Ben01

Linas, yeah, you rationale about oil changes is better than mine. I agree, even good filters are far away from perfect (on the other hand, it's one part I don't spare money, IMHO there are collosal differences in filters, their valves, etc - problem is, like half of aftermarket, with consistency of quality; brand/type bloody good half a year ago has realy bad quality today). Okay, scrap my stupid ideas, oils are too cheap to waste time on discussion even. About eco factor, I dont believe in any claims of dispossal of used engine oil other than use as fuel, hopefully in proper boilers/ovens with hi temp and good filters. But as I said, I am not supergreen, it is minor factor for me. BTW on flaws and rattling hydraulics, I have feeling sometimes it much more complex. I had not so much exeprience with troublesome hydro valves (only those 2.9 fords with tiny valves' "cylinder" and tiny oil flow, especially in "far end" of heads), but from all stories like yours, many friends with ford-cosworths, a few with infamous chrysler engines (if anybody think Toyota brought some flaws at valves, check the stories about 2.7 chryslers). All and all it looks like one thing is design of valve and oil distribution etc, but other important factor is how much sooth engine produce. Because lower viscosity helps, it is obvious, but flush helps, longlife oils help, hi-grade oils help, etc. means the deposit is much more problem than viscosity. And I don't know, it suggests the piston rings problems or design flaws too, valve sealing/bearing problems, etc. not only valve and oil lines flaws? But I am not familiar with enginees with compress. ratio higher than 10:1 and sqeezed hi HP from litre, so maybe I missed something here. BTW BTW one thing is for sure, for valvetrain, hydro valves, etc. "bigger is better", bigger "acctuators", sealings, oil lines etc. I remember once or twice I though why my 2.9 ford rattling on valves and my oldie 4.0 from same family (ford explorer, they bored 2.9 up to 4.0) never rattle. My wrong presumtion was they have same valves and maybe different oil's lines, pump, or so. Nope, I understood when I have seen headless 4.0 - 2.9 has valve "cylinders" diameter like my finger, 4.0 got something closer to an inch... but this old design "for USA" or "like AK47" is gone, everything now is more compact, lighter, delicate, more HP/l or per kg... and often much more troublesome. Cost of progress, they say. But enough maybe, it is babling from old grumpy guy, not about oils.

If you have done the fuel sensor and you smell the fuel a bit now, logicaly, somebody failed job on sensor a bit...

Sorry for stupid question (I read the thread like about royal family problems, it is fascinating but far far away from my cars and experience): is this kind of detailing and ceramic coating valid for Lexus (or any) painting warranty?

IMHO it was best course of action (OK, the best course is a brand new tranny 😉), used tranny is a bit of lottery maybe, but to refurbish fried one is lottery squared. I believe your workshop is honest and pro, but modern transmissions are such a complex and precise, it is near impossible to be sure if refurbish after "meltdown" was "good enough", especially in long time. I hope your new transmission will be ok for many many miles.

Congratulations for willpower to keep nice barge running. BTW some comments to situation from my experience: if after such catastrophal failure (pool of ATF, or long ride with serious electric/valve fault, etc. or you sure tranny was seriously overheated) and transmission clearly failed, any workshop or service, even manufacurer's one, insists "lets drop and open tranny and we will see, maybe only X or Y (small print: you pay for this analyse)", laugh on them loudly, ask them "oh wait you are serious? let me laugh even harder", and laugh on them even harder. IMHO fault after any serious overheat or lost of ATF counts as transsmision is scrap immediately, and has only two solutions 1) replace the tranny 2) full refurbish of overheated one (and keyword is "full", means long time and nice pile of shekels). BTW BTW I once upon a time picked up option 2) refurbish - I also like to live dangerously.

I have seen this in the net like week or two ago, and I was "nay", especially for this Kiriko inserts. And I am same now, when you refreshed my memory. In fact, I don't like this LS interior too much. Don't get me wrong, there are fabulous details and solutions (this "koto strips"! and wheel, and armrests, and seats, etc), but other details are a bit ridiculous, and whole picture is: too much, too dense, too many pieces and styles, for my taste of course. Especially in this "flagship" combination on the photo, Kiriko +burgundy +black +silver +whatthehell +more. Some other toned combinations look a bit better.

