IS250 - New beginning (bit of an ongoing "project")

[H3XME]

On 12/21/2020 at 10:10 AM, Marleez said:

I want to do some cosmetic mods on my lexus and I'm thinking about an exhaust the nvidia catback 

They sound pretty good, not many people in the UK with that system. I'm going to remove the secondary cats on mine to let it breathe a bit better, but keeping the resonator so I don't get any drone. 

[Awlansee]

Do you still have this? Looking at getting a gt86 lsd installed to my auto is250. Did you change the whole housing or just the lsd itself? Looking to find someone to install mine 😜😜 where you located 

[H3XME]

6 hours ago, Awlansee said:

Do you still have this? Looking at getting a gt86 lsd installed to my auto is250. Did you change the whole housing or just the lsd itself? Looking to find someone to install mine 😜😜 where you located 

I do indeed. I haven't found a cheap enough LSD yet. It's a straight bolt on, housing and everything, so you don't need to take anything apart. It's just a matter of the mounting bolts and shafts, easy job if you're just swapping the pumpkins. I had to push the LSD plans back as I ended up spending money on cosmetic mods at the moment. That being said I'm still looking for available LSDs and will bite the bullet if there is one for the right price. (300ish)

[Awlansee]

9 minutes ago, H3XME said:

I do indeed. I haven't found a cheap enough LSD yet. It's a straight bolt on, housing and everything, so you don't need to take anything apart. It's just a matter of the mounting bolts and shafts, easy job if you're just swapping the pumpkins. I had to push the LSD plans back as I ended up spending money on cosmetic mods at the moment. That being said I'm still looking for available LSDs and will bite the bullet if there is one for the right price. (300ish)

Cheers for getting back to me. I see in some pics you got a garage. I can't find anyone near me that knows or trust to install it. Where you located? Would you help me install it? For a charge of course 👌😍

[H3XME]

UPDATE*

I spent some money, probably on the wrong stuff, but got the much wanted VLAND lights. I LOVE them. Looks aside, the front lights are such a massive improvement in terms of light output, it's amazing. They're just as bright, if not brighter than the OE xenons on my GT86. Flowing indicators are also pretty cool. The car looks a lot newer with LED lights.

Installation of the rears was easy. Just popped the clips off the get the behind the carpets and there was a few 10mm nuts. Took me about 35mins.

Front wasn't difficult, but took longer 2.5h. Undo a bunch of clips, nuts and screws to get the bumper off and then 3 bolts that hold the headlights in. Wiring for the lights was plug & play for both front & rear. Although to get the front DLRs working, i had to connect a wire to the fusebox, but it's supplied and anybody could do it.

 

[Awlansee]

I've got the front lights that need installing too, wanna do that for me along with the lsd? 😂

[H3XME]

1 minute ago, Awlansee said:

I've got the front lights that need installing too, wanna do that for me along with the lsd? 😂

I don't mind helping out, but obviously it wouldn't be the smartest thing to do right now in lockdown. I've never done it before either, but if you follow a YouTube how-to it's easy to do. You need a phillips, flat head, 10mm socket and patience. 

I don't have a garage, I do most things outside when it's dry.

[Guest bigbullhead]

Does the auto levelling stop working with the Vland  front headlights 

[H3XME]

29 minutes ago, bigbullhead said:

Does the auto levelling stop working with the Vland  front headlights 

Nope. Everything works as it should 

[Guest bigbullhead]

So the lights go up and down when you first start the car? Also which set did you buy have you a link so I buy the correct ones as there is amber mentioned in descriptions and I don’t know the in an outs of the designs

👍

[H3XME]

6 hours ago, bigbullhead said:

So the lights go up and down when you first start the car? Also which set did you buy have you a link so I buy the correct ones as there is amber mentioned in descriptions and I don’t know the in an outs of the designs

👍

Yeah, everything works like stock. Auto lights work, headlight levelling works too. The only different thing is that the front DRLs are on at all times, even when your stalk is set to "off" but thats the point of them. However, it comes down to wiring. I plugged into a fuse that was in the instructions.

