matt-c

I don't have a handsfree connection (bluetooth) for the phone call side of things, so can't give any experience of it

Hah, couldn't wait for Saturday eh? I meant harness as in wiring harness, not a strap harness. Mine didn't come with one, but it was second hand so I don't know if new ones do. Like I said in my post on the previous page, I was gonna stick it down with some sticky pads, but it was secure enough not to need them, so I didn't bother

Where did you get them done, and how much?

I don't have Android, so can't answer that for you, but this might help? (from this webpage here - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gromaudio.aalinq&hl=en)As for the harness question - not sure what you mean by do you need it if it's stored on top of the radio - you'll need the harness to plug the Grom box into the back of the stereo - regardless of where you plan to store the Grom box. From there you'll need to run/route the cable to plug into your phone wherever you decide you want to use it. For mine, I ran it down behind the stereo, and had it come out under the heated seats buttons - that way if I'm using my iPod I can tuck it away out of site under the seat buttons, or if I'm using my iPhone, and can have it accessible, if I need to use the satnav/maps on it, or answer a call/text etc.

Nothing on the dash has tp be removed to change the windscreen at all. The only things to come off are the side trims (outside, that run the length of the car; up the screen, along the roof and down the back glass - although you don't need to remove them entirely; only along the screen and half of the roof, then they just move out the way) and the scuttle panel and wipers. Couple of trim panels in the engine bay need to be removed in order to remove the scuttle, but it's all held in with clips and poppers; not a single screw! On the inside of the car, there's a cowling at the top of the screen that partially covers the rain sensor; again this cowling just pops off, the sensor has a single clip holding it on and just unhooks, and the mirror has a single screw in it that only needs loosening, not removing entirely, then the mirror simply slides off. both the sensor and the mirror are left hanging inside by their wiring. Then simply cut the screen out, lift out, cut back the glue, clean, prime, bond, fit new screen, and refit all plastics, scuttle, mirror/sensor, side trims and you're done. Took in total about 45 mins, and that's not rushing (I don't like rushing)

Good shout going to WIM :) And deffo get the wheels fixed!

Depends on the car set up, mileage, roads driven on, etc. Not just riving style! That was why one of the first things I did with mine was get it to WIM and get it set up right ;)

Yeah mate but by so much that I'm gonna replace the backs before the fronts? I don't like doing that... :( Why? You should always have your best tyres on the back, especially on a RWD car. Even on a FWD car, having the best tyres on the back will make the vehicle MUCH more stable http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--Hb5kQCaTg&feature=youtu.be

Windscreen GOLO, not a TV/stereo/nav screen ;)

Changed a screen on one today, and forgot how nice they are. Don't get to do them very often; I've done more LS' than I have GS'!! Think I may have cemented which car I'll go to after the IS.... But it might have to be the V8 ;)

When my next door neighbour lived in the US, he had a Toyota somethingorother that had around 400k on the clock

http://www.speedywheels.com.au/wheel-tech.htm

I'm on the fence with the diamond cut facing on the wheels. My car came with fully refurb'd wheels, which are all silver, not diamond cut, and on the one had I really like them like that. Then on the other hand, the diamond cut is a nice touch too... I'm tempted to get my winter wheels refurbed, as they are in bad shape and looks a bit poo, and there's a place in Chelmsford doing 4 for 3 at the mo, so would be under £200 for all four, although I'd bet that wouldn't include diamond cutting the faces. What's the BJV mentioned in an earlier post?

Also, I was in a Jeep/Chrysler dealership a couple days ago in Chelmsford CM2 (http://www.motorpark...rysler and Jeep) picking up a part, and noticed a sign for wheel refurb. £54 per wheel, plus VAT, with offer on of 4 wheels for the price of three. so 4 wheels should cost £194 inc

Never used them myself, but they've been there doing it for years (previous to it being called KO, there was another company doing wheel refurbs in the same place, so I guess they were sold/taken over and renamed). On the A10, 2 mins from J25 M25 (Cheshunt EN8) http://www.alloy-wheel-refurbs.com

Exactly! It's 1% that complain, but given the platform to complain (such as a car forum, or in Chris' case, Tripadvisor) that 1% becomes 90% - as there might be 10 replies/comments, and 9 of them are complaints, and only 1 is complimentary, anyone reading it will just see 90% of people are unhappy/complaining! That's how statistics work - they are only as good as the sum of their parts. (ps, I didn't take offence at the OCD remark, I just disagree with it. The current trend seems to see OCD as a "cool" thing to have, but in reality, not many actually have a clue what OCD actually is. Many think it's just about being particular, fussy, etc. A friend of mine organises his CD's and DVD's in alphabetical order, and get's annoyed if I put one back in the wrong place. Some would say that's OCD - it's not. It's just liking order. OCD is a compulsive disorder that is almost impossible to control; it can be mild, but it can be so strong it destroys people. I like things to be arranged in neat rows, for example to tools; I like to have all the sockets in ascending order on a socket rail, rather than spread across the drawer willy-nilly. I'm quite adamant about using a socket and then putting it back where it came from. It's not OCD, it's just sensible. I go one step further and like to have all the sizes stamped into the sockets facing up; again, it's not OCD, it's just that I like to see the socket size at first look. If it was OCD, I wouldn't be able to sleep for worrying the sockets aren't all lined up perfectly, and would have to go out to the van to check and/or re-arrange)

If you're fully comp, then chances are you've got glass cover. Ring the insurance co and they'll just put you through (9 times out of ten you just select the option from the numbered list). IT'll probably either be with Autoglass, AA or Auto Windscreens. The one you want is Autoglass, and the only reason is they offer the lifetime warranty on chips cracking off. No one else does (mainly cos it's a daft thing to offer, as no one can predict what a chip will do). The only problem is with that, is a lot of AG techs are reluctant to do as many chips as they are given, as the more you do, the higher the chances of having one fail, and that affects their bonus targets and performance related stats. Many a time I've been out to change a screen that the customer has been told can't be repaired, and then I've repaired it no problem. So unless it's too large for the zone (see here http://www.bsgwindscreens.co.uk/pages/free-inspection) then insist on them at least trying it.