As I said Castrol (and couple of other oils) was significant noiser on my hi mileage cars, in different cars, temperatures, conditions, than other oils. This mostly define mine "worse-better" oils. End of my definition. You could be right about additives, but as far as remember any chemical tests for modern oils (used on change, etc) I have seen, never much of additives was "gone" or "used" or viscosity very detoriated, for normal and better than normal oils, at last. Like, I have looked at any test for Millers EE mentioned above, just curious what is this as I never was interested in, first test I've seen for some audi claims for "used" EE oil still has plenty of zinc, phosporus, MoS2, etc. and viscosity detoriated only a bit. So I don't think additives disapears such fast as you suggest. My sort-of idea for longer oil changes and shorthen the filter perios base on thoughts: 1) I have a feeling modern oils and additives have longer lifespan 2) if we compare in the same money I prefer better, probably more expensive, oil for longer, than worse, probable cheaper oil and change more often 3) I am not super-green, but I don't like idea "to waste" such agent as engine oil "unnecessary" BUT 4) there is no way even the best oil in the world handles with metal, ruber, sooth etc. particles and deposits grinding the engine, it is good filter job. From my experience with hydraulic valves, high mileage mostly, if they are such a sensitive for oil detoriation, quality or flush, etc. they are some flaws in valves design (there is a lot possibilities, strange sealings, too small "cylinder", or too small oil flow, or flow in such manner valves or oil lines act as deposit filters for sooth, etc). And especially if it is same situation in same near-new engines. I feel your pain, and what can I say, maybe I should zip my mouth and don't advise about oils to ANY modern power-squized engines - last time I had hydraulic valves issues was 1991 Granada Scorpio 2.9 about 200k miles on the clock. I did not care about the rattling of couple of valves at all, but it was something like 50HP/l and 9:1, two valves/cylinder engine, not like more-less 80HP/l and 12:1 quad-valve in your IS. So who cares, the car was rattling a bit and flied next 50 or 60k miles. But it is sort of revelant - because last time I tried Castrol it was exactly this ratling 2.9 ford, and on Castrol Edge all noise was worsen, not only valves rattling. And last "fancy" oil I ever tried was Liquimolly on the same ford too, and I did not believe how smooth and quiet the car immediately was. But this is old story, I kept this ford like 10 years, next garaged for years and scrapped year ago, all it was 3 lexuses and some other stuff ago, dont listen to me.

Just idea - before dig in manual or dig in options, maybe point the car in the evening against any vertical sort-of empty wall (or against the wall in dark garage) and lite the lights, and judge pattern on the wall? Next, if have to correct, looking for the action or option? (for me always most imporant is colour of the tape, I have always a problem with proper match to the body, platinum silver or charcoal black, so many choices).

Sorry for bad grammar in last post even for my low standards, I am probably too tired after this day (week? month? decade!) to write anything in any language, not only English.

I just back home from GS - very nice weather, nice area, and just me, GS and clickety front upper arm. Easy job done, only one [censored] detail on the way - aftermarket arm was pretty good this time, I am sort of good at this sport (this was my third or fourth lexi upper arm job), but: some cheap moron delivery with the arm very very VERY low cost crone nut. I even thought a moment to put old one back, becouse new shiny was a little too short to proper lock it, but finally, meh, new one is the better one. O'rly? The [censored] nut lost a thread before I said "but I used one hand only and short spanner". And annoingly it has left enough thread to make impossible to unscrew it... So I have to bring extension, dremel, etc. and have to cut this shiny p-o-s, and use old nut instead. But it is done, tomorrow we will heard what piece is clicking next. Another forgotten point done before: antenna "upgraded" as wire on pillar A and over the door (stick in this GS is aftermarket and broken. BTW even is they works, I always disconnect this annoying miracle of '90 technology). Maybe I should make a real list what I did last mont (I bougth the car like 3rd June?), because it looks a bit insane... On the other hand, it is sort-of typical for me, I jump into new car maintenance and "upgrades" like Coyote from cliff, and next I have nothing to do for months, only normal maintenance, and next I am bored, and next I have to buy another/next car, and again...

