Razor61

You are quite right, my headlights are not xenon (as you have) or HID but halogen. The Osram D4s bulbs you mentioned and others that have been mentioned are a different type and configuration which don’t have the blanked out bit at the end, which I suspect caused the issue.

I know you are😉 I didn’t look at the make of the original bulbs but the glass was clear all round with no blanked out bit/cap at the end. I don’t think it’s the Osram bulbs themselves but the design of the lens assy on the IS250. As said before the fitment isn’t straight facing towards the front of the car but at an acute angle. I can only assume the light is bounced in the lens headlight assy and the blanked bit at the end of the bulb disrupts the light. I fitted a set of the same Osram type bulbs on the Mrs IS200 at the same time, I bought a set for the IS250 and IS200 together, they have definitely improved things on the IS200 as I expected but the fitment is ‘normal’ straight on towards the front of the car.

Nope, not at all and I’m more than happy with the SE-I. I would have preferred an SE-L but not particularly for the HID headlights. The standard halogens are not really bad, I just wanted to improve them that’s all.

Definitely a bit odd, I’ve never seen it before but all the other dipped/full beam bulbs I’ve replaced were pointing ‘straight on’, the IS250 bulbs are not far off pointing completely outward to the side of the car and definitely not ‘straight on’. Oh well, you live and learn by trial and error. £35 down the tube but not wasted because if I hadn’t have tried them I wouldn’t have known🤪

The standard H11 Halogen dipped beam bulbs seem a bit weak on the IS250 so bought a pair of Osram H11 halogen Night breaker Laser 150% bulbs which I’ve used on other cars (LS400 being one of them) and they are better than standard. I didn’t expect them to be super bright but they did improve things. Fitted them to the IS250 last Thursday tested that they lit up etc but hadn’t driven in the dark since then until this morning to go to work, to my surprise they were were a lot worse than the standard bulbs. So much so that I turned round, drove back home and put the original standard bulbs back in! Took 20 mins because I’d already knew what I needed to remove. I was a bit puzzled why they were a lot worse, they were not bright and there were sections of ‘dark’ stripes compared to the standard bulbs. The Osram bulbs have a blanked out section at the top which the standard bulbs don’t have, I presume this blanked out section (see pics) was causing the dark stripe effect in some way (maybe the way the headlight assy/lenses are configured in the headlight assy). The bulbs are not fitted ‘straight on’ but are at an angle so maybe this isn’t good for bulbs with a ‘blanked out’ section on the top/tip of the bulb, certainly not good for an IS250. Has anyone else experienced this?

Recently decontaminated, clay bar, buffed and waxed the paintwork. it came up pretty well I think.

I don't intend to use it, I bought the Ceratec stuff (high temp, no metal particles etc) after reading the link below and haven't used copper grease/slip since on the brakes. The 'ProSlip Brake Lubrication Kit' looks pretty good and you get 3 x types of grease designed/formulated for the different areas on the brakes, it all made sense to me so will try it. Copper slip v Ceratec link: Copper slip vs Ceratec: facts for the modern mechanic – Mintex ProSlip Brake Lubrication Kit link: ProSlip Brake Lubrication Kit - ProSlip Brake Grease

That's interesting, so that implies if you buy them yourself and fit them you wouldn't get the warranty or get limited warranty. I didn't realise that.

Regarding Lexus prices and cost to fit them, below is a screenshot from Lexus website for IS250 Essential Care costs. I presume the costs are for supply and fit so they don't look that bad to me.

As we know, with ECP and other on-line suppliers the prices vary depending on what 'discount code' is live at the time. Also there are more or less constant 'discount codes' with just a short break in between so prices are 'discounted' virtually all the time. ECP now have the 'MID60' discount code with 'up to 45% off' and I wouldn't be surprised if they are even cheaper at the moment. Because it says 'up to 45% off' the retailer can adjust pricing whenever they want, hour by hour or even by the minute if they want to. I have some knowledge of how on-line retailing works with discount codes etc, i.e. higher price without discount code - with discount code it brings the price down to 'normal' levels.

That is a good price, were the rear discs vented or solid? At the moment from LPD it would be £246.07 for discs/pads all round with solid rear discs and £280.72 for discs/pads all round with vented rear discs plus £5.99 delivery. List prices are £418.96 and £493.45 respectively as far as I'm aware.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Crown-/114532612767?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

That car was for sale by another seller on eBay a while ago and he must have bought it. I was looking and drooling over it then it was sold for £3.5k, very very nice car.

Yep, discs and pads are normally straightforward (assuming the calipers are not knackered) and I've lost count of how many I've done over the years...................I have plenty of brake cleaner, wet and dry abrasive paper and a good wire brush. I also have a gauge to check for any run out but I've not used it in a long long time. If the weather is ok I may paint the brake disc cover/plate things while the discs are off. When I get a car the first things I check/sort out are discs/pads/callipers, replace or clean up as needed and also oil and filter change (if it hasn't just been done) then sort out other things as and when needed. The front discs are worn, probably according to the 'manual' they don't need to be replaced just yet but I'm doing them anyway. I suspect the rear caliper slide pins need attention as well so I've ordered rear discs/pads and caliper slider pin kit as well. I may fit the rear discs/pads depending on what I find, don't really want to do them just yet as it's more involved with the parking brake shoes but if needed I will. If any of the calipers are sticking and need replacing that will be a job for Lexus under extended warranty, discs/pads are not covered as normal. If the calipers do need attention I wont be fitting new discs/pads of course! It will be booked into Lexus quick time. I've also ordered a 'ProSlip Brake Lubrication Kit', I've been using Ceratec and copper grease in the past but thought I'd give it a whirl. Seems good stuff if you read all the blurb about it.

