Mr Vlad

On the Vlands there are a good few threads on here relating to them. Just need searching for.

I only know of Depo and Vland. Personally wouldn't touch Vland. If you have zenon headlight then consider changing to halogen as from what I've seen on Lexus direct £89 for one bulb!!!!!!!!!!!! Ruddy rip off but on the other hand £250 for a genuine new halogen headlight, double that for a zenon one.

Well that surprises me you had to get the hub aswell as the new bearing. Last year my car had an advisory for a split bush in the rear hub. I thought pooh as a new hub would be needed. But no. Found new bushes and a nearby garage that has all kinds of presses. Out with the old and in with the new. Wheel bearings can be pressed out and back in again.

Well I've got a replacement used headlight coming this week mine has rust looking stains inside the lens bit. I was considering getting the Vland ones but after seeing a video how to install them and he tested them against a different aftermarket ones I said to myself no way hozay. The light pattern from them look ruddy awful. That's my view and I know some on here have them and love them.

If the is250 is too long then there's only one other car. The mighty Ford Fiesta. Its the only small car I'd have.

Have you looked on YouTube as there are a few videos of guys changing grills to f sport types. The honeycomb centre part can be bought separately but from memory a little bit of it needs trimming to fit ones original frame.

Mmmmmm that looks so much like the cat 501s machine. Better video tho than the couple I've seen of the 501s in action.

Very good points. Personally I am going to get my cars gearbox oil replenished. I drive my car both gently and harshly. I am noticing notchy gear changes when cold and it makes me wonder if the one journey I did all in 4th gear and being at redline for a good few minutes did a little damage via over heating. Probably not but I bet I didn't do the oil any good. This one journey was done after the cars service where they changed a couple of litre of gearbox oil at my insistence. My car is a keeper, unless I come into a good amount of money then it's a RCF, so I want to prolong the life of my car for at least another 10 or even 15 years. There are members who are on the fence whether to replenish their gearbox oil or not. Basically if you're going to keep your car for years and I mean at least 6 years then do indeed get it done. Not with a flush agent or cleaner chemicals but new oil for old. If you're only going to keep your car a year or three then just do a pan drop and filter change for piece of mind. Linas. What you saw in your 200k milers gearbox is great news to share and should help members decide on an oil top up or replenish. Bug. Like I said before. Go for a replenish without a chemical cleaner unless your car has an issue warranting a cleaner.

Yes there will always be 2 or 3 ways to change the gearbox oil either partially or fully and somewhere in between. Now let's think about an engine oil change. If its done at say 3-5k miles in a year do you change all of it or just part of it? If that car has say 60k miles do you swap all or part of the engine oil? If that car has 150k miles do you swap part or all of the oil? Now that car with 60k miles. Would you use a flush agent? Now that car with 150k miles. Would you use a flushing agent? Now a car which does 15k miles a year and has 150k miles on it. How often would you change the oil? Would you change all or part of it? Would you use a flushing agent? A multi cylinder car engine has many many moving parts, some big some small. Particles are created due to wear and tear and those particles become cruddy. No one in their right mind only drops 2 or 3 litres of engine oil and replaces it with the same. Some engine parts where oil goes are as small as areas within an auto gearbox and the solenoids valves etc. Like I said before technology is here now to enable us to do a full replenishment of gearbox oil by pumping new oil in whilst the old oil is pumped out. This post of mine is not directed to anyone directly. Its for everyone to read and digest. Q. Why do we change our engine oil? For the same reason why don't we therefore change our gearbox oil?

There's Flushing and Replenishing. Flushing uses an agent Replenishing doesn't. To check the level of oil after either of the above is the same as the top up method. By removing the level plug at the correct temperature of the oil.

Just to reiterate the use of a cleaning detergent in an auto gearbox. Let's first divert to the a carburettor with a multitude of delicate precision jets. The use of a carburettor cleaner. Mmmmmm that's a detergent with some kind of an acid to help it dissipate into the atmosphere. I don't ever recall anyone anywhere saying 'oh no you mustn't use that stuff coz it'll shift crud where it shouldn't go' yet there is a good number of folk saying just that when it comes to an auto box with solenoids in it. Scaremongering balderdash. I'd suppose however there may be a case or three where a very high mileage is250 with a problematic gearbox has this treatment done but to no avail and the gearbox is ruined. That case is an extreme and for a neglected very high mileage car. However for a car which is about 14 years old and with 100k miles this treatment would be beneficial. No I'm no expert and I absolutely don't claim to be one. Unfortunately there are experts who are absolutely not but who give negative opinion. There is the technology now that this treatment using a tried and tested cleaner and flush of the oil, oh and the correct oil WF in our case, is the way to go. Yes it's expensive but less than a 1/4 the price of a new or recon gearbox. I've spoken with dedicated auto gearbox specialists, some with such a machine and some without. They have worked on all top end cars with those fancy all singing all dancing gearboxes which make our gearboxes seem archaic. Those specialists with the treatment have used it with absolutely no issues whatsoever. Those specialists without the treatment are in the process of getting the machine. Bug, you go right ahead and get that machine treatment and if possible video it that folk on here can see the process in action and let us know ow the outcome at monthly intervals.