Linas, I 100% agree mediocre oil now matches superb oil 15yr ago. But still, are all oils on the market same? I dont think so. Again, my point is, why bother yourself with savings 25 pound yearly (means cost of one or fwo days of ownership of the car), if you could grab something slightly better. And argument "if it is good for Lexus is good for you" is invalid, they have a different prices, cost, scale than me or you, and I am too long inside industry (in broad sense) to trust any sentence "if X is good enough for Big Player Y, is good for his customer". BTW oil lifetime span is improved too, thru last decade or two, in my mind. I would think is nothing wrong to change good oil every 10k or 12k miles (ok, maybe change good filter "twice", ie filter every 5-6k miles, oil 10-12k). On the other hand, I did not know Lexus use Castrol as kind of OEM, so I did not know I just pee on the corner of our altar. Apologies, but I still stay with my opinion and I will try to avoid Castrol oils. I have month or two to oil change, we will see how smart and rich I'll feel when it will be my money, not OPs 😉

Sorry, it is not about rant on "big boys" - I mentioned and used Mobil, Comma when I used them a lot was Mobil subsidiary, I got Shell occasionally (in my feeling Shell's quality was closer to Castrol than Mobil). And many others and practicaly no-name stuff (about 18 cars last 18 years, you know). "Feel worse" is mostly about noise on start, and on cold and hot engine, sometimes on performance (but this was probably subjective as hell), and once or twice on old sealing damages (but this was Mobil One decades ago 😉 ) But: everybody has own judgement, you are pro and happy with EE oil in a near new car, I am amateur and probably I will never put in my old barges anything like this. Or Castrol 😝 You care about +-3mpg, I don't care about improvement from 20 to 23mpg. Etc etc. This is beauty of modern world and relative infinity choices we have. What really triggered me to touch the keyboard to answer OP in first place, was not about oil, but 1) OP was looking for advice 3) OP is looking at "cheap and good" oil 2) OP used words "false economy". My point of view is: there are better oils than Edge 5W30 for double the price, the best oils I ever heard for triple the price (and oils much worse than Castrol for half a price, but this is out of the scope). But if we talk about true view it is more like 25/45/75 ratio in pounds, not 100/200/300 ratio in percent. So we talk about 25 to 50 pounds saver. My guess is: OP's cost of IS250 2012 is minimum about 10-15 pounds per day, just to keep her in garage (depreciation+tax+insurance), without any fuel or maintenance or cost of garage... So what kind of economy we talk about, if for rather critical consumable for roughly yearly maintenance we are looking for cost savings equal two days' cost of ownership? (I near convinced myself to buy a tank of Royal Purple. Maybe I'll jump outside to play with GS'es front upper arm, before I'll do something stupid.)

Tim, it is not valid argument, there are zylion of much worse manufacturers than Castrol, produce bad stuff, and still on the market for decades. And I did not say Castrol is worst of them, I personaly use Castrol once or twice, and it feels worse than other manufacturers on same price shelf, lets say Mobil, or slightly more expensive, like old Comma (I have no idea about Comma now). But probably I shall shut up, as last time I really care about what brand of oil I put in the car was a few cars and years ago (and it was Liquimolly, if anybody asks).

Ok, I believe you. And there is another reason never bother myself with Bose. I could not imagine any other reason for true 0.5ohm speakers and compatible a low volts / hi amps amplifiers other than "creative" marketing. Or totaly wrong design, but I bet it was not a case, it was deliberated. For me lowest but still "standard" impedance fo car audio is like pioneers in my GS, 2ohm, or 1.8ohm I have seen once or twice, I don't remember what stuff. Anything below this is like falling deeper and deeper in engineering insanity 😉

Never use hot glue for anything more important than temporary catch a piece of paper or plastic, or a cable, on your table or at workbench, not in the car or device. In my mind, the advertizing of hot glue as "glue" is pure fraud. For this grille I would try to use any glue for windscreens, windows, ie glass-to-body glue, same way as for windows etc. Be aware this black poliurethane stuff is sticky to anything and VERY difficult to clean. About lamp holes, yeah, if you could live without foglamps, probably the easy way is to find any inserts from any cheap car with similar shaped holes, a little cut and grind, some brackets, and it will be fine. Or slightly more difficult way, maybe try to fit some mesh, same as you have at other holes? I would be too lazy for this, it needs a lot of work to neat fit it without ugly edges, but...

