Hi New Lexus Is200 Owner From Kent

Dean1309 · January 28, 2013

Hi Guys,

Have owned my blue Lexus IS200 SE for about 6 months now. I absolutely love it, such a pleasure to drive.

Its been nice owning the car for 6 months and not having any repair bills unlike my previous E46 BMW.

Since I've had the car I've made a few changes to it, tinted windows all round (rears dark smoke, front light smoke), white LED speedo dials, white number plate lights, LED interior lights, and 6k HID's. Got all the small things out the way first.

Future plans for the car, TRD front and rear lip with the side skirts and a boot spoiler. It's just getting hold of them, from what I've seen on the net, very hard to get hold of (Genuine ones anyway)

Just bought a Auto Dimming rear view mirror and plan to fit when it turns up. Hope its just taking a 12v supply to the mirror.

Anyway just wanted to say Hi and well I dont know if the Lexus club has any meets. But if so, maybe look forward to seeing some of you at Club meets.

Dean

Stuart Aspey · January 28, 2013

Hi Dean. Welcome to the LOC.

ChrisIS200SportTTE · January 28, 2013

Hi Dean, welcome to LOC :)

Any pics?

Dean1309 · January 28, 2013

Here's a couple of pics of my much loved IS200

ChrisIS200SportTTE · January 28, 2013

I'm a little bit jealous every time I see a blue one!

Steve · January 28, 2013

welcome to the club mate

shafque · January 28, 2013

Welcome to LOC! What type of spoiler you looking for?

steve2006 · January 28, 2013

Hello and welcome to the LOC.

Southern area meet being discussed presently.

jpjsavage · January 28, 2013

Welcome to the LOC. Great car in a nice colour too!

Dean1309 · January 29, 2013

Hi guys thank you for all the warm welcome messages. Thanks for the nice comments on the car, I do love the colour.

As for what spoiler am I looking for, I really dont know, I have seen a few spoilers for the IS. Im not after the large EVO type spoiler. Just a subtle small ish one on the boot.

As far as I can remember, I've seen two types of small flat spoiler. One that sits flush on the boot and is kind of up-swept a little with a brake light on it. and the other is slightly raised with a fin in the middle. Sorry for poor explanations of them.

Dean1309 · January 29, 2013

These are the two spoilers I have seen, undecided on which type to go for.

Pete Shawn · January 29, 2013

Welcome to the club.

it's a 10 yr old model and it's kinda hard to find parts (some parts )beside scrap yard, fleebay etc... but still some need to pay silly money for it.

nice car n colour you got there

petayV8 · January 29, 2013

Also a little jealous when I see a blue one! nice example mate! keep us updated on the mods. Also looking to upgrade the rear view mirror on mine, so let me know how it goes getting the 12v up there.... i need to get some flat wipers for mine too, couldnt help but notice yours :P

btw how much did your tint job cost, quotes in the region of 250 put me off! but i tinted my own windows on my last car with the ol heat gun and squeegee.... lol

Dean1309 · January 29, 2013

Will keep you all updated on the mods, I'm hoping its straight forward wiring in a 12v feed. Not sure where to tap into though. The easiest place would be the map light, but im not sure as I have already modded the map light, linked it to the dome light so it comes on when you open the doors.

Haha, i love the flat wipers, i was lucky my car come with them :P

The tint job was quite expensive, I paid £220 for the rear windows and £60 for the front windows. Had to use a different company for the front as the previous company refused to tint them.

That is one job I wouldnt do myself is tinting. Ive tried it before, oh my god, it went terribly wrong. I ended up with creases in the film. I would rather pay the money cos that is one of the jobs that can either really set your car off or make it look really crap.

petayV8 · January 29, 2013

well i didnt tell the full story, i managed it only on the second attempt and that was only the sides! the rear is just too hard and had it done professionally but quotes werent as much for my last car but thats prob because it was a hatchback, easy access i guess... but with pre cut film i reckon i could do a decent job of the sides again, but would leave the curved rear window to pros!

