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Showing content with the highest reputation since 06/24/2018 in all areas

  1. This is Sarah Williams, John’s daughter although I think you all knew him better as Roy of the Rovers. Thank you for allowing me into the group and for all your messages of condolence which are hugely comforting at this very sad time. This community was an enormous part of Dad’s life and was very very important to him. As his health deteriorated and he couldn’t do much physically he spent longer and longer with his online friends. Being able to contribute to the group and help people out with their cars brought him so much joy - not least because his own children would regularly disregard his advice and buy totally unsuitable cars which he would then have to chastise us about! My husband (his son in law) has a mini. You can just imagine what he thought of that 😂. my mum, sister Liz and brother Andy and I are all keen to hear any stories you might have about him and find out more about the time he spent in this community so please do share your memories. We would be eternally grateful for them and they will help us get to know a different side of the totally wonderful amazing once in a kind human being we called Dad. I thought you might all like to see a photo of him - will try and share some of him with his cars in later days. if anyone would like to know about the funeral let me know and I will share details in here once we know. The staff at his local Lexus dealership have all said they are coming so I think we might need to arrange a Lexus procession to the service!
    43 points
  2. I saw this earlier and I thought it kind of summarises much of my life and probably yours if you are of a certain age. They call us ”The Elderly” We were born in the 40-50-60’s. We grew up in the 50-60-70's. We studied in the 60-70-80's. We were dating in the 70-80-90's. We got married and discovered the world in the 70-80-90's. We venture into the 80-90’s. We stabilize in the 2000’s. We got wiser in the 2010’s. And we are going firmly through and beyond 2020. Turns out we've lived through EIGHT different decades... TWO different centuries... TWO different millennia... We have gone from the telephone with an operator for long-distance calls to video calls to anywhere in the world. We have gone from slides to YouTube, from vinyl records to online music, from handwritten letters to email and Whats App. From live matches on the radio, to black and white TV, colour TV and then to 3D HD TV. We went to the Video store and now we watch Netflix. We got to know the first computers, punch cards, floppy disks and now we have gigabytes and megabytes on our smartphones. We wore shorts throughout our childhood and then long trousers, Oxfords, flares, shell suits & blue jeans. We dodged infantile paralysis, meningitis, polio, tuberculosis, swine flu and now COVID-19. We rode skates, tricycles, bicycles, mopeds, petrol or diesel cars and now we drive hybrids or electric. Yes, we've been through a lot but what a great life we've had! They could describe us as “exennials”; people who were born in that world of the fifties, who had an analog childhood and a digital adulthood. We've kind of “Seen-It-All”! Our generation has literally lived through and witnessed more than any other in every dimension of life. It is our generation that has literally adapted to “CHANGE”. A big round of applause to all the members of a very special generation, which will be UNIQUE. -Author unknown Keep on keeping on!
    19 points
  3. Afternoon Folks, Just thought I would chime in and clear up a few points. No, car wasn't offered on here, being an owners club, most people already have an IS-F, so are less likely to be in the market for one. I also didn't want to break the rules by advertising without Gold Membership status. Regarding the price, even if someone does offer me close to the buy it now price (£26k), this is well under half what I have spent on the car. If I was trying to recoup my costs, the price would be over £50k. If you are looking to buy an IS-F, then tune/modify the car to make big horsepower you would spend a lot more to make a stock car look/perform like mine does. Also keep in mind the modifications are not extreme like most (no neon lights, lairy colours, spinners etc), car is still very subtle, and can be used daily if the new owner so chooses. If the current bids and offers are anything to go by, car won't be going anywhere. Worth pointing out I had a genuine offer of £17,500 which I respectfully declined. If you were in the market for a Japanese saloon that has over 600hp and is reliable, you would be hard pushed to find anything under £30k. I have no grief or ill feelings towards anyone on this forum, nor do I have an issue with people having their opinions, but to try and say modifications de-value a car or don't add any value is wrong. If you notice 'The Hulk' GTR is also advertised on eBay at the moment. I know the tuner who built it, Severn Valley Motorsport (SVM) and they want £155k obo. If you apply the it's a 2009 model worth £28k book price for trade-in, you would argue this is ridiculously priced, no one will buy it etc. My car is a one-off, the parts used are all high quality items and couldn't be bought/fitted/setup for less than £50k IF that's what you wanted to do. The supercharger kit alone is close to £10k plus the installation, setup, running in etc. I accept the fact I won't get my money back, that's the way it goes with modifying cars. What I will not accept is the idea of giving it away for a silly price. I am not desperate and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the car whatsoever, lack of free time is the main driver for potentially finding the car a new home. It is worth what someone is willing to pay for it, but if that price is too low, it won't sell as I would rather keep it. Hope that clears things up and if it did find a good home, rest assured I would still be around to help folks out with any technical issues or modifications they might need in the future. Cheers, Pete
    19 points
  4. I Would Like to wish All My Many friends On The L.O.C. A Very Merry Peaceful and Happy Christmas Followed by a Happy and Merry New Year...Happy Lexus Motoring For 2024 And Remember Your Problems are only As BIG as you make Them...God Bless you all..!!!!!!!
    18 points
  5. Hi guys I was involved in a very serious accident last week. Driving home from Gymnastics with my girls a full fat V8 Mustang driving like an absolute lunatic came barreling towards us head on (in my lane,) it was a head on collision, it's still all a bit of a blur, my car was on fire when I came round, I had my daughters in back, the back doors wouldn't open so I had to drag them both out through the front. it was a mess! All 3 of us were eventually taken to hospital and released a week later. The whole ordeal has been a nightmare, one of the worst thing things I've ever had to experience! Needless to say the Lexus is toast (literally) I'm gutted about losing it and everything in it but more importantly I'm extremely grateful that all 3 of us are still here! The broken bones, emotional trauma we all sustained should heal in time, and we live to fight another day. The Police wont tell me much at the moment but did mention that the Mustang ended up worse off than ours in terms of initial damage and the driver of that car along with his passenger are still hospitalized The Lexus did its job! (in addition to the car seats the girls were sat in) I chose this car because I wanted something reliable, comfortable & safe, it fulfilled all 3 of those requirements effortlessly. Started at every press of the button, got us from A to B in comfort and when it came to it, kept us as safe as it could in a situation many aren't fortunate enough to walk away from. I couldn't have picked a better car for the budget I had, i'm very thankful for that. Just wanted to share this for anyone new here considering buying an IS250 or any Lexus for that matter, and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone here sincerely for their help and advice to all the questions I had prior to buying this car and during my ownership period. I wouldn't have chosen it and maintained it correctly if it wasn't for the friendly advice and info I got from you all so again BIG thank you to everyone here from the bottom of my heart!! Not sure what I'm going to replace it with at the moment as well maintained ones are thin on the ground, prices starting to climb and I doubt i'll get much back from my insurer, but I guess i'll cross that bridge when I get to it... Please stay safe everyone, look after yourself and your loved ones, we just never know what's going to happen sometimes!
    18 points
  6. That's a wonderful tribute to your father Sarah, well said you. He and I had many enjoyable exchanges especially as he knew my overriding affinity with Greece and the Greek people. They have a saying, (one of many) which roughly translated says, "don't walk behind me as I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me as I may not always follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend". This for me sums up your father exactly. Warmest of wishes Philip
    18 points
  7. Has it been a year already? Time clearly flies when you're enjoying yourself. Betsy and I have covered 8,706 miles since October 20th last year at an average of 45mpg. Did I make the right decision to swap my IS300h for Betsy? Let's start with the few things which I don't like: the cover for the centre console cubby hole could do with being a little more solid. The boot lid could be more rigid/heavier, but I guess this has been done for weight saving. And some of the updates I'd make: How about different warning sounds for front and rear parking sensors? A socket in the roof to plug in a For Hire sign. Only joking. And some of the things I haven't missed from the IS: Rear wheel drive The buttock unfriendly seats. Now onto the things which I like: She is supremely comfortable on long journeys, even as an F Sport with those big tyres Fuel economy is great. I could get more if I was a little less heavy footed and prone to rushing on the A1 Performance is perfectly acceptable. There are none of the worries joining roundabouts which I had in the IS300h (rectified by putting it in Sport of course). She'll easily mix it with the Scheissewagens in lane 4 of the A1 between Huntingdon and Peterborough with no loss of face. Or should that be no loss of grille? The boot is enormous and easily takes my big box of IT gubbins plus any shopping I might acquire on the return leg of an outing. My bass cabs fit with acres of room to spare. Cabin noise is virtually non-existent. It does however help to run some of that Gummi stuff around the door seals every month or so to stop any creaking from the doors. Android Auto - once I'd got the hang of it, and since AAWireless released a certain update, I love it. If you charge the phone on the Qi mat whilst using AA, it does get a bit warm and the power going in pretty much comes out immediately. Servicing - nothing needed doing (apart from an upsell of four wheel alignment!). The brake disks still have 10mm on them so they're practically brand new. Talking of brakes, the absence of brake dust on the wheels is great. Hopefully Betsy's wheels won't go the same way as my IS250's did. Three times. Little things like a warning on the dash that a window is open and would I like to close it by clicking OK Being able to check tyre pressures without using an app. I used the memory seat function for the first time yesterday. The young lady who returned Betsy from the servicing area was quite petite. A quick stab on button 1 allowed me to get my less than svelte figure back behind the wheel. Radar guided cruise control is a wonderful thing, especially on the A1 between Peterborough and Stamford while the invisible workforce does its job. That lane assist/guide thing and going handsfree is fun, but only where conditions allow of course. Adaptive lighting - on backroads this is great, although I did have someone flash me. They were probably thinking "nice car mate" Talking of which, I have posted the tale of the young Asian chap who complimented Betsy at a local filling station. Several colleagues at work always insist on me driving if we go out together. They drive Schiessewagens. I would always spec a car with a heated steering wheel from now on. I thought they were a gimmick. Not so. As many have pointed out on here, automatic folding mirrors should be on all Lexi. It's a great way of checking she's locked as I walk away. The auto hold. A colleague took me on a "short cut" back from Leicester to Bourne (it took twice as long as going the conventional route). We came to a crossroads which was uphill. "Have you got a good handbrake?" he asked, "as you'll need it here". He was right, although I was surprised that he'd not taken on board the lack of a visible handbrake. Betsy just stopped and then went when I pressed the accelerator. No slipping backwards or anything. Tick VG. Fit and finish. You don't have to slam her doors like you do on a Scheissewagen. She doesn't creak like a Mercedes. I'm sure that there are many things I've missed. Am I glad that Betsy and I met on the fateful day when I took my IS300h in for the fuel pump recall? Hell yes.
