Just a update

65mike · November 4, 2017

Hi all.

Just a update for you to keep up to speed on the new well new second hand Lexus is 250 SE-L

Well have had the car for a month now and have covered over 800 miles in it and think it is lovely motor best car i have owned in 35 years off car ownership.

It is comfortable smooth quiet and refined does all i need it to do there is one problem that i wish would go away and it is a slight rattle from the dash board round the speaker / vents / info controls but alas it's 8 years old so what do you expect my Jaguar x-type when brand new rattled from day one so can live with this.

How do the rest off you get on with the handbrake on the automatic cars i am not keen as it takes a bit off getting used too.

I have been offered the extended warranty for the car to take it up to 3 years for the price off 2 and will probably have it as i look upon it as a insurance so hopefully never need it.

One thing i have noticed about the Lexus brand in a whole is they do sell a very limited amount off personal accessories e.g model cars, sunglasses, bags all that sort off branded items unlike Jaguar who are a wash with it and i usually get myself a nice coffee mug from the local dealer but the Lexus one is all black so will have to think long and hard about that

Just my few pennies worth off info on the car will hopefully get my number plate put on this weekend as i have only just got the plates so a little job for Sunday if it's not raining.

65mike

Farqui · November 4, 2017

@65mike, I'm glad that you like your new-to-you IS...do you have any pic's to share with us?

Creaks are annoying but can be sorted with a few hours fiddlin, check online for numerous guides.

Yeah the auto and handbrake do take some getting used to, I had similar issues after only driving 'stick' before. I'm sure that you'll soon adjust.

Meanwhile enjoy your silky v6.

C Andrew Green · November 4, 2017

1 hour ago, 65mike said:

How do the rest off you get on with the handbrake on the automatic cars i am not keen as it takes a bit off getting used too.

Haha,

After 40+ years in three pedal Manuals with conventional handrake, when I got my IS250 automatic in April it took me a little while to retrain my left foot into the correct sequence to release it at the right time!

If I pull up to traffic lights that have just turned red I tend to apply parking brake & select 'N', feet off pedals aaand relax, if my prediction is a short stop, foot on normal brake and shift to 'N', brief stops it stays in 'D', I only use 'P' and parking brake when parked up and shutting down.

A long while ago I actually had a brief drive of an american car which had the same parking brake system, so I kind of knew what to expect.

I agree with 'comfortable smooth quiet and refined' and with enough 'Go' to make usefull progress. It's a lonnnng time since I owned and drove a RWD car in the winter so we'll see how much fun we can have!

I also seem to have broken my initial habit of driving off with the (somewhat weedy) parking brake on! (it beeps at you after a few yards).

Andrew

Farqui · November 4, 2017

@C Andrew Green ah yes, I still occasionally drive a few feet with the weedy foot brake applied #duh Auto's make you feel soooo lazy!

When at lights/in traffic, I tend to leave my steed in D so that the Hybrid doohicky can do it's thing.

65mike · November 4, 2017

Hi all.

I never apply the handbrake a traffic lights always keep in D and use footbrake have got used to doing this now as have had a Auto for 12 years so no problem and i usually if car is on the flat get in and press the handbrake to take it off so never had the beeps telling me it's on.

Winter time will be a laugh as i live on several hills so will see how good the winter mode is

Pictures will be coming soon but not till the rain stops and it is cleaned again.

Saying that there is a couple from the dealer i could upload if you are interested.

65mike.

65mike · November 4, 2017

Hi all.

2 pictures the dealer took for me before i took delivery off the car will get better ones asap.

65mike

Texas · November 4, 2017

Has your 250 been back to the dealers for its recalls ( airbag and fuel seal) if not then the niggley dash might be sorted when they do the airbag if you ask nicely!!!

paul m.

Linas.P · November 4, 2017

@65mike - I agree, hand brake design is not the best and nowadays it is considered bit outdated. Most of automatic cars of today have automatic brake , but I guess in 2005 when it was designed it was ok. That I said I cannot remember when was the last time I used it, most of the time I only need to depress it after servicing etc. when engineers put it on. The last time I personally used it.... wow... that was probably few years ago when I parked on very steep hill. Even then it was more of psychological need... P hold the car good enough for any conditions.

