Goodbye GT86, hello RC300h

[Guest]

After 3 1/2 years shredding tyres, losing fillings, collecting speeding tickets and feeling like a NVH test dummy. It's time for something a bit more refined! But retaining that coupe style.

Don't get me wrong, the GT86 is probably the best drivers car I have ever owned, it's a joy on back roads and twisting A roads, but too rigid round town (it's a pothole slalom commute to work and back) and too noisy on a motorway due to its lack of sound proofing.

Many may think I am absolutely barmy making this transition, especially as I am quite a few years shy of the 50+ demographic. Maybe I am, but I need to change my mindset to driving, before I lose my license, and the GT86 won't allow me to do that. It feels alive and sounds great a high revs and slightly sideways.

Now for the bad news, July delivery! Anyone know of a good wood yard, I may need an off cut to wedge between the carpet and accelerator for the next 4 months.

I'll finish this story in July, hopefully.

[RC300h F Sport, Prem Nav, ML, Blue & Red Leather]

 

 

[stevet]

Hi & welcome James.

I love the GT86's but as you say great for a hoot around then not so great on the day to day stuff. The RC should fit in with your lifestyle perfectly. Why the 300h over the 200t?

[Guest]

Three reasons;

1, I need to slow down and I think the 200t wouldn't have done that enough,

2, The GT86 and 200t have similar official combined mpg 38, but real world I get 28 in the GT86, so assumed the same for 200t. Using the same ratio that should mean real world 42mpg for the 300h and an annual difference for me of £700 (12k),

3, I pay enough tax, so the £20 a year for the 300h vs £300 for the 200t brought a smile to my face,

So even before I looked into the finance costs which I expect to be higher on the 200t due to a lower final guaranteed value, I would have almost saved the £1000 difference between them in the first year.

[stevet]

Might be worth having a check on Broadspeed ect. The RC's aren't selling that well and they were offering £3500 off list last time I looked.

[wendle]

Hi James, and welcome to the club,  not sure why then if they are not selling very well why does James have to wait for a July delivery, did they not have the colour/ spefications you wanted in stock, i haven't driven the 300h yet but will have a go when mine goes in for its service next week

 

[Bluesman]

Hi James and welcome to the LOC, we are a friendly bunch and some of us even know how to pull them to bits and put them back together again, with of course the one bolt and washer left over.

We recommend you spend a couple of mins looking over the rules of the LOC, we will be asking questions later

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/terms-conditions/

 

Regards Mike.

[rayaans]

1 hour ago, wendle said:

Hi James, and welcome to the club,  not sure why then if they are not selling very well why does James have to wait for a July delivery, did they not have the colour/ spefications you wanted in stock, i haven't driven the 300h yet but will have a go when mine goes in for its service next week

 

Heard the same from my dealer, not selling that well. On the other hand, the US is taking them up VERY well.

Also the Blue/Red won't be on the ship as its a unique colour combo. Blue/Black or Blue/grey and you can have one this month. Blue/clove is another unique one too.

It was the same when I enquired about an IS300h F-Sport, Red/Red with AVS, Premium Nav, ML and sunroof. They said they would need to put a direct factory order in rather than grab one thats on the ship.

 

To the OP, have you test driven the RC300h? I thought the RC200T was MUCH better and honestly the power wasn't enough IMO with the RC due to its weight. I was directly comparing to my wife's IS300h too.

Broadspeed are giving £3329 off RC300h at the moment.

[Guest]

The spec is the issue Blue/Red F Sport 300h and just about every extra has meant factory order, I could have had a white/red immediately. Also, I used Carwow and approach 3 different dealers to find the most desperate and ended up just shy of £4k off RRP, plus a really robust trade value that I wasn't expecting. After a month on auto trader the best offer I had for GT86 only matches the dealers trade in value!

I suggest you get in quick if your thinking about one, they are a really nice looking car and once people start to see them on the road or next to other cars I think they'll take off. (Quietly I hope not I like the exclusivity).

To rayaans point the 200t is probably slightly better drivers car (dare I say still not like 4 series), but for me I wanted a quiet, luxurious car to float me up and down the motorway and i think the 300h is therefore the better option for me.

[rayaans]

Did you get that £4k from Carwow or a dealer? 

[Guest]

Dealer, I used the Carwow offer as leverage when negotiating, FYI £1k of it was the Lexus Finance Contribution