    17 points
  8. Well, I ordered my new RX450h, Premium sport edition, and finally collected it last Thursday from Lexus, Birmingham. Wonderful service from start to finish, and happy to be back in the fold after an absence of 10 years, on the dark side with the VAG brands. I am so pleased with RX, mesa red with cream leather, so, so, comfortable, and so quiet. I must confess it’s been a long time since my test drive, and had forgotten what it was really like. It is reported by many motoring journalists as showing its age, and I guess that is true in comparison with more recent models, but I think it has all the tech that I need, and apple carplay works like a dream. It may be considered to be showing its age, but what a wonderful place to be, it exudes comfort and luxury. it has taken me a couple of days to get used to the car, but driven for its intended use, silky smooth, quiet, and so far returning 35mpg, no complaints at that! It really is a pleasure to unlock the door, and do a journey in my new car. So here’s to many many happy miles, and look forward to an upcoming holiday in Europe. Larry
    17 points
  9. Happy Christmas to one and all. And to a great forum also. Piers.
    17 points
  10. 17 points
  11. 20220426_143621.mp4 Yesterday had my 200,000 mile service at Lexus Birmingham and today clocked over the 200,000 miles mark on my odometer. I have owned my IS300h Premier from new since 2013, it is the best car I have ever owned and I will be sad to see it go later this year when I take delivery of a NX350h Takumi. Thank you Lexus for creating fabulous cars.
    16 points
  12. Traded my Boxster and picked up this beauty today; TVD, red leather, sunroof and Quicksilver exhaust. Suspect I will spend much of the weekend just listening to the sound!
    16 points
  13. Just put a deposit down on this beauty at Lexus Teeside EDIT - I asked if this model (it's a 2018 Luxury) was valid for the Android Auto installation and he said that it's capable but they haven't yet got the hardware to retrofit the RX. I forgot to ask him if that was just Lexus Teeside or if he meant that there are no dealers anywhere in the country who can fit it to an RX yet, so does anyone know?
    16 points
  14. After reluctantly selling my ISF to a fellow member on here 4 years ago due to an overseas move, I’m back in the U.K. so I’m back in the ‘F’ fold. I bought the blue RCF that was up for sale recently with TVD and just 17k miles. It’s absolutely mint and I’m loving it! Great to be back 👍
    16 points
  15. It’s been 3 months since we picked up our GSF in which we have covered just under 2000 miles averaging around 19 mpg. Here are my some of my initial thoughts. The positives. The sound of the V8. My car is completely standard and I know it’s a little mute for some, but I love every minute of the sound from when it starts up cold to when it comes on cam. I don’t think I will ever get bored of it, and whilst I used to love listening to my music in the car, the stereo is rarely turned on nowadays. The responsiveness, performance and handling. Whilst I acknowledge that it’s not the fastest super saloon out there and these new hot / hyper hatches will arguably be faster off the line, it has more performance than I will ever need and I clearly will run out of talent before it will. I love how it also feels like a smaller car than it is. I definitely don’t think it feels any larger than my previous IS250 on the road. MPG I’m not worried about the MPG as I wouldn’t have bought a GSF if I was, but I’m very happy with it considering the car is barely warmed up by the time I arrive at work and I do little motorway mileage. As a comparison, my previous IS250 averaged around 23mpg over the same journeys. Subtleness and rare factor. I’ve only ever seen one other GSF on the road about two years ago. I love how the average passer by wouldn’t even give it a second look and I’ve had a few people who are in to their cars claim that they have never even heard of it, which makes me smile. Mark Levinson. I know that this doesn’t get the best views but I think it’s a great system ( on the rare occasion that it is on lol) for the music that I listen too. Practicality. Loads of room for my family of 4 and the car seats. Space was a struggle in the IS. Insurance. Unbelievably no more expensive than my IS250 and about £200 cheaper a year than our RX450. Likely to be due to there being only 63 ish registered and probably non of them being involved in a large claim. Paintwork. Seems to always have a deep shine even when it’s dirty. This could be due to the ceramic coating but I also liked how the acid etch damaged from seagull poo seemed to fix itself over a weekend in the heat. I’m not sure if this is due to the self-healing paint (does this work through the ceramic coating?) or the coating itself but something worked either way 😊. Looks. I know this is subjective but I think it looks fantastic. It’s split personality. I love how it feels just like how a normal Lexus should below 3.5k RPM. Smooth and quiet but then it turns in to a real super salon after this point. Amazing. A pleasure to drive around town but massively capable at speed when pushed. Blind spot monitoring. Absolutely brilliant, I now wish our RX had it! Carbon Fibre rear spoiler. Looks amazing in the sun but still relatively subtle IMO. The negatives Just nit picking here really as nothing is a major deal. Brake dust. Widely covered on here, I love the wheels and the orange callipers but they are such a pain in the butt to clean and I love cleaning cars! Mine have been coated in Poor Boys sealant which has helped massively but cleaning them still takes some time and the front callipers are a pain to get to. I will be looking in to the options other owners have mentioned on here when replacements are required. Rattle. I had a really intermittent rattle coming from behind the sav screen. This has seemed to have disappeared, touch wood, but was very frustrating for a couple of weeks. Powered boot lid. I love how the boot lid is powered but I wish that you could also close the lid via the remote and the button on the dash like our RX, instead of just the button on the lid itself. I expect that this is a dealer configurable option so I will look in to this before my next service. Sat Nav menu on start up. I wish the menu didn’t load up every time you started the car. A simple press of return solves this issues but as I very rarely use the sat nav, there is no need for it to load up every time. Speed sign recognition. I can’t really rely on this as it often picks up random speed limits, such as ones on the back of continental lorries, or not at all Carbon Fibre in front bumper. Chips are already present and more are enviable. I really don’t know how you would fix this. That’s it really. Both my wife and myself are well and truly smitten by it and we will be keeping it for as long as we can, before everything goes down the EV route. F.A.
    15 points
  16. Well just over two years ago I made the "mistake" of having a look around the showroom of Lexus Teesside while my 2011 RX was in for a service and MOT. I saw a 2017 RX while there .. had a look .. ended up buying it. After retiring at the end of June I thought I would consider when to change again and went to Lexus Teesside again today to enquire about when the list prices of the new models would be out. Mentioned that the thought of the V6 being dropped was putting me off the 2023 ones. Sat in their showroom was a brand new (unregistered) RX450h Premium Sport in Dark Blue with cream seats, HUD, Panoramic Sunroof ... looked gorgeous, especially in that colour. It was tempting ... very tempting ... too tempting ... Yes.. I bought it .. picking it up on Tuesday .. they are going to remove the dashcams from the 2017 and install them in the new one on Tuesday.
    15 points
  17. My 450h+ arrived at the dealer today! That's 5 months since placing the order which is pretty good in comparison to current schedules.
    15 points
  18. Well thats me had the UX for 17 days now, I thought I would post my initial thoughts on the car good and bad. Its my first Japanese built car since my Toyota Corolla SR in the 1970’s which I loved. Since then it’s been all German apart from owning a Volvo XC60 D5 for four years, so VW, Audi, Mercedes and latterly BMW finishing with an X2 M Sport 2.0D which was great. So I wanted a change and to downsize a bit since recently retiring, I cover <8k miles a year now (saved 63 quid on my car insurance when I told them to reduce mileage from 12k and I’ve retired!). My shortlist was VW Troc, Volvo XC40, Audi Q3 and Lexus UX, the UX was the last car I looked at. None of the other manufacturers had any stock to show me for my specification requirements, I got a test drive in an XC40 plug in hybrid but thats it. The Lexus dealership had some cars to look at and a demo which they gave me for 24 hours to test. I have to say as a dealership I felt they valued my custom and went the extra mile to allow me to make a decision on whether I wanted to buy. The others just more or less shrugged their shoulders and said it wasn’t their fault, cars are in short supply. So, following the test I decided it was the Lexus for me, it had so much going for it when compared to the opposition. Ordered 1st September, factory build, arrived at dealership and was handed over to me January 10th, hand over was excellent with great explanation of the cars functions and tech and the fuel tank was filled. One of the reasons I went for the Lexus was that it is unrivaled with the others in terms of the tech, F/R parking sensors, electric seats, leather seats, blind spot monitoring, radar cruise, heated steering wheel, keyless entry and the hybrid system the list goes on and on. This spec is available for <40k so VED remains in the low pricing category too. The drive experience is good, I quite like the CVT, it suits the way I drive and its very smooth, the engine and hybrid system is excellent and the transition between battery and petrol power is seamless. The seats are extremely comfy and although the boot is a bit small its adequate for us and our springer spaniel. The steering rake adjustment is a little too low for me even a maximum adjustment. The infotainment system takes a bit of getting used to when compared to the beemer iDrive but that being said it has significantly more functionality, its bigger and incorporates ACP so all in all combined with it having a bigger screen its actually better. Lights are good, reversing camera etc all a bonus and in the spec, but why oh why are there still filament bulbs on the indicators when all the other lamps have more efficient and better looking LED’s!! So I think I made the right choice but time will tell, the warranty is there if needed but Toyota / Lexus are renounced for reliability so hoping no issues there. I fitted a Nextbase 622GX 2 channel dash cam, my first foray into using them but the standard of driving in my opinion has noticeably declined during the past few years and I now feel its a necessary evil. Be interested to hear other peoples first impressions too!
