AFlex

That is very very decent indeed! Was this 70mph on the speedo, or measured via GPS? I find there can be as much as a 5mpg drop between the two as you are sort of reaching the peak speed beyond which aerodynamic drag massively comes into play. Our cars do have huge wing mirrors Also loving all the high mileage IS's, still going strong

Last couple of weeks my MPG has been pretty pathetic as well - I put it down to the winter weather which means oil takes longer to heat up so it stays viscous for longer - more friction. (this will be more of an impact if you mainly do short trips) engine takes longer to reach operating temperature so the ECU keeps high idle RPMs and a higher air fuel ratio for longer

@Rabbers you're welcome... I guess Appreciate there will be some haters. Honestly, I was just trying to help some others in a similar situation, given the age of our cars, and given that no one likes a car burning oil (it creates sooty tailpipes, and ruins the components in the exhaust path, e.g. O2 sensors, cats, etc.) I think @Bluemarlin has probably raised the best challenge - "it's hard to tell whether that's the result of the Marvel Mystery Oil, or simply the effect of doing several 2-3k mile oil changes in quick succession". So you might want to just do this and see if it solves your problem before purchasing MMO. I tend not to waste money on empty promise products without doing some research beforehand. I looked at a few sources before using it. Was quite impressed with the cleaning results in the Project Farm video, although, obviously, I wouldn't expect this product to improve compression.

Context: 2007 IS250 Sport Manual, done over 100k miles. Probably 50% of this was inner city driving around London (short trips). Was burning 1litre of oil per 1000miles. Ridiculous I thought. But the trigger for me to try to fix the problem was that my tailpipes kept getting black a couple of weeks after washing the car! So I tried Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO) to try and degunk the engine. Since I started this degunking programme, I have used two lots of my 6 litre concoction (5litres of 5W30 plus 1litre MMO) I repeated this at 2000-3000 mile intervals I have also done one further oil change after 3000 miles. END RESULT: I am now burning around 0.5 litres every 3000 miles. I will probably do the MMO treatment again to see if I can improve it further. I am going to change oil every 3000 miles from now on. There is no reason not to as when you buy the oil and filters in bulk, an oil change only costs me around £15. I realise this was typed very fast and english, grammar and punctuation probably sucks! But I thought this info might help someone

I thought the reason for the manual being cheap was the ridiculous car tax compared with the auto version - 600 pounds or whatever it is I am paying these days! I'm pretty sure if you look at a manual BMW 3 series vs the auto, the price differential is nothing like the same. Perhaps the market is just very uninformed and doesn't realise that 2006 models escape the obscene car tax bracket? PS. H3XME glad you figured it out. Although I am pretty sure I have managed to get the rear end out with TC button pressed only once - I didnt even realise you could press it twice!

Just noticed that Redex new formula says it counteracts any potential corrosion caused by E10 fuel - anyone here tried it?

BTW how the hell did you pick up such a low mileage car for £1500? especially since i'm guessing that the 2006 fell into the old car tax scheme which is based on price/value at new rather than CO2 emissions?

I have the same model as you but 2007. Never come across any VSC setting. The only thing that TC button does is illuminates this skidding car orange icon on the dash - indicating that the TC has been turned off. Not sure what else you're expecting? I'll try it out later today and let you know - you just hold for 5 seconds whilst stationary right?

I got mine from here https://jp-carparts.com/lexus/partlist.php?maker=toyota&type=242120&fig=6102&part=6294024041 $19 each. No need to marry me - I shall let you off on that one

Also confirm whether your model is the an IS250 Sport or one of the non-sport models (SE, SEL) The Sport has particularly unforgiving suspension (comes stock with harder springs and a lower ride) and it also has 18 inch wheels (I have one so I can sympathise)

same with sainsburys

Take a look at the US forums - a guy called Jeff Lange is running a pretty sweet clutch setup (SMF) and he has upgraded his IS250 to a 350 engine. Impressive stuff

I also recommend 245s for rears. I've been running 225/40/18 fronts and 245/40/18 rears for several years now. No problems at all. I also prefer the way they look as it gives the rear wheels a slightly lower profile (since the '40' means that the sidewall height is 40% of the width, I believe) Not to mention prices are much cheaper and better availability of tires/brands.

I dont think it's Teyes that manufactures the frame - looks like it's a generic part that they are using as the fascia for their units: Example on ali express

In these times of high cost of living I can vouch for buying big barrels of oil and changing it more frequently I find that I get better MPG with cleaner oil anyway (a bit obvious really isn't it) and it helps longevity of the engine to change it more frequently. Let's say i get 2 or 3 extra MPG, the oil change probably pays for itself with current fuel prices!!!! I have been using Mannoil with zero issues - super cheap Combine with a bosch or blueprint filter - roughly 5 to 8 quid as the price fluctuates on amazon I also bought a bunch of crush washers and use a new one each time.

You absolute legend Ahmed - I believed this was impossible in the UK on older cars due to the frequency used! A number of people on this or other forums had said it was not possible but you have proved them wrong! Do you mind sharing the model number of the key? As you say there are loads on ebay but it's important to buy the correct one.

Are you sure about this? The photos of the reverse screen that Ahmed has shared seem to show a totally different reverse video screen, not the stock one. So does it even matter what the settings were before you switched to a new navigation unit? For what it's worth, i actually like the stock reverse screen and the way that it shows your trajectory based on steering wheel angle - so I hope you're right!

Are the bolts still intact? Or are the heads stripped? Assuming your bolts are still intact, you basically need to either use a lot of torque to get the bolts out (e.g. a long breaker bar or an impact wrench) or try using some fluid to dislodge the rust, e.g. Plusgas or other similar I'd recommend you also buy some new replacement bolts rather than using the same old ones when you bolt the new hanger back in.

