Gunther

We've been looking to replace our E60 525d M Sport Auto (facelifted 3.0l) for a while. Just plain tired of the harsh ride and poverty spec, even though it has £5000 worth of factory options.

So we road tested several Audi A7's, A6's, F10 5 Ser, Merc E class - all latest models. All had good and bad points:

Audi - the new A6 seems over priced, the A7 is gorgeous to look at and very good to drive, but only in Quattro/S Tronic form (the CVT is lethargic from a standstill). Whil;st both are on the same platform, the A7 seemed better, though sufefered from too much wind noise. Also, as we were looking for a nearly new one, finding a 5 Seater was a challenge! It really seemed expensive at £44k+ for a new one.

The 5 - -nice but boring and a knobbly rough run flat tyre ride.

E class was like something from 1982....steering buttons from a chrysler sebring....

What was so stark was the poor customer service at the dealers, don't care a darn attitude etc, and we had completely ruled out the GS as a non-contender. That is until we drove it today.

OK - it might not be cleanest petrol engined car, and the road noise seems a tad high, but overall we thought it was the best compromise of the bunch.

The Luxury Spec with ML/12.3" screen makes it formidable as a non-German alternative, and I am sorely tempted.

To add, the Auto every time. It has better characteristics, more economical, the manual can be slightly notch. If you buy a Lexus, it has to be a Petrol Auto. The Multimedia is superb.

This is a known issue, mine had it. The speaker grill is to blame. Prise it open and put some felt around and put it back. That is what the dealers did to mine.

I just hope you didn't buy the car from a Lexus dealer and NOT be told that the previous owner's had all this done and PEX'd it (probably because he really didn't want it anymore.....)

Each to their own, and hope it now behaves itself!

Early ones had problems...2006/7 220d's - I'd leave alone!!

Lots of magazines have tested this to death, and have found that most of the differences are hard to tell for most cars. The only differences may be for detergents on the whole, and a slightly higher octane is largely not detectable.

If it works for you, use it, else save your cash.

My Lexus IS220 which was written off in March 2006 is a high speed crash into the back of a lorry when the breaks failed has just been recalled by Toyota - For accelerator pedal modifications. Any comments?

Can you please post the full contents of this letter so we can all see exactly what it says as there is no recall for any UK Lexus models concerning the accelerator pedal, ( which is a mechanical mod, not software mod, on the affected UK Toyota cars).

I believe that the Accelerator problem on some Toyota's is down to a bit of Plastic wearing away on certain types of pedal mechanisms. They add some metal in there as part of the fix and possibly a new pedal assembly if deemed needed......But. The Brake issue on Prius is a software mod (?), as presumably the Hybrids have fly by wire (cableless) technology?

The 2 problems are very different.

I seem to recall at least one IS owner has complained on here that their mat was stuck under the pedal a year or 2 ago. So I think there are up to 3 problems? Does any one else know?

EDIT : Mat Recall on this Forum

Does anyone know the G/km for C02?

Didn't Prolex (??) have one?

Was there any chassis damage then? I had a similar crash a while back in my IS200, medium rear and light front, boot floor was all out of shape and a lot of the rear end was replaced. However on the IS the repair was around £4500 if I remember correctly, I guess with all those batteries in the boot they would probably all need replacing in the event of a crash. Either way hope your brother's ok, my neck and shoulder were in serious pain for a week or two after!

Yeah as long as they don't have any more episodes like this in the near future they should be ok, but if this becomes a habit it would be a problem.

To be honest, I have no idea how bad it was, I left it to the powers that make the decisions, though we were ready for repairs.

He was absolutely fine, no pain or anything, an I think the headrests did their job. He braced himself when he heard the brakes and looked in the door mirrors.

Sounds like your neighbour pays a lot of attention to recalls!

However I don't think the majority are like that, give it 6-12 months and once it's out of the press most will forget about it. As long as they learn their lesson and increase quality control then it should turn around pretty quick.

Sorry to hear about your Prius but glad it got sorted easily and I imagine no one was hurt. Must have been quite a whack to write off a brand new car though! But yes in terms of low emission cars it's a bad time for the Prius to have any bad press as there are a few alternatives - the BMW 320d ED being the most interesting.

Has the Prius/HS250h thing been recognised as an actual problem then as well? I thought it was just a brake feel issue?

It was a front/rear - the Van pushed my brother who was driving the Prius into the back of a bus in Tipton!! Medium/heavy rear and light front, but the damage was over £10,000 apparently as the boot floor was damaged!! I was shocked too as it didn't look too bad from the outside. I think I have a photo somewhere and will find it.

But. Time will heal of course, and Toyota are superb company and their approach to this has been excellent so far.