    15 points
  19. Following previous discussions about Lexus Relax and Extended Warranty I have started this new thread with my current experience with the Extended Warranty. My current Extended Warranty on my Lexus IS 300h is due to expire early November. After the announcement of Relax (and the removal of the Extended Warranty from the Lexus website) I had spoken to Jemca (who I use for all my Lexus requirements) a few months ago and they had confirmed that an Extended Warranty will still exist for cars that fall outside Relax. My car is a 2014 registration IS 300h that has now done just under 108,000 miles and so this week I called Jemca to discuss an Extended Warranty. Here is what is on offer comparing the T&Cs of a new 10 Year Plus Extended Warranty with the old Extended Warranty I currently have in place: The new warranty is called Lexus 10 Year Plus Extended Warranty It is for approved Lexus vehicles up to 15 years old, subject to 150,000 mileage limit - the old Extended Warranty was for approved Lexus vehicles up to 10 years old and 140,000 miles, so the new extended warranty covers vehicles for longer in this respect It is only available for vehicles that are between 10 and 15 years old and/or 100,000 and 150,000 miles – Relax extended warranty automatically applies to all cars under 10 years old and less than 100,000 miles The 2-4-1 offer is not available on the new 10 Year Plus Extended Warranty – only one year at a time - the cost for my IS 300h is £474 for one year (the old one was £795 for two years), it can be paid either up front or in 10 interest free monthly instalments The car must still be serviced to schedule by a franchised Lexus dealer (as per the old extended warranty) It still includes the Lexus Roadside Assistance same as the old one did (note that Relax extended warranty does not include Lexus Roadside Assistance) The company that provides the 10 Year Plus Extended Warranty and ultimately pays all valid claims made under it is Toyota (GB) PLC (Lexus Division), and the administrator of the warranty is TWG Services Limited – this is all the same as the old one It doesn’t include the MoT testing fee (though I understand some of the old extended warranty didn’t either, although mine did include two MoT test fees) In Excluded Parts for the new 10 Year Plus Extended Warranty it specifically lists “Multi media components or in car entertainment systems, including but not limited to satellite navigation, CD/DVD systems, audio visual equipment and Bluetooth connectivity. Components will be covered under the Warranty if the failure results in the non-operation of an essential vehicle system, eg, air conditioning controls, heated screen operation and the parking assistance system.” - this is an additional exclusion in the 10 Year Plus Extended Warranty and as per previous forum discussion it mirrors the exclusion in the Relax extended warranty - I wonder whether it may be due to owners trying to do map updates themselves (that are the “dealer only” updates according to Lexus) or other modifications and bricking the system? – otherwise seems a strange exclusion and has been specifically added for both Relax and this new Extended Warranty Comparing the T&Cs of the old Extended Warranty and the new 10 Year Plus Extended Warranty clause by clause, then other than a few minor changes in wording (usually to clarify things) this is everything I could deduce. On that basis I have gone ahead and taken out the 10 Year Plus Extended Warranty on my IS 300h for the coming year. Although slightly more expensive that the old extended warranty I still think it’s value for money considering the age/mileage of my car and the fact it includes the Lexus Roadside Assistance which would be £125 if purchased separately (and my wife’s car also benefits from the free partner included with this). I have made successful claims on the Extended Warranty previously and so know that Lexus parts / labour can be expensive. I hope this helps others in similar position to myself - first point of contact to discuss further is probably your local franchised dealer. As always, I appreciate whether or not to take an Extended Warranty is a choice based on personal circumstances – it suits me but YMMV.
    14 points
  20. Well i've had the car nearly a month now and the radiator has been niggling away at me after seeing a few posts on this forum, i ordered the parts mid last month and they all showed up yesterday. Apparently there's been a spike in people ordering them! It's a relatively easy job, just a methodical approach and time is needed, of course tools etc too. A friend has a ramp in his garage which made getting under the car very easy, only needed to get the transmission cooler hoses and bottom rad hose off though, easily done on axle stands. IMG_20200904_170221 by Scott Osborne, on Flickr There was no need to take the wheels off but mine were on the wrong sides so swapped them over whilst in the air! Was interested to see they are labelled up which corner they should be on! IMG_20200904_170640 by Scott Osborne, on Flickr Old one out: IMG_20200904_175420 by Scott Osborne, on Flickr IMG_20200904_175351 by Scott Osborne, on Flickr Waterpump is all good! Replaced in the past under warranty: IMG_20200904_175703 by Scott Osborne, on Flickr Funnily enough we noticed i was missing a few trim clips as we took apart what we needed to, turned out i had 7 of them sat in the airbox pre filter! I can only assume they've been there since the pump was done some 45k ago! Fans swapped over onto the new rad, we had to drill and tap out the rivnuts on this where the transmission cooler lines attach, now attached with stainless m6 bolts which you can just make out in the third picture. IMG_20200904_181746 by Scott Osborne, on Flickr IMG_20200904_181756 by Scott Osborne, on Flickr IMG_20200904_184703 by Scott Osborne, on Flickr Going back together, you get a new expansion tank with the radiator and i fitted a new air filter and gave the throttle body a wipe whilst we were in there: IMG_20200904_192856 by Scott Osborne, on Flickr All done, in a much better state than last time it left Lexus, now with properly secured trim pieces and a surplus of trim clips! : IMG_20200904_194417 by Scott Osborne, on Flickr Radiator was £268 from memory and coolant maybe another £30ish (6L needed), i bought 1L of atf fluid too, only used 50ml or so into the cooler before refitting to make up the small amount that dripped out. Lexus Parts Direct have been great for parts. All in for £310ish and a few hours, happy with that!
    14 points
  21. What an unhelpful and inappropriate comment. The guy is asking a perfectly reasonable question of members on two specific models, whatever smaller car he may have driven in the past but quite possibly not for a long time. How is this 'pompous' ?
    14 points
  22. I admit that I haven't had her long, but here are my initial thoughts and musings: Getting into the ES doesn't feel like getting into a fighter jet or racing car like getting into the IS did. The driving position does not feel so "snug". More of an observation than any criticism. Betsy's extra size has not caused any problems yet. Please God don't let me have tempted fate there. There seems to be less things to adjust on the ES. I haven't found a speed warning setting yet, and as there is nothing I can see about one in the manual, I'm guessing there isn't one. There are no "service checks", i.e. no details of the air filter, oil needing a change etc. which were on the 2IS and 3IS. The sliding seat and steering wheel is a nice touch. I've just discovered that the wheel can either tilt, or telescope or both, and that the extent of the seat slide can be adjusted. Just the thing for the gentleman with a fuller figure. I've found it best to put seat belt on first to get closer to the start button. Heated steering wheel? Nice. She is so quiet! She is so smooth! She is so comfortable! I discovered today that in the vehicle settings, Sport was set as the suspension setting. I must take Betsy out again soon to see whether putting her into Normal makes it even more wafty and comfortable. There is no lag when accelerating, she just goes. At roundabouts in the IS, I would often put it into S to make sure power arrived when asked. The indicator stalks are not as solid as on the IS. I love having confirmation of Betsy being locked when her ears, sorry mirrors, fold in. It may be me, but I've found that the Nav screen takes priority. Perhaps more playing around and reading the manual is required. My wife tells me that the navigation screen will take priority, and as she knows everything, that's probably the case. I liked the light on the IS wiper stalk to show that the auto wipers were engaged. FWD Vs RWD? I have not noticed any difference at all yet, and to be honest I'm not what you'd call an enthusiastic driver anymore so it's probably not going to be an issue. People like it. I stopped to let a mother and her young son cross the road and he gave me a thumbs up. A future owner perhaps? Everyone comments upon the colour. Economy looks good at the moment - roundabout an indicated 45mpg with lots of (totally unnecessary) short journeys. I'd get about 40mpg in the IS for similar conditions. The boot is vast. When I discovered that my bass cabinet did not fit in the IS, I had to buy another one (well, didn't have to, but it was a good excuse). The old one would easily have gone into the ES. Android Auto is awesome. It's just a shame that it's not wireless but those very expensive adapters will come down in price soon I'm sure. The Rain free side windows really work! The phone holder is great, I love having a Qi pad and lots of deep cubby holes Tyre pressure display is nice but would like it in psi Betsy feels like my beloved IS250 I prefer the button to unlock filler flap. With the IS, it was too easy to get out at the filling station, lock the car, then have to unlock it again to open the filler flap. Cruise control controls on wheel took some getting used to after having the stalk behind the steering wheel for so many years. OBD port is easier to find Heating controls - having a dial is much easier than the slider on the IS. I'm not sure that the road speed limit recognition is as good on ES as on the IS The auto main beam system in the IS seemed better than on the ES. I'm not sure if I have it on - there's a light on the stalk, so I'm guessing that I have. I have only seen it from inside Betsy, but I do like the way the lights swoop up when they come on. Much like my IS250's did (the 3IS lights just come on?) It is a very, very relaxing drive. Even though she's an F Sport, the seats are much more comfortable than my IS F Sport and I don't creak or ache at the end of a journey. I'm sure that more surprises and observations will crop up in the coming weeks and months so I'll post any updates as and when.
    14 points
  23. This wasn’t supposed to happen. My NX is three and a half years old. I’m really happy with it, and it’s only done 24k miles. However, the value of my car as a trade in currently was too high to ignore. In the time I’ve owned the car - from new - it has lost only £8k in depreciation. That’s simply amazing, and I couldn't ignore the opportunity it presented. Lexus tried to convince me to pre-order a new NX. That was when the value of my current car as a part-exchange became obvious. However, I stood firm - no need to change, I’ll keep what I have. But then… …I asked about an RX. I’m the first to admit that previously I’ve found the RX too big. I used to live in (very) rural Wiltshire, and to access my village meant miles of very narrow single track lanes. In August I relocated to West Berkshire. Not such an issue here. I’ve also previously noted that, with my disability, the RX wasn’t as good as the NX in terms of the relationship between steering wheel, seat and pedals. However, Lexus loaned me an RX for a week to test it out. I discovered that with plenty of adjustment, I could make it work. With the discount on the RX on offer (very, VERY, large), and the thousands of pounds of equity in my current NX, the opportunity to get a new RX for not very much was staring me in the face. Today I placed the order. In early December I’ll become the first owner of an RX Premium with Tech, Safety and Protection packs. That means it’s almost fully loaded including heads up display, panoramic roof, electric tailgate etc. The quality, the silence and the comfort won me over. I certainly don’t need the space, but then again you only live once. Colour will be Sonic White, with black leather interior. I’ve had the combination before on Hondas and I love it. I’d have preferred the tan or beige leather interior, but that was only available on exterior colours I didn’t want and I didn’t want to wait until April/May for a factory order. I’ve loved my time with the NX. It’s a fabulous car. However, a week with the RX - and crucially at the incredible price available - convinced me to make the change. I’ll be moving forums, but I won’t be going far. My third Lexus. I’m clearly hooked!
