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I loved the old BTCC in the nineties as well, Paul. But I got a bit tired of the bumper car antics that seem to develop later on. Really got into sportscars about a decade ago; just love the variety and size of the grid, the fact cars have multiple drivers, the strategy and ups-and-downs of longer races plus the 'Balance Of Performance' that stops any one car dominating. All this and the cars are ones you can relate too as well. Watch out next weekend for the Bathurst 12 hours, which is another fantastic race. I shall be mostly supporting the GT-R in that one! It's good to see Lexus dipping it's toes in the GT3 arena. Early days, but getting both home would be a great start as on pace they will struggle against very well-developed and well-backed machines like the Audi and the AMG. With encouragement for a full programme, there's no reason why the car can't be quick; I mean whoever thought that the Bentley Continental would be a such a potent GT3 car? But M-Sport made it just that (and the B-of-P helps of course). I still though can't fathom why Jaguar for example aren't pushing the F-Type in GT racing. I meant to post this link for anyone not getting the race through cable or satellite: imsatv and this one, Weathertech

It seems a bit quite here in the motorsport section, which perhaps is an unsurprising reflection on Lexus's relatively low profile on that front; or may be it is more indicative of the 'typical' Lexus driver? (Discuss). Anyway, thought I would post a interesting development taking place this weekend. I'm a big GT/sportscars racing fan so am very glad that the 2017 racing season gets underway this weekend at Daytona for the famous 24 hour race. And as Lexus driver (used to seeing them compete only in Japanese Super GT, or in the VLN24) I was intrigued to see that the GT3 spec RC-F finally joining the IMSA series after what reads like a protracted and difficult development. Hopefully this will be a springboard for other teams to consider the Lexus in the excellent Blancpain series, British GT and who knows even at LeMans in GTE guise. You can catch the race live-stream on the IMSA website, and read about the team running the two RC-Fs here. Good luck lads!

Hi Mayur, very interesting posts. I've seen Autoventure listing quite a few IS300s over the past few months, I wonder if they are savvy at the auctions or have an 'in' with some fleet manager. A few listed are quite tempting, although I'll admit still at the top end of my budget. Look forwarding to seeing how you get on, I'm sure you be very happy with the IS!

ZV7s are good, they are on my 17" OEM wheels currently. Meanwhile, my old girl is running on the aftermarket 16" with WT7s and needless to say I couldn't wait to get out in the snow on Thursday!

Agree with Stephen. Not much snow here this evening but went out in the thick of the fresh fall and sought out the quieter country roads for my journey. Snow Mode on the Avon WT7s got me about without any trouble, uphill and down. It was my first (and last!?) opportunity to test them on snow; last lot of winter tyres never saw any deep and crisp and even. I guess the real test will be in the morning when the slush has frozen over...

I read in some other place people reporting a weird 'hopping' sensation when manoeuvring, and that was because of the type of tyres (I think it was on a Mercedes, so big tyres I guess). If not the drop links, could the rattle could be brake pads? Ah, here is part of that story; linky

Great guide, nice one Matt. I've had my alarm go off a couple of time at work (I bet the neighbours love that at 6.30am!) but it seems really irregular. I thought may be it was just the age of the unit, but I'm starting to think actually it might be being triggered by my tired old inertia reel seatbelts taking in the last few inches. I'm now consciously making sure they have fully retracted before I lock-up - touch wood!

Hi Andy, welcome to the forum. I can't speak for an IS200 auto but I know my IS300 isn't the swiftest to change up, especially under more rapid acceleration. Perhaps you could try the old favourite disconnect of the battery for an hour or two to reset the ECU; it should help the gearbox re-learn. Worth doing that before investigating further. I guess you've already checked the level and colour of the ATF?

That's some list. One might as well buy a Volkswagen! Seriously though, that is an excellent list; it's thinks like that that make this forum such a brilliant resource. Many thanks, speaking a someone possibly in the market for an IS250 next...

Happy Christmas, forumers. I've had a look outside and their is no LFA on the drive, so I guess may be SWMBO is saving that for my birthday instead...

Hmm, I have learnt this lesson unfortunately. After trying all your methods you did I decided to saw cut across the cap to allow me to apply a screwdriver to while using a pipe spanner to hold the valve stem. You can guess what happened next, I managed to scratch my alloy (not enough duck tape!) and the cap itself split. In the end I admitted defeat and took it to my local tyre place (at least with the cap split they could let out the air) and got them to revalve it. Cost me about £12 iirc.

Welcome Kirill. Nice kit, be interesting to see how that works out. Will you be lowering for the full effect?

Hi Paul, welcome to the forum. Must be quite a change going from an RX to an IS. Oh, and duff CD player is another "feature! There are threads here I'm sure (and videos on YouTube) showing you how to fix it. Might be worth considering a swap to something after market if that's your thing. I don't miss mine one bit, I tend to listen to the news then switch off the radio and listen to the 2JZ-GE instead! Let us know how you get on, with pictures of course!

Hi Martin, welcome to the forum. An unseasonably warm welcome in fact! I'm sure you'll find info here invaluable. Is that a small business that makes signs, or a business that makes small signs? I can't imagine you can many signs of any size in an SC, but I guess this will be a weekend or summer evening car with the twins on those tiny rear seats. Let us see some piccys when you have done the deal.

It must be quite a change from from the 118d. It'll be interesting to see if you end-up with better fuel economy; it seems hybrids favour in-town (or congestion) driving over motorway pounding. Personally, I'd take a 20mpg hit not to be driving a diesel, but that's just me! Hope your SD card turns-up as expected.

