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To be honest with you, if all you do is town driving then a diesel isn't really for you. In order to stop the EGR valve and DPF getting clogged up they need a good long run once in a while, ideally on a motorway or A road doing over 2000rpm for 15-20 mins or so. Modern diesels aren't suited to doing only short journeys, so you should prepare for more clogging in the future if that is all you do. Although, even a petrol car will eventually have issues if all you do is 2 mile trips constantly. For your car, take it for a blast up a motorway once a week or 2 to keep it happy

The search for the next car has begun so I tried out the aforementioned cars, both for a week and about a week apart from each other. I should mention that I currently drive an IS300h and have previously had a CT so I can do I decent comparison. If you are looking at something along the same lines just now this may help although it is all subjective and your opinion will undoubtably differ! Overview: The BMW is obviously a plug in Hybrid which provides for about 20 miles of electric power. The GS isn't and doesn't although you can probably get a mile out of it given the right conditions, maybe more. Both cars are targetting the same segment and with the BMW's green credentials, is quite a close competitor. On paper, the GS, especially in Exec spec, is a lot lot cheaper. The current GS Exec is around the 36k mark. The BMW starts around 44k but the £2500 government grant applies so that brings things down a bit. The car I was provided with was the M-Sport with a variety of technical upgrades which brought the cost of the vehicle to an eye watering 55k. This makes direct spec comparison difficult but I think it is fair to say that, generally, feature for feature, the Lexus is better overall value. Engine/Performance and Plugging In First things first. The BMW is faster than the Lexus, much faster. It also sounds half decent as well which is nice although I have to say I felt the GS did a great job at dealing with engine noise, especially compared to the IS. In normal use when not pushing it or accelerating hard then both cars are as quiet as you would expect and any noise from the engines is kept to a minimum. The GS seems slightly keener to maintain the battery power compared to the IS although my understanding is that the engines and hybrid systems between the two models is identical so that could just be my perception. Obviously the main benefit of the Lexus in this context is that you don't have to plug it in. The plugging in of the BMW is really essential if you want to realise the benefits of the car and I will talk about this below. In essence, both cars are fast enough but if overall performance from standstill is important to you, you should opt for the BMW. In normal use, there isn't really that much difference - the GS in sport mode seemed perky enough. Green Credentials The GS is a known quantity - I didn't do a brim to brim measurement but the on board mpg said I got just under 50mpg in total with a whole variety of different driving. Take up to 5 mpg off for over enthusiastic measuring and I don't think you will be far off the reality. I found that okay and comparable with my IS which has done just over 48 mpg over 2.5 years. The BMW was much more variable. The truth is that, if you want to get the best mpg figures you will need to plug it in at every opportunity. I managed a commute home from work which was 50 miles and mostly motorway, achieving 83 mpg. Other trips really depended on what mode it was in and how much battery is left. I would estimate that if you have a full battery then you will get good returns depending on where you are going. The issue is that the battery is small and will be depleted after most journeys. There are ways to stop this from happening which I will touch on later but if you can ensure a full battery you will be a happy camper. If the battery is depleted, it will run in a similar way to a Lexus, charging and using a small percentage of the much larger (compared to the GS) battery in an automatic hybrid mode. Fuel returns, I would estimate, are slightly below the GS when running like this but you do have a bit of extra power as compensation. Learning to keep plugging it in was a bit of a culture change and I hadn't anticipated what a pain it would be. I don't have a drive and so ended up running an extension cable out to the car - obviously if you have your own off road parking then this isn't an issue. At work, no charger again although I did manage to get to plug it in overnight there a couple of times. The availability of chargers is key though to making the plug in work in a cost effective way. You can also force the battery to charge from the engine. Driving up the M6 for an hour fully charged the battery doing this but at the expense of a fuel economy running in the mid 30s or less. Whether this is worth doing is debatable but you may want to rely on the battery only for some reason. It is good that the option is there and with experimentation you could change the settings to maintain the battery at a certain percentage (other than 100%) to strike a balance. I wasn't able to use on-street/public charging points only having the car for a few days but it surprised me just how much you need to plug the car in to ensure it is ready. I am sure you would get used to this over time. Handling and Gearbox This was surprising. For the most part, the 8 speed auto in the BMW was generally very good but not all the time. There was an annoying lurch between 1st and 2nd which wasn't there all the time but that made if even more noticable when it happened. It was also hesitant and, to be honest, inconsistent with the power delivery when accelerating on occasion. Pulling out of a junction was tricky at times since it was like hitting a powerband - nothing at all and then BOOM! The much derided by the motoring press e-CVT in the GS, by comparison, was predictable (boring?) and smooth. I didn't have any issues with it and despite