bitonw

Received the blank grey spare key today...

Quiet useless for me since I don't drive an 36mpg rebadge Toyota any more.

Received this on my moblie today:

Hi Biton I have sent your new key to you and when it arrives take to wolverhampton with another blak key and they will recode it for you FOC. Craig

Sure but may be never drove other brands then...

Yeah, those Lexus cars like to drink...

Lucky you. My local Lexus dealer wouldn't loan me one, without me transfering my insurance to it for the day. So while he drove my car away for the service, his IS250 demo stood idle on my drive........ALL DAY

Sorry if I've missed something here, but why didn't you just cover it on your own policy?

must be an cheap insurance

Well, I called them many times... I got problems on my work of making so many personal calls... The last thing I need is losing my job! I'm still in my probation time so I can't call them every day. I work long hours so only the weekend I'm free... Just send (again) an email to Lexus UK.

Sorry...but how many IS200 did they sold here in the UK? Compair this with the others like BMW / Audi / Merc...

I think that this is all a bit comparing Apples with Peers as we say in Dutch...

he has to tell you what the co2 figurs are so you can then look further to fix it. whats the year / miliage of your is200? look at the previous mot reports...

Well... I paid £12,800.00 for that car as an APPROVED PRE-OWNED Lexus car. So where is my warranty?? Why isn't any body contacting me as reply of my emails and calls?? I'm so sorry that I bought this vehicle... I'm so tired about this and every week day I drive this car I hate it... I have no choise because I need to go to my work since I already took to much time off in bringing this vehicle to the garages and making phone calls during work... :(

Hi,

Update: Still no news from either Bolton / Lexus UK. I love this kind of customer service... Just wait till the customer is getting ****** off of the waiting...

Pictures of the mats. well i tried, got this message:

The requested file upload failed because suitable permissions have not been enabled on the 'uploads' directory. Please contact the board administrator and inform them of this error....

those lower ball joints are very easy to change. 3 bolds per side and some work (if you have the right tools). did both my self last year. i paid about £50 per ball joint.

Hi,

Update: Have send Lexus Bolton (Lexus UK cc) an email about their call back and the still missing Spare Key.

Biton

Hi Jamboo,

Thanks for your advise!

Yes, It was a fully Lexus Pre-Owned Approved vehicle with all the papers etc etc. That’s why I had all the confidence that it should be a good car… This is also my biggest disappointment, how can a Official Lexus dealer sell a car like this one…

I had email / phone contact with:

Sean Lester

Lexus Customer Account Manager

Jamboo,

I had contact with Lexus UK about that spare key... It's now the end of May... Still no key...

HI,

If you don't have a hurry i might have mats for you. They are orginal Lexus and black / brown. The drivers side one have a hook to lock it.

Will have more info after this Saterday.

Don't lose faith in Lexus mate. Buy a car that's been looked after by a LOC member. I bought one my GS from this site, and it's been pampered.

Well I do, Sorry no more Lexus in my life. There are lots of other good brands around.

Update; Still waiting for a phone call from Lexus Bolton to book the car in. It's starting to become the never ending story... Even that grey spare key is still underway from Germany. If I had a pushbike I could easily cycle and collect it! Bear in mind I bought this vehicle in March 4th 2006…

Hi,

My biggest disappointment is that it's a Lexus Approved Pre-Owned vehicle with all the papers / MOT / RAC Inspection Report / Mileage check / 30 days exchange / etc, etc. You start making your self the question, How can it being sold like this?

I could better buy it from a non Lexus Dealer for £2 / £3 cheaper and used that difference to make it a sound car?

And yes, my mistake was indeed to buy this car without an test drive, but you can exchange it within 30 days (that’s what I was trying)... Another lesson learned!

Update, Lexus Bolton should call me back about an appointment to book the car in yesterday (18 May) I'm still waiting...

I hope to drive around soon with a star on my hood, going back to my roots.

Biton

Hi All,

I bought my first Lexus IS200 SE Auto W reg in the UK at an non Lexus dealer somewhere on the other side of the river in 2005 when I was living in Bristol. On this vehicle I got 3 months warranty from that dealer. Any way to make a long story short I never got any warranty and changed the lower ball joints my self, £100, 6 bolts and 45 min later job done.

This was for me the lesson never buy an Lexus at an non Lexus dealer!