It's valid information, but as far as I remeber, over "flashcode" or DLC3 mode, you get only rudimentary information from ECU, "fat errors" only. Nothing like "missfire on cylinder no." the OP is looking for. With proper programme and interface you get much more from same ECU in "OBD2 mode" (and you could programme or change a couple of things in you lexus), unfortunately there is no popular interface for this job on elder toyota/lexus.

Welcome and congratulations.10yr old LS with lo miles and good condition would be the bargain of century.

From my experience with rusty sills and arches (hello, former ford guy here), if you see the heavy red discoloration, not mention the bubles or cracks, is too late for any "easy" methods. Filling, patching, painting etc. are waste of resources, bad red girl will be back in months. Only proper cut and weld a new steel do a job, with all costs and troubles. BTW this was reason I given up with first GS, it was fine for a moment, but after year or two in my hands she revealed her real red nature, here and there and everywhere. Another option is to cover bad cosmetics with wrap, foil, plastics, etc. just to not see them and if you don't plan to keep the car for long time. Under the cover or wrap rust eats sills or arches twice faster, of course.

I personaly do not touch Castrol oils even with hazop gloves and long stick, but where is any economy in this story if there is Edge 4L at ebay at £21.99. And how much do you plan to save on oil? In my mind decent 5W30 oils are about £40 per 5l and £15 saving means nothing, or did I miss something?

Interesting idea! I am personaly too lazy to do ever anything like this and it is "too delicate" solution for my taste, but this is very fresh idea.

Your are perfectly right, everybody moves up to highly efficient speakers, even real hi-end manufacturers, conservative as hell. One thing is low voltage/power world, not cars only, but USB, BT devices, battery powered everywhere, etc. Another thing, with new and much better materials and design "why not?" be efficient. So, when I was young 40-30yr ago, 86dB hi-fi speaker was "hi efficient", normal was about 82-84dB. Now common hi-end speakers are 89-90 or up to 92dB even. And keep in mind every 3dB efficiency up is roughly twice the volume, from same watts.

Yeah, in early '90 they probably use slightly better steel than 2002. Or 2006. And the south is not so salty as Wales or Scotland, probably. BTW in late '80 - early '90 even bigger fords (sort-of my area of expertise) got decent exhausts, like good mild steel with aluminium plating. It withstands 20+ years, maybe 30 in no-salty-winter countries. It was common knowledge for big fords technical savvy owners "dont scratch or weld or cut any ori exhaust "silver" parts with Motocraft logo and punch your mechanic in the face if he did it", becouse after welding overheat or grinder, the parts dissapear faster than you say "where did this aluminium plating go?". But this epoch has gone.

Disagree. There are many levels of possible tint, I would tint them a bit (look at my built thread photos ), not turn them into black stuff, like a few people here and there in UK (at continent is to risky probably, and they could lost MOT on first corner).

Mark Levinson is Harman-Kardon brand, and they probably used good JBL speakers (their common speaker brand) rebranded, so I don't think you find in "Mark Levinson Lexus" any frankincense and myrrh. BTW Harman-Kardon is Samsung subsidiary now. I am not familiar with Bose, but "as low as 0.5ohm" sounds for me like marketing babling based on "creative data pick up". If sort-of normal speaker has average 2 ohm, like simple old pioneers in lexus, lower saddle on curve is less than 1ohm, about 0.5ohm. If Bose has average 0.5ohm, not 2 or 1.8ohm, OK, this is something. I have no idea, why anybody prefers heaters in form of speakers, but it is other issue. But only if we talk about average impedance, not down-peak.

Honestly, I grabbed first decent LEDs I passed at Halfords when I picked up toyota/lexus spray bottle. It was not Halfords own brand, but other & "better" (Phillips? Bosch?), I did not care and bin box&package immediately. But by accident they match HIDs nice too. But you right, I should care more and check before buy, it could be nasty suprise. (Like in previous GS, I refurbished A/C and audio lite with white LEDs and even tried to match them with gauges; in theory should be fine, in practice they were much warmer and result annoyed me for months. But I have no will nor time for second try, and next - I am simple monkey, used to anything).