2007 GS advice required please

[cpk]

Hi all,

I'm looking into purchasing an 07 GS450h and need some expert advice please. 

1. Sat nav discs. Are there more up to date ones than the 2007 discs that can be purchased that work with this head unit?

2. I would like to listen to music by aux in 3.5mm jack or/and USB. Is there a good after market solution and a guide how to install it?

 

many thanks,

 

 

[AmbroseJohn]

Later, if not latest nav disks can be found on eBay.

 

One of these is a cheap fix for MP3 player connection.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Audio-Tape-Cassette-To-Jack-AUX-For-IPOD-MP3-IPhone-ITouch-HTC-3-5-mm-/261023658920?hash=item3cc638f3a8:g:lAsAAOxycSdR3np~

 

 

[cpk]

Thanks. 

How do do I know what I'm looking for with regards to nav discs? I've done a search but they don't have dates? Would a 2012 work with my car?

 

good suggestion with regards tape converter I don't mind hardwiring something and would prefer to do it that way if possible? Any suggestions?

cheers

 

[AmbroseJohn]

Make sure the 2012 maps are for the 2007 car, not the 2012 car. I think they may be HD based anyway.

[Mike Hartland]

John is correct. Until 2010 the Sat Nav was disc based and updated discs can be purchased online.

Post 2010 the Sat Nav was HDD based and updates are only available through a Lexus dealer.

They did continue producing discs after 2010 but if you have any concerns then a quick phone call to your local dealer should confirm their suitability, before you buy online.

[chris_abr]

You can either purchase the discs, or burn them yourself - but this requires a lot of patience and nerves! A lot easier to just buy on eBay (they're not originals either, most of the time). The latest available disc is from 2015/16.

By far the best way to get AUX / Bluetooth is to purchase one of the xcarlink kits. 

http://www.xcarlink.co.uk/product.php?productid=318&cat=29&page=1 You can have it around £140 (you'll need an additional adapter cable, since you have the satnav). 

cable: http://www.xcarlink.co.uk/product.php?productid=67&cat=29&page=1

As to guides - none needed, really. but youtube has a full guide for it:

 

This is a grom one, but the xcarkit works exactly the same.

The difference is, xcarkit is a UK company based in London, whereas grom is US. So shipping takes a lot shorter, and you have a local phone number.

 

EDIT:

Sorry, the video I gave didn't have a guide, here is the guide for installation:

Really simple stuff, remove the centre console, plug a cable at the back, route kit cables, put it back together - done.

[Mike Hartland]

.

[OldTrout]

Beware. I purchased a disk for my 2007 450h but it would not work and I had trouble getting my money back. Eventually Paypal refunded almost all I had spent but it was a lot of hassle. See the postings I made at the time on this forum. The pirate discs may be fine on lots of cars but they weren't on mine.

I then bought a set of 4 genuine Lexus 2012 discs on eBay and the UK one works fine. (I haven't tried the others.)

I believe the Lexus policy on only selling sets of 4 encourages the pirates. I came across a couple of sellers who looked as if they were buying genuine Lexus sets and then splitting them. Their overall mark-up was about 50%.

[chris_abr]

Not sure about the 2007, but on my 2005 (MK3), the only check on the DVD is the 'DVD-ROM' book type, so as long as you use a recorder capable of recording the DVD as DVD-ROM (pretending to be the original), it'll work fine. (though majority of desktop recorders are not capable of this).

You have to remove some of the maps, as the originals come in DVD DL (9 GB), and on DL discs, the recorder has an additional check, which cannot be worked around when recording with a desktop recorder. But single layer discs (4.7GB) work just fine. It should work fine regardless of the year, as the 2005/6 has Mark 3 Infotainment screen, 2007+ has Mark 5 - but it's mainly a screen update, the DVD-ROM reader, maps and its software checks are identical.

Though this is just a presumption, I haven't tested it, so can't confirm. It'd be good to test the 'backup' DVDs on a newer car.

But yeah, if you can't be bothered with the hassle, and don't mind having maps outdated by 2 or 3 years, just buy straight from the dealer, they're around £130. Annoying if you do it every year, not that bothering if you update once every decade.

[chris_abr]

15 hours ago, OldTrout said:

Beware. I purchased a disk for my 2007 450h but it would not work and I had trouble getting my money back. Eventually Paypal refunded almost all I had spent but it was a lot of hassle. See the postings I made at the time on this forum. The pirate discs may be fine on lots of cars but they weren't on mine.

I then bought a set of 4 genuine Lexus 2012 discs on eBay and the UK one works fine. (I haven't tried the others.)

I believe the Lexus policy on only selling sets of 4 encourages the pirates. I came across a couple of sellers who looked as if they were buying genuine Lexus sets and then splitting them. Their overall mark-up was about 50%.

By the way, I don't think yours are genuine. The genuine discs have maps for the whole of europe on one disc.

 

Are you able to enter an address when driving? Because if so, then your discs are definitely not original, as the firmware on the nav was 'unlocked'.

[cpk]

Many thanks for all the replies.

 

I am now the owner of a 2007 GS450H SE with 91k and 6 months Lexus warranty remaining, I paid £6k.  It is a nice car and should do me well for my work journeys.  My first trip I got 38mpg.  

A couple of questions:

it seems the rear blind is faulty, not going up and seems to be stuck now.  I'm guessing the warranty will cover it and will ask when I'm next in the dealer - any one else had this problem?

The Sat Nav discs are 14-15 but the reliability seems a bit dodgy, it cuts out sporadically and loses destination - I also can't seem to get an ETA to show up.  I can also program the route whilst driving - is this correct?

