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The LC500h has a Lithium Ion battery as part of its hybrid system. This is the first Li-ion used by Lexus.

You can’t compare the Rover 800 to the LS either, the 800 competed with cars like the Granada and Carlton. The LS competed with cars like the XJ and S-Class. I never said british cars were perfect but they were certainly no worse than lots of other trash other manufacturers were churning out at the time. As an example only a complete dimwit could possibly argue that a mk4/5 Ford Escort is a better car than the Rover 200. The K series engines ran rings around the crud Ford CVH engines being offered at the time, the head gasket issues are hugely exaggerated. The Rover 75 outclassed everything in its class and most of the class above, the SD1 was just brilliant with arguably the best V8 engine known to man. It’s funny you should mention the quite brilliant Rover 800 as I own one and it’s pretty far from being dust!!! This is my 29 year old Rover 827Si in fantastic condition, show it a bendy stretch of road and it soon outperforms the LS400!!! You can trust me on that one, I’ve driven both. The Honda derived V6 is a gem and much better than the cologne V6 offered in the Granada, they are very well equipped and very comfortable, the steering is pinsharp and very precise. Like many british cars it was seriously underrated and treated unfairly at the time. Ive had 2 Lexus cars go catastrophically wrong on me, my LS430 suffered gearbox failure thanks to water getting in from the radiator (build quality there for you) and hybrid battery failure on my first GS450h. My last GS450h suffered a blown radiator, seized brakes, xenon headlight issues, rattling trim and dashboard squeaks. Here are a couple of pics of my 800:

Ah that bring back memories, wriggling all the parts into place and getting everything to line up around a bigger intercooler. Looking good though, well done [emoji106]

So i attempted a trial fit of the intercooler ...... this thing is so big!!!! As you can aee this is sitting quite far below the bottom of the bumper, cant move it up any higher as its already hitting the underside of the flat setion where the top grill attaches and i want to keep the look of a top grill. Also its not allowing the bumper to sit correctly so its pulling it away from the wings in the corners so there was only 1 thing for it........ Plans are to now cut a little bit more away at each side to allow the intercooler pipe work the fit. Once its all good and allowing enough room for everything to fit, the gap at the front will be covered using a front lip that will sit low enough the cover the bottom of the cooler. This has now created a couple of new issues.... i will now have to do away with the factory bonnet catch meankng im going to have to use some nice looking bonnet pins. Also the power steering cooler i was going to leave as it is but because there is a bend in the middle of it its not allowing the cooler to sit back enough so ive ordered a nice looking cooler to fit up behind the top grill. More to come form this. Also had a load of parts come for my fuel system, just waiting on a few more bits.

Really came down last night and I left it faced uphill. Dry as a bone I've found the noise too. It's coming from the trim around the tailgate lift, the same area the water was making an appearance. Armed with felt pads and spray grease I'll sort that one this afternoon...

I'm not in the game of starting arguments Martin. The 800 is a credit to you My dad got a Sherpa for his business. You could watch it rusting. And he had a couple of Bedfords CFs too. The floor around the pedals rotted away so you could see the road below you. These weren't old vans either, bought new or nearly new. Then he got a Sprinter and never looked back.

I have the luxury of having a whisper quiet V8 LS600hL and the roar of a 3rd cat deleted custom stainless steel exhaust on my V8 SC430 neighbours never hear me coming or going in the LS but wake the whole village up in the SC 😂

I've been caught out at pedestrian crossings. Once a girl just walked out in front of the car expecting me to stop. My speed meant I didn't see her approach the crossing because of the windscreen pillar. I also didn't see her walk onto the crossing despite the oncoming car and I only saw her at the last moment as she walked in front of the car on my side of the road. Luckily the brakes worked well that day. Of course she carried on crossing oblivious to the 4x4 squirming to a stop just feet from the crossing as she chatted on her phone.

I’ve found that the LS400 isn’t the roomiest of cars despite its sheer size and bulk, leg room can only be described at best as average (I actually had more legroom in my old ford escort). Headroom is tight if you are over 6ft tall. Both of these things were much improved with the LS430 although they have many other problems!!! My problems with the LS is whilst they managed to produce an astonishingly good engine they seriously overlooked things like styling and any kind of special feeling when you sat in and drove one, they produced a car which was extremely bland to say the least, the interior feels very plasticky and just feels like a big toyota, they just lack that special feeling you get from a jag or a merc. There’s no denying that the LS is a good car, brilliant in fact but like all Japanese cars they have a very mass produced feel, no heart and soul, no feeling that the car was made just for you by master craftsmen which cars at this level and price should have. People may argue saying “Yes, but the Lexus never breaks down”, well I’ve had several and none of them have been bulletproof or infallible as many would suggest.

