UKPulse

Scott has pretty much covered it all. I started off with an IS 200SE Auto Nav - lovely car but a bit gutless. On regular trips along the A27 between Brighton and Portsmouth, I would be regularly overtaken by anything & everything. After a year I plumped for the IS300 Nav - never looked back. The extra power is great, the auto box is smooth as silk yet you can have great fun with the eShift. HIDs are marvellous, wouldn't go back to standard halogens. Also the car is much quieter. Best bet is a 1yr old one (wish there had been some around when I was buying), and don't forget.... haggle!

Same here - I voted Yes because surveys like these are good at telling you what cars to avoid. Incidentally, if BMW came top I still wouldn't buy one :P

Both IS's I've had have done this - front tyres have 5-6mm tread, inside edges look like Harry Hill's head! I'm just one of many... Having just replaced the front tyres, I had a full geometry done (£85+VAT!). Camber values were/are: Front left: -0° 16' (before) -0° 19' (after) Front right: -0° 26' (before) -0° 26' (after) ...so I'm expecting the same problem after another 8000 miles.

Back ok, sides ok, front... who's been borrowing out of the Honda S2000 book then?

Well in theory, any genuine Lexus part should come with it's own warranty from the date it was supplied/fitted. For alloys that should be at least a year. So, get Lexus to change them every year :) The refurbished alloys I've just got are much more heavily lacquered, and the edges are all rounded, so they shouldn't rot (so quickly). Don't know if it's the same with refurb'ed LE wheels tho?

Do what I did, take a pic of the car in the rain! Got some luverly pics of the Soarer - shame it's not mine any more.... (know how you feel Steve) but I'm already planning my next one, so hold the front page

If they do remove them, they'll probably replace them with something worse!

Motor traders often buy a vehicle without seeing it first, which is why an honest and accurate description is all the more important. Fact is, this guy is a trader and he lied to a fellow trader about the condition of the car, and then failed to rectify the deception when given the opportunity. So if he thinks he can get away with lying to a fellow trader, think what he'll do to us members of the public?

Couldn't enter the TT - no model under Toyota for it, and choosing Lexus only allows you the SC300 or SC400 ....then again, sold the car last week ....but will be getting another! :D :D :D

...doh, I meant Westbound. Followed a new silver RX300 with a private plate along the A27 past Chichester this morning. Then a black '02 reg IS200 Sport with two lads in it pulled out of a garage. For a short while past Emsworth we had a convoy going, with the IS in front and me bringing up the rear until some tw@t in a Skoda Favorite pulled out right in front of me and insisted on doing just 60mph on the dual carriageway... Nice one lads, fun while it lasted! B)

If you looked under the centre arm rest on the IS300 you'd find a couple of clips for holding your pipe!

I have a theory on the creaking problem - maybe because the dashboard panels etc. fit together so well (closely) when the car is starting to warm up, different materials expand at different rates and move against each other slightly, causing this creaking? I had this problem in my first IS and mentioned it to the dealer. They put a dab of silicone spray lubricant on the offending area - problem solved. (Note this shouldn't be done on areas you can see as the spray leaves a slippery/glossy finish). Don't start me on the Audi Customer Service thing .... bunch of ..... :tsktsk: Anyway, hope you enjoy the RX - I got one for a 24hr test drive, loved it! :D

Unfortunately I think the Soarer is Group 20 (sure someone I rang for a quote told me that) so insurance will be high. It is possible to reduce your premium by keeping the mileage under say 6,000m a year - not much fun when it's such a tempting car to drive. Good luck with the Alfa.

I use 'em... in both cars! :P

carrots

On A27 earlier this week - silver SportCross comes steaming up behind me - 70mph & he's less than a car length behind. I stop at the lights & he's right behind me, finger buried up his nose to the first knuckle! Go thru Worthing, approach roundabout queue, he sails up the outside then cuts someone off to go straight on.... gotta be an ex-BeeEm driver!

Caller

Had an IS200 SE Auto Satnav for 14 months, liked it so much I sold it...... ....and bought an IS300 Satnav! :P

Saw the same thing happen to a Renault 5GT Turbo that was a cut'n'shut - looked like the car had been sliced clean in half.

The "SOARER" badge is the same font. You could even chop the letters up and re-arrange them to make rude words :P

Saw a really nice grey GS300 in the M&S car park in Shoreham on Friday. Obviously an enthusiast owner as it had tints, spotless dish alloys, gold badges... even gold exhaust tips! B)

£68 to fill my Soarer (78 litre tank) .... and that's once every 6 or 7 days! But at least I'm only having to fill the IS once a month now :D

Check out Meguiars. Should be able to find a stockist near you, alternatively you can order it online.

Are the manual TT's rare? Yes - I've heard it mentioned that there are less than a dozen manual TT's in the country. So hen's teeth and rocking horse poo and all that. Do you pay a premium for the manual version? Again probably yes (if you can find one). I spent several months looking for a Soarer last year and of the 30 or so that came up for sale around that time only one was a manual. Some chaps here at LOC kindly checked it out for me as it was 200+ miles away, but unfortunately there were a few issues with it. Is the manual TT quicker than the auto version? I think most people would say there's little or nothing in it. If you're not used to auto boxes, you'll love the Soarer (TT or V8) there's just endless & effortless acceleration. Is the TT quicker than the 4L V8? All things being equal (like how well the car has been looked after for one thing) then I think a stock TT is marginally quicker. MPG? If you're an 'enthusiastic' driver then as Bill says, plan on frequent visits to the gas station. :D

There you go, you've saved £40 on an MOT. Go out and spend it immediately! :P