2 potential GS450h cars I'm interested in.

[mrdoofa]

Hi guys,

I am thinking of buying a Lexus GS450h. I used to have an LS400 mk4 but currently drive a diesel Vauxhall Insignia which is a nice car but it's no Lexus!!!

I like the look of the GS450h and understand that they are seriously fast!!! The hybrid system should make it better on fuel than the LS400 (at least in theory!!!). I know it won't be as economical as the diesel Insignia too. What kind of MPG figures do you get realistically in the GS450h?

I've found 2 I'm interested in which I have put links to below. Also, what do I need to check for when viewing these cars? do they have any common problems? How do you check the hybrid system is working as it should? Etc etc.

Thanks in advance!!!

Links:

http://www.westfieldmotorhouse.co.uk/detail/241020/used-lexus-gs-3.5-450h-se-4dr-cvt-bradford

http://www.glasshousecarsales.co.uk/lexus-gs-450h-hybrid-electric-in-anwick-6171244

[Spacewagon52]

The silver one looks good with the service history.

[steveledzep]

They both have a comprehensive service history.  Doesn't look much to choose between them on paper in my opinion.  I'd test drive them both and choose the one that makes the better impression on me.

[Hangie]

You can achive 40-45mpg while on the motorway.

everyday cruising for me is 30mpg area.

early models got some problems with gearbox pumps - check the forum. 

Additionally all x6 and x7 models are running out of 10 years Battery warranty.

at that age and mileage I would check when was the last time that spark plugs, gearbox oil and diff oil was changed. 

Beside that it is a nice car without major problems and for that price it is a bargain.

 

ps. Check the shock absorbers for leaking and state of rear disc for calliper seizing.

[Farqui]

You're right, the GS 450H does have a handy turn of speed 

As Krzysztof said, you'll get 40mpg+ on the motorway around 70mph which drops a little the faster you travel.  I also seem to be averaging 35mpg tank-tank.

If the car has FDSH then it will have had a hybrid health check each time, hopefully this is in the paperwork or you might be able to call the Lexus dealer and find out.

The lighter colour will hide stone chips better than the darker painted cars.

If both cars are in relatively easy reach, then go take a peek at them both.

Good luck.

[Guest]

On a totally personal note i like the darker version with a nicer interior,not a big fan of the orange looking wood trim.

[mrdoofa]

A quick update, unfortunately the blue one has sold!!! I'm going to arrange a viewing of the silver one. It's about a 2 hour drive from me.

[Chris111]

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.

[mrdoofa]

I've put a £100 refundable deposit on the silver one and I'm going to view the car on Wednesday afternoon. The car will come with a fresh MOT and a 3 month warranty. I'm looking forward to seeing the car!!! 

[Farqui]

3 minutes ago, mrdoofa said:

I've put a £100 refundable deposit on the silver one and I'm going to view the car on Wednesday afternoon. The car will come with a fresh MOT and a 3 month warranty. I'm looking forward to seeing the car!!! 

Sounds promising.  

The MOT history looks okay - nothing unusual flagged up and mostly passed okay.

[mrdoofa]

I've asked if everything works on the car and they said yes, obviously I'll be testing everything anyway!!! 

Do these cars have the same problem as the LS400/LS430 with the steering adjust motors?

I've never owned or driven a hybrid before, how do you check if everything is working as it should?

[Farqui]

If a hybrid moves off in Drive then the elec motors/battery are able to propel the vehicle (even if the engine is running).  

The MFD between the gauges can be changed to see the Battery and power delivery.  Once warm, the car should propel from stop on batteries alone.  

Also when warm, you should be able to lift off and the mpg's will rocket as the engine switches off, you should also be able to coast gently on batteries up to about 35mph. 

Press the Info button, Trip Info option to see the power train operation, in the middle is a Battery symbol with bars showing the level of charge.  This should do up/down as you drive around. 

When braking the kWh meter should flip into charge mode until about 25mph, then the hydraulic brakes should kick in.

Maybe have a quick read of a hybrid manual before you go for a test drive, there's quite a bit to take in.

[mrdoofa]

Thank you very much for all your help!!! It's much appreciated. As I said this is a bit of a leap into the unknown for me so appreciate any advice.

[Ace8800]

Silver gets my vote.

[rayaans]

Silver one looks good and the interior is in good nick too.

Take a pic of the inner and outer page of the V5 and ill take a look into its service history/warranty work + any extra work carried out etc

[royoftherovers]

1 hour ago, mrdoofa said:

Thank you very much for all your help!!! It's much appreciated. As I said this is a bit of a leap into the unknown for me so appreciate any advice.

Martin, do not overlook the fact that a dealer has to accept responsibility for anything significant that goes wrong with the car within the first 6 months of your ownership.This is called a Statutory Warranty and is often overlooked by a purchaser. Farqi has offered some sound advice to you  and I hope that all works out well for you.

 

Regards

John

 

[Farqui]

Good point re warranty, my dealer stumped up for a new exhaust on mine.

