alpappy

Hi

we have relocated to Aus and need to buy a new car Are the newest built cars now sorted? Once again when you compare prices here the new Merc C Class( 18 turbo) is about 10,000 dollars more than the Is and the spec is lower..but dont want to go ahead if there are still issues withthe lexus

The dealers here claim that they getting very few problems now ..mostly with the sunroof..one to avoid for sure

Glad to see all the same names on the forum after so long

Cheers

alan

Out of curiosity - how can you tell when the car was built? What do you look at?

Mine was a 'stock' car but is only 6 weeks old to me. Poor fuel economy at the moment (I actually got the current tank average up to 36 today) but no rattles. Like Tango I'm getting a bit paranoid waiting for them to start.

The dealer can tell you but if the fuel filler switch is side by side and illuminated it is 07 spec

alan quite a number of 'old' 56 platers out there

....supposed to be an 07 all issues sorted and it is not.( switches are in th e06 positions)

alan

Alan - that's the problem then - they sold you a left over '06 build on a '56 plate...and that's why it's no different to the other 3 cars you have on your fleet! If they stated to you on the order that it was an 07 Model Year (07MY), then this clearly isn't (at least I don't think it is).

Some '56's have new positioned switches and some don't. Did you have to wait long for the car to be delivered? I suspect not...they probably had it in stock...???

No in stock so its an o6 build thus the problems Build date late June! I suppose that explains why no better alan

My Friend has just had a new Audi TT that she is really pleased with but her Hunk asked me to test drive the car as he thought he had heard a strange noise.Her Dealer said it was fine.

I duly took the TT on my Test Route which is c.10 miles of Urban Pave that has to be driven @ c.maximum

permitted speeds "to reveal foreign noises".

First Lap was c.5-10mph below Max & the TT was fine if less refined than my Supercar.However,Lap 2,@

the 30/40/50/70 speeds revealed a cacophony of Foreign Noises that would have triggered a few of our

members to abdicate to other Marques!

A further 2 Laps & 2hrs.later,using dense sponge,2 hand towels & an MT juice carton jammed in the dash the TT issues were resolved(a loose Rear seat catch was the loud metallic clang).

My friends were amazed @ my so called Real Test & how different the results are when the traffic density is different.

My car passes the Real Test in all temperatures BUT like Tango I am near paranoid & check it regularly if &

when there are issues on here.

A Boxter,A BM 330i & M3 that I have driven all failed & ,of-course,the Audi yesterday.My friends Arnage was not perfect & Fred was most impressed with my car when we drove over the same route enough to tell mutual friends days later that he may well buy his lover a Sc 430!

Many,many Owners bother not about foreign noises whilst others put them down to Sports Dampers etc. & the shocking state of the UK roads, whilst the few who do bother, can often become disillusioned about their Dealer &/or the Marque in the absence of the Real Test.

Tel

Good point Tel ! I suspect The TT is in the new car phase much like we are . VW is not great for build quality whereas Lexus pride themselves on the standard of build quality We run a 4 year old E class ..no rattles since new If Merc can do...I am sure Lexus can. Lexus still have the best customer care bar none so I am sure that when they report to Japan this will get sorted.. i am only really annoyed that this new one was supposed to be an 07 all issues sorted and it is not.( switches are in th e06 positions)

alan

Bmw,s and Vw reserve their rattles for the engines!!!sort the rattles out and you have a bulletproof car which is more than you can say for the german c..P

Yes nice in theory but on all three cars and countless dealer visits rattles are not sorted They either come back or new ones start up! Show me a dealer who can sort them and I would try.. My local dealer is very good but when fixed its just a matter of days before the rattles are back ..now its even a tick in the window ( b pillar area) ! Just give up

alan

Sorry to hear that al. I have not been on here lately for various reasons, but have now got the dreaded rattle myself - 7k on the clock, bought last July, top spec 250sel, and amongst all the other lies, ignorance and crap stuff I have been fed by Lexus GB and my dealer, I was assured that there would be no rattles.

