LenT

Harsh. But true. 😊

And with one bound you leap straight into another minefield. 😄 I changed the Yokos I got it with for new Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5s. And have been very happy with their performance. Excellent wet weather grip, which is my personal priority, as well as excellent dry road handling. A quiet and comfortable ride, too. So they would be my recommendation. But other opinions are available!

The factory set up works pretty well, I can confirm. But as John just pointed out, changing the aspect ratio may have a slight effect on speedo reading. More significantly, by using tyres with a deeper and thus more flexible sidewall you will alter the ride and handling characteristics. So the tyre may provide a slightly more comfortable ride, but that will be at the expense of its ability to provide the same degree of effective cornering. All tyre characteristics are essentially a trade off of different qualities. So how you drive is possibly the most important deciding factor.

I think Gary has already established that it’s an Executive trim version. And I don’t think the total cost has been mentioned, which might be a factor. But I would suggest that the total ownership experience of a Lexus IS is greater than the sum of its parts. Real life performance is more than just adequate- and sticking it Sport mode does noticeably sharpen it up. Forget the YouTube witterings of self-styled Motoring pundits who complain about fractions of seconds. The only strange thing about the IS series to me is that Lexus Is discontinuing it in the UK while launching newer versions on the USA! Go for it - and enjoy.

Looking at the original spec for the IS300, which may include all versions, I notice that it only comes with the emergency injectable tyre kit, not even a spacesaver wheel. I can testify from personal experience that you may be very glad that you insisted on a proper wheel - even a speed restricted one - should a tyre develop anything more than just a slow leak. I certainly was when a helpful lad broke the entire valve while trying to release the dust cap! In that case even injecting the chemical glop would have been impossible. Oh, and obviously check that the dust caps are the easily removable plastic type and not the metal ones that tend to corrode on the valve and lead to helpful motorists ripping the valve out while trying to remove the dust cap and costing you a £75 charge to replace the TPM valve! Or have I mentioned that before? Not that I was annoyed, you understand.

Very true and an increasing problem where speed cushions are a popular form of ‘traffic calming’, such as any of the towns near us! However the recommended method of keeping only one wheel on the cushion, so that the tyre is always flat on the road surface, can result in broken coil springs. I speak from experience! Another problem occurring in Milton Keynes is uneven tyre wear because so much of the driving is negotiating roundabouts. Apparently this is also reflected in uneven brake wear.

Looking at the tread depth indicators, it’s clear that the tread depth is still legal - but equally obvious that it’s uneven. Clearly this should be addressed because it’s wasteful with regard to tyre life and inefficient when it comes to overall driving performance. However, while 1.6mm may be the legal limit, whether it should be regarded as an acceptable minimum is debatable. Personally I start to think about new tyres at about 3mm. Interestingly (well you be the judge) in May 2017 Michelin revealed the results of tests they conducted on 26 different tyres. They claimed that wet braking distances almost doubled on some examples as they approached the legal minimum. Somewhat confusingly they also claimed that motorist were replacing tyres too early in their tread life, creating huge amounts of general waste. Unsurprisingly the point of this research was to support their claim that Michelins were specifically designed and constructed to maintain their wet weather performance right down to the legal limit. Now I’m generally a fan of Michelin, but I would be nervous of trying to power a tyre with, say, 2mm of tread, through a sheet of standing water that’s, say, 4mm deep, because I am not convinced that its water dispersal ability is anywhere near what it was at 6 mm.

I share your pain, as they say these days... For our very first house we bought a newly launched Canon gas cooker with the eye-level grill and rotisserie. So for some years we enjoyed the luxury of spit-roasted legs of lamb, chickens and assorted kebabs. Then we moved and we’ve been all-electric ever since and despite being reasonable appliances, they never seemed to have a similar facility. I think free-standing, counter-top rotisseries are available, but such an addition may exceed my permitted quota of kitchen toys.

I’m with you there. Having once had the unnerving experience of a downhill slide on an only mildly damp road, wet performance has always been my first consideration - fairly quickly followed by dry road, comfort and noise level.

Didn't see that coming! ☺️ But I'm sure you'll be delighted with them.

I see that’s already been well answered by Vladimir and already acted upon by yourself. Do let us know how you get on.

Just wondered...why? Wired like that the camera is no longer able to protect the car once you’ve left it. You can get a power supply regulator that connects to a live supply and will keep the camera active and able to respond to knocks, hits and attempts to break in. These regulators can be set so that should the battery voltage drop below a preset level, they disconnect the camera, so there’s no risk of the camera draining the battery. Having had dashcams for years, I can testify to the usefulness of one that can continue to operate with the ignition off - in car parks, for example. I think cameras such as Nextbase may have a backup battery that will give a few minutes supply when the car is parked. But that’s not the same as having the greater capacity of the car’s battery to call on.

