Lexus Nerd

Lexus Nerd or Vaku

can you chime on this topic?

OP reported this problem back in October - I wonder if the problem has been resolved? It sounds weird that turning on A/C would increase the engine rpm at idle ...?

I wonder if timetorelax has experienced any idle issues on his 3IS 250 (none I'm aware of)?

New from the ground up - seriously ? Same outdated, fuel-heavy (worst in class) engine, they FINALLY add the 8-speed (should have been introduced before 2012 - and it's still not available on the IS250!), the suspension *did* get updated (after a late refresh on the 2IS) but is still rated independently as sub-par compared to the BMW.

The 3IS is 3 years too late.

Lexus - The pursuit of perfection good enough.

The OP was querying the merits of the IS 350, so I'll exclude the rest of the IS line in my response.

Some will prefer the more linear torque curve of a turbo, but the main issue that everybody seems to have with the IS 350's engine is its fuel economy. Based on real-world driving, the IS 350 would consume $1500 more fuel over 5 years than a 335i (98-octane fuel in today's money, at 15,000 km/year). But given the chasm of pricing between Lexus and the Germans, one has to remember: fuel consumption issues should be regarded as practically irrelevant in this segment.

Most reviews will focus on the F Sport version of the IS 350. This includes the adaptive suspension that is also found on the Australian Sports Luxury variant. I'm not sure as to which "independent rating" you're referring, but let's look at all the notable independent reviews ...

Road & Track: "The [bMW's] balance is still there. The chassis still makes you look like a genius ..."

'The IS has ... the feel and responses of a less heavily styled car ... The Infiniti has gadgets to "help" you, the BMW has motor and hereditary manners, and the Caddy is a milled ingot of doubly refined handling. But the Lexus puts it all together better and lets you enjoy it more, for less money—even optioned to the gills—than anything else here.' (Winner: IS 350 d 335i and others)

Motor Trend: "Oddly, the BMW features the laziest handling here. As you're probably aware, BMW has been drifting away from its Ultimate Driving Machine image for several years now, moving more toward a techno/luxury future anchored by ferocious straight-line speed ... Its ride was the softest of the group. The Lexus IS 350 was something of a mixed bag ... This car's ride and handling tradeoff, more than the BMW's ... was compromised by the addition of AWD." (Winner: 335i xDrive d IS 350 AWD and others)

Car and Driver: "... the M Sport package fails to rectify our complaints about the F30 chassis. There’s more movement from both front and rear axles than expected, more than its predecessor exhibited and, notably, more than either the ATS or the IS displays. Even with the optional suspension, body control falters. Bumps that the Lexus absorbs and the Cadillac shrugs off with a single succinct compression and rebound make the BMW pitch and roll and fight to stay on-line. Compared with the other two cars here, the BMW feels immense and slow-witted."

"The Lexus is utterly imperturbable. Bumps that send other cars skittering off-line or scrambling to maintain their course are absorbed and dispatched, but not kept completely hidden from the driver. " (Winner: IS 350 F Sport d 335i M Sport)

Torque News: IS 350 d 335i. No explicit mention of suspension but - like other reviews have noted - other factors have spoiled the BMW's handling. In Torque News' case, it was turbo lag and the "stability control nanny" coming on "too strong, too fast".

Everyday Driver: IS 350 F Sport d 335i (series of videos)

Wheels Magazine: I think you've probably all read this article by now. IS 350 F Sport d 335i

Note that I'm only pointing out the suspension comparisons. Were I to focus on what really matters - the handling of the vehicle, which also takes steering response and feel into consideration - the results swing even more to the IS' favour.

Sure, the 3IS was late, and it carries over the engines from the previous model. As you say, "the IS has always lagged behind by a generation on the 3 series in terms of handling" ... until the 3IS. Somehow, BMW dropped the ball by replacing its venerable hydraulic steering with immature electric steering, with the result that the new IS 350 beats the current-model 335i sedan in almost every aspect. The question is, will it be better than the next model 335i, which is probably not too far away? Based on the 4-series coupe reviews - some criticising the sports suspension as "too firm" and the steering described as "a little dull" and "still isn't there, yet" - the 3IS could still be as regarded as the better driver's car in years to come.

No free loan cars at BMW even though they charge more for servicing.

Incorrect. I used to own E93 325i always had replacement car free of charge when servicing.