Im gonna get a auto dimming mirror too, but one that you can hook up to parking sensors which doubles up as a readout or screen for backing up... but yes if youve done the map open door mod then the current wont be flowing with door closed im pretty sure....

Dean1309 · January 29, 2013

I'll give it a go when the mirror turns up. It shouldnt be to hard, I took the mirror off yesterday to look if there was any existing wiring the I could plug straight into (wishful thinking) not quite that easy.

darkoracle · January 29, 2013

'Had to use a different company for the front as the previous company refused to tint them.'

I think that's because if it's too dark on the front you can get pulled over by our lads in blue. They have a light meter and if ithe tinting doesn't let a set percentage of light through, you can be looking at a fine and/or points!

Just so you are aware - in case you didn't know already.

As far as the spoiler is concerned, I like the subtle version on the black car - but that's just me.

Love the car.

ChrisIS200SportTTE · January 29, 2013

'Had to use a different company for the front as the previous company refused to tint them.'

I think that's because if it's too dark on the front you can get pulled over by our lads in blue. They have a light meter and if ithe tinting doesn't let a set percentage of light through, you can be looking at a fine and/or points!

Just so you are aware - in case you didn't know already.

As far as the spoiler is concerned, I like the subtle version on the black car - but that's just me.

Love the car.

I got done for this in my old BMW. The window has to let a certain % of natural daylight through and as you say the old bill have an instrument to measure this. I got pulled on my way home one night.

Mine failed and he made me pick at the film and teat a whole strip off! had to drive around for a couple of days with the windows looking like a zebra!

petayV8 · January 29, 2013

I'll give it a go when the mirror turns up. It shouldnt be to hard, I took the mirror off yesterday to look if there was any existing wiring the I could plug straight into (wishful thinking) not quite that easy.

Well theres deff room to acomidate loom as the IS300 had auto dimming mirror, but being a lexus it sure aint gonna be there!

Dean1309 · January 29, 2013

'Had to use a different company for the front as the previous company refused to tint them.'

I think that's because if it's too dark on the front you can get pulled over by our lads in blue. They have a light meter and if ithe tinting doesn't let a set percentage of light through, you can be looking at a fine and/or points!

Just so you are aware - in case you didn't know already.

As far as the spoiler is concerned, I like the subtle version on the black car - but that's just me.

Love the car.

Dont worry I am aware that it is illigal to tint them. I've had tints on the front windows of my cars for the past 6 years and havent been done for them. So I thought i'd get them done on this car as well. Gone for a medium smoke tint. not too dark but not too light.

petayV8 · January 29, 2013

BTW its 70% light you have to have coming thru by law. however, if your windows are lighter at the front your less likely to be picked out and tested regardless of this i reckon. i mean youd prob get away with 50,60%

Dean1309 · January 29, 2013

Anyone know of where to get genuine side skirts and TRD front/rear trims? Ive been looking everywhere and all I can find is fibre glass copies. Dont really want to go down that road of fibre glass.

Dean1309 · January 29, 2013

BTW its 70% light you have to have coming thru by law. however, if your windows are lighter at the front your less likely to be picked out and tested regardless of this i reckon. i mean youd prob get away with 50,60%

I've always had medium smoke and been ok, not sure what that is in % however. But as I've always been ok, just thought I'd have it done again. If I do get pulled then I will peel the tint off.

Youngiceman87 · January 29, 2013

Where in Kent are you? Im in Kent.

As for the TRD stuff you'll just have to watch eBay like a hawk, ive missed out on them a couple of times. Lexus themselves cud prob sell u some bits but will be more expensive. I asked last year and then wud sell me the front and back lips but think they said the skirts were discontinued.

Dean1309 · January 29, 2013

I'm from Chatham mate. Where abouts you from? I've seen a couple on eBay but they sell so quickly. All that's left is the fibre glass replica's. I have phoned Lexus but they want ridiculous prices.