the noise and the slow response this transmission does have, it felt much better suited to this kind of car. I thought the handling would be a clear win for the BMW. Not so. At very slow speeds I found it has overly light steering and zero feedback. When picking up the pace or on the motorway, it did improve but the slow speed handling combined with the uneven power delivery did not inspire confidence at times. The GS was sure footed and, I though, was really quite sharp and precise. Overall I preferred the feel of driving the Lexus (but maybe that is because that is what I am used to). Special mention should be made of the brakes - or more precisely the regeneration of energy. The Lexus felt like every other Lexus - very gentle regeneration if coasting and only really coming in when braking. The BMW sometimes felt like that and also sometimes felt like a proper EV with very aggressive regeneration that only seemed to cover certain speeds. It was a very inconsistent experience overall and I wonder if I had missed some settings or didn't understand quite what it was doing. Even so, despite the system beings fairly capable at recovering energy I really didn't like how the whole experience lacked consistency. Technology My car did not have the safety equipment fitted such as radar cruise control which comes as standard on the GS. I would have specified it and it worked really well on the GS. Overall though, the BMW was way ahead on this front. The screens, full digital dash, presentation, ability to set a time and have the car warmed up and ready to go, the key that was like a phone with a touch screen and the really nice interior lighting, all better than the Lexus. Having said that though - most of it you could do without. The HUD and general infotainment stood out. The rest like the fancy key and gesture control, although worked as advertised, felt like party tricks you show everyone when you first get the car but add little and cost a lot. Still, Lexus could really do with reviewing the graphics and features of the in-car technology. It is entirely functional but doesn't feel as special as it does in the BMW. The BMW was fitted with a £900 Harman Kardon audio system and I was disappointed despite fiddling with it - it was clear but just lacked a bit of sparkle and punch. The base 12 speaker system in the GS sounded better to my ears (in surround mode which normally makes things sound a bit worse). I would like to try the ML system for comparison at some point. A Bowers and Wilkins system is available for the BMW but at £3500 I don't see that as a good buy! My children enjoyed changing the volume by making circles with their fingers in the air but, as you will imagine, that got old fairly quickly. The parking system incorporating auto parking and a 360 camera system worked very well and was super flash as the camera zoomed over the car (or you could get a remote view of the vehicle wherever it was parked and wherever you were via the app) to show the best view. Auto parking was fine but it didn't always pick the right parking space or seemed to make too many turns. I have always found the Lexus system with the park assist to work just fine - especially for parallel parking. They really should upgrade to a 360 version on all models or at least put a high definition camera there. Bear in mind though you could get a fully specced Premier for MUCH less than a comparable 530e so overall costs favour the Lexus. Comfort The big issue I had with the GS was the seat height. It didn't go low enough and I always felt too high in the car. The seats also felt quite a bit harder than the IS. The car was new though so that may have been the reason. Also the headrest came forward too much and only seemed to extent a little bit. I wasn't uncomfortable at all but I couldn't get it quite right. This height didn't help in the corners and the fairly wide seat meant I didn't feel all that supported (the IS seats are narrower and suit me despite the fact that are only 6 way adjustable). I would expect the 18 way seats in the Premier would solve this. The BMW came with the comfort seat option (no massage or ventilation though) and they were designed for someone a bit... wider than me. The bolsters were adjustable though and I would expect the level of adjustment would match the premier grade of the GS. The steering wheel didn't come quite as forward as I would like in the BMW but I was able to be comfortable in both cars and do long journeys without any issues. Practicalities To me that really means fuel capacity and luggage capacity. The boot space was only 411 litres (from memory) in the 530e. The shape of the boot was fine though and I didn't have any issues getting all my things in there. The GS has a totally different shape and 450 litres which I actually prefer - open the boot and it is all there rather than have to slide things for miles into the car. The BMW did have a powered boot which allowed you to lock the car and close the boot at the same time. I found that really useful. The GS actually had an undocumented (in the sales brochure) soft close feature but the GS and especially the IS really need to have damped hinges to stop it bouncing open. Auto closing is an option on the GS too to be fair. Aesthetics I won't really go into this as it is too subjective. Overall you will not be surprised by the design of either. I liked elements of both although the GS was more distinctive at the front, the BMW was neater at the back. So... If you have made it this far, well done. Fire any specific questions my way if you are considering the 530 or GS and can't get your hands on one. Which am I going to choose? Will it be either of these? I will say that both are very very good cars with elements that delight and annoy like any car. In the end the choice is yours but I will mention that while the BMW is more expensive to buy outright, depending on how you finance your cars, it may be the cheapest to lease as well has have a lower tax burden which is only 9% this year so could be the cheapest one to own.

