My new GS

[Northern_Si]

On 10/10/2018 at 5:22 AM, Vlady said:

34mpg still not bad for a 3.5ltr petrol v6!

 

With a bit of practice you should be able to get that up a little.  Last few weeks I'm been travelling from Bolton to Stoke-on-Trent down the M6 and managing 50+MPG door to door.  I guess with the M61 and M6 being 50MPH zones does help things a little.

[Shahpor]

The creaking and rattling is a little surprising, but it isn't the end of the world.

@Vlady It could very well be that it is because mine has done more then twice your mileage that makes the difference.

Simon, I do think I am going to need to modify my driving style a bit to get the most out of it.  I too would expect good mpg plodding along at 50mph

[olliesgrandad]

Great looking car. I thoroughly enjoyed my GS 300h, but the RX450h is so much forgiving to my back. Personally I love the 1gear auto. 

Enjoy 😊

[Shahpor]

Thanks Les

What spec was yours? Mine is so adjustable that even after 2 weeks I am still tweaking it to my liking

[Vlady]

@Shahpor how is your driving seat lower part/bum part (not sure how you call it), the one you sit on? Is it totally flat under your bum?

My seat feels like it has a little roller there that is stacked to the front of the seat and softer closer to the back of the seat, sometimes I do think it is a defect!

It feels like somebody stood on it and broke it! I have sat in new F-sport GS and that seat was totally flat!

Cheers

[Shahpor]

Vlad, I am not exactly sure what you talking about, but as far as I remember the seat base is flat-ish.

I certainly haven't felt anything out of the ordinary, but I will check the next time I am in it.

On a similar note, is your backrest symmetric?  What I mean is, with the bolsters adjusted quite tight do you feel totally centred or is the seats pushing you one way or another?  The reason I ask is that I could swear I am 'falling' to the left constantly when I adjust my bolsters.

Thanks.

[Vlady]

1 minute ago, Shahpor said:

Vlad, I am not exactly sure what you talking about, but as far as I remember the seat base is flat-ish.

I certainly haven't felt anything out of the ordinary, but I will check the next time I am in it.

On a similar note, is your backrest symmetric?  What I mean is, with the bolsters adjusted quite tight do you feel totally centred or is the seats pushing you one way or another?  The reason I ask is that I could swear I am 'falling' to the left constantly when I adjust my bolsters.

Thanks.

Thanks for coming back!

Seat Base - there you go, didn't know how to call it! Yes, it feels like the seats has massage option (they don't) and instead of being flat the massager stopped somewhere at the front right under my thighs when is my bum seats a bit lower and softer.

Regards backrest, hmm, not noticed that but I will keep my eye on it next time I am driving it, especially I like my bolster support being on maximum!

[Shahpor]

Hi Vlad,

I had a run in the car today so had a look at the seat base.  It is flat but sloped backwards.  I certainly didn't feel any 'bumps' in it.

Do you have an extended warranty on yours?

[Vlady]

57 minutes ago, Shahpor said:

Hi Vlad,

I had a run in the car today so had a look at the seat base.  It is flat but sloped backwards.  I certainly didn't feel any 'bumps' in it.

Do you have an extended warranty on yours?

Yes, the car was sold with 1 year warranty. Why? I can claim it?

[Shahpor]

It depends on whether it is a defect or not.

I had the seat frame on my old IS220d replaced under warranty last year because the backrest was 'popping'.

Might be worth a try?

[Shahpor]

Well, a bit of an update for those of you that are interested.

The car actually had a few more issues then I mentioned previously, so it has been at Lexus Sidcup since last Wednesday.

First off, wheels; They have actually been quite reasonable about this so far.  They agreed that the last job wasn't very well done, but said their guy would only paint it over again.  So, they said they would pay for me to get the wheel refurbed myself.  Obviously there is the inconvenience of not having the car while the work is done, but I am more than happy to put up with this if is means a proper job gets done.

