PaulWhitt20

I have to agree with Wass. Check your speedo frequently (every 10 seconds). Remember what they told you on the speed awareness course. If the road has street lights it's 30 unless indicated.

Think about contacting your local Institute of Advanced Motorists for a driver check.

Use your satnav to show you the speed limit but don't rely on this it's not 100% accurate.

Try giving a commentary to yourself to help concentration. Eg. "Weather conditions good. Road dry. Straight road. Mirror, one car behind gaining. Country road, no street lights. Speed limit 60. Speedo. My speed 64. Better ease off a bit. Right hand bend ahead. Ease off for bend. Houses up ahead on the left. Expecting speed limit to reduce. Mirror. Car still behind a bit close. Yes there are the street lights and speed limit reduces to 30. Ease off. Show brake lights for car behind. Speedo, now doing 32. Ease off a bit more, car behind impatient expecting them to overtake. Yes there they go. Speedo. Still doing 30. Speed camera ahead. Flash. We'll at least they won't get me I'm doing 30."

It's hardly fair to compare a £25k car with a £50k car. I would expect the RX to be twice as good as the CT. They are for completely different markets.

However I must agree with the poor ride quality in the CT. That's why we don't have to pay road tax.

What is a sliding sun visor?

I once scared an Audi driver in a car park as they did not hear me. "Gosh isn't your car quiet" they said. "Stealth mode" I replied.

Absolutely encore to that - I have a 2014 premier on 16's - very comfy - mostly 2 mile each way daily commutes with occasional motorway runs of 15 - 20 miles. Last two tanks averaged 49.8 brim to brim. Best according to display 61.7 on a 20 mile mixed run. About to do carcassonne and back which will be the real tester.

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Stop saying how good the 2014 model is, we'll all want one!

Sorry to hear you are fed up with the CT. I think for long distance economy a diesel is better especially at higher speeds. The CT is more at home pottering round the town.

Do we really want Clarkson to say it is Brilliant? Then every boy racer would buy one and it would reduce the exclusivity and devalue the brand.

Besides I never saw the point of the F Sport (if you have one and love it tell us why)

They give the F sport to the press to review who think it is a hot hatch and thrash it. Then complain about the mpg and engine noise, plus the harsh ride.

They should give out the premier and tell them it is a luxury car built for economy and quality.

I would also add...

7. You want a reliable car backed up by the best dealer network in the buisness.

8. You want to be different.

I usually use normal mode. Eco does not seem to affect the mpg; perhaps makes it worse and it turns off the air con also I have to press harder on the accelerator. With sport mode I find it can accelerate quicker than I expect and I end up going faster than I want. The red dials are cool but what is the point of a rev counter if you can't change gear?

So I am happy to potter round in normal mode. What about you?

So the question now is; as the original CT does not have a spare wheel because the extra weight takes the CO 2 over the magic100. When I have an MOT will it fail and will I have to pay car tax? Would this be classed as a modification to tell my insurer or is the spare wheel luggage?

Thanks

Paul

Just bought a spare space saver wheel from eBay £120. It fits on fine with the original bolts.

If you take out the under boot storage tray you can fit it in the usual place.

I used a new bolt and piece of wood to secure it.

Then put some rugs to stop it rattling and put the jack and goo on top.

Then another rag on top.

Finally put the boot floor piece back in. This is not quite level.

But with the boot protector in place you would not notice.

So for £120 and sacrificing the under boot storage I have peace of mind and don't have to use goo to fix a small puncture.

Paul

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Thanks. Why the steel wheel bolts? Not had a problem before when I have used a space saver instead of an alloy for a few days.

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I was considering getting one from eBay. Do a search for Lexus CT spare wheel. £120.

Don't know how that compares with buying from a dealer.

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There is only one LED on each door switch on the lock side.

Hope this helps

Paul

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The light on the window switch comes on if the window is not isolated ie the switch can be used.

The door lock switch should be illuminated on both sides of the car.

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When do you use your Cruise Control?

I never find it very useful, except for perhaps setting it to 40 mph through the motorway roadworks. But I tend not to drive long distances on the motorway.

I tended to get too close to the car in front because I didn’t want to deactivate it. Now Adaptive Cruise Control may be more useful…

Paul

Thanks for posting the link Colin, very interesting. This is exactly the sort of information I was after. If Lexus are the most reliable cars and the dealers have the best customer service, why do people buy anything else.

Thanks for your replies.

So the general feeling is that the CT is more upmarket than
a Prius/Auris and is a real Lexus but you get what you pay for, and as with all
makes, the more you pay the better the build quality and ride.

Paul

I have been reading “The Relentless Pursuit” by Chester Dawson that details the early years of Lexus as Toyota tried to design and launch the first Japanese Luxury car in America.

This got me thinking. Are the same principals and attention to detail that were given to the LS when it was first launched, still applicable to Lexus today? Are all Lexus models still designed and built to the same philosophy, from the flagship RC-F to the lowly CT, or is the CT just a posh Toyota Prius/Auris designed to introduce people into the brand so that they can buy the more expensive cars in the future?

Paul

I swapped my 57 plate accord tourer 2.4 auto for a CT advance a few months ago. Now I have got used to the CT I think I prefer it to the accord. Cetranly prefer the free road tax (£475) and the 50+ mpg (28 on the accord). Similar spec car with similar performance but cheaper to run. Only disadvantage is the smaller boot which has been big enough so far but will have to see come holiday time.

Hope you enjoy your new CT.

Hi, I have noticed recently that sometimes I can't open the boot after being parked for a while. If we get to our destination and I put the car in park and turn off the power system then sit in the car for a few minutes, when we do get out, I can't open the boot as it is locked. I have to use the key to unlock the car to be able to open the boot. Is this normal and does it depend on which door is opened? I can't find anything in the manual about this. The car does not have the smart entry system, just the keyless start.

Thanks in Advance.

Paul

Like the tomtom that was built into the advance.

When I bought my 2013 CT Advance it was advertised as:-

“The Advance also introduces a new integrated MoveOn satellite navigation system, with a built-in control panel in the center console, just below the gear selector.

The unit lets you link to Live information services without having to use your mobile phone, allowing you to access latest data on weather, traffic and speed cameras – and gain extra local knowledge using TomTom Live Search”

Great I thought, let Lexus concentrate on what they are good at, and let TomTom concentrate on what they are good at, and judging by some of the posts on here the Lexus design SatNav system is not brilliant.

It was also advertised as:-

“Another new Lexus feature is the Advance’s Tahara upholstery. It’s good looking, supple and hard-wearing like leather, but weighs significantly less and is less harmful to the environment to make, generating 65 per cent less CO₂ and no potentially damaging volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It’s available in tan or black, according to which shade of exterior paint you choose.”

I like the Tahara trim and think it is a good compromise to real leather.

Both of these “New” features are not available on the face lift models. I feel a little betrayed that these are no longer considered as worthy for the new models and in time they will be considered as cheap enhancements to get more people into the Lexus brand?

Sounds like Lexus want to encourage owners to buy a new car every 3 years!

Alternatively, Lexus cars are also more expensive to buy, and so presumably more expensive to fix under warranty. Perhaps 3 years it the point at which the cash reserve Lexus would have to put aside to cover warranty repairs, would make the price of the new cars too expensive, or they may be more complex and so more likely to go wrong.

The hybrid Battery needs a longer warranty than 3 years or people would not buy a hybrid for fear of a big bill to replace them.

Toyota is recalling 1.9 million of its top-selling Prius hybrid cars because of a software fault that may cause the vehicle to slow down suddenly.

Will this also affect the CT as it shares the same drivetrain?