Hazzo

Thats just a rocker cover gasket which apart from looking a bit messy isn't causing any harm and after all its 18 years old more than likely, mine looks similar and the 16 year old car I've got is sweet as a nut, I wouldn't worry too much about it unless it starts peeing out or you're a bit anal about this sort of thing, you could always replace it if its bothering you. I only got this car in jan and haven't even tried the air con yet but everything else works as it should, even my 6 disc changer so I'm not too worried about AC especially here in the North.

Did you put fresh fuel in before starting it last time, if not its probably sucked some crap into the injectors/throttle body, chuck some injector cleaner in it and turn it over then let it stand overnight before trying to start it again. Modern fuel is garbage when left standing, the 10-15% ethanol added to our petrol these days attracts moisture which turns into a globular substance which resembles 'cum', it blocks throttle bodies and carbs when left standing for months, I see it all of the time on motorcycles which aren't regularly run over the Winter period, I suggest this has happened in your car. Injector cleaner dissolves the substance on contact, hopefully it sorts out your problem.

You could have an airlock in the coolant system, it used to happen on a Toyota Surf I had, google 'burping the coolant system'. I have no access to a manual for this car but these systems need bleeding or burping, regardless of how you do it it needs to be sorted or it will only overheat and crack the head. H

I doubt you have two slow punctures, sounds more like the last tyre changer didn't clean the alloys properly before fitting the tyres, I've had the same before with alloy wheels. H

I like em, though I'd probably like anything but the ones I've got as I've kerbed them twice lol.

I've got one but prefer to do stuff outside when its a bit warmer as its easier to see and more room for crawling around, just take your time, I've not had the brakes apart on mine but I've found any brake which has seized on other cars/bikes is usually the piston dust seals being pushed out of their groove and rolling up the sides of the piston, I've no schematic to look at as I've been blocked from the online manual I found lol.

It was something I found online, I did have access to a full workshop manual online but lo n behold today my access is denied.

Disregard the expansion container and look in the radiator neck and because of the gurgling in the heater matrix you may need to burp the system to fill it properly, you could have a tiny pinhole in the rad or a hose, run the car in the dark and use a torch once its up to temperature to look for a fine spray.

Well according to this online haynes the jack point is forward and inside of the sills like this: https://reader.haynes.com/en-gb/cars/lexus/is/1999-2005/jacking-vehicle-support/

I'd be sorting the gurgling before driving anywhere in it, thats air in the coolant system which shouldn't be there and can lead to overheating and depending how low the levels are in the system might not register when it overheats, I had the same happen on a 94 toyota and managed to blow the cylinder head, theres no scanner going to point to that problem.

Well I cant see your picture but I doubt you positioned the jack in the correct spot and if it does look dodgy place it somewhere on the main chassis.

Heres my one piccy, done about 1500 miles now, sweet as a nut.

I've done it a few times with motorcycles and a Honda Accord none of which were lemons, luckily my Lexus was on the doorstep and other than threadbare front tyres and a worried looking salesman as I hit 70mph on the test drive its now running impeccably with new boots on, heres hoping it gives me as much service as the accord.

They use belts so people who don't know what they're doing either risk having their engine destroyed with a belt snapping or swallow the charges garages ask. I bought this car because the timing belt is relatively easy to change and I needed a comfy car that can go a bit.

Yeah he just used a wheel brace and nipped them up as I reminded him he'd bust a stud on another car of mine and I didn't want a repeat performance. Funnily enough when I checked them they all were at 100nm so he was nearly on the money. I've just hit around 500 miles since buying the car and I love it, nice solid feel throughout and comfort, looks like my boy gets to keep the 2018 shopping cart I bought as I'm in no hurry to get back in it. H