Sapphire Cam

My last service (30k), Melb City Lexus (MCL) needed the car for 3 days in the end (sunroof buzz, which needed the roof lining off). Without question they gave me a brand new is250 for the full time (had just 800kms on the clock). And given I dont have the EMV pack, it was nice to play with the one in this loan vehicle. Very handy, as I was thinking of a change-over next year, and was curious about how good the ML sound system, satnav, bluetooth etc. was. Ive found MCL to be faultless, and would be the first to recommend them.

We are assuming that this facelift is for the is 250 as well. It may just be the is350, to help differentiate the two models. The only difference between the two models currently is under the bonnet. Just a thought. Word is the is-F is being delayed into Australia, because inital rumblings was that it was different enough from the 250. So perhaps the is-F that is available in Australia from Oct/Nov this year, might have these upgraded features seen here. Next time Im in the dealership, I might ask them about an upgrade. BTW, Have they made the reversing rear lights try to look like 'L's (as in Lexus), or is that just me?

We all know that we can set the speed and RPM for when the instrument dial rings glow orange, but can you preset the speedo and tacho instrument dial to glow red? I understand that the dial rings only light up red at >180km/h and >7000RPM, but I was wondering if there is a way to set these red limits as well. For example, I would like the speedo ring to glow red at 110 km/h (as a highway speed alert), not at 180km/h!!!

Theres another forum here that explains this issue. Happened to me a few times - resulting from a few faulty VVTi valves or something. Lexus fully aware - will fix without any questions. Think the problem was rectified for vehicles mid 07 onwards. There is a TSIB out there somewhere also that explains the issue.

I have a 04/06 model, and the moonroof has been a recurring issue. Its worse in colder weather (ie. early mornings and the cabin has not yet warmed up). Ive had it back a few times for them to look at it. The initial creaking is due to the seal needing lubirication as mentioned in this forum (Ive found some silicon spray ie. tyre cleaner helps). However the roof lining did come off during my last service (30k), for the technicians to have a full go at it, and Ive noticed they cut some small bits of the two steel tracks out. The sunroof still makes some noise, particularly on 'tilt'. However, when the roof is opened partially or full, there is no noise whatsoever. It does appear to be a problem that is testing the Lexus technicians. Im going to wait for the warmer weather to come in a couple of months time and see if it still does it. If not, its going to go back again, and Im going to site with a technician to point out the specific noise issues.

That's a pity, and a surprise about the service you are getting from your dealer. My dealer has been totally first class. Ive had a few little niggles with my vehicle, nothing remotely serious - as my partner says 'trivial', and they went above and beyond during its routine 30k service. The key with any modifications etc. is consultation with your service manager. Maybe its just the level of service my dealer provides, but Ive been on the phone to the service manager several times to get advice on tyres, self-maintenance dos and donts, and would be on the phone to him again if I was thinking about anything after market. Perhaps go to another Lexus dealer for a second opinion (I did once), and talk about what you want to do. If you are baulking at the price of Lexus after-market parts (like illuminated sills), they might be able to do a deal for you, or build a special price into your next service. These things can be done.

Haz - good for you! You shouldn't have this issue with your sparkly new is250!! :) I have a 04/06 is250, and although has been a fantastic buy and a lot of fun for me, there have been a few niggly issues (squeaky seat and sunroof, inaccurate speedo and this startup rattle) that have since been rectified by Lexus on the factory floor. Just shows if you can do it, is to wait a year or two (even for Lexus) for the 'teething problems' to be identified by owners and corrected by the manufacturer. (Note - I have had all these issues solved by the dealer during my recent service, so it drives like a 2008 model now!!). The is250 was a completely new car from the ground up (not a revision or update of previous models, which has been the usual Lexus way) - hence there would always be that risk of some teething issues, but still far less than you'd ever find in a 159, A4, 3-series or C-class! Suffice to say, Im pretty sure my next car will be a 2009 is250!!

ldc - believe me - you will know if there is a problem! - it is a very loud sound that is totally out of place with the usual sound of an engine. You may even feel a little vibration in the steering wheel on start up. Its just an occasional problem with some vehicles - its far from a universal problem, and appears to be only a problem with '05 and earliesh '06 models. If you havent noticed anything to date, then 99% sure its not an issue with your vehicle.

