Glyn C

I do agree about BM* dealers I shall never darken their door! And I don't fancy one of those caps that you have to wear to drive the M3 and when I sat in an X5 I was waiting for someone to take my ticket! One of the reasons I bought a Lexus was to avoid following the crowd especially as they only sell the GS in hundreds here - not hundreds of thousands Yes the picture is of my car I think it looks pretty good too Just doesn't behave like it should :duh:

I had a rare 5 speed gear job in a lilac colour Had great fun on that My brother had a tomahawk *** how long ago was that?

Back on the soap box !!! Just back from an afternoon trying an A4 Cab What a nice motor and seemed extremely well put together Sales poeple were helpful, took time out to arrange for the kids to be watched why the good lady and I went posing with the top down! Amazing thing is that they offered me a good £5K over what the tw*ts at Lexus have mentioned so far. The 3 litre engine had a decent turn of speed for an Auto, it had this Multitronic setup which effectively has no gears, very impressed. That roof I find amazing having owned a Mazda MX5 for some years! Must say this motor is looking like a definate maybe. I will miss the GS - I love the way she goes and the way she looks ( when the paint was still attached) - The ride is appalling when compared with similar motors. B*W managed to do a sport set up that blends well and doesn't leave you feeling like Ozzie Osbourne on a bad day! Even the Jaguar R was smooth to drive with it's CATS stuff and low profile tyres. But the GS is not sorted and should have been. There is stacks of moans on the USA club where owners are complaining about vibration and tyre wear. A car of this quality should have had plenty of testing and this would never be an issue. Now where that glass of red wine? B)

Appreciate the thought, but a 200 mile trip shouldn't be necessary to get a straight forward bunch of problems sorted. I have someone from Lexus UK visiting me tomorrow - he's driving up from Epsom to look at the car and hopefully take it away and get it sorted. I appreciate the Jag isn't everyones cup of tea. I had one four years ago (not an R) and did over 40K in ten months and the thing never missed a beat. But what also made it a pleasure to own was the way the dealers were keen to build a relationship and look after me as the owner. Even visiting their showroom yesterday was enjoyable and they even went to the trouble of getting my 9 year old sorted with a playstation why I blasted a couple of their cars around for nearly three hours! The one I was looking at was the 4.2 litre (non R) that seems quick enough for me. But that supercharger makes a cracking noise, it would probably cost me a few tankfulls of juice to get it out of my system, the sales girl who came for the run with me was encouraging me to push this B*W M3 that was in front and wouldn't move! And why not!! :D While I have the soap box, I would also point out the appalling values that Lexus dealers offer you for your car. In fact two of them have said they didn't want it when I went to look at an RX!! Instills you with confidence that does. My car is is A1 condition apart from the missing paint, I, like many of the members on here spend every weekend lovingly cleaning it and making sure it's kept in first rate order. Only to visit a dealer who 1: doesn't give a damn about your car 2: Doesn't listen to what you tell them 3: Looks at you as if you dropped in from outer space when you appear to have any knowledge of cars 4: Failes to rectify minor problems 5:Tells you "they all do that mate" - Then cleans the car with a nice oily rag, so your hours spent waxing the paintwork are rendered a waste of a weekend. As a total change I also went to look at an A4 convertible, not convinced it's for me yet but what a well put together car, and that roof is an amazing piece of engineering! It could be a good compromise as I could sell the Mx5 I keep for fun and combine two cars in one. Does anyone have any experience of them and what are they like to live with. I took one out for a couple of hours and couldn't really tell it was a soft top apart from a few squeaks. I was looking at the 3 litre with the Multi box with (not quattro). I'll get off my soap box now!

No, I haven't tried them. There's also the new one at Leicester which I was going to try if I keep the car. But I tried a R type Jag today and was blown away by the 400 hp So I'm waiting for some figures to see what I do! I just feel Lexus need to know their agents, in the main, let down a good product with s*** service and poor attitude, so I'll probably vote with me feet. I'm hoping a visit from one of the Lexus head office staff on Monday will restore my confidence in them.

The one near Coventry airport Trying to be subtle!

