terdancam

Firstly, many thanks to Glenn at MK Lexus for the test drive; a man who deserves your custom. Myself and the wife took out the new is250 auto for a spin. The look is growing on us, and i realised the rear end looks like one of those devil smilies , the horns being the light clusters--have a look you`ll see what i mean. Overall the car is lush. But here are our highpoints: The auto gearbox was very smooth, no lurching at all- a revelation. It was quick, and 70mph appears very suddenly and silently (keep an eye on the speedo, gatso fans!!) The dash display was supremely crisp. Now i love the original is200 display because it is different, but this new one offsets the disappointment by being gorgeous in the dark. It is gadget city, from the keyless entry to the rev limiters, the satnav to the entry lights--you could probably spend all day d1cking about in that car without moving! The Mark L sound system---bye bye chavs!! Rear parking camera--now i can reverse park the car in a straight line (the is200 is the only car i`ve ever driven that oddly cannot be backed up in a straight line!) The seats feel like they`ve come out of your living room--i look forward to developing a butt groove over time.... Downsides: Still no folding rear seats--i`m not sure whether the designers actually appreciate what a major pain in the backside that is. i know its a bit like comparing apples with pears, but it will be going against cars that can, and therefore it becomes a war between practicality and desire, and not a harmonious relationship!! The glove box is too small, even for gloves ( ), and although the other storage space is better utilised there is still not enough of it. Although the car is actually quieter, there is surprisingly quite a lot of tyre noise being transfered into the cabin--but is that because other external noise has been stopped? The wood trim looks like formica--the brushed metal looks far superior. The car was in blah silver which fades into obscurity--we`d either go with the granite sky/ gunmetal/carbon or mazda6/rx8/yamaha r1 blue, with some "spokey" alloys on there--this would enhance the "get the chuff outta my way" look we all need on the motorway. Would i get one tomorrow over any other similar priced car? You betcha, Santa Claus. Its japanese, therefore it won`t break. Its put together properly. It doesn`t have that lego set look on the inside (have a look at the hazard light buttons in all cars to see what i mean-lexus=conservative and understated, new renaults look like bits from a duplo set) Compared to all the others out there it has a scarcity value which means a) its not outselling mondeos, B)i won`t be confused with a rep, c)i can find it in a car park d) people look at it e)ooooooh, you`ve got a lexus (not: "you got a bimmer? yeah my dad, brother, uncle, pet dog has got one as well"). After getting back into my is200, i can safely say the new car has moved on into a different league again, and we were vaguely diasppointed getting into our "old" car. Well done Lexus, its lovely. :D

What time was that mate? Its quite bit higher with the 17s back on. Yeh with the 19s it was siiiiiillly low, i had it to the point where the front of the car was lifting up as the tyre hit the arch ← 'bout 15:10, picking up kid from cedars, as have now moved up nr the services---have waved twice but you can barely see over the dash---well, thats how it looks from the outside!!!! testing the 250 on monday with Glenn at MK, and having the autumn safety check too--have you checked out the new showroom yet?

saw him yesterday when i was picking the sprogs up......... don`t know if those sparks were from his exhaust or his backside........ :D how loooooooooooooooooooooooow can you go?

Repeat after me: WE WILL NOT MAKE ANY DEROGATORY COMMENTS ABOUT VBH..........whatsoever. That is actually a criminal offence, section 4, paragraph 8 under the Very Saucy Bird Act, passed in the House on the 'Women I Wish I had a Remote Chance at' motion, tabled along with the 'Why isn`t my Mrs like that' green paper. I also believe Moses made mention of this fact that if VBH was derided in any fashion, The big man would visit the wrath of connus roddus, smiting thine engine. So be careful. VBH.sssssssssslllllllllllllllluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurp!

After not seeing any since the infamous Alan P. have spotted two in two weeks, both on the new 'big' tv offerings. Love Soup....the 'hero' drives a brand new, blue is300---that is until he wrapped it around a tree in a scene with the bird from Hustle, Jamie Murray. At least it proves you do`nt get killed in them, i suppose. All About George....Rik Mayalls dad drives a new Is300 Sportcross. Has anybody seen anymore, apart from bringing up the rear occasionally in BTCC!!??

another of lifes warm security blankets has gone. it really sucks when people of that calibre die; that twinkle and innocent humour are impossible to replace nowadays. Rip RB

