mtDrews

Thanks for great info again Colin. My lexus spends a lot of time each year in snow and salted roads, so better change the transmission then I guess! 😬

Terrific, thanks Colin! Am I right in thinking that the fluid level should be no lower than 5mm from the filler hole then - that's the check? Also is inspection mode = Maintenance mode in the drPrius and Hybrid Assistant apps?

Hello LOC! It's been a while 🙂 My is300h is about to hit 90K kilometers (56k miles) and I've now decided to start servicing the car myself as I'm planning on driving the car to the end of its life and cover a lot of miles every year. There's just one thing I'm struggling to understand. The service manual sayst that the transmission fluid should be CHECKED every 60k kilometers. But not specified for change? Yet the transmisison oil is specified in the owner's manual. The question then is how would you actually check the transmisison oil? Is there a dipstick or anything for checking the quality and level? Anyone have experience with this service point? Thanks!

Thanks! It's a hard working car for sure, that's why I decided for a Lexus 😁

Should have mentioned, it is parked outside and temps are usually -25 or colder on a -20 day. So the 52.3 mpg includes a very rough wake up for the car in the morning 🤯 Here's a pic of the usual view out the windscreen, admittedly 'just' -12 this time 🙂

Just want to add an anecdote here... This is my first winter with the 300h here in northern Sweden, and I've managed to get an impressive average 52.3 UK MPG in colder than -20 degrees C fill-up to fill-up. I was really surprised with this, but you have to consider that the road condition at the time didn't even allow you to go the speed limit most of the time. Which leads to very slow and controlled acceleration and deacceleration and a maximum of 50 MPH. Also this particular trip had virtually no stop-start driving, it was basically just coasting between 30 - 50 mph. I should also add that the SE 300h has wider rear summer tyres so that of course favours winter mpg and obviously the AC can be always off in the winter as well.

In my opinion it certainly helps, especially if you select a low ratio with the paddles. But as Route66 said there'll still be a split second "lag" for the eCVT to engage with the right rpm. I'm really not bothered by it personally but could see why some are.

Is yours just not used in winter or did you aquire it just now? 😁👍 There is fun to be had on an empty parking lot with some fresh snow and an RWD car for sure...

They are beautiful indeed! Wouldn't be able to distinguish it from the 300h at first sight 😅 I imagine the non-CT in the is250 makes it all the more rewarding to drive, at the cost of economy of course..

I agree with you fully. In fact probably ever other car I've owned was better at this sort of thing as they've been higher power bimmers - but I was just as impressed nonetheless by the IS simply because I wasn't expecting it from this "highly sensible" car 🙂 Also, I'm kind of differentiating between performance and fun.

...then you're missing out!! I bought my IS300h 7 or so months ago, because I wanted a compact, comfortable, RWD car that would be cheaper to run than the older BMW's I've owned previously. With that said, I've never driven the IS in a 'sporty fashion' until today since that's what my motorcycle is for anyway. But today, after having put the bike in for winter storage I figured I'd give it a shot just to see. Unloaded everything I didn't need from the IS and went to a favorite windy bike route. I put the car in sport mode, 'manual' paddle mode, ASC 50% on. Man, was that fun! The IS handled beautifully and there was plenty enough power. Great steering feedback too. I didn't even care if it was silly with the ASC sound or the flappy paddle CVT because it was so much fun 🙂 I was pleasantly surprised and I'm happier than ever with the IS - the car that does both. So just wanted to share and encourage those who want to try as long as it can be done risk free of course 🤪

Sooo Jason, how about that EGR job? 😉

Thank you all for the kind words ☺️ definitely helps hearing other horror stories! And to clarify, the CT was moving. I just happened to intercept it in the worst way 💩

Today I was the idiot you sometimes come across in traffic.... Excited for my is300h's first service since I purchased it a month ago, I set off for an hours drive to the closest Lexus center. Once there I realised the parking space just outside would be too narrow so I started backing out again. Check rear camera - clear. Check crossing traffic to the left - clear. Rolled off and I was looking back again through the rear there was a sudden thud. I'd managed to plant my IS in a new CT200h..... Both passenger doors crumpled on the CT. My IS got off easier, the dent came out and there's just some scuffing to take of.... But man I feel like such a complete and utter tool for causing this. 😟 /vent complete

Thanks for the write-up Jason! Could you clarify what you mean with the "The front edge of the O/S chassis leg" please? Could be worth keeping an eye on... 🙂 Also did you notice anything suggesting a failing EGR cooler or was this just preventative maintenance??