    14 points
  24. Well, it appears that there has been quite a lot of anger and tension on the forum lately ☹️ Perhaps I shouldn't bother adding anything, but I feel that perhaps I should also share my views, even though they aren't specifically related a single topic. First, let me say, despite what it might appear like on this forum, that I like Linas and am glad he is on here. I know this might surprise some of you, but I do think this forum is better off for him being on here. My belief is that if everyone had the same opinions and views on everything then this place would be quite boring and a lot less active. Like with any discussion media, if enough people get together, there will be differing views and perhaps some 'conflict'. The recent 'SVU' thread has highlighted this perfectly and I am guilty of doing what I am suggesting, but the difference is that I never harboured any ill will on anyone and hopefully came across as not being annoyed because I truly wasn't during the thread. Now, the reason I don't have any issues with Linas (and others on here) is because I accept them for who they are and understand that they aren't going to change what they are like just because I want them to. In other words, there is no point continuing to argue a point once it has become obvious that an agreement isn't going to be reached. It is also worth remembering that it takes two sides to have an argument and it is rare that the blame can be placed completely on one side. One thing I can say is that I rarely see Linas be deliberately rude or calling others names, even after a prolonged debate, which can't be said for some other members. Ultimately, what I am trying to get at is that if someone has a differing (negative) opinion on a subject, regardless of whether they are being bias or not, then they can claim such in any open discussion forums just as much as those that have positive comments. Just because the post isn't positive - even thought it is always nice when it is - doesn't make it automatically wrong. As an example from the most recent thread that kicked off, do I think the IS300h is a 'quick' car? No. Do I want more performance out of my cars for whatever reason? Yes, hence me owning a GS450h as opposed to a GS300h. These are simple statements that I could have made, but sometimes I can't be bothered to have to defend a statement that might cause some issues. So, should certain topics appear, I would definitely expect Linas to express his opinions again (at least he is consistent 🙂) and would just read the posts and move on to the next one. Constantly going around in circles serves no purpose, so why even try? Anyway, it is my hope that this forum returns to its friendly, accepting ways soon (It has certainly been tense here lately) even if that means certain members making use of the 'ignore' function. Thanks for reading 🙂
    14 points
  25. Well... I have had my MRI scan. Feeling very spaced out still from the meds ( 4mg Lorezapam ). ( Having to correct almost every word I type.) Yes, it was better than I thought, but that was no doubt due to... Really good support from here and practical advice. Thank you so much. Doing physical exercise in the morning. Taking sedation ,took away the anxious feeling. Left me very wobbly afterwards, Music to (attempt) to listen to. An eye mask - a must; eyes closed. Excellent and caring staff all the way. Going in feet first. Listening to all the odd MRI sounds and 'engaging' with them. Having a chaperone - my wife. Having a panic button - not used. Took 45 minutes to scan. And yes, told noththing about results as yet...
    14 points
  26. ... I did say I'd put up some photos of our new beastie so here she is:
    14 points
  27. It’s a long time coming, but I promised a number of members that I would summarise life after Lexus. I don’t pretend to be a capable driver, a track god or even someone of any real automotive knowledge. There are plenty on here that put me to shame! I have however owned an IS-F, RC-F and now a C63. I’ve spent a fair amount of time in GS-Fs. I’ve also had time in both versions of the LC-500. Mercedes wise, I’ve driven a fair few miles in a C63s, an AMG GT and a current E63s. So, I think I’m in a good place to render an honest comparison between Lexus and Mercedes. What follows is my experience as a Lexus / AMG owner. Just one person’s view - just my view. IS-F – wonderfully stealthy I loved my IS-F. My heart still skips a beat whenever I see one on the road. Maybe this happens because they are so rare or just because I will always feel an attachment to the Lexus brand. The engineering, the build quality and the customer service are all qualities that impress and leave a lasting mark. Of course, you know there’s a BUT coming. The BUT came in the form of the anonymity of the IS-F. The very thing that appeals to so many – the wolf in sheep’s clothing. Call me vain, call me a show off, but I started to get a little annoyed at the lack of recognition the IS-F got in the real world. Only dedicated petrol heads knew what it was, and I got a little tired of having conversations such as “Yes, I have a Lexus IS-F. It’s the equivalent to a BMW M3, Mercedes C63.”. I wanted the car to be recognised for just how good it was. An even bigger problem was the temptation to show M3 and C63 drivers just how good my IS-F was. Obviously I resisted…. The seed was sewn, and my head was turned by an RC-F. IS-F to RC-F I found my RC-F on Autotrader. A 15 plate Carbon edition in white. The day of trade in, the IS-F performed beautifully – flawlessly, and it really was hard handing over the keys. I felt like I was betraying a friend, but it had to be done. I always find the process of purchasing a new car stressful - the paperwork, the money exchange and that nagging thought in the back of the head “Have I done the right thing?”. One the part-x was done, I headed South from Stoke, down the busy M6. I had a headache, the sun was very bright and I had no sunglasses. Not a great start. That nagging thought in the back of my head was really evident. My first couple of hours in the RC-F weren’t great. I started thinking that I’d spent £40k on a car that was arguably no better than the IS-F. More striking, definitely, but still arguably no better. I’d stopped at the services (somewhere on the M6) in the hope I could buy some sunglasses. On my return to the car park, a guy (who turned out to be a Boxster owner) was walking around the RC-F. He was very complimentary about the car. This attention was to be repeated over and over in the 10,000 miles of RC-F ownership. People stop, stare, photograph, video and adore the look of the car. By the time I got off the motorway and on to some fast A and B roads, I started to bond with the RC-F. Over the next year, my RC-F proved to be utterly reliable and adequately fast! Goodbye to the Lexus F fold Two things annoyed me about the RC-F (and IS-F) 1. The RC-F’s sheer confidence. I found that to get enjoyment out of the car, I had to wring its neck. If you’ve driven the Mountain Road on the IOM, you’ll know it’s derestricted. To enjoy it and any other road in the RC-F, I found I really had to obtain speeds that were way too high. 2. Noise. The intake noise inside the cabin sounded amazing. Outside it sounded pretty good on the boil. However, when pottering around, things were a little sterile. The exhaust note was disappointing. A QS exhaust helped, but that came with downsides. So, those were my two reasons for leaving the F fold. Where next? The next car would have to entertain at lower speeds and make a great noise. The options – the M3, but they sound ******* (and fake). Alfa thing – reliability. F-Type – I’m too tall. LC-500, has all the issues that the RC-F does. That left me with the C63, and I ended up buying a C63 Coupe. Day one with the C63 Don’t listen to what people tell you about Mercedes reliability and build quality. Do what I did – just go buy one and experience it in the flesh. Mine got me home from the dealer only to be recovered straight back there. What a nightmare – but I did get several weeks in an E63s loaner. A quick note to all F drivers – no matter what car you have, don’t battle it out with an E63s – they are in a different league – biblical performance! My C63 got returned to me after a couple of weeks but immediately some trim fell off it. This time I got a £125,000 AMG GT loaner. Another rapid car – not as fast as the E63s, but still in a different league to F cars. C63 v RC-F There’s no winner. It’s a personal preference, but I’ll list the pros – cons Lexus wins on 1. Build quality – HANDS down – different league 2. Reliability….. .most of the time. My IS-F did need a new steering rack - £5k) 3. Warranty – cheap and usually comprehensive 4. Induction noise. Epic. The C63 engine itself (minus exhaust) is quite boring. 5. Rareness 6. Handling – always predictable. I’d still be more confident in an RC-F (especially in the wet). Haven driven TVD and Flintstone LSD versions, I wouldn’t bother with the TVD (contrary to many previous debates). Personally, I found the TVD a little counter intuitive at the limit. 7. Standard kit (at least in Carbon edition). Things like radar cruise as standard 8. Nobody will nick a Lexus C63 wins on 1. Overall looks. Yes, the RC-F is eye catching and from the rear 3/4 a real stunner. But I just find the nose on the RC-F (and IS-F) awkward in profile. The C63 has less awkward angles. Incidentally the GS-F has the best F nose. 2. Noise. AMG have performed miracles with the exhaust system. It’s an epic, guttural noise. The popping and banging is also awesome. What’s more – if you don’t like it, turn it off. I've yet to encounter the perfect aftermarket F exhaust. 3. Fun at low speed. You don’t have to go fast to have fun. This is partly down to the epic sound track and……. 4. Torque. With 8 gears, the F cars can often leave you in no man’s land. In the AMG you have this stuff called torque – low down the rev range. 5. Recognition. People know what AMGs are and even if they don’t they appreciate the noise 6. Road placement. The 63 'feels' more compact than the RC-F. The RC-F has that big swooping bonnet. On the road, the RC-F actually feels bigger than its sister the GS-F! Do I miss the RC-F No. Will I ever own a Lexus again….. I hope so. The AMG’s current garage buddy is a Lexus GS-F. I walk past it every day. I still admire everything about it. Lexus F cars – I’ll always have a soft spot for them. Thanks for reading.