Yep - I have an Apr 06 model, was occasionally knocking/rattling on start up. Sounds worse than the issue really is, but wanted it fixed. I gave my service manager the Lexus TSIB (EG17-07) for my 30k service (in May 08). All done, no questions asked. Problem rectified. They do know about the issue. For people who have not heard the sound, its right on start up, and it happens for about a second (quite loud grinding sound) about half a second after hitting the start button. The revs in the engine increase on start up, and just as they start decreasing back towards idle speed, that is when you hear it. (Hard to explain, but the service departments are aware of it). It will not happen all the time, but happened to me about a dozen times, always after a cold night and on first start up only.

Brent - if you get an independent mechanic to do an inspection of the car, they should be able to tell immediately if there was an accident. I use Melbourne Auto Check (about $160) - write a comprehensive 10 page report, compression test on the engine etc. who even use a machine to measure the thickness of the duco on every panel. The only thing I could think of is if the vehicle was pranged before you took 'delivery' of the vehicle, but that seems almost implausable (although not impossible). I bought ex.demo and got a 3 hr look over by the independent mechanic (who in fact drives a Lexus himself!) - got the all clear, and my car is running perfectly (minor those slight little niggles I mentioned above). The dealership said they simply do not sell vehicles involved in any collision involving work to panels. Other advice to you - would be to log all your dealer visits. A mechanics report might add weight to it. I know in Victoria you could take such a claim to VCAT (Civil and Adminsitrative Tribunal) under the Fair Traiding Act for a ~$200 fee and get a magistrate to deal with the issue. I'm sure other States have the same set-up.

Brent - terribly sorry for your grief. I am staggered at those issues, and even more staggered at Lexus' response. Iam assuming you bought new - the reason I ask is because your steering and handling issues sound to me like the vehicle has been in a major accident and the 'tracking' of the vehicle is irreversibly damaged, which a wheel alignment wont fix. Also the fact that the panel are moving, also indicates its suffered a major shock and there might be a deep-seated electrical short-circuit somewhere explaining the other problems. Otherwise, I dont know really what to say... Before I bought my is250, I checked many forums, blogs and articles on reliability and quality. And in this class, the is250 was above any of its competitors by a fair way. Benz, BMW, Audi and Alfa have more issues with their vehicles than Lexus does in this class of vehicle. No car is perfect, and whilst a 3-series, C-class, 159 and A4 will have a higher ratio of problems per vehicle, your situation is totally unacceptable and inexcusable! Admittedly, mine is not perfect either but only had problems with buzzing rear parcel shelf (fixed by dealer), squeaky drivers seat (fixed by dealer) and slight sunroof creak (which was allegedly fixed by dealer, but not to my satisifaction). At least my issues are trivial and dont affect the driveability of my vehicle (unlike yourself). I will be updating my vehicle in 2009, and probably still will go with an is250 again. sadly, I dont think you will be! I would keep hounding Lexus Australia. I would even involve your State's Consumer Affairs Department. Get a second opinion - call another Lexus dealer. The other option is (although they are trying to delineate as much as possible), is to speak to the parent company Toyota and even the old threat of legal action never hurt. Good luck Brent.

Whilst I dont have the pleasure of having a ML system in my machine (just the still very capable Pioneer unit), I am pretty sure the unit will only work just as your standard home hi-fi DVD player will work - that is it will only recognise DVD 'images' (as movies) on DVD discs, and CD audio (mp3 or cda files) on CD discs. The unit is not a 'data reader' like the burners on a computer can do.

To 'last 1' - sounds as if there could be a problem, or you are just a very consistent driver. After filling up, my 'Range Approx' value varies a fair bit, based on my efficiency over the last couple of tanks. It can 480, 540, 560 or as high as 720km. Sounds as if yours might need re-calibrating.

The 'Approx Range' reading after a 'fill' is based on previous consumption. On a trip from Melb to Canberra, I filled to the top at Glenrowan (after 200kms on the freeway). It gave a mid 700kms figure.

