C Andrew Green

Mine was however only a normal key......Hmmmm should I take an £80 punt on a credit card key......Hmmmm! Andrew

I'll try and remember to write up my experiences and installation sequence while it's fresh in my mind. Andrew

And in todays news I successfully added my secondhand eBay key to my IS, and while I was at it I disabled the option to open the windows on long pressing the remote unlock button..................... (and did the same disable windows option on my brothers IS) I should point out that the key I bought had been erased. I asked the seller and he wasn't initially aware of the requirement to erase a Lexus key to make it usable, he enquired of his programmer colleague who confirmed it. He then had it erased which increased the cost slightly and was clearly the correct choice. Happy, Andrew

Ha! after reinstalling Windows 8 on a borrowed (64 Bit) laptop twice and quite a lot of fiddling about with drivers I worked out what was wrong. It appears that the Mini VCI drivers install OK but when I install the TechStream software it installs 'windriver as the default VIM driver, disabled 'windriver' and bingo, connection has been achieved! Now all that remains is to learn how to use TechStream to add a new key..... Andrew

Hey @Newbie666 Bought my 2007 IS250 through an ad on AutoTrader, just having a look now.....(My search..) Have you seen This one, in Mitcham, Surrey, right price range, BUT because it was Cat D at some point. Or this one in Wembley, couple of years older but not too old. Oddly the next two highest prices are somewhat higher miles. I haven't looked at the MOT history online but you should, it can give you a clue if their believable. Andrew

1/ As far as I can see the boot latch is not connected to the door locking process at all.... it has it's own receiver for the key, approximate range shown in green in the attached extract from the manual:

I think to fit in your budget you're probably going to have to accept >100K miles, I was lucky I think, my '57 plate was a little over £3.5K and 69,000 miles (bought privately) from 40 miles away. Andrew

Hi, If it's any help on my 2007 IS250 (and I can't imagine that there's too many different designs) the mirror and mount detaches by sliding it upwards (towards the top of the screen) off the little metal dovetail block which is bonded to the screen. i found this out as when I first got my IS the mirror vibrated a bit, when I went to adjust it lower down it popped off the mount (I guess it wasn't clipped fully on when the screen was replaced before I acquired it). When clipped fully down it no longer vibrates. I've since removed it to fit a dashcam behind the mirror. If you look from underneath the mirror you should be able to see the open end of the mirror mount and the dovetail part. Regards, Andrew

Hi Arqum, My initial optimism appears to have been dashed! Installed the program, drivers and registry hack, Techstream now has 'X Horse - MVCI available' as VIM. But after 'Initialising USB connection' I get 'Unable to connect to VIM'. So I'm not sure if my Mini VCI dongle is not working or if my installation is not working? Currently trying it on a Windows 10 64 Bit Laptop, also tried it on an older Windows 7 64 Bit Laptop. Does anyone have a working copy of the 'X Horse Firmwware Update Tool'? Most online sources refer to using it to verify that the dongle is working and not to update the firmware. Anyone within striking distance of Oxford/Reading that I can meet up with and do some swap tests with? @Arqum ? @Shahpor ? Andrew

'57 plate 72K mile IS250 Automatic.... 36~37mpg on (as the book recomends) super unleaded, usually Tesco Momentum 99. Morning dawdle round Oxford ring road then 20 miles at 70 MPH on cruise control where possible then dawdle through Newbury to work, 35 miles total, and the reverse in the evening. I'm no boy racer, but if acceleration is needed then 2.5 Litres gets a move on! Nearly forgot, generally the fuel computer shows 430~440 miles range (65L tank). I rarely fill up before 400 miles. Andrew

Hi, I can vouch for the fact that this: Mini VCI Cable & software Comes with drivers for up to at least 64 bit Win 7 (and it's cheaper!). I bought one and the most recent version of the software on the disc actually has a detailed installaion video, installed drivers & installed software OK, recognises the Mini VCI dongle. The one proviso is that I haven'yet tried to talk to the car (I got it to try and pair a spare key) as I had just installed it and then had to go to a funeral in Bangkok, I'll be back next week so hopefully I'll get time to try it then...... Andrew

The metal bit stuck on the screen is like a dovetail and the plastic bit on the end of the mirror arm kind of wraps round it and has a quite stiff metal spring in it, from memory the mirror mount slides up off the fixed part, if yours isn't clipped in properly it should pop off easily. I'd go and have a look at mine but it's 8000 miles away at the moment. Andrew

Hi Shahpor, When I first got my IS250 it too had an annoying vibration of the interior mirror (and from the MOT history has had a new screen fitted). When I was adjusting the mirror position down (I'm taller than the previous owner) it popped off the screen! I discovered that it clips on but isn't tight unless you slide it to like a second firmer click position, have a look and see if yours is lined up with the mount plate.....if not slide it on a bit more. Andrew

By service brake i meant the main brake pedal, parking brake is the left foot operated one, push on, push off. I always think of 'e'brakes as the strange push button electrically operated parking brakes that are appearing on newer european cars these days..... "The parking brake is the brake that is designed to "hold" the vehicle. The service brake is the system that is designed to slow down the vehicle and bring it to a stop. Parking brakes are also referred to as "emergency" brakes although , in an emergency they would never slow down a vehicle in a safe manner." (www.quora.com) Umm, I haven't been to LA since 1978 or so, so maybe you're thinking of someone else, Bangkok where I am at the moment however is warm, humid & mad! Andrew

When you've got a tediously long wait at the A4/A339 roundabout in Newbury it means you can take your foot of the pedal and relax, While the IS250 doesn't pull too hard idling at a standstill in 'D' (the Yaris however pulls quite hard in 'D') I'm convinced for a long stop 'N' is more fuel efficient. Andrew