Sad day today in some respects as I have just spent most of the day looking at a few alternatives to my GS430 sport which is coming up to 1 year old. This is the 2nd GS I have owned and what it making me change is the total and utter lack of customer service I've received from dealers and their apparent inability to be able to sort relatively minor problems easily and quickly. I still have the same problems on my car which I mention in a previous post after the November service was completed. ( Juddering brakes, paint peeling and chipping off, noise from the front and wind noise around the doors). In fact I now have a letter on file from the local centre which states that all GS’s are like this! So I wrote back and suggested he refer to the brochure which states the opposite. Only now am I hopefully getting them sorted after contacting the UK MD of Lexus again. I didn’t buy a Lexus to get stressed out with car problems -quite the opposite. If you buy a car which lists at £42K you expect to receive a certain level of service, but you don’t get it with Lexus I’m afraid. I daily read the forums on the site and see time after time how the various centres have shafted some other poor sod who loves his/her car and invested a stack of money into it. I really think it’s time that Lexus UK got a grip on their centres and starting running some of them themselves – much like some of the other well know brands have done in some instances. At least then they can control the level of customer service and back up to what is effectively a good product. Sorry but I had to get this off my chest!

Hi Colin Just realised you not the one selling them!!!

So what are you putting on her then Colin???

Letters already gone off to the MD at Lexus UK It seesm the only way to get problems resolved with them. My wife has a freelander and the dealers are first rate ( motors a bit suspect though) . They can't do enough when we take it in and always sort things out. That was second hand and a third of the price I paid for this GS. Making me consider something else now - fancy a go an a Type R S type - I know they are a tad old fashioned but they don't half shift!

Cheers Colin I'll check them out

Will do. I have a letter prepared to go off tomorrow. I'm not going to be fobbed off on this. Your right a car costing 42K should be right and shouldn't come in inherent wind noise and probelms that dealers just refer to as normal for this car! I'll keep you posted on the result - I notice you are only up the road just outside Nottingham cheers

Thanks for the help chaps! The noise from the front is appalling on such a quiet car and sounds very much like a bearing to me on right turn but goes quite on a left? I have two nearly new Pirelli's in the garage from my GS300 which they convinced me to change when the blamed them for the vibration that suffered. It didn't cure it, so you imagine why I am so sceptical on this matter. I know Pirelli's can be noisy tyres in general and would consider swapping the fronts to cure this racket. I saw some good write ups on Goodyears last year, does any one have any experience with them. It just seems like nothing has been tested for the duration, I thought manufacturers thoroughly tested cars and ironed out these type of problems, particularly when a model has been out for a few years. I think the most annoying feature is the paintwork on a car of this quality. I did 40K in a year in my Jag three years ago and the thing looked brand new when I sold her, and that was british racing green which would have shown the chips worse. I look after my cars and this is was brasses me off completely, the rest of the car is virtually the same as when it left the showroom.

Hi All Need some help with a few problems which my un-helpful Lexus dealer won’t sort out. These were unresolved at the 10K service in Nov 03 and they were supposed to get back to me for a date to fix. When that didn’t happen I phoned and they had forgotten! So in we went again yesterday after confirming the points they were to fix; only to get the car back at 5pm where they hadn’t done anything at all, hadn’t even had the wheels off! So here we go! Does any one have any experience of a noise which sounds just like a wheel bearing giving out on a GS wearing 18" sport wheels with Pirelli P-Zero's. The dealer drove the car to investigate. The noise, which appears from the front when cornering right lightly at slow speeds, like roundabouts etc. I was told that’s the tyres and you have to put up with it. I did challenge them by saying – I’ll pay to replace the perfectly good front tyres ( about half worn I would say at most – no angling off evident) and if the noise is still there you pay for them, if it does I’ll back down, but they wouldn’t take it up to my surprise! Also they said all GS model’s suffer from wind noise around the Drivers Door and they can’t do anything about that either, although my last GS didn’t and the one the loaned me didn’t! They agreed the three inches of paint missing from the front spoiler and the paint peeling from the corners to reveal the grey primer base shouldn’t happen; but the fact that the bonnet looks as though it has done service in Iraq is normal after 13K miles and 9 months. No marks on the Bumper or the door mirrors though, which begs the question about the paint on the bonnet! In fact I asked if they put this on the forecourt and the dealer replied “no we would have to have that painted”! They did admit they could feel the brakes juddering which they have agreed to look at again and check for run out, if I decide to travel the 160 mile trip there and back twice to have the car booked in again. Is it me or do we have to write to Lexus every time something goes wrong to get these damn cars fixed? ( thanks for the info Steve) These are supposed to be expensive luxury cars- if I wanted this kind of treatment and poor quality I would have thought twice! Sorry to rant on but what do you think?

