Lexus Nerd

On that note ... it looks like the GS350 F Sport will inherit the (original, 10-spoke) wheels from the IS F.

Simon, Your first day here and you've already made an impression! Welcome.

What dis-lex-sic said ... with a waitlist, I doubt it. If you've got a good trade-in, perhaps they could give you a better-than-expected deal on it; but, seeing that you are currently OS, I suspect you don't have a trade-in?

Lots of people have said that, although there is a subtle difference above the tail lights which, say Mark Templer of Lexus, improves aerodynamics. Here's the official press release: http://www2.toyota.co.jp/en/news/feature/20110819.html But missing from the press release are some of the features that really make this an exciting car. These were mentioned in the Pebble Beach presentation: - The first variant unveiled, the GS350, has 306 hp (228 kW) and direct and port injection, which would make it pretty much the same powerplant as the IS350. This output in the base model is higher than what you'll find in the base-model E Class and 5 Series. - Paddle shifts and shift changes similar to the IS F - Mark Levinson 17-speaker, 835W sound system - almost 3 times the output from each speaker - Huge LCD allows you to use smartphone apps, search the Web, and even change your audio controls while still seeing your satnav map - Easier to use remote touch, OR ... control the LCD using voice command - Energy efficient airflow - Heads Up Display - Blind spot display - Warning when you're falling asleep at the wheel - Night view on LCD - Lane assist and "active steering torque" that assists you getting back on the road How awesome is that ???

Your question is perfectly timed, as the local media published this article on Tuesday: http://www.carsales.com.au/news/2011/prestige-and-luxury/lexus/lexus-on-the-road-to-recovery-26245 According to Lexus Australia's chief executive, the CT200h waiting list is now down to two months.

... And new 14-spoke wheels:

2009 silver Lexus (not sure which model) carjacked in western Sydney on Wednesday night: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/man-carjacked-during-lexus-test-drive/story-e6freuzi-1226117134461 If you see a silver Lexus with a driver matching either description, or a car with the said licence plate (may have been replaced by now), call 1800 333 000. "Do not approach the two men if sighted".

Updated Meguiar's wax deal above: Stocks limited. Either product may be out of stock before or on the day of the meet.

Ooo ... these are definitely sneak peek shots, given that we're still 40+ hours away from the official global "reveal". A little more conservative than first thought, though ... I would have thought the chrome grille surround would have followed down to the lower grille, a la Audi, and the upper and lower grilles uninterrupted by a body colour bumper, a la Audi, HSV and others. Or perhaps we'll still see that in an F Sport version?

Ok ... does that mean we'll be seeing you at the meet? :o

At this weekend's 2nd Gen IS meet at Castle Hill, I'll be making the following products available at cost price: Meguiar's Ultimate Wax Liquid This product is Meguiar's Next Big Thing in sealants, being pitched as superior to their previous top-of-the-range product, NXT Tech Wax 2.0. Australian RRP $59.99 Members Pay Only $32.00 Meguiar's Ultimate Wax Paste - not available in Australia - Members Pay $31.30 Members attending Saturday's meet will be the first to have the opportunity to pick up these premium products for a bargain. Just one more reason to come up to Castle Hill this weekend. (Stocks limited. Either product may be out of stock before or on the day of the meet.) See you there!

I assume your mum's got at least one other car insured with NRMA (otherwise, she wouldn't have been entitled to the multi-policy discount prior to your acquiring the IS 250). If you don't drive the other car, one way to even lower your overall costs is: 1. Get the NRMA policy transferred from the other car to the IS 250. The policy number should remain the same, so you will be still entitled to the years of insurance discount. 2. Search for the best quote available for insuring the other car. It no longer needs to be NRMA in order to keep the discounts on the home and contents insurance, and the premium can be lower if you don't drive the other car.

CORRECTIONS: Obviously not Budget Direct - thanks Atlantis. There must be others, then, that will refuse under-25's ... Now I remember - said young 'un's parent switched to AAMI after GIO was too expensive. I must be getting old.

