Brian Berry

I do not think that Alan Partridge has affected the sales of IS 200's in the slightest. They still remain exclusive and for the discerning motorist. I have just come back from Devon after a short break and saw 1 IS200 on the M5 the only other Lexus I saw the entire week. As for the BMWs there appear to be as many as Fords on the roads!

Brian Berry- Please count me in- 1 place

The problem as see it concerning gear changes is that on going from 1st to 2nd if you pull the gear lever down sharply it will rasp but doing a gentle slide all is well. It is on my IS200. Going from 2nd to 3 rd should not present any problems and if you feel an obstruction and it it does not slide smoothly in then you have sincro problems and I suggest you have a dealer look at it for a second opinion.

Clair is right, the first thing is getting a licence.

A visitor to UK may drive for 12 mths on his own licence. The fact that you are coming home as a permanent measure means that you are not classed as a visitor. As your licence is USA and therefore outside the EC the first thing you must do is get a provisional driving licence and pass the UK driving test.

I'm afraid you will have to sport the L plates and be accompanied by the holder of full UK approved licence until passing the test.

Happy motoring!!

I questioned Lexus Southampton about not changing the brake fluid on the 2 yr/ 20,000 service and was told that they check the fluid with a special machine. If the consistency of the fluid is ok it is not changed. I think that garages should tell you this without having to give them the third degree!

When I was a full time planning officer travelling towards landfills and mineral extraction sites because I was in the vicinity of HGV's every car I had suffered a cracked windscreen. I hardly ever saw the stones.

Now I have returned for 2 days a week I use the office car and not the Lexus. So far the Lexus has stood up well to ordinary motoring. I must add that on reading the web site just before Christmas I went into the garage to examine my bonnet. An item from a ladder extension fell onto the bonnet so I had the dent filled and a complete bonnet respray. The bonnet has been polished with MER.

Concerning lorries some planning conditions for the specific sites require that all loads be covered , some lorry operators also do it as good practice but sad to say it is not mandatory for all lorries.

I have spoken to many older Lexus owners who,because their age, are not computer literate and shy away from them. Perhaps if a magazine came out even quarterly the Lexus club would have even wider appeal.

What I find interesting having been two a couple of meets is that the majority of the the younger owners in their 20's are employed in the world of IT .

As long as the paper work has been signed dealing with an authorised Lexus dealer I would not have a worry. I know that there are so many gungho firms around that it takes a while to get used to the integrity shown by Lexus GB.

Hi Dunkie

I got a bit too close to a car when I had just bought my Lexus and put a graze on the front bumper. I tried touch up paint and made a pigs ear of it. I had to get a touch up specialist in, the same firm used by the local Lexus, and they came to my home. The touch up was first class, you would not notice, but it cost me £60.

Equate a good manual polish as a mini work out. Its good for your health !

Local Southampton paper last night had a splash that Wilts Police are buying a number of Lexus GS430's for their motorway patrols. They hope to get 150,000 miles in 3 years out of them. They have tested the cars and the results, as expected, were very favourable. Powered by 4.3 ltr. 282 bhp, V8 engines they reckon that the quality including suspension is so good that no modifications will be made. They particularly like the amount of space inside the vehicle in which to carry equipment. The Traffic officers like the 0-62mph in 6.3 secs and the top speed of 155mph.

My Cars: As from passing my test in 1962.

Morris 1000 bought in London had 38000 on clock but later a garage thought that the clock had been altered from 138000.

Brakes seized, broken rear spring, 1pint of oil per 100 miles It had to go!

Brand new Austin Minivan ran ok for 4 yrs but it was a van

Riley 1.5 (twin carbs) Developed rust too early

Vauxhall Viva lacked character, poor quality( Worst Car )

Peugeot 204 Hatch back Nice little car

Nissan Sunny New car ran ok took it to Southern France

Nissan Bluebird Hatchback ok but lacked zest

Nissan Bluebird Saloon ditto but very reliable

Rover 216 GTI Things are improving

Rover 420 GSI Central Locking problems/ Distributor=breakdown

Rover 400 Si Nice little car but no power/gearbox problems

Nissan Primera 1.6 Hatch Under rated rather bland

Toyota Celica 1.8 VVTI Great car , nearly there!