A "$15 administrative charge" applies at this dealership:

http://www.bmwsydney.com.au/com/en/owners/bmw_service/faq.html#nr05

NSW drive-away pricing:

Lexus IS 350 F Sport, no options: $81,108

BMW 335i M Sport optioned to Lexus F Sport specification: $117,294

Difference: $36,186

It might be harder to tune, but I think you could do a lot with a spare $36,000 to make an IS 350 leave a stock 335i in its dust ... if that's what you're really into.

1. Have a look at this: http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/8170-howto-change-your-maps-dvd/

If you can't see the two tiny holes on your dashboard, or you open it and don't see a DVD slot, then you have a HDD-based map system.

2. If it's DVD-based, refer to the above link. Otherwise, refer to your Owners Manual.

3. It's a standard ISO, but some copied disc formats may work better than others.

Whereismaps.com sells genuine maps for less than the dealers, at $295.

Forum members are unable to post other online sources here, as this is a public forum and bound by copyright laws.

christea, I have found that the IS 350 depends a lot more on where (and when) you drive it, rather than how you drive it. You can drive either in ECO mode with both ECO indicators appearing, or drive aggressively in SPORT/SPORT S mode; but if you're driving a short distance to a school in peak traffic, you are equally likely to consume 16-20 litres per 100 km. That's just 250-310 km between refuelling, if you always refill at 1/4 full.

There are many ways to save fuel consumption, which you can find in many places on the Web - don't be a lead-foot, watch your use of A/C and windows, etc. They all make relatively minor differences. The biggest tips for your new IS 350? Firstly, remember that a new car will consume a little more fuel than expected, until the engine "wears in". Secondly, make sure your tyres are kept to the right inflation; better still, keep them 4-6 psi higher than those indicated on your door frame.

Poor JayJaysISF - he couldn't make it because someone keyed his car. Help him with his paint protection question here:

http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/12468-paint-protection

Thanks to all who attended. Fourteen 2IS/3IS - not bad given the threatening clouds and chilly weather!

Special thanks to those who helped out - DOIT, timetorelax and especially kyo for the barbie.

Final reminder!

Looking forward to meeting some new faces and seeing old ones again from 2 pm Saturday.

Don't forget to bring your camera!

Welcome, HNG.

The 3IS has only been on the market since July 2013, and I bought mine in August. After 8 months on the market, the price that you'll pay is likely to be different to what I paid. I've been told that May is a quiet month for dealers, so now might be a good time to buy.

In my personal experience, the reliability I've had with the 2IS an 3IS over 4 years is consistent with that reflected in reliability surveys. Since getting Enform installed at the dealer around Christmas (it's now factory installed), I haven't had a single problem.

Yes, the service is great. In one recent survey, Audi in USA scored just as well, but this had more to do with the sales *experience* - dealers walking around with tablet computers - than *service*.

In my experience, service costs over your 4-5 year/<75,000 km timeframe would be comparable with the cost of servicing a non-luxury car, but factor in the cost of the "free" loan car or pick-up service. They are likely to be cheaper to service than the Germans, with no expensive turbocharger servicing costs and no expensive dual-clutch transmission to repair or overhaul. Not to mention, the 12 month/15,000 km service is free.

Lexus Australia has comfirmed arrival of the 145 kW NX 300h in the fourth quarter of this year, while the NX 200t will arrive "early in 2015". Both will be available as 2WD or AWD, the 300h featuring "E-Four AWD".

All Lexus vehicles have a four-year warranty (eight years on the hybrid battery).

You won't invalidate a car warranty a long as the service the service is done by the logbook. Lexus may also insist that genuine parts are used. A Toyota dealer (without a Lexus service centre) should be able to meet requirements, as might the likes of Ultra Tune; but I don't know how good they are in maintaining hybrid drivetrains.

The NX was officially launched in Beijing today. There wasn't much real information added to what we already knew from press releases made earlier in the month. But we do now know that Lexus' first turbo engine will produce 173 kW and 350 Nm in the NX 200t.

OP, when you confirm the before and after tyre sizes (as Spec said, there's something not quite right there - typo?), please also let us know the air pressures you've been using on both the old and new sets of tyres.

The front-end design is almost identical to a pre-production photo leaked here on our Club forums.

