Lexus Nerd

Congrats on your purchase, mrbbqwer. On breaking in your 350, check out this thread: http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9674&view=findpost&p=27630 There are recommendations in your manual, including precisely those that coolmeow mentioned.

1. LEX51S 2. Bluewaffle. 3. ksty1 4. Platinum_Jay 5. nemesisD 6. JML 7. Atlantis 8. RichieISF 9. ilv1004s 10. terrrrrry 11. LN 12. 13. 14. 15.

By default, pressing the button on your remote a second time, within 3 seconds of the first press, will unlock all doors. You can customise the remote so that one press will unlock all doors, but this can only be performed by a Lexus dealer.

... Or maybe not. I was thinking about the list price of a CT when I wrote that. But $44,644 driveaway (NSW) down to $35K is a huge drop that's unlikely to be seen with a demonstrator.

I guess a lot of us buy Lexuses for their refinement and incredible reliability. In those two areas, only Toyota immediately comes to mind. Perhaps there are some others ... Nissan Maxima? Given the question was an alternative "other than an IS250", it doesn't rule out other Lexuses. How about a 2005/6 GS300? Or you could wait a few months for a CT 200h demonstrator (may be a few on sale after the Melbourne F1GP?).

Welcome NuBee, You could have made the need for a new golf bag as a bargaining chip during your purhcase ... then the dealer might have thrown one in! http://www.mccarroll...kender-cart-bag Perhaps make a note of it when the dealer makes his/her follow-up phone call? :)

According to today's press release, pricing starts from $39,990 (+ delivery and statutory costs): http://lexus.pressroom.com.au/press_release_detail.asp?clientID=3&prID=4312&navSectionID=2 While this is a great price for a Lexus, this will no doubt draw comparisons between the CT and the VW Golf (probably GTD) in popular press blogs ... despite the fact that they are very different vehicles with rather different market positioning.

I've read a couple of reviews that suggest the photos are better than in the flesh, so it's good to read someone else's point of view.

As a guide to the probability of having the problem: Although 4844 IS250s are being recalled in Australia alone, only one vehicle was identified in Australia with the problem prior to the recall. As a guide to the consequence: If you do have the problem then, at worst, you will have lower fuel economy. A spokesperson for Toyota was quoted as saying that there no risk of the fuel igniting. '"It’s not near any source of ignition," she said. "You need quite a bit of fuel and you need an ignition source (for the fuel to light)."'

1) I'd say you needn't idle the vehicle at all, before moving off. (Based on what I've seen in Toyota/Lexus owners manuals, the absence of any recommendation from the manual means you don't need to idle. Other industry sources suggest that idling is no longer required for "most of today's vehicles", but also suggest that you should avoid hard acceleration until the engine warms up.) 2) The "driving mode" or ECT switch is explained in this discussion, in a little detail: http://au.lexusowner...?showtopic=9724 But I also like our moderator's recent comment: My power button is in the start stop button. It really changes the way the car responds to the throttle.

If a used Lexus was traded in, and was missing the spare wheel, one would expect the dealer to supply a new space-saver wheel before selling it. Applying the same principle, you'd think the Lexus dealer would provide a second key, and factor their cost into the sale price.

Another article (in case your access to WSJ is restricted): http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110126/CARNEWS/110129913

Another recall was announced today. "The U.S. models targeted are Lexus GS 300/250 sedans and Lexus IS 250/350 [sedans] produced from 2006 through 2007 and 2006 through 2009, respectively.". Likely to also affect those sold in Australia, I'd say. http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110126-703455.html

There are several guide line modes to choose from - I suspect that going into the 'Camera Check' option has reset the the mode to something you don't normally see. Have you tried pressing the buttons on the bottom left and right hand sides of the screen until you see the lines you prefer to see?

I bought my IS brand new last year, and there wasn't any rubber in the centre console drink cup holder either. I bought a pack of Home Living "gripit" mighty grippers (polymer mesh) from Coles for a few dollars, then cut it to shape.