interesting topic, but not many people saying whether they are actually seriously considering the move away to the suzuki swift etc mode of transport. we`ve considered train journeys when visiting relatives, but the cost of tickets actually makes driving cheaper, given that car ownership is a sunk cost anyway. £100+ for a family of 4 to hull....!!! No chance Mr Brown. AS for Mikes argument about the real cost of fuel, he is right, but they were temporary examples. and prices then went down. China is now consuming the equivalent of Iraqs total production per day! SO longer term i can`t see the prices coming down significantly. Also vast consumption gives economy of scale, but also massively increased corporate wealth and government revenue, but as with capitalism it is always the lower population earning percentile that bears the brunt of increased costs.( another topic on the gulf between rich and poor never being wider than it is now coming up..... :D ) Revenue streams for the government, as well as inherent profit for the oil producers/suppliers increase as a matter of course. However this does mean r&d/new fields increases in boom years. However, the movement of prices down takes far too long given the speed of putting the prices up (same with interest base rates--very few banks have put their rates down!), and so the argument about it not being consumer driven is also correct. This vastly complicated issue will not be answered by buying tesco fuel only---just think of the extra tax revenue the gov is earning at the moment; add this to not funding iraq occupation and we`d be reducing our national debt/ increasing funding etc by a vast amount. But that again is complicated. But the real consideration, as the topic title suggests, is whether this is an expense we as lexus owners are no longer happy bearing. Is the cost of ownership of our beauties now too much if it means we can be spending money on other things? Especially bearing in mind that related life costs have not gone up by similar amounts in such a short period of time (mortgages, council tax don`t count). I love my car but is there now a psychological, let alone fiscal, swing back from the days of what i want to now, what i need?

The wife and I love our is200---its a reliable, classy workhorse that we can spot easily in a carpark given that its not a vw/bmw/merc/audi. Over our 1.5years of ownership we have gotten used to its desire for the black stuff, and because we have no self-discipline that engine really gets a workout--virtually all the time.... However, now that petrol is touching the £1 mark, filling up at the pump isn`t a humourous experience anymore, and has forced us to reconsider our driving requirements. The Mrs quite rightly argues that you can`t put a price on the fact that when you put the key in the ignition and drive off the car just WORKS. We`re not listening for bits breaking, weird noises, or keeping the RAC on speed dial; there`s a lot to said for that, given the fact that every car i`ve had has died spectacularly.... But being leaden footed (because the Lexus loves it :shutit: ) it is causing a big dent in the wallet now! So what do you all reckon, resist the temptation, ease off on the pedals and keep the car..................................OR...................................have a look at gettting a more practical car that is far cheaper to run? Who else is considering this now? And yes, i caught myself looking at a ~Suzuki SWift :shutit: Now that fuel costs are huge, with the uk going to be a net importer of fuel by 2007, no fuel strikes, and no doubt an increase in the budget (notwithstanding the fact that fuel companies are swallowing some of the rises at the moment anyway), is it time to get sensible, or are you all earning enough so that fuel costs don`t really matter? (theres a word for people like that :D )

mark x looks like the redneck mating of an old shape avensis and a lexus is200...... banjos in a japanese stylie please.

I do not understand how an LOC member would consider it good business to defaecate in his own back yard..........upsetting fellow members must surely be disastrous for business given the community spirit. Heres the scenario: 22 April, not soon after i joined Gold LOC, paid £126.50 for an induction kit via PP to Altezza Sports and Prestige. then nothing............not any e-mails, delivery times etc. NO ctc at all. then the people on here had a quick flurry 22 june to establish what was happening. PM'd him on 22 june, got a reply back 30 june, saying he`d been out of the country, his suppier had backed out, he was funding the covering costs and they were to be despatched the next couple of days. Woohoo. then July 29th asked for a full refund as had heard nothing since, not anything. August 1st, got a refund, but not the full amount by 50p, then because of PP charges i lost a total of £4.98. Obviously not including the interest that Scott has been earning on my money since 22 April. I asked to refund the 4.98, and again i have heard nothing, its now the 4th August. I feel this is a legitimate concern, and not a moan as admonished elsewhere, and i therefore feel it right and proper to warn other potential customers to go elsewhere, unless this issue is resolved in a public forum. I give ample space for a reasoned defence of this behaviour, and indeed that amicable relationships can once again be restored. Therefore i await a financial response, as i am out of pocket.

What on earth was that flushing sound? Was it something going down the pan???????????????????????????

Add me to the list. 22 April, not soon after i joined Gold LOC, paid £126.50 for an induction kit via PP then nothing............not any e-mails, delivery times etc. NO ctc at all. then the people on here had a quick flurry 22 june to establish what was happening. PM'd him on 22,got a reply back 30 june, saying he`d been out of the country, his suppier had backed out, he was funding the covering costs and they were to be despatched the next couple of days. Woohoo. then July 29th asked for a full refund as had heard nothing since, not anything. August 1st, got a refund, but not the full amount by 50p, then because of PP charges i lost a total of £4.98. Obviously not including the interest that Scott has been earning on my money since 22 April. I asked to refund the 4.98, and again i have heard nothing, its now the 4th August. I`m not going to make any comment on those facts, i leave it to make up your own mind on whether that company needs the business.

and am i right in saying that you are not allowed to own a car in that "effect" in this country.....i`m sure i read that somewhere ?

