Linas.P

It is easier to say what were the options: Premium sound and sat nav ML sound Sunroof

Post code lottery, profession, 3 points obviously doesn't help... a lot of existing in UK just to justify boost insurance price. In other countries you enter 2 things - your Reg and Driving license number - that is it. In UK they want to know whole life story, just to find something for the sake of "risk" to make it more expensive.

It is UK, the country of fraudulent ageist insurers. I now have clean UK license for 13 years, prices are still stupid... As I said - don't look to the numbers, because they are ridiculous, but one could expect similar difference ~10% if my quotes are anything to go by. When I was 17, I had BMW525i with M60B40 engine swap and paid 180EUR insurance for 6 month till I get 18. Back in the day I thought it was ridiculous amount to pay for insurance until I came to UK. My first quote as a 19 years old in UK was £36000 and I had clean UK license etc. etc.. I could not even get insurance for reasonable amount here until I turned ~25. Obviously, second thing is that I am in London (which should not matter, but in UK it does). Compared to where I came from now my insurance would be 70eur/year (for TPO) and maybe another 200 for Fully comprehensive (which we call "Kasko" and it is optional), if I change car to IS-F or Bugatti, TPO would still be 70eur, but Kasko would depend on the car itself.

Any decent calipers refurb place would be able to match paint colour. There has been a lot of discounts circulating for BCS... There are now even places which can do ceramic paint in any colour. The only other way is to go for VHT or other high temp paint, but then you will have to stick with base colours.

In UK, you will have to go with custom, there are no aftermarket exhaust resellers, so only option is to order it for phenomenal prices from US. Otherwise, just look for any custom cat-back SS exhaust for IS250... Prices around £250-500.

That is obvious, but if they indicatively offer half of the price before starting... imagine what you get in case of accident.

Nobody said - insurers would have "problem" insuring Japanese import... but the price would not be the same. Edit: Obviously, insurance price for me is mental either way, but I reckon the difference would be the same. But I honestly though there would be much higher difference, but ~10% is not that bad, as well considering imported car is cheaper to tax. Both identical policies for imported vs. UK car. One other thing I noticed - UK car automatically gets valued at £13500, whereas import was £7669. So I guess ... good luck agreeing value on import. _______________________

Induction kit does help, but do not expect day and night difference. Just replacing rear silencers for SS might help, but I advise keep middle section in mild steel as replacing mid section/rear resonator with SS is what causes drone most of the time.

Try dealership, they may come colour coded. When it comes to ebay breakers they are often mental. I needed the cap for headlight washer and they asked for £60 in wrong colour, whereas dealer sells them for £18 colour coded. I tend to believe they simply cannot be bothered to go for a trip in breaker yard for something worth £5 and then posting, packing etc... so they just say ridiculous price... either you accept of they could not be bothered either way.

Which is probably twice the normal insurance anyway...

Just to be clear, I appreciate the source, but after reading it I have no confidence in it. It is full of marketing BS like ~"New 19-in. wheels and tires with increased grip deliver excellent steering response" - what that suppose to means?! Obviously, changing from Bridgestone to Michelin or other brand going to change grip and steering response.. for better or worse. This is not some sort of "new design element", just simple fact that throughout the years suppliers for tyres changes and have different quality tyres. Or this one - "fine-tuning the suspension system and powertrain"... what exactly does this means? That they changed ECU code version from 3.0.4.1, to 3.0.4.3?! "improvements to engine response and steering feel, all of which result in a sharper and more refined drive" - what all this garbage means... what has been changed?! In short... it is hard to separate marketing BS from real changes. Clearly standard equipment list has changed.... for worse compared to 2018 model, but somewhat for better compared to 2015 model. It seems 2018 model is perfect compromise - all interior changes without ugly exterior.

"LFA inspired"... Yes I meant 17" (pic 7-8), but 18" are probably even more similar - I had both on my car. They do not have a name, but are often sold as "F-sport" wheels. And yes they are staggered 8J/8.5J and probably cast. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/113686100883?ul_noapp=true I have seen quite a few recently, usually comes ~£750-1000. Sometimes with tyres, sometimes without. I got mine for £550, but they had bit of kerb damage and set of crap tyres (3xDunlop Sportmaxx 001 and 1 ContiSport 5). Since then I had them refurbished and fitted Michelin PS4's so I reckon doubled the value. You can still buy them at the dealership ~ £550 each, probably that is why they are still expensive - "current model wheels", hence you pay premium. Generally, all other 18" for Lexus Mk2 ~ £450 for set.

Where does it say: Painted calipers are nice touch, but the LSS+ and larger screen was already included in 2018 model. AVS was standard from beginning. As well Lexus has previously included leather interior as standard, now we will get Shi-tahara instead and "smooth leather" for additional price (see-page 44 for reference). https://d3rvezpmgp265q.cloudfront.net/lexusone/lexfifiv11/RC300h_esite_tcm-3155-1136718.pdf

Yes - sorry 10.3"... forgotten how unbelievably small was standard 8" screen in original model. LSS+ was already standard in 2018 model before face-lift. As for the rest of the stuff - is there any source?

Lexus never said they changed something in face-lift mechanically, so should be the same. However, I hate face-lift looks... reminds me of GT86 for some reason. I would be able to live with rear lights, but front ones are outright ugly. Obviously, you getting latest tech inside, but I believe it is the same as 2018 model which had upgraded 12" screen already. Finally, almost any face-lift for any car are always hate/love relationship for the community.

