Lexus Nerd

I know that your effective octane rating is the weighted average of the octane ratings of two fuels. For example, one-third of 95 RON fuel and two-thirds of RON 98 fuel would give an effective RON of 96. That doesn't match up with what ilv might have read, so I Googled to see whether I could find anything about E10 fuel - which is between 91 and 95 RON, depending on the brand - becoming an octane booster for 98 RON PULP. I couldn't find anything to support that notion, but what I did find was interesting. A discussion paper produced by an Australian government agency in 2002 quotes the US National Science and Technology Council (emphasis added): Water in petrol can have dramatically different effects on an engine, depending on whether it is in solution or a separate phase. A small amount of water solution in a homogeneous ethanol/petrol blend has no adverse effect. If phase separation occurs and ethanol rich water is drawn into the engine then the engine will stall. Phase separation can occur in a vehicle's tank as a result of first fuelling with an ethanol blend then going out of the ethanol blend system. This situation arises if, for example, a quarter of a tank of ethanol blend is supplemented by three-quarters of a tank of petrol at refill, causing the concentration of ethanol in the blend to fall. It is therefore possible that in this situation, the presence of water normally contained within the ethanol blend may be sufficient to precipitate phase separation. While I'm here, I might as well find add fuel to the fire (pardon the pun) and suggest that United PLUS ULP is not an appropriate substitute for premium unleaded petrol. In this fact sheet from RACQ, it can be seen that an ethanol-blended fuel, while having a higher RON, behaves more like regular unleaded at "high speed, light-throttle conditions": http://www.racq.com.au/motoring/cars/car_advice/car_fact_sheets/ethanol_blends_and_octane_number Note the final statement: Unless proof is provided that a 95 RON ethanol blended fuel is a premium fuel with an appropriate MON rating, it would be wise to regard it as an ordinary ULP with a slightly higher octane rating. United avoids referring to PLUS ULP as "premium unleaded", simply referring to it as "high performance". In summary, all E10 fuels sold in Australia today should be treated in your Lexus like regular unleaded fuel. It's not recommended, but it's okay ... until you decide to switch back to PULP, at which time you may experience engine stalling. Now, I shall duck for cover ...

http://lexus.com.au/services/parts-and-services/ You can only extend the warranty in the first 90 000 km, but you should have the balance of the original 100 000 km warranty.

Lexus vehicles have a four-year, 100 000 km warranty. If the vehicle hasn't quite clocked up 90 000 km yet, you may be able to purchase an extended warranty from Lexus: http://www.lexus.com.au/services/finance/warranty (Although the original warranty is transferable, I'm not sure whether the second owner is eligible to extend the warranty.) Not many of us here would have had a 90K service to inform you of the typical price; but, in any case, the best result would be for Nissan to get a 90K service done for you according to the logbook.

The exclamaion mark in a red triangle can appear for a number of reasons, but it is meant to be accompanied with a description of the problem in the multi-information display above it. So the good news is, if you read "KEY BATTERY LOW" or "REMOTE BATTERY LOW" (thanks Iggy) in the display, there should be just one known issue and it should be a simple fix by the dealer. They need to either (i) replace the key battery, (ii) recharge the car battery or (iii) follow the correct initialisation procedure after recharging/re-connecting the battery. A search for "engine noise" in this forum found a number of results. The noise you're hearing could could mean a number of things. If heard only on cold startup, it could be a problem on earlier models that can be fixed by Lexus. If it's a mild noise heard during driving, it could be the oil level but, if it sounds really awful, it could be the drive belt - see http://au.lexusowner...showtopic=10157 (don't be alarmed; if it's the drive belt, it has to sound as bad as what you hear in the video clip). Or, it could be normal - see http://au.lexusowner...?showtopic=8617. Unless the previous owner somehow voided the warranty, there should still be a manufacturer's warranty until sometime next year, or when you reach 100,000 km. In short, the Nissan dealer could be right about the causes and remedies for the two problems; if they unexpectedly reappear after you've driven the car away, the Lexus warranty should give you a chance to iron out any further problems over the next several months.

The focus has been so much on the front bumper and grille styling, that I wonder if anyone's picked up on something radically different elsewhere on the body ... A prototype has recently been seen undergoing testing at the Nürburgring. The test car was heavily camouflaged - as you would expect - and the wing mirrors looked like they were tacked on. That is, the production version isn't likely to feature the mirrors found on the prototype. Notice how the pics above don't show any wing mirrors, but there's little stumps where the mirrors should be. Now consider this statement from the Lexus Australia Website: The next leap forward in L finesse design was inspired by a 'clean sheet of paper approach' ... this concept explores how traditional features such as door mirrors and handles can be minimised to enhance overall sleekness and improve aerodynamics. Is it possible we'll see traditional wing mirrors replaced by cameras capturing images that are displayed within the vehicle ... perhaps as HUD's on the windscreen?

With Audi about to offer a $78,900 A6, and Mercedes-Benz offering something similar in the E-class, you'd have to think a GS 250 would be a certainty now, no? Either that, or the price of the GS 300/350 would have to drop by $20K (and get the fuel consumption reasonably close to that of the the competitors' entry-level models).