Lexus IS200 SE Great car and the best of the bunch

I must say that out of all the cars I have had over the years the colour red has been the easiest to keep clean. I had a new red Celica before my Lexus and keeping it in pristine condition was a doddle. My current Lexus although I myself like Kensington Green it is a bit like the colour black and seems to show every mark.I love the new red Lexus!

An accessory for my ladder fell on top of the bonnet of my IS200 SE and I had a local car sprayer I have been using for 30 years repair the dent and spray the entire bonnet. He used a hard metallic paint which comes from Germany. I had a few paint chips before hand but not many. It now looks very good! But for how long remains to be seen.

I think that when comparisons are made with other marques it is necessary to consider with cars such as Kia and smaller model Fords etc that they will never be driven owing to their mechanics at the faster speeds attained by quality cars like Lexus, BMW and Mercedes. A stone hitting the front of a car driven at 70mph + will do a great deal more damage than hitting a car driven at 45mph.

I do however hope that the next Lexus comes with a more durable surface.

Hi Grim

When I last looked I think I had sent about 99 messages. You have got me thinking !

A club is only as strong as its number of members and as a result I have just signed up and my cheque for £25 is in the post.

For any undecided members I say ' Give it a try as its your club'.

Bazza

You have really got me interested now!

I will watch this space for the pics

In the early 90's I had a Rover 416 GTI I did 40000 miles in it no problems. It had a Honda engine.

This was followed by a Rover 420 Sli which had recurring central locking problems. It also broke down once and this was put down to a distributor fault.

Then a Rover 400 Si which had gear box reversing problems and again central locking.

I then changed over to Nissan , graduated to Toyota and finally Lexus.

I can say that my Jap cars have given no problems at all.

Look forward to seeing the pics. I see that you were inspired after the Brooklands meet.

Only thing I have on the cards is getting a new set of alloys on 24th Feb through the warranty.

Tha What Car 'Target Price' for the IS200 SE model is £19449 plus auto box an extra £1230 and metallic £375.

Once agreed I would attempt to seal the deal with the mats and exhaust end thrown in free.

What Car have a 'price promise' that if a dealer does not agree the target price phone them on 0845 123 2620 on their hot line and they will put you in touch with a dealer who will.

Good luck.

Years ago having just passed the driving test I hit a patch of black ice in my Morris 1000. By instinct I put my foot on the brake and finished up in someone's front garden, uninjured but with a broken rear spring.

I later attended the police advanced driving at Maidstone and as part of the course went on the skid pan. I am now convinced that every driver should be given skid pan training as part of the driving test.

The programme brought attention to the Lexus IS200 and as with advertising opposites sometimes provide a spring board and sustain interest. It could also be likened to Beauty and the Beast, the beast being Partridge!

My warranty for the Lexus IS200SE is up at the end of March. My car has 14000 miles on the clock. The wheels have just started to become pitted with corrosion setting in during the past 3 mths. I went back to my dealer today (10thFeb)who immediately booked the car in for a full wheel change on 24th Feb with a free courtesy car thrown.

Bazza

Forgot to say that the red colour on the new IS200's like yours really suits the car and is a tone which one can live with. Looks great!

Simon

Great to meet you and see the car. I can only say 'AWESOME'

Someone, I can't remember who said to me' My mother has a car like mine..... an un- modified IS200SE '.

With all you chaps turning up in your Premier League LEXI I feel like Portsmouth, top of Div 1 !

I am visiting my dealer on Monday. My LexusIS 200SE will be 3years old in March and the alloys are just starting to show corrosion. It will be interesting to see what their approach will be.