Anyway, the steering wheel was off centre and the car had a vibration on the motorway, so tracking and wheel balancing have solved those problems, or so I have been told.

Has anyone noticed an asymmetry to their drivers seat?  Mine felt like it was always pushing me left, but the dealer has had the seat out to check the rail and it all seems fine, so perhaps I am imagining it.  The seat back did make a loud cracking sound when it was moved sometimes, so they have re-packed the motor with grease, which should alleviate that problem.  Luckily it did it with the sales manager in the seat, so they agreed it wasn't right!

The steering wheel also made a sound that can only be described as a cats wail when it was turned at low speeds, which has been identified as the spiral cable in the steering column.  At first they said they weren't going to fix it, but I had a call today to say the part has been ordered and will be fitted as soon as the car is back from the body shop.

Which leads me to my biggest concern.  The car had some damage to its NS C pillar.  When I was there with the service manager and a few others, he said he would be able to mop the paint to remove most of them and didn't advise painting it since it would stand out unless the whole side was done.  I have now been told that mopping didn't work, so it has been painted, but only the C pillar.  They claim you can't tell it has been done and since it is a Lexus approved body shop, the shop wouldn't release the car unless they were happy with the finish.  I am no expert in these matters, so all I am going to do is give it a thorough inspection when I collect it.  Hopefully the sun will be out otherwise it might be tricky.

So, quite an update, but with any luck a good result when I get it back, which is currently scheduled for Wednesday.

Fingers crossed! 

[mikejt]

Maybe your wheels need a tyres off refurb, when they strip off all the old paint first. Surprised Lexus won't sort this for you.

Why was the C pillar damaged seems a bit unusual was it only the paint damaged?

[Shahpor]

They said that their wheel guy didn't have the facility to strip wheels back, only to paint them.

Yes, there were some unusual chips in the paint like someone had lent something sharp against it.  I know the previous owns had small children, so perhaps something happened whilst they were putting them in the car?  Either way, it looks like the damage was worse then they original thought.

[royoftherovers]

3 hours ago, Shahpor said:

Well, a bit of an update for those of you that are interested.

The car actually had a few more issues then I mentioned previously, so it has been at Lexus Sidcup since last Wednesday.

First off, wheels; They have actually been quite reasonable about this so far.  They agreed that the last job wasn't very well done, but said their guy would only paint it over again.  So, they said they would pay for me to get the wheel refurbed myself.  Obviously there is the inconvenience of not having the car while the work is done, but I am more than happy to put up with this if is means a proper job gets done.

Anyway, the steering wheel was off centre and the car had a vibration on the motorway, so tracking and wheel balancing have solved those problems, or so I have been told.

Has anyone noticed an asymmetry to their drivers seat?  Mine felt like it was always pushing me left, but the dealer has had the seat out to check the rail and it all seems fine, so perhaps I am imagining it.  The seat back did make a loud cracking sound when it was moved sometimes, so they have re-packed the motor with grease, which should alleviate that problem.  Luckily it did it with the sales manager in the seat, so they agreed it wasn't right!

The steering wheel also made a sound that can only be described as a cats wail when it was turned at low speeds, which has been identified as the spiral cable in the steering column.  At first they said they weren't going to fix it, but I had a call today to say the part has been ordered and will be fitted as soon as the car is back from the body shop.

Which leads me to my biggest concern.  The car had some damage to its NS C pillar.  When I was there with the service manager and a few others, he said he would be able to mop the paint to remove most of them and didn't advise painting it since it would stand out unless the whole side was done.  I have now been told that mopping didn't work, so it has been painted, but only the C pillar.  They claim you can't tell it has been done and since it is a Lexus approved body shop, the shop wouldn't release the car unless they were happy with the finish.  I am no expert in these matters, so all I am going to do is give it a thorough inspection when I collect it.  Hopefully the sun will be out otherwise it might be tricky.