They are pretty much like sales assistants in Halfords retail, just with spanner. Do not actually know much about cars and are train probably for 5 limited cases, change tyres/balance wheels, change batteries, re-gas A/C, change brake pads and maybe change fluids. If you do those 5 things it most likely be fine, but if your case falls out of the textbook case they won't have any clue. Further, whereas in Lexus or any decent garage they would let you know if something else needs attention, in halfrauds they simply do not have the clue themselves. As said previously, my biggest issue is that they will tell you that something is broken what isn't actually broken, most of the times random things.

Aggghhh .... quicker than me. Fair review, as every single other review said - bettered by German in any possible way, I am sure that would not be the case if Lexus wouldn't have decided to bite on what they cannot swallow i.e. 5-series. Yet again, when I say 300h doesn't like to be pushed and is quite trashy when pushed everyone get's offended, but every single review says the same thing... coast it slowly and it is very luxurious and relaxing, but push it and and it really sounds trashy.

As for simple oil change... I am sure Kwikfit and Halfrauds can handle it... What you need to understand however, simply replacing oil and filters that is not = service. There is the difference between knowledge as well - even the dumbest employee in Lexus dealership will know more about Lexus cars than one in Kwikfit and Halfrauds. Makes no difference when simply replacing fluids (at least most of the time)... But the reason why I would not go for Kwikfit and Halfrauds is because as pointed out by others they will try to "up-sell" you, so be prepared. God forbid you do service + MOT, because they will call you and say you have to spend £900 or it will fail MOT. It ranges from "lipped disks", "low pads", blown LED lights which are lifetime, tyres which needs changing because edges are worn, faulty batteries etc. When these shenanigans starts happening I really don't want to visit place anymore - they are fraud, they suggest to replace things which are not even broken. My recent story about Halfrauds was with A/C... I trying to avoid the place, but it does not help when one is literally in front of my house. They have "free A/C" check so I though it can't hurt. So I booked free check and first thing the guy asked was - "so what is wrong with it". I should have said - "go figure, because it is free check", but made a mistake and said that it does not blow cold air. Straight away he said there are no point in free check and what it actually needs is £45.99 A/C service a.k.a. re-gas. Well I though it is probably correct anyway so I agreed... few hours later received the call that car is ready to pick-up and that A/C works excellent "blows freezing air". It was winter time ~ 7C outside, so I have picked-up the car and tested A/C on my way home. Turn re-circulation on, set temp to max (32c) when it go hot turn it to min (16c) and A/C was blowing same hot air. Got back and told them that A/C does not work and the guy in the workshop pretended to be surprised - got into the car turn the air from outside and was trying to tell me it works fine - blows 7C air. When I pointed out that it is 7C outside he had to admit defeat and booked for free diagnostics next day. Concluded that "potentially, perhaps" air pressure sensor is faulty and quoted me £640 to replace it. If you like to experience such stories yourselves - go ahead and book a "surprise".

And here is typical logical brake-down in anyone trying to justify replacement of rather good car with rather mediocre... Lexus pulls out GS because it does not sell and it is not competitive... well OK?! But you are saying the car which replaces GS is not made to be competitive, nor it is forecasted to sell... well that makes no-sense. If Lexus just wants to have niche model, which is "something else and exclusive" .. GS ticks all the boxes - it is great, but misunderstood car which doesn't sell.

Well that is right - they are not comparing it against Volvo S90 T8 plug-in hybrid, but rather cheapest possible option with 2.0L diesel. What is surprising from whole review is that both cars they review and all the optional choices have diesel engines. I understand that 2.0L diesel is often cheapest version of the car and they just trying to make comparative review ~kind of like for like, but in current "political" climate this seems ignorant and misinformed. Almost funniest quote from entire article is this - "Use maximum throttle and it’s more audible, but not much noisier than a diesel rival.". That is what I was saying all along - 300h is "trashy" engine, in the way that obviously it is quieter than diesel whilst simply idling or cruising (wow what an achievement, this is like saying faster than 1 legged dog), but when step on the accelerator it really makes harsh and nasty rattle. I mean when petrol engine is "not much noisier than diesel"... that is pretty awful petrol engine. Finally, I have said it before and will say it again - Lexus put themselves in stupid position comparing ES with 5-Series/E-Class... they are not there, it is wrong class, GS (being arguable much better car already failed there).. and now they introducing half class lower car for the same class - it is destined to fail. If they would have positioned themselves rather at small 4-door coupes class, that would have been a win! I can easily see the car coming on top or close second in comparison against MB CLA, BMW-Grand 4, WV Arteon... But not against BMW 5

That is not nice touch... he was just lazy to do whole wheels and skimped on paint... It is like painting car and leaving door jams and engine bay not painted.

I always said that the loss of GS, meant loss for 450h.. and that was always the biggest issue for me. I cannot say I particularly like GS, but the drive train it uses for me is perfect balance between power and economy. 300h is simply boring.. FWD in any car is either even more boring or scary if you have loads of power.

... I don't know... because of reasons. If you ever drive at speed, and throw the car into the corner at speed, there are many reason why 300h power is inadequate and FWD balance sucks. If you driving like the person in review at 20MPH... at that speed any car is "fine". Really? Why it is good to drive?

Stock... non-stock.. whatever - if it looks good for you that is the colour you should go for. Personally, I think looks better in your non-stock colour.

There is one line dead on my LH side of rear window, does not affect radio.... although I never listen to the radio. My guess - maybe radio with poor reception is affected, but radio stations works fine otherwise.