So with this wisdom I bought via the Internet / phone an Toyota Rav4 for my girl friend at Valentine's day at Toyota Guildford. We never saw or test drove the Rav4 and on an Saturday we collected from Guildford. Everything was arranged I only had to give them the keys of the old PX VW Polo and put some signatures. The MOT will be posted since it was still in the computer. There it was and we drove away. What a nice car, drives very well and was in show room state! An real Pre-Owned Approved Toyota car. The only thing was that it didn't had the Radio / CD unit but an Radio / Cassette unit. But via e-Bay that problem was sorted quickly. I can tell you that she was very happy with this car as I do. After some weeks we got the MOT by post as promise. Very well done job of Toyota Guildford!

So my trust in an real brand dealer was growing. Since my Lexus was on 90k miles I was thinking to get another IS. Because of my new job I drive 106 miles a day.

After searching the Internet site of Lexus I saw an nice Feb 2003 IS200 SE Auto with only 21k miles at Lexus Bolton. Also they had an special offer over the month March what sounded attractive. So I arranged everything over the phone. This was like an new car they told me, we had even put Brand new tires on it. On an Saturday (March 4Th) I drove to Bolton with my Aztec Red IS to PX. I had to wait since I was a bit early. The Vehicle wasn't there but they were still repairing it for collection. Finally it was time to do the papers but the MOT certificate was wrong, wrong registration so they couldn't get an Tax disc from the Post Office... They tried and other Post Office who accepted the wrong MOT and they managed to get an Tax disc. Also other errors were made with my name on some documents like Gap insurance. After signing the papers I got the keys. Well the keys but not the grey spare key and the key numberplate. Oh, yes? Oh we will trace the previous owner about that. So off I go without an MOT, Spare key, key numberplate & wrong papers (my name). But I didn't care since this was an Lexus Pre-Owned Approved vehicle with all the warranty you can get.

The MOT came by post after 1 week so that was OK. While driving home i notest that this car was different than my old one. After some days I checked the tire pressure they were on about 28psi. I always had my tires on 33psi so I changed that. Also the car was different with the tracking. On the motorway not really a problem but on the country road close to my work very bad, so bad that I had to correct the car with both hands not to drop of the tarmac! What a shock, I drove the same road with my previous IS and didn't had this problem so badly...

After 2 weeks I spoke with Lexus Bolton about this and they told me to come back with the vehicle or go to any Lexus Centre since I had all the warranty. Well living in Birmingham and working at an Games company I don't have the time to drive all the way up to Bolton just like that. So I arranged an visit at Lexus Wolverhampton what is closer to me, I live at the west side of Birmingham close to the M5 junction 3. They couldn't't help me direct since I need an loan car so it took some time to book the car in. In the mean time my list with problems was growing and growing. I told Lexus Bolton that I was very unhappy with a car like this and started to ask my self the question how a car like this could had the Lexus Pre-Owned Approved status any way. Bolton told well the car has an brand new MOT... he he he MOT what is that, it's just a test on safety and nothing else. See my list with problems. I told them before the 30 days that I didn't want the car any more, I have 30 days exchange... Told them that I was even prepared to pay some more money for a better car. Yeah a better car, we have an IS250 for about £600 a month or another IS200 for about £400 a month, were the alternative they could offer me. I'm paying now about £300 a month. Not really interesting on my side.

In the mean time Lexus Finance made a mistake and took the Direct Debit from the wrong account so that I got an fine since I was closing that account, no monies on it. After some hard words and faxes they paid the fine back to me.

Well I was just wondering what is this Lexus Experience??? For me it became more and more an nightmare!!!

The vehicle went to Lexus Wolverhampton for the tracking and some other problems. A full alignment was needed, what I already knew. Now I also knew whey Lexus Bolton did put new tires on this vehicle after about 20k miles, tracking...

Any way after collection, they give me a very nice black GS SE-L as loan car, the tracking wasn't improved so on a Saturday morning I went with the chef mechanic to test drive the vehicle. He concluded that it was indeed still not correct and an other appointment was needed. He told me that they had difficulties to adjust the tracking after speaking with the mechanic.

This time the car was booked for 2 days with a loan car. Arrived at Lexus Wolverhampton to bring the vehicle I had to wait for the loan car. After 52 min. waiting the loan car was still under it's way from London to Wolverhampton so I went in the IS to my work, was about 1 hour to late...

According Lexus Wolverhampton it's better to go back to Lexus Bolton since my list is quite big.