So, quite an update, but with any luck a good result when I get it back, which is currently scheduled for Wednesday.

Fingers crossed! 

Sorry to read all of that Shahpour, but apart from all of that, how are you enjoying the car ?

[Shahpor]

Thanks John.

I am enjoying the car very much, and without wanting to tread on anyone's toes, I have a new RX450h as a loaner and it is making me miss my GS even more.

I can't wait to get it back.

[Shahpor]

Well, its been back a few days now and driving is great again

Not too bad so far; the vibration and squeak have gone, as has the off centre steering wheel.

Aidan, the after sales manager, also showed me pictures that proved the seats were both getting up to 25C, and the oil on the shock was mostly dirt.

Lastly, they appear to have done a good job on the bodywork repair as well:

 

The damage was on the C pillar above and a bit to the left of the fuel filler door.  Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of the damage before it went in.  I am not an expert by any means, but no matter how hard I look I can't tell it has been painted.

So, overall, I am a happy man.  Hopefully, with any luck, I will now be able to spend many hours driving it

[olliesgrandad]

On 10/10/2018 at 11:33 PM, Shahpor said:

Definitely isn't bad consider the size of the engine and the weight of the car.

The car has Michelin Primacy's on it at the moment I believe.  I will have to check the exact variant next time I go out.

I am not sure if it is the tyres but there seems to be quite a bit of road noise, so perhaps if anyone has any experience with the Michelins they can let me know if they have noticed the same thing.

I put Michelin Primacy 4s on my GS 300h and they were amazingly quiet compared to the OE Dunlops. Much gripper too. 

[mrdoofa]

Very interesting thread, glad you seem to have sorted out the issues with your car and now you can hopefully look forward to many happy hours motoring.

I had a mk3 GS450h which developed some problems I simply couldn’t afford to put right so I ended up cutting my losses and flogging it.

I’m now having to slum it (some might say) in a mk3 Ford Mondeo 2.5 Ghia X. The reason I say some might say is because I’ve been so pleasantly surprised by this car after the Lexus. I find the seats much more comfortable and supportive than the ones in my GS, especially as I suffer with a bad back and sciatica, there was quite a few creaks and rattles in the Lexus, the mondeo has none!!! It has more leg and especially headroom and yes it still has a sunroof. Being Ghia X spec it still has all the toys and heated leather seats which work brilliantly. The mondeo has a nicer ride than the GS but still handles well. It isn’t as quick as the Lexus but it’s still no slouch and the 2.5 V6 engine makes a lovely sound. Perhaps one of my favourite features which is the icing on the cake on frosty mornings is the heated windscreen!!! It cost me £1500 and I’m quite smitten with it!!! The only issue I’ve had was the radio didn’t work very well but I found a replacement on eBay for £30, fitted it myself in 5 minutes and it’s fine now.

I still like Lexus but I’ve had 6 of them, the only one that didn’t have any real problems was the LS430 I bought off Phil on here. I’m just now beginning to ask if they really are all they are cracked up to be and worthy of the reputation they have?

I’m sorry if I’ve put a downer on this thread and I really hope you enjoy your new car, it looks great by the way!!! If you look back at my previous threads and posts you’ll see I’ve had more than my fair share of problems with Lexus, maybe it’s just me that’s unlucky!!! I’ve decided it’s time to give other makes a chance...

Here are a few pics of the mondeo if anybody is interested lol!!!

 

[Normski]

Like it. A lot. Lovely car Martin. Always had a soft spot for them since my Mum had the MK1 many moons ago. The V6 in particular is a gem. Not blistering quick but instead a relaxed drive. Seriously tempted with one when I change my car - which I have still YET to sort out 😐

[Shahpor]

Latest update - Wheels done, now just waiting for Lexus Sidcup to pay for it!

Really good job, and the guy obviously takes pride in his work:

I need to get some better pictures, but these were the only quick snaps I could get outside the garage while the sun was still up.

One slight issue was that one of the Tyre Pressure sensors wouldn't come out, so a new one had to be fitted.  Genuine part for £75 wasn't bad, but of course, I now need to get it programmed.  I tried TechStream but I keep getting this error:

 

So it looks like a trip to a dealer might be in order, which will no doubt be ridiculously expensive for the amount of work done.

Other than that, all is well and I am thoroughly enjoying my time in it. 

 

[Shahpor]

Last update for now.

Got my new tyre sensor programmed at Lexus Reading today, so all is good for now.

Lexus Sidcup really came through with not only payment for the alloy refurb but the sensor and programming too!

Almost 3000 miles into my ownership now and still loving it every time I take it out  

[st4]

On 10/29/2018 at 12:02 PM, Shahpor said:

Well, a bit of an update for those of you that are interested.

The car actually had a few more issues then I mentioned previously, so it has been at Lexus Sidcup since last Wednesday.

First off, wheels; They have actually been quite reasonable about this so far.  They agreed that the last job wasn't very well done, but said their guy would only paint it over again.  So, they said they would pay for me to get the wheel refurbed myself.  Obviously there is the inconvenience of not having the car while the work is done, but I am more than happy to put up with this if is means a proper job gets done.

Anyway, the steering wheel was off centre and the car had a vibration on the motorway, so tracking and wheel balancing have solved those problems, or so I have been told.

Has anyone noticed an asymmetry to their drivers seat?  Mine felt like it was always pushing me left, but the dealer has had the seat out to check the rail and it all seems fine, so perhaps I am imagining it.  The seat back did make a loud cracking sound when it was moved sometimes, so they have re-packed the motor with grease, which should alleviate that problem.  Luckily it did it with the sales manager in the seat, so they agreed it wasn't right!

The steering wheel also made a sound that can only be described as a cats wail when it was turned at low speeds, which has been identified as the spiral cable in the steering column.  At first they said they weren't going to fix it, but I had a call today to say the part has been ordered and will be fitted as soon as the car is back from the body shop.

Which leads me to my biggest concern.  The car had some damage to its NS C pillar.  When I was there with the service manager and a few others, he said he would be able to mop the paint to remove most of them and didn't advise painting it since it would stand out unless the whole side was done.  I have now been told that mopping didn't work, so it has been painted, but only the C pillar.  They claim you can't tell it has been done and since it is a Lexus approved body shop, the shop wouldn't release the car unless they were happy with the finish.  I am no expert in these matters, so all I am going to do is give it a thorough inspection when I collect it.  Hopefully the sun will be out otherwise it might be tricky.

So, quite an update, but with any luck a good result when I get it back, which is currently scheduled for Wednesday.

Fingers crossed! 

Mine had that problem and it is well known - the replacement spiral cable/clock spring assembly totally fixes it. 

[Shahpor]

Yep, the noise has disappeared since they replaced the cable.

First potential design flaw on the 4th gen GS?  Or are there others?

[st4]

On 12/14/2018 at 5:41 PM, Shahpor said:

Yep, the noise has disappeared since they replaced the cable.

First potential design flaw on the 4th gen GS?  Or are there others?

Hopefully not but it is well documented on the US forums. Out of so many cars on this forum: I've had one done and now you have. I suspect it is something that will fail. 

So far I've had no other issues with my car but it's only a 2013 with 45k miles on it. 

[superatticman]

On 12/14/2018 at 5:41 PM, Shahpor said:

Yep, the noise has disappeared since they replaced the cable.

First potential design flaw on the 4th gen GS?  Or are there others?

Hi Shahpor

How did you find Lexus Sidcup overall??

There's a low mileage GS250 there I'm planning on taking a look at. Am just across London but its one of those pig of a journeys which I've deferred a few times. Maybe a bit over priced for a 2012 but I'll haggle. 

cheers