Mr Vlad

Tesco momentum was 140.9p per litre last week. Don't know what it is now.

Well it looks like all is250's have the same suspension bushes both all rubber type and rose type. I suspect newer variants too have them and not just is250's.

This is the Rose joint bush I'm on about by the way. If you look on the left side of it you'll see where the rubber gaitor splits and Lexus call it a worn bush etc etc.

Thought I'd post my experience on now using super unleaded petrol. Since I filled up last Saturday morning I've driven nearly 600 miles. 70% motorway and 30% A and B roads. No I've not driven those miles sensibly either lol. Yes I've red lined it loads of times and hardly stuck to speed limits. My car tells me my average MPG is 35.8. I'm chuffed as a chuffed thing. Mind you the Shell service station on the A591 is on the dear side. V Power 152.9p a litre yikes.

Hi Paul. What's the latest with your battery problem? It's been a few weeks. Hi Iftikhar. You say you measured the voltage of your battery this morning and it read 9 volts. Then after a few tries trying to start your car it read 12.5 volts. Then when it started it showed 14 volts. It's confusing that initially it showed 9 volts and you struggled to start your car. Then a reading of 12.5 volts? Surely if you cranked the engine over on a 9 volt battery it would have read less than 9 volts unless your alternator is superb at charging a battery really quickly. One thing for sure your alternator is running perfectly. As for your battery you've probably got a power drain somewhere.

Sorry for the poor quality

Re Esso 99 Ron fuel

Eh up Rowley. I've given up asking Stockport Lexus coz the after sales guy was lacklustre and didn't have a clue. I'm on a 2 week holiday from work and apart from my post on front suspension gaitors I've not been on here as much as normal But I do intend contacting Lexus UK stating dealer not being bothered and for them to give an answer. Up in Bowness at the moment enjoying a number of pints. I love it here.

Glad to have done it. After finding out the stupid cost of replacement I took myself back in time when I did a shed load of tinkering and looked at a cost effective method. Our aging cars are coming to a point where the perishable rubbers need replacement. Another cost saving post coming soon saving £500 excluding labour.

This is part 2 hopefully. Above is how the new boot looks like with its top cut off. That top isn't needed as it doesn't have the recess for the spring end. The is the top mount of the suspension unit but you'll notice the rubber ring below it cut of it. The new boot fits on that metal ring of the top mount. Look closely at that ring and you'll see its splayed out. The new boot fits over the splayed end But it's a ruddy tight fit and I mean Tight but it goes on and won't come off. New boot partially on. New boot fully on. Ok it's not a perfect fit but that's down to how the rubber is cut but believe me that boot is not going anywhere. Shock absorber fully together with new boot and spring on. The new boot is long enough that it covers the whole of the shock absorber piston. So there you have it. The process is for any car really. The boot came from ebay and is for a Lexus car. Don't spend nearly £200 on a new top because the boot has perished. Spend a little over £17 on a new boot and follow the above as what I did. As I've said look on YouTube how to remove the shocker. Make sure you've got spring compressors, they range from a tender upwards, mine cost £20. Time to do the job from start to finish is an hour. Be wary that the bolt holding the bottom of the suspension might well be seized. Mine were and I had to go to a garage for them to use a propane torch to heat the nut enough for it to expand and then get a long breaker bar to lose that nut. Hope you find this post useful. I think same goes for the GS cars gen 1 2 and maybe 3.

Well our old is250 cars are getting old and items are perishing. An example is the front suspension gaitors. Lexus price of these gaitors is a measly £190. Measly my back side. Below I hope to show you how to replace those gaitors fir the massive price of £17. Have I got your attention? Thought so lol Right then first off you'll have to buy the rubber gaitors. I got mine from ebay from seller worldcarparts. Item FEBEST TSHB-002 reference 48157-22040. This is what knackered gaitors look like Pretty isn't it NOT. Look on YouTube how to remove the suspension unit. Be patient and ideally have someone with you when putting the shocker back in and the suspension arm. This is what the new gaitor looks like next to the suspension unit. Note how the new boot has a top to it. This top needs to be cut off, it's easy to do BTW. Next once you've removed the suspension unit you need spring compressors to squeeze the spring a good inch before you undue the nut on top of the damper unit. Once the spring is squashed then remove the top mount by undoing the 17mm nut. Once top is off it looks like this Note the top item is metal and the bottom is plastic and rubber. Because the original gaitor has perished so much Once you've removed the loose bits your left with about 2 inches of rubber which is all that's left of the gaitor. Cut that 2 inches off. What you'll be left with is the rubber ring where the top of the spring sits, it has a knook where the end of the spring sits. This is the new gaitor with its top cut off. Right OK seems to be a server error so I'll make this a 2 part post.

