Paradroid

That's interesting - I can see that decision costing them dear in the long run. Most of the new shape IS I see on the road is the 220d, diesels are by far the most popular choice in the smaller premium saloons. I suspect new Lexus sales are being decimated at the moment because they don't offer a really class-competitive diesel option. What they have done wrong is use an underdeveloped Avensis engine with problems. They should have bit the bullet and developed a top class six cylinder diesel engine suitable for putting in the IS and the GS, surely they'd have increased sales massively in Europe by doing that. I'm petrol all the way but I could see Lexus doing a lot better with a good diesel IS and GS.

Happy birthday Steve

Sorry to hear about that :( Theiving scum!

That's interesting mate cheers! I will have a do at them come renewal time. You're right saying the price of fuel has gone up is no excuse for price rises on cover for your central heating system. They must think we were born yesterday!

We have an old boiler that breaks all the time, so I went with cover from British Gas. At first it was a good deal at about £12 a month, now it's about £17 a month which I'm not as happy about. But, when they come out, the engineers are excellent, they really fix it quick, whereas in the past when we had independent engineers out they'd just say it's an old knackered boiler and needs replacing, they'd fix it but would faff about with different parts. British Gas just get on with it. Downside of course is it's costing me about £200 a year but you get an annual check-up and service included, plus the cover if it breaks.

I've read through this thread, but I can't really see the point of the foam. Am I missing something. I use the two bucket method, with a wash mitt, and I blast the car with a normal hose before I start washing it, to make sure the dirt is loosened off a bit. The foam just looks like another step that doesn't do that much? What's with the acronyms - TFR and LSP? TFR = traffic film remover?

I feel like a wreck at the moment, is it that time of year or something??!? Had a strange virus that gave me swollen lymph nodes and general flu-like symptoms, going hot and cold, got over that and now actually have a proper cold. Not been well for 2 weeks now! I have a knackered knee, and that is from a desk job, I turned around too quick on a swivel char and smashed my kneecap into the drawers on my desk Twelve months later and it still aches all the time. I have a strange knawing pain in my ribs on one side, where about 5 years ago I cracked a rib trying to get into my flat when I was drunk and locked out. And I'm only 33. At least I'm driving a nice comfortable car now instead of my MG with track-optimised suspension!

Good advice - in fact I've just ordered one off Amazon!!!!! I panicked a bit thinking TG starts on Sunday, so I'd better get my skates on. I'll try it with the supplied aerials and let you know how I get on :) If the worst comes to the worst I'll just have to get a Mac Mini for the living room and do my recording on that!! I've always wanted to do that anyway :)

Yeah I've got two IDTV's in the house, both connected to the roof aerial and we have 100% - all channels and no breakup. It's just the Mac itself being in the wrong room where there's no wall socket. You're right about the signal/reception of the area being key, but the guy who posted the user review (on Amazon I think) said he lived in an area with a strong signal and still couldn't get any channels with the supplied aerial. Maybe I should just try one, I can get the base model for £39.95, if the worst comes to the worst I'll have to try using a better portable aerial, or try and get a socket fitted for the roof aerial in the room. I just didn't want to get into all of that!

With the start of the new Top Gear series I was looking into buying a digital TV recorder add-on for my computer. My main desktop upstairs is an iMac, so I was looking at the Elgato EyeTV range, which looks great. One thing put me off though, I saw a user review on a site somewhere that says they just don't work with the supplied aerial and you have to use a proper coax cable to a roof antenna. This is going to be a pain because my iMac is in the back bedroom, and there is no aerial socket in there :( Has anyone had any success using these types of device with the supplied aerial? if not what are you using to record digital terrestrial TV? I won't be getting cable/satellite so want a low cost solution :)

I have my line set up with BT to reject anonymous callers. It kicks *****, my phone never rings with marketing calls!!! I did it a while ago because we got some nuisance calls and I forgot to turn it off, but it's doing a good job actually so I'll leave it on. Just try it for a few months if it's one place constantly hassling you, eventually it should stop them and you could turn it back off again.

Yes mine says XE-03A I think. Not sure why they revised it because there hardly seems to be any noticeable difference.

I saw the trailer lastnight and was well excited - the best show on the telly. And the clips of what they're up to look excellent too :) Did you see Clarkson driving an articulated truck :)

Looking very nice Steve. I've seen these dials are not for later models, my instrument cluster has a different code on it, but they look very similar, what is it that means they won't fit the later cars?

Agree about the neons on the IS-F. If they were a different colour and the light didn't leak into the wheel arch it would look ok.

Bump! What do people think - is the pipe on my car supposed to be chrome?

Well I've tried the magic block (you just use a bit of water with it) on the passenger-side door card and the long white scratch has now gone! I was quite surprised by the effect, it did a good job. However - I think the block is basically a very fine sanding block for plastics, so use it sparingly. I think it might have taken a bit of colour off the door card, but it doesn't look bad or anything, you can even it up across the whole section. And then use your normal dash cleaner to bring it back up.

The exhaust off my car is below - is this definitely the type that should be chrome? If it is I'm surprised, thought it was a steel exhaust exit, not chrome!

Another quick update, those magic sponges are available stand-alone at Halfords for about £2.89, which is a lot cheaper than shelling out £12.99 for the Autoglym kit (unless you need the stain remover, in which case it's worth getting). I'll give it a try tomorrow and see how it goes.

A metallic white is definitely one of the coolest colours around. Alfa have been doing one for a while called Nuvola white which I like a lot: http://robson.m3rlin.org/cars/2007/10/29/a...romeo-147-gta-4

Adrian Flux - I've been insured with them for the last 2 years. I went with them originally because I bought a second car and they were the only people who let me insure two cars for anything like a sensible price. Still cost about £1k, but everywhere else wanted double that! I thought they were ok, but what annoyed me in the end is it cost me a bomb everytime I had to phone them because I had to use my mobile and they only have an 0870 number.

Well Autoglym turned out well worth looking into, check this out: http://www.autoglym.com/enGB/product-prodd...=HK&Range=1 Sounds like just the job, I'm thinking of going to Halfords right now (except the traffic is a nightmare round there at this time)

Excellent, thanks Jack. Does the AutoGlym have a dye in it to cover up? Just wondering because I have Sonus and Megs leather care products but wouldn't have thought of trying them, as I'm not sure they'd work. But thanks for the tip I'll have a look in Halfords :)

Ha ha, classic :lol:

I think someone posted this up a few weeks ago? It's definitely the same car. No surprise they're having trouble selling it, it's a total write off. Someone should put a stop to total write-offs coming up for sale on eBay as Cat-D repairable. That car is completely totalled. The advert is shocking say that it can be repaired.