Chris111

Yes because I have done it.

I should also add the instruction is on page 457 of my owners manual.

Just to add my twopence worth I have opened the boot of mine with my key using this lock when I experienced a flat battery. It is to the left of the left number plate light unit. The picture posted by Lee above shows it in the location that houses the camera on right hand drive models.

I personally wouldn't use wheelbasealloys for advice. In my experience, to put it bluntly, they don't know what they are talking about. I changed the alloys on my car because of the corrosion to the standard wheels. I chose a set of GMP Italia EGO wheels in the same 8x18 size. However, when I tried to buy them from wheelbasealloys I asked if the standard tyre pressure sensors would fit them. Three days later they emailed me to say that the manufacturer states they won't fit and then they tried to sell me a very expensive kit from themselves. I declined! I then contacted performancealloys about the same wheels with the same question about the sensors. Within half an hour they forwarded me an email they had received from GMP Italia stating the standard sensors would fit with no problems but advised that the offset should be 35 for their wheels rather than the 45 of the standard ones. I had a few more questions and each time had a very quick response. I would recommend performancealloys but I would advise again if you have a Mk 4 ask your local dealer. I note the OP wants to reduce the wheel size in order to fit higher profile tyres for a more comfortable ride. It is worth noting that, excluding the F Sport, the standard tyre size for the Mk 4 GS is 235/45 18 whereas for the Mk 3 with 18" wheels it is 245/40 so the Mk 4 already runs on a slightly higher profile tyre.

Do you have the current GS (Mk 4) model or the Mk 3? I only ask as after the final facelift on the MK 3 cars from 2010 some of the SE spec cars came with 17" wheels as standard, whereas prior to this they had all been 18" for all spec models, so if you have a Mk 3, 17" wheels will fit. However, as far as I am aware, all Mk 4 GS cars run on 18" wheels (or 19" in the case of the F Sport) so I'm not sure if 17" would fit. Have you asked your Lexus dealer? You should get a straight yes or no answer then.

That isn't the case with mine but I'm glad you have got yours sorted It might work as it could be that the motors are fine and are stopping at the correct setting, but if the joints are stiff, they are preventing the mirrors from resetting correctly.

It's worth a try. As I said I've read it's because the motors get 'tired' so they don't reset properly. If my wife has driven the car when I reset my driving position from the memory button the mirrors don't always return to my setting. It doesn't bother me but a little light lubing may help. If you try it let us know how you get on please.

I read somewhere that the motors that move the mirrors get 'lazy' over time but you can try to 'free' them by moving both mirrors to their furthest positions. Press and hold the 'up' arrow until the mirror stops moving, then down, again until it stops. Bring the mirror back to central and then move it right until stops and lastly bring back full left. Then set them in the position you want and a press the memory button for the seating position. You don't have to move them in this order and you may have to do it more than once but you have to make sure you move them so the mirror stops moving before you release the control button. It doesn't work for all and some have said where it has it has only lasted for a short period, but for others it has worked. If it does work you may need to do it a few times over a year. I think the only other way to cure this problem is to get the motors replaced. However I don't think that will be covered under your warranty, but other people might know different and will correct me I'm sure. I personally don't bother with the dipping facility but give the above a go, it may work for you.

1. Austin Allegro 1100 deluxe (don't laugh!). The deluxe bit meant it had a carpet not rubber mats. Bought new by my father on 1st August 1979 he passed it on to me in 1987, when I passed my driving test, with 157,000 on the clock. I took it to 164,000 but by this time it was consuming more oil than petrol as well as constantly burning out engine valves. Above 40mph I couldn't see what was behind me. 2. Mk3 Ford Capri 1.6 GL. The Capri was my dream car when I was a teenager (probably something to do with 'the professionals' on television). Unfortunately because of this and being very young and naive I let my heart overrule my head and bought a shed of a car. It came to its demise when I hit a telegraph pole after skidding on black ice on back roads where I grew up in rural north Wales. 3. Mk3 Ford Escort 1.6 L. A quite unremarkable car. 4. MK2 Volkswagen Golf GTi 8v. A brilliant car a possibly the best one I have owned (apart, obviously, from my 450h!). In the mid nineties a friend of mine had just bought a new Mk3 GTi and at the time he wrote some articles for one of the Volkswagen magazines. This magazine had a quarterly spin off called 'GTi special' and he wrote a piece outlining the history of the GTi. Myself and my car were used for the photograph's for the piece on the Mk2. I did well over 100,000 trouble free miles in this car before passing it onto my wife, who promptly traded it in, without telling me, for a Nissan Almera! 5. Volvo 460 GLE. After my father passed away my mother gave me his car. I didn't like it at all so I got rid of it quickly. 6. Rover 620 SLi. A very underrated car as it was basically a Rover body and Honda everything else. Again I did over 100,000 trouble free miles in this car. 7. Seat Toledo SE TDi 110. Another very good car but I didn't have it long before I passed it to my wife who had just started a new job which involved a lot of traveling. When she traded it in a few years later it had covered 197,000. 8. Jaguar XJ-S 3.6 manual. The most comfortable car I have been in. It had an interesting history too. It was built in 1983 but was not registered for the road until 1986 as it was used by Jaguar's SVE department as a test car. When it was road registered it had been fitted with the updates that were put on the 1987 model year cars. In the documentation I had with it there was a letter from the supplying dealer to the first 'owner' stating this and also informing him that the car had also been used by Martin Brundle as his 'company car' at the time he was racing sportscars for Jaguar. I sold it because it was costing a small fortune to keep running and was also dissolving away! 9. MGF. The worst car I have ever owned, sat in or driven. A truly horrible car. 10. BMW 325 Ci. Not a bad car but tiring to drive as it pulled 3250 rpm in 5th gear at 70mph, so not a relaxing cruiser. 11. Lexus GS 450h which I have had for 6 years now and when I next change I am 99.9% certain it will be another Lexus.

