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I have some more news on this no firm date as yet but it is going to be most probably the latter part of April, as regards location it has not yet been decided but will either be Coventry or Cheltenham. There will be a full range of 'F' cars and LC as well as most likely 'F' sport vehicles. One of the reasons for the uncertainties of the date is that they are trying to secure anniversary models of Gsf and Rcf which would be great. Now one major plus for us is that Tim Huxley the Dealer Principal at Lexus Cheltenham has secured the attendance of one of the LFA's , now they are usually in attendance at events as a static display but he will have the keys so at the very least we can all drool and dribble at THAT noise. Just as soon as I get more detailed information for date and location I will post it up. Big Rat

The Magnificent Builder Adventures of Kitt & Peach

Completed her major 10 year service today without any dramas... 😊

Well, we've just got back home after a brilliant day out! Bimbled back home on the A-roads, just enjoying the pure luxury and extravagance of our new motor. It's obviously dark outside now and the car is already dirty from the winter salty roads, so for now I may as well just put up the promo shots, but I promise some 'real' photos soon.

You got it, I love technical chat 😉

Is that what they mean by carbon cans?

Coventry!!!! That’s near Scotland!!!!!! 😜 Nice one Ratty! Thanks

I'd certainly be up for this, more notice of dates the better though to get the wife primed! Coventry is a little more central than Cheltenham also so may be a bit more accessible for people having to travel Marcus

You have to keep her now mark . She’s a top car

@emjay82 Having regard to the above and @Comedian reply I've found something for @Warrington guy Dave to read while he's in there 😬 🐀

@Warrington guy has locked himself in the showroom toilets until his car has arrived, all he can see is carbon 😉

As the new owner of a RX400 literally the only thing that I did not like about the car with the ageing headunit/infotainment system, particularly missing the bluetooth streaming and DAB radio I had in my previous car. A few searches online lead me to the Grom Vline (http://gromaudio.co.uk/products/vl1-infotainment-upgrade/lexus-toyota-2006-2009-grom-vline-infotainment-system-upgrade-video-interface.html) by coincidence I seem to have been looking just at the point this launched, so think I may be one of the first to install this in a UK car. Therefore I thought a few people may be interested in some thoughts: What is it? Essentially it's an upgrade to the infotainment system that adds a full Android system all controllable through your touchscreen, without any visible alterations. It comes with some custom apps but you can also add anything from the Play Store (Google Maps, Spotify, YouTube etc) and also has CarPlay build in if you have an iPhone. Installation Much like other bluetooth units that are out there for the RX the vline imitates an external CD changer to play through the headunit. Therefore other than the moment when you realise you have a gaping hole in the center console of a car you've only owned for a week... it's all pretty straight forward. Installation is all plug and play, 1 connection to your head unit, 1 connection to the screen. I followed this YouTube video to get the headunit out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEf91Z0RuCA Then there are just 2 more bolts for the screen which were very obvious once you had removed the head unit, then it unclips and slides out in the same way. It was then just a case of plugging everything together using the 2 supplied harnesses. As you can see from the video everything is also clipped in as well as bolted, so I'd have is make sure to get some cheap trim tools (mine were 1.99 from ebay) as they make life easier. The only other tool you need is a 10mm socket. The Good Bits Once up and running I was genuinely blown away by how impressive it is, when you start up Spotify or Google Maps it puts most brand new cars to shame. It's all very intuitive, particularly if you have used Android in the past. The vline is accessed by pressing the DISC button twice. You don't lose your existing DVD changer in the dash, it just appears as an additional CD changer after this. You can easily customise your homescreen with any app you download. I currently have Google Maps, Spotify, Bluetooth Streaming, PocketCast (podcasts) and TuneIn Radio (dab/internet radio stations) which pretty much covers me for anything audio related I ever listen to. With regard to the apps themselves these are the full android versions of the apps, so essentially anything you can do on your phone, you can do here. If you have an iPhone it can also run CarPlay, which seems even better as it's designed for in car use (big buttons/simplified menus etc). However I'm an Android user, so beyond a quick 2 min test using someone else's phone I haven't tried with the vline extensively. The Not So Good - It's £430. For me it's worth it, but I can imagine others will think it's overly expensive. - It is still buggy at times. I ran into some issues after I first installed where it would not boot up properly the first time I started the car. Turning the ignition on and off would sort the problem each time, but it was very frustrating. There was an update to the system on the 23rd of December which seems to have solved this issue and beyond that I've had absolutely no issues with it once up and running. However I know others on Club Lexus forum have had issues. For what it's worth Grom support do seem very good if you have to deal with them. - In order to use any of the apps I'm runnig you need an internet connection therefore you will need to use the wireless hotspot functionality in your phone to run it. - It only runs CarPlay over a lightening/USB cable, where as I think some headunits can now do this over Bluetooth. - Android Auto is still not available yet, I believe this was tested in beta but when I spoke to Grom support they had no date for this going live. Overall Despite some bugs and the cost, as a tech and music enthusiast I think it is a great system and Grom seem committed to regular updates so I think it will continue to progress. I've attached some quick pictures, but if anyone is interested in any more specifics just fire away! There is a huge thread on the vline ClubLexus forum in the US so would be good to start something similar for us in the UK here.