A mini update... My self-levelling headlight sensor arm looked like this, on inspection: (yes, the bit 'pointing up' is sheared and is supposed to be 'pointing down', or at least connected to the bit that's to the right of it!) So my headlights were on maximum height and obviously going to be blinding everyone. Worse thing being Xenon, in conjunction with the height issue. I temporarily made a little splint to fix it in the short term, as I was going away for a week or so.. Having seen the costs of replacement, I pulled my finger out and fixed it for less than £2: Then refitted it for now. I gave the threaded bar a spray of copper grease after the photo, as it may well still need some adjustment I also replaced the NSR drop link and ARB bush, which has removed the ARB knock, but there's still something a bit worn on that side, only noticeable on a pothole/similar. May well be a bush on one of the rods, but it's less of a priority for now. I also finally got the camera working, but it involved a lot of trail/error. The first few attempts were using some rear dash cam cameras I had kicking about. The first one worked for a while, then stopped responding. The second one worked, of sorts, but seemed to only output in B&W, and with a "bad vertical hold" kind of effect on the screen, which was a bit weird: I ended up ordering another from Amazon, which I fitted tonight with more success. May need some tweaks and a tidier install. but it's now the correct image and in colour: (That's a bit of the drive and the garage door visible) So not bad for £10 or so. Certainly a lot cheaper than a Lexus one. I'm not sure why the first two had such an odd effect, possibly the difference between using PAL and NTSC. Who knows. Despite the other link suggesting so, I completely removed the old camera. The new one takes +12v and ground from the NSR reverse bulb, and provides signal via the yellow wire. The original black, red and white wires are snipped. Also managed to get the parking brake working. The old shoes were passable for now - the discs were a bit lipped inside though, so I adjusted what was there for now and will think about replacing the shoes (which I have) and pads (which I have) when I get a new pair of discs to stick on. I'm guessing the rods that connect to the hub (one just visible above) are connected to pressed in bushes? I'm considering changing them over at a point (for the bump/reverb over potholes) but can't quite see them on this diagram https://lexus-europe.epc-data.com/rx400h/mhu38r/5163/chassis/4804/?partno=9017912091

A new RCF will be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show. Sources say it will be a Track Edition with more power than any Lexus currently in the market. Teaser pic only for now. We'll have to wait till 14th January 2019 for the reveal 😎 But that carbon fibre wing looks mighty tasty.

Oh yes theres going to be plenty of that, i was dreading the whole fabrication side of this project, chopping and grinding but tbh im actually really enjoying figuring things out and making it fit

Cheers Farqui, yeh its all fun and games, its that old knock on effect. Really looking forward to doing the fuel system, wont be far away from trying to get this thing started

Love it, more front end fabrication to follow.

when i had a ct i fitted a dimming rearview mirror and there is no pre-wiring in the car. i used a mirror off a honda accord it cost me £30 lexus wanted £650 for the mirror with no wiring here is the link i used for my ct for fitting the mirror https://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/95452-diy-fitting-auto-dimming-rear-view-mirror/?tab=comments#comment-916398

Never! It's not that kind of forum.

I got to admit I love my GS450h Sport F.. there ain't many cars on the road that can top it on style ,frontal features and performance ..The MPH is very good for the size of the engine..

Superb thread! Had exactly the same symptoms yesterday on the way home from a Lexus service and MOT. Not in the best of moods as I'd just left the workshop £1100 lighter. Ordered a new compressor this morning after seeing this, got a brand new original Denso for £280 which I'll fit when it arrives then get it re-charged and tested. I'll strip the old compressor and do a refurb if it's worth it. In the meantime, I'm in the market for a new car. It will be a Lexus.

It is very rare for Toyota to pre-wire anything, they typically have grade specific looms for all their vehicles, doesn't matter if it has a T or an L badge. Looking on toyodiy.com there is a specific loom for IS300h with auto rear view mirror so I doubt you will find a multiplug.

