KenMavor

Am going to attempt the rear slider pins this coming Saturday morning...

What is the size of the Allen key/bit required for the rear pin?

Is it a 10mm hex?  Going to order from amazon and just wanted to check the size.

Thanks

I've just had a crack appear on the passenger side of the windscreen....ho hum.

Will let you know how I get on!

12 hours ago, Brechin Slate said:

Hi folks

Just thought I'd share a recent experience I had with Autoglass.  My windscreen had a big chip in one corner and when driving towards the sun I noticed hundreds of tiny chips which had probably accumulated over the years.  Some of them were so small I thought it was tree sap so I tried cleaning the screen with IPA and then a clay bar but no improvement.  Time for a change, it was worth the £75 insurance excess to see where I was going.  Booked the fitter to come to my home and was given a six hour window on a Saturday.

When the day came, the fitter called and said that because of the snow, he'd have trouble getting to me so could I go to him instead.  I was going to go into a monologue about if he couldn't drive to me because of the snow, surely it worked both ways but, I wanted the job done and figured that a warm dry workshop was better than the job being done under a gazebo.

I drove 17 miles to Poole, handed the car over and went for a coffee while the job was being done.  I got a call an hour later telling me all was good, checked that it was ok to drive and set off for home.  A few miles down the road and both my wife and I noticed that there was a lot of noise in the car and there was a big draught coming from between the screen and the dash on the passenger side.  Then the creaking started around the area of the rear view mirror.  Then I noticed that the side trim was loose.

I was tempted to turn round and go back but not only did I doubt there was another Lexus screen in stock but the fitter had told me he was going straght on to another job.  I guess that driver refused to come to him.  When I got home, I noticed that the trim and the clips hadn't been changed, see pic, (the receipt said that they had been) so I contacted Autoglass to tell them I wanted the whole job done again.  The fitter came to my work today (I asked them not to send the same one) and he had no intention of changing the screen until I insisted, he said he only needed to do the trim.  When he took the trim off, I felt around the bottom of the screen where the draught was coming from and pulled gently on the screen, there was easily 8-10 mm of movement.

In the end, the screen, trim and clips were changed and I waited a few hours befor driving the car.  Pleased to report that all is now good, the car is quiet and draught free again and everything looks neat.  In a chat I had with the fitter, I picked up that they were demotivated by their T's and C's and very few of them had pride in their work or were inclined to deliver good customer service.  Sounds like a rant but I'm happier now and wanted to let you guys know to be wary if you're in the same situation.

Regards to all.

Mike

1 hour ago, rdb85 said:

So that Lexus I was interested in has been sold to another dealer. But he said he will keep an eye out for another. How he expected me to leave a deposit before he purchased it, without pictures or even a registration is a little odd. 

But he’s confirmed that it is indeed that black one I found that’s £8.5k that’s a grand more than what he wanted. Could of been sorted if only he’d of sent me the Reg and pictures.

It will always be the case that the dealer will be working with many buyers, even for the same car, and he will ALWAYS try and press to sell the car as quickly as possible and for as much money as possible.  I have found, on more than one occasion, that I have made a journey toe see a car only to find it had been sold and really the salesman could not give a monkey's as he's made his money.  This is especially true for cars where it is a seller's market and I suggest the IS250 is currently in that bracket at the moment.  Many people are starting to realise that the older Lexii are a very, very good car - reliable, not that expensive to maintain if you go to an indie and also the cache of saying you drive a Lexus still sounds good.

Get new slider pins for all round.......you will need them at some point or maybe replace them all now.

I got mine from Frentech and they sell them on eBay.....total £58 if I remember correctly.

The rears are meant to be more suspect to seizing so you may find the front ones are the least of your worries.

Maybe have a look at the rear ones just to see what they look like and if they look bad then get the new pins and put into local garage and get them to replace

all the slider pins.

Have you got the little bolt out that holds the caliper to the carrier bracket?

If yes take the caliper away from the bracket.  Then see if you can remove the bracket from the car.  With it off the car you should be able to exert more pressure to try and get the pin going round and round and break the rust seal.  Then slowly try and work it out of the bracket.  With it off the car you can try and get WD40 in behind the rubber and down into the recess where the pin attaches to the bracket.

Lot depends whether you need the car as well....if you can get the caliper off and the pin in stuck inside the bracket you could then take the bracket to a local garage and get them to extract the slide pin.  I also gave the hold that the slider pin goes into on the bracket a clean with a wire drill bit.

Do you have replacement sliding pins?

6 minutes ago, leelacey17 said:

Afternoon all,

Started to do the service on the rear brakes today. Drivers side was a dream just stripped down and greased and put back together without a problem.

The passenger side was !@$##% seized

Help needed. The lower pin is in a right state so I'm assuming that I will need a new caliper and bracket! All I can find on eBay is the calipers without brackets for about £120. I cannot find the life of me find the bracket on its own.