I thought I would try to get a definitive answer to the question of cat security for my car - a 2015 IS250 Premier. So I contacted the Lexus dealer from whom I had bought it. The After Sales Manager of the Service Department confirmed that there were three units on the exhaust system, but replied that Lexus does not have a security fitment for my model. However he added, for reassurance, that there had been no such thefts reported involving my model to date. He didn’t confirm whether that was Lexus UK or just Lexus MK. Or why it had apparently not attracted chummy’s interest. Perhaps there are simply not enough of that model around? I can’t imagine that the dealer would have turned down the opportunity to make an accessory sale if the opportunity had presented itself. So either I remain reassured or wait to see if Catlock replies to my query.

Thank you, John. And you are absolutely correct. The Accord ended up in front of the Iveco, straddling the lane and projecting out into the adjacent lanes on either side. So either end of the car could have been hit by the still fast moving motorway traffic. We were also fortunate that the Accord stayed in the lane and didn’t spin out to hit the centre divide and involve other vehicles. Speaking of dashcams, when I got out and confronted the Iveco driver, I pointed to his cab and said “Dashcam?” He replied “No dashcam.” I thought what are the chances of that- to be hit by possibly the only HGV driver not to have a dashcam! One other annoyance was that two days earlier I had had fitted a new set of Michelin CrossClimates. My insurers wouldn’t take that cost into additional consideration as they maintained it was simply part of my maintenance responsibility as an owner. One puzzling aspect is that none of the airbags deployed. This may have been because the initial violent spin reduced the final impact? Changing lanes is, apparently, the most common cause of incidents involving lhd trucks on UK motorways.

I suppose it’s no surprise that Honda owners turn up on a Lexus owners site. As the two marques that regularly topped the Owners’ Satisfaction Surveys, they would have a lot in common. I too came to Lexus via Honda. However, I have a Romanian driving a Spanish Iveco truck to thank for that. But my first Honda was a new Prelude in 1997. Over the years I kept thinking about replacing it, but could never find an alternative that attracted me enough. Eventually, after 15 years and 120K miles, it was coming up for its major service - and my wife was finding the big passenger door difficult to open – so I dealt it in for a new Accord 2.2i ES GT in 2011. I thought this Accord would probably be the last car I bought – and it very nearly was. In November 2017, on the M25, the aforementioned Romanian, whom I’d already passed once, undertook and then dropped back to pull out into my lane. He hit the rear wheel, spinning the Accord in front of the truck and then pushing it along the M25 for about seven seconds like a new grill ornament. Now such is the expertise on this site that I imagine many of you could sort it out with a bit of filler and a couple of spray cans. But unfortunately it was declared a write off. It was at that point that I discovered the Accord was no longer on sale in the UK, as I would have ordered a replacement the next day. So it was purely by chance that I strolled into the local Lexus dealer, knowing nothing about the range at all. Incidentally, although the Iveco driver admitted responsibility he stated, via Allianze, that I had driven into his ’blind spot’, which gave his insurers the opportunity to question the claim. Fortunately I was able to extract the files from my dashcam that clearly showed, first, my overtaking the Iveco, he clearly then undertaking my car, before dropping back to pull out. Once presented with the videos, the claim was settled in full within days. Which is why I think everyone should have a dashcam!

I thought I’d try to get a definitive answer regarding catalytic security for my Lexus, a 2015 IS250. So I asked my local Lexus dealer from whom I bought the car. The After Sales Manager of the Service dept. confirmed that my model had three cats but Lexus did not have any security system for them. The first one is pretty hard to get at anyway, but the other two are further down the exhaust system and, I would have thought, vulnerable. However he stated as reassurance that they had not had any such thefts from IS250s to date. Whether that was Lexus UK or just Lexus MK, he didn’t clarify. Or comment on why criminals might ignore the IS250. So I might get some security etching done, as with my other cars. And maybe consider an aftermarket product.

I think I see something of a trend here. We too have a Bosch - a dishwasher. It had an attractive selection of wash programs printed on the top of the door edge. Above it was a handy sticker describing those programs. Well, that was the first to peel off. I contacted Bosch in MK, supplying photos, and they eventually sourced a replacement sticker from Germany. Naturally that didn’t last much longer than the original. But by then another problem had surfaced. The printed programs on the top edge, which related to the touch sensitive buttons under the metal, were also fast disappearing. So apart from already knowing where the On, Rinse and Start buttons were, the other 11 program buttons had become a kind of lucky dip. So back to Bosch who, after more pictures, offered to send an engineer round with a replacement door frame, FOC. Engineer duly arrived and left having fitted new frame, resplendent with fresh, printed programs. Unfortunately he’d left his mark in other ways. The combination of his work boots and heavy metal tool box had left a lattice work of scratches on our polished laminate oak floor. So back to Bosch. They immediately sent someone round to assess the damage - which turned out to be the same engineer who’d caused it. But credit to him, he accepted liability and Bosch then contacted me to arrange repair. Four months later, after several companies had turned down the challenge, a French Polisher (not a Polisher who was French, you understand) sourced by me, turned up and removed the scratches. To prevent the problem recurring I fashioned some strips out of screen protectors and stuck them over the printed lettering. Now, six years on, some of the lettering is showing signs of giving up again. I should add that throughout this saga, everyone at Bosch was helpful and concerned. But really, how hard can it be to devise a method of marking stainless steel that steam won’t remove? Or to train engineers to wear soft overshoes and put their tool boxes on protective mats - as other visiting tradesfolk usually did.

