Tango

Where they were all the time...in the tank. There's quite a margin between the light coming on, the readout and draining the tank dry. If you want to prove a point, stick a gallon in a gas can, put it in the trunk and run it until the engine stops. Put the gas in the tank from the can and go to the gas station...it'll take over 16 gallons. :whistles:

Depends what you mean by optimal performance. IMO the OEM set up is a compromise between handling/roadholding performance and comfort. The Eibachs are slighter stiffer and progressive loading, as well as being slightly lower (1.4" drop front and 1" rear with the 250 spec but less for the 350 which is already lower than the 250). Overall the Eibachs are designed to work with the OEM shocks to give a bias toward better handling performance rather than comfort, so if this is what you mean by negative effect than you're right. Why do you think the Eibachs sag? This would only occur if the temper went out of the coils, pretty unlikely unless your car catches fire :whistles: When first fitted all springs will settle until they reach their optimum position in accordance to suspension loading and spring seating. The same applies to OEM and other aftermarket springs. The American spec Eibachs I have on my 250 in the UK took less than a week to settle in to their final position. We measured the full geometry on the car before we fitted the springs, after fitment and again after a further 2000 miles. The second generation IS doesn't have camber or castor adjustment, just front and rear toe adjustment, so expect to see around 1.4 degrees of negative camber after fitting the lowering springs. I've attached the last readout for the geometry for my car, including the corner weighting. The positions shown have proven to be optimum for handling in it's current state without adverse tire wear. The OEM settings have proven to wear the inner edges of the tires, just as they did for the first generation IS. Shot at 2007-07-18

The only way besides an engine transplant, is to turbocharge or supercharge it (Blitz have a S/C). Correct me if I'm wrong, but won't you have similar problems in insuring it with a T/C or S/C as you had with insuring a 350?

Eibach pro-set is designed to work with the stock shocks, and handling is improved. Why would you think it would effect the turn ratio? Although don't understand this term, perhaps you meant 'turn radius'? Either way it wouldn't be effected by lowering unless of course you have aftermarket wheels that are overtyred or have incorrect offset so they rub the bodywork. There are other aftermarket springs and coilovers available as well as shock absorbers, but the OEM shocks are fine.

I have found you need to string the words together very closely...if you try and annunciate very clearly, especially with a distinct break between words the system doesn't recognise the phrase.

Cough....that's LOC UK Bart, the Welsh, Northern Irish, and Scots will get upset if you say LOC England We don't have the auto lock feature, although a few of us were misinformed that we would have before we purchased the cars Presumably the OZ versions don't either, but right hand or left hand drive isnt a very good indicator as I don't believe the European spec LH drive has it. ...and I'm sure Bart will confirm the US spec doesn't have the tilting mirror option.

OMFG!!! Well,... at least you have a car that very few people have over there. I just moved back from Paris to LA and bought a 2007 is350 fully loaded (luxury w/Mark Levinson, 18" wheels with pimpy chrome rims) :whistles: for 42k USD. You are a brave man. Enjoy your Lexus. Well I could have paid $100,000 for an Audi RS4, but I'm very happy with the Lex, so much so that my wife has one too... :D

Fully loaded IS250 in SGM with black leather cost me over $64,000 (£32K+ in UK). Doesn't that just make you all feel better???

It was one of the first mods to the car, and yes it was a 'red-out' kit from http://www.rvinyl.com/ Dead easy to fit as comes pre-cut and with a full set of instructions. Perfect match except perhaps it's not quite so shiny as the bare plastic lenses. Must admit I don't notice it at all now, even when I'm detailing the car.

I've got the Tanabe stainless steel system on mine. It's very well made and lighter than the original. You can hear it when you put your foot down but it's not intrusive. There is a droning sound around 2-3K rpm when cruising which you get used to, but obviously it wasn't there with the OEM system. Shot with DSC-P200 at 2007-07-09 Shot with GZ-MG575 at 2007-07-09

When I got my 250 the dealer informed me that the rear tires are slightly bigger than the front tires so you can't put them on the front wheels. This may or may not be true, definitely check with your dealer before attempting it. The OEM rims are wider on the rear (8.5") than the front (8"). The only model in the second generation IS to have the same widths all round is the AWD. I have non OEM 8.5" on the front but 9.5" on the rear. Fitting the 8.5" on the front will depend on tyre size as the rubber does get pretty close to the plastic liner.

We do not have the TPMS on the European specification IS250 or 220D. Is this a mandatory feature for the US market? I manage by checking my tyres weekly (more usually monthly) with my digital tire gauge, and rarely do they require any adjustment. Guess the only time the TPMS would be really useful would be in a slow puncture situation as a blowout in my experience is usually felt through the steering.