I found a complete assembly for around £240???? That means it's £120 for a bracket?

Has anyone brought replacements and if so where from and how much?

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
 

What is actually seized....top or bottom slide pin?  I had one a few weeks ago and drenched it in WD40 etc.  Managed to get it turning and slowly but surely extracted the pin.  If I remember correctly the pin gets terminated in the actual carrier and passes through.

Have you managed to get the small bolt out which holds the caliper onto the carrier bracket?  If not then try holding the longer pin bolt with a pair of pliers or molegrips and then try turning the small bolt head with a spanner or if round bolt head another molegrip.  All you need is to get that sucker out.

Would suggest that the caliper might be OK.....

It's a complete pita.....if you can separate the caliper from the bracket then you can see if the caliper piston moves in freely.

Hope you manage.

On 3/5/2018 at 8:33 AM, LennyLexus said:

 

3 hours ago, madasahatter said:

That is reasonable but its not a difficult job to do. Obviously if you are not mechanical minded, its peace of mind and big cost saving over a caliper.

Plenty of indie garages will do this job i imagine. With the bad weather we have had recently, it is something to consider if not been done.

Personally i would wait till april is out. Beast from the north east expected beginning of Easter.

I'm not coming down south until 2nd week in April....

11 hours ago, Gramera flash said:

I was wondering how often other members did this job, the reason I ask is my car was in for some work a Lexus and as part of their service they always do a quick check around the car, they flagged up that one of the rear calipers had seized, I usually do this job once a year but had overlooked it by a couple of months, just managed to free it though, so will be doing it more frequently from now on.

Would also suggest that it also depends whether the actual pins and bolts have been replaced with new ones.  If it is still the old ones then suggest replacing them as if a slider pin already has excessive rust and muck on them they they will be more prone to sticking.  Also giving the pin recess a good clean out is to be recommended as again excessive dirt and muck in there will also impact the capability of the slider pin to easily do their job.

I replaced all my front ones a couple of weeks ago and they needed it.  I will check them every 6 months and clean and regrease just to make sure they are good.  Still to do my rear ones but have all the parts and looking for a warmer, and sunnier day to do them.

38 minutes ago, johnatg said:

It may well fool speed cameras etc (or their ticketing systems) which are largely automated these days.


Sent from my PSP7551DUO using Tapatalk
 

That's exactly why it's been done...if he/she does get stopped by the police then they just claim ignorance saying the shop that made up the plate got it wrong and that they ahd never noticed.  Any pics of the front number plate?

1 hour ago, ColinBarber said:

www.toyodiy.com

17801-31110

This....

Personally, I would much rather have direct taxation than the hidden, indirect taxes.

VAT, sales tax, CGT, IHT, etc.

Work out how much the indirect taxes bring in and increase income tax accordingly and apply other taxes in agreed situations.  I would also increase taxes for those earning more than a certain amount.

28 minutes ago, The-Acre said:

One was seized apparently but freed up easily.  I've been introduced to a mechanic with a fully equipped workshop and two ramps, and not being young he has a massive amount of knowledge.  He's very efficient, clean working (seat covers and floor protection) and very, very reasonable price wise.  He'll be getting all our work from now on.

Just a pity he's so far away from Aberdeen.  Had one of these guys who did all the work on my cars but sadly he retires last year.  He must have saved be 1000s over the years.  Still looking for a replacement.

Guess what I'm doing probably on Saturday morning.

Unsure if it really needs new discs and pads but will have a look in the morning.

2 hours ago, is200 Newbie said:

The rear brakes have pads and also shoes (shoes are inside the discs) just in case you are not aware

Thanks...yes was aware that there are brake shoes for the handbrake/footbrake on the inside.  I am assuming, and hoping that they are fine and will not need replaced.

Will have read up on how to back the shoes off a tad to get the drum off and then adjust them up after the new discs are on.

4 hours ago, is200 Newbie said:

Honestly - its an easy job - I re-greased the ones on my new car and it took about 10 mins per wheel - glad I done it as the grease was a bit black.

2 bolts to remove on each of the fronts and one on each of the backs. Get into the routine of doing it as its needed at least one a year and spending 1 hour doing them at no cost is better than spending around £1k replacing all corners.

BUT - if you are not confident in doing them best leave to a garage as after all the brakes are vital.

Fronts are done and agree it is relatively easy unless the pins are seized solid and then it's a pita.

Going to do rear ones later on in the week and probably replace pads and discs at same time.

Again looking at Youtube video it does look easy but as we all know until you start doing the work you never know what problems you will find....burred bolt heads anyone??

Just done my front slider pins on 2007 IS250.  Pads and discs are OK for time being.