 

Thanks,

[messi]

Congrats on your new purchase. 38mpg, is that local driving?

[OldTrout]

Excellent purchase. 38mpg is excellent too. I would think the rear blind would be fixed under warranty.

If your Sat Nav discs are genuine Lexus then the Sat Nav might be fixed under warranty too. However it does sound as if they are pirated discs in which case it's down to you.

I cannot enter the address etc. for a new destination whilst moving and I believe this the correct Lexus behaviour. I have read of modifictaions ("unlocking") to enable it to be done on the move but my mind boggles. It is hard enough when stationary. Doing it whilst moving must be a short cut to an accident.

If a destination is in the memory I can set it by voice commands whilst moving e.g. "Destination home". Other things might be possible by voice commands too but I haven't found them yet.

I don't know if an unlocked sat nav unit can be restored to its original firmware. Others might know it the firmware on genuine Lexus DVDs will do a restore. It so there is your solution either with new ones or older ones off eBay from someone who has just updated.

John

[cpk]

38mpg is a-roads and cross country with round abouts etc.  I was keeping up with traffic and sticking to speed limit.

I should add this is computer data, I'm yet to do a brim to brim calculation. 

I'll check out the provenance of the discs! Thanks  

 

 

[chris_abr]

6 hours ago, cpk said:

Many thanks for all the replies.

 

I am now the owner of a 2007 GS450H SE with 91k and 6 months Lexus warranty remaining, I paid £6k.  It is a nice car and should do me well for my work journeys.  My first trip I got 38mpg.  

A couple of questions:

it seems the rear blind is faulty, not going up and seems to be stuck now.  I'm guessing the warranty will cover it and will ask when I'm next in the dealer - any one else had this problem?

The Sat Nav discs are 14-15 but the reliability seems a bit dodgy, it cuts out sporadically and loses destination - I also can't seem to get an ETA to show up.  I can also program the route whilst driving - is this correct?

 

Thanks,

get the newer discs, whether genuine or not, it's likely them working so-so. What you have now are not genuine.

Though the 'not genuine' makes no difference, as soon as you update the discs to 2015/16, it'll also update the firmware.

If it's original, the firmware will re-lock the nav, so you can't enter the destination whilst out of park. if not, it'll just update the firmware (which will fix the stability).

[chris_abr]

4 hours ago, OldTrout said:

Excellent purchase. 38mpg is excellent too. I would think the rear blind would be fixed under warranty.

If your Sat Nav discs are genuine Lexus then the Sat Nav might be fixed under warranty too. However it does sound as if they are pirated discs in which case it's down to you.

I cannot enter the address etc. for a new destination whilst moving and I believe this the correct Lexus behaviour. I have read of modifictaions ("unlocking") to enable it to be done on the move but my mind boggles. It is hard enough when stationary. Doing it whilst moving must be a short cut to an accident.

If a destination is in the memory I can set it by voice commands whilst moving e.g. "Destination home". Other things might be possible by voice commands too but I haven't found them yet.

I don't know if an unlocked sat nav unit can be restored to its original firmware. Others might know it the firmware on genuine Lexus DVDs will do a restore. It so there is your solution either with new ones or older ones off eBay from someone who has just updated.

John

unlocked nav makes sense, if you're stuck on traffic lights for 3-5 minutes, it's enough time to use it. Not to mention by the passenger. It's much safer than stopping in the middle of a country road to enter an address on the nav.

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

Would this be the correct disc with UK mapping:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEXUS-EUROPE-2014-2015-VER-1-SAT-NAV-DISC-SATELLITE-NAVIGATION-FREE-POST-TOYOTA-/222195133730?hash=item33bbdcad22:g:YMUAAOSw0fhXkk9I

[chris_abr]

2 minutes ago, Diesel Do Nicely Brian said:

Would this be the correct disc with UK mapping:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEXUS-EUROPE-2014-2015-VER-1-SAT-NAV-DISC-SATELLITE-NAVIGATION-FREE-POST-TOYOTA-/222195133730?hash=item33bbdcad22:g:YMUAAOSw0fhXkk9I

Potentially, but for this price you may as well pay the difference and buy a new one with 2016 maps direct from Lexus.

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

Indeed - I'll maybe look into that one.  It;s for a 2006 56 plate GS 450h.

[MrShades]

Or just use Waze - which is free and infinitely better than the Lexus nav

Sent from my Iphone using Tapatalk

[chris_abr]

9 minutes ago, MrShades said:

Or just use Waze - which is free and infinitely better than the Lexus nav

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'd use Google Maps if anything. But the Lexus maps is just so convenient, no phones on the dashboard, the interior looks much better.

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

I have the Tom Tom app on my phone (which was £36.99!!!) but it's the best there is as it works when there is no signal (which happens often in many places I am driving) and the maps are constantly updated, alongside cameras and traffic.

However, I'd like to be able to use the Lexus Nav as it's there.

[MrShades]

The Lexus nav is there - but I drive a lot and the lack of decent traffic rerouting, speed cameras/hazards, full postcode entry and constantly updated maps means that I don't use it.

Having used all the others - having a standalone TomTom and previously swearing by Google Maps - I've been using Waze (which is owned by Google) and it beats everything else hands down. It's routing and traffic avoidance is simply the best - and the ability to just enter 'ikea' (or wherever) as your destination makes postcode entry seem old fashioned - and Lexus nav seem prehistoric!

Sent from my Iphone using Tapatalk

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

Does Waze work when there is no phone signal at all?  Sounds positive.

[MrShades]

It needs a signal for the initial routing - but then works fine if you drive and drop in and out of signal

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