    14 points
  28. Morning Chaps, Just thought I’d share a few photos of my new steering wheel, centre console, and inner door handles. The carbon paddles and steering wheel controls also work I think with making the overall result rather special. Will probably be sending the old wheel State side as buyers are few and far between over here sadly. Anyway, hope you like them. Cheers, Pete
    14 points
  29. So like a few of you my RCF is my daily car, but I really don't do many miles in a year nowadays <4k. My pride & joy is my UK Spec MKIV Supra. And for track duty I have an old MR2, which is quite rough around the edges, but means I don't care if i run out of talent on an airfield or track somewhere
    14 points
  30. Lexus RX 450h - Series 3 - Equipment specifications Lexus RX Series III.pdf
    14 points
  31. I don't know why you are complaining! This is actually the latest in Lexus security features. Even if you defeat the CANbus you still can't get in the vehicle!!! Genius indeed. 🙂 Paul
    13 points
  32. Hello All, I am writing this thread to help fellow future Lexus owners. There is an IS250 new buyers thread, but can't see one for IS220D. I have had the joys(not) of owning a 220D. I thought of writing this thread for new potential buyers of this car. If there was a thread for IS220D before going to test drive my old IS220D, I wouldn't have never got it, and would have just went for IS250 instead LOL! 🙂 PROS : * Very good spec for the year of the car - I have had the Sport model, which came with auto lights + wipers, memory seats, fully electric seats with lumbar support also. It also had a 9 mode sunroof, but I believe that was an added extra option. Very good sound quality (I believe it's the Mark Levinson head unit). Auto dimming rear view mirror + auto dimming side view mirrors which tilt down when reversing. Keyless entry and start + front and rear parking sensors. * Much better drive comfort than it's competitors - Especially for longer journeys, drive is very comfy and the car is very practical. CONS: * High Tax Costs - The tax band for this car is quite high, as it comes around £330 a year. * High Fuel Costs - The reported figures are 35mpg/City and 52mpg/Motorway for the non sport models and 29mpg/City 45mpg/Motorway. However, from my experience and Fuelly average checks, it will be hard to get above 35/mpg on a motorway run, and more than 25mpg in city. If you give the car a good run, you will be seeing around 20mpg in city, and 27mpg on motorways. * Gearbox Is Awful - On the Non Sport models, you will find yourself not being able to shift into 6th gear on motorways, as the RPM's are too low driving at 70-75mpg. On the Sport model, the gears are too short, and the 1st and 6th gears are useless. The gearbox stick is heavy and chunky, and quite uncomfortable to shift gears. There is a quite loud crunch when changing into 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears. * The Engine Generally Feels Underpowered - This is obviously a large car, and made for comfort, not speed. However the engine feels underpowered, when taking off as the turbo starts to kick in at 2k RPM's. In first gear, the acceleration is slow and sluggish. * The Engine Has Lots Of Common Faults - It has the Toyota D4D engine, that is being used in Toyota Avensis. The injectors do go bad quite often, and head gaskets go bad on them very often as well. The EGR valves are also known to get very clogged easily, and need regular cleaning (Easy job, if you don't mind getting your hands dirty). WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR ON THE TEST DRIVE BEFORE TEST DRIVE * Head Gasket Leak - When engine is cold , pop the bonnet and unscrew the oil cap. The oil cap should be nice and clean, with no frothy contents on it and milky like residue. Also, check the coolant level and colour of it, it should be topped to max and it should be nice pink colour. * Fuel Injectors Condition - Take the engine cover off, and start the engine. Inspect the engine near injectors and look out for any leaks. Put your ear close to each injector and listen out for any rattling or knocking sounds. If it has any fuel leaks, or knocking sounds, steer away! It will be very pricey! *Auto Lights/Wipers - Turn the wipers and lights stalk to 'Auto' setting. There is a sensor on the windscreen, in the same position where the rear view mirror sits. Cover it with your hands, and have someone else inspect the lights - they should turn on. Take a bottle of water with you, and throw the water on the windscreen, it should wipe it off. *Seats/Radio/Air Con/Sun Roof - Check that the seat can be moved front/back, back of seat can be moved fron/back, seat height can be adjusted. If the car has memory function, put the car in neutral, start the car, put the hand brake on and hold the 'Set' button and press 1,2 and 3. There should be a beep indicating the position was set. Check that the radio works. Also check that the aircon blows hot/cold air and that the sun roof opens if there is one fitted in the car. *Check MPG - Check the AVG MPG and Tank MPG indicated on the computer. Reset it, by holding the 'Disp' button on the AVG MPG button. Go for an extended test drive, and check the MPG displayed. It usually overstates about 1/2 mpg depending on tyres etc, so bare that in mind. DURING TEST DRIVE/AFTER TEST DRIVE * Brake Callipers - Walk around each side of the car and check for heat coming from brakes. Each pair of wheels should be the same heat, if one is hotter than other, callipers are seized and will require rebuilding/replacing which is quite expensive. Another obvious tell tale sign is the car pulling to a side. * Brakes - Check that the brakes are not spongy, and brake hard enough. * Oil filter cap seized - The cap, where the oil filter screws into may be overtightened and impossible to get out. Make sure to ask, if it has been changed and if you are buying from dealer, ask them to check it before sale. Mine was screwed on solid, and had to get a new oil filter housing, which took a very long time to find second hand, as breakers don't sell them separate, they sell them whole on the engine block. I have scrapped the car before fitting it on, so still got mine if anyone is after one! * Leaking shocks - Check if you can see any leakage coming from shock absorbers, expensive replacements but not a real issue - some owners have reported replacing them and hard to find. * Exhaust Smoke - As any diesel, do a hard acceleration while checking your rear view mirror - there should be no clouds of smoke left behind. If you can, have someone watch you while accelerating past them for any smoke - lots of smoke could mean lots of expensive fixes. * Clutch - Make sure that the clutch is not rattling or vibrating, when depressed. The biting point shouldn't be too low or too high, and there shouldn't be any fishy smells in the cabin. * Exhaust - Check that after test drive, there is no exhaust smell in the cabin or outside the car. This could indicate bad cat, and exhaust replacement is quite expensive for this and the IS250 model. * Rust - Check for general health on wheel arches and underneath the car. It shouldn't be excessively rusty. Hope this helps prospective buyers! My opinion is, that there is a reason on why these are cheaper than the IS250. I have had mine for a while, and there was nothing but issues. Bad MPG, high road tax, rear callipers were seized, front calliper was seized, there was an exhaust issue and more. I have ended up trading mine in for IS250, and the V6 petrol version is better on MPG, than the IS220D sport model :O. No DPF, no EGR systems to be blocked. If you want the Lexus, just go for an IS250, as it is much more better running costs wise to IS220D, and much more reliable. If you really, really want a diesel, switch to an Audi A5, BMW 520D or Mercedes E Class, do not go for IS220D, unless it has had new injectors, head gasket replaced, and DPF is clean. But let's be honest, if someone invested that much money in it, they will not be selling it LOL! 😄 HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE LOOKING TO BUY AN IS220D.
    13 points
  33. I know that I do an excessive amount of mileage. but I have noticed that every 6 months (20K miles) my 300h starts to drop its economy, every time so far it has been the same reason.....the hybrid fan filter is getting blocked. Ive now become a bit of an expert on doing this now, and Ive no doubt that there are a few DIY mechanics who like to look over their own car. If you are doing your own servicing the please include this in your annual check. Tools: 2 x flat ended screwdrivers Pliers 10mm socket and ratchet The fan assembly is located on the right hand side rear inner wing, its all accessible via the boot, but you have to remove the inner panel in order to get at the fan and filter. First remove the false floor, then remove the tool tray below the false floor, there are 6 self expanding clips (3 on each side), in order to remove them prise out the centre with a flat ended screwdriver. lift the tool tray out, this will reveal another 3 of these clips that hold the carpet into the rear of the boot, these need to be removed as well the looking at the right side boot trim there are two load restraints that need to be removed, they are held in place with a 10mm bolt, this is hidden. in order to get at the bolt you need to prise the plastic cover away with a screwdriver Undo the 10 mm bolts and remove the restraints. Looking at the right hand inner boot panel there are 3 trim clips that hold the panel to the car, they are 'spined' and need to be prised out. you can see the 3 holes in the picture. With these out the last piece to be removes is the plastic threshold trim, this has another 3 of the spined clips that are used on the inner trim panel. Once they are removed the panel requires a sharp pull as there are 6 clips attached to the threshold trim that need to be released from the body. Now you can pull/bend the inner trim back to reveal the fan assembly and trunking for the air duct the black trunking that runs from the fan to the hybrid battery is held in place with 2 self expanding clips, again prise the centre pin out and the pull the clip out in order to remove the trunking. The motor is held in place with 2x10mm bolts and 1x10mm nut There is also a multiplug that will need to be disconnected in order to remove the fan assembly from the car. Once removed you then have access to the trunking that has the filter in it With the motor out of the way the trunking is held in place by a tag at the bottom of the trunking that locates on a plastic pin, a sharp pull will see it come free. and this is what you may find!! Full of fluff and crud, with a vacuum cleaner give this a good clean, then clean the motor. The vanes will be fill of dirt and crud as well, with an airline blow this all out (watch your eyes as there will be a lot of dust) Cleaned out Putting it all back together is the reverse this, however when reconnecting the fan motor please make sure the connectors go back together with a solid 'CLICK' if they don't and the pins haven't made good connection you will get a 'check hybrid' error message, once the fan motor and trunking is in place and before I have built up the interior trim I normally turn the ignition on so as to check that everything is in order. Hope that helps
    13 points
  34. My IS250 is now 13yrs old and the ivory-coloured leather is looking tired. I’d been mulling over different options and settled on doing the work myself with a restoration/recolouring kit. There are a few companies out there that can supply you with the necessary components. Having watched many tutorial videos and accounts of how the job went I settled on getting my gear from Furniture Clinic based in Durham. https://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/ This is the kit I got along with some of my own bits I have in the garage. My additional bits were a funnel, selection of paint brushes, foam backed sanding blocks [ I'm lucky I have many from previous], measuring pot say 5-50ml is damned handy [the type from the top of Tomato feed is spot on] and a selection of Pry tools for getting thing apart without damage. Oh and my spray gun got in on the act too I see! It is the medium colourant kit plus I got the repair add on pack so that I could do some filling with their flexible filler. I also sought out a small leather sample piece from inside a headrest for a colour match to be made. The worst scuffing/wear/cracking and discolouration was on the driver’s seat and the centre armrest as you would expect. These three photos show the condition of the areas needing the most work. So, the plan was to fully refurbish both front seats and the armrest. The seat bolster was really pretty grim. This video from Furniture Clinic [FC] is very good and pretty much encapsulates what I did. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFXkraC9B7o I found all the products to be very good apart from the airbrush kit. I have a compressor and spray gun of my own thank heavens! No matter what I tried the airbrush would not play ball. I will return to it and get an adapter for my airlines. They can be very useful tools so I will attempt to get it functioning. But that’s for another day. So, I used my own spray kit and just closed it down to low pressure and low feed and it worked a treat. I should point out everything is water based which makes it all rather pleasant!! FC videos seem to show a lot of work being undertaken in the car but that requires a great deal of masking and you can’t get to every surface properly. So for my needs it was out of the car repairs. This next video is useful for showing how some of the armrest components come apart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXgTBn8MHZ0 You can get the armrest out without taking out the entire centre. You just need to prise up the trim at the front of the cubby box, where it meets the wood section [on mine] enough to release the tabs and then the top U-shaped trim will pop off. The rear of the cubby box just pulls off. Then you have to move both seats forwards as far as poss to clear the beck end of the cubby box to pull out the metal tabs and its off. Two screws underneath will allow the handle to be removed. I then masked up all the underneath and mounted it on a piece of wood for spraying ... a stand if you will. There is a useful write up here that Agent-Dess put up a while back, credit to him for this This will guide you through seat removal if you want to remove the seats. Remember to disconnect battery and wait 10mins before unplugging the seats. I found them not too heavy but you need to be careful when removing as you don’t want to damage anything with the seat prongs [they stick out a wee bit – so be mindful!]. I wrapped masking tape around mine! The Driver’s seat is the more awkward of the two as you have the steering wheel to contend with. The three electrical plugs under the seat are a bit fiddly but not too bad. I also removed the lower plastic trim once the seat was out and up on my workmate bench. There are three screws hidden underneath. Two at the front and one at the back. Pry off the raise/ lower knob and back tilt knob and remove the three screws that are now seen. Then unplug the electrical connector and its out of the way. Next was masking up all the areas you want to protect from spraying. Seat back is a contrasting colour on mine so that need looking at with care. I masked the headrest collars and the stalk and the re-inserted the headrest into the seat as it’s easier for me to spray it all in situ. I then did everything as outlined in the FC repair video. But I used my own spray gun for applying the colour and the clear two pack top finish. I have to say the colour is spot on. The Leather Binder I found to be very good indeed, that I used on the more heavily scuffed areas. The Heavy filler and Flexifill are surprisingly good, much better than I anticipated. In truth I could have put more in but that’s something you learn from experience, and I had none with this! It seems odd using a hair drier to speed up curing but it really works well and at every stage even after spraying the finishes on!! Just remember when you start scrubbing it's going to look worse...much worse on the bad areas. But then it all starts to improve. This is the side bolster after scrub and 6 coats of filler applied with the spatula Same bolster after dab sponging on some colourant just to see how it's looking after filler. Colour coat [x3 with 10 mins between coats]. Colour coat is glossy/satin finish and when dry is still almost tacky to the touch. If you sponge apply any colorant onto the pierced leather ... do not wipe it on [ you'll clog those holes!] ... just dab it gently. If you mess up and block a hole just tease it out with something like a bradawl tip. I sprayed 3 coats of the finish top coat with 10 mins between and used the hair dryer to speed it up. If go careful you can see it drying in front of your eyes. If you get a sag or run just dab it with a sponge. Pleased to report I did not get 1 ... but then I was a furniture restorer and sprayer for over 20 years. Passenger seat and armrest done ... driver's seat untouched Everything back in the car I am very pleased with the results and very pleasantly surprised at the flexibility of the fillers and finishes. I have been poking and prodding after 24 hrs and it’s all very impressive. My only gripe would be that FC don't supply enough crosslinker for the amount of top finish supplied at 8:1 mix!! Which to me is daft, but they claim the pack is based on 250ml ... but I have 500 ml? ... and we go round in circles on the phone getting absolutely nowhere! That's just poor in my book. How long did it take? Firstly, I’m retired so I have plenty of free time [ I was spraying the last coat at 7pm on Thursday evening!!]. The kit arrived early on Wednesday morning and I finished putting everything back in the car at lunchtime on Friday. Oh and there is enough left over to do the whole exercise again. The plan now is to leave it for 3 or 4 days to fully cure and then I'll give it a going over with the FC Protection Cream. I've given it a waxy paper de-nib and it all feels really good. There you go then ... Job done ... chuffed! I hope that will be of use to anyone considering doing this. Take your time and follow the instructions they are very comprehensive. My only reservation is that airbrush.