Tesla are Li-Ion. When you get up to that size the advantages of Li-Ion are huge. All I was saying is that NiMH is a good compromise for a hybrid. All EVs (and to some extent the hybrids) have phenomenal acceleration simply because of the nature of electric motor power delivery, and not losing acceleration for gearchanges. Around town my 80kW (109bhp) Nissan Leaf is distinctly more sprightly than my 225bhp diesel Volvo - the leaf will show it a clean pair of heels up to 40mph. Conversely, once into its stride the Volvo will destroy the leaf from 50-80mph. I've driven a Tesla S 75D, and that was epic - since I'm used to EV driving it wasn't weird for me, but the ride/handling, grip and general feel to the drivetrain was actually not far different from the GS450h. Much more solid and capable than the utterly prosaic Leaf (with its macstruts and torsion beam suspension) or squirrely V70 (trying to put 470Nm through the front wheels with plenty of torque-steer) I for one can't wait for Lexus to come out with a full electric. Marry up their attention to detail and decent suspension design with a decent EV drivetrain and it would be a force to be reckoned with. Sadly Toyota have their heads in the sand about EVs and are in danger of missing the boat. They and Honda both tied themselves too deeply to hydrogen (which is NOT going to happen). I think we'll see some rather shocking changes in the auto industry in the next few years as some really big players (Ford, PSA, GM, FCA) suddenly discover that they needed to have started EV development 5 years ago to stay in business. Ford is in retreat (they're pulling out of selling cars in the USA, and will only offer pickups and SUVs) rather than trying to compete. As EV pickup trucks (Rivian, Bollinger, Tesla) and SUVs (Audi, Jag, Merc, Tesla, Rivian) start eating into their market share in those markets they will be in trouble. I sincerely hope that Toyota does not make the same mistake.

They still have not. Lexus Hybrids are still using Ni-MH batteries, as they are more appropriate to a hybrid. NiMH need less "looking after" than Li-Ion do, and are more rugged - NiMH doesn't need the same level of thermal management and safety gear. They are heavier and have lower volumetric energy density. The trade-off is worthwhile for a hybrid where you have ~2kWh of battery capacity (the GS450h spec is 1872Wh for the gen 3. Not been able to find info for Gen 4, but if the same 6.5Ah cells are used then the gen 4 GS450h is the same, and the GS300h is 1495Wh). In other words, the NiMH battery may be ~50kg heavier than an equivalent Li-Ion, but you'll save 20kg of encapsulation, thermal management, etc and cost. The NiMH application in hybrids is very well-developed. A full-EV with NiMH would be too heavy and lose too much space to the batteries, and the encapsulation and thermal management overheads don't increase linearly with battery size - they become less as the battery gets bigger (in percentage terms).

I got my RCF serviced lat week, the full 4th service, £625 list price and that nice courtesy car! Top quality services by Lexus Cheltenham

sheer size and bulk .............. I balk at the intimidation I feel sat up against a mini clubman estate at the traffic lights .............. I'm positively tiny in my Ls400 Malc

Have a read of this https://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/107893-ac-light-flashing-and-rpm-jumping-when-on/

Thats what I thought until I drove both 😊

Yes the traction sorry I should have been maybe a bit more specific , oh yes I have no problem . I am just curious about the lithium battery as the GS 450h came out in 2006 I believe and would be over the 10 year life span ,,

Bit of an update. Sealed around the roof bar foot, seam pointed out by Jay (and Lexus bulletins!), tailgate strut, rear bumper fixings and rear lamps. Took it for a wash and so far no leaks. It's raining atm and I've left it facing uphill so we'll see what happens tomorrow. Close run thing. Nearly fell out with it!

Suited to Japanese frame? Not the larger German/u-ess-A one then? Lardy seats?

Nokian's

Vredestrein Quatrac 5 on mine,very happy.....

Tbh, I wouldn't be too quick to look for a "work around". This is a safety feature and an entirely legitimate one. Cruise control of any kind is not designed for heavy rain.