Clearly you must sit in and drive it before buying. I’ve only known one person who bought a car without even driving it and that was a business partner who bought a Saab on my recommendation. Fortunately he loved it and enjoyed it for some years! The first time I saw the IS250 was on the dealer’s forecourt. It looked exactly what I was after, but it was replacing a Honda Accord which was, I discovered, about 4cms taller. So I was worried about feeling cramped inside, and I’m shorter than your good self. To my surprise it actually felt roomier in the front with more headroom. Maybe the seats - which are very comfortable - sit lower on the floor pan. It also felt wider, although it was actually a couple of cms narrower. I should add that the seats have three ranges of adjustment and the steering wheel two. My BiL is just about 6’ and finds the back cramped but the passenger seat is adjustable enough to give him the head and leg room he needs. So it’s true that some taller folk may feel the back is less spacious - but I don’t sit in the back! And neither will you! My very first impression when getting inside was that this is a very pleasant place to be. And I still get that same feeling every time I do it.

This is neither the worst nor best appliance purchased because it’s one we inherited when we bought our house - a Worcester Danesmoor oil boiler. Now 32 years old and regularly serviced for the last twenty one. Looked after by the same small family business who provided the same service for our previous house, every year I expect to be advised to get a modern replacement. But no. After a good internal scrubbing and the occasional jet replaced, it’s pronounced good for another year and they refuse to try and sell me a replacement. Similarly a 10 year-old Honda Izzy lawnmower became difficult to start up one Spring, so I thought it time to replace it. I called the lad who’d been regularly servicing it about buying a new one from them. He was horrified at the suggestion and insisted that they give it another service. He said the modern Izzy is much inferior in quality and I would regret it. Another service was all it needed! And so it proved. So more examples of they don’t make ‘em like they used to! And that possibly applies to the traders too.

Better still, get a Jaguar.

Could be my fault, but I’ve slightly lost the thread of this thread! Hugh, are you still basing your purchase decision on the tyres this car has? As I - and probably others - have pointed out, tyres will be the easiest element of the car to replace. What you really should be worrying about is everything else! I don’t know how experienced a car buyer you are, but overlook potential problems with bodywork, engine, transmission, seat condition and so on - and you could end up with a lemon on a great set of tyres! If you like the darn motor, enjoy driving it - and the price is right for you - then if you don’t have it, someone else will. To reiterate, as you can see, I have a 2015 IS250 Premier which came with the 18” wheels. Which meant that Michelin only did one of the two specified tyres. Fortunately Goodyear had introduced the Asy 5s and they have proved to be an excellent fit as far as I am concerned. Frankly I am not sufficiently qualified to depart from the Lexus recommended tyre sizes. Are you? If I had bought my car from new, I would have specified the 17” wheels, because at 76 the marginal improvement in handling offered by the.larger wheel is irrelevant compared to the marginal improvement in comfort from the smaller wheel. But the best decision I made was to buy the x!?xing car in the first place! I hope this helps! 😊

“Many cheaper brands nowadays cannot be fixed at all.” And not so cheap brands too! But this is a very good point. After replacing the Dualit Jug Kettle mentioned earlier, I had occasion to contact Dualit about it. I had discovered that Dualit manufactured this specific product in such a way that not even they could repair it! I pointed out that this was wasteful of resources and morally questionable. Indeed it might even be in conflict with the regulations that require manufacturers to maintain stocks of spares for several years. Pointless if the spares can’t be used in the product! Maybe. In response Dualit offered me a substantial discount on a replacement. Unfortunately I had already bought ii! There’s a lesson there somewhere....

Not any more, possibly. I may have the only example left in captivity. I will entertain any serious offers. Used twice, only shaken never stirred, one owner, black with white ball. 😊 Re: Dualit Toasters. Our current 4 Slicer must be at least ten years old and in regular use. All I’ve had to do is replace the heating elements. Also just replaced four year-old Dualit Jug Kettle with similar. But I do agree that some buyers don’t seem to have the same experience with these brands.

A Jamie Oliver Flavour Shaker! A practical demonstration that sometimes the old ways are still the best! Fortunately not bought by me but a friend who knew I liked cooking. Used a couple of times and now lost in some far cupboard. Simply not as effective as my fifty year-old large pestle and mortar from Habitat. Unsurprisingly, no longer available on Amazon. Should serve as a warning to any inventor who tries to reinvent the wheel. You’d better come up with something better than a wheel.

As a fellow oldie, Phil, I appreciate your reasoning. It's the sort of purely indulgent purchase that pensions are for and that one deserves to celebrate a life well lived. Best of all, it's not just a car purchase, its become a project with all the detailed examination that that deserves. All the very best and many years of just enjoying it.