    13 points
  35. Like many, I am very sad, to hear of John’s death, I feel a great loss and a sense of shock. My heartfelt condolences to all John’s family. I am sure that here, John will be remembered ( and indeed WILL always be remembered ) for his advice, guidance, interest, kindness and way with words. There is a certainty, than when I’m faced with a car related question, John’s ‘voice’ will pop into my head, “Read the Owner Manual”. And he’ll be right! John, I salute you. Thank you for your help and support, by forum and personal message. Rest in Peace, my friend.
    13 points
  36. Thank you David, for sharing this very sad news with us. Like many here, I feel I have lost a friend that I never had the pleasure of actually meeting. I joined in June 2020 and it soon became clear that John was one of the stalwarts of the LOC. I appreciated his wit and wisdom - and in exchanging PMs discovered that we were not dissimilar in backgrounds and age. He was what we used to describe affectionately as a ‘Gentleman and Scholar’. In the last PM we exchanged exactly one month ago, he shared with me the news of his deteriorating health. I too extend my sincere condolences to Margaret and his Family and very much hope that they see this Post and thus appreciate how much he was admired by strangers whose only connection was that they owned a Lexus! One thing that amused us both - and that John would gently point out - was that the answers to many of the questions raised could be found in the car’s Manual. But that didn’t stop him from helping a fellow owner. I - and the LOC - shall miss him greatly.
    13 points
  37. Hi all, Apologies for the lack of Lexus content, but some time ago now I agreed to update you on the progress of my new car. As some of you know, I sold my GS450h in Sept last year in anticipation of its arrival. Somewhat delayed longer than I hoped, I finally picked it up yesterday. So, here it is, my new Kia Stinger: Only driven about 200 miles, and since it is still breaking in the engine I haven't had a chance to go above 3000rpm so far, but it is certainly different to my GS! 🙂 Whether it is 'better' is yet to be seen..
    13 points
  38. Not the best of photos just quick snaps will post better ones later
    13 points
  39. I’ve now competed 250 miles in my new RX 450h Premium with Tech, Safety and Protection packs. Those miles have been across A-Roads, B-Roads and mostly motorway on the M4. Previously I’ve owned two NX 300h, the first a Sport from 2017 and the second a Luxury from 2018, competing 30k miles across the two. My initial comparisons are: Comfort - a score draw. Both have exceptionally comfortable seats that suit me very well. The driving environment in the NX felt more compact, with some functions easier to get to - the heated seats and climate controls the most obvious. However, the RX counters with the automatic heating/ventilation for the seats which have meant I’ve simply left it all on ‘auto’ and let it do its thing. All very good. Ride quality - a narrow win for the RX. I always found the NX ride to be good, despite some of the media reviews. Yes, bigger potholes tended to make things a bit ‘crashy’ but generally it was a refined experience. However, the RX copes better and is much smoother over a wider variety of road surfaces. Bigger imperfections have a similar ‘crashy’ quality to the NX, albeit much less obvious. Refinement - a clear win for the RX. Don’t get me wrong, the NX is a very refined cruiser, but only when driven gently. That’s how I drive, but the difference in the RX is marked. At 70mph on the motorway, the RX is almost silent. At the end of a long day, facing a 70 mile drive in the dark and wet, I can’t think of a better car I’ve owned. There’s a sense of serenity that just made me very relaxed. I thought the NX was good - and it was - but the difference is much greater than I expected. Quality - score draw. As you’d expect with Lexus, both are exceptional. I can’t see any difference in material quality, or paint finish or anything really. Superb. Space - narrow win for the NX (but it’s relative!). Bear with me here. The RX is clearly larger, and has more space. However, given the size difference it doesn’t have as much space as you might think, especially in the boot with the seats up. The NX is actually a very practical car and is usefully smaller. Boot space seems to be about the same which has surprised me. I know the numbers say the RX has more capacity but my real world perception is that it isn’t noticeable. Economy - win for the NX. Accepting that my RX hasn’t loosened up yet, but economy - using the onboard computer - mirrors my experience when having RX loan cars. On the journeys I’ve completed in the RX so far, I’d have achieved 40mpg I’m the NX. In the RX I’m getting 32mpg with the same driving style. That’s fine for me, but worth noting. Equipment - not really able to compare, as the RX I have is a higher trim level and much more expensive. The NX had everything I thought I needed, but the RX takes things to a whole new level. The panoramic roof is lovely. The HUD and blind spot monitors are very useful. The heated steering wheel is real luxury! Is it all really necessary - obviously the answer is no. Do I like it? The answer is a definite yes! The only thing I’m unconvinced by is the steering assist, but I may get used to it over time. Overall I loved my time with the NX. It’s a great car. To be fair, every Lexus I’ve driven - IS, GS, UX, NX, and RC - has been fantastic. They all have a feeling of superb quality, and a sense of occasion that I haven’t experienced in any other brand. The RX continues the theme. It’s a lovely thing, and I realise I’m privileged to be able to own it. It takes the strengths of the NX and builds on them, but at a financial cost. If you have an RX and are considering downsizing I personally don’t think an NX would feel like you are dropping down too much. If you have an NX and are considering an RX the differences are enough to notice, but the question is whether the extra expense is worth it. I think it is - after all, if we all simply had what we ‘needed’ then I’d be driving a Fiesta!
    13 points
  40. Today, I had to take the current Mrs Mincey to the hospital at Stanmore for a checkup. I will freely admit that I was looking forward to it, because it would give the ideal opportunity to compare the trip in Betsy against the same trip in my IS300h. The trip to Stanmore was, incidentally, the furthest I'd driven in the IS300h during our short acquaintance. Anyway, I digress, which I'm sure you will all agree, is not unusual. It was an early start - the appointment was at 9am. This meant an alarm for 5.30, then departure at 7am sharp. I had primed Waze with the route, as I wanted to see how it worked with guidance via Android Auto. All was good. All suddenly stopped being good at around 6.32. Mrs Mincey was watching BBC Breakfast when the local travel reporter announced that the A1 was shut southbound. I checked Waze. Waze now told me that the trip would be 92 miles, not 65, and that it would take two and a half hours. This was not good news. Not at all, in any way, shape or form. We had to leave immediately. Shoes were hastily put on and and coats grabbed. Betsy was roused and we set off in a Northampton-ish direction to pick up the M1 as suggested by Waze. When we reached the junction of the Peterborough Parkway system with the A1, it was congested to say the least. Luckily we were going towards Oundle, so we could dodge the queue. This is where it started to go a bit wrong. I used to use this route to get to Redditch and Coventry in a previous life as it was the quickest way to get to the westbound A14. I recall it being a pain in the derriere on occasions, and boy, it was hard work today. Queues at the Oundle roundabout, queues all the way from the edge of Thrapston to the A14 junction. I was not a happy bunny at all. Mind you, Betsy was being very kind on the mpg front as most of the movement was being done electrically. Nice one my lovely. As we approached the A14 roundabout, I put a question to the current Mrs Mincey. I wanted her to confirm my suspicion that if we headed down the A14 towards the A1, we would miss the part which was closed and be able to continue on our merry way southbound. She concurred. After waiting for what seemed like months in the queue to reach the roundabout, I sped off on the first left into the bright sunsheeeeine (as Liam Gallagher would say) towards Huntingdon. At this point, Waze got the hump badly. It kept trying to route us back home. I was not impressed at all. In fact, it was only when were were 5 minutes away from Stanmore that it finally understood what we were doing and routed us in a sensible direction for the remainder of the journey. Once on the A1, we hit the usual holdups at the Black Cat Roundabout (although the Black Cat was sporting a poppy, which was a nice touch) then Sandy, Biggleswade and Stevenage. To be honest, Stevenage wasn't too bad, unlike the run up to the roundabout near Elstree. This part was made worse by having to endure the awful Zoe Ball talking pretty much non-stop to Sophie Ellis-Bextor about her 24 hour dance marathon thing for Children in Need. At this point, I should point out that I would normally be listening to Planet Rock, but the current Mrs Mincey has gone on record to say that only people who haven't grown up listen to that, hence having to suffer Radio 2. We arrived at 9.30 which given the circumstances wasn't too bad. Just about everyone else who was there was complaining about the traffic, so I didn't feel too bad. They always run late there anyway. The return journey went without any dramas. I followed a white LC500 for a bit around Welwyn - I shall grab some stills off the dashcam at some point and post them here in case it's anyone we know. Now the bit you've all been waiting for. How did the trip in Betsy compare to the trip in the IS300h? I cannot compare how tired I felt after each trip because after an early start preceded by a restless night, I'm knackered anyway. However, I have to say that Betsy is much more comfortable than the IS. Mrs Mincey said she found Betsy's seats didn't squeeze her ample bottom at all, unlike the seats in the IS. Betsy is so smooth and feels so planted on the road - no skittish behaviour or bouncing over bumps. She does have a slightly annoying reflection of the instrument binnacle on the windscreen in direct sun however. Other than that, tick VG all round. Crawling in traffic is much smoother than in the IS as there is no jerk when taking off, and she is very, very quiet at motorway speeds. MPG? This wasn't a true test because I'd done a couple of short trips after filling up, but I did get an indicated 47.4mpg and an Excel-derived 46.4 which isn't bad. I did get 51ish from the IS on the same trip, but I did drive like a girl on the way back. All in all, I'm very happy. I'm happy too because Mrs Mincey has been signed off and I won't have to make that journey anymore. Yay!
