H3XME

16 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

I cannot say I lose sleep over it - if I am driving to the hotel I usually just check where I am going to park or if hotel advises anything about car parking. In my experience most of the time it is FREE on site parking, but in few occasions I found hotel which does not have parking, in which case I just look for alternatives and usually find another hotel that does have parking... overall I have not seen many hotels that charge for parking, maybe I am not visiting right places? But indeed - if I was told parking at the hotel will cost me (price mostly irrelevant) I would be surprised. 

Yeah but Linas, you drive a lot for work. That's slightly different.. We were all talking about leisure. If I go on a work trip, I don't really care how much it costs as long as it's within the allowance, and I too would go out of my way to find hotels with parking, but If I'm going away somewhere in my personal time it's completely different. I couldn't care less if they had a car park as long as location is convenient. 

2 minutes ago, Alan305 said:

I remember staying at the Prince Rupert in Shrewsbury in the 1980’s. When you checked in, valet parking drove your car to their remote car park. After breakfast they gave you back your car keys, with a map, then off you walked to find your car.

I know the one! I don't think that you can drive to it anymore unless you're in a taxi or delivery van.

What's this issue about parking fees at hotels? Yes, some are paid, and some (rarely) are free but at the of the day, I am looking for a hotel that is convenient. If I'm going to Edinburgh for a weekend away, I look for a hotel in the City Centre so everything is walking distance away for us. If you go to large busy cities like that, there is no way you should expect free parking. If they have it, it's a nice surprise, if not, understandable. It's been the case for many years, leaving the car at the NCP down the road for something like £16/day. Small price to pay for the overall convenience, no?

Why go out of your way to find a hotel, not just with parking, but one with a FREE parking out of principle? If you find something like that it certainly won't be in the City Centre or it won't be cheaper overall because you'll have to either get a Taxi or Public Transport to get where you want to go from your hotel.. I can't imagine anything worse than going for a weekend away and getting on a bus or calling a cab after a little pub crawl just because the hotel I chose had free parking but is in the middle of bumf*ck nowhere 2+ miles away from the City Centre. 🤣

Same thing goes for towns like Shrewsbury, which is actually quite local to me. It's not a huge town, it's all very "traditional" and old, space is an issue (look at the property prices in the UK!) so it's completely NORMAL that the majority of hotels, especially the little ones, won't have parking at all.. and that they're quite pricey.

We drive everywhere we go, and this never once bothered me to be honest. It's a NORMAL thing that 1) Hotels don't always have parking 2) Hotels charge for parking if they have it..(If they don't have it, you go elsewhere and Pay, so might as well pay the Hotel for a parking right there) It's capitalism, get over it. You pay for convenience. Just because a hotel has a car park doesn't mean it should be free. If it is, bonus, but if not, what's the problem? It's like going to a restaurant and asking for FREE food at the end of the day just because they didn't sell out and you know they'll throw it away when they close.

We're going to Penrith in the North Lakes this weekend. Found a lovely hotel with good reviews on booking.com for £95/night. Have I even considered looking for one with parking? No.. Why would I? It's a small town, I know I'll have to park somewhere on the road or on a public car park. Do I check if they have air con? Mini bar? Certainly not. I don't need it nor care about it.

39 minutes ago, Eri2Fiddy said:

No luck, the curse of a London postcode. They couldn't insure me. 

Sorry to hear that mate. That sucks. Not sure what to suggest. There’s Chris Knott too 

4 hours ago, Eri2Fiddy said:

Hello, 

I just tried to get an insurance quote from Adrain Flux on an IS350 (still in japan), but they said they couldn't find the model and that it's not a Japanese car. Crazy 

 

So I then asked if they could quote me on one that was already imported (GS350) : https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311043649809?fromSavedAds=true&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=relevance. They said 12k per anum?????

Does anyone else have these problems? I also asked how much if I modified my current 250 with a new exhaust, and they said 3k per year!!!! 

I would love to import a 350, but it seems cheaper to buy a UK ISF. Or give up on the Japanese dream and get a BMW340i 
 

I live in London, so there is an insurance premium, but the quotes were silly. 

I don’t use AF anymore, but I’m with BRENTACRE. Modified & import specialists. IS350 insurance with them was only £120/year more than on my is250 which was only £420 with all mods declared and protected NCB. I’m 28 

Yet again I'm here telling you guys that my IS250 is up for sale.

I've got someone coming down on Saturday to pick it up, if all goes well.

Here's a last few photos of the car before I get another one. The next few days will be difficult as I need to make a decision on what's next. It will either be IS350 or another Toyota Mark II with 1JZ engine. I will be getting either of those two on Sunday if the sale goes through on Saturday.. I know that the IS350 is a much better car in every way, but I've been stuck with IS250s the past 4 years and it's really boring, but at the same time it's extremely difficult to ignore the reliability and how much you get for the money. The JZX / Toyota Mark II is somewhat of a flirty affair to me. I really want it, I like it, but as my only car it may not be the best car to live with. It is good, but it's also 24 years old.. Any input is welcome. What would you guys do in my position? Even though I think i already know the answer 😄

Just for a comparison.

