LenT

Or rather, Peter!!!! That is, replace the tyres as a pair.

It appears that British Standards stipulate that repairs can only be carried out within 3/4 of the tread area. Otherwise it can be deemed too close to the sidewall. Obviously your tyre dealer with have an opinion, but here’s what KwickFit has to say: https://www.kwik-fit.com/tyres/information/tyre-repair Or do as Brian has just suggested. 🙂

Yes it is, so perhaps I can pass the time by asking a question of my own. Is it an equal problem on both lamps? If you switch to high beam and leave it on for some time, does the condensation fade at all? I would expect condensation to begin to clear with the heat generated by the bulb, especially if they are HiD. If this doesn't produce any change at all then, considering the age of the lamps, could it be discolouration of the exterior of the lamp cover? I also wondered if, as you presumably don't want to buy new lamps, getting replacements from Lexus breakers is a possibility - assuming there are such places.

That pretty much reflects my own experience. About three weeks ago I got a quote from the WBAC website, just out of curiosity - as one does. As I then ignored it, I received further estimates until the offer was only £5K less than I had paid for it five years ago. Which strikes me as a reasonable rate of depreciation. Perhaps in years to come it will be regarded as a modern classic and start to appreciate instead! Clearly good ‘pre-owned’ cars are benefiting from the general rise in demand, but I also wonder if models such as mine - with a highly desirable V6 engine (imo) - which were not sold in very great numbers in the first place, also attract buyers who don’t want the added complexity of hybrid or battery versions. Perhaps it offers the added attraction of being one of a fast disappearing breed?

We’ve lived within earshot of Silverstone for over 40 years - if the wind’s in the right direction! But the only meetings that really attracted me were those of the Vintage Sports Car Club. You really have to be there to enjoy the special smell of Castrol R…. I do believe I saw a news item which suggested that your wish may be answered. New engine specs are being devised with the very purpose of restoring the noise of an F1 engine. On a nice summer’s day, we would watch the British GP on TV and have the doors open to the garden to allow some trackside noise to drift in.

Indeed so. For me it was Raymond Baxter who set the commentary standard for the BBC. A successful rally driver himself, he'd been a Spitfire pilot in WWll and I suppose that once you've had, say, 1800hp of Merlin engine in front of you, you can put an F1 engine of the time in perspective. But much as I used to enjoy F1, for really close motor racing and plenty of overtaking, I watch British Touring Car Championship races. Watching four of them taking a high speed corner in line abreast is something you'll rarely ever see in F1. Apart from the occasional appearance of an IS200, Lexus has not been seriously involved. Even then, it seems, the usual 6-cylinder engine was actually replaced with a 4-cylinder unit from the Toyota Altezza RS200. (Or so I read in the Touring Car Register!)

Although you do seem to get a lot of parking space for your money.

An excellent analysis Paul. Although I’d driven autos the IS250 was the first I’d actually bought. I used the paddles a few times when I first had the car, but quickly decided that, at my age, I rather liked having someone change gears for me. If I wanted a slightly brisker response then I would select the ‘Sport’ mode - but wouldn’t really want to be in that situation in the first place. Getting the benefit of engine braking during downhill descents is one advantage I can see - but one that I haven’t yet had the opportunity to use. Mind you, I’d probably want to practice using the paddles to engage/disengage auto mode first. It would certainly be interesting to know what percentage of Lexus owners regularly use the paddles, and their demographics. I suspect we tend towards the older end of the car ownership market and are less inclined to fantasise about the ways to ‘explore the performance envelope’ in order to shave pointless fractions of a second off a journey time. Or is that just me?

