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You can read all the road tests you want, Lexus haven't moved the game on, the Germans are so far in front, the F models are underpowered, the guy in the video has his own agenda. Well here is mine, when I park mine up, I still turn around and look back as I walk away and when I am out in it, early morning in the summer time and I am "making progress" I have never thought, damn, this thing needs another 100 or 150 bhp, it cant go around corners, it understeers too much or the LSD is pointless. I love the car, for the money, show me something that can cover the ground as quickly, as well equipped, without shouting about it, and give you the confidence that it will never let you down....................

Hi, I've not been on here much recently due to my holiday and then coming back to a load of work that my colleagues kindly left for me 😧 Here's my quick update for anyone who cares: Holiday to florida was good and at least now I can say I survived a hurricane! I saw one gsf (doesn't look good in red) but no isf's. I got a 2.3 turbo mustang convertible for the trip. Overall it is a good car, apart from the completely numb steering, but a 4 cylinder engine is just wrong in a Stang! It went ok but just makes the wrong noise 😔 While I was away my car was in the paint shop having the front bumper, bonnet and sideskirts resprayed. No photos as it hasnt stopped raining since I picked it up but he's done a great job for £700. I've also had the mot this week which it passed with no advisories, not bad for 9 years and 107k miles 😎. Having said that the estimate for a service was a bit scary, apparently there is no record of my spark plugs ever being changed so i need them doing at great expense 🤤. Going to get that done next week once I've recovered from the shock. I've also ordered the usrs today and will be getting a full valet and ceramic coating for the new paint soon so let's hope the wife doesn't find the credit card statement this month 😳 P.s. there was a dodge dealer just down the road from where I was staying in Florida who had a very rare and random super bee tribute parked outside next to the hellcats. Not to everyone's taste but put a smile on my face 🤠

I just did it at the beginning of September, no midges, only bad weather was going over Applecross, couldn’t see more than a few yards in front of you. Everywhere else was brilliant including the B&Bs we stayed at. 6 nights, 1300 miles, hardly any traffic, mostly Dutch as mentioned above. i could have turned around and done it again.

I know the instant torque of new turbo engines make the German cars more responsive but I like to work an engine, build up to the power and enjoy hearing it get angrier and angrier! I don't really care how quickly im going it's about the experience. I honestly don't think i could be trusted with 500+bhp on the public road anyway. Luckily the gsf only has 470 😁

Hope this is the correct section. Here are few picture's I took from SuperGT Rd3 Autopolis and some Toyota HQ in Toyota city.

You’ll be able to slip through Europe unnoticed in your Orange RCF 😜

or maybe try the Dolomites, they truly are FABULOUS to drive around, up and down and across etc ............... Italy is stunning mostly, driving is challenging too ............ but the Dolomites are world class and amazing ........ I can personally vouch for that trip Just take care with the time of year ..... bit like the Pyrenees I guess ........ I've only been along, around, across those in bloody wet misty weather ....... and take care re any political fall-out right now too maybe in Spain Just go do something with these amazing cars, the world's out there to explore .... I have done and will hopefully continue to do so .............. in my ancient Ls400 though Malc

Phil: your post is a summary of the reasons why many owners remain loyal after buying their first Lexus. My current Lexus is the sixth I have owned in seventeen years whereas my previous eleven cars, company ones for the most part but all of them personally chosen by me over a period of twenty-five years or so, consisted of seven different marques. Although I admit to having become lazier and more set on my ways than I once was, my loyalty to Lexus rests mainly on a continuing tendency to tick customer satisfaction boxes far more emphatically than I ever did with BMW, Audi, Jaguar and other producers of "executive saloons", my only big regret being that for one reason or another I have never owned an MB or had use of one other than as a short-term hire. Certainly, where I would once never have chosen a car without first testing several alternatives, I have latterly gone straight to my Lexus dealer armed only with a few on-paper price comparisons to help negotiations but confident in the knowledge that I will get a good deal for a good car supported by good service. Maybe I have been lucky, but I have experienced none of the major reliability- or dealer-related problems occasionally described on this and other LOC Forums. I am aware, of course, that quality and reliability gaps between competitors have narrowed over the years, as have prices, and that I may therefore have missed out on a lot of great alternatives by sticking with Lexus. On the other hand, when I continue to see good reviews for competitors alongside poor or tepid ones for Lexus, and knowing from my own experience that many of the latter are rubbish or, to put it more kindly, based on performance comparisons that have little or nothing to do with the practicalities of everyday motoring, my degree of loyalty tends to increase rather than diminish.