New information to hand confirms much of what we new following the introduction of the LF-NX concept, such as the available 2-litre turbo engine. We also now know the NX will offer:

• An "innovative outer mirror" - whatever that means ...!
• "World-first door handle mechanism (with a hidden key barrel and integrated lighting)"
• Optimised for interior space, with a low seating position and best-in-class luggage load length
• Lexus-first Wireless Charging Tray for all your portable devices
• Panoramic view monitor
• Multi-information Display (including a Lexus-first G sensor and boost meter)
• HUD will be available
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert (I note that this was available on overseas IS models, but not Australian ones - so it remains to be seen whether we'll see this in Australian NX specs)

A 2-litre NA version will be available for some markets, athough it's hard to see Lexus Australia offering an engine with less than the 170 kW or thereabouts promised for the 2-litre turbo.

The images are protected by copyright and other intellectual property protection by Lexus. Licensed to Lexus Nerd for review or discussion of the Lexus NX in this forum. Overseas models shown.

This pic does it for me ...:

http://www.autoguide.com/gallery/gallery.php/v/main/news/manufacturers/lexus/2015_nx_exterior_studio_photos/lexus-nx-exterior-41.jpg.html

(Source: AutoGuide)

Yes, Chris, there's a few recent discussions on oil consumption, including this one: http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/12377-allianz-extended-warranty/?p=44920

I'm not an expert, but this the aforementioned thread details why I have an aversion to Mobil 1 in an IS 250.

But before we further discuss the merits of various oils, consider these points first:

• You say you are using Caltex 10W-30. That means you are probably using Havoline Premium Plus. That particular oil comes in a 5-litre pack. But we know that the IS 250 engine uses around 6 litres (give or take a bit, depending on whether you replace the filter). So if you are draining the oil and only replacing it with 5 litres of oil, you'll get a low oil warning rather soon. So the first question is, are you using the right amount of oil?
• The IS 250 engine suffers from carbon buildup. If higher oil consumption is only a recent observation, then perhaps carbon buildup over a long period of time has only now accumulated to a point where it is causing higher oil consumption. Have you considered a carbon cleaning service? (Okay, that might be a little more expensive than just putting up with more oil top-ups, but may be worth it if you believe you have other issues, such as an apparent lack of power.)
  

Awesome, kyo ... Will be in touch about the BBQ.

The date's been set, folks ... Saturday, 3 May! See http://au.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/12392-aloc-sydney-meet-13/

It's been a while, but the date is now set ...

Saturday, 3 May

2:00 pm

End of Leeds Street, Rhodes

• Show and shine your Lexus!
• Pick up a Club sticker
• Make new friends or catch up with old ones over a sausage sanga!
• Chill out for a bit, or hang out after the sun sets (as usual, open to suggestions)

Thanks for your research, so main conclusion would be that a full synthetic oil is best regardless of brand and to use a 10W-30, would this be the formula for the life of the car in our ownership and for the benefit of 350 owners what would they use?

Yes, use a 10W-30 for the reasons given above, and a full synthetic for the same reasons that are always given for using a full synthetic over a semi-mineral.

The engine in the IS 350 has port injection as well as DI, so it doesn't face the same carbon buildup issues. I would use the oil grade recommended in the Owners Manual.

Quick answer:

Feature comparison courtesy of Lexus Australia:

-----

The three equipment grades, in ascending order, are: Prestige, F Sport and Sports Luxury.

All three grades are highly specified and include Lexus' Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management (VDIM), eight SRS airbags, powerful brake package, HID head lamps with cleaners, LED Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) and a sequential six-speed transmission with paddle shift.

IS 350 Prestige has split five-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels, reversing camera with rear guide assist, touch-screen satellite navigation with Bluetooth connectivity, multi-information display, power-adjustable front seats, smooth leather-accented seat trim and front seat heaters.

It also has Lexus premium 13-speaker audio system with 6-CD multi-changer.

IS 350 F Sport has a unique suspension calibration and 18-inch alloy wheels with five close-paired spokes, as well as IS F-style rear spoiler and radiator grille upper and lower.

Its additional equipment over and above Prestige includes IS F-style sport seats with drivers' memory function, F Sport steering wheel and gear shift lever, sports pedals and unique F Sport badging.

