Gareth

Congratulations, you'll love it.

Out of interest, if you don't mind saying: How much did you pay for it, with how many miles?

I've had a hell of a time selling my '58 gs 450 se-l. Wonder if I'm still asking for too much. The price is down 17,995 now.

On the other hand, I don't have to let it go for much less, because I can just hand it back to lexus for guaranteed buy-back.

Really hope you enjoy it - I've loved mine to bits!

I've just bought an audi a6 to replace my lexus GS.

The build quality of BMW and Audi were nowhere near as good as the lexus, I found.

Standard options are much better, and the trim levels much higher.

You have to spend a fortune to get the same level of ventilated seats, walnut, etc.

Even then, I had to lose out on things like fancy suspension, soft close boot, rear sun-visor, etc.

When they all come standard on an SE-L, you're happy, but when you have to specify them all, you can't justify the extra cost.

On the other hand, the audi's technology and looks far outstripped the lexus in some areas.

Haven't seen much of the new GS, but didn't get a whff that LED lights would be there, HUD, or the same level of online services.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I fancied a change anyway.

Will dearly miss the GS though!

Audi did me a favour, and brought the delivery date for my new car forward by 3 weeks.

That's great, because it means my new car arrives before my hand-back date on the GS.

So I've put the GS on autotrader now, and I'll see how it goes over the next few weeks.

Very happy with the audi service experience so far, but I haven't *got* the car yet!

Can't wait for: Automatic parking, LED lights, ACC/lane keeping, etc!

Placed my order for the new audi today.

So some time in March/April I'll be selling my GS - I'll put it on here first, I guess.

Thanks guys

Gareth

Wendle,

I did also mean to ask: When you say "advertise on here" - do you mean in the buy/sell classified at the top of the site?

Wendle,

I did also mean to ask: When you say "advertise on here" - do you mean in the buy/sell classified at the top of the site?

wendle,

Thanks. I've had exactly the same thoughts. I'l put it on autotrader in March, and then if it hasn't sold I can decide mid-april whether to give it back to Lexus.

Ordered the new audi yesterday, so I'm committed either way.

Now I just need to put it out of my mind for a few months, really!

Hope you enjoy the new GS. I was tempted to wait myself, but I fancied a change of brand after several lexus.

Gareth

It's probably time to get a new car.

I've loved my GS to pieces, but I like to keep a newer car.

I was going to hold out for the new GS, but I've had several new lexus in a row now, and more tempted to try something different. (I've been testing the audi a6, and it's not too bad).

My PCP finance is up, and the part-ex price offered for the car by dealers is roughly the same as the outstanding loan.

Valuations tell me that if I sell it privately, I should be able to get around 5k equity out of it.

But now I hit the crux of my post: If I'm buying a new car, it's going to take 6-8 weeks to actually get from the factory.

If I delay putting my car up for sale until the fortnight before, then if it doesn't sell quickly I'd get caught out.

If I sell earlier, I have to rent another car, or make do another way, for the gap.

Is there anything I'm missing?

I guess what I need to do is test the water somewhat, and see if there's a healthy appetite for it at the price I'm looking for, right?

Any other advice?

Thanks

Gareth

My 200d just opens slightly. That is how I would like it, rather than opening wide to the local riff-raff in the supermarket car park when I do it from the drivers seat and cannot get round the back to stop them!

I don't think I've ever opened it from inside.

I mostly use the rubber nipple on the bootlid, but sometimes use the fob.

The bonnet has gas struts but is prevented from opening up by the safety catch once the release is activated. The boot lid isn't exactly heavy and I don't want mine to spring up to be honest. My IS200 boot opens a little further but the mechanism is to assist opening, not spring up like a Jack-in-the-Box.

The toyota and Mercedes ones I have seen/used have been a very gentle action with a lot of cushioning, so not something that you could, for instance, launch a squirrel with.... If that's what you're planning.

Does the new IS have gas struts or torsion bars on the bootlid?

I have the old IS and was a little bit disappointed that there's torsion bars and a stick to hold the bonnet up, was hoping for gas struts. Then again struts might struggle with the weight of the bonnet.

gas struts

It just unlocks as it was designed to do. What's the problem? I'm sure there's an aftermarket fix for those of you without full use of both arms

I started out with a question, not a problem.

However the gist of your question still bears answering:

The problem is that a IS with all possible options should be able to do something that a far cheaper camry can do, when many of the parts are shared between Toyota and Lexus, and Lexus is supposed to be the prestige marque.

Furthermore, I believe it's even possible that the old IS model used to do so, though I might be wrong.

And that it's a reasonable expectation that it might do so, because competitors do so;

And further because it's practically useful to do so.