Start saving now And working on the excuses for the misses!

Colin, haven't tried mine but I can vouch for what you say! There aren't many cars that stay with her once you press the pedal down. But the best bit is when the motorway clears (occassionally!) and you boot her from about 70 easy to see how you could loose your licence! Interesting driving in the snow we have just had though! Took the Landrover out instead! Have a Good New Year All!

Could be the case as this one seems to chip off easily, particularly on the plastic spoiler. Your right the Hybrid looks very interesting. But I can imagine them charging a premium for it. I have avoided trying the new RX as I fell in love with the last one. Pity they don't do the V8 in one as that would be extremely tempting! ;)

Cheers Colin I just get so fed up of their blank stares when I say something isn't right! I'm waiting for them to come back on a paintwork claim as the paint on the front spoiler is coming off - about 2inches mising at the front. I also pointed out the paint seems prone to chipping on the bonnet where as the last one - after 30K -was still in very good order. It's annoying becasue it spoils an otherwise good car. Thanks for the info though, I decided not to sell it for now but I do fancy an RX still!!

I recently took mine in for it's first service mentioning a wind noise appearing to come from the top of the drivers door. I had reported this shortly after picking the car up new, but had decided to wait till the first service to avoid messing about! When I picked up the car I was told the two mile spin the "mechanic" had taken the car revealed no wind noise! I explained I had had a previous GS without this noise and asked who they should believe bearing in mind I drive this car for hours each day up and down various roads/motorways in differing conditions! Just got a hard blank stare! My advice would be - if it's stopped the noise and looks Ok it should be OK as the windscreen people have to use a part of a good standard and often know what they are doing rather than leaving to the Lexus "technicians"

I all Hope I have posted this in the right section - Non Lexus related ! (please move if required) I have a Imported Mazda MX5 (Eunos) Roadster - Something for a weekend blast round the lanes with the top down! She is a cute little thing which is currently fitted ( not by me) with a full Koni Suspension kit The downside is that she is too low and hits the ground on aything other than a glass surface I have been informed that Koni's have an adjustable Spring cup which can raise the ride height of the car and this might solve my problem. I have visually checked the shocks on the front today and there is a groove round the shock body just about 1-2cm below the cup - I believe this is the way the cup is located with a circlip in this groove I have checked on the Koni website and it states there are three grooves on the front and two on the rear. Does anyone know the porceedure for adjusting these Is it a simple matter of clamping the spring and moving the cup up ( and circlip) and can this be done without dismantling the suspension?? Failing that would I have to be looking at replacing the springs - didn't want to change the shocks as they are excellent Any ideas suggestion are welcome - I have put up with this for a while now but I don't think the exhaust can take much more hammering-

Most satisfying moment was giving that pr*t in his M3 a fright when he looked in his rear view mirror and I was still pushing him along! Apart from that - everytime I turn the key - or finish waxing her bonnet!- the car that is !!!!!! ;)

I Gary you have my sympathy (as before!!!) I did much the same recently -( may need to get something to carry stuff aorund in so looked at an RX) and was told even though my car is four months old with 4k they rate it as a 1 year old and offered me £28! Told them to stick it where the sun don't shine! They went on to say we don't want it anyway as we have a couple of those already around our sites! I must say I am seriously considering something else next time based upon this kind of attitude! I know they have to make a profit but a "killing" is a little beyond a joke - and then to expect customer loyalty! :yack:

I fell in love with a MK1 when they came out but couldn't afford one then, so when I ditched the company car a couple of year ago I bought a nearly new MKII. Still think the MKI looks a boss motor though, and there are some cracking examples around. Anyway, talking of different versions and looks, I have just got this weeks AutoExpress and can honestly say the new B*W 5 series is the most bl**dy awful creation yet! Did they not realise they had it wrong with the 7! A friend of mine had one and reckons it takes 30 seconds to change the radio station using the "I" drive. They can keep it! I expect to see many examples being driven around in broad daylight with the fog lights on soon!!! :P

Sorry no idea on that, I have heard it said you can't play normal DVD's through it. What are you looking for on the GS front as mine may be up for sale soon? Let me know or PM me ;)

I'll have to get into WHSmith for a free peek! :D