Zoorsts have a tendancy to leak at the rear Y, visible from the rear of the vehicle.

Mine also had a holed rear muffler.

Details within my Intro thread.

[mrdoofa]

What a great group this is, lots of useful advice to go with on Wednesday and I thank everybody for their input. I just hope the car is a good one now!!! The dealer says he's going to get it MOT'd tomorrow so that if I do choose to buy it on Wednesday I can take it straight away without another 200 mile round trip!!!

Another quick question, how effective are the heated/cooled seats on these? I did have an LS430 once and they weren't very effective at all lol!!!

Nobody has mentioned whether or not the steering adjust motors can be a problem like on the LS.

[GS450hNavy]

Hopefully getting one on wednesday too 

 

Just worried about the Battery life/issues, car has a full lexus service history including Battery checks and will have a Battery check when I purchase it 

I do very little driving and the car will have 60k miles 

 

What are peoples thoughts? Should I take the car for a long drive every week to help out the hybrid system or is it necessary?

 

How common are failures  of the hybrid system 

[Farqui]

My heated seats don't seem as hot as those in my Honda. I don't know if this is a normal temp for Lexus or not (yet). I have however seen some mention of a fix to boost the heat output, so maybe a fault.

In my research, I don't recall any issues with the steering.

 

[Britprius]

The batteries in the hybrid system do not require that they are used regularly they will hold there charge for months if not years. The 12 volt Battery if the original will be at the end of it's life. It sits in the LH side of the boot. The dealers will have you believe it is special, but this is not the case. It does have a temperature sensor on it, but this can be removed and fitted on the top of any suitable size Battery.

With all the electrics in the GS450H including the DVD player on the front screen a Battery with as high an amp hour (AH) should be used. Minimum 75 AH ideally 90 AH.

If the Battery is weak and the car left standing strange fault messages can appear on screen, and the car refuse to go to ready mode. The 12 volt Battery is not used to turn over the engine. The car has no normal starter motor, and no normal alternator. These functions are done by the motor/generators in the transmission.

John

[GS450hNavy]

Quote

7 minutes ago, Britprius said:

The batteries in the hybrid system do not require that they are used regularly they will hold there charge for months if not years. The 12 volt battery if the original will be at the end of it's life. It sits in the LH side of the boot. The dealers will have you believe it is special, but this is not the case. It does have a temperature sensor on it, but this can be removed and fitted on the top of any suitable size battery.

With all the electrics in the GS450H including the DVD player on the front screen a battery with as high an amp hour (AH) should be used. Minimum 75 AH ideally 90 AH.

If the battery is weak and the car left standing strange fault messages can appear on screen, and the car refuse to go to ready mode. The 12 volt battery is not used to turn over the engine. The car has no normal starter motor, and no normal alternator. These functions are done by the motor/generators in the transmission.

John

Thanks for the reply John

The dealer Battery check should highlight any issues including the 12v Battery yes? 

Have you had any hybrid issues with yours?

 

 

 

 

[Britprius]

11 hours ago, GS450hNavy said:

 

 

 

Gav, I doubt very much the dealer would check the 12 volt Battery. 

I have had no hybrid issues with my GS or the Prius that it replaced. The Prius I had for 10 years 128,000 miles, and in that time the total repairs amounted to one front wheel bearing. The Prius uses exactly the same Battery modules as the GS, but 28 of them instead of 40 in the GS. 

High voltage Battery problems are rare, and does not necessarily mean replacing the complete Battery. Single modules can be replaced, and member Richard from "Hybrid Battery Solutions"  can refurbish the HV Battery at reasonable cost if required.

John.

[rayaans]

12 hours ago, mrdoofa said:

What a great group this is, lots of useful advice to go with on Wednesday and I thank everybody for their input. I just hope the car is a good one now!!! The dealer says he's going to get it MOT'd tomorrow so that if I do choose to buy it on Wednesday I can take it straight away without another 200 mile round trip!!!

Another quick question, how effective are the heated/cooled seats on these? I did have an LS430 once and they weren't very effective at all lol!!!

Nobody has mentioned whether or not the steering adjust motors can be a problem like on the LS.

It appears that the heated seats are hit or miss and are variable between different cars for some reason. 

However, general consensus is that they don't get as hot as the German brands which can burn your backside. Perhaps its a safety thing but IMO they get warm enough.

The cooled seats are a misnomer. They are actually ventilated seats so pump air up through the backs and bottom. They won't get cold but are better than nothing on a warm day

[cruisermark]

We have 2 BMWs in the family and I have noticed that seats warm up very quickly and are unbearably hot on the 3rd setting - I really like the under thigh heating - this also goes for the heater airflow - you can not have it on too long on the hottest setting.

The LS430 on the other hand has a more controlled a subtle approach - the seat heating takes longer to come on and base does not heat the thighs - but I don't have any complaints. If im wearing a shirt only then i cannot have the seat heating on too long - it starts to burn.

The cooling functiion ( which the BMWs don't have) is very useful on hot days when the leather is very hot.