GS300H

[petergordon4]

Had my IS250 for 10 years almost and just looked at a GS300H, just wondering has anyone got anything I should look at/ask the dealer about?

 

[Notamech]

Full service history ideally full dealership history. If it was serviced at lexus and is less than 10 years old under 100000 miles then it will have the lexus relax warranty. 

Also ensure that even if it was not serviced by lexus that it at least has a hybrid healtcheck certificate from lexus. Lexus warranty the hybrid Battery for 15 years but you need to have a hybrid health check every year. 

Generally the cars are very reliable no major known issues. Older 2013 14 models may have leaky struts. Also leaky water pumps. Look for pink crust around the waterpump. Also check for excessive rust.

[petergordon4]

looked at one from a Lexus dealer and its not 10 years old yet.

did find it not changing gear a bit different 

[Notamech]

10 minutes ago, petergordon4 said:

looked at one from a Lexus dealer and its not 10 years old