That's great thanks bro - send me a DM

What I find even more stupid about the manual transmission is that Lexus has programmed the ECU to have such terrible, terrible rev hang, and yet it still gets worse emissions than the auto box! Might as well have let us enjoy the driving experience a bit more, and probably would have still been in the same high CO2 band anyway...

Amazing! They have clearly put a lot of work into it for an aftermarket unit. I'm convinced to take the plunge now - will be ordering mine this week. Did you get it direct from Teyes? I am guessing I'll be lumbered with 20% import VAT since it looks like it's being shipped from overseas...

But thats the whole point right - the high road tax is factored into the price. If Toyota had figured out how to cheat the emissions testing system like all their German competitors did (resulting in lower tax bands), the prices of these cars would be much, much higher.

Hey guys I'm really trying to get in the habit of posting my DIYs online more often to try and help others who might be thinking of doing similar. I've got a mainly stock manual transmission 2007 IS250 and I'm gradually refurbishing and upgrading it. My logic is it's an absolutely solid car and they don't make manual transmissions any longer so I might as well hold onto this one for a bit. Anyway, I hate long intros so let's get straight to it. My steering has been feeling quite loose lately. So I've planned the following upgrades: Front lower ball joints - a relatively easy job which I completed a while back. Thoroughly recommended for older cars - makes the steering feel much more accurate, albeit did little to remove free play. Upgrade to ISF front sway bar, bushings and links (today's topic) Upgrade to stiffer rear sway bar, bushings and links (currently sitting in my 'parts bin' ) Inner tie rods (currently on their way from Japan) - hope this will remove the remaining free play Steering rack bushings (struggling to find these parts currently - i don't want poly bushings) Upgrade to Bilstein B6 suspension (TBC) Parts required: 48811-53070 - ISF front sway bar x1 48815-53060 - ISF front sway bar bushing x2 48824-30130 - ISF front bush bracket x2 90119-10965 - ISF front bush bracket bolt x4 48820-53010 - sway bar link RH 48810-53010 - sway bar link LH 94151-21241 - sway bar link nut x4 Now strictly the 4x bolts and 4x nuts were optional but, since mostly everything steel is rusted on my 15 year old car, I decided to replace. (There was also the chance i might damage them taking them off) I ordered a new metal bracket because, firstly, the old one was very rusted, but secondly, I was led to believe that the ISF sway bar is thicker (hence reduces the body roll more than stock sway bar.) Therefore a larger bracket was needed to accommodate it. Having taken the old sway bar off the vehicle, I'm not sure how true this was - they look the same size/diameter to me. But bear in mind I have a Sport model which could potentially have a thicker sway bar than non-sport models. Procedure: Pretty simple in theory. I decided to detach the sway bar links first. In practice this was an absolute ball ache of a job due to 15 years of rust and corrosion. First off, I recommend driving the car up on ramps. (I use rhino ramps which are also really handy for quick oil changes). Then remove all the plastic under-tray which starts at the front bumper. Remove the two pieces of plastic which hang down from the wheel arches connecting to the plastic under-tray. Next, remove the sway bar links since this is the hardest part. A lot of PB blaster was used, torque wrench helped loosen a couple of the nuts. Once all the nuts were off, one of the sway bar links wouldn't come out of the lower control arm (LCA). A combination of hammering the bolt from one side, and blowtorch to heat up the LCA, and eventually it came out. If you attempt this job on an old car, make sure you're pre-prepared to try multiple methods to get your rusted bolts and nuts off! Once sway bar links are off, you need to check whether you have an AFS ride height sensor for your headlights. It's connected to the passenger side of the sway bar and attaches to the wheel arch. Unbolt this and you're ready to remove the entire sway bar assembly. Simply remove the two bolts on each bracket holding it in place and the whole bar should drop down. You can see the difference in the condition of the bar and bushings in the photo above. Yes - that is decomposed parts of the bar laying as dust on the ground. Now as I said previously, other forums suggest that ISF bars have larger bushings and brackets than stock. But mine appeared to be the same size - see below. Your mileage may vary. I recommend assembling the bushing and bracket onto the bar before assembly. Also helps you to get it in the same orientation since you can directly compare the positioning to the old bar that you just took off. Bolt in the new bar and everything else is the reverse of what you did to take it off. You may find the sway bar links won't go into the LCA because of the height of the suspension on the ramps. I jacked up the suspension from under the LCA to get the sway bar level so that the links could bolt in through the holes. Alternatively you could probably temporarily loosen the bolts on the sway bar so that it has some free play up and down. That's about it folks, other than to report that the steering feel is completely transformed by this 'mod'. Some of it will be down to the rusted old bar and sunk bushings. However, it definitely feels stiffer and tighter in corners than i ever remember it being, so the ISF bar is probably thicker than my stock bar was. Downside, is I notice a little unsteadiness if the road is uneven on only one side - since the suspension is now a little less independent from left to right - but given the improvement in cornering this is only a minor compromise. Really recommend this, especially if you have an older IS250 and are looking to keep it a few more years!

Another awesome mod @ahmed24. Keep them coming! I always wondered why Lexus did not include these as they've been stock on BMWs for eons. It looks like you also did your side mirrors turn signals (given that your car is a 2006 that didn't have these as stock). Do you have a thread on that mod? Where did you get the mirror covers from or did you fabricate them yourself?

Marvel mystery oil only helps if your problem is caused by gunked up piston rings which are therefore not sealing properly against the cylinder walls, allowing oil to seep past and get burned by your engine. It basically cleans out the gunk. Apparently gunked up piston rings is a common issue on modern Toyota engines as they are using weaker strength piston rings to help improve fuel economy