Happy New Year, Chris ... According to the Lexus Australia Website, both the 250 and 350 have spacesaver tyres and, for a given style/grade, are identical in size. 250/350 Prestige: T125/70 D17 98M 250/350 F Sport and Sports Luxury: T145/70 D17 106M

Perhaps you could still justify an IS if your oldest child hasn't reached his/her growth spurt by the time you plan to dispose of the car. I've found that people around 5'2" tall and below don't complain about the space at the rear of an IS. It's a different story if they're 5'6" or taller.

1) An NRMA test with identical Camrys (which, like Lexuses, has an engine management system that can take advantage of higher-octane fuel) found that 98 octane fuel had the better fuel efficiency than regular 91 octane or E10 fuel. On highways, the efficiency ran close to the theoretical improvement of 98/91 = 8%. I would expect a similar level of improvement over 95 RON (98/95 = 3%). The improvement is less noticeable in city driving. Given the current fuel prices and the 5c differential between 95 and 98 octane, highway drivers might as well get 98 octane and get the added benefit of improved response when accelerating. 2). Vortex 98, Vortex 95 and all Shell fuels (including 91 RON) contain detergents that prevent and even remove existing engine deposits. They just make a bigger point of this in the 98 octane fuels' marketing. 3) I defer to the experiences of others.

I have an OEM satnav. Yes, you definitely can operate all audio and climate controls, but navigation and phone controls are limited to some degree while the vehicle is in motion.

How much would you think it would cost to fix a dent like this? (Depending on your monitor brightness/contrast, you may not even see it - but while small, it's very obvious in the flesh.) Thanks!

I did some Googling ... one person with an MY10 RX did get his old 80 GB hard disk, in a cheap enclosure, working. Here's my guess on compatibility: 1. The brand of enclosure might not matter - or, at least, you won't necessarily need a name-brand, feature-packed one. 2. The disk will almost certainly need to be formatted in FAT32. Since Windows will not format disks above 32 GB in FAT32, you may need to obtain a third-party utility to format the disk in FAT32. (If the disk is under 32 GB, why bother? Use a flash drive.) 3. If your enclosure has an optional second connection for DC power (either a second USB or a round jack), and you're experiencing problems, try attaching the DC power. 4. Despite following #2 and #3 above, you may still run into problems with larger capacity disks - my guess of the upper limit is 120 GB. I'm not inclined to re-format any of my external HDDs right now (they invariably contain useful junk on each of them!), but I'll update this thread if I manage to test this myself.

Let me know if you manage to get a hard disk working on the USB. Some months ago, I tried a USB flash drive on my IS 250 and that worked, but a portable hard disk didn't. I suspect the audio system doesn't fully implement the USB Mass Storage Class protocol, and so the physical differences between a magnetic disk drive and a flash drive aren't hidden from the system. (Alternatively, it's a possibility my trusty portable HD doesn't fully implement MSC, or my file formats/folder layouts weren't right.)

You can see it at the far right, in the two outdoor pictures showing the entire line-up of cars. In one of the pics, the bonnet is up and you can just make out the silver engine cover. I didn't take a close-up of the entire car, because the 350 Sports Luxury doesn't look much different to the MY09/MY10 IS 250s from a distance. (It might have also been because there were so many enthusiasts swarming around the 350 after it arrived, and I couldn't get a clear shot! :P )I did, however, take a number of close-up shots that highlight the various subtle differences, including engine bay, DRL's, front bumper, exhaust tips, wheels/brakes, interior trim, rear lights with a pinkish tinge?! and front bumper): http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=528

Fake wood? You mean Bird's Eye Maple wood veneer crafted by Yamaha piano craftsmen? ("Bird's eye" referring to a rare phenomenon in wood that makes is several times more expensive than ordinary wood.) You could always cover it with carbon fibre wrap ...

A black IS200/300 in St Leonards ... LPN LEX21S. I bet he/she hates Chris, our moderator.