Hi, just thought I would stop by and say hello, just changed from a Merc E Class to a CT200H, just a few niggles to deal with first.

Hi Steve 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.

Hi,.. For whats it worth I got almost 31mpg whilst on the Motorway...I own a mark3

Welcome Paul. I assume it says 'Check VSC' on the information display? It sounds like your car went into limp home mode, which would explain the lack of power. If, after turning the car on and off again, it drives normally then it should be ok if you need to use it for now, although it go into limp home again at any moment. You would need an OBD2 reader to see what the error code the car has generated. I don't have one personally, but there are plenty on Ebay which should do the job. Depending on the code, you would then need to see what the best way forward would be.

Ok here's the update to the issue...It was the wheel bearing. Thanks to "the acre" for a correct diagnosis . Sourced the part and fitted it this afternoon. Quite an easy job to do as well if you are keen on the spanners. Weirdly I had an engine light come on this morning but since replacing the bearing and taking it for a drive the light has gone off. Don't know if a diagnostic test would reveal the bearing problem but it just seems a bit of a coincidence . Anyway , happy days and thanks again.

Sorry no. I took it on faith from the paint shop man as he has done quite a bit for me over the years. I will try and remember to ask next time I see him.

Well guys We fitted a second hand Diff and it now the bangings gone what a relief I can use cruise control again. Now I will book it in for a new exhaust from Tony banks and I will order a set of coilovers in.

Nope, it was Bolton. Fine team, no problem with them and had purchased a GS250 in the past from their team when they were still in Manchester ( before the Manchester branch closed down) But, they didn't call me back

10€ on WISH, installed in 1 mn, very satisfied with the result!

MeisterR's ZetaCRD is the right way to go. After 20.000 km across Europe, the Alps up and down, I can say with a clear conscience that I was never as pleased with the ride quality as now. Think about it and talk to Jerrick.

Best to use the phone one, for £3.00 gives every detail about the vehicle you are looking at instantly.

Chris, Yep, I'm in no rush... we have now found a truly immaculate SC430 for my brother, 2007 60,000miles, Full Lexus history incl cam belt, one lady owner, Jean stain on drivers seat which has come off, apart from that, superb... so just a decent LS to find... Any details on the UV coat, didn't know they did such a thing... Cheers

I think there should of been a recall regarding the GS450h struts - some members have had premature failure even after having them replaced. The Lexus warranty will cover them at some dealers, at others they wont, and Lexus are the only ones with replacements. For this reason I think these cars will be prematurely scrapped - thats sad news for a unique car with its unique performance.

I just find it ironic that a car brand that has built its whole reputation around quality and reliability has been anything but in my experience!!!

The paint shop man said I can clean them up and they will be the same in 12 months, or I can clean them and give them a new UV coat for a bit more, so I went for that.

The future is electric, however the future will be to tax electric. The only reason a Tesla is cheap to run is the lack of fuel duty, which the government needs to pay for building bombers, House of Commons drinks bill, etc. If you applied same rate of duty to electric a Tesla (or anything else) then they make a lot less sense. The one thing about a Tesla is it is dead quiet, and as battery tech (and magnetic drives) improve then they will become more efficient, but the problem is most of the rare earth materials are in China (sort of stable) and other countries (less stable) so same old problem as oil, who the yanks are gonna want to bomb to ensure supply. So even if we all have solar panels etc, the politics is not going away. For sure 4litre monsters will be unlikely in 20 years time, but petrol is going to be around for a while yet, as it is energy dense and easy to transport, where as batteries are along way behind being that energy dense. Personally Hybrids make more sense, especially if the electrics are used to get the car moving to 30mph, where the energy requirement is high, and causes the most pollution. One other point someone pointed out to me years ago, is the fact that the making of a car generally uses more fuel than the car will burn in it's lifetime, so a Tesla probably creates a fair bit of pollution being put together, so the hollier-than-thou hogwash is not going to please the tree-huggers. I'll be looking down from heaven (maybe) in the future trying to spot the few remain LS hanging on in there.

Hi Dusan Looking at those underbody photo's I must say I have never seen corrosion as bad as that on any Lexus. It looks like it as been driven through seawater,you need to get the wire brush in action and some preventitive coating such as Dinitrol or Waxoyl on that subframe as soon as possible.

Sorry Steve, I was just about to type that I threw it away (tilt motor) only recently having sorted out my garage, but I've just managed to pull it out from the garage bin (don't worry it only contained my car refuse). Send me a private note of your postal address and I'll try and get it to you (no promises). Damo

Hi Geoff, Having had company lease cars for over 20years with my last business I can comment from the other side of the fence. I treated those cars exactly like my own private vehicle.... serviced on time.... tyres changed before illegal... family & other animals told to treat the inside with respect.... cleaned inside & out regularly. I saw it as a tool of the trade...didn't want my customers seeing a skip driving into the car park ..... and when blessed with the presence of a senior manager or going to another site with a client I didn't want them to have scrape the kids McDonald's off the seat first. What I couldn't control was where it was serviced & the quality of parts & tires used.... as were all on contract accounts. I've also know guys who are '000 s of miles over service times and almost having to be threatened with consequences if they didn't get it done or only coming to light after being nicked for a tyre, speeding, bulb out etc. So I'm sure your relative will know long standing customers..... whose mileage and vehicle condition they can probably almost predict along with their service history. Over the years I have enquired a couple of times to buy my vehicle at the end of the lease.... I would call the price competitive not mind blowing cheap..... but of course I knew every mile it had done. Hope helps Phil Sent from my iPhone using Lexus OC

And this is why we can't have nice things. Nearly made two months before some arse goes down my car with a shopping trolley or whatever. It's white because it's taken the paint off. There's also a small dent in the door to the right just above the rubbing strip.