Hello

No it does not, I asked this question before buying my IS220 as i thought it was faulty.

the Boot lid on my IS200 used to open up. but not on the new one

Regards

Matt

Sucks, doesn't it?!

I'm considering moving to a GS450h.

If it didn't do it on that either I'd be very miffed.

My 2007 IS 220-d doesn't swing it's boot open fully when you ask it to, it just unlocks it and pops it about 1 inch.

I assumed this to be a limitation across the range.

Having just driven a US toyota camry, though, I'm not so sure.

The boot on that would pop wide open, and much of the mechanism seemed to be the same.

So: Does your IS boot swing open, or just pop it open an inch or so?

Originally I asked lexus and they said it just doesn't.

If some of yours do then I'll ask them again why mine doesn't.

Well I read that the new Battery technology (lithium ion, as opposed to Nickel metal hydride currently) is likely to be used for the new generation of Lexus hybrids.

If that's the case then the question falls as to whether they'll use smaller batteries for the same capacity, or keep the size the same and have a much larger capacity.

I would imagine they ended up doing a smaller Battery, and keeping the boot relatively large.

I've always found that to be the irony of the RX.

"It promises to set a fresh standard in the hybrid technology to which Lexus is totally committed and we are very excited about it. But before we expand at the top end of the market, we will also be adding to the hybrid offer at the lower end of our range.”

Since IS is the only thing "lower" than the current GS hybrid offering, I guess my hopes aren't absurd.

My car's just coming up to 1700 now.

I've found the fuel economy has jumped twice, once around 800 and once around 1500.

Now the car manages 39mpg in mostly urban conditions.

The thing about this is that I really do nurse the economy quite desperately.

On a long journey of half motorway half urban it got 45mpg.

I also have very few complaints.

I'm a bit more bothered by an occasional dash rattle than you, it seems, but I'm a bit picky.

I think the gearbox is the weakest point in the car, and I would definitely consider a 250.

Like you, I'd definitely want SEL and MM.

For me the luxury in the SEL really does define the car, and I love all of the extras.

I also think that auto is the only way to go with the petrol, since it's such a good gearbox.

However I'm thinking that Lexus may well produce a hybrid IS.

I'd be very interested in this, since it might have a smaller engine and really produce an extremely good economy, as opposed to the gs which is just offsetting the performance to turn a thirsty car into a economic car.

If they did then I think I'd go for that over the petrol.

Thought I would add an update to my post above, having now got the car back from the dealer after they had it for 2 days. I had a number of conversations with the service manager who seemed very genuine and went to some lengths to look into the issues for me. I advised him what I had read on this board, particularly the discussion on ECU mapping. He told me that they would not be able to do anything with regard to mapping as he was not aware of any new software from the manufacturer which would allow him to do this. What they could do, and in fact have done, is to recalibrate the ECU, whatever that means. Not done enough mileage yet to see if there is any improvement.

On the horrible vibration when using 6th gear below about 70 mph they concluded that some bushes needed to be changed associated with the rear axle??? This will be a 6 hour job and the car will have to go back again.

Interested in any thoughts others may have on this.

I think they've taken a right turn off sanity main street with those bushes.

The only thing the bushes could do is help absorb the vibrations, and since 70mph in 5th is fine, it's got to engine related. (It doesn't *have* to be, but sensible allowances here should say so).

Interesting.

I've been using tescos diesel in mine without thinking about it.

Might give a go of some other brands.

I've got a very stable 37mpg right now, nearly completely urban.

G

Welcome, I hope you enjoy it.

I've only had mine for just over a month, but I'm loving it so far.

I wouldn't think too seriously about mods, personally - not the kind of car where you're going to be able to do anything that's worth the money, tbh.

Even a chip isn't going to be worth it, especially if you're going for economy (despite what they say... IMHO).

G

As is my standard practice, it seems, I have managed to slightly curb the nearside rear alloy.

It's only very minor, but I was wondering what I could do about it.

In the past I've had them refurbished.

However this doesn't look normal.

It doesn't seem like they're powder coated, but the finish would seem to indicate otherwise (It's too shiny to be polished alloy, I'd say) ?

Has anyone with the new IS had a wheel refurbished either through lexus or otherwise?

Thanks

Gareth

A bit off topic, but where abouts in west sussex are you?

Nearly a neighbour ....but not quite. My home is in Horsham.

Why do you go to Croydon instead of Brighton?

A bit off topic, but where abouts in west sussex are you?

Im 19, got it as a gift wen i was 18!

What the hell are you getting for your 21st, a house?!

Lucky you! A girls best dream, though I'd never thought of it hat way before.

...

Did it really * out ***?

( The name of the most prolific deity, if it did and so mine is too )