2 Things I never use on the UX

[GMB]

First thing I do is turn off the stop/start.

[NemesisUK]

2 hours ago, GMB said:

First thing I do is turn off the stop/start.

Which models have Stop/Start?

[GMB]

Sorry for the confusion. I am talking about the IS200t. The IsF is too old to have it thank goodness. I suppose these electric UX NX thingy's don't have it because they are just off when they stop anyway.

Scotty Kilmer recommends turning it off as well. It's a pain in the butt ( not Scotty - the stop/start I mean ).

[NemesisUK]

I'd agree on 'normal' petrol/diesel engines Stop/Start is nothing but irritating

[Lmafudd]

53 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

I'd agree on 'normal' petrol/diesel engines Stop/Start is nothing but irritating

Worked brilliantly in my Volvo V40. Averaged 70+ to the gallon constantly and as I worked near London I was in traffic queues forever!

[Don C]

They should remove the ability to disable stop start.  It won’t pass type approval without it so why allow it to be disabled.  It doesn’t effect the operation one iota so what is the advantage of turning it off?

[ALAW]

8 hours ago, Bezzer said:

 

First thing I do is turn off Lane Trace Assist each time I set off, don't use the EV button either.

Aye same here i never use that lane thing

[ALAW]

8 hours ago, Lmafudd said:

What about the CD player. It's so well hidden that it's hardly there at all!

Ive never used the CD. Mmmmm wonder if it works

[ALAW]

8 hours ago, Gary H said:

When I had my UX, I basically used the ASC once, wondering what it was. Figuring out what the 'Yamaha motorbike-like' sound was, laughing at it and turning it back off again. I think other than once showing it to family for a laugh, I never used it again in the three and a half years I had the car. 

I never really understood the point of the EV button. I tried my best to figure out how to use it, but it always ended in one of two ways: 1) It would just double-beep at me and said it couldn't work. 2) It worked, but the moment I put so much as a centimetre of pressure on the throttle, it double-beeped at me and deactivated. So basically, it worked for a matter of seconds. As a result, I'd pretty much given up with it after the first six months or so and never went back to pressing it again. It was basically a button that just activated bleeping sounds of disapproval. 😕

Indeed - the flappy paddles. I think it was approaching it's first MOT before I plucked up the courage to play with them. I done it once, didn't really like it and didn't use them again! 😬

Finally...and this is on any car I've owned where it's been fitted - Sat Nav. 

Ha Ha yeah i always use google maps

[LenT]

15 hours ago, GMB said:

. It's a pain in the butt ( not Scotty - the stop/start I mean ).

Oh, I don’t know?  Let’s not be too hasty….🤔

[Navnan2]

11 hours ago, ALAW said:

Ive never used the CD. Mmmmm wonder if it works

What CD? Grrrrrrr 😄

[GMB]

1 hour ago, Navnan2 said:

What CD

What's a CD?😇.

Don't answer - only kidding. I still prefer the quality on a CD/DVD to downloaded stuff even when it is not ( allegedly ) compressed. I gave away all my old LPs - shoulda kept 'em. It may be the same with CDs soon.

[Spacewagon52]

15 hours ago, NemesisUK said:

I'd agree on 'normal' petrol/diesel engines Stop/Start is nothing but irritating

My initial thoughts about Stop/Start was that the starter motor must take quite a hammering!

Am I correct?

[Spacewagon52]

On 12/11/2023 at 5:51 PM, LenT said:

Something I strenuously avoid these days for the reasons you state.  And the finest argument for an auto I can think of.  In fact, does Lexus even sell a manual any more?

I too would not like to go back to a manual gearbox. A few years ago I would never have considered an automatic, considering it took the fun out of driving. Now in my more mature years I have completely changed my opinion. The motoring world has changed and driving is not as relaxing, especially in built-up areas. 

The hybrid system on Lexus cars is incredibly clever - it never fails to amaze me. 

Battery to Wheels  /  Engine to Wheels  / Engine to Battery  / Wheels to Battery

Battery and Engine to Wheels!  Just so clever. 

I would have considered it almost impossible, back in the 1970's, to get 45 mpg out of a 2.5 litre engine!

[GMB]

25 minutes ago, Spacewagon52 said:

My initial thoughts about Stop/Start was that the starter motor must take quite a hammering!

Am I correct

I think it must be bad for the starter motor too. But it's just plain annoying. In a traffic queue when it stops and starts 10 times. 

The number of times it has restarted unexpectedly when you want to park is also an issue. Not just the Lexus but a Volvo and a Nissan too. If I could turn it off permanently I would. 

RAC says: Research from the American Automobile Association found that stop-start technology resulted in a 5% to 7% improvement in fuel economy². 

Not worth it.

[Don C]

1 hour ago, Spacewagon52 said:

My initial thoughts about Stop/Start was that the starter motor must take quite a hammering!

Am I correct?

No.  Models that have a starter are fitted with a high cycle starter motor and a matching Battery.  Hybrid models don’t have a starter at all.  They use MG1 (motor generator) to start the engine.  If a car stops a hundred times in a line of traffic it does no harm to shut it down a hundred times.  If you couldn’t hear it you wouldn’t know it had done it.  

[Spacewagon52]

26 minutes ago, Don C said:

No.  Models that have a starter are fitted with a high cycle starter motor and a matching battery.  Hybrid models don’t have a starter at all.  They use MG1 (motor generator) to start the engine.  If a car stops a hundred times in a line of traffic it does no harm to shut it down a hundred times.  If you couldn’t hear it you wouldn’t know it had done it.  

Basically an upgraded starter motor. I understand hybrids do not have a starter motor.

[Navnan2]

19 hours ago, GMB said:

What's a CD?😇.

Don't answer - only kidding. I still prefer the quality on a CD/DVD to downloaded stuff even when it is not ( allegedly ) compressed. I gave away all my old LPs - shoulda kept 'em. It may be the same with CDs soon.

Hi Gray I know what you mean. I miss having the option to play CDs in my current UX, the first one I had had this feature. Before anyone says how you can transfer them on to other media I'm a lazy bu**er! 😁

[Gary H]

On 12/12/2023 at 3:54 PM, Lmafudd said:

What about the CD player. It's so well hidden that it's hardly there at all!

I'd forgotten about that - an excellent example there! I never did use the CD player when I had the UX. 

On 12/13/2023 at 1:46 PM, Spacewagon52 said:

I too would not like to go back to a manual gearbox. A few years ago I would never have considered an automatic, considering it took the fun out of driving. Now in my more mature years I have completely changed my opinion. The motoring world has changed and driving is not as relaxing, especially in built-up areas. 

The hybrid system on Lexus cars is incredibly clever - it never fails to amaze me. 

Battery to Wheels  /  Engine to Wheels  / Engine to Battery  / Wheels to Battery

Battery and Engine to Wheels!  Just so clever. 

Very much agreed. Go back to the mid 00's and I genuinely baulked at the idea of owning an automatic. However, automatics really have hugely improved over the last few decades where now many are not only quicker than their manual equivalent (if applicable), but also at least as economical too. Today, I'd only personally consider an automatic although I do believe those learning today should still take their tests in a manual car to cover all basis. 

There has been the odd occasion in recent years I've had to jump back into a manual. On two of those occasions it's been in vans. It's actually been refreshing and nice to get back to manual gearbox driving. I've enjoyed those occasions but it's still nice to get back into the convenience of an automatic. Especially in rush hour traffic. 

I do like the self-charging hybrid system that Lexus (and indeed Toyota, of course) have. Even more than three years on, I do enjoy the near-seamless transition and the ability to 'feather the throttle' to jump it into hybrid/battery mode.