As I've said on other threads, since picking up my (brand new) NX300h in September I've had a few issues - it is now officially known in my family as the 'timeshare' car, because I have it for a few days then the dealer has it for a few days.... I've actually had my own car for about 6 weeks out of my total ownership of about 16 weeks. Anyway, over the period Lexus Swindon - who have been generally very supportive - have supplied a number of lovely courtesy cars for me to use. I've since formed a very positive impression of the range as a whole. Car 1 - IS300h Advance - 2 weeks. I liked this one, but it caused me some issues as it was a bit low for me (I suffer from some mobility issues). As a car it was a high quality thing and good to drive too. I didn't much like the foot operated parking brake but that was about it. Why so many people continue to buy a BMW 3-Series when this is available is a mystery to me. Car 2 - NX300h F-Sport - 10 weeks. My least favourite of the cars I've had. Don't get me wrong, I like the NX a lot, but wasn't a fan of the F-Sport version. I found the seats too hard, the ride too firm and it was much noisier than my Sport model, likely caused by the tyres. The extra tech was nice, but not nice enough to convince me that I'd rather have an F-Sport over a Sport, Luxury or Premier. Car 3 - RX450h F-Sport - 3 days. A weird one this. The interior is a thing of beauty and quality, but the drive left me disappointed. I found the steering very remote - to the point that I found the car hard to place on the road with confidence - and I was surprised how noisy it was at motorway speeds. The ride was also too firm for me. Again, the extra tech was excellent, but overall the experience left me a bit 'cold' and the car was a bit big for me to feel comfortable driving in tight situations. A lovely car though, and certainly gets noticed! Car 4 - GS300h Premier - today. Well, this is the first of the courtesy cars that I'd happily have in place of my NX. (TBH I'd have the RX as well if it was on offer!). What a lovely car. So smooth, so quiet, so comfortable. I'm a big fan. Having had all of the above, I think all of them stand up to the competition very well. They are certainly beautifully made - especially the interiors - and generally nice to drive. I think if more people properly considered a Lexus, you'd see far more on the road - but the UK's obsession with 'premium' German brands shows no sign of reducing any time soon, which is a real shame.

This is the third GS I've seen, and in all honesty it's hard to see how I could have found a better one. It really is just about in showroom condition. 68k full Lexus history. Maybe not everyone's choice but I particularly wanted cream leather. Hopefully this will be our means of getting to Austria in the spring.

Sounds fantastic 🐀, let me know ASAP so I can postpone the family holiday 😉.

Sod it i'll drive down just to hear an LFA in front of me. Seriously though if the dates suit my work rota I'd be up for it. Just checked im off from 13th April for 3 weeks.

Count me in for this, worth the trip to see an LFA in the flesh! thanks for organising matey.

i'm in mate!

Hi, Glad we could help out with your insurance. Regards, Dan.

I know you've always been a fan, I've no need to look through old posts to confirm

@emjay82 Nice atmospheric picture as well, pleased for you Matey, I always said the darker coloured ones were better...... 🐀

Very nice

Having read this thread I fitted the SGS units about two months ago and am delighted with the improvement. Until I fitted the new units I hadn't realised just how weak the original units were. Recommended.

I got my dashboard rattle *mostly* fixed when my car went into the dealers for the airbag recall. They fitted new clips and it's mostly silent now (*except in very cold weather) However, beforehand, I was considering trying this stuff. Same principiple as the felt but maybe a tad neater and less 'homebrew'?? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dashboard-Windshield-Anti-dust-Noise-Insulation-Sealing-Strip-Natural-Rubber-AS0-/253273678820?roken=cUgayN

@Flytvr wont need brakes for years as he has the superlight Carbon version of the Rcf and @Big Rat you wont need them either as you never press the bloody brake pedal..........

ok, wonder if it will need the compulsory KwikFit new ....................... tyres, brakes and exhaust or just some of them ! ........ sorry I'm a bit of a cynic with these guys Malc

Hi Malcolm Welcome to the LOC I've not seen any discussion of meets currently scheduled but I'm pretty sure that once the decent weather comes, someone will be organising something. @Big Rat is involved in something to do with the 10th anniversary of the 'F' series which is happening somewhere in the midlands, so not to far from you.

