is200 Newbie

Agree with Steve, Lexus will not repair any sections found to be bad, they will replace any area in need of repair with a complete OEM section (then test your calipers and state they are under performing and need replacing at Lexus prices 😉)

It takes 6.2/6.3 litres to fill after an oil change. You should take some confidence from the fact that the oil, when viewed on the dip stick should be a transparent light brown colour - if dark then i would question if its been changed or question the reliability of the cars engine ... more likely its not been changed !! Maybe just me but i am suspicious if changes are done effectively basically due to the amount of specific tools required in order to do the services, in particular in changing the oil filters, this car needs a specific tool to remove the filter, would Halfords have one of these in order to change it, and countless others to do other models? Thats a big expense and space required to enable them to effectively do a service on each model of car they do? It really is an easy job to do, one of the easiest on the car. If you have the space and time to do it then i would recommend you do it yourself if not only for the fact that it gives you confidence its done properly with the correct grades of oil and filters etc ...

Check your brakes all round (Front and backs) to ensure they are not seized

E10 fuel ... supposed to be less efficient - has anyone seen any evidence of this reported through cars ECU?

Its not normal, whats the mileage?

Cost mainly. These are usually around £10 each (usually £70 for 6) - its one part i would only purchase from Lexus just for the piece of mind (Lexus Birmingham online supply them). Its not a job you want to do to install them and they fall to bits due to the heat and its also not a job that's easy to do on a regular basis. Fine if you want to risk stripping the engine block down to fish out the broken bits f they dont goose the engine and for the sake of another £30 i woudl go for the piece of mind. Out of curiosity what's the cars mileage? - Lexus main service point job at 60k is to replace them but loads of people that have replaced them (including myself), even at 100k have noted that they still look like new.

Definitely check them before use - they are a sourced part, not direct from the manufacturer or a named trusted source so be suspicious of them at that price until you can verify they are genuine. A lot of these as you probably know have been faked and sold through the usual auction sites and can kill your car so be very careful.

..... so did you buy it ?

Be careful with the eBay ones as there was a post on here a while back about fake plugs being sold, and you dont want to fit them!! Lexus Birmingham will sell them and at least you know they are correct ones. Don't take any risks with these as if fake they can fail and damage engine. Not only that, its not a job you want to do twice if you find out they are fake.

Something that noticeable in a year or two years time still there if still left when coming to sell then would it be a selling point to bring price down when you are selling? Its something that's there and you now know its there so its going to always catch your eye when driving. Debatable whether, and sods law it will, that when the one stone hits the screen at that area it splits on or around all chips then its your responsibility, at least the excess of your insurance policy, to have it repaired and the hassle to do so.

Just one point, if you are putting your trust into the dealer telling you what is wrong with the car over the distance selling you are making, how many checks did you say they were actually doing? Should these checks made cover the obvious points checked at MOT as a start point for the 100 or whatever checks they make report to the buyer which would have covered the screen? I would question the checks they have made and informed you of ... So what else have they checked (not) that may come up during early ownership. If the screen is to be replaced then absolutely make sure that it works, ie, the heating elements and its sealed correctly and also the replacement does not introduce any of the noise that was evident in the early days around the screen/dash. As you should be aware, the callipers are a weak spot on these, have they been assessed as part of the checks Lexus have made? I will bet they are reported as good but upon next visit to Lexus there will be a recommendation to replace them! Have they issued you with an inspection report? Also, exhaust checked, if not have it checked by them. You are paying dealer prices for this so make sure any issues are highlighted and put right before purchase. Like you said, if it goes wrong, what option do you have to return it to be repaired? Will they accept it at a more local dealer to be repaired if required? I have probably missed it but what is the mileage of it as there are certain milestones that works required or things start to fail that should be looked out for such as main service (plugs at 60k) water pump usually between 70 to 100k (white crust is a sign around pump area) Exhaust can last for a while but with a lot of stop / start / short journeys then pre 100k is entirely likely and you dont know how it has been driven previously. Just things to bear in mind, but for me, having a garage state they have done checks and then to find its an MOT failure through what would be an obvious finding would make me question the actual checks made. Just my opinion, i am sure others will question it...

That's exactly what happened on a 2007 IS 250 i had years ago - i found it was the exhaust. It had rotted around the centre resonator - car could not move more than (i think) about 30mph but i was minutes from home and managed to get it back. It may be something else but i would check the exhaust around the centre resonator

Yup - in the boot - it is a strange place to locate it...