I originally had the car insured with Lexus insurance, mainly because they were one of the few to not require a tracker at the time and so there would be no quibling over Lexus doing any repairs. I had also been provide with a 3 year gap insurance when I bought the car as part of the deal. As mentioned above re the pitifull insurance value payed on a stolen ISF, I tried to extend my gap insurance when it finshed earlier this year, which apparently you can't do unless its within 6 months of the cars purchase. So as a result I am now also with Adrian Flux, who were cheaper even with an agreed valuation policy. I would give GAP or an a agreed valuation policy serious consideration, because you certainly won't be able to replace the car with the payout from a standard policy.

I'm with Adrian flux at the moment and they have been good, in in the middle of a claim too and have been excellent

I have just completed a very successful 2300 mile round trip from Kent up to and through and around Scotland and back .... in 16 days ....... got back 10th September BRILLIANT and little affected by the midges .... brilliant weather, brilliant Grand Touring in the best grand touring car ever ................... many more tourists this time than 5 years ago when we did a similar trip ................ my Lexus was probably the one and only Ls400 on the roads there and most certainly the oldest car by many many years. Mostly German and Dutch drivers of cars, camper vans, touring caravans and motorbikes too ............. a little pressure on ad hoc accommodation but every night was spent somewhere ranging from ok, to mostly good to some really really outstanding. As I say, a brilliant trip Malc

http://newsthump.com/2017/10/05/audi-driver-entitled-to-tailgate-and-flash-his-lights-at-you-because-he-is-superior-to-you-in-every-way/

May is quiet, bug free and usually good weather pop there ;) As others have said, it's well worth a visit.

Yes done that route and some really 'hairy scary' minor roads in the Alps but the only advantage of the Alps over the Scottish Highlands that I can think of for V8 owners is there are so many enticing long tunnels for exhaust sound clips. Late September/October is a good time to do the NC500 but I was up there earlier this year late August to early September and rarely got stuck behind anything. You do have to watch out for the odd stray sheep, cyclist, camper-van and highland 'coo' but most of the time it's just awesome motoring. With ample road to get by or passing places to permit good progress. Start where you like but officially it's here at Inverness. View from the top of the castle looking back down the river Ness towards Nessie. Some have accused the Highland Police force of turning a blind eye to car clubs enjoying the NC500 route but they strenuously deny it. I took this pic in the castle car park just after they unveiled their latest high speed interceptor pursuit car. Evidence that even in August you can have the place to yourself. (the ever so popular with car clubs - Kylesku Bridge) Though on closer inspection of the tarmac, it seems either Rusty or Ken Block may have been there ahead of me.

Not keen on heights .... that is why I live in a bungalow. Lazy builder he was ....... ran out of bricks and said ........... bung a low roof on it!

Hi this is truly a great trip ,I completed it in april this year with a group of MX5 owners .The information we received was that it is now getting very popular in the main summer months which makes progress slow over some single track sections , also accomodation can be difficult in some areas .Want a great testing run ? a couple of years ago we did the old Route des Grande Alpes from Annecy down to Menton on the Italian border , very challenging and exciting check it out Dave

That’s next on our list big rat . Sound good

Hi Pete, congratulations on the SC kit! I've just placed my order too, just let me know when you need any info from me 🖒

Sadly no I don't live in Japan but travelled to see SuperGT and visit friends . Autopolis was amazing . From memory it's about 1hr drive from Kumamoto and well worth a visit.

Great pics thanx for sharing love the modern Lexus look, not sure about that dodgy old yellow car though........cough...... cough 🤗 Big Rat

@Malc Sounds amazing driven round a fair bit if Northern Europe but not been to Italy or southern France definitely on my bucket list. Do you have / you ever used the channel tunnel are there still issues there with disruption I'm curious as going over that way from here puts you on the correct side of France to go south and maximise the time in France/Italy. Big Rat

Only for certain cars that are over 25 years old 😕 Most insurers pay book prices which are very low for Lexus f cars. Agreed value or gap is a must sadly.

Mark g it’s not anything to do with wheel nut is it ..

Nice pictures there, David. Very jealous you got Autopolis! Do you live in Japan or were you just visiting?

Couldn’t agree more Mark. I would also add that the ISF was quick enough around Silverstone to come second to an M3 & ahead of a C63 who were only separated by less than 2.5 seconds in total if I recall (on around a 2 minute lap) and both the German cars had mechanical LSD’s. The F would probably have been even closer to the M3 had it have been fitted with one at the time . The ISF Ring taxi is also about 30 seconds quicker than an M5 Ring taxi - to me that’s a seriously quick car by any standards & how much more can you actually ever use anyway!! I went back to MB World recently & spent an hour in a 600hp CLS AMG which is a mighty impressive car but the difference is marginal I suspect in most situation. I’m perfectly happy with the F which has more than enough for me. Still each to his own👍🏻

Definitely worth it & added relatively little to the premium👍🏻

@DAW As I'm with Flux now think I will give them a call see what they want for an agreed value add on. Big Rat

Pity it doesn’t have a red interior, he would love then.