I started a thread on this in the General Discussions forum earlier this month asking why there is no 450h version of the RC. Rayann replied stating there is no demand. However, three on this thread also ask the question and I believe there would be demand as there maybe potential buyers (both UK and Europe) out there who like the look of the RC but can't afford the F version but would want one that offers a bit more performance than the 300h or 200t.

There was one for sale on Autotrader about two months ago. The advert said it was one of only 16 in the UK so, if that's true, it explains the rarity.

With respect I was stating what I thought and that was that a hypothetical 450h would use less fuel than a 200t and, therefore, would be more fuel efficient. I was not stating or wondering anything about the tax charged. Your reason for a 450h model not being offered is because there is no demand. That's fine. I am just thinking about a hypothetical car and asking for peoples opinions. What I am not asking for is people to tell me what I do or do not mean. If you think differently and ask why this model isn't offered with the engine choice you mention, well, that opens up another angle to my original post and for people to give their opinions on that too.

As per the title I was thinking about this the other day. Obviously a 450h version of the RC would be significantly quicker than the 300h model but, it would also be quicker and more fuel efficient than the 200t. I think it would bridge the gap nicely between the performance levels of these models and the F version. I see the American RC models are not offered with any hybrid option but they are offered the 3.5 V6 engine in two states of tune (255 and 306 hp respectively) and also the option of 4wd. Does anyone know if there is a reason why Lexus don't offer a 450h option for this model? I know if Lexus made an RC 450h I would be seriously interested in it. Anyone else?

According to the manual the Hybrid PWR button is best used when travelling on mountainous routes but, as John mentions above, the sport mode makes a huge difference. You will find that the smallest press of the accelerator peddle is needed for rapid forward movement!!

There are lots of posts on this forum about the 450h which should provide you with what you need to know and what to look for on this model. If you have not driven a hybrid before some people have commented on here on the quirkiness of driving them (from only having one gear, the silent running in battery mode, engine braking in a automatic (helps charge the batteries), etc) but you very quickly adapt. I personally found no problem. The silver one looks a decent car. I also notice from the picture of the steering wheel that it has the toggle switch on the base of the right spoke used for setting the distance on the adaptive cruise control function meaning this car is the top Se-l spec model so it is well equipped. The adaptive cruise control with precrash safety system (ACC/PCS) and an electric sunroof were standard equipment on the pre 2008 facelift Se-l models (these became a very expensive optional extra after 2008). Posts on here have raved about the ACC/PCS system and other posts have lamented not having it when a newer model was purchased without this feature. One area I would advise checking is the bonnet edges for bubbling under the paint. Some early models in the mk3 GS range suffered from the bonnet edges rusting from the inside out. Lexus will replace them if this happens under the 12 year anti-corrosion warranty (mine was done 18 months ago with no fuss) but not, obviously, if the rust is as a result of stone damage. Anyway, good luck with viewing and I hope the car meets with your expectations.

The post I mentioned does appear to indicate that the OP's local dealer said that Lexus had removed this facility but following complaints had reinstated it on some cars so perhaps john yours is one of the lucky ones.

My understanding from the research I did prior to purchasing mine is that there was a minor face lift firstly on the 2008 m.y. cars (identified by the side indicators being moved to door mirrors) and then a much more extensive one for the 2010 m.y. (new grille, a new alloy wheel design on the final cars, etc.) I also found that when the 450h was launched in 2006 there were three trim levels, standard trim (base), se and se-l. The 2008 face lift dropped the base model but the se trim was downgraded to the original base model spec and the se-l was in turn downgraded to the original se spec. This meant that things like the adaptive cruise and sunroof that were originally standard in se-l trim became an expensive optional extra.