My IS250 tax is £395/ year. Both IS350 and Mark II are £325/year. Checked insurance on both, no difference at all. Fuel consumption of 250 / 350 & Mark II is very similar around town, IS250 obviously wins on the run, but that doesn't matter as if we ever travel somewhere far we go in my other half's Civic that does over 50mpg on the motorway.

1 hour ago, Phil xxkr said:

I know this sounds obvious but has only just occurred to me. I own a Jaguar XKR coupe which I barely use and now intend to sell on. I tax and insure it every year. My other car is a RX450H which is a brilliant everyday way to get about albeit for only 4k miles a year. So, in view of impending insurance hikes would you tax just the RX? Any thoughts welcome. 

If you use the RX regularly, it makes sense to keep it on the road and SORN the Jag.. £695/year tax is a lot just to keep it taxed as a driveway ornament. Especially if you intend to sell it. 

+1, no reported Carbon build up issues in the UK.. Just make sure to use super unleaded fuel, it's better for the car.

I fixed it. Thanks bilal for sharing the video. Mine isn’t the same but followed the same logic. I made a mistake of not being connected to the WIFI so the head unit couldn’t display and download correct presets for my car. 

15 hours ago, Mr Vlad said:

Silly question but what happens when you press Mode? Also the buttons Dual and Auto?

Didn't you get and instructions with that unit? Which is it anyway?

It triggers a heated seat (rear) animation so I think it’ll be a matter of selecting my car in the canbus settings like @McShmoopy says. 
 

there was no real instructions for after it’s fitted. Only password for factory settings so I’ll try that. Thanks! 
 

Hi guys,

Need some help locating the climate settings on the head unit I bought. 
 

everything works as it should for me, CarPlay, radio, steering wheel controls & the buttons under the display (Fan speed, hazards, auto climate etc.) however I cannot adjust the temperature or the direction. 
 

I tried to google / YouTube solutions but I haven’t come across anyone with the same issue. It’s gotta be hidden somewhere in the settings. Hopefully someone here can help?

thanks in advance! 
 

19 hours ago, mrteach1973 said:

The whole things needs replacing. So I have the rear bit  for £300 ish but cant find the other bits I would need. Anyone know what to look for?! Central bit?! Not very knowledgeable on these things.

I would really need to see it. It's likely they just wanted to get more money out of you and said the whole thing needs replacing. It's extremely unlikely that the whole thing would rust at the same rate. That's why I said 90% of the time it's the rear section first, specifically the pipe that goes into the backbox that rots first. My father's '09 rear right backbox just collapsed because the pipe rotted around the weld, but after taking it to an exhaust shop near me, we had a look at the whole thing on the lift and everything else looked fine (not perfect, but fine). You will get an exhaust blow and an MOT advisory before the whole thing falls off.. 

This is the middle section. Resonator pipe with the Y pipe that goes into your catalytic converters. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/144955219203 so after buying that and the rear section, you should have no issues. Say even with fitting, you're looking at less than £800 all in.

58 minutes ago, mrteach1973 said:

Looking for some advice.

The exhaust on my '08 Lexus IS 200 has dropped off, as the bracket rusted through.

I have been quoted £2700 for a genuine replacement and £1500 for an after market.

 

Any recommendations for a cheaper alternative would be great, as may as well scrap the car as it is only worth around £3000 anyway.

That's extortionate! 

In what place did it rust? Rear section is normally the first to go and that's ~£300 - many off the shelf solutions on eBay. 

4 minutes ago, Thracing-44 said:

Oh nice, I'll have a look into them, cheers!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165338952633

5 minutes ago, Thracing-44 said:

Mines an Auto, would usually go for a manual but the tax cost was a killer

'55 & early '06 manuals like the one I have now are in the lower bracket - same as Auto, but fair play. They're better as Auto for regular driving.

6 minutes ago, Thracing-44 said:

Long term would be a full suspension overhaul with some Hardrace control arm bushes, Tein coilovers, and since reading your thread some 350z alloys! I've been after a different set for mine as the standard 17's are a bit knackered. The 350's Rays look nice, and not stupidly expensive on FB Marketplace. 

go for RCF bushes, they're cheaper (around £90) and very similar, if not the same. 350Z wheels are cheap and good, looks is subjective. I'm not a huge fan of them but it'll do. Good luck with the build!

4 hours ago, Thracing-44 said:

Great thread dude!