Yes it will. Its state of the art apparently and I would hope so considering it's the latest Lexus dealership

Here we are, keeping the workers well watered.....

Lovely dark matter, amazing material crafted by Lexus.....

Brilliant! Bluetooth is backwards compatible so new implementation should still communicate with older ones but newer functionality may not be supported. Now to resolve why some have "1-touch Dial" and others "Speed dial" and if that is related to different MPG, average speed etc. display. John

I see you have the GS450h Premier. Those came with LED headlights which are bright. My RX has the LED headlights too and yes, always seem to get flashed. Ive resorted to flashing back - it literally blinds them and had one guy just stop on his side of the road when I flashed. Or sometimes I just keep the High beam on until they see me and then turn them off so they know that Im on dipped beam Its the aging population and cataracts tbh!

@Comedian I'm sure it will arrive any day now................ please Mr Dvla 😩

I don't usually like using main beam at all: at the speeds I drive there is plenty of illumination from dipped beam and it's tiresome to continually switch between them. However, in the GS I have been forced to start using main beam on quiet roads just to stop other morons from flashing me when they encounter me for the first time. If they can see I have 'dipped' first then I am never flashed. However, I am regularly flashed if I stick to dipped all the way. It would be nice if someone could teach these idiots to focus on the kerbside ahead, like I was taught when learning to drive in the dark, instead of just staring dumbly straight into the lights of oncoming traffic and wondering why they can't see anything...

@sorcerer I did exactly that for my 60th on Monday........ Went again with Adrian Flux £489.00 with an agreed valuation of £40k Big Rat

it is even worse, they also used humans for thesame test. This makes me sick. Anyone with some sense of history can and will connect these tests with 75 years earlier. When the deathcamps could not cope with the rate of killing the germans used lorrys, dieseltrucks from the Faun company, then made sure the inside of the lorry was well sealed off so totally closed no oxygene could come in and then lead the exhaust inside of the lorry slowly killing all inside. the Faun trucks just drove around the camps for some 30 minutes until there was no noise anymore from the back, all murdered by diesel fumes. it is thesame technocratic way of thinking that make these new tests possible., no moral compass, no historic perspective. this makes me sick

So finally go back home, you've gotta love the M5/M4 interchange in the rush hour 😬 The bat wings thing would have been advantageous, but I'm not complaining had a chance to play with some of the toys, to dark for pictures at pick up time but just this one for now that she's safely home 😍 Insurance all sorted, they really need to answer there phones in minutes not hours, couple hundred more than the isF taking it to nearly five hundred, not bad. Ill do some better pics in the daylight. Big Rat

Mmm well i did it with her out the house..... but she came back and caught me in the act 😂😂 i think if it was covered of oil she would have had a problem. Aslong as i leave it spotless she leaves me alone

Cracked on today with the head, i cleaned this at work last weekend to make this job less messy. Took a couple of snaps before i started. plan was to completly strip so i can get this to the machine shop for a skim, so i removed the collets, valve caps and springs. Then made sure i removed the valve spring washers and pulled all the stem seals out. all done, need to find somewhere now to do the skim and also thinking of having a 3 or 5 angle valve job done. Also will be sending the valve covers away for powder coating im thinking of going orange as i would like a black/orange theme going on but this idea may change with the wind. Will soon be ordering an adjustable exhaust gear too thinking of going for either titan or power house racing so i can get the head, cams and belt fitted. Coming together nicely now, really enjoying this build, hope you guys enjoying reading/seeing it too

Yeah these are fully adjustable 3 way damper spring pre load & height adjustable. MiesterR coilovers are very good I have tried a few different brands. Using the same brand on my other cars

So i finally have got the pistons rings and rods fitted but not without a small drama😓 I started with the ring gaps got most done but had small issue with number 4 piston top compression ring, i checked the gap using the feeler gauge, filed, checked, filed, checked, filed and checked...... and it went over spec!! I did get distracted by the mrs on the last file and it was around 20 mins before i continued so i think i just applied more pressure than the previous times. Its not far out of spec but its different to the other 5 and as im at this point and just 20 odd pound for a new ringset its a no brainer. Really annoyed with myself for this but these things happen! pretty easy and pain free getting the piston rings in the correct location, bearings installed and pistons fitted using a piston ring compressor they just glided in. ARP bolts dipped in 30 weight oil, fitted and torqued down to 60ft lbs. So just need the new ringset now to finish that. I took the cylinder head to work and soaked it in wheel acid before jet washing it all off and its come up amazingly clean ready for me to get the valves out to send the head away, i also did the valve covers and they too come up amazing. No pictures of these just yet but will grab some soon