Hmm ... Perhaps my Previous Destinations got wiped by the dealer on my 15K service, at the same time they might have programmed the 30K service reminder. Weird.

The Address Book isn't reset, but the list of Previous Destinations will be cleared ... so, if you find you're re-visiting one or more Previous Destinations fairly often, make sure you add them to your Address Book first.

You're mate's right, if this is anything to go by: http://is.sewellpart...-2007/1789.html I know, that's only part of the answer. Question is, does anyone know what the "wiring harness" is: - Does it comprise one or more parts from the Lexus parts list? See http://is.sewellparts.com/oem-catalog/8111814748-Electrical-IS250-2010.html - Are aftermarket versions available? And where's the best place to get them?

It should be a DIY task. After I complained about a rattle, a Lexus technician put it down to the door seals and said he'd show me how to lubricate the seals the next time I visited the service centre. He didn't get around to showing me - not that I minded much, as I rather they do it while the car's under warranty. But, suffice to say, it must be a DIY task and the lubricant should be readily available.

Congrats on the new addition to your family, onnzo!

Hi Ben, Welcome! I take it your delivery was delayed due to the earthquake and subsequent production problems in Japan? I don't think you'll regret the wait. Looking forward to reading of your experiences of driving the IS 350 on the winding roads of Tassie!

Meguiars have three types of wheel polish. NXT Generation All Metal Polysh is the least harmful one and is reportedly suitable for all types of wheels.

I use Meguiars All Metal Polysh. It supposedly contains synthetic polymers to "shield out moisture and contaminants", and can also be used on the IS' chrome trim. Forum member Howiefied recommends Auto Glym wheel sealant, which appears to make brake dust easier to remove (brake dust is a significant annoyance with the OEM brakes).

This year, I eventually stayed with CommInsure for around $1050. There were cheaper offers with Progressive Direct and Coles Insurance. CommInsure, however, offers replacement cover on 0-2 yo vehicles. Next year, I'll check out Mutual Community (yes, a health fund offering general insurance), as they offer replacement cover on vehicles up to 3 years old. If your car is older - or you're not interested in replacement cover, do check out Coles - the latter has choice of repairer (with conditions) and currently, if you live in Sydney's North Shore, they will undercut a renewal quotation from GIO, NRMA or AAMI by $100. Wow ... Panther got $587 with Budget ... I couldn't get a quote with them below $794, even without all the frills.

Hi Craggles, and Welcome. Did you get the limited edition yellow (they still look funky 11 years later!), or another colour?

Gotta love that black shine, DGR8! Lexus recommends a 5% wool detergent applied at least twice yearly (see Owners Manual), but it doesn't say you can't use a purpose-designed leather cleaner. IMHO, while a wool detergent solution is the most affordable option, the process is complicated: You have to wipe it three times - not two - and allow the interior to air afterwards. And which wool detergent is best? Will my new car smell be replaced with a freshly-cleaned wooly jumper smell? And (in your case), is using a water-based solution really a good idea with semi aniline leather? So ... +1 for the Meguiars leather care. I use the gel formula, which "leaves no white residue".

dis-lex-sic recently provided a link to the US Lexus ad series, "The Hard Way". These ads fascinated me; I've always been excited to know what goes on behind the scenes in "what makes a Lexus truly a Lexus". Local marketers - perhaps in recognition that the Australian audience is less likely to equate "The Hard Way" to "the road less travelled" or 'the right way" - have re-released these ads for Lexus Australia under the theme, "The Extraordinary Way". The voiceover now has an Anglo-Australian accent, just in case we had trouble understanding the American accent :P Check out the ad series here: http://www.lexus.com.au/about/TheExtraordinaryWay

This would have to be one of the most interesting Lexus mods I've seen: http://smh.drive.com.au/motor-news/gobsmacking-glasslid-lexus-limo-20110627-1gn5e.html Behind-the-scenes construction video:

Actually, thank you for sharing that info. My missus was considering buying me genuine headlamps with HID's and DRL's as an anniversary present (nice huh?). But at $4k per set (and possibly a HID rewiring with an aftermarket kit ... thanks for the tip ilv), perhaps there are more affordable presents?

Thirteen cars ... not bad for any meet, let alone a random one! I have several other copies of this pic at varying aperture and shutter settings, but this one shows off the new "shoes" best. Thanks to everyone who gave me their photo tips!

Must've been the same one I saw on Tuesday afternoon around 4:30 pm heading east on Carlingford Road.

No no no. All new Lexus come with a 4 year "Paint defect & Surface Rust" warranty & a 6 year "Corrosion Perforation Warranty" from factory. Not something that you should need to buy on a premium vehicle. The reason the car is more expensive is the higher level of quality which does includes the paint ... Interesting, then, that a Lexus dealer tried to sell paint protection. My Lexus dealer didn't even bother trying to sell any of the usual high-margin, third-party products one normally gets pressured to buy with a new vehicle. I was so prepared for the sales plug to happen that, when it didn't, I almost forgot to ask for the window tinting I actually wanted ... only to find out that, after it was fitted and paid for, Lexuses also have a degree of window tinting as standard. D'oh! Oh well, the result is a darker glass that others have admired.