Recently picked up an IS250 myself. Previously owned a 1999 Gen 6 Celica GT & 2005 Gen 7, but rust took hold of them both a couple of years ago. Happy to be back with the Jap reliability after fighting a Volvo for 2 years 😄

Mines black, so will definitely be taking some inspiration from your first IS in the thread!

Nice! Hope you’re enjoying it so far. You got a manual? 
 
thanks, it’s not really a technical thread as a lot of it was covered elsewhere so I kinda just focused on some mods rather than maintenance etc in this thread. I’ll be selling it soon to go for another JZX but if you need any help let me know. I’d say I know these cars quite well now

Like @Linas.P said, tyres make the biggest difference generally speaking. @McShmoopy

I agree, stretched tyres are more comfy than regular tyres due to the angle of the sidewall, it flexes more. If your tyres aren't stretched, you'll find that the sidewall is pretty much straight, which is what makes it stiffer (that's why runflats are notoriously hard - reinforced sidewalls). It's not the best for absolute performance due to the sidewall flex but you will never notice this unless you're on the track. And yeah, if it's moderately stretched, say 225s on 9.5" wheels, or even similar to Linas's setup that I've seen in person, you want to run at least 44PSI (depending on how heavy the car, you might want more - like Linas) to avoid de-beading but this would occur when the tyre is extremely stressed - drifting, racing around. Normal use won't face this issue if you have say extra 8-10PSI more than what it says on the plaque in your door shut.

As for coilovers. I haven't had the pleasure of driving on HKS coilovers in a Lexus. I tried them on a JZX90 and some other cars but it doesn't matter - it's not comparable if it's a different car.

Look at technical specs of the coilovers you want to buy. TEIN Flex Z (damping adjustable and cost £804 new) I had on my black IS250 were very comfortable. The ride quality was better in every way than my tired stock suspension on IS250 SE after 130k miles. Comfort was retained, body roll was reduced (a little bit) and handling was improved massively. The standard spring rates of those coilovers are 8KG on front & rear. And that's what it all comes down to. Spring rates make the ride harsher. Dampers make a difference too, but it's mainly the spring. And it can't be one without the other. It works in harmony. For example my BC Racing coilovers I have now are 12kg & 14kg spring rates. It's not a massive difference in terms of comfort, but it's definitely noticeable. TEINs were A LOT nicer to drive on, perhaps not as stiff but for 98% of driving it's way better.

People make mistakes by buying lowering springs to get the car a little lower, but you're putting a shorter and therefore stiffer spring on a stock strut that works in a different pace than your new spring resulting in a harsh ride.

3 of my mates went for the Flex Zs and everyone is very happy. When I first gave them a ride in the car, they couldn't believe how soft and comfortable it was. And with adjustable damping, you can make the car softer than factory. Bear in mind, the stroke is shorter, so you can't be going over speed bumps at 30mph anymore because you will bottom out, but otherwise there are no drawbacks in my opinion.

3 minutes ago, callan121 said:

This was meant to be a topic to help me not help you sell your car 😂 

savage looking mate! Love the colour! Love the shape of them is250s 

would love it only once again it’d be an absolute fortune to vrt 👎🏻 

but it’s savage mate honestly! How long have you had it? 
 

I’ll take the wheels but that’d be it 👀😂 

God loves a trier 🤣 

I've had 3 now. This one I only had since November last year as I needed daily after getting a 300ZX. 

This one needed a lot of work as it was a bit neglected, so now it looks like this. Just wanna sell it after I treat the underside and get a head unit so I can buy a JZX100 again.

Thanks dude. 

2 minutes ago, callan121 said:

 

For example an average is200 with 150k-160k miles with a bit of a kit on are priced anywhere between €4K-€6k. 

 

I see.. Hmm then do it I suppose but it won't be cheap. 

How about IS250? I'll be selling mine soon. 84k, manual, 06, factory lsd, BC coils and other stuff. Next best thing after is200 and better engine. 

33 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

I would not be so hopeful - just look at what happened with "diesel gate", decades of wrong policy, they recognised it was wrong policy and nobody is accountable. The only people who were punished is the diesel owners who bought diesels because government said so and incentivised them to do so and now they are totally shafted as they can't enter the cities, I have even seen parkings that charge differently based on what fuel you running on and official emissions band e.g. you pay £1.80/h for lower band (say up-to 75g/co2) and £3.20/h for "band H" (like IS250 with under 225g/Co2), or £5.60h for diesel!

That's retarded. How can you charge different amount based on your emissions when you're PARKED. Engine OFF. 🤣 fu*king extorsion

33 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

So I am really pessimistic about them doing right thing - sure they will change the policy, but I doubt it will be for the better. I know there is pushback for EVs, because they reached their market cap (which I have predicted years ago) and I am sure there will be further pushback on the dates and bans of ICE, but I am sure the environments, taxations and restrictions only going to increase in meantime. 