I did hope that the 06 cars would be rattle free, but there you go......

As relationships between me and lexus including the dealer are so poor, I dont even feel like bothering to tell them...*** knows what further aggro I would suffer if it goes in the workshop. Rattle is from the dash passenger side ...like a cable / rod or something knocking against something. gets worse day by day. I cant face the thought of the whole dash coming out, and the subsequent damage they would probably cause.

If I could take the depreciation hit, and terrible hassle I will get from the missus about "how much!!" etc, I would sell it tomorrow. I wish I had gone for the beemer . dissapointed doesnt begin to describe.

Lexus are no better at service than the rest - I havent been back to the dealer since I collected the car....just have no desire to have anything to do with the b*****ds.

I was also told the same July plus 06 cars fully sorted ,The rattles I have are just as you describe I have given the dealer a few goes at it. As they fix one another starts. I stand to loose about 3k but the longer I keep it the worse it will get so cut the losses and move on. I have really wanted to keep at least one lexus but thats it now. Almost every loan car has rattles/ squeeks. I am just amazed that this cannot be sorted out!! Tested a VW and BMW both seem to have no rattles!

alan

sorry to hear about your problems mate, i too have had a few ratlles which were fixed apart from the one in the dash which still makes a loud cracking noise from time to time.

have you tried using a different dealership who may be more helpfull in resolving your problems.

i would also contact lexus GB

good luck

Dealer has been quite decent they fix one rattle and a new crop appear! They are buying thr car back afer 4 months with a fair drop in value but much better than he trade i offers that I have had

alan

Just a short note..after still more rattles I have decided to cut my losses and sell the last of our 4 Lexus Is's. I have offered it back to the dealer and am waiting to see if they will buy it back else I will trade it come what may. best trade price IS25 se-l mm with hoshis 25 K!! Such a pity there is so much good in this car but it just is not up with best of luxury cars by quite a bit. I have NEVER spent so much time with new cars back and forward in the past year as with these cars..CArs are there to enjoy not to be stressing with dealerships etc.

When I find that lexus are sorted I would certainly buy another but who knows if are getting the message at all!!! I dont see any attempt at this as even the new build ( which mine was supposed to be) was only quiet for about 2 months.

This forum has been a great help

Take care

Alan

That is my feeling as well Soon I will have more foam inthe dash than Britaney Spears has in her bathtub!

My conclusion after one year and 4 of these ....most rattle and if not now will do at some point

Its a grat pity as the cars have thepotential to be outstanding in every way

alan

Jambo

i didnt speak to the technician, but the service manager showed me his report, it said he had re-programed the ecu, i asked why and he said it improves mpg and gives a better drive?

They re packed the air veNT onmine on Friday is better but still little ratlles all over when cold. I give up!!

ALAN

Ive just ran out of my current wax maguires gold class and obv have the choice of others to use now,

what do you guys use on your motors to protect them from the elements

Used carlak onmine seems very good!

alan

maybe be in a higher league but i dont fancy your fuel bill....

Can't be much worse going from 2.5 to 3.0 I wouldn't have thought.

any way I hope you enjoy your car, I prefer the looks of the new GS to the IS but I just love the toys you get with the IS, I dont think you can get the full MM system in GS, am I right?

Good move the IS really is not up scratch !!! I am thinking of changing as well

alan

I was given a loan car day almost new 220d 56 plate Seats squeek dash and b pillars rattle. So much for the 07 build story I have concluded if your Is does not rattle you are lucky indeed!

alan

Nice result.

Mine is currently in for the 4th attempt to get it sorted.

I really don't hold out much hope, the loan car when I first got it when new was silient, but after just over 1000 miles it's actually worse than mine!

Yep that is the story even if they start out OK I a driven quite a few low milers all have rattles or squeeky seats etc

alan

Well now its the turn of the front passenger air vent to rattle and creak!! my daughters 4 year old Yaris is doing better than the IS The dealers must be making a fortune in warranty repairs on these cars!

Anyone else had this one!

