SandalsMan

I just bought a 2013 ex demo advance, obviously the dealer had tried to sell me a protection package inc keys, smart, tyres & alloys and G3 glass coat. I am interested in GAP cover, is it worth getting it from Lexus or looking elsewhere?

Do I need anything else?

Thanks in advance

Try Direct Gap: www.directgap.co.uk

I found them to give clear terms on the insurance and they seemed efficient when I took out the cover. They were very considerably cheaper than the cover offered by my Lexus Dealer. However, obviously, I have not had had to make a claim so I don't know how they are on claims!

Oh also don't forget to find out whether you are covered for the first twelve months under your ordinary motor insurance policy. I discovered that my first year was already covered and Direct Gap were great for delaying the start of their policy by a year and charging me a lower premium accordingly.

SM

I worry about selecting the park button when stopping temporarily, at lights for instance. If I was to get a rear-end shunt will it totally knacker my transmission, as well as denting the back of my car?

Therefore, unless it is a short stop, I tend to use the manual handbrake (using the foot) to keep the car still. If it is a very short stop I keep my foot on the footbrake.

SM

Its a fair point about ruining the transmission in the event of a shunt, my view is similar except for the fact that if the rear end shunt were to be that serious as to ruin the gear box, wouldn't it be better for the car to be written off rather than patched up? Using the park button doesn't worry me quite so much despite the inconvenience of someone else running into the back of my car and losing their no claims discount in the process. I have noted that leaving the car in neutral doesn't charge the traction battery and for that reason I do use the P switch and parking brake when I stop for a while at traffic lights. It helps to focus the mind amidst the boredom of the ever present traffic calming ( pollution encouraging) measures.

I am not sure how severe or slight a shunt would need to be though to damage the transmission. I can imagine that a shunt doing only minor bodywork damage would seriously damage the transmission perhaps? I don't know.

I worry about selecting the park button when stopping temporarily, at lights for instance. If I was to get a rear-end shunt will it totally knacker my transmission, as well as denting the back of my car?

Therefore, unless it is a short stop, I tend to use the manual handbrake (using the foot) to keep the car still. If it is a very short stop I keep my foot on the footbrake.

SM

I have CT200h Sport, my iPhone/iPad will play through Bluetooth. Good quality too.

SM

Everything is displayed on one screen

Yes Rich, I got SatNav.

I have a button beneath the radio (I think) marked TA. I press that to toggle traffic announcements on and off.

My DAB aerial is on the top left hand side of the windscreen, in the very corner.

Hi everyone, am a newbie who has put deposit today on an advance with parking sensors today! This was after a visit to Lexus Hatfield today for a look! Didn't know about the advance n was thinking about a second hand ct.

Had a test drive n decided this family should have 2 Lexus on the driveway! However a bit concerned about the seats in advance.

I would like people's advice/comments in would I be better having a se with fabric seats or a second hand luxury or premier (can't run to a new one of those!) the advance seats a bit plastic like n not sure about them n I sat in a year old car that has heated leather seats, which I know are handy as DH has them in his GS.

Can existing advance owners reassure me please! Ta

Hello Joannie

With regard to the parking sensors make sure they are factory fitted (if such a thing exists). If not don't have them. You will see on another thread I thought I was getting factory fitted sensors but they are inferior ones fitted (incorrectly in my case) in the UK and total rubbish. I got my money back after threatening the dealer with Trading Standards, but I still regret having them even though they are effectively free. They spoil an otherwise great car.

Regards

SM

the question is why would it want to tell you its active you already know that.

In all the years i have not seen an airbag light/symbol on unless there is a problem or fault..

Or do you mean the light is a display light not a diagnostic light?

This light definitely has a car seat with a child seat fitted and a circle around with a line through it. I take that to mean "Do not use a child seat while this is lit". I agree it is strange but what else can it mean? And that is how the dealer described it, as a warning not to use a child seat while the airbag is activated.

I have CT200H fSport too and my airbag light in the console is also permanently on. I asked the dealer about it and he said it was supposed to be on to tell you the airbag is active so do not fit a child seat. It seemed logical to me at the time.

SM

Groggy, that is exactly my complaint. The dealer didn't tell me I was getting inferior dealer (faulty) fitted sensors but they were happy to charge the full brochure factory-fitted price. The sensors have spoilt an otherwise great car and soured my relationship with the dealer.

What an unusual colour! I can't make my mind up, yes or no.

No problems for me either. In ice or snow the car still feels safe and under control, even without winter tyres. I have seen BMWs and Audis sliding all over the place and feel glad I am in a Lexus.

I've had my car a year now. When I bought the car, it was a SE-i. but I wanted parking sensors, so I was thinking about a SE-L. I like leather seats, but my wife is not over keen. I was told I could just have the parking sensors instead, which was what I went for.