They aren't helping anything. They won't achieve anything other than revolution lol. People can't afford EVs. If you make it unaffordable to use our ICE cars then we can't get to work. And public transport excuse cannot be used because it's utter sh*te in England. Especially trains.

We'll just have to see... we could debate for days on this topic.

15 minutes ago, Spark plug said:

Has anyone had problems removing rear subframe bolts, were they rusted in or do they come out easy? I need to remove the front nearside bolt and am worried that it will be rusted in and break when I try to remove it. I need to replace the lower subframe stopper. Should I order new bolts as well when getting the part from Lexus?...Thanks.

Hard to say without seeing it. Subframes tend to go first on these cars so it absolutely wouldn't surprise me. Bolts shouldn't be expensive so to stay on the safe side I'd order from lexus as well.. Keep the invoices, you might be able to return them if you don't use them.

6 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

Or simple RC300, but proper 3L V6 and not the stupid 2.0t like in US RC200t which is only called RC300. 

Polar bears or stupid policy - basically rigged emissions tests, because here is the fact - if car burns more fuel it is more polluting... I know it is oversimplifying, but assuming the car engine works as it suppose to, all the emissions equipment (like catalytic converters) are in place the car that burns 10L/100km will pollute more than one that burns 8L/100km. So no matter what fake emission tests says - 18 years old GS300 has LESS tailpipe emissions than few years old RC200t. Yes RC may be more "efficiently inefficient" i.e. maybe by burning 20% more fuel it causes only 15% more emissions, it sell pollutes more than older car. The whole downsizing and turbocharging backfired horribly... it works well to fool the foolish tests, but on the road they pollute more. 

As you said honestly even RC250 would be better car, even if horribly underpowered it would still be much smoother and fuel efficient and would sound at least decent.

We might see the resurrection of ICE engines very soon. China is now going to be limiting export of some materials used to make batteries from 1st November. Germany is sueing EU about EV's being "0 emissions" when it isn't true. EV sales have been dropping increasingly everywhere.. They will realise soon they ****** up with this.

4 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

Again just can't understand how Lexus regressed in 18 years from cars like GS300 and sweet, economical, powerful, good sounding V6 into failure like RC200t?!

Polar bears.. that's how. Backfired because it didn't sell well. I reckon we would see a lot more RCs on the road if they were available as RC350 in the UK or even 250 lol. still better than the 2.0l turbo.

11 hours ago, callan121 said:

hi folks. 

 

just looking to swap my 2j n/a engine into my is200 shell, 

 

I've located a man to do the swap and he knows what he's talking about but he has a very expensive parts list that followed 😛 

i just want to see or hear peoples opinions that have done it and looking for sort of the do's and don'ts of the process. 

also looking to see where to pump money and where to save i know this sort of build isn't cheap as I'm looking to turbo it in the process whilst it is in with the mechanic. 

any help/advise greatly apricated. 

thank you. 

 

I hate to be that guy, but I'll be that guy.. why not just buy IS300? They're 3-4k. This swap seems straight forward because they came with a 2JZ from factory but it doesn't mean it's gonna be cheap, and arguably never gonna be as good as factory IS300. I'd rather just buy IS300 and eventually J160 swap it if you want manual, but putting 2JZ in an is200 doesn't make much sense financially IF you can't do the swap yourself on the drive with your mates.

On 10/12/2023 at 8:11 PM, Linas.P said:

It is very unlikely I would have kept that car until now, but nowadays Supra in any condition is like £15,000+... the real TT2J £25,000+... at least it wasn't manual as that would really hurt!

try adding extra 10k on both figures.. NA Autos are selling for ~20k. TT autos are 35ish and TT manuals are almost 50k lol.. I blame fast and furious! All of us growing up on those films wanted a piece of the JDM history and now the demand is crazy.

I really wanted to buy a Supra (even NA Auto) when i was 17-18.. they were around 3k back then. 11 years ago! Insurance said no. But yeah, like anything else, I know i wouldn't of kept it for long enough to see some profit in it, but it would be nice to just to experience it for a bit, whereas now I made my peace with the fact ill never own one unless i win the lotto. 😄

Even my £450 V8 Soarer I bought 10 years ago is now worth £5000+ Prices have gone up 10x what they were 10 years ago on a lot of these JDM cars. RX7s, Skylines, Supras etc.. Your best savings accounts wouldn't generate that much cash haha.

I'll be selling my green is250 in the next couple of months to buy another JZX100 Mark II as even those have gone up by roughly 2k since this time last year. I wanted to buy my old one back, but found out it ended up in Poland and the guy wants £13k for it 😄 bonkers! He wouldnt of paid more than 7k for it and i only paid 5.2k.

And I'll most likely be buying another IS250 because what better daily to buy for under 2k 😄 that or GS300 but they seem to be in a rougher shape and a bit more crusty