Alan

Is case you guys think I am being difficult/ pathetic:

Merc class 4 years old went back for rattles=none

BMW 320 d none

Daughters Yaris =none

Sons Citroen( yes citroen) one

Lexus 4 cars lost count!

alan

when i bought it i raised some concerns of the problems others on this forum had had with the new is, and was told that they had been resolved and that the 2007 model would be ok,

its going in on saturday for the handbrake to be adjusted and to have the cracking noise which comes from the dash speaker sorted,then the seats started to creak which once you no its doing it becomes very annoying.i e-mailed lexus service but not yet had a reply.

Even the o7s have rattles Many cars out there are still o6 spec YOu can check by the fuel filler switch is next to not above the other switch O7 builds started aroung August build dates

alan

cheers Jambo, not had a reply from lexus yet.

Sounds the usual to me LOTS of work and to an fro with the car Be prepared! lots of patience needed onthe good side you will get to drive losts of cars which they will loan you that will make you feel good about yours!!

alan

My ideal car would be a quiet IS250 that didn't creak, with SatNav that I could program on the move,

http://www.infoarena.com/lexus/navhack/

So in summary, I am happy with the IS knowing that I would get problems with any new car. It is a pleasant relaxing, reliable and comfortable drive. So I am relatively happy with it ATM.

So if I did change, what do I get? Stay with Lexus, nice quiet car but riddled with rattling probelms (good service from Lexus GB and is 'the devil I know') or try a Mercedes as I quite like the CLS and it seems a quiet car?

this lexus is my fist ever new car and except occasional problems with rattles I am absolutely happy and satisfied owner and I am sure that I decided correctly when I picked up IS220d over BMW 320d (which is not bad car at all)

My dad buys new car app. every 3 years. He had mazda xedos9 2,5 v6, alfa 166 2,5v6, citroen C5 3.0 V6 and now he has merc e400cdi.

Mazda was a great car, with almost no problems, only the servicing was quite expensive (oilchanges every 10.000km...)

Alfa romeo and citroen - both disaster (however both were always able to get to the service by own). Alfa had multiple electronics problems - gearbox, middle console, power steering etc). "Very special" was, when something happend during summer. Italiens take one month off, so we were waiting for spare parts 2 months... Specific was the middle console. It did not work when it was freezing. My dad wanted to complain about this, but it wasn't enough cold anymore and the warranty had to finish soon, so to prove his words, he had to order a cooling truck, put the car in (in -20degrees) for three hours, and then proved that it really didn't work.... So the service exchaged that part (it was worth about 3.000euros)

We had the car for 1,5 year and it was just a problem and problem...

C5 was very similar, although we kept the car for almost 6 years (my dad 4 years and then I had it for more than 1 year). He bought it at early stage of the production, so first two years he was in the service every 2 months!! The courtesy car was Saxo 1.0i...

Third and fourth year was quite OK, but after about 140.000km it started to have problems again. For example, the hydraulics pump for the suspension broke down, the replace was 1.200euros. We complained to the general importer, because citroen officially states, that the suspension doesn't need any servicing for 6 years or 150.000kms. They replied, that repairing a breakdown is something else than servicing...

Mercedes will be now 3 years old and has 100.000kms. So far we had this problems:

-once the Battery got flat during night, we had to call the assistance service.

-some sensor in air intake got broken, so the car didn't have full power.

-power boot opener got broken

-power steering wheel adjustment got broken.

All fixed in warranty.

The car is almost rattles free, makes 0-60mph in less than 7 seconds, city driving consumption is about 22mpg and extra urban is always more than 29mpg.

We are very satisfied with merc, although I know, that e-class had huge problems with the quality and early stages.

For the moment, if somebody asks me what car to buy I say: don't buy a new production car and buy japanese car.

