Alan305

US market always dictates, just based on volumes. Just over 1m Lexus sales in Europe since 1990’s. US Lexus sales just over 1m a year, based on Q4 ending Sep 2020.

Insurance, as usual, depends on driving record and company. I did lots of mods on my Corvette and Westfield. APlan recorded all the mods and the premium didn’t change much. That said I didn’t do a supercharger, but the Corvette was 436 bhp as standard, insurance was around £450. Westfield less than £200 but with limited miles.

I had mine from 96 to 99 and the only fault at about 100k miles was ignition HT leads, similar sounding fault and fixed it.

It’s not just leather, it’s Lexus leather. The seats on my old LS430 were just as good at 220,000 as at 7,000 when I bought it. Anything else is just cheaper.

Not sure either Toyota or Lexus marketing would agree with you. In 2020 in the US Toyota sales were 1,837,900 with Lexus at 275,941. I don’t think it’s certain that a single brand would achieve the same total. I suggest each benefits the other. Toyota the biggest car retailer in the US in 2020 for the ninth year running with RAV4 the best selling SUV for the 4th year. Other brands have them, or have tried, Honda with Acura, Ford with Lincoln, Hyundai with Genesis, Nissan with Infiniti and so on. I’m not sure BMW would want to merge their RR brand with BMW.

That’s the point, my brief months with a Passat CC were poor. Five warranty issues from new just ignored at service. Managers response well just book it in again. Ditto my wife’s 3 series, hard plastic, warranty issues and service visits not enjoyable. When she swopped to an is200 she had NO warranty issues or problems in 76,000 miles over 9 years. Why would Toyota merge with Lexus, just makes no marketing sense after building such a brand?

I think the market has changed anyway. When we bought our LS400 in 1996 there were few on the road and Lexus were determined to make owners feel special. Lexus Club Dinner/Dances, the RAC Club in Pall Mall, key note speakers Tarbuck and Jasper Carrot. As the numbers sold were small that was easy to manage. You bought a brand, not a car. LS400 sales in Europe in the first year were just 1,158. Same with our LS430, still not many around and the dealers paid a lot of attention. When we had a gearbox warranty recall we got flowers and chocolates from the dealer when the car was returned. (Thanks Lexus Sheffield) The numbers success of the IS200 changed things but I believe the quality, and dealers, are still better that most. I had two Toyota and there was no real comparison to any of our Lexus. The Toyota were good, the Lexus just better. When people say Skoda is better than Golf or Audi, realistically how can that really be true. There has to be spend compromises on materials and components, that's how marketing works. It's also worth remembering how big the market for Lexus is in the USA, far bigger than Europe, hence many options are dictated by that market. Fourth quarter sales of luxury cars in the USA were: BMW = 278,7000 Lexus = 275,000 Merc = 274,900 For many years Lexus out sold them both. Here are the figures published by Lexus Europe, just over 1,006,710 in 30 years. Model Launch year Units sold as of Sept 30, 2020 LS 1990 39,059 GS 1993 74,998 IS 1999 202,210 RX 2000 289,284 SC 2001 6,202 LX 2002 58,234 GX 2010 14,862 ES 2010 26,949 CT 2011 97,637 LFA 2011 38 NX 2014 155,366 RC 2015 7,083 LC 2017 1,816 UX 2019 32,972 TOTAL 1,006,710

Because they don’t have many corners?

Of our 6 Lexus models the worst for this was our IS300h F Sport. Also get it on my Westfield with sticky Toyo semi slick tyres. I’m told that’s because the tyres walls are quite stiff. Application of power to the rear wheels sorts it.

Low temperatures can also cause issues with shock absorbers as well as tyres. We had a Lancia Beta Coupe that needed 5 miles in cold weather before the ride settled.

If your model has Android Auto or Car Play try your voice on that. My favourite on AA is hey Google, “tell me a joke” That will at least test some of the hardware.

@Ala Larj if you search YouTube for “Blyton Park Westfield” you will find lots of Westfield fast lap videos which will give you a good idea of the circuit layout.

I’ve been with the Westfield club who run their Speed Series there. Facilities limited but plenty of opportunities. The day I went there was lots of Westfields, Aston’s, hot hatchbacks, mx5’s even a Mazda CX5 together with a few single seaters Check out the Blytonpark.co.uk. They have experience and car track days.

Or snow chains, but often then hindered by others on the road without them. Been on ski holidays when our chalet was above the snow line and the supermarket below so became pretty slick at fitting them. On a ski trip to Lake Tahoe state troopers stopped all two wheel drive cars without chains but allowed our 4WD Blazer through on winter tyres. Used to be part of the excitement arriving at the huge roadside area designated for snow chain installation to find hundreds of cars there with help for hire, and snow chain sales.

Brilliant we had one from 74 to 76, just a little body roll! It took four of us to the South of France towing a 4 man trailer tent. Fast on the downhill bits. Loved the horizontal gear change and the musical engine sounds. Air cooled flat two, like half a Porsche.

But think how quickly you get used to driving your own car in Europe with all the different road procedures. LHD in the UK I think is easier.

Bit like Saudi Arabia. If a foreign national is involved in a road accident they are liable. If they had not been in the country the accident would not have happened. Simples.

Why convert. I used my LHD Camaro Z28 for business and did 76,000 over three years with no real issues. Just need to leave a bit more space to see round the car in front. Corvette was the same, quickly get used to it. Toll booths annoying but that’s life. Insurance a little more but not much. Stopped by police after a night out and the officer went straight to the offside to find my inebriated wife and no steering wheel.

Framed message on the wall of the old Gainsborough Technical College. "6 munths ago I cuddnt evin spel inginere now I is wun

Well done for insisting on proper Lexus service.

Don’t get me started on Air France.

Bit late to the party for BOAC, BEA, BA. Worthy of a moan but in my experience bad on the ground and good in the air, probably the right way round. Superb landing at the old Kai Tak in Hong Kong and then arriving at the airport for the return and finding my flight cancelled. Getting the jump seat for the landing in Nigeria and then being deplaned to identify our luggage on the runway for our return flight. An upgrade in Detroit with my Silver card and then being denied access to the lounge in JFK as they were busy. Still not as bad a Flybe (Flymaybe) with more technical cancellations than I can remember and finding our plane on jacks waiting for a flight from Guernsey. Or the luggage lids flying open on most landings.

For me the “Best Dolby Atmos DTS X Trailers” was the best. Played from a USB drive at 55 volume. Keep em coming, prior to these I preferred anything from Santana but that just shows my age.

I’ve joined and posted a first hello. Just Lexus trying out new things, why not.

Great, keep em coming, windows still intact.