BG product. Mmmmmm that's the American company yes? I contacted them about their inlet valves cleaning system. Got a reply we don't sell outside of the USA. So the place you've come across I assume they're an auto box specialist? Then if so that's perfectly ok. Just get proof they've done lots of toyota auto boxes. Now because your place has stated they use between 12 and 14 litres of oil to flush through then that sounds Good. Personally I've not heard of the BG machine. I have however very recently heard of the Launch cat 501s machine which does exactly the same. Don't be put off by the 'experts' on here. They're mostly Google informed trolls. If you feel your car would benefit from a flush and fill then go for it. What are they charging for it by the way? I've been quoted in the region £500 for the cat 501s system. Ask them where they attach the machine to. For your information the oil cooler is located on the drivers side of the gearbox, that's where the take off is used in the machine and also its a specific union joint. Let us know how you get on.

Easy. Get an is250. Simple.

Blimey 40 quid cheaper than last year with Admiral? After 3 years with them they upped mine by 150 quid. Looked elsewhere and for the first time in years a quote under 400 quid. Told Admiral and they offered me same as previous year. I said thanks but no thanks.

Yes that's why there's a shed load of videos showing how to fix Audi BMW Mercedes cars as they're always breaking down. You unfortunately bought a neglected car, shame on its previous owner. Your best bet is another is250. One with a service record preferably.

Wow what a ruddy good video. Total respect to proper sparkys 👍

It's strange that I've seen more Lexus cars with condensation in headlights on YouTube than any other car. Maybe I see a lexus and recognise it way more than any car.

Pity you didn't take photos of those valves Linas. They would have given fellow owners much piece of mind. As for getting valves clean Sean I'd guestimate around the 500 quid mark. The labour to remove the inlet manifold then the stuff they use, walnut shell, and the machine use. Probably be half a days work too.

Well my nearside headlight definitely has some failed sealant. The condensation this morning at 4.30am was worst yet. Am in two minds now to either get a used unit or reseal my existing one but neither won't get done till I'm off in the summer. I'm the 2nd owner of this car and I'm on no doubt the previous owner had at least 2 frontal collisions. My nearside headlight looks much newer than the offside. The chrome is much shiny. And the offside fog light has scorring on it. This is the only car I've experienced headlight condensation. Suppose it had to happen.

Nowt wrong with being the first. They have a very good reputation. After all a car is a car. I do know tho they won't touch the gearbox in my is250. I had a good chat with I think the owner.

Hi Imy. Since you're in the NW look up Toyotech they're in Oldham. Give them a call and talk about your car and how you want it servicing.

Yes Malc that's why I said this isn't a cure. I'll be investigating sometime in the summer. The condensation looked absolutely awful and detracted from the good looks of the car.

This isn't a fix for the problem as to fix it means taking the bumper off and headlight out. My nearside had a helluva lot of thick condensation and I was flummoxed how it got there. Lots on YouTube but one idea came from one of the videos. So what I did was to take off the engine covers. Take off the washer bottle pipe and remove the sidelight bulb and main beam bulb. Now the washer pipe is just the right size. With a hairdryer and about 45 minutes I got rid of about 95% of the condensation. I also had some bendy plastic pipe, you know those cheap pumps to pump from a container to wherever, the hand operated squeeze type. Well I cut one down to about 10 inch with 2 inches of it being solid tube and the rest flexy. Put the flex part of thin tube into the washer tube, bottom of it. I used masking tape to join them together. Place solid part through the hole where the sidelight bulb goes all the way then with the hairdryer point it through the fill part of the tube. I cut a 45° on the solid tube end. So after about 45 minutes even stopping now and then to get comfy and pointing the hairdryer on high heat on the outside of the headlight right over the thick parts of condensation. This isn't a cure but it'll stay much much clearer for quite a while.

Yes I believe its an etching primer used. The chrome on plastic isn't actually chrome. It's a process that when polished looks like chrome. I've mentioned this before but on one of the Car SOS programs they took a part to a place who did a process to 're-chrome'. Think it was a jag they did on this current series.