Hi Craig, welcome to the forum. Hope you are enjoying your IS300h, maps aside! Still, you are probably getting to know it on roads your are already familiar with. What car have you come from? I'm always interested to read about people switching to Lex hybrids as I'm likely to make the switch myself in the next couple of years.

Whoa, don't get me wrong Shaun! I love my 300; without doubt the best car I've ever owned; I hope I didn't come over as negative about it. From all I've read, the IS300 is the car the IS200 wants to be (no offence to IS200 owners!) just it may not be the rocketship you might expect. A manual BMW 300i would leave it for dead, but you'd more than make up the time while the Bimmer is in the workshop. And the Lex is far more relaxing; 600 miles in a day is no problem. What sort of mileage do you do, and will it be your daily driver? How much are you prepared to spend on fuel? I'm about twenty minutes down the A303 from you (what an indecipherable clue!), so happy to let you have a look.

Hi Shaun; I can only agree with Ian about checking a car's MoT history, it can be very revealing. I travelled miles looking for mine and ended-up seeing some very tired examples; the new MoT website would have saved me all that! I've noticed on Autotrader a lot of dealers putting a pretty high price on IS300, particularly clean ones. I don't think they are an appreciating classic just yet, much as I'd like that! Perhaps this seller in Manchester was just chancing his arm based on those prices but knows £2000 is more the mark. Looks like an enthusiast's car so may well have had money lavished on it. Sorry to say, the only way you will know is to meet the owner and see the grubby bit of the car. Check the brakes first of all, then the belts, then for sill corrosion. Even if you end-up seeing some rubbish, at least you can get behind the wheel and see if the IS300 is all you're expecting. It's not a sports car - the old-tech autobox and low stressed engine see to that - but it can get a shimmy on to catch-out more modern stuff if you're in the right gear and you can take overtaking opportunities when they present themselves. Handling is good on the A-roads and refinement on the motorway (with the right tyres) is good. And when you want to lazily mooch about town, without any hurry, it's wonderfully relaxed and within its capabilities. They do like a drink though! Definitely an eight-tenths car, not a ten-tenths car. I'm in Hampshire, so if you want me to pop-over and show-off my old girl, let me know.

Hi Andrew, and welcome. Glad you are enjoying your IS, niggles aside! Hopefully your wet boot is no more that the seal on the boot lid not being seated properly, not something more testing like a badly fitted rear screen (does it have the original Lexus glass marks?). As for the CD player, "they all do that, sir"! They can be fixed (threads on here somewhere) but to be honest I've never bothered. I know some people just replace the whole unit with after-market stuff.

Hi, and welcome. I would have thought changing a belt with five years and 55k on it is a bit early. And I know Norway is expensive, but £797?! In the UK Lexus dealers do fixed price servicing for older Lexus, and they quote £295 for a belt change. Are you committed to that dealer, or do you have a few within reasonable distance? For a competent local mechanic with a good local reputation, it's a relatively straight forward job.

Stuart, that's a great read; so many posts (not here to be fair) on motoring forums are so down on just getting out there and driving. Loved it when you said: "When I arrived I felt like turning around and driving right back again", That is a great feeling, isn't it? And all this a in car the British motoring press say isn't a good drive!

Hi Ron, welcome. I have no personal experience of Lexus hybrids but I guess you are asking because you suspect there may be peculiarities to parking a hybrid long term. However, no doubt some better qualified will be along soon! By all accounts, the RX400h will not be clapped-out at 150k by any means, and should provide you will many years service. Leaving a car standing I'd recommend over-pressuring the tyres and connecting a trickle charger; a hybrid owner will be able to advise you better regarding the particular issue of leaving a hybrid battery without a fresh charge. But might be worth a hybrid check at a Lexus dealer if you do decide to buy.

Welcome Les, and hat's off to you for choosing a Lexus (and a very smart looking IS at that!). I'm surprised anyone in this country deviates from the default BMW/Audi so beloved of the British motoring press; must be just us smart ones that see beyond that BS! And Lexus dealers are indeed very good (smiling as they empty your wallet) in my admittedly limited experience with them. Must feel quite a change steeping into petrol hybrid from your oil burner Mercs. Let us know how you adapt to the change, you are clearly a man to put miles on a motor.

Welcome Mark, keep positive! Like you say, here's hoping you have a good one. Must have been a stomach churning moment, coming on here after the purchase. Best thing is do what you are doing now, enjoy driving it. By all accounts the second generation IS is a superb car.

My own opinion with winters tyres has been coloured by my experience in my pre-Lexus life. I've had fairly boring front wheel drive hatchbacks before my IS300 and have experienced the shocking snow performance of summer Dunlops on snow, and conversely the security of Avon Ice Tourings in some tricky site visits in North Wales. When I went back to rear wheel drive (after about 25 years), it seemed even more important to make the switch in November. Not that the last two winters here in Hampshire have warranted them in terms of snow fall, but they are certainly more secure in cool wet, slimy or frost conditions. Not for everyone of course, the more expert driver for example. EDIT: Just to clarify, I wouldn't doubt the ZV7s ability to handle a wet British winter, particularly on an RX300. When I say 'twichy', I referring to TC cutting in on tight corners at slow speed over manhole cover, gravel, leaf mulch, etc. I'm not a drifter by any means, but I found my previous Dunlops (combined with my IS's very nanny-like TC) would chirrup on the lightest of throttle application. The Avon's were a marked improvement on these. But relying on my car for site visits, and having a resolvable commute over potentially mixed roads, I prefer to have a set of winters available; snow or not.