Odysseus

Not necessarily. Once fitted the Multimac is secured via what looks like ratchet straps structurally tethered to the car structure. The website suggests the Multimac can be removed in under a minute. While I’m not sure I believe the time claim it’s essentially just as removable as a single car seat, just takes up more storage space. That said, in over six years years of fatherhood the only reasons I’ve ever taken the child seats out of the cars have been because the car is going away for maintenance work longer than a day and I need to use the seats in a courtesy car, or if I’m selling it! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for taking the time to respond from your personal experiences of fitting three child seats across the back - it's great to hear experiences rooted in real-world knowledge. In your years of balancing car choices with family requirements have you ever considered the Multimac offerings? I've spent a few minutes on their website and while expensive their products do appear to resolve challenges of finding a specific car that can accommodate more than two young children in the back. This picture shows the three seat version installed in the back of a BMW 5 Series (presumably not a car where three 'normal' seats would fit), where the far seat is a rear facing baby seat. https://multimac.co.uk/home Thanks to Peter (NemesisUK) for informing me!

Thank you Nemesis for the article link and the insight on the Multimac. While expensive I’d imagine they are cheaper than being forced into buying an Audi Q7 and would seem to allow someone to retain their dignity compared with having to drive a French diesel MPV. [emoji846] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don’t disagree it may be inconvenient to stretch to reach the middle seat, but this is less impractical than leaving a child behind. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don’t have a baby seat shop, or a car dealer, or the police to hand at the moment, but will Her Majesty’s Government do? https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules In case I’ve missed it, please tell me where it says the middle seat cannot be used as this would also seem to contravene this advice? https://www.childcarseats.org.uk/choosing-using/positioning-child-car-seats-in-cars/ Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

With respect, I’m not sure you’re right about this. While pretty much every car has Isofix these days it’s not a legal requirement to mandate the use of Isofix to secure a child seat. Said child seat can be secured by the seat belt if it is designed that way. In the old days when the rear bench seats just had lap belts in the centre I can see how that would definitely not be desirable for securing a seat plus child, but given now that most cars have three point belts in the middle it comes down to whether there is sufficient space to mount three seats in a line. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hypothetical question... Is anyone on the forum using three child seats in the rear of their first generation (2009 to 2012 ish) RX450H? I know only the outer two rear seats have Isofix which is ok, but I’m curious as to whether there is sufficient space in the middle for the usual bulky car seat. As people may or may not know, rules changed recently to mandate that backless booster seats aren’t legal for children under 135cm tall, so the need to accommodate seats is a valid one. Thanks in advance! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’d imagine that a reasonable service takes at least two or three hours, and given the way (I imagine) Lexus workshops operate it could be longer if they are waiting on particular service bay or a skilled technician who moves from car to car and so on, not to mention the obligatory car wash and vac. Your best bet may be to give them a call and mention your time constraints, they’d be able to tell you what’s realistic. My Lexus dealer usually collects my car from my office, does the work, then brings it back. But they have also previously offered me courtesy cars, lifts, and a free day voucher for the David Lloyd gym/spa down the road. You could end up making a day out of it! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do you have the climate control active when you’re parked up enjoying the view? Since the weather has generally started getting cooler you may find your engine is kicking in to provide heat for the cabin which it wouldn’t be doing in warmer months. Coincidentally this is one reason why hybrid economy is generally worse over autumn and winter. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ACC & PCS have been options on the top of the range (SE-L) previous generation GS since 2008. They were only standard fit on the GS SE-Ls up to 2007. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not strictly true. The car has to be under 10 years old and 140,000 miles at the start of the warranty period. The warranty is then valid for two years as long as the car remains serviced at Lexus. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just a few ideas and comments. Sorry to say, but the clonking from the rear while under load and/or cornering is something I too experienced in my GS450, which turned out to be an offside rear shock absorber. Mine was replaced under warranty but the Lexus website tells me a replacement is £445, fitted. With regards to your cool air, it could be that the blend doors are stuck or sticking. On a trip to the seaside on January 2nd this year (so not exactly balmy conditions) my wife complained the vents on the passenger side were blowing cool air despite the temperature being set quite high. I "fixed" this by setting both the temperatures all the way up to 'HI', then one side all the way down to 'LOW' then swapped it round so 'HI' and 'LOW' were set the other way round. This means the doors in the guts of the heating/cooling system are using the full extent of their movement, and I haven't had the problem since. As the weather cools I'll see if the problem recurs, but it's easy thing for you to try.