For a 2006 is250 Prestige (auto) here are my stats... PETROL = 95RON, every 4th-5th tank I go with 98RON. HIGHWAY = 6.7-7.5L/100km. (flat driving on freeways 100-110km/h) Yes from Melbourne to Geelong Ive had it as low as 6.7 L/100km. Usually low 7's in country driving (out of Melbourne, a little hilly). CITY = 9.5-11.0L/100km. (melbourne inner northern suburbs, 70km/h max. - stop/start, usually peak hour) Admittedly I'm not experiencing prolonged 'car parks', like the Eastern or Monash Fwys though. DRIVING STYLE - Yes, Iam fairly conservative on the pedal, but if I do 'push it', the economy might only be 0.5L/100km more. TANK = The car performs better with a fair bit of fuel in the tank. I hope IS250 owners realise the car handles and performs better with a fuller tank. This is because the tank is actually deliberately located over the rear axle, helping with weight distribution and aerodynamics - by having weight over the rear axle, the downforce created by the stepped undercarriage helps hugs the car to the road better. Make sense? TYRES = I always add just a couple more psi to each tyre (37front/40rear) as opposed to 35/38 as specced on the Prestige.

This has been such an annoyance that Lexus USA have issued an information bulletin (TSIB) and replacement brake pads. Apparently braking performance is not quite as good but the dust issue has practically been eliminated. UNFORTUNATELY, Lexus Australia aren't able to do the same. I have checked this with my dealer. They are annoyed at the issue, and have had numerous owners asking for a fix, but unfortunately nothing can be done about it in Australia. The excellent braking performance of the is250 is one of the reasons that there is such a high level of brakes dust. A higher performance pad usually results in more brake dust. All I do to get rid of the brake dust is to get either some paper towel or preferably a piece of clean rag and manually wipe it off. I probably do that once a fortnight - do not leave it too long, otherwise it becomes quite stubborn. I wouldn't waste my time on those expensive alloy spray on cleaners - $20, and its not much better than soapy water. I find a wet clean a bit too messy and the black residue is wonderful for staining everything it comes into contact with!!

Agreed - 47K is very cheap. The kms are below-average too (id be expecting 35-40k). According to both Lexus and the Glass Guide, the Sport model has the fastest depreciation of the three variants, but not by much. Considering these are about $65-70 driveaway, Im very suprised. The IS250 has turned the tide on Lexus depreciation stats, and are holding their value (as a %) more than any previous Lexus model. A 2005 may have a few little niggles (nothing mechanical, just a few minor rattles) but again a very good price. The Sport falls out of favour with many buyers because for an extra 8-10k you can get all the bells and whistles on the Sports Luxury and the Sport has the alcantra fabric (instead of leather - the alcantra tends to have fluff and hair staticly stick to it), and the seats dont have the cooling function (not that that is a huge loss). Also the tighter ride on the 18's and the tighter suspension is not everones cup of tea. If it is a private sale, just do all the usual mechanical checks etc. Through a dealer I wouldn't worry - but once again that seems an absolute bargain, particularly with the DVD/satnav pack as well.

Here is my timely response - I paid for my 30k prestige service done last Friday (16th May)!!! Dont have the invoice with me here, but think it was $607 (Victorian dealer). Included a diff oil and brake fluid change and AC filter replacement among the usual service requirements.

Yep - you should get black plastic clips/holders for drivers side only. I bought an ex.demo through a Lexus dealer, and I had one clip attached. One seems to do enough, and two might secure the mat too well, so it could be a pain if/when you need to remove them for a vacuum/clean etc. If you've bought new - it should be a given that the car mats come with those clips. If you have new beige mats, grab a can of Scotchgard and give them a good spray before hand. Whilst the car interior has some sort of stain prevention on it, the mats seem to hold the dirt and stains more - by Scotchgarding, a simple rub with soapy warm water will remove just about any dirt/stain from the mats.

I did test drive some Alfa (147, 156, 159) - and nice cars, but reliability issues, poor customer service and ordinary transmissions (both manual and auto) lost it for me (I have a couple of friends with Alfas - they swear they'll never get one again - very temperamental cars. Volvo - ordinary interior and still overpriced for what you get. Saab - either you love em or hate em. Well and Iam of the latter. Surprised that the 220d hasnt made it here (particularly with Alfa, Audi and BMW - all with diesel variants in their competing models). When I was in L.A late last year, the 350s are EVERYWHERE, so no doubt they'd be a hit here too. But with IS-F around the corner, there is no way Lexus Australia will introduce the 350 now.