Thanks Normski, I'll have a look. If the bits arrive I'll be doing it at the weekend.

I have only used Halfords for parts (in the past) and accessories quite a lot if the price is right. Also sometimes it's convenient to use Halfords even though they may be more expensive. Just my 2 pence worth regarding Halfords Autocentres. The only time I've used a Halfords Autocentre was when I needed a 'Vanos' fitted on a BMW E36 M3 around 8 years ago, it's a specialist job and I attempted it but failed. You may think why use Halfords then and not a BMW main dealer or BMW specialist? The reason was that I used a BMW specialist on Nile Street in Bolton quite a few times over the years, they were very very good, and when I struggled with fitting the Vanos I contacted them only to find out Halfords had taken over and it was now a Halfords Autocentre. At the time the personnel were pretty much the same including BMW specialists so I had the work done and they did a great job. This Autocentre is still there and going off the reviews it seems to be a 'good one'. So there are some good Halfords Autocentres around as Linas has said.

I use Halfords for lots and lots of stuff and have used Halfords for parts on cars I've had down the years without any problem at all, I'm personally not negative about Halfords and will continue to use them if appropriate considering cost and availability. To be honest I've never thought about Halfords for discs and pads, don't know why. For brakes I prefer to buy Lexus OEM stuff for a Lexus if at all possible but it's just my preference. The list price for Lexus front discs and pads is around £240 for the parts I believe so from LPD at the moment they are half price @ £118. So £40 more for Lexus OEM compared to, for example, £80 for Pagid from Halfords. I'm not saying Lexus discs and pads are better/worse/same as Pagid and I've used them for other family members cars over the past few years without a problem. If I had to pay £240 for Lexus discs and pads then I would think about Pagid or some other make maybe, Brakes International for example which is normally my first port of call if OEM brake stuff is too costly as they are close to where I live. I have a 2003 IS200 as well and for that car I will probably buy aftermarket discs and pads when the time comes, I've just purchased 2 x recon front calipers from Brakes international for it. If I think the discs and pads need replacing when I fit them I will be looking at Halfords, Brakes International, ECP, Autodoc, eBay and the rest to get the best deal.

Lexus Parts Direct: Genuine Lexus Parts Direct To Your Door | Lexus Parts Direct

I've just bought a set of IS250 front discs/pads - £118.80 and front caliper slide pin kit - £32.88 plus delivery from LPD. I think that's pretty good for Lexus OEM parts.

🤣you are probably right on that. I had looked a one IS250 but didn't drive it because the seller wouldn't budge on price and I didn't want to waste his time test driving it. I bought this one without seeing it in the flesh or driving it but it was from a main dealer and I was sent a 'personalized' video of the car. First time I have ever bought a car without looking and driving, I did drive an IS250 when they first came out, it was a courtesy car when my company IS200 was in for a service, but that was 15 or so years ago. 'Click and Collect' or rather 'Click and Deliver' a car from 100 miles away..............how times have changed! The whole process of enquiring, agreeing on a price/deal, getting alloy wheels and bodywork tidied up, full service and then delivered to my door was very straightforward and painless (apart from parting with the cash😁). Lexus Wolverhampton were great and sorted everything out so I couldn't be more pleased, I was getting tired of trawling through Autotrader and Ebay. Going from an LS400 which is so quiet and smooth I was a bit sceptical that the IS250 would come near it but I'm glad to say that the IS250 is very very close in terms of being smooth and quiet. I've only done about 100 miles but so far I'm very impressed. The auto 6 speed gearbox is excellent, car is very quiet, very smooth and comfortable. You can feel rough road surfaces but that's down to the 18 inch wheels and the rear tyres are not exactly brand new. The hifi is excellent as well even though it's not a ML system. It doesn't have the extra stuff that a SE-L has but I'm not that bothered really. Preference was to have it all but the choice between a SE-L with the bits from a dealer or private and a SE-I with most of the bits, Lexus approved with 3 x years extended warranty was easy to make. One thing I have noticed is that the wing mirrors are huge, good for visibility etc but they wouldn't look out of place on an HGV. That isn't a criticism by the way, it's just an observation.

Couple of pics of the new car, hadn’t been washed at the time.

No problem Roy, I know the Bolton area pretty well as I was a TV and Video field engineer many years ago for a company called Mastercare and my area was Bolton. I have some LS400 bits for sale, most of it new stuff but I have some used bits. If you fancy a run out to Darwen to have a look and a chin wag you are more than welcome, just private message me and we can arrange it.

LPD is Lexus Parts Direct, Lexus dealer with an online website for purchasing genuine Lexus parts. I've used them a lot in the last year, mainly for the LS400 which I don't have anymore so will need to change my profile.........and I'll do it now😉 Link to LPD Genuine Lexus Parts Direct To Your Door | Lexus Parts Direct

Rear UCA's are around £250 each from Lexus and are £212 each from LPD, half the price of the front UCA's.

This may help