Why not filled? I've got two chips in my own IS, and I filled both of them. YOu've nothing to lose, as if it cracks, it was gonna crack anyway, and everything to gain; if it survives (which most do), it's cost you nothing and you haven't had to have any of the original parts removed and refitted (ie, no need to have trims taken out and replaced along with the screen, scuttle hasn't had to have come off, etc) I always say if we can fix it, we should; despite knowing exactly what I'm doing, as do 99% fitters out there, if you can leave the original screen in there as long as possible, then that's the best way.

I've done LS400's Steve. Trouble on yours is getting the right colour; as UK models and Jap imports had different colour glass (UK = green, Jap = grey or bronze) In fact, here's three of us doing one last year; Chris - doesn't matter what marque of car it is, you'll always find people on a forum complaining they've had a screen fitted and it leaks. And it always looks like it'a lot of people, and "horror stories" - but how many threads/posts do you see started by someone just to say they've had a screen fitted and everything is fine? You don't, because in reality, virtually no one actually bothers to go onto a car marque forum and start a thread saying they've had a screen fitted and it's all been fine. But anyone who's had a problem is VERY quick to log on and post up about how sh!t something has been. That's just how people are. I wouldn't log onto a home heating forum and say I had British Gas come out and fit a new thermostat for me and how great it is - well, because no one cares. And I don't care; I paid for something, got it, and got on with life. But when you pay for something, such as a replacement screen, and something goes wrong, THEN people like to go on the internet and slag companies off. I see it all the time.... I'll be incredibly surprised if Autoglass fit a dealer screen as a warranty item for a cracked stone chip, as they won't want to bear the extra cost of outsourcing it. And I don't think you actually mean OCD, more just fussy. I doubt not having Lexus on the glass would have you laying awake in cold sweats, panicking...

Correct. Dealers don't fit bonded glass; they subcontract to the likes of Autoglass anyway. Autoglass offer a lifetime warranty on stone chips, so if the chip they fixed for you has "cracked off" then you can get a full replacement free of charge from them. Dig out the paperwork, and call customer service up. Regarding leaking screens. Screens only leak if they are fitted badly. There's just as much chance of an IS200 screen leaking after being replaced as there is a Range Rover Sport, or a Bentley Continental, or a Ford Escort. As far as bad designs go, there isn't an ongoing problem with IS200's - I couldn't tell you how many I've fitted over the last 10 years, but it'll be quite a lot, since IS's are quite common in East and North London, which is where I spend a lot of my time fitting windscreens, and I've never had a problem with one (least, not that I know of). The mk1 Ford Focus on the other hand, had a major design flaw to the scuttle panel and pollen filter, meaning nearly everytime one of these had been serviced or a screen had been replaced, it leaked no end into the passenger footwell. This was rectified with the mk2, and an interim solution was put in when servicing or replacing screens on the mk1 as a stop gap. In every walk of life you get a bad fitter, and even good fitters have bad days, and/or can be unlucky. I've had cars come back leaking after I've fitted a screen to them, and I think of myself as a good fitter. It's just life. I've probably fitted in excess of 15,000 windscreens, and have maybe 5 or 6 "leakers" a year on average, which is 50-60 over ten years - let's call it 100 just to round it off. Sounds like a lot right? It's actually not even 1%. Lastly, as for OEM vs non OEM - nearly all car glass is made in the same factories by the same companies. Dealer stamped or non dealer stamped. There are a few exceptions; really old models, such as old Jags/Daimlers for example, will have patent part glass made by a third party. But a Lexus screen is no different to one stamped as Saint Gobain. Likewise, a Ford dealer stamped screen is no different to one just stamped Pilkington. There is nothing to suggest or prove that a dealer stamped screen is less likely to have a leaking issue than a non dealer stamped screen. And a dealer screen can have a defect in it, such as a faulty heating element, distortion, colour/tint issue, delamination, etc, just as much as a non dealer stamped screen can.

It's because they aren't a user replaceable part. They aren't even a replaceable part in the trade; they are fitted to the glass at manufacture. I *have* glued lugs back onto glass before, but generally (as in 9999 out of 10000) the glass is simply replaced

An IS200D SEL, by the looks of it

They're called lugs, and the are attached to the bottom of the glass, and not available separately. Are the ones on yours broken, or just separated from the glass? If they are intact, they can be bonded back to the glass, provided the old adhesive is cleaned off fully and new adhesive is applied. Either windscreen glue, or something like tigerseal will do it. Do not use silicone. Alternatively, and probably easier, just get a new door glass and fit that.

As Steve says, it's a dealer supplied glass that's been replaced at some point. However, it is actually quite odd, as when we get in dealer glass, it usually has Lexus etched on it, as opposed to Toyota (if it's for a Lexus of course). Even getting in a dealer glass for a Porsche Cayanne will have Porsche etched on it rather than VW, even though the base of the Cayanne is a Touareg. So for yours to have Toyota on it, must mean it was ordered from a dealer for a Toyota Altezza, rather than from Lexus for an IS.

No I realise it was a joke. But since it became a subtopic, I posted regarding it