    13 points
  41. Well that was a long three weeks. Thanks to Covid, there was no handover so I'm going to be taking the advice of the very wise@royoftherovers and will be spending this evening reading the manual. No gifts sadly, and only 45 miles worth of petrol in the tank (a bit mean!) but never mind. I had a rear bumper protector fitted while we waited - I was expecting it to be £170 as on the Lexus site but they only charged me £145, which was nice. Had a pleasant drive back along the A47. The first three figure blast has been done. It's nice to get things like that out of the way. I was rather puzzled that the usual way of disarming the keyless entry didn't work. I was about to Google it until I realised that when I tried, I had the spare key in my pocket, so no matter how many times I tried to disarm the key I was holding, the door would obviously still open. I blame excitement.
    13 points
  42. 13 points
  43. Just collected my new RC300h, now in Azure Blue, replacing my Sonic Red 2016 model. First impressions are, it's noticeably quieter. There is much less 'milk-float' whine on deceleration. The car will accelerate much longer on electric, the car switching to battery power more readily in general driving. The Mark Levinson sounds much fuller than the standard audio in the 2016 model, which wasn't poor in any respect. The Sat Nav has been improved no end, much easier to set routes etc.. Filled the tank with V-Power and looking forward to exploring the suspension and steering upgrades
    13 points
  44. It’s been around a year since I purchased my GS450h. I figured it might be useful to others to do a review of what a year of owning one of these cars is like. My Car It’s 2008 (MKIII) GS450h SE-L, with ACC (adaptive cruise control), PCS (pre-collision system), and a sunroof. This means it’s the top model, with every option ticked. It’s black with light grey leather, and piano black wood including wood inserts on the steering wheel. At the time I bought the car it had approximately 58,000 miles on the clock. It’s now on about 72,000. I bought it from Lexus Edgware Road. Driving Experience I’ll get to the point, it’s fast. When the battery has charge and the 3.5 V6 is warmed up it’s very quick, especially above 50 mph. The rate at which you can gain speed when you floor it once you’re already moving is incredible. Off the line it’s quick without being ridiculous, and if you find yourself in a situation where the battery is depleted (say, having crawled through slow traffic for a mile or two), outright full bore acceleration is blunted as you’re relying purely on the V6 to haul 1900 KG of car and driver up the road. While undeniably quick, I wouldn’t describe the GS as ‘fun’ to drive on a twisty road. It’s certainly competent, and between point A to point B is probably just as rapid as the obvious competition, but I do have the sense that you’d be having more fun in a BMW 5 Series. The handling is predictable, grip is good, but you do get the sense the car would rather you stopped being silly and drove properly. The flip side of this is that it’s outstandingly comfortable when driving at 7/10ths, and is quiet, comfortable, and competent. So, it’s fast, but it’s not sporty. I also find myself missing the soundtrack of a car accelerating through the gears, but that’s mostly because I’m immature. The rest of the time when you’re not driving like you're qualifying it’s a very smooth and comfortable drive. The radar cruise control is absolutely excellent, as is the stereo and infotainment system. Following a few weeks of driving brand new Lexus courtesy cars I was glad to leave their garish graphics and contrived menus behind and get back to the simplicity and elegance of my decade old GS450. I’m half considering a GROM VLINE to bring connected apps into the car, but at £500 there are more pressing uses for my money. I do with the car had a bigger fuel tank. With my fuel consumption (see below) I'm generally needing to refuel after about 320 miles. An 80 litre tank would make my trips to the forecourt far less frequent. The silent running when stuck in traffic (as I frequently am in Cambridge) is really enjoyable, as is the feeling of cruising along burning no fuel. This is an addictive quality of hybrids that is hard to appreciate if you’ve never driven one before. Obviously subjective, but in terms of looks I think it looks best from the rear three quarter view, and overall it’s not as good looking as a Mercedes CLS or properly specced BMW 5 Series. Maintenance Since I bought my car from Lexus, it came with a 12 month warranty. In the 12 months I’ve owned the car the following things have been replaced under warranty (remember this is a relatively low mileage car with a full Lexus service history, bought from a Lexus dealer). TPMS sensor Water pump Offside rear shock absorber Driver side washer jet Passenger side washer jet Driver’s door mirror Front passenger seatbelt and mechanism I’m not quite sure what this lot would have cost had I been paying myself, and to be honest I probably would have sorted the easy ones myself, but I’d say it’s comfortably in the £1,200 to £1,500 range. I had an issue with my brake light switch which was resolved by the AA (cover included as part of the Lexus warranty). I’ve had the car serviced once in my ownership, that was relatively cheap at around £250, including the Lexus Owners Club discount. My next service at 80,000 miles will be a bit chunkier at around £500 but that’s some months away. Last October I bought four new Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres to replace the budget tyres Lexus sold it with. The Michelin PS4s were around £650. Tyre wear is predictable and I expect the Michelins to last about 15,000 to 18,000 miles. I’m perfectly happy with this as this as the PS4 is a high performance tyre and they’ve barely lost traction in the entire time they’ve been fitted – money well spent. I’ve had one wheel refurbed following a close encounter with a kerb, which was £85 from Lexus. I bought a front wiper blade at around £20. I’ve not spent anything on the brakes since ownership, though I will need new discs and pads front and back in the next few thousand miles, for which I’m looking at £700 ish. I’ve taken the two year Lexus warranty which is £1095, which I’m paying off at 0% over 12 months. This seemed like a no-brainer given the relatively high number of issues thus far, plus for peace of mind. You don't need much to go wrong on a decade old £50K Lexus before you comfortably cover the warranty outlay. Fuel Consumption This is where Fuelly comes into its own. Every time I’ve refuelled the car I’ve (very anally) entered the details into the app. Screen shots below. In terms of outright fuel consumption it’s not what you’d call economical, but it is pretty good relative to its size, weight, comfort and especially performance. To put the 28 mpg of my GS450 in context, over the same sort of use in my BMW E46 330i I was getting 23 mpg, in a Toyota Prius 1.8 I get 46 mpg, and in a Volvo S80 D5 I was getting 38 mpg. It seems I have a heavy right foot, or I’m just a rubbish driver, or maybe both. As stated above I wish it had a bigger fuel tank. 320 miles between fill ups isn't ideal. Owning my Lexus My local Lexus dealer - Cambridge - is also essentially the same as my local Toyota dealer so I see them a lot between warranty claims on my Lexus and regular servicing on my 20,000 miles per year Prius. I’d say they are pretty good, but hardly exemplary. The staff are lovely when you’re there, the coffee is good, and they have the option of collecting my cars from my office and dropping back, which is really convenient. I have needed to escalate and push to get things done in a reasonable time, and I’m not sure they are really that switched on when it comes to customer retention. I’ll carry on using them but I’m not sure I’d chose a car because of them… Will I keep my Lexus? In short, yes. I certainly plan to run my GS450 for at least another two years while it’s still under warranty and potentially more if it seems to be holding up well. I’m not entirely sure on what to replace it with anyway. My experience of modern Lexuses have left me a bit cold, and aside from a MKIV GS450h not much else appeals. I’ve looked with interest at the Infiniti M35h but an E Class convertible appeals despite the diesel engine. Thoughts on Lexus as a brand I’m not sure I necessarily see myself as a dyed in the wool Lexus owner. I really like my car and appreciate its virtues but the current range of Lexus cars doesn’t really stir me, and the absence of non-SUV Lexus estate means when I need to replace my family transport Toyota Prius with something bigger I’ll end up looking at E Classes and 5 Series which is annoying as something like a GS300h Estate would be ideal. As a Lexus driver there is a slight feeling of being in a Toyota with better quality materials and finish, which isn’t really surprising but may not be what everyone wants from their luxury motoring. Would I recommend a GS450? Hell yes! Brilliant car and if you buy well/have a warranty/are lucky then it’s also very cheap to run. In my view I’m running a £50K car with almost all the peace of mind of a new car but at a far reduced cost. Thanks for reading.