Well over the past 14 months We have bought 4 ISs 1 diesel and 3 petrol Only one is free of rattles ,creaking groaning. Much worse when cold We have now got rid of two and have two left The newest one now has a ticking. creak in the passenger window area I am sick and tired of taking the cars back and forward. Have seen and ex demo 530 D BMW Driven it..no rattles at all. We run a car pool for the partners and I am sure that our change from Merc to Lexus was a mistake. We still hav an 02 Merc e class..rattle free. ALthough it had had a few minor repairs( electrical sensor for abs and front ball joint) it is a pleasure to drive. If these cars rattle from new I dont think any amount of fiddling by the dealers will get rid of it 100%

If we are anything to go by 75% with build quality issues is just not good enough!

Alan

Well another year and another place drop for Lexus now 6th Behind Mazda ford skoda etc as measured by the reliabilty index from Warranty Direct Also in the Telegraph today Toyota had more recalls last year than cars it sold in the US. Is the shine about to come off the brand?

Alan

the only ticking sound i get is from the seat belt when you plug it in it makes a tick noise from where it meets the pillar section of the car

Yep been diagnosed its the lock stricker plate that needs to be adjusted .. the noise sounds just like its next to your ear!!Known rattle in IS

alan

Just taken delivery today of my IS 220D !

Had a quick look through the manuals but can't see any reference to running in

Is there any guidance on keeping below certain revs. etc. for 1st 1,000 miles or so??

Any advice ?

HI Not really My local service dept advised normal driving..in fact they found that being too gentle on the revs seems to increase oil consumption later on! I just kept the revs below 2/3rds of max and for the first 500 miles under about 2,600

good driving

alan

HI Has anyone had a rattle more like a ticking sound from the drivers window glass..or it could be the upper seat belt mounting if so what has been the fix for it . I am really getting annoyed with the new rattles that seem to appear jsut as the last lot are sorted!!!

alan

Better getting yourwheels powder coated rather than painted.

Corrosion is always a problem with painted wheels but powder coated ones have a better life expectancy

Except if you park along the edge of a kerb and re style them

powder coating is very good but not that many places do them. like everything else, it depends who does them and how good they are at what they do. The local place that has done my wheels are superb, no hassel, quality thick, glossy finnish and they last years. I sold the last car with the alloys on and they looked great 2-3 years down the line.

The design of the wheels are poor and very liable to damage We havea 4 year old Merc e Class The wheels suffer corosion but the rim edge is chamfered inwards and inspite of many attempts by my wife to damage the wheel rims it has never happened..just the tyres get scuffed

alan

HI

My new Hoshi front wheel without me ever parking next to kerb at all is quite badly scuffed along about 1/3 of the rim edge. Dont ever remember hitting anything!! Any one have any experience with these hoshi alloys. I have a wheel repairman who can repair it Wonder if its worth while ..if it just happens that easily!!!

alan

I found this review of the IS250. IS250 Road Test

They compared it against the BMW 3 and Audi A4. extract->"On the inside fit and finish are good too but the perceivable quality isn't quite yet on par with that of the Audi A4, which we regard has one of the best interiors.Furthermore the interior appears still a bit "Japanese" and are there one or two elements, such as the digital clock, which reminds of its Toyota genes. The flashy plastic centre console is also a bit too much for our liking." ....................."It definitely isn't dull either thanks to its eye-catching design. But it isn't quite able to match the driving experience of the Audi A4 or BMW 3 Series."

I must say i dont agree with it. In my opinion the IS has better quality interior than the A4 or the BMW 3 series. The Audi A4 is a front wheel drive car it is strange that it is compared with the IS. Would you agree to the review?

Totally...

having had both - the A4 is categorically better in terms of quality, materials, fit and finish - though boring and staid - and quite dated looking!

Both are better than 3 series. Though FWD, the A4 drives very well for it's age of design. You do get a little torque snatch though!!!

'Although the IS250 is also being portrayed as a "sport sedan" the ride is actually on the soft and comfortable side instead of sporty and nimble. It isn't quite as entertaining on the road as a 3 Series and a comfortable ride is more the name of the game ' What a poor description of the ride It is quite to very firm. South Africa is very much into German luxury cars At least the Lexus will have been assembled out of SA.. Just look at MErc and BMW for build quality problems with the models built out there. The C Classs built out there were a joke!.

alan