Whether you go for a GS300 or a GS450 you’re buying a fairly complex car (with an original list price of £40K+) when it’s over a decade old, with known expensive spare parts. While both cars are known to be relatively mechanically reliable even relatively small problems - not unreasonable on a car of that age and complexity - will be expensive to resolve. If buying either car represents a stretch then personally I’d feel financially very uncomfortable having to hope nothing goes wrong as I’d lack the means to fix it. How about a modern classic Mercedes, like a W124 series E Class? You can get decent examples for under £5K and they’re well engineered without many electronics. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My GS450 is booked in with Lexus Cambridge next Thursday for the dashcam to be fitted. I was advised it’s a two hour job which is fine. I’ll post a report and pictures once done. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’m very impressed by the quality of the videos, plus I think it’s actually a bit of a bargain when you think it’s being fitted by Lexus themselves. I’ve requested dates from Lexus Cambridge for when they can fit one to my GS450. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh man what terrible luck. No doubt insurance will cover it but what a crappy thing to happen on your first day with the car. Hope it all gets sorted with the minimum of fuss buddy. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Best of luck getting your new car today buddy, exciting times! Let us know how you get on. [emoji106] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Seems like Lexus have had a change of heart on dash cams. Just as POBrown states, there's a package available for £275. I was sent the attached PDF by my local dealer. Seems like something they'll all do. Dash Cam.pdf

Great that your local Lexus dealer does this. I asked Lexus Cambridge if they could fit a dash cam and they said a polite no. I might start phoning round my next closest dealers. It’s worth a few hours out on a day off/working from home. [emoji846] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Great that your local Lexus dealer does this. I asked Lexus Cambridge if they could fit a dash cam and they said a polite no. I might start phoning round my next closest dealers. It’s worth a few hours out on a day off/working from home. [emoji846] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for taking the time to post. While I’m not an IS owner, your comments and feedback on the Vline2 are really interesting as I’m considering one for my GS450. How was the installation process and how did you get on positioning the GPS antenna and microphone? Any tips for the unwary/ham-fisted? [emoji846] Your car looks great and I hope it gives you many years of satisfaction. Best wishes. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I realised on the drive in this morning that I gave poor advice on the topic of Bluetooth. Since you’ve got a 2010 model you have the updated media system that allows Bluetooth audio streaming (like my wife’s Prius I was driving this morning). You can still handle the calls separately to the music, they won’t interfere with each other, but you won’t need any new tech to do so. Best of luck with the car. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I think it’s definitely worth a phone call to Lexus Chester. Warranties are something the sales guys get commission for selling so there’s motivation from their end. If it needs an inspection pre-warranty I’d imagine it wouldn’t be much more than an hour’s once over as they wouldn’t want to tie up workshop time on something that isn’t billable. I pay the £1,095 in monthly instalments at 0%, and so it’s only £91.25 per month for 12 months. General guidelines are the car has to have a full Lexus service history, be under 10 years old and under 140,000 miles. I think the full Lexus history thing is at the discretion of the warranty selling dealer, but once you have the warranty you can use it at any Lexus dealer. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They look like the correct alloys for the car, but painted grey rather than the usual silver. The chrome strips are still chrome I note. [emoji846] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi Zurbaran, Great choice of car and I hope it gives you years of enjoyment. I too have a GS450 and recently submitted my one year review. Maybe something to read when you get a few minutes. In terms of your questions, they are pretty strong mechanically, but (expensive) weak spots are shock absorbers going and the exhaust rusting around the Y section. Shocks are around £400 each fitted by Lexus but are usually covered by a Lexus warranty (which is well worth considering) and a new exhaust section is around £600, or just over half that for a custom made stainless steel job from a third party. The ML stereo is very good. I have the Lexus iPod adapter and it sounds great. Similar kits are available from Grom and others and while I’ve not had one in my Lexus the Grom kit I installed in my Volvo offered brilliant sound quality. Assume just over £100 for one of these. You’ll be able to have Bluetooth for calls and USB for audio no worries. The HDD nav is pretty good but the maps may well be out of date. Lexus will update them for you for around £150. Traffic updates are from TMC, which in the UK is broadcast on the Classic FM frequency. It will reroute you if it knows there’s congestion etc, but in reality Google maps or Waze on your phone will be ‘better’, but it’s a matter of one being built in and the other not. People have different views. I would definitely consider a Lexus warranty. In the UK we can buy one of these for £1,095 for two years and pretty much everything aside from wear and tear items is covered. My GS450 was purchased used from a Lexus dealer so had a one year warranty and I estimate I’ve had around £1,500 of warranty work in that time. I’m now covered by the two year warranty meaning I’ll have three years of warranty cover on my car before I’m personally on the hook for big things going wrong. While they’re unquestionably a great car, yours is getting on for nearly a decade old (mine already is) and they cost £50K when new. It’s handy having the peace of mind that a warranty provides. Best of luck with it! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk