Gs450H - What To Look Out For

paseogt4 · July 23, 2012

Looking at getting a gs450h prob no more than 4 years and 50,000 miles. What should I look out for? any issues with batteries needing replacing - or what sort of age/ mileage do they need doing? Real life mpg? Do they do a gs with lane assist like in the ls? Cheers

PJ S · July 24, 2012

No LKA, but PCC/ACCS for distance from the vehicle in front will be on some, if the original owner/supplying dealer ticked the box.

Hybrid batteries have been known to go - irrespective of what Lexus sales people will say.

That said, I think like the US, they have an extended warranty of 8 years - best ask the question of a dealer's service dept to see if that's remembered correctly or whether it's a US only offer from Lexus NA.

Real life mpg will be whatever your right foot decides it's going to be, but any less than 35 and you'd be better off with a 300 or 460.

Boot space is going to be a major issue - for some it's a complete deal breaker. Best look in one to see if it is for you or a compromise you can live with.

wendle · July 24, 2012

Hi

I believe the Hybrid system, including the batteries are warranted for 5 years.

The GS450h has been in production since 2006 and as of yet I haven’t herd of any major hybrid or Battery problems, from this forum or another Lexus forum I am a member off witch is mainly US based.

The Toyota Yaris uses the same hybrid system and I think they have been going since 2002 and again I haven’t herd of any major problems, the way I look at it is that Toyota / Lexus would not want any problems with the hybrid system, this would have a major effect on new and second hand sales, who is going to buy a used car if the batteries need replacing in 6/7 years?, on the other hand they wont last for ever.

As for mpg, PJS is right, planting your right foot to the floor is only using the 3.5 ltr petrol engine so your mpg is not going to be great, it’s the hybrid system on this car witch give it a reasonable overall mpg.

I only do 5/6 mile trips, with two 300 mile round trips in a year, my average in my old 2008 GS450h was 29 mpg, it shows how thing can be improved as my new MK4 GS450h is already showing a average of 37mpe after only 250 miles and this is only 5/6 mile trips.

I don’t agree that a GS300 or 460 is better I owned 2 GS300’s and was only getting 24mpg, don’t no about the 460. and the 450h is much more powerful than the 300 and slightly quicker than the 460.

Depending on what year car you buy there was a recall for “valve spring” replacement, so make sure if it was needed it has been done. I think it was 2007/8 models.

Boot space is small, witch again has been much improved on the MK4, (50% bigger).

If you’re a family man with 2 kids I think a UK holiday would be out of the question.

When you test drive it take it on all types or roads, the MK3 did have problems with rattles and creaks, I had to take mine back twice for this problem, the first time was a creak coming from the front screen, they took the front dash out and re sound proofed it, and the second time was a creaking drives seat.

Other than that I have had 9 years of trouble free GS300 and GS450h driving and fingers crossed that will continue, in my opinion these cars are very well built and will go on and on.

Good luck with your perchance.

Chris

PJ S · July 24, 2012

Chris, as a new 300 owner, and halfway through a second tankful, the OBC is displaying 32-33 mpg average currently.

As per my thread recently on fuel economy, I'm not entirely convinced the OBC's calculation can be safely relied upon, but we'll see how that is once I've done the maths with this tankful.

As for the hybrid batteries - there's been a couple of cases on CL, and one car I was looking at, had the selling dealer reveal to me it'd had £2K's worth of money spent on replacing them. At that price, there's been Lexus involvement, otherwise it'd be nearer the £3.5K mark all fitted.

If I've remembered correctly, then Lexus (in the US at least) having extended the hybrid drivetrain warranty to 8 years suggests they felt it was required for other reasons than they're a nice company!

I've also been made aware of a few Priuses having Battery issues - I think they were high mileage taxis used in and around London.

On the whole though, they've been grand, and seem to go for strong money.

Battery concern, that pre-owned price strength, and the boot space all prevented me from being a hybrid owner - but so far, the 300 is acquitting itself VERY well in the economy stakes, I'm not really disappointed in having a 450h.