Thank you for opening this thread. It gave me courage to start and look at mine. I went a bit further and took apart the motor and greased the axle(this is the reason for the noise).I've attached some photos for the people who really don't want to spend money

Thanks for your comments. i've managed to secure a half day on a ramp so I will be doing the transmission oil change soon and looking over the rear suspension as well to see if I can see anything clearer this time. Given that its now close to 85K and spends its life trecking around as a taxi I'm expecting to have to replace suspension components before long. its an occupational hazard

£631 we paid so effectivly 4 19" michelin tyres for £531... Which to me seems a bargain. *Just checked the website again and showing as £720 now, lucky timing maybe. I'll be doing the same on my IS when the time comes, currently running winter/summer tyres which is a pain (although very satisfying when you out do land rovers in the snow. The road to my house doesn't get treated and is very steep).

I paid £700 for my set and got the £100 cashback.

We just put crossclimates on our 450h, noticeable quieter on the motorway. There is a promotion on to the end of the year as well, we got a £100 pre paid credit card for purchasing 4 and a really good price at F1 autocentres ( worked out £200 cheaper than Costco). Not snow tested them yet, but where we live they better be as good as they are advertised....!

Owning Lexus says that you have tired of sitting around in your BMW or Mercedes waiting for recovery...

Just covered 3000 miles on my new crossclimates fitted in October. Highly recommended

I leave it to you to imagine what having a red LC500 says about me! ☺️ ☺️

Funnily enough, I had a set of CrossClimates fitted to my GT a fortnight ago. Bit early to say about how they perform in the cold (only had a few sub zero mornings since, and no ice or frost to speak of) but feel perfectly competent in the high single / low double figures we've had recently. Certainly quieter than the tyres they replaced (which had about 4mm to 5mm left), the 'hiss' you get with many summer tyres has gone but there's none of the 'brrrr' you can get with proper winter tyres. Also seems to be a nit of extra spring in them when going over expansion joints, etc.

Hi Keith. Welcome to the forum. 1) I got the latest maps from eBay. Well, latest up to a few months ago. Doesn't make up for the system being quite dated though. 2) I think you're right with that one. 3) I connect my FM adapter into the ciggie lighter socket.

Congratulations on your new car Keith. We need to see photos of the beast 😊 I had an RX300 before my current RX450h but may be able to shed some light. 1) I may be wrong but I think the latest disc you could get would be about 2011 which is way out of date anyway. Even if you could get a 2018 disc the inbuilt navigation system is clunky and difficult to use at the best of times, so I only used it as a rolling screensaver on my RX300, much preferring to use my TomTom or my phone for navigation - a lot less frustrating and far better. To be honest, I still don't use the integrated satnav even now in my RX450h. It's much newer but still clunky and not a patch on a standalone satnav like the TomTom. Having said that, even my TT is now being used less since I discovered an app for the phone called What3Words. The app is free to download and use and it's very easy and extremely accurate. The whole world has been divided up into 3 metre x 3 metre blocks and each block has a 3 word identity, such as 'Frog.Paper.Beer' or 'Box.Switch.Bus'. Once you've got the three word address from the app you just export it into Google Maps, Waze, or whatever your favourite mapping program is and away you go. It's so accurate that the front door of your house has a different 3 word address to your back door. 2). You definitely should be able to download your phone directory but I do remember it being rather fiddly and needing to follow the instructions in the car's owner's manual to the letter. 3)There are two 12V connectors - one at floor level between driver and passenger seats and the more normal one on the centre console/dash (cigarette lighter). If the FM adapter can be 'set and forget' then I'd use the lower one or if it needs constant adjustment you'll need to use the cigarette lighter one. We don't smoke so I converted the dashboard one to USB sockets for phone charging etc. You should have the cigarette lighter in the same position as you can see my USB sockets so if the FM adapter needs adjusting frequently I'd be putting it there.

Travelled around with Grandparents renovated a house in Cornwall, 2 in Birmingham one in Normandy France, lived in France for over 7 years and then moved to County Kerry, Ireland and renovated and extended a bungalow there and stayed for 2.5 years. Moved back to the UK and after a 18 months found a job as a maintenance man in a care home. Did that for 10 months and didn't like being on call and travelling all over the UK to cover their 4 other homes. Pay was £7.60 an hour and if the home was under 50 miles each way didn't get paid for travel time. Ended up setting up as self employed as Plumbing and Property Maintenance and enjoy the variety of work. Mostly last year decorating and bathroom renovations. I'm a fully qualified plumber and I certainly don't earn a lot. This tax year 10k but don't need a big income as live on my own narrowboat and have no wife or kids to support. Contentment in life counts more to me. James