    13 points
  45. Long post warning - but still featuring GSF content!! I’ve been a petrolhead for a long time - ever since my first Matchbox car I guess. Later, as a young teenager, my posters of semi-naked ladies were forced to share space with car pictures; I remember staring at both a lot. Another thing I remember, just next to my poster of Lindsey Dawn McKenzie (remember her??!) was an older picture of a Dodge Viper, a gen 1 car, in red - I’d had this poster since I was 8 years old. The Viper lacked some of the more refined design cues that Ferrari and Lamborghini boasted, but she seemed to have an evocative, outrageous and curvaceous style all of her own. There was nothing else quite like her - I was smitten! The car was nice too. (please excuse the grin... 😂) A couple of decades later, and after a track day driving one, I thought “why not?"; so here’s my new toy, a 3rd gen imported Viper that lived in Florida until very recently. The gen 3 is considerably more refined than the early cars and the original 8 litre V10 now displaces 8.3 litres, which is 14.6 pints. There ain’t no replacement for displacement so they say... Many people will remind you that it’s a truck engine, which is and isn’t technically correct. Originally, Dodge mooted using a big-block V8, but needed more power. The engine was duly handed to Lamborghini, who added two more cylinders and recast the block in aluminium, resulting in an engine both more powerful and lighter than the original V8. Its a relatively simple and old-school giant, 20v, pushrod and with no fancy turbos, cylinder deactivation - nothing. I’ve only done a few hundred miles in it so far, but here are my initial impressions; Firstly, just look at it - the Viper’s doing 150mph just standing still! The enormous bonnet, huge vents/slashes in the bodywork (all of which are functional, to expel heat - we’ll talk about this later) and massive fat tyres - 345/30R19s at the rear, 275/30R18s at the front all edge toward the superlative! The folding roof is manual, can be completed in about 10 seconds but unfortunately does involve opening and shutting the boot. Getting in, the driving position is a little unusual, aside from being a left-hooker, the pedals are offset slightly to the left. When cruising the below-waist configuration could best be described as ‘manspreading’. The driver is cocooned in a very comfortable seat between wide sills, which house the side exhausts, and the immense gearbox in the middle. The steering wheel isn't adjustable, but the pedals can be moved closer or further from the driver to fit. Visibility is a leap forward from the gen 1 cars (where, being 6’2” I couldn’t decide whether to look out of the extreme top of the windscreen or stretch and drive over the top of it!) The engine utterly dominates the car as you would expect. Physically, it’s massive, and from the moment the red start button is prodded, a huge bassy rumble of thunder splits the air, quickly settling into a surprisingly low 600rpm idle. The gearbox is probably the most truck-like of the drivetrain components - it’s heavy, a little vague and fairly slow, although it does deal with 505bhp but more specifically 525lbft (712Nm) of torque with ease. The gearbox almost isn’t required, however. Shifting into first and pulling away, I’d be surprised if you could ever stall it. Gentle driving activates the skip-shift mechanism, which will guide you straight from 1st to 4th if you change before 15mph for ‘economy’. A $30 plug in device can disable this, but I’m undecided for the moment. Torque is everywhere and in the lower gears at least, the Viper appears to have little inertia; you decide how many revs you want to do, and the car’s speed immediately comes up to match. On a motorway, the Viper is sprung fairly softly, the tyres aren’t ultra-low profile and the ride is at least as comfortable as my GSF; which surprised me. There is some tramlining, but it’s easy to drive around that. The cabin is typically American (plasticky), although reasonably refined with little wind intrusion with the roof down. In the ultra-long 6th gear, revs are barely above 1000rpm at 70mph. A country road blast really wakes the Viper up, although it’s a wide car and needs room to play. Above 3000rpm, the brute force of that mighty V10 pins heads firmly to headrests, like a modern day Cobra. It’s not traditionally sonorous - sounding more like a V8 with extras, rather than the wail of other V10s. It handles like a go kart, has very quick steering and ample visibility to create a very enjoyable hoon! A blast in it reveals the engine’s dominance in more than just noise and power however; the heat haze is plainly visible from the 10 slats in the bonnet, and the warmth from the transmission tunnel, and the sills (do not touch these when getting out!) works the air conditioning hard. It’s been my dream to own a Viper, and it was difficult to let my previous track toy, a Honda S2000 go. Let’s hope I did the right thing! I aim to keep this thread updated for as long as anyone is interested, any questions, ask away. Hope you enjoyed the post, and I'll get some more picturesque images once it stops raining!)
    13 points
  46. I have bought many new cars over the years from different manufactures and dealers but my latest purchase the new Lexus ES 300 Takumi from Lexus Preston put a car purchase and handover experience up,to another level completely for customer satisfaction . If I may indulge in my experience….. Since retiring last year I had the 2018 variant of the Lexus ES300 the Premium model dark blue and was quite happy with the car, I learnt that in 2021 a new variant had been introduced with significant improvements so I thought Id just pop into my local Lexus dealer to have a look and see if they had one in the showroom. I was met and welcomed to the showroom by the senior sales executive James who went out of his way to show me the new model features without any pressure of sale, it was a fact finding visit of 2 hours but I left impressed with the possibility that this might be a worth while purchase if the deal was right; and the approval of my dear lady wife. On my next visit along my wife and I were warmly welcomed and greeted by personal name offered refreshments and allowed to take our time and closely inspect the new ES 300. As long I chose dark blue again I had my wife’s approval! So off to the big Display screens of model configuration to choose The Takumi version Color dark blue , cream upholstery grey interior with walnut inlays drop dead gorgeous …….to cut a long story short I had such a significant amount of positive equity in my current car a deal was struck and the car was ordered in November 2021. Lexus link and the dealer kept me fully informed from the ordering stage, to build, to transit, to dealer delivery and we finally collected the car yesterday. ( 22/03/2022) At handover we were welcomed by name by the centre reception and waiting for us in the handover booth was James with all the final paper work ready to sign. After a personalised presentation of the car and it’s features and fuelled by several cups of their superb coffee and biscuits the time had come for the big reveal in the handover bay, and there bathed in soft white light in the middle of the, floor stood our brand new ES 300 car sparkling with its flawless deep blue paint., perfectly prepared waiting for us …….James went through the new features of the car, maps radio media , set up Apple phone and Lexus link so they all talked to each other and we completed a rather longer test of the superb Mark Levenson sound system. I was introduced to all the team members at Preston and was treated not just as customer but as a new family member at the centre. We were genuinely thanked for choosing them to purchase our Lexus. I cannot praise the whole team at Preston high enough for their tireless dedication to a wonderful customer experience and to the personal and friendly welcomes we were given at all our visits. From my experience if you you want a purchase experience par excellance Preston Lexus is definitely the place to visit.
    12 points
  47. Hi all, thought I’d just put a post up about letting my F go, purchased an immaculate 2 owner 2010 MY11 USB IS-F last year. (I’d owned a grey 2008 IS-F for 5 years previously too) Took it on track at Donington and it was great fun, but I soon realised to get it to a point I could really enjoy it on track I’d have to spend some serious money, also if I’m honest it was just too nice to track. So sold it about 2 months ago to a car dealer in Scotland for what I paid for it a year before. Must admit I didn’t gel with it like I did my 08. Even with the lsd, updates and fitting a H&S exhaust I just didn’t feel the love for it like I did my grey one which is a shame. Anyway I went for a GR Yaris with circuit pack. I didn’t even test drive it, just went with the hope the hype was real. Oh my good the hype was real and then some, what Toyota have created is absolutely phenomenal! You cannot believe it’s a 1.6 3 cylinder turbo, it’s an absolute weapon, the mid range shove and the way it catapults you down a straight to the next bend is mind blowing, the manual 6 speed is a delight too. A roads wet or dry is just ballistic and on the motorway it’s just effortless (I don’t care about mpg but 35-40 when constantly tickling it and 28 when ringing it’s neck) and such an engaging drivers car. It makes you smile like a Cheshire Cat every time you drive it and you are itching to keep driving it which I haven’t felt with a car for such a long time and i’m 48. I cannot wait to track it and also I’ve got a Nurburgring trip booked next year. So as you can see I’m very happy with my purchase and if you think I’m just new car drunk, go and drive one.
    12 points
  48. Thanks Eric for taking the trouble to respond to my post. It strikes me, however, that reading my post and then your response below it, that I don’t actually detect any answers to the points I raised. These points, you may recall, were seeking clarification of the various claims you had made regarding the FOI reply you had discovered that referred to the charitable donation made by the Gates’s Foundation to another charitable organisation called BBC Media Action. No doubt this post will irritate those who wonder what it has to do with ‘Fuel Panic’, but I think if you’ve gone to the trouble to comment then I think you deserve the courtesy of a reply. 1. Denying everything is fine, but I prefer to question everything. I think most people do, Eric. But questioning is pointless if you pay no heed to the answers. 2. The mere fact Bill Gates funds the british Government should set alarm bells going off anyway - no matter what his 'noble' cause is But it’s not ‘a mere fact Bill Gates funds the british Government’. As the FOI reply you cited confirmed, it was a donation to an independent charitable organisation (BBC Media Action) which was a BBC initiative with the aim of using media development to support marginalised groups around the World. You asked the question, Eric, but you’ve denied and ignored the answer! To suggest that this ‘funds the British Government’ is, frankly, risible. On that basis, my annual BBC Licence Fee – and possibly yours too – are even more egregious examples! Makes you wonder why elements in the Government want to get rid of it! 3. If your contention is that Gates is ‘buying’ undue influence with the British Government by means of this BBC Media Action funding, then he’s not making a very good job of it. As I pointed out, at least four other comparable organisations outspent him in 2019/20. Even stranger, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donation of £1,569K was handsomely topped by the £7,645K that came from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Or is this an example of the British Government funding itself? 4. The BBC are funded by the British Government in the same way the climate scaremongering articles are funded by Governments I suppose that well-know climate scaremonger Sir David Attenborough is yet another Government lackey? 5. The director of the BBC is a Tory, And this discredits him, does it? Prior to being appointed DG in September 2020, Tim Davie had also been a successful Director of various broadcasting divisions within the BBC for the previous fifteen years. Conceivably this may also have had a bearing on his appointment. If I were to criticise him, it would be over his defence of the salary of the BBC’s highest paid presenter - Gary Lineker. 6. Would you walk backwards if told to do so by the Government? Politicians and Governments all over the world are crooked - how else do you think they have disguised covid so well and have got off scott free, and please dont tell me it was about a virus - otherwise I will have to publish the tens of millions of people dying of various diseases around the world each year, of which no body was told previously about. It may be just me, but I’m not too clear what you’re getting at here. But it seems far removed from the subject of this post - in itself far removed from the subject of the thread! 7. ...millions of people dying of various diseases around the world each year, of which no body was told previously about. Again, not too clear to what you allude. Covid-19 is an example of a potentially fatal virus about which ‘no body was told previously about’ mainly because it hadn’t evolved! Once it had evolved – and escaped from its origin in Wuhan, China – its existence became rather well-known.
    12 points
  49. Hi, new member here and I recently purchased this Lexus GS 450h Premier saloon finished in Sonic Titanium with black leather interior. It has the sunroof/moonroof and 19" diamond cut wheel options. I got it from a Lexus dealer as an Approved Used car, best thing of all just 3647 miles from new and one owner. It's so quiet and smooth, even over rough surfaces, not surprising coming from my previous car which was a Mk.3 Ford Focus RS. The list of gadgets and safety features this GS has is almost endless, I'm still getting my head around the User Manual which is 600 odd pages and the infotainment manual a further 300 pages! One of my favourite features is the Mark Levinson surround sound audio system with 17 speakers and 835 watts - plays music DVD's in 5.1 surround as well Cheers, Dave.
    12 points
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