My neighbour is self confessed petrol head so he's always nearly up to date (!!) on information. He drives an Alfa Mito!

Apparently the brake can feel weak if applied when going over bumps? I'm sure that's what I was told.

It's all down to perception and yes the media has made it worse.

We bought a Gen3 Prius, and it would have been affected by the brake thing. Anyway, not an issue now as it got totalled 5 weeks ago (Transit Van ran into back of it). We were lucky to get the money back rather than a new one, which we could have had through the insurance. So we bought a Golf Bluemotion (cracking car).

Anyway, my neighbour commented a few days ago:

"I bet your glad you don't have the Prius or that LEXUS!" For those that know the link between them, the perception is there and it will have an impact. Also, not many people who have seen the Youtube of that USA incident would cotton on that an ES is effectively a rebadged Toyota, or the HS250 is a Prius with a Lexus badge and is subject to recalls.

So I cannot see how people would differentiate if they know they are made on similar production lines etc.

Funnily my neighbour also asked me if my Beemer had cracked alloys. Again, I reminded him that I have 18inch ACS's (and no RFT's). So it goes to prove that mud really sticks!!

Well seeing as Lexus cars (the HS250h) were affected Lexus isn't immune to all this (and a lot of parts are shared) - it may affect values in the short term but can't imagine it'll have a long term effect.

It is bound to Hit Lexus too. The family that died in America was in a Lexus (an ES??? which is based on a Toyota Camry???), but. it is bound to hit both. I certainly would be thinking that and be a little worried about values at PEX time.

BBC had a response from Mr T yesterday to US Congress, which implied that their "priorities became confused", which I suppose means that they compromised quality over quantity.

Other makers in the past have done this too, and it has taken years and years to win back loyal customers. Take a well known german maker for example that is still suffering.

Pedals getting stuck under a mat though is silly on 2 counts:

Firstly, you should always make sure the mat isn't interfering with the pedals

Secondly as a manufacturer, you should make sure that there are tethers for the mats so they don't slip around and stay firmly secure.

For these 2 reasons, I worry when people go out and but after market mats because they are cheaper.........

What I find interesting though is how the JD power surveys will be hit - if they dip significantly then it will indicate that people vote in "band wagons", which is a view I have!!

I only ever check engine oil when the engine is cold and on level ground. If it's too warm some of the oil may still be lined up on the engines insides and will not give you accurate readings.

Best thing if it is warm is to let is stand for at least 30 minutes prior to checking. If you don't, you might overfill by by 250ml

first, the parking sensors fitted by the dealer will not display on the screen, that is the se-l factory spec only. secondly, if you want to put mp3 files on a dvd you will have to do the hack, as the system does not read normal mp3 dvds, only if you use audio dvd creator which makes it a movie basically which you can then play back but if you don't have dvd playback enabled on the move then you will hear the music but not be able to see the screen to navigate tracks. i tried it at the weekend and it works, and i am curently burning all my discs then will take a pic to show you, but you will will only be able to play mp3 cds through the normal audio mode.

i used this link for the sat nav hack, which enabled the phone dvd playback and mp3 folders on the move:

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-second-...hen-moving.html

hope this helps :)

I was thinking of burning DVD-A discs but its pointless unless I do the hack which i'm not prepared to do. Still the 6 mp3 discs equate to 4.2gb....thats enough for now I think.

As for the sensors I think I'll get them done by Lexus even though I don't get the dash warning.

The rear view camera is sooooo good that you really won't need rear sensors. It is still the only thing I miss on the BMW. It will show you steering angle and a red line which is excellent - cross that and you will bump.

As far as DVD MP3 is concerned - like many have said you can frig it by burning a DVD disc, and watch it, screen goes blank when in drive but sound is maintained. You can effectively press up or down and it skips between songs, but when you restart engine it reverts back to root, so it's pointless really.

Your best options are to have a USB device fitted instead, one where you can use the wheel controls/touch screen to use it if one can be retrofitted/3rd party version like a Dension 500 gateway (if they do one for Lexus). Do a Google. That way you don't need a hdd etc. I can believ how many cars come with hdd sound storage AND a USB slot. You can normally get 16/32gb on a USB stick for £20 - much cheaper than hdd system!!

DELETE

This poll is surprising.

15% or so have broken down, more than 1/3rd with rattles, even more with poor economy. Nearly a 1/3rd with no issues, so it seems like 60% plus have had some sort of problem.

Seems a lot for a Lexus!

Also, is there one of these for IS250? If so. Where?

My car will be changed in 6 months and I am considering the 250 Auto SEL MM (facelifted).

Overtaking in the 220d is easier because of the 300lbft of torque. My experience. The 220d wasn't faster from standstill compared to Is250, and the 250 needed lots of revs >4200rpm to make it feel quick. ECT helps too but. below 4200RPM it never seemed too quick.

