JellyBean

[sorry everyone - my attempt at editing didn't quite go as planned.]

Problem with resting your hand on your gearknob is that the relevant selector fork will eventually wear until the car starts jumping out of that gear, because it hasn't quite gone in properly. I speak from experience, alas.

Problem with resting your hand on your gearknob is that the relevant selector fork will eventually wear until the car starts jumping out of that gear, because it hasn't quite gone in properly. I speak from experience, alas.

I don't think it is possible to be a bit thick if you own an LS.

Don't be silly.

Does anyone know of a Lexus engine that has snapped its cambelt?

As I understand it, a Lexus cambelt actual snappage is unheard of. And if the aforequoted intervals are from the horse's mouth, I would carry on to six years - unless you suddenly have to do a daily commute to Land's End and rack up the 100,000 before then.

Howdee Pardners Just received a letter from local Lexus main agent. Here is the first paragraph (mine is a 1996, Mk 3): "It is recommended by Lexus GB that the cambelt on your vehicle is replaced at 100,000 miles or 10 years, which ever comes soonest [sic]. (IS200/IS300 100.000 miles or 6 years)." I hope this is of interest, as I have seen conflicting opinions on this. - JB PS As my car has done 125,000 miles, this reminder is only two years late. And I can't spell 'cambelt', but the edit function won't let me correct the subject line !

'twas I, on my Mk 3 LS400. They had to replace one of the battery terminal clamps as well (3 mins?) and charged me £58 labour. And didn't valet the car. And then I discovered that on this model, you can change the battery yourself, without a problem. Not a good day, that one.

Ooh-er. This is rather rude of Which? ! However, I have found that traction (i.e. off the line) in the wet is better than the D8Zs which I had on the car for four years. Other opinions on the web, like mine, are most flattering to the Falkens, which are made by a sort of subsid of Dunlop, after all. And if Which? advises people not to buy them, the price will stay low. As I said before, the car is not a 911 Porsche, which might merit really expensive tyres. BTW, my opinion of Which? was dented considerably when they told us in consective issues in 1999, "The Mini is now 50 years old" and elsewhere informed us that the Volvo S40/V40 "had a smooth engine". My wife had one at that time and the engine was so rough that she would get embarrassed at the noise it made in kick-down. (Mind you, the ride on this company-car V40 was absolutely atrocious - like an unladen pickup truck.)

On a carburetter engine, if you restrict the airflow, the engine will run richer - i.e. use more fuel. This is how a choke works. Dunno whether the same applies to an injected engine, but tampering with an engine of this sort is just asking for 'side effects' and will often make things worse.

Chris Skellington will be along in a minute to tell you about traction control and the Mark 3 LS 400... Ah. The price of FAME! Having to leave home in shades, avoiding the Parazzi-bin men......It just stops the wheels spinning on excess acceleration (or in my case with a Ser 3, fishtailing down a wet road in the wet once!) It's SO easy with the LSs power to over-accelerate. Just be gentle with the accelerator in general - and you'll get better mpg too. Ah, well, back to the autographs....... He was supposed to tell you that the Series 3 doesn't have TC and was the main reason he upgraded to a Mark 4 !

WIM is Wheels In Motion, a company that are experts in setting up your chassis geometry, amongst other things. They have a setup for the IS200 that fixes a long-standing premature tyre wear problem and improves the handling no end. Thanks for both replies, to Steve & Stevie. I need this doing as I have wheel wobble, even after two attempts at balancing. How much does it cost?

Chris Skellington will be along in a minute to tell you about traction control and the Mark 3 LS 400...

Really, we must all be most grateful to Chunkz for starting this topic: 46 postings in 4 days must be a record. And I for one haven't larfed so much since my Aunt Mabel caught her left one in the mangle.

But what does "Wim'd" mean?

Been driving for 41 years and I've seen all these products before. If they worked at all, the makers would have had them snapped up by the major manufacturers long ago, instead of peddling them on eBay. No doubt there will be more on offer, with fuel so pricey now. Cannot beat the 'chocolate fireguard' remark - dead accurate.

But ignore their extraordinary idea of when the LS430 was introduced...

Ah, Skellington. I have read your eBay ad and reckon you will soon run out of exclamation marks, so here are some more to be getting on with: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pardon?

Very many thanks, Passman. I read your post and went outside and did it. Dead simple - when you know how. Only tricky bit was refitting the boot trim I unnecessarily had prized off. But like Vannut (24-06-08) I wonder why the stop lights are twin filament 21/5W, and apparently wired to run a second tail light at the bottom of the cluster, but only the 21W stop light operates (each side). I swapped cars one night with the Mrs and was struck by how poor the rear taillights were on the LS. Two 5W tail lights, one at top and one at bottom of cluster would be the DB's.

A bit feeble of me, I know. But both brake light bulbs have gone and after unclipping some trim in the boot, I still am not sure what to undo to remove a rear light lens. Can anyone advise me? Driving a car with no brake lights is rather a poor idea. Thanks.

Looks more like a Cadillac with that tailfin.

Would that, by any chance, be the fat, juvenile, balding old fart from Doncaster who has just signed a BBC contract for several million quid?

Pete You lucky b*st*rd ! Wish I could afford one. Paul The only thing that stops me turning a permanent fashionable green - but with envy - is that I think the LS 430 Mk1 is just about the most ungainly-looking car on the road. The team who designed the front had obviously fallen out with the team responsible for the rear. I remind myself of its unfortunate looks when I recall all those things it has that mine lacks: massaging rear seats, airconditioned front seats, 5-speeds, multiple airbags, traction control, soft close doors, HID headlamps, parking sensors, teasmade, pop-up toaster, cigar cutter, microwave oven, power shower, DVD player, heated pool and ride-on lawnmower.