So I'm back at the beginning... Bought an Lexus Pre-Owned Approved Toyota re-badged plastic box on wheels for way to much money compared with an non Lexus dealer. And have the same problems???

For me it's clear, no more Lexus for me! *** I hate this car, I hate this whole Lexus image, empty words, no more than that. I miss my old IS, okay it was an old (W reg) car but it drove fine...

Let's see how this problem will be sorted... Will keep this forum informed.

Biton

The (growing) list with the problems of the IS200 SE Auto, MD52 aaa.

- When starting the engine, some times the engine ticks over on 1500 rpm and I smell some Petrol! This happened on an afternoon when the weather was warm... So no need for the engine to use the choke. Airco was OFF!

- If the car USN't being used over the weekend and I press the brake peddle it feels hard with no movement on the peddle. As soon as I start the engine the brake peddle goes down. Looks like vacuum problem to me.

- When cold (not used over the weekend) the transmission really bangs in the R or D, very annoying when you are parked between cars! Also you will need to press the brakes very hard to stop the car from moving. Wrong oil? To thick?

- Heavy steering by times, more with cold weather. Slipping belt?

- Leaking drivers door, some times drops of water (from the top of the door) inside the car when driving and it makes a lot of wind noise when driving above 60mph.

- Some tyres are not keeping their pressure, losing between 2-5 psi. Adjust them with 33psi and after some days they drop to 28 - 32. I check the pressure in the morning when cold at the same filling (BP)station.

- Tracking (still) not correct.

- Brakes are making some times some noise when braking. They vibrating (on steering and peddle) if braking from 70mph or faster. Disc's bent?

Hi,

I'm doing 439miles with full tank at the moment, about 60 liters. Driving; house - M5 - M42 - M40 junction 12 - country road - work = 53 miles.

hmm, i lived for 1 year in bristol but just moved to birmingham. had an is 200 se auto but give it to my girl friend. gone buy a gs 300 se soon. never saw any club members in bristol...

they might have tried to glue the sensor back on your windscreen and demaged it. if i was you call your dealer and let them sort it out.

why are people so interested in engine braking? You have brakes on the car - push the pedal down - and the car stops.

You guys are increasing the wear on your engines, to save some wear on pads?

Pads are like £40 (?) to replace? cheaper than engines

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sorry but engine braking isn't wearing your engine if you do it correctly (not putting it in 2 when driving 70mp) and keeps it your mpg down as the emu cuts the fuel... and no i'm not saving on pads ...

also i use it to use it as an engine brake to slow the car down but never to accelerate. after i'm stationair i push it back in d (drive).

this is one very anoying thing about the cruise control. if you go down hill it doesn't brake!!! even my truck is doning it and uses the (air)engine brake to keep those tonnes on the correct speed!!!

When I first got my car I thought it was quick (well I was comming from  a 1.5l Mazda 323 ) but now it does feel slow and I occasionaly get frustrated with the perforamnce a low revs. I agree with the original topic starter that the performance is not up to what it should be. But then its not a Scooby/Evo/RS4 beater is it. 

The BMW 330d as much as it pains me to say it is one fine car.....for me its almost the complete package. 0-60 in 7.0secs AND 42MPG!! That is just stunning. Now I know you can Turbocharge/Supercharge/fancy go-faster bits on the IS to make it much faster but by doing that you loose some of its practicality. Sure you can get an amazing Altezza or IS300 that could do 0-60 in under 6 seconds but would you get the fuel economy? I pay almost 95p Litre for fuel at the moment!!   What about the hughly expensive insurance costs to keep a highly modified Lexus if your young (ish ;))? When you sold it you wouldn't get anywhere near what you spent of the car with all the mods unless you stripped them all off and tried to sell seperate as many owners do. The 330d does seem to offer the best of both worlds.

Trouble is that since I have been a LOC member I have developed a strong sense of brand loyality and would now find it difficult to want to be seen in most BMW/Merc/Audi's!......If only it was a LEXUS! 

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hmm, just wait and test drive the new is diesel version next year. well you can aleady test the engine. they have the same one in a avensis d-4d see the advert http://www.cleanpower.nl/toyota/ it.s in dutch but you can read the specs. they have an advert on the dutch tv... and if the new is is the same quality as the new gs it will be a best seller?!

personally i'm not a fan of diesel cars. i drove diesels since i was 17 years.