The European specs don't have the wheel sensors, so it wasn't a problem. I have the complete OEM bodykit less the rear lower panel, plus the lip spoiler on the trunk. IMO the rear panel doesn't change the looks much and probably is the most troublesome to install...so max pain for min gain. I bought most of the OEM kit from MY.IS ...the sides (not shown in the pic) were $379, the lip spoiler was $199 and the front air dam was $340. The complete OEM kit including the rear panel is available from the dealer for $1,182 (e.g. Sewell Lexus, Dallas), but the lip spoiler isn't part of the kit. Prices don't include fitting. The reason I bought separate units was because I could only carry one box per trip on my flights back to the UK

I switched to Toyo T1-R and they're much quieter than the OEM fitted Bridgestone Potenza.

The technique used for extending the wheel arch to provide more width clearance is termed "rolling the fenders", or in the UK "rolling the arches". If you have too much offset then the wheel will rub if you don't have them 'rolled'. Never heard it used in the context you're describing.

Not to my knowledge, but why are you posting the question in the US LOC LX470 forum???

Sorry to hear of your problem but the Lexus standard settings have been proven to be incorrect. Here in the UK we had the same problems with inner tyre wear on the IS 200 & 300 until one of the LOC UK members who happens to be a geometry specialist, worked out the correct settings for the car. Believe me, not only have the revised settings recovered the geometry and stopped the undue and uneven tire wear, but the car drives a whole lot better as a result. If you want the new settings please contact Tony at http://www.wheels-inmotion.co.uk/forum and I'm sure he'll pm them to you. Hundreds of first generation UK IS models have been reset, so it's been totally proven. However, Lexus have not learnt the lesson and the second generation IS is known to suffer from the same problem. Unfortunately the later model only has toe adjustment so recovery is not so easy.

Tried it on a small ding in the roof of my baby Lexus...didn't work. According to the theory it only works on large dents. It's the ratio of metal thickness to surface area that is critical and also what's behind the dent as insulation material or stiffeners may also stop this working.

Don't think it hasn't crossed my mind :D

Just a slightly cheaper spec for the US market, and I should think so too...we pay over $64,000 for a fully specced SE-L ...and that's calculating with the current high £ to $ rate. How much is the infamous VAT on a new IS there? Value added tax is still 17.5%. Doesn't bear think about really especially as you've already paid income tax on the money you're purchasing the car with. There are countries where it would cost you more though e.g. Southern Ireland, Singapore and Norway etc. Most of the mods to my car have been purchased in the US and carried back with me courtesy of British Airways, a full OEM ground effects kit and trunk lip plus a set of US spec Eibach springs all carried back as single units on various visits over the last 18 months....Get a few strange glances from fellow passengers at check in and the baggage conveyor

I was quite surprised to see how flat the torque curve actually was...as well as how linear the power curve was. May as well maximize HP and shift at 6,400 RPM (don't forget to take into account the short delay if you have an automatic in manual mode!). But converting measuring units always confuse me. I'm used to seeing the torque & HP curves always cross at 5,252 RPM's. One of the online conversion calculators I used showed 158kW = 212 HP. 260nM = 192 ft-lbs. It's interesting that the US site shows only 204 HP and 185 ft-lbs. Perhaps its different fuel standards in Japan? I think Lexus are quoting the 204 bhp as a general figure globally, but the actual individual power output will vary depending on quite a few factors e.g. temperature/humidityfuel octane. Would like to get mine dyno'd to see what it's pushing out at the hubs with the Joe Z/free flow filter and the Tanabe system. Also looking to increase power with a single Rotrex supercharger...but early days yet....and no I can't just buy a 350 :cries: Could always wait for the IS-F release in the UK

Does anyone have the Lexus part numbers for the OEM rotors and calipers for the IS350? The dealers over here in the UK do not have access to the IS350 database.

Just a slightly cheaper spec for the US market, and I should think so too...we pay over $64,000 for a fully specced SE-L ...and that's calculating with the current high £ to $ rate.

You mean permanently or just as it happens? If I have the door open and want to stop the alarm I just push the closure switch in once and it stops. Must be another Euro thing. I just tried it and it resumes beeping. SO many small differences in the specs...why?? We don't have autolock in the UK, although most people here would like to have it. Dealers say it's not an option/programmable. Same deal with the folding mirrors, the UK model has them but the US one does not, although at least there's a partial explanation on that one, as in the drivers door panel is a different part number anyway due to being right hand drive. Presumably the UK and Australian spec is same or very similar to the Japanese spec, and they saved a few cents with the LH drive spec. Would be interesting to know if the European L.H drive model is more similar to the US spec.

You mean permanently or just as it happens? If I have the door open and want to stop the alarm I just push the closure switch in once and it stops.