There's only two designs. Clear and Amber reflectors. I got them off eBay, and bought the last set so I can't send you a link anymore.

[H3XME]

[McShmoopy]

On 2/8/2021 at 12:16 PM, H3XME said:

UPDATE*

I spent some money, probably on the wrong stuff, but got the much wanted VLAND lights. I LOVE them. Looks aside, the front lights are such a massive improvement in terms of light output, it's amazing. They're just as bright, if not brighter than the OE xenons on my GT86. Flowing indicators are also pretty cool. The car looks a lot newer with LED lights.

Installation of the rears was easy. Just popped the clips off the get the behind the carpets and there was a few 10mm nuts. Took me about 35mins.

Front wasn't difficult, but took longer 2.5h. Undo a bunch of clips, nuts and screws to get the bumper off and then 3 bolts that hold the headlights in. Wiring for the lights was plug & play for both front & rear. Although to get the front DLRs working, i had to connect a wire to the fusebox, but it's supplied and anybody could do it.

 

These look amazing! I'm planning on getting these myself on my Black IS250 F Sport, my only concern is the VLAND headlights aren't quite MOT compliant as the DRL is always on so it may fail an MOT. I believe one way around this was to plug the fuse into the "Front Brake Light" fuse or something to that effect, they would come on with the rear tail lights, but even this isnt 100% as the LED Driver is a fixed voltage so it will never dim down. For that reason I was considering the Facelift OEM style lights but I just love the look of the VLANDS so Im torn to be honest! 

[H3XME]

On 3/21/2021 at 12:40 AM, McShmoopy said:

These look amazing! I'm planning on getting these myself on my Black IS250 F Sport, my only concern is the VLAND headlights aren't quite MOT compliant as the DRL is always on so it may fail an MOT. I believe one way around this was to plug the fuse into the "Front Brake Light" fuse or something to that effect, they would come on with the rear tail lights, but even this isnt 100% as the LED Driver is a fixed voltage so it will never dim down. For that reason I was considering the Facelift OEM style lights but I just love the look of the VLANDS so Im torn to be honest! 

I'm not sure about the MOT issue.. I've got my MOT end of August, I can't see having any issues with them to be honest. Factory GT86 DRL are always on as well. Can't turn them off. Should it be a concern, I'd unplug the fuse for them. Definitely cheaper and better looking option than 2012 Factory headlights IMO.

[McShmoopy]

8 hours ago, H3XME said:

I'm not sure about the MOT issue.. I've got my MOT end of August, I can't see having any issues with them to be honest. Factory GT86 DRL are always on as well. Can't turn them off. Should it be a concern, I'd unplug the fuse for them. Definitely cheaper and better looking option than 2012 Factory headlights IMO.

Thats fair enough mate, I hope you are right. Just for reference here is the post on the forum where they mentioned this issue with the VLANDS

https://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/117856-vland-headlights-before-we-take-the-plunge/?&page=3#comments

[H3XME]

@McShmoopy From a quick glance the wiring is different on IS220D. I didn't know that. Nevertheless, my side lights work as they should. Though the only difference is.. Because they're wired into the ACC, they only work when you have the ignition on. When the car is fully off, only the rears work, but thats not an MOT fail because nowhere in the law it states they have to work when the vehicle is off. Only when it's stationary on the side of the road at night. 

[McShmoopy]

12 minutes ago, H3XME said:

@McShmoopy From a quick glance the wiring is different on IS220D. I didn't know that. Nevertheless, my side lights work as they should. Though the only difference is.. Because they're wired into the ACC, they only work when you have the ignition on. When the car is fully off, only the rears work, but thats not an MOT fail because nowhere in the law it states they have to work when the vehicle is off. Only when it's stationary on the side of the road at night. 

Ah fair enough mate, do let me know how you get on MOT wise and I may end up purchasing these instead of the OEM ones!

[zoricib]

My IS250 came with the VLAND kit on it when I bought it in July and passed it's MOT with no issues. Previous owner didn't have any issues with it either. 