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!! 🙂 In all seriousness----I agree. I always record it (F1 that is) so that I can: a) Avoid the commercials. b) Avoid Steve Jones. For all I know he may be a perfectly affable lad in real life. But to me he appears to think that he's talking to 14 year-old schoolboys. I get the feeling listening to him that he was once bitten by an American 'shock jock' on a local radio station and has been infected with the inane chatter virus. In contrast the contributions and exchanges by David Coulthard and Mark Webber are always intelligent, perceptive, articulate and have the benefit of coming from those who have been there, done that! Do they really need anyone else? I also wonder if the BBC, having lost both F1 and cricket, could ever afford to bring either back? Perhaps the more cost effective option would be to combine the two in some way? The objective would be to eliminate the boring bits of both sports and combine the bits when something dramatic happens. Just remember; you heard it here first....

My error Herbs. I must try to keep up!

The free Garmin updates include software files for the operating system as well as map data. Can’t speak for other brands.

Sadly, no Marianne. But all is not lost. Provided the camera is set up to be activated by motion sensing, it will record the errant driver approaching or leaving their vehicle. Equally it will record the vehicle arriving or leaving. If the G-force sensors have been set sufficiently sensitive, then they will register the impact. I recall coming back to my car and noticing a warning indication on the camera. It turned out to be caused by me shutting the door when I left it! OK, so you return to your car to find a serious mark on a door and perhaps a small paint mark that matches a car that was there when you arrived. You have the time when that car left and its registration; maybe even an impact record. As every forensic scientist knows, your car will probably leave evidence on their car. So what happens next depends on how far you want to pursue the matter. These days I do make a habit of just checking round the car when I arrive back. Cars have got wider, but supermarket parking spaces haven’t.

As a long time Garmin user, I could not have put it better myself, John. So I won’t even try! 🙂

Well it’s either been very well maintained or very well presented - or probably both! The V6 engine is, I presume, the same as in my Gen.3 - in which case it’s a joy to use and own. Annual mileage is surely below average and I note that it has passed every MOT, with just the odd advisory - which have all presumably been addressed. Looks very clean inside with little obvious wear. Colour is certainly unusual, but I would say elegant and refined. You’ve been looking for some time now Frank. Can’t comment on price, but if you can arrange a test drive then it’s surely decision time. Good luck with it!

Good thinking, Barry. Personally I think it’s well past time that these systems were standard equipment, in the same way in-car entertainment is. These days most established dash cam brands are pretty good. Next Base has already been mentioned; I’ve had excellent results from BlackVue systems over the years. There are plenty of videos online showcasing the various brands. A front/rear set up is definitely the way to go. On a surprising number of occasions I’ve watched some chancer indulging in risky overtakes to get up to my bumper - and then suddenly drop back as, presumably, they spot the camera on the rear window. Too late by then of course…great fun! As Herbs mentioned earlier, get the best microSD cards you can. Ideally use the biggest one the system can take; carry a spare, in case you’re involved in an incident and need to secure the evidence; copy any useful files to, say, a PC and reformat the card regularly because the constant overwriting can introduce errors. Finally, I would urge you to ensure that the camera is set up to record while you are away from the car and the ignition is off. On the BlackVue site there are many examples of collisions/scrapes/thefts occurring while vehicles are parked. There a various ways of doing this, from additional battery packs to a voltage regulating power supply. And if you’re really interested, BlackVue offer systems that will notify your smartphone if the system is activated while you’re away. Or simply allow you to watch what’s going on! Hours of endless fun!

The main site I had in mind is detailingworld.co.uk I don’t know if it has a geographical search facility. Or maybe it’s possible to place an enquiry for a local Detailer? May be of some help?

Many thanks for the extra detail, Neil. From my (limited) experience I would say that you got very sound advice from both Detailers. If you weren’t about 120 miles away, i’d recommend my guy! He was very happy to add my modest IS250 to the many exotica that fill his Facebook page. And I understand it received a reasonable number of likes - whatever that means. But it must be said that great as he was on Detailing, on business detail… not so much. I suspect that these guys - and they all do seem to be guys - are more hands-on than management, shall we say. It’s not for me to excuse their poor business practice, but unless they’re stacked out doing motors for Mancunian footballers I really don’t think they’d turn down a car for being a Lexus. And once you can provide a delivery date I’m sure that will focus their mnds! I don’t know how you located the two you consulted, but there are websites devoted to professional Car Detailers and I’m sure there are more than two in the GM area. I can only urge you to persevere as you are clearly a Lexus enthusiast and this is the one chance to give your brand new ES a special finish from the very start!