Right then. These Rose Joint bushes are available from a seller in Latvia c/o eBay. I've ordered a pair and a garage near me has quoted 50 quid + vat to do. The bushes are just under 50 quid for 2. So basically it'll be a saving of £900 a side to do.

Prestone for me too and has been for a good number of years. I buy it by the gallon and more often than not from tesco as it has it on offer often.

Isn't it weird how just about every video we see on YouTube regarding Lexus in any way is from America. There are hardly any videos on any subject to do with Lexus cars that emanate from the UK or Europe. Oh and yes that video sucks

Blimey I wasn't expecting any replies but am pleasantly surprised. I've seen that video before and it seems funny how he seems to like Seafoam and CRC products. Was surprised just how rubbish WD40 is and to think I've been using that stuff 40 plus years. Must make a note what Edd China uses. Thanks anyway guys some great replies 👍 (now to codge up some new dust rubbers on my front suspension)

This is just a heads up to anyone who's nuts and bolts on their 14 year old cars have never been touched. Today I wanted to take the front suspension off the my car. The bottom bolt could not be undone even using a professional 3 foot long bar. The bolts couldn't even be undone by a pneumatic wrench. So I went to my local Halfords and the only way to release the nuts was with heat. So my suggestion and recommendation to anyone who may get in to a similar situation be prepared to pay a visit to a garage. Oh this is for All models of car.

Great pics Paul. Out of interest what coilovers you fitting to your lexus?

Hi Lex. The part number for the genuine top mount incorporating the dust cover is 48680-530312 that's from Lexus Parts Direct. I've ordered suspension boots from ebay at £17 ish each. Gonna use the tubed part to attach to mine. I'll let you know how I get on when I do the job.

Have a look on Lexus Parts Direct. Good shout about Toyota parts. I'm gonna take my struts off when weather allows and gonna attach similar sized rubber/plastic tube to the top mount where there is a good couple of inches of tube to attach too. Crude maybe but it'll work as good as original.

Lex. I've just found out that the front suspension dust cover boots are integrated into the top mount. £196 each. What I ordered by mistake at £65 each are for the LS. I'm starting to think Lexus ownership is a joke because of some more than extortionate pricing they have for essentially simple items.

Lex. Ring round to get quotes to change front dampers, take off the price of the damper and go from there. Dampers can be got for a bit over £100.

Lex as far as doing the rubber boot job. It's something you can do yourself if you're a bit mechanically minded. You will need spring compressors which are priced between £10 and £20. Or if you're not then any half decent garage can do the job for a price.

Lex those rubber boits look nothing like suspension boots either front or back. By the way where in the world are you? The rubber boots although there are quite a few on ebay None fit the is250 and I've asked 6 sellers and all 6 have said sorry not for your car. Lexus dealer only sell the rubber boot with the top mount £200 OUCH. Lexus Parts Direct sell the boot only £65 and I've had no option but to buy 2 as mine have perished. As for checking carbon build up. If you are in America then your cars have a much higher chance of carbon build up coz your fuel is naff compared to what we have in the UK so the only way to check is to get the intake off and look down the ports.

Hi Lex. You've done the right thing coming here for advice. Yes the manuals are rare and only really liked by the very few. The vast majority prefer the auto. I take it the car you're after is miles and miles away and a private sale. If you've really got your heart set on it then you really must go see the car. Take a mechanic friend or technically minded friend for a 2nd opinion. Yes 125k miles would warrant cam chain replacement but that can be done at a good independent garage. Yes build quality is superb and parts expensive but parts are not really needed often. Give the car a ruddy good look over. Look underneath at suspension bushes and suspension strut rubbers. Example my 14 year old is250 needs new front suspension dust rubbers. £65 each. But hey its got to be done.

Another thing to consider well 2 so far are 1 the suspension dust cover shrouds. My front ones have come apart. 14 years old so to be expected but an utter bind to find aftermarket ones. Lexus ones £65 each OUCH. Now for the killer one. The bottom bush on the rear. The bush on the arm which the bottom of the suspension sits. That arm. One end goes to the chassis the other to the hub. That bush has a rubber boot with grease behind it. One of my boots has split. Oh and to replace that bush means a new hub. Yes a new hub. £650 please. Plus another 650 to swap. Oh the joys of old car ownership. (Repair jobs on the cards this week but at a fraction of the costs)