 

On 2/19/2021 at 2:02 PM, H3XME said:

Yeah, everything works like stock. Auto lights work, headlight levelling works too. The only different thing is that the front DRLs are on at all times, even when your stalk is set to "off" but thats the point of them. However, it comes down to wiring. I plugged into a fuse that was in the instructions.

There's only two designs. Clear and Amber reflectors. I got them off eBay, and bought the last set so I can't send you a link anymore.

are you sure the leveling works? On mine I had to adjust them manually via screws located on the headlights  - to raise/ lower the level of the beam that is. 

[H3XME]

14 minutes ago, zoricib said:

My IS250 came with the VLAND kit on it when I bought it in July and passed it's MOT with no issues. Previous owner didn't have any issues with it either. 

 

are you sure the leveling works? On mine I had to adjust them manually via screws located on the headlights  - to raise/ lower the level of the beam that is. 

Yeah sorry, I don't have the auto levelling, I've got a little scroll barrel (1-5) on the dash to adjust the height of the beam. I thought that's what he meant 😄

[McShmoopy]

On 3/23/2021 at 9:15 AM, zoricib said:

My IS250 came with the VLAND kit on it when I bought it in July and passed it's MOT with no issues. Previous owner didn't have any issues with it either. 

 

are you sure the leveling works? On mine I had to adjust them manually via screws located on the headlights  - to raise/ lower the level of the beam that is. 

Cheers for that mate, quite reassuring to know then! Next major purchase will definitely be for the VLANDs 

[H3XME]

Update*

My subwoofer stopped working a couple of weeks ago. It was on & off for a few days until it's gone completely quiet. My car has the Mark & Levinson audio system, so I was a bit worried about sourcing a replacement for reasonable money as used ones on eBay go for almost £200.

I ended up going to a local scrap yard that had a few IS250/IS220D's there and got a replacement for £60. It's generally quite a lot for a used speaker but I didn't want to go through the headache of wiring in a new box sub + I'd lose some boot space. Anyway, I got the replacement speaker on Saturday and didn't get around fitting it until Tuesday evening. Pulled the seats out easy, but lifting the rear parcel shelf was DIFFICULT. I managed to lift it up on the right side just enough to stick my wrench in there, but I tell you, it put up a decent fight. Once I removed the four 10mm bolts holding the sub in place I realised I f*cked up. The speaker they gave me at the scrap yard must've been from a car without the M&L system. Not only it looked different, but the plug had 4 pins, whereas my M&L sub has only 2. You can imagine I wasn't happy, especially after removing everything to get the damn thing out. It was my bad for not checking my sub before I went down to the scrap yard. I would've noticed straight away as they look different. I rushed to the scrap yard last night to get my money back / get the correct speaker before they closed and all I was thinking is "will they want more money for the M&L sub since they charged £60 for the non M&L sub". I think I was right thinking that since the M&L subs for for around £200 on eBay and the non M&L for around £100. Luckily enough I found a car in the scrap yard with the M&L system and told him I want to swap for that one as the first one they supplied didn't fit. They also didn't charge any extra, so happy days for me and they essentially lost money 😄

Anyway, the new sub works great. Just for info, if anyone else has to go through the same. This is what the M&L Subwoofer looks like.

[Mr Vlad]

Blimey to be honest that sub speaker looks utter cheap n nasty. It's amazing though that it's a superb speaker. Mind blown 😳

[H3XME]

11 minutes ago, Mr Vlad said:

Blimey to be honest that sub speaker looks utter cheap n nasty. It's amazing though that it's a superb speaker. Mind blown 😳

I know right! They don't look anything special, nor are big... but they work really good. I honestly don't think I've ever been in a car with a better factory audio system.

[Mr Vlad]

So was it just the seat backs you removed? Why is the parcel shelf so difficult to lift up?

[H3XME]

42 minutes ago, Mr Vlad said:

So was it just the seat backs you removed? Why is the parcel shelf so difficult to lift up?

Yeah. No need to do anything in the boot. 

There's just so many awkward clips.