The amp is located in the right hand side of the boot - under the plastic panelling. There is also a vent to outside which can get blocked with all sorts - just check this is free of dirt. Could be collecting water there?

No it wont. I did look at that option to replace the boxes on my first is250 with the is200 one (needed two) but they will not fit. However, the centre resonator does fit very well but you will need to alter the pipe size, both in and out of the box. For reference i found that the old Rover ZR back box's fitted very well in the recess of the is250 - needed to change the hangers and again the pipe size - may fit yours but not sure the difference between the diesel and the petrol. The sound was really good as when i made mine it had quad exhausts.

Need to keep the runners clean and greased - no issue with mine for 3 years

Daniel, Have you reset the fault? If so has it re-appeared? A while back (years ago) in my first IS250 i had that error and done a bit of digging around on forums and found that it could also be a bit of condensation in the solenoid. I reset the code and it never came back on again. Have you driven through rain, snow or has the car been through hot/cold scenario? Did it sit on the forecourt for a while not being used? If you have reset it and it has not come back on if it was me i would wait to see how it performs now its in use before spending that sort of money on it. Torque converters rarely fail, look through the forum and you probably wont find any owner that's experienced a failure. I would suspect the solenoid?

There are problems with all cars, admittedly, the IS is among the more reliable cars made. I would not worry about the rattle but focus on the issues such as the callipers which is the only main issue with the car that every owner will experience. The rattle does not lead to any issue, a good service schedule, regular oil changes (i used engine flushes on an old 2007 model) and there is no issue whatso ever.

Check your front badge is legal before MOT

Try it in sport mode - sport mode holds the revs higher for longer so COULD? hold it in 2nd gear longer?

😞 😞 Sad to see it go - know i wont get anything like it again ... (maybe a Corsa !!!! 🤪!!)

Sold..... Buyer happy with asking price and also very happy with car. He has had a bargain i think. Box of bits has gone also so cant offer them here. Onwards and upwards as they say !!!

Sundance - i may have sold the car for asking price minus the cost of two rear tyres so pretty much valued the car right i think - you can use that to base the value of yours on. I did go through autotrader again last night doubting myself trying to see if i had actually overpriced it and actually looked at what was available for 06 / 07 / 08 and there are a lot of cars there at F-Sport or SE or sport models asking for more than what i had advertised mine at - a lot look quite good but when you look closely they are accident damaged (cat S & N) or dont have the ML kit, sunroof or optional alloys on them or are manual drive. Currently no good examples in the condition mine is in as an SE-L spec. One there and it has a full cream interior and looks a bit orangey but someone may like that colour combination. Taking it to local Peugeot dealer next week for a trade in value and shall see what this comes back as... probably 1600 !!! 🙂 🙂

That didn’t stay up for sale long – may have sold for asking price minus the cost of two tyres (he wants to put his own brand on) sale is based on a test drive when lockdown lifts 😀 – Will still keep it for sale in the meantime just in case tho, first time selling private but have heard of people being let down from no shows all the time. Guy does not want the box of spares I would be giving away with the car which was free, strange decision? so I will offer these to anyone who wants them when I can get an idea what’s in the box but there are calliper bits / oil filter sockets / greases etc – wont be any good to me anymore. Will be April time so will post them up after it is sold/if it is sold? Its been a blast being a member of the forum, have learnt a lot in this time, god it has been 11 years, and have passed a lot of advice on. Might be back in the future, don’t know yet.

I don’t think a lot of people read the advert properly – have been in touch with JPJ’s friend and passed over all the info to him with further pictures, have not pressured him to buy as this is really a reluctant sale for me.. New battery, 2 new tyres, all callipers cleaned, oil and filters changed. 3 small stone chips and a small scratch is all that 15 years has managed to throw at it. Two advisories on the MOT during this time, one for a delaminating rear number plate, replaced and for two rear tyres from last years MOT, should have noticed they needed doing first but didn’t this time around. I think that shows its looked after - Anyway, I had a call earlier from a guy in Dorset who said he was an old LOC member here – bought a Ford and regretted it ever since and wants back into Lexus and looking for a 2008 / 09 early model 250 before the facelift but is interested in mine. Cant come to view until he can travel but has taken my contact detail to see if still for sale when he can. He has owned one and I guess he knows what he is looking at. Its hard to convince new owners of these that they are good cars if they have not owned or driven one before. Guess that keeps the prices up as people hold onto them and do look after them rather than thrash them around. Going to look at a Peugeot next week with my wife so may just take it with me to see what PX value is placed on it, got to “detatch” myself from it regardless of how it will be treated after selling it.