JamesIS220

I liked the colour too. If you're not aware you can put the REG number of any potential car purchase and see the MOT history here. What is the vehicle's registration number - Check MOT history – GOV.UK Hope you find your ideal IS 250. James.

Sorry to hear of your IS220D woes. I bought a 2006 IS220D 5 years ago on a whim thinking better MPG and reliable. Never failed an MOT or any advisories and serviced yearly. Had 172,000 miles and was clean. Paid £1,475 for it on Ebay. Fitted a full size spare alloy by cutting out the boot tray. New AC condenser so ice cold AC. New Avon 7V7 tyres all round 2 months prior to scrapping it! On collection drove fine and no HG failure. Lasted 19 months before coolant pressurising and coming out the vent pipe overflow and down the rad/fan. Gradually got worse and scrapped it for £350. Mine was a basic SE trim. loved the build quality, safety kit and the colour. Mismatched gearbox and turbo lag I didn't like. Prior and still drive the old rear wheel drive Volvo 740, 240 and since 2016 a 1996 Volvo 940 SE LPT, petrol auto estate. Paid £250 then and still going strong at 211,000 miles. Should of bought a IS250 Soon after bought a Toyota Auris Hybrid TS. Cheap to run and does it's job. Photo of it on day of collection for scrap. Said they scrapped 4 a week. Injectors keeping, cut off the cat, wheels and tyres as looked really good. Body panels no demand! James.

Congrats on the purchase, looks lovely. Not a Lexus owner but have an Auris Hybrid. Also just put my 1996 Volvo 940 auto estate for MOT and it passed. My work van. Cheap in 2016, paid £250. 3 advisories. Slight seepage PAS hose. Rear exhaust leak. Prop centre bearing slight play. Not bad for 211,000 miles. Petrol auto.

In 2016 I bought my 1996 Volvo 940 estate for £250. It was a well neglected car but ran well. It had 3 different brands of tyres on and 3 different tread patterns. I slid on a double island, (back end started to slide out) soon after purchasing the car even though car fully laden with renovation tools and not going too fast in the wet. Went from the UK Midlands to the West coast of Ireland from Fishguard to Rosslaire. On my return I looked on Ebay and got lucky with Michelin Energy saver being sold, as seller upgraded to a larger size alloy wheel from 15 inch. The new buyer only wanted the 4 and not the spare! Bought the virtually unused spare that was 8 months old for £25 and 7.8mm tread. A few weeks later bought another Michelin energy Saver used but again less than 12 months old by 4 number DOT code for £20. Had my garage check them over and happy to fit and balance them for £15 the pair. No puncture repairs and still on the vehicle although last few years just left the Winter tyre set on as only do 1-2k miles a year. Winter tyres were bought new. Goodyear Ultragrip 9. Had a puncture on edge and bought a new old stock replacement as 9 now discontinued and now 9+ with different pattern. Michelins Still in good condition with no cracks but getting on now. A few months later bought 2 new Michelin energy savers from ATS for the front. Both have around 5mm of tread. Toyota Auris have Goodyear Efficient Grip Type 2 new from the dealer. Been on around 3 years and around 4.5mm on front.

My best cars for reliability and cost have been. 1986 Volvo 740 estate 2.3. Bought in 2002 for £425. Kept for 5 years. Then a new Corolla 1.4 D4D hatch, New in France in 2007 Traded in the LHD corolla and bought a 1989 Volvo 240 GLT auto estate with 159,000 miles for £350 in 2009. 8 years as my only car and sold in late 2018 with 234,000 miles after 10 years use. Wanted something with ABS and AC and so bought a 1996 Volvo 940 SE lpt auto estate in 2016 for £250. Still have this. 240 and 940 have been my best Volvo's. Have a 2015 Toyota Auris Hybrid too. Like the road tax and MOT but not bonded with it like the Volvo's. Like the reliability of Toyota and running costs, hence choosing it. Wish the door window switches were illuminated like my 940. When you open the 940 drivers door it unlocks all the doors with the central locking. Auris have to press the unlock button to open the other doors. The biggest good thing about newer cars is crash safety. If I was to be involved in an accident rather it in the Auris. Volvo 940 is a old design that's updated from 1983 when the 740 came out. Good in it's day.

On my Toyota Auris estate it had continental eco contact 6 all round from the factory. They were 5 years old and the sidewalls on the fronts were cracking and aging. Tread depth around 3.7mm rears a bit more. Replaced in 2021 with Goodyear ultra grip performance 2's. No issues, found them a bit quieter and grip well. Fronts still have 4-5mm rear even more. Do around 6k miles a year.

Not a CT but a 2015 Toyota Auris hybrid TS. Re insured with the AA after compare the market search, all around £500+ but nobody I had heard of. Phoned AA and haggled and accepted at £603. Around 80 more than last year. 5 years NCD. Age 45. good area, no points etc and same excess as last year, plus business use. 8k miles per year. 11 years NCD used on my 1996 Volvo 940. £220 fully comp for business use. Zenith Insurance. Not heard of them either, but if accident, sure just written off due to car being 28 years old. James.

I take it the tyre shop checked the rear tyre pressures as I believe the tyre pressure sensors need to be equal pressure in all 4 tyres to work. Ie say 34PSI as an example all round. May be a tyre pressure sticker on drivers A pillar. Mobile fitter may of inflated, over pressure or not matching the rear tyre pressure. James.

A good post on the subject. PIRTEK also, make AC hoses. Only issue need to know length and what fittings need to be crimped onto the ends to make up a new pipe. If the joins are visible and can take a photo shop may know what fittings are needed. James

I have the now discontinued Goodyear Ultra Grip 9 winter tyres since 2016 on my 1996 Volvo 940 rear wheel drive automatic. They transformed the car, over Michelin Summer tyres. Could actually pull away and stop and steer in deep snow like the beast from the east. Would go goodyear again. Now do Ultra Grip 9+ Highly recommended.

I think so long as no cords showing in the cracks then legal. I bought a 2015 Auris Hybrid when it was 5 years old and the continental eco contact front tyres were cracked on the outside wall at 5 years old and 26,000miles. Legal apparently, but felt uneasy and only had 3.8mm of tread so a few months later had fitted 4x Goodyear efficient grip performance 2's and seem a good tyre. Fronts are now 3.6mm so will probably replace them in the Autumn. rears around 5.5mm Also had a Lexus IS220D with Goodyear tyres and they were cracked at 3-5 years old. Fitted budget Avon 7v7 and glad I did as scrapped 3 months later as head gasket went at 187k. Volvo on Michelin energy savers and Goodyear ultra grip 9 winter tyres. James.

That's the one!

Sorry to hear of your car issues, but at least know what's wrong. Picture is very James Bond!!

Looks as has been said to be knackered. Cracking, split, between the top C and the H in MICHELIN, and seems to of spent it's life rubbing against kerbs. Side of tyre looks well worn, cracking. New tyre time unfortunately. Check them all for splits.

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