Just a few thoughts to add to the very good advice you’ve already had, Neil. Firstly, I suspect these are not ‘Ceramic Coaters’ you’ve contacted but Car Detailers and the coating part would normally be one of the last processes in a long and…well, detailed operation. As has been mentioned, the idea that they lose interest on hearing it’s a Lexus is very unlikely. It’s more likely down to the realisation that you don’t actually have car. The guy who detailed mine took four days and that needed some weeks notice - and a deposit - to fit it in. In other words, it’s a fair commitment for what are usually small, one person businesses. However I do recall other posters who have firm delivery dates from a dealer arranging to take the car directly to the Detailer to have the paint finish ‘corrected’ and coatings applied. So that’s probably the time when you’re in the best position to get the work organised. Incidentally - and I’m sure you already know this, but it’s probably worth repeating - most Detailers will emphasise that you should stay clear of car washes - and most car washers - in future as they are the prime causes of paint swirls. That I was going to have to start washing my own car again did come as something of a surprise!

I would agree there James. She’s a lot more patient than my Wife, who also likes to give directions. The problem is the shouting match that ensues when the two of them disagree. 😐

Wise move John. Your Garmin, like my Garmin, is far superior to the Lexus version of a sat nav. It has always puzzled me that a company that will source its sound system from Mark Levinson didn’t go to the likes of Garmin for their sat nav. Of course there will be commercial considerations that determine their choice of supplier. But I have yet to hear from an owner who thinks Lexus has even attained ‘adequate’ in this area.

Really just replying to push this up the current listings. With all the excellent DIYers on this site, I’m a bit surprised it hasn’t attracted some informed comment. Or is everyone so expert they don’t actually need this - the home version of the workshop manual. Like you, I suspect, the original printed versions were an essential adjunct to car ownership when both cars and life were a lot simpler. Now that models are so complex, require special tools and can be produced in so many variations, I wonder if one manual can effectively cover them all? Nevertheless, I would have thought that if you were planning to do any extensive work yourself, the relatively modest outlay for a digital manual would be a sensible investment, based on the quality of the printed originals. Mind you, possibly not quite as easy to use - and you may end up with grease marks on the screen!

The latest Michelins are the CrossClimate 2. I would have fitted CCs to my IS250 but it had two different sizes front and rear, of which Michelin only did one. So I chose the then newly launched Goodyear F1 Asymmetric 5 and, as my personal priority is wet road performance, they have been an outstanding choice. Cold weather is less critical here in Northamptonshire as we don’t seem to get extreme snow falls any more! In terms of noise, they are on a par with the CCs we have on our other car - and a considerable improvement on the Yokos it came with. One thing to bear in mind with the Goodyears: some of the sizes are what they call ROF - Run On Flat. Some, like mine, are marked Extra Load. Many tyre specialists prefer EL to ROF, which they say produces a firmer and less comfortable ride due to the relative inflexibility of the sidewalls.

Ideal for the colour blind buyer perhaps, who might not understand what all the fuss is about? In any case, it’s not a car to choose if you wanted to avoid attention - whatever the colour. If the dealer can’t shift it then it might be worth getting a quote for a respray and suggesting that as a discount. On the other hand, all this extra publicity might have been all it needed to make a sale! What is to become of this car? Social pariah or Facebook star? Will it become an Influencer? To quote that car guru, Arthur Daley, “The World is its lobster”.

Sorry…forgot to add that I was also trying to shut the door!