ColinBarber

But they aren't giving you a good trade-in deal, just a discount off the new vehicle which would be available to anybody, whether they are trading in or not. On paper they can make it appear how they want to make somebody think they are getting a good deal - taking some of the new vehicle discount and adding it to the trade-in value, but they aren't going to give up their true margins without a fight.

AWD means drive power is/can be applied to all wheels. 4x4 is a bit more specific meaning a vehicle with 4 wheels has all 4 wheels driven. 4x4 is also used as a term to describe certain types of vehicle, like the RX, but a more correct term is SUV. All UK based RXs are AWD but have the majority of power applied to the front wheels in normal operation. They don't have limited slip or locking diffs on the axles so one wheel on each axle can get stuck and so only the free wheel provides drive but in normal circumstances all wheel are being driven. The series I RX300 uses a limited-slip centre diff to sense slip of the front wheels and transfer power to the rear. The series II RX300/350 removes the mechanical centre diff and uses the traction control electronics to apply the torque distribution. On the 400h and 450h hybrids the rear drive is purely electric and is typically only provided under hard acceleration or when the vehicle detects the front wheels are slipping. There are RXs, and Toyota Harriers, in other countries that are available purely as front wheel drive. This is also the case for the base level NX300h in the UK.

http://usedcars.lexus.co.uk/used-IS/IS-300h/2.5-Executive/Twickenham/3984368-604619045-1607032.aspx?srcmdc=se_na_re_ http://usedcars.lexus.co.uk/used-IS/IS-300h/2.5-Premier/Coventry/3627530-604764927-1607078.aspx?srcmdc=se_na_re_

brake pads moving?

No problem with posting the website. Do you know what work was done - replaced a cell, a recalibration or a dismantle and clean of all the connectors?

They are just making the figures up at the moment as none are being sold. I would expect Lexus to try and make £5,000 between trade-in and resale value but even that would be well above £26k. Residuals should be quite good on the NX, like the RX, certainly up to three years as there is still limited availability for new vehicles and where nearly all the used vehicles will end up at Lexus dealers who are then able to control the used prices.

The IS200 temperature switch is normally open rather than normally closed so just disconnecting it doesn't make the fans run. You need to short the two pins on the connector which will complete the circuit and make the fans work. If they do come on then it is the temperature switch that is faulty.

Current generation 450h for you then? As you say a big step up in all areas.

Welcome Jack :)

All the fuse positions should be labelled, normally there is a diagram on the underside of the fusebox cover. The internal fusebox is in the drivers footwell, not sure exactly where on the LS but normally either directly below the steering wheel or on the side.

Hi Ali, there aren't too many RS200s over here so finding the engine specific parts may be a challenge (ECU cover, throttle body) but the body parts will mainly be the same with the UK standard IS200s so you should be able to find parts in scrap yards etc. Try also posting in the IS200 forum, members there maybe able to offer some assistance: http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/forum/50-lexus-is200-lexus-is300-club/

No problem with posting your figures here. It is more a question of whether you personally want to publicly share them, but I'm sure they would be of interest to other members in a similar position.

true hypermilling on a hybrid is once you get up to speed, only very lightly touch the throttle to remove 'engine braking' regeneration so neither the petrol engine nor the electric motors are being used and the speed gradually falls away. This works really well in a hybrid because the petrol engine completely shuts down rather than idling as it would do in a standard vehicle. This is easier to achieve in the older Toyota/Lexus hybrids, it's difficult to do on the IS as it will typically not stay in this intermediate state very long. Personally I prefer a constant speed so accelerate, lift to let the EV light come on, and then apply the throttle a bit more to allow the electric motors to maintain speed. This isn't as efficient because at some point the battery charge will deplete and the petrol engine will need to stay on for a longer time to charge the batteries up again.

Take a look here, basically the same for the series II: http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/tutorials/article/103-rx300-series-i-cleaning-maf-sensor/

Yes you can get to the sliders without taking the wheels off.

Ah, I see what you mean. In older Lexus vehicles the sat nav was wired into the driver speaker, after the amp, and when it spoke the main audio feed was cut off. In the current IS, with a more modern system, the nav voice is mixed with the audio feed. It does then question how that reviewer managed to get audio muting. Maybe the standard Nav does mute?

Clean the MAF. Replace the pollen filter. Re-lubricate the brake slider pins (or at least check for correct movement).

It won't directly fit, Audi use a different bolt pattern to Lexus

something worth noting at the bottom of page 1 on this thread: http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/98997-finally-a-review-by-someone-who-gets-the-is300h/ if you have a destination programmed into the sat nav and also have the voice alerts volume at minimum, you get audio cut out as guidance is 'spoken'.

Couldn't do voice directions? Yes it can do that, by the same woman that has been guiding all Lexus vehicles for the last 17 years.

If you get voltage at the plug on the seat that is working and not on the one that isn't then I can only assume the switch unit is faulty. I don't believe the light is directly connected to the output so it would be possible for it to illuminate without an output. The only other thing to check would be to measure resistance across the wiring at the seat and ground. If the element isn't burnt out then you should have a low resistance through the circuit - compare against the seat that is working.

Depends which survey you are referring to. In the latest What Car? survey Lexus came 7th, partly because the cost of repairs were taking into account and Lexus labour and parts are expensive. Toyota were 3rd.

A good video. Obviously it won't be that easy on a UK vehicle of that age, almost certainly the pins would be much more difficult to remove due to our wet weather :(

All the Telsa S has is straightline performance. It's too heavy with poor handling compared to your examples. Bargain of the century = Nissan GT-R in my book.

I would imagine it is an option but the body and closure ECUs cannot be flashed like that. The main engine ECU doesn't have any control over body functions.