I was a bit miffed today. I asked for the distance that my parking sensors go ff to be reduced as they go off about 4 feet from any object and it is simply too far as when i even back out of the drive the sensors are making a right racket. Anyway, my first service was due so i asked them to reduce the distance. I was told on collecting the car that the sennsors are not Lexus ones and they cannot be adjusted. It seems the dealer fitted ones are not the same as the factory fitted ones. Okay, maybe most people would know that, but I didn't. Had I known I would have gone for a SE-L instead, as I am certain they not be as good as Lexus ones. In fact I drove a loan SE-L today and the parking sensors were much better.

I'm not happy, and feel a bit cheated. But I doubt I can do anything about it.

I have an 'fSport' which was delivered in September 2012. I thought I was getting factory fitted sensors and I paid the price quoted for them. When I took delivery, the very same day, it was clear to me the sensors were not working as they should. They sounded off almost continuously at the slightest thing, including approaching traffic on the opposite side of the road, both front and back, and very loudly. After an hour or two driving, when they were driving me crazy, I went back to the dealer, that same day, and complained. Initially the dealer claimed there was nothing wrong other than them needing the volume reducing. I pointed out that they were constantly sounding and therefore not only a distraction, but useless in a car park, thus defeating the object of having sensors.

The dealer eventually found a deactivation switch for the front sensors (hidden beneath the dashboard) and reconnected the rear ones so that they were only active in reverse gear. I insisted that they move the switch into the bank of switches and reduce the volume. In all I was there several hours on the first day when I took delivery while they got it sorted; not a good experience with a new car! Even after that I was not happy with the sensors. After some bitter argument with the dealership manager, when he admitted the sensors were not factory fitted, and probably fitted by some trainee mechanic who hadn't got a clue, I got my money back (£560 I think), but I am still far from happy with the sensors. The rear ones now sound constantly when I engage reverse and I never switch the front ones on. I will have them removed at the first service.

In summary my view is that they are cheap sensors fitted by the dealer out for a quick profit. Even the tinny sound of them is cheap, not up to Lexus standards and I am embarrassed when I have passengers in the car. I am delighted with the car itself but my dealership experience is shoddy to say the least.

SM

My CT200h Sport came with power mirrors. So it must be possible.

The CT 200 H F Sport is what it is, a great car to drive and extremely economical, despite what has been said in this forum it is very well put together. Folks I know admire the design, and I as an owner and driver I just love it - Hybrid RX next I think!!

I agree Peter. I just don't recognise or understand many of the comments being made here. I am really very pleased with my CT200h Sport and it does 'exactly what it says on the tin'. Economical both in fuel and running costs, insurance very low, well built and great looks. OK not the fastest car off the lights, but it is a hybrid! The only draw-back is crap Lexus dealerships. The first local dealership didn't seem interested in selling me a car at all, so I went elsewhere. The second dealer handed over the car in an appalling state and dealt with me very poorly in correcting a defect (which should have been obvious pre-delivery) after I took delivery. That's my experience anyhow.

SM

My CT200 Sport (delivered September 12) has both satnav and DAB, no problem.

It also has parking sensors but they are total rubbish! Complete waste of money!

SM

After a long motorway run I am pretty sure I know where the fumes are coming from!

On a recent run down to London there were no fumes whatsoever from the air-con whilst I was on the M40 until I hit the London slow moving traffic when the fumes returned. I then pressed the recirculation switch and the fumes disappeared. It was the same on the way back; no fumes when fast moving and nothing close in front but as soon as I was moving slow with a car or van in front the fumes were there. I have concluded that my ventilation intake is sucking in exhaust fumes from the car in front.

I now press the recirculate button as soon as I hit traffic. A little strange but I am sure that is what is happening.

Yes it is possible to have exhaust gases in the air conditioning. If there were to be an exhaust leak in the vicinity of the fresh air intake for the air conditioning there could be circumstances when you would get carbon monoxide into the cabin. The easiest way to set your mind at rest is to buy a house hold carbon monoxide sensor ( looks like a smoke detector but detects CO instead of ionisation) test the sensor by holding it close to the exhaust outlet . Having cleared the alarm, site the sensor inside the cabin and it will detect CO if there is any exhaust gases getting into the cabin.

I have to say that the instances of exhaust CO getting into the cabin of modern cars is very rare by design and the burning smell is most probably coming from other components of the car.

Thanks Wass, thats great advice. At least I will know whether or not it is exhaust fumes.

Just in case it is exhaust fumes, shouldnt you be leaving the fault diagnosis,to the dealers? This sounds like the sort of thing which the dealers should be collecting on the back of a trailer.Carbon monoxide is a killer. Dont take any risks with it.

Thanks Wass, I had thought about that but I want to make sure if exhaust gas in the air-con is possible first. It does smell like hot plastic more than exhaust gas.

Hello all

I have had my new CT200h fSport for just over a month now, done a little over 1,000 miles and I am delighted with it.

However one issue I am getting is in the recent chilly mornings when the heating is kicking in with the air-con on Auto, I am noticing a slight but definite smell of fumes. I cannot make my mind up whether it is a hot rubber/plastic smell or whether it is exhaust fumes. I have tried turning the air-con off and then there is no odour, so it is definitely coming from there.

Is there any possibility it could be exhaust gases leaking into air-con? Any ideas before I go back to my dealer?

Regards

S-man