Diesel Do Nicely Brian

Fine - you clearly know everything and I am done adding to this discussion. The GS450h I had was a launch SE Sunroof - the only piece of spec missing from the SE-L was adaptive cruise control and no difference whatsoever in any other way to the SE-L like the later models which lost spec/poorer leather on lower spec cars, but I am sure you already know that too.

The 2019 model ES is not the same as the 2021 model - all the plastics around the switches and centre are nicely textured in the 21 MY, some with chrome trims, and the 2022 moves it up again. All switches in literally every car are surround by plastic or cheap veneered wood made to look expensive. It’s all plastic. I owned the GS450h for 5 years - I am aware of the qualities, more so than a quick look in the door at a showroom. The ES is quieter on the road, even with my GS having been Dynamat installed and the ES untouched. The plastics in my GS, IS, NX etc were no better than the ES, which is well beyond any of my Toyotas.

Dear me - that sounds like a poor experience of VIP. As for your summary of the ES, you are wrong. I went into my ES after 5 years in a GS450h and in most respects the ES is a better car. I have also owned several Lexus models and over my years of Lexus ownership driven almost all the range, sometimes for weeks at a time as courtesy cars, if not ones I owned for years. The ES is every bit a Lexus and is not full of “cheap hard plastics” - my GS and IS’s had far more, and my Avensis has plenty. The Camry, which I have also test driven and spent time in, is nowhere near the quality, spec or car of the ES. It is much blander inside, lower spec and cheaper plastics.

I bought my current car just over a week before a VIP event with every discount available/special finance etc. The price I paid for my car brand new, not yet delivered to the dealer, is less than I can pick up a pre registered one or even an 18 month old one just now. They were then REALLY busy over the VIP time so have no real need to make you a decent deal. Best time to buy a car is always when they have stock, not enough footfall and near the end of a month.

The discount is either 10% or 15% usually on parts and labour. I also provide my own oil which saves at least £60 a service.

Not an issue with either my GS450h or my ES300h (although I am 99% of the time using Google maps on the ES now).

I have had it down three times during service. Once it was needing done (and yes they did show me the red stuff during the service walk round video and in the health check), the second time was green and the third time they said it was minor but did not really need done. I have no worries about being conned - my dealer is excellent and one of the main reasons I own a Lexus. I also bring my own oil (which saves at least £60 a service) and use my LOC discount. My last service on my GS450h was less than £160.

Makes no difference. It needs to be the correct wheel fitment (to fit your hub and get over your calipers) and the correct rolling radius of the overall tyre size. Also, it’s an emergency spare so should be on for as little time as possible, all are limited to 50kph usually and are really poor handling so you’ll want it off asap.

If you order one for a GS450h, that will fit. I have one in my ES300h boot.

No insulation or covering on the underside of the rear parcel shelf inside the boot - assume related to venting, plus using the boot alongside the sun for sound too. I will sound deaden my boot and do some of this area in the future.

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx 50 on my new MY21 👍

I’d need to have a look in the boot - there’s not any open parts not trimmed I am sure

Here we go (obviously Lexus logo)

I got a set of Carbon Fibre key protectors (can’t find the right ones anywhere on eBay or Scamazon) and a cup holder rubber insert. Almost ordered puddle lights but they almost never ate the right fitment for Lexus.

Ordered a set of these and a few other bits from Ali Express 😄👍

I got a price from Lexus Parts Direct today - just short of £250 plus postage after discount so they can shove that for a bit of moulded foam! did you order it from a European Lexus dealer? I got a spare set of black carpet mats through various dealings with Lexus in the final negotiations 😄. I’ll swap them winter/summer as I am meticulous about detailing my cars so will last decades.

Did you order the part from a U.K. dealer ok? What was the cost of it?

Thanks - I am awaiting a price from Lexus for the insert (if they can get it in the U.K.). My first port of call may be the MDF idea and I’ll make a cardboard template before I cut it out. I like the felt idea to add a bit of refinement too.

Super - I emailed Lexus Parts Direct about the same part number yesterday. I’ll put Dynamat in mine.

What/how did you make the dummy floor? Put my GS450h spare wheel in it today and stored the tools in a bag (alongside the other stuff I carry like a proper extension bar) I was thinking some kind of solid board that then has the original carpet over it and my rubber boot liner on top of that.

Absolutely - a GS450h to a GS300 would be a real disappointment I think. There’ll certainly be things I miss about the GS450h, not least the performance (and owning it outright) and it was a great (near) 5 years of ownership 👏

Only in a few areas but John is completely right to keep his GS450h. Performance is not everything in a car, and the ES300h offers things the GS450h does not.

Absolutely and the typical BMW/Audi driver has no concept of it, other than moaning about the handling and the CVT box!!

GS450h thread ES300h Thread The above posts contain loads of info, especially my GS450h one. The GS450h is the ultimate lexus car of performance vs no one knowing what it is, very well specced and a perfectly liveable modern style car with tech long belying it’s age. The ES300h is a more modern, slick car in many ways - loses the slight edge on performance but in everyday use most irrelevant as the ES300h has plenty of performance especially in Sport mode. The GS450h is one of the greatest cars I have ever owned, even after multiple performance cars and being buried in that world for years. The ES300h is great in other equivalent ways, and a more modern feel to it - but they are both superb cars. The GS450h is a special car in so many ways though, but the ES does not lose out much - what it loses in ultimate performance, it gains in modern looks inside and out, economy, extra space inside and more of a sense of luxury.

I’d absolutely not once go to a hand car wash on any car I cared about the paintwork finish on 1 I do5 let the dealer wash my car ever as their valeters have wrecked them more than once. The average punter does not see the difference but any visual inspection in the sun shows the truth. The exception is a local detailer has a safe 2 bucket wash mitt hand car wash set up, but that’s only if I am passing and it’s absolutely needing done where I have no time or the weather is horrible.