The car is heavy and no doubt that does not help.

The 220d is OK from standstill, but after 3600 rpm, it starts to make more noise than actually moving faster.

Lots of cars have a CVT type box, not just Hybrids. Audi Multitronic, Nissan Micra's, Honda Jazz, even some Fords and Fiat's I believe??

Some one once explained that it was like an elastic band and a cotton reel ;)

What is the difference in the turbo lag between the Sport and Non-sport versions, can a Non-sport version be made to be the same as a Sport??

The Sport uses a different final drive - in other words a different differential, which has different sized "cogs", which effectively changes the gearing as it hits the road. It's a bit like what Ford did with the Cortina 2000e if I remember, and the Mondeo Sport in the 90's.

The engine and gearbox are the same.

As a result the lag is less noticeable and the 6th speed is available readily from 60 MPH. That is really how all variants should have been solved. I thought the first gear was too short though!

In my view though, the cO2 was too high on the ISD and I think Lexus tried to frig it by relying on all that torque to compensate for the higher gearing to try and improve the consumption and cO2 etc.

If I had to buy an IS220d, it would be the Sport because it drives better. I didn't think they were available after 2008 though??

Anyway, the cost in doing it would be prohibitive.

"Very true, but I think that accidents provoking recalls wil become increasingly common as drivers assume absolute perfection and allow commonsense to desert them to the extent that simple problems cause easily preventable accidents.

A sticky throttle is mainly an accident threat to those who have not noticed it getting stiffer for months - and for whom an oilcan is as likely to be one of their possessions as a brain-surgery kit - with its use an equally closed book. Similarly, carpets tangling with pedals should be obvious and initially sorted out by any driver not needing care in the community - even in the USA"

I understand what you're saying, but it's not that simple - try telling the family of those killed in the Youtube video that it was their fault that they hadn't noticed the throttle getting harder to push, and they could have avoided it! Our thoughts have to be with them.

We all know that a lot of these accidents can be avoided if your brakes fail, or the throttle gets stuck open. But in the real world, people may panic and make the wrong decision, and in a split second lives get lost.

So I'm sorry, but whilst people can do their bit, responsibility for a fundamental design issue has to rest with the manufacturer and there is seldom an excuse for it.

I suppose the other thing is that US car industry is struggling, and Toyota (and Honda) is seen as the no1 threat in the USA for their sales slipping. Even though Toyota have factories there, some US people will be seeing this whole thing as a blessing in disguise as people might start buying Buicks again!!

All manufacturers have some sort of recall all the time. Watch/listen to that you tube video of the Lexus in the USA, where 4 people died due to a stuck accelerator. it is harrowing.

It's more than cars exploding this time or one not starting. Potential for accelerators to get stuck "open" on some and and brakes failing on others....this is serious stuff.

Honda have announced issues with their airbags too.

I too found that the Lexus traffic avoidance was a bit patchy, but the BMW one appears to be a lot more accurate and up to date. I genrally only use the nav to give me an ETA, and like you pay attention when I'm close.

Either way, if you have the Bus edition you get loads of kit, and Bus nav is quit good. When do you get it?

By the way, I'll always let you and any IS driver out of junctions...... ;)

Well, the decision has been made......

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It's a BMW 320d SE Touring (business edition). In the end, I just fancied a change and the Beemer ticks most of the boxes; it's obviously got more loading space and the split/fold rear seats will be a plus. I'll be getting the revised engine so it has a bit more umph (186 bhp I believe) and, more importantly for me, it's more of a drivers car than the IS.

I'm really not that bothered about the rear facing camera but will probably miss the heated/ventilated seats!

One question guys - will you lot let me out at junctions please???

Congratulations! Another Lexus --> BMW person!!

What additional spec (over and above SE) did you get? Did you upgrade the Bus Nav to Pro Nav?

Have you been? What did you do?

I would have suggested going Skiing!! Either on Sand Boards on the dunes or in the Ski Slope in Emirates Mall!

I have never really trusted dealers.

But. In lean times like our now, you cant blame the odd dealer trying to pull a fast one at your expense or Lexus's (if under warranty).

CUEBOY147 (you sound like the love child of Jimmy White (who has the number plate CUE 130Y) and Willie Thorne (who has the number plate A147 PRO))

LOL

Anyway, They have you over a barrel. But. I am surprised that a dealer is stating that all the sensors AND the ECU need replacing. Normally it would be on or the other...

I don't think they know or can tell what has gone, and are expecting you to pick up the entire bill in case they are wrong. My advice would be to take it to a good Independant garage first. Even if you end up having to replace it all, their labour charges should be a lot less.