As for dashboard rattles and creeks - Lexus IS mk2 is known for that, I don't believe 8 years on the car changed anything. Again you would need to put it in perspective with contemporary competitors, had both BMW 3-Series and MB C-Class (and some random Passat CC) I can confidently say that build quality and material is best in class in Lexus (Lexus leather is another story... it is at least two classes-up from any competitor.. it is just softest and nicest leather you can find in entry-executive segment). BMW has great built and very little rattle, but materials are hard and not nice to touch, mine 328xi had personalised leather option, but standard BMW "leather/vinyl" is hard, MB 350 Elegance was awful by any measure, both material and build quality was awful, everything rattled all the buttons felt like on cheap toys and the leather... that is different story altogether, cardboard would be more pleasant to sit on in comparison with super hard and slippery MB leather. Passat CC had lovely seats and I liked DSG box, but that is about it - the rest is oversized Golf, every single switch and button as from Golf, every plastic felt Golf-cheap.. and engine+FWD set-up was equally terrible.

sorcerer · November 4, 2017

57 minutes ago, 65mike said:

I never apply the handbrake a traffic lights always keep in D and use footbrake have got used to doing this now as have had a Auto for 12 years so no problem

2

Except, of course, for the poor people behind you who are dazzled by your brake lights at night.

Linas.P · November 4, 2017

7 minutes ago, sorcerer said:

Except, of course, for the poor people behind you who are dazzled by your brake lights at night.

In grand scheme of things, like million idiots with (1)fake Xenons and another million with (2)badly adjusted headlights and double that of those driving with (3)high (main) beam on or quite a big number of those who drive with (4)fog lights for no good reason.... I believe brake lights is tiny tiny issue. But even then it would be easier to change from D to P, instead of applying and disengaging hand brake, furthermore.... it would be kind of sensible to put the car into P anyway if you apply handbrake. I cannot see myself using handbrake at any time soon, definitely not at the traffic lights.

I might be missing something - is that some sort of "best practice"?

sorcerer · November 4, 2017

1 hour ago, Linas.P said:

In grand scheme of things, like million idiots with (1)fake Xenons and another million with (2)badly adjusted headlights and double that of those driving with (3)high (main) beam on or quite a big number of those who drive with (4)fog lights for no good reason.... I believe brake lights is tiny tiny issue.

3

I do sort of agree there Linas, but as the old saying goes, "Two wrongs do not make a right". I would happily punish any of those issues

1 hour ago, Linas.P said:

I might be missing something - is that some sort of "best practice"?

Well it was when I was learning to drive, back in 1975. My instructor would rap my knuckles with a wooden ruler if I failed to apply the handbrake and select Neutral when stopping for anything other than just a few seconds and it's a habit that's stuck with me all through life, even though it is a bit more awkward in a Lexus due to the 'handbrake' being foot operated. I may well be wrong but I think even the Highway Code says that is what should be done - but I can't say for sure because it's been a long time since I read that.

Linas.P · November 4, 2017

That is definitely the case for manual gearbox, when I was learning to drive it was the case of using neutral + handbrake. However, I never though it is applicable to automatic and I never learned to drive on automatic so I have no clue what "automatic only" instructors says. As said before if you want to use handbrake on auto, you would probably should put it in P or N anyway... so king of pointless, because you can simply put it in P and that is it. Sometimes in certain places where I know that red signal will light for long time I put car in P, though difference between standard rear lights and rear lights + brake lights is minimal.

As for punishing I 100% agree, where I come from fake xenons would lose you a MOT on the spot + fine, badly adjusted headlights is harder one, but it is obvious you can get fined, driving with wrong lights on like fogs or high beam would be standard fine as well, which nowadays stands as ~50eur (we do not have points system though).

ColinBarber · November 4, 2017

3 hours ago, sorcerer said:

Well it was when I was learning to drive, back in 1975. My instructor would rap my knuckles with a wooden ruler if I failed to apply the handbrake and select Neutral when stopping for anything other than just a few seconds and it's a habit that's stuck with me all through life, even though it is a bit more awkward in a Lexus due to the 'handbrake' being foot operated. I may well be wrong but I think even the Highway Code says that is what should be done - but I can't say for sure because it's been a long time since I read that.

Luckily you don't drive a Toyota/Lexus hybrid. The manual explicitly states that using Neutral should be avoided.

The highway code doesn't state it should be used and if you aren't quick at moving away (i.e. to slow going from neutral to drive (or 1st in a manual)) you will get a minor mark against you on a driving test so some instructors will advise you stay in gear, although the parking brake should be applied when stationary.

NemesisUK · November 4, 2017

All handbooks for automatic cars I've seen state leaving the car in D unless stopped for "a prolonged period". Personally never been dazzled by brake lights