I have had my car since June now here are my likes and dislikes. Like's: Adaptive cruise control, makes motorway driving so sweet How quiet the engine is especially on EV mode The automatic hill parking break is amazing Reverse Camera Bluetooth Radio and automatic phone contact sync Dislikes: Annoying sound upon breaking EV mode turning off due to accelerating too fast

Hello David and welcome to the LOC. I have a JDM imported Toyota Celsior ( Lexus LS400) it came into the UK with just 62,000 KMs and I bought it off a dealer in Blackpool. Still going strong over 11 years later and not clocked up 100,000 miles yet.

Hi Topper and welcome to the LOC. We are a friendly bunch so please don’t hold back asking questions big or small should you have any problems with your car. We always welcome ideas on how to overcome problems with our cars but as they are the finest cars in the universe they don’t go wrong that often. We always love to see pictures of your cars inside and out so don't be shy. Happy Lexus Motoring. Mike.

He’s probably seen a couple of clouds and got rained off .

Just nipped home for lunch dav . 🤥

Big rat. Totally agree the silver one on for 15k looks a cracking deal , mileage is right too . Well worth a trip to see it

Welcome from another recent Lexus owner! Looking forward to seeing some pictures when it lands.

Agree. I guess my view is based on the fact that I'd like a lower mileage example as mine is now at the grand old age of 55,000

@Jgtcracer I'm with Adrian Flux as well took up with them last month £389.00 all in, pleased they are progressing your claim, of course we can all expect that from any insurance company being the professional honest forthright............ 😂 🐀

Yes I imported my Subaru last year . I use Mark at http://www.braveautointernational.jp/ . He can source the car for you but I'd prefer to have a look through the Auctions for myself. Not so many low mileage good grade examples available so it took a while to find a nice one.

No, it never happened. Most people couldn't commit until after June. I couldn't go any later than May as the wife was due to give birth in June. I would certainly still like to do it next year but as you all know, getting everyone to be able to do the same weekend is hard. Maybe if we start to plan now it gives people more notice?? What you guys think, still interested in doing this?? I'm willing to organise a trip

@Flytvr Well those BMW owners looked to be prepared for 'Midge' battle north of the border! @Toothy off this forum did a trip up there with friends recently nice pics nice cars ! 🐀

Welcome to LOC B) Looks a nice motor. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Don't think so, the insect threat during cake stops was too risky.......

Thanks Matt, it'll be going to Lee P at SRD once the kit arrives. RR-Racing say 3-4 days to install it right. Will need re-dyno'ing first, then install along with the brake upgrades I've got sitting in my garage. Then we need to add the new tune, and back on the dyno. I'm guessing a week at least. Should be pretty special once it's all done.

Welcome to the enlightened minority.

I agree entirely. It's also quite funny how the motoring press bang on about how much better the BMW is on the limit. How many of us drive our cars on the limit? I found that both my IS and GS were/are more than adequate in every day driving. Both handle really well and can be fun when pressed. I particularly like the fact that the ecvt has the smoothest drive of any car I've had during normal driving and makes me feel totally relaxed. I had a great time earlier in the year driving around Scotland and the GS handled sublimely whether in normal or S+ mode. Also there's no hesitation when pulling away quickly at roundabouts so I never feel stressed unlike my experience in the Merc!

Yes, just like changing the washer fluid for non-Lexus brand instantly voids the warranty

@Flytvr Davi I was up at a certain dealership this morning and at reception the phones were ringing of the hook, as you can see I took a picture of the reception desk as I could hear voices behind the counter one said to the other " We should be answering this it's bad customer service " " No are you mad it's that Mr Hughes I'm scared 😳 " Big Rat

Yes, Winter's are tough on builders - Monday-Thursday 10am start - 14:55 off home (too dark) Friday 10am start - Ooooo look, it's 12pm, PUB TIME

Because I’m OCD about where I park etc a friends wife said the F is clearly a bit of a Diva. This remindied her of “Alexus” Carrinton in her white dress with shoulder pads etc from Dynasty. My whole bloody family now refer to my car as Joan or Joanie - just brilliant!! 😉

Small update....... Now you see me........ Now you dont........ I had the engine stand ready to bolt it onto but the bolts i have are not long enough to get through the stand holder and the block. Easy enough to pull the engine out, i removed the a/c condensor to make life a little easier. Going to find some longer bolts tomorrow and get it on the stand.