There is a thread on here titled "Removal Of The Reversing Grid Assist In The Gs450H Update" posted in March 2012. I don't know how to tag it unfortunately but it does appear to indicate that this facility was removed from the face lifted cars

I concur with everything John states, except about towing with a caravan as I haven't got one! The difference in throttle response to me is very noticeable. I have in the past, whilst accelerating in sport mode, switched it back to normal. The needle on the power band almost immediately dropped from the 50 mark to 25 and the car ceased accelerating even though I hadn't moved my foot on the throttle peddle. In fact the car started slowing down! I know it is just an illusion but to me, in sport mode, the car feels like it is accelerating faster. I use sport mode when driving in towns as I find the immediate response useful when pulling out of junctions or negotiating roundabouts. I haven't really used the power (PWR) button as I have never felt the need to. I believe in the owners manual Lexus advise it is used when driving on steep mountainous routes, but the part of Cumbria I live in it is very, very flat.

In the Dunlop website at the bottom of the page there is a 'contact us' link. In that there is an email link to their 'tyre_doctor'. I have used them before so maybe they will be able to answer your question.

I had 4 Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 tyres fitted last October and all 4 have rim protectors. I find them much better than the Goodyear Eagle F1's that were fitted before and especially the Yokohama Advan's prior to them. They are noticeably quieter and both myself and my wife think the ride is softer. To me the Yokohama's were very noisey and rock hard and the Goodyear's were noisy and firm. Had these fitted to my wife's Polo in November to replace the standard Continentals. Living in rural Cumbria with lots of poorly maintained and poorly draining B roads there is a notable difference as the car now feels a lot more 'secure' on the road and they are much quieter. The only downside is due to the design of the tread lots of small stones get stuck in the grooves. I wanted to fit them to my Gs but they don't make them in the size it needs.

Would this be for all vehicles if it is introduced or only apply to vehicles registered after its introduction? If it is the later scenario it may be because a lot of new cars on the roads today haven't been bought but are being leased / rented. How many times have we heard, seen, or read a car advert that when talking about the financial side concludes with the phrase 'you will not own the vehicle' or something similar. These contracts are usually mileage limited too and require the car to be serviced on time and be looked after or financial penalties will be imposed if it is not, so I wonder if that is part of the thinking behind this as the dealerships will be able to spot any problems.

Try operating both mirrors so they move to their furthest positions. Press and hold the 'up' arrow until the mirror stops moving, then down, again until it stops. Bring the mirror back to central and then move it right until stops and lastly bring back full left. Then set them in the position you want and a press the memory button for the seating position. You don't have to move them in this order and you may have to do it more than once but you have to make sure you move them so the mirror stops moving before you release the control button. This worked for me so hopefully will help you too. I read somewhere that the motors get 'lazy' but this helps to 'free' them. I do this every three or four months and have not had a problem since I have done this. Hope it helps.

I too stumbled across this new taxation when on the government website. If I read it right any car registered after 1st April 2017 will have it's VED for the first year based on it's Co2 emissions and then a flat rate from the second year onwards. That will be £0 for electric, £130.00 for alternative fuel (hybrid) and £140.00 for everyone else regardless of Co2 emissions produced. So basically they have just reintroduced how it used to be, i.e a flat rate for everyone. However any car costing over £40,000 will be taxed based on it's Co2 emissions for the first year but from years 2 to 6 the charge will be the flat rate PLUS an extra £310.00. This means that any hybrid Lexus model costing over £40,000 will cost £440.00 a year to tax and the non hybrid ones £450.00. To put that into perspective, based on current Lexus prices a GS 300h in executive edition or luxury spec from the second year would pay £130.00 per year but the same car in f sport or premier spec would pay £440.00 per year! The GS F with its 5 ltr V8 will only cost £10.00 more. Also any new Ct or Is 300h currently charged at nil or £10.00 per year will now pay either £90.00 or £100.00 (depending on C02) for the first year and then £130.00 per year after that. This to me is a very ill thought out tax and will undoubtedly have a huge effect on the depreciation of the cars costing over £40,000 as it only reverts to the basic flat rate once the car is 7 years old.

When I bought my 450h 7 years ago I did a lot (and I mean a lot!) of research into this car and I found a few differences between the original and facelifted models, one being the cost of car tax. The original model is stated as emitting CO2 emissions of 186 g/km placing it in tax bracket J whilst the emissions on the facelifted model are stated at 185 g/km, meaning it is in tax bracket I. The difference is only £40.00 per year, but to some this might be important. I would also add that the first mild facelifted version was introduced in 2008 (wing mirror indicators, tax bracket change and other minor changes) and was further followed in 2010 by the changes mentioned above by Shahpor. From my research I also noticed that some of the 'toys' that came as standard, depending on the original model's trim level, became optional extras on the facelifted models. As an example mine is a 2006 Se-l and came equipped as standard with adaptive cruise control with pre-crash saftey system (ACC/PCS) and an electric sunroof. These became an optional extra on the facelifted Se-l model so consequently not all facelifted models in Se-l spec will have this equipment fitted. Hope this info might help and good luck with your search Chris