All four pins were in a pretty rubbish state but the last one was seized solid.  Thought it might be a garage job but managed to get it moving round and round and eventually got it out.  Put everything back together.  Took 2 hours each side but mainly due to stuck pins.  Hopefully that's it for a few months.  Will probably need new discs and pads in about six months so will grease the pins again at the same time.

Looking to do the rear ones this week as well and probably replace pads and discs.  Not looking forward to that as think rears are more prone to seizing than fronts.

Got all hardware from Frentech direct for £58.

Wish me luck with the rears!!

3 hours ago, rdb85 said:

Few more have come up, they are quite old, and have high mileage. Will leave those, that F Sport in White still hasn't shown up. 

One thing to maybe consider is to get an older IS250 at a lower price.  Say 4k to 5k.

It maybe that you are seeking the holy grail of IS250s in that the 9k price point is right about model change level....so you will see newer models just outside your price range and you will probably keep hankering after one of those.

Just a thought.

Lexi Lou II had minor hesitation starting last Wednesday and Thursday, hasn't been driven since Thursday evening and would not start this morning. What for recovery chap to charge her up.

Ask you friendly recovery man for a recommendation.  They know the best batteries for each car.  And usually know the best place locally to get one.  They can also supply and fit one for a price....well the AA and RAC can.

17 hours ago, bernieeccles said:

Put a deposit down over the phone today on a 2009 IS 250 se-l  multi media from a Lexus dealer. The personal video sent to me clearly shows that it is a pre upgrade car because it does not have indicators in the wing mirrors and the reversing lights are the square ones.

What puzzles me is that the car has the 10 spoke 17inch wheels and also whenever I put the registration number into the My Lexus  or the Gov, mot history, nothing is found. It does come up on the basic MOT check though.

If I look at 2008 or 2009 brochures on the Lexus site, those cars have the mirror indicators and tick shaped reversing lights and the 18inch wheels.

I just wonder how this car which is registered March 2009 can not have these features.

Does anyone know the year when the upgrade happened  and should it have 18 inch wheels as standard ?

Do a check on somewhere like Cazana for peace of mind.

11 hours ago, is200 Newbie said:

The Warrington one was my next choice, mileage at that level is irrelevant. Lots of ways you can bargain down. I bought my first one at 60k and had it until recently at 107k. Looked after they will last a lot longer if no one decides they want to take it out.

Save the grand and put it towards a service on the car (done yourself) and some improvements.

Good idea.  I always take 3/6 months to do the various small bits and pieces to get a car to where I like.  Service, maybe new tyres if needed, brake discs and pads all round etc.  Mileage difference should not be an issue......these cars do mega mileages if looked after.  OP says he does 6k miles a year....10 years to do 60k miles......mmm.  Mine has done 68k miles now and suspect I'll keep it for a good few years.  Still looking for replacement rear tyres for mine but 8 inches of snow doesn't help.

Let me know what tyres you guys have on the rears..

1 hour ago, bernieeccles said:

I was thinking about the price and I thought at the time,  it was well worth paying the full amount to secure such a nice car. One thought did cross my mind though, and this applies to any IS250 and that is to have a real good look at the exhaust system especially a car that old because we all know how expensive they can me.

Enjoy your prize !

Agreed re the exhaust but it is getting easier to get the back bit as Lexus have released the design so third parties can make them.  Middle section harder due to two cats but again it can be done.  My exhaust holed within 3 month warranty period and garage agreed to pay for cat back stainless steel replacement.

That's the trouble with an IS250 in good nick, with low miles, with Lexus service history.....they get snapped up pretty quick!!

21 hours ago, Rebecca said:

I don't rate the hankook Ventus prime at all. Had a pair fitted on the rear several years ago and they are poor in the wet.

Uniroyal rainsport are absolutely superb in the wet. I can't rate them highly enough. It's the only tyre I ever have fitted these days.

Brill.  That's what I wanted to hear....first hand experience from a IS250 owner.

So I need new rear tyres on my IS250.

All tyres are the 205/55 16 type. 

Current tyres are Pirelli P7000 and whilst they are at about 3mm they do not inspire confidence in the wet, or even damp roads.

Looking at Goodyear Efficient Grip performance but there seems to be some doubt whether the tyres suit a heavy, rear wheel car and people noting the the tyre wall is veru small and thin and quite "flexible"

Uniroyal Rainsports 3 seem to have a good write up and reputation.

Goodyear Eagle F1 asymetrics seem to be raved about.

Hankook Ventus Prime K125

....and therein lies my dilemma. There are so many of the stupid thing to choose from and everyone has differing opinions.

So my Lexus friends...who is running an 07 IS250 with the bog standard 16" wheels on 205/55 16W tyres and what are you wearing brand wise and why are they so good.

Not too fussed about mpg impact, not too fussed about tyres being silent, but keen to get good grip, especially in wet, and reasonable wear.

Hit me!!!