved in a flooding incident.