The F Sport model also has power tilt and telescopic steering column adjustment (in lieu of manual adjustment), auto-retract and self-dimming exterior mirrors, rain-sensing windscreen wipers and Mark Levinson 14-speaker premium audio system.

The Sports Luxury model has five-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels and moonroof.

It also has, over and above Prestige model, Active Cruise Control, Lexus Pre-Collision safety System (PCS) with newly adopted Pre-Collision Braking (PCB), rain-sensing windscreen wipers, front and rear clearance sonar, and self-dimming and heated exterior mirrors.

Inside, IS 350 Sports Luxury has the added features (over Prestige) of ventilated and heated front seats, semi-aniline leather-accented seat trim, Smart key card, self-dimming (electro-chromatic) interior rear-view mirror, driver's seat memory function, woodgrain-look trim and 14-speaker premium audio system.

-----

The moonroof is optional on F Sport, but standard on Sports Luxury.

I don't recall any common issues. Practically all the 2IS "common issues" were sorted out by the time the MY10 came along.

My recommendations are based on hours of research, rather than personal experience. For most points, I've tried to find at least two different sources before accepting any point as gospel.

To get good viscosity in both cold and hot engine conditions, multigrade oils require additives known as viscosity modifiers. The wider the viscosity span, the more modifiers are required.

Viscosity modifiers, however, do burn off under high temperatures and produce carbon deposits. In a port injection engine, this isn't a big issue, as the fuel coming through the intake valves wash the deposits away. But in many direct injection engines, the carbon deposits are left on the intake valves. The capacity of the cylinder, the sealing ability of the valve, the O2 sensor etc. are all affected, eventually leading to poor engine performance and excess oil consumption.

Oils are like Pokemon: each has their strengths, but they also have weaknesses. So even though Mobil 1 was great on a Celica, it's not good in DI engines, according to the TEOST test in this oil manufacturer-sponsored study:

http://www.amsoil.com/lit/g3115.pdf

Now, the overall validity of this study is debatable, but it does show that an oil that performs well in one respect may not do well in another respect. It also suggests that Castrol Edge is great for minimising carbon deposits in a DI engine; but it doesn't have a good rep on these forums for other reasons. Besides, I shouldn't recommend any specific oil without trying it myself.

Also note that the study is for 5W-30 oils. Based on the above information, I would expect that, for minimising carbon deposits on an IS250, the grade of the oil is more important than the brand. Try going for a 10W-30 oil: after all, this is what Lexus Australia is now recommending on the latest IS 250s (but not the 350s, which have both port and direct injection) ... I imagine they are recommending it for the reasons given here.

... they only mentioned slightly low oil level which could be nothing or apparently point to a piston ring issue that the cars are known for. There is no other sign of any issue so he said if could be a matter of the last service (not done at a Lexus dealership) not topping up the oil or not using premium oil.

... Or not using the right oil. Some Lexus dealerships are known to use semi-synthetic oil; yet, this may cause less problems than a DIY job where a more expensive oil is used.

However I do note that the issue if it arises is an expensive one to get fixed.

Presumably because of the benign effects this issue has on most IS 250's, this issue is not covered by a standard Lexus warranty in Australia. Therefore, it's unlikely to be covered by any extended warranty here.

The excessive oil consumption is caused by carbon buildup which, in turn, is caused by oil additives burning up in the direct injection engine. Its effects can be minimised by choosing the right oil and regular removal of the deposits.

How about Saturday, 5 April?

Knowing how late these meets can wrap up (should one want to hang around for a while), I think we can do with the extra hour due to the end of daylight saving :D

Who went to the Top Gear Festival last weekend?

Certainly, there was two days of perfect weather for an outdoor car show. For me, the opportunity to actually see supercars perform the way they're designed made this kind of show stand out from the traditional motor show. Sure, I couldn't get up close to everyday car models and find out, say, just how overrated Infiniti interiors really are. Instead, there was the aural and visual spectacle of seeing some of the world's finest cars ... and learning, say, that an R8's engine is overrated.

For Lexus fans, there was the opportunity of seeing Jeremy Clarkson drive an LFA. (I missed that bit - did anyone else watch it?). Besides the Lexus safety car, it was probably the only exposure Lexus had - but perhaps it was better value for Lexus than doubling their floor space at the Sydney Convention Centre.

What are your thoughts? Was it better than a traditional motor show? Would you go again?