HaHa! I'm still getting used to not having a conventional handbrake on my IS250, the parking brake / e brake thing is so weedy in it's effect that it's quite easy to drive off with it on, but helpfully the IS250 beeps at you after a few yards! (I'm obviously too blind to see the brake warning light!) but as above it keeps the shoes clean, my old Vectra was the same with a separate drum handbrake and the manual told you to periodically gently apply the handbrake while moving. After 40+ years of handbrake use I'm still learning how to coordinate getting my foot on the service brake, transmission into D, parking brake off and then driving off smoothly when the lights go green....... Andrew

Thanks John, I might have to give Summertown Garage a try, for the past 4~5 years I've been using a garage near my work (recomended by work colleagues) but since the original proprietor retired and sold out to his chief mechanic a couple of years ago it definitely has a different feel to it....... Andrew

I forgot to mention that i'm currently ragging this '97 Toyota Yaris round Bangkok for a couple of weeks while the IS is safely tucked away in it's garage in the UK. A Lexus would be nice but a small car is easier in Bangkok traffic! I'm missing the 6 speed and semi automatic gearbox mode of the IS (the Yaris is only a 4 speed auto with low, 2nd & 3rd hold) Andrew

Thanks, I was trying to keep it short and sweet, but kept thinking of more stuff....... I loved my little Daihatsu, but the Astra came along at the right price and the Daiahtsu was rusting out the bottoms of the doors. I think my Mazda 626 was actually completely worn out as the (original ) clutch released very high up and wasn't long for this world, needed a rear caliper (seized), it also had a few really noisy tappets when hot (surprisingly for a 2L 16V car it didn't have an oil cooler) I would guess the seals were worn in the hydraulic lifters and the expense of pulling the camshafts to do them would have been uneconomical. It was mainly the ~£350 to repair the rust at the sill / rear wheel arch junction that made it terminal. Andrew

My motoring bio: 1972 a 10 year old Ford Anglia 107E, too rusty to pass the next years MOT Some time with company vehicles and then bikes.... In 1978 a 1962 Fiat 131, Peculiar unreliable thing, suicide doors (front and rear doors both hinged on the B pillar), column shift, umbrella handle handbrake, hand throttle (like a choke knob, remember those? that you could pull out, like cruise control but more dangerous!) Bought it for a tenner as it was stuck in someones garage with the brakes rusted on (unused for several years, before the days of SORN). Had an aluminium cylinder head, I must have changed the head gasket half a dozen times at least including welding cracks and skimming it. Hilman Imp, pocket sized awful handling rear engined thing (bought it off a workmate for a tenner after his daughter abandoned it in a layby near me with a blown clutch, caused by a dragging rear brake) Replaced clutch (they were a weedy little clutch), fixed draggy brakes, cheap motoring for a couple of years. Ford Anglia Estate, a heap, for ~£30 from the same mate, he was fed up with only being able to put a gallon of fuel in it at a time due to a rust hole in the tank! Drained & removed tank & drilled hole out, fit brass screw and sealant, ran it for a while and sold it on. 100K Mile Cortina 1600 GXL Mk3 Maroon / Black Vinyl roof. Mechanically reliable but had a welded tubular 4 into 2 into 1 exhaust manifold (no idea if it was standard) that was forever burning through the outside of the bends. Toyota 2WD Hilux Pickup, for no other reason than to get the pickup thing out of my system. Daihatsu Charade (998cc 3 cylinder) Modern handling pocket rocket! Needed a service every 3K / 4K miles to mantain performance (coil and points ignition). Nearly new 1989 8V Astra GTE, Good for 124 MPH! Ask me how I know, although I couldn't even get into 3 figures round Mallory Park. Acquired first speeding points (only 3 mind) Slowed down a bit after that............. 1.6LCavalier 1.8 Vectra, eventually died of a seized camshaft, beyond economical repair. 1992 Maxda 626, Never let me down, 180,000 miles of trouble free motoring, just routine stuff, Didn't quite make 1/4 million miles due rust, scrapped it this year @ 243,000 miles. Now: '57 plate Lexus IS250 for luxury commuting............. Andrew

Hi Shahpor, Do you always get your IS serviced at Lexus Reading or only specific work? Mine is coming up to needing a service next month @74K Miles and almost exactly 10K and a year since last serviced, MOT is due in September so probably do it all at once. Debating whether to go independent or main dealer...... If anyone knows of a recomended independent, Oxford / Reading / Newbury area. (Live in Oxford, work in Aldermaston so not far from Reading) Andrew

Did you try Lexus Oxford? http://www.oxford.lexus.co.uk Interested to to know why you're looking further afield if you did?

The programming is a relative bargain! Finally got through to Lexus Reading, they want £84 ! to program my key, and they didn't sound that confident 'ummm, don't know if we've ever done that.....' so bought an eBay Mini VCI dongle. The auto locksmiths in Aylesbury got back to me but like Lexus Oxford wil only program keys they supply. Andrew

Hi, There's a two week hiatus! On the 26th I found out that I was going to my mother in laws funeral on 2nd July, in Bangkok! I'll be back on the 18th, I had just got the Software installed and it recognises the mini VCI dongle, but hadn't had a chance to try talking to my IS yet. Depending on how I get on with programming the spare standard key I've bought will define whether I should take a punt on a possibly unresellable card type key. Andrew

Haha, so true, Classic FM for a calm and leisurely cruise controlled (slow trucks permitting) trip up and down the A34 every day to and from work! Andrew