bernieeccles

Hmm, I sometimes experience a vibration on normal roads as if I was traveling over slight rumble strips but when I momentarily lift off the gas, the vibration goes.

Looks like the usual perforated leather for seat cooling to me.

Do you have torque settings for the various bolts or was is "that'll do"?

Read many posts on the Tesla forums of people getting quotes for insurance in the thousands if at all. I don't know if this is an EV thing in general but it does seem that Tesla cars are having problems getting spares when damaged and are often written off because of it.

How Much?

1 minute ago, Bluemarlin said:

I don't think they grease the caliper pins at service. That said, the calipers are covered under the extended warranty.

I suppose I had an element of sarcasm in my question as it seems that apart from the oil and filter change and sometimes, other fluids, all they seem to do is inspect things which makes the high cost of these services a nice money maker for the dealership!

Do you get your brake caliper pins greased when paying these high service prices?

2 hours ago, SeanR said:

Great in the snow, remember flying past folk that were stuck, basically anything rear wheel driven.

I used to have a VW Bora 130 TDI. Come winter, I would put my set of spare wheels shod with Nokian winter tyres and that thing would romp up steep hills with fresh snow or old slush, where other cars with normal tyres would be at a standstill with spinning wheels.

Of course none of this would matter if the road was blocked with stuck vehicles because you could not get passed and that would also apply to any fancy 4 wheel drive.

6 hours ago, dking22 said:

Nobody sane is paying over 1000 for these now 

So you really don't think any IS250 is worth more than £1000? I think you really need to question your own sanity with that remark!

Long shot, but you did make sure your petrol cap was closed tight after you put in the petrol?

As motorcycle owners, my mate and I often wonder when certain motorcycles with a reputation for reliability, go in for a "big" service i.e. valve clearances, do the technicians on the job actually do the job or just have a wipe around and don't bother.

Do the easy jobs, yes , but stuff that experience has shown don't really need doing?

If something did go wrong many miles later, then just charge it to warranty or bluff it out.

I know for certain that a long time ago when I had a Saab Turbo 16v S, bought used from a main dealer, the dealer put in warranty claims for certain things that had gone wrong but claimed for more expensive parts that were perfectly fine and they did not change.

I know because after a dispute with them, I wrote to the warranty company asking for a print out of the  various work carried out and was very surprised that one of the items claimed for was a new ECU that was definitely not needed or changed and probably cost many many hundreds of pounds.

Ever since then, along with other incidents at dealers, fast fit merchants, I have a deep mistrust of main dealers.

So, yes, if they change the plugs, ask for the ones out of your car. Which then begs the question, did the come out of your car or did the just leave them in and give you some shonky others from somewhere else.

Front end design is hideous!

A few years ago, my Toyota HiAce van insurance was up for renewal and as per normal I had a renewal price from my existing insurer. I can't remember why I phoned them up, but in the ensuing conversation the chap on the end of the phone was going through the usual questions including the one about modifications.

I then joking said yes, my van had some carpet on the floor in the back, which I put there to help cut down noise and stop the floor getting roughed up etc.

He asked if I could hang on for a couple of minutes then came back and to my utter disbelief pronounced that there would be an increase in premium of £17 for said modification.

Yes. I politely told him where to go and got my insurance elsewhere.

Luckily, I do my own repairs and did my water pump last year. It's not difficult and there are numerous videos on Youtube showing the steps needed. I bought a Blue Print branded pump which turned out to be a genuine one with the Toyota name ground off the casting. Came with the special metal layered gasket and new O rings. It cost just over £80 from a reputable on line seller.

Together with some Toyota spec Comma pink antifreeze coolant, the job took a couple of hours or so and cost probably less than an hours labour at Lexus rates.

I do wince at the money Lexus dealers charge, or any garage actually.

Just an update.

Blower motor still working quietly and I should add that when assembling the motor spindle into the new bearings, I added a bit of Moly grease even though these are "oilite" bushes.

Just to update.

Just had an MOT today and no mention of the small sections of rear brake pipe that I cleaned up and coated with black metal paint. I did redo this a week or so ago when I changed the rear brake pads and when I cleaned off the old paint from 2 years ago, the pipes were still nice and bright so the paint did its job.

So that's 2 MOTs got through having been advised previously that they were perhaps in need of repair.

Cost = zero, just a bit or emery and a bit of paint.

10 hours ago, Mr Vlad said:

half of the blood running through my body is Ukrainian

Me too!

I'm sure you must get a cosy smug feeling when you cough up hundreds of pounds for an oil and filter change and the massaging of your ego in such a grand glass palace and such supposedly superior technicians.

In reality, they are not as skilled as you seem to think, but if you are happy to pay such inflated prices then good for you!

BTW, if they are so good, why don't they grease the brake caliper slider pins as an example or why did they tell me that a rumbling noise was a worn tyre when it was obvious, even to anyone with an ounce of experience that it was a wheel bearing?

"but unfortunately too many people are suffering from delusions of grandeur"

Someone has to pay for the big glass showroom and the free coffee and biscuits 🙂

Dodo Juice.

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/91555/dodo-juice-supernatural-leather-cleaner

This morning, because it was sunny instead of the rain we seemed to have had for a week, I replaced my thinning rear brake pads on my IS250. Used some Blueprint ones that came for a good price and also took the opportunity to re grease the sliding pins and clean up the pad locating pins.

Used a smear of Pagid brake grease on the backs of the pad shims ,locating pins, and then some special slide pin grease on the, you guessed it, slide pins.

Also a touch of red rubber grease on the boots.

All done for about £20.

Going to book it in for the annual MOT next week.

For the cost of a Lexus service, what do you actually get for your money besides a new oil and air filter and some new oil? A new Battery in your key fob? All the rest is just inspection and if anything is needed, then you are going to pay top money.

I always do my own, do it right and save a lot of money but I do know not everyone wants to or can do it themselves. Lexus service stamp for an IS250 is over rated and over priced and is mostly a tick box exercise.

And yet, when buying a used Lexus, most people place great store on it having a Lexus service history. For instance one example is the sliding caliper pins on an IS250. Do Lexus grease these on a service,  no, does a caring private owner doing his own maintenance like me?

You betcha!

3 hours ago, james250 said:

when my is250 has been sitting for few days in the cold and go and start it. If I lower the drivers window for the first minute or 2 I can hear a strange scratching/rattling kind of noise. It's almost like something is catching something. It's not loud. Sounds like very thin metal being scratched. I think it's the headshield clips. One of the clip is badly corroded is loose. But if it is that it's strange that it doesn't rattle always. 

Can anyone suggest what kind of round jubilee clip or something that I can place over the shields?

I had a similar problem once when I was on holiday and the noise was driving me mad. Took it into a Autocare garage and when they put it on the lift, they found that yes, the clamps that hold the exhaust heat shields on were either missing or corroded. They didn't have anything suitable but a Toolstation close by had these clips which were as cheap as chips. I know that there not stainless but they have been on now for coming up to 2 years and if they go again, I will get stainless ones. It cured the noise.

https://www.toolstation.com/hose-clip/p21059

Yes I know the IS250 does not have an ignition key but there are other re synching solutions where you lock the car with the key and then unlock it then press a combination of buttons on the fob, that sort of thing. Google it.