Ive done some touch ups - some have worked out excellent - some still need some more cutting back. I use an ordinary cotton bud - dab onto the spot very delicately until the spot in question is slight raised above the surrounding duco. Then get a hair dryer on low heat and speed for about a few minutes, but not any longer. You dont want the paint to completely cure. Then half an hour later, I go over the spot with a light cutting agent and cut back the newly applied paint, until it matches the height of the surrounding original paint. As you are cutting new paint which is 'higher' than the surrounding duco, the cutting action (if applied correctly) will not interfere with the original duco. Yes this sounds a little risky, and of course its never going to be as good - but this method has worked very well for me on a couple of spots that Ive done. The trick is getting the paint level right and start to cut it back before it completely cures. On the other hand, if you have a good dealer, they may do it for you at your next service!!

Thats a pretty good price, because according to my dealer 5000 kms seems to be a cut-off point for them (demo to 2nd hand). Under 5000 kms and you'll be hard pressed getting any more than a 2-3k off driveaway price for a new unit. However 5000+ kms they can probably knock off 7-8k off driveaway price. Remember the Luxury Car Tax (rather topical at the moment!) kicks in at 57k, and the dealer must add any options to that retail price (roof, enahancement pack) for new. So you have to factor that in on your discount that you get for buying 2nd hand. So a 56,900 new auto is under, but add the roof and its basically 59k plus all on-roads AND the LTC and (prior to negotiation) its 64-65k for the vehicle on the road. The LTC is what killed me in buying new. It suddenly made a 12 month old vehicle on the road over 10k cheaper!! For an auto is250 prestige under 12 months old, with roof and <10000 kms I think you couldn't any better than 52k d'away (thru a Lexus dealer). Privately you could nearly go sub-50, but again that will be hard to find.

I purchased an ex. executive-driven Prestige (with moonroof, no enhancement pack, 12000kms, 1 year old) through Lexus dealer for 53K driveaway with Lexus after-market reverse sensors installed with early in 2007. That was a good deal at the time. The Prestige variants appear hard to come by through a dealership (I waited for months). No problems with the vehicle apart from a squeaky drivers seat, and buzzing sunroof (which have been rectified by the dealer). If you are after the enhancement pack (Ive driven a loan car with one - nice, but overpriced I think) on a Prestige, something 12 months old now you'd be looking at 56-58 driveaway and maybe 53-54 without. I would be having my eye on a 2007 build date if you can. I actually think there is noticeable difference in the ride between the 06 and 07 vehicles (having driven a few) - the 06's tend to be a little softer, and I reckon the auto in the 07's has been adjusted a little in 2nd gear (for the better). Loan car is available for as long as your car is still in the new car warranty period (4 years from inital rego date).

I had to replace my front two tyres last month, due to a major puncture in one of them (damn six inch nail!).... 16" Bridgestone Potenzas are the standard issue for the Prestige. These through a Bridgestone Tyre Centre are about $260-270 fitted each and many tyre stores do not have these in stock and have to order them in. I rang my dealer which strongly recommended either the Potenza or the Turanza. The Turanza's are $200 fitted, saving you about $280 for a full set. The Turanza is not a pure performance tyre like the Potenza is, but it is a slightly quieter tyre and you should get an extra 7-10k kms on them. (Incidentally, the Turenzas are now fitted to most is250s in the USA). Turanza's are perfectly fine, just about as good as the Potenzas in every aspect, but the rubber is not quite as 'tacky' basically. I would stay away from Dunlops (although I believe the SL's are fitted with them?!). Dunlops are notorious for getting far less mileage out of them. If you're looking for a tyre that is legitimately suitable for the is250 but without paying top dollar, I recommend the Bridgestone Turanza.

German arrogance abounds by the sounds of things! Prior to getting my is250, I wanted a German. Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz have a lot to learn. If its not the endless options list (a centre armrest and remote boot release as an option for the A4 - c'mon Audi - get real!), or the hard push and spin, its their refusal to discuss as adults about a price. Well I can safely say - happy to leave the Germans to polish their badges and join the Lexus family. Oh yeah, and for my 60K hard earned - nothing comes close to my 250. Rumour - Late 2009 should see an is250 facelift (current shape and drivetrain is with us til 2011 I believe), which could include an electronic park brake among other things such as more standard features in the prestige. With the new A4 and C-class out, and Alfa now dropping their price a few grand, Lexus will need to build on the momentum and interest generated is the IS with the launch of the IS-F.