okey dokey, product reviews on the latest sonus stuff........... tyre gel brings up the rubber window trims lovely, and seems to "re-energise" them. On the tyres, applied with a sponge, the solution goes on very easily and has quite good "cling"--lasted at least 3 days. the glass cleaner is more problematical though-----as a greasy finger marks from the kids, or sneezing on the inside of the windscreen it works well. However it does not like water marking...those little white spots of hard water that remain if you haven`t scrupuously squeegeed off all of the water. Now to be honest, the mechanical nature of elbow grease and the applicator pad removes the water staining with no help from the cleaner. Therefore as an internal glass cleaner its very good, but as an external glass cleaner/polish, forget it unless the glass has no water spots. the spritz is a spritz is a spritz and does its job. mixed views on these ones, but at least the service is superb.

its going to be extremely interesting to watch given that the brand started waaaaaaaaaaay back in 1989! Our Japanese brothers have a distinct liking for the "imported" european status brands such as BMW/Mercs given the amount of domestically made and owned cars---a complete revearsal to the market over here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The trouble with the Lexus is that they are apparently going against the initial design philosophy and origin of the brand which is what ensured their original success. Now they are reasoning that the brand now has inherent value and can therefore stand up against the Germans on image and kudos. Personally i think this would be a huge mistake, but car margins are not what they once were, for example VW makes a loss on every VW car sold, and there is now a huge range of choice from the once relatively exclusive premium brands. If they want to realistically take on the perceived added value of the Germans they are going to have to make the Lexus universally desirable. For europe that would possibly mean more of a range, to compete with the 60+varinats of just the BMW 3 series(!), but also adding a MPV, as Merc have done. They would also need to massively increase the racing profile of their range. In Japan they have got to get the brand an iconic status, possibly cashing in on the Gangsta rap references, but they are going to have a tough fight given the "exclusivity" of the prestige brands. In making a car more expensive. just to cash in on the "image" is a mistake that BMW/Merc originally made in the US when a small upstart called Lexus arrived on those shores............and look what happened there........they`ve only just recovered! I don`t know, I`m just not convinced they have a clear strong strategy for a global assault--i still think they`re going to be a niche brand unless they really get serious about marketing and range. BY the way, if any Of Lexus (!)are reading this, i have a strategic plan that is available and my consulting fees are reasonable---alternatively now that i`m not far off completing my mba, i will be looking for a job soon............... IS350 twin turbo LRD (lexus racing division) here i come............. :D :D :D

I have some of that stuff in the shed..lost all the instuctions on correct application.......apply wet/dry....leave to haze.......or leave for a week etc.......? ← good lord, nothing as complicated;;thats if its the same product of course!! you just washed the car, then applied this stuff which looked like snot in a bottle...........then you rinsed it off gently with a gentle hose. its that product that reflects lasers and bullets, and makes the car difficult to keep in your hands when in the bath :D

and i just used t-cut 'cos MegX didn`t do an awful lot. but do use sonus shampoo, KLasse AIO and Carnuaba wax, which took all ruddy day but lovely results, nice and deep. also depends on what mood i`m in in cleaning the car as to how bovvered i can be with all that faffing around....... one i did use ages ago was that stuff from QVC ( or similar), can`t recall the name but it "sheeted" the water off, and although it didn`t have the same deep gloss look to the polish, it looked cleaner for a longer amount of time!!!

LOL :D :D :D :D and don`t forget it will all be said in that gruff emphasising way!!!!! Maybe if we all became BMW drivers, we wouldn`t have an issue!!! He is a buerk, but i like him. :duh:

and mucho kudos for owning up to a pillock moment-------can`t criticise as been there, seen it done it and worn the tarmac!!!!! but remember======bike+rain+front brake=take it easy!!!!! :D

AND HOW MANY FRI*GING TRAFFIC POLICE WOULD THAT PAY FOR?????????????? oh sorry, scameras are law and therefore they must be right, correct and well thought out.................... :tsktsk: :tsktsk: :tsktsk:

cool, that got it---it was the sky+planner rebuild...........once you select that, then the 'housekeeping' bit comes up............few blips etc left it off for about 20 mins as per PC s.o.p., whacked it back on and hey presto got some space now!!! cheers boys :D

Ignore what goes on on the screen. Services, 4, 0, 1, select. Now the installer menu appears. Same goes for all Sky Digiboxes. ← got the special secret menu, but still no 'housekeeping'...............i therefore assume its either: sky+ planner rebuild or full system reset............... and do i have to have a special handshake now?

If you do a "services 401 select" and then select "housekeeping", the box will do a disk defrag and reset the capacity indicator properly. ← don`t have that option on my sky+ box------services,4 then it only goes up to 7!!! been through all menu options on services, and there isn`t one called 'housekeeping'---------any ideas?

received today, no additonal pointless charges............... :D :D :D :D :D superduper service as always have tried the glass&chrome polish already...........will post findings later, as awaiting response from autopia.

If you do a "services 401 select" and then select "housekeeping", the box will do a disk defrag and reset the capacity indicator properly. ← cheers bigears-----i really ought to search for the manual :D