True, some policies won't cover under-26's, but that's only because the policyholders have asked for that option from their insurers. From what I can tell, every comprehensive car insurer will, by default, insure a driver aged 25 or under. The policyholder can pay a lower premium to exclude drivers not named on the policy, or for drivers under 26 (or under other ages such as 30 in some cases), but it's an option to which the policyholder has to agree. Further to my point above: as long as the policyholder hasn't excluded under-26's from the policy, they will be covered. Of course, it is almost certain that an age excess would apply. The only remaining question, then, is how to minimise the premium, if not the excess? I think this is where you have to shop around and try to find an insurer that doesn't need you to be named on the policy, even if you are a family member of the policyholder or a regular driver of the vehicle. From what I've just read, GIO MAY fit in this category, which might explain why a certain young 'un in this forum has found GIO to offer (relatively) cheap insurance when I (at aged 31+) think they're rather expensive. NRMA MAY also fit in this category, whereas Coles Insurance and Progressive Direct require you to name family members and/or regular drivers. That doesn't mean the latter have expensive premiums, so do shop around. DISCLAIMER: I'm not responsible if somebody obtains insurance from an insurer that refuses a claim for whatever reason.

Congrats!

Ahhh, the "distance to empty" readout ... I've never known one of those to be accurate in any car. Reset your trip meter, drive exactly 10 km and you'll probably find the distance to empty hasn't changed from 650 km. Shouldn't it change to 640 km? Well, I bet it won't. I believe the readout is meant to be a very, very conservative guide ... which is a nice thing if you're about to head from, say, Adelaide to Perth. You wouldn't want it to overstate your range when there's no petrol stations for hundreds of k's!

Yes, others share your concerns: http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9604 And I'm sure this isn't the only thread that has been created here about it. I recall one thread where someone points out that, while it might be illegal to operate your phone while you're driving, a passenger shouldn't be disallowed from keying while the car's in motion. I don't think Lexus will ever "fix" this, but there is a workaround discussed here: http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=8169

It's plausible: - The official consumption figures of a 2011 IS are just a little lower than the 1998 LS, and some drivers on this forum can get 1100+ km on a 65 L tank. - Your LS is said to be more economical than most six-cylinder petrol-driven family sedans, and has a tank 10-15L larger. But we won't know for sure unless someone's actually tried it.

Hey fastegg, There's two questions here: Is the reading of 8.2L/100 km correct, and did you calculate 12.5L/100 km correctly? The '98 LS400 is rated at 7.6 L/100 km on the highway. The reported consumption of 8.2L/100 km is higher, but expected, given that your engine revs at 100 km/h would be higher than in the 80 km/h lab test. The LS has a combined cycle consumption rating of 9.2 L/100 km, and you would expect your trip in northern NSW (predominantly highway, despite the traffic) to be lower than that. So the 8.2L reading "sounds" reasonable. Now, about the calculation of 12.5L/100 km ... If you, say, refilled when the car is 1/4 full (which some people insist on, to prevent being caught out on the highway with no fuel, or to supposedly prevent engine damage), and stop at the first click (which some people do to prevent overflowing), then my guess is that you would have only used around 58 litres over the 650 km, which is 8.9 L/100 km. Alternatively, a problem with the fuel gauge could mean that the gauge reads low when your tank isn't low on fuel. That's why I asked ( b ) - if you started with a full tank, and refilled the tank till it's full, then the amount of fuel you paid for on refill will indicate exactly how many litres of fuel you used over the 650 km.

new in AUS is about 7k a rim!!! Im not sure how much customs etc etc will cost im sure it will be ridiculous too Whoa! I thought ilv said $4k each a while ago ... $7k?! Are we just talking the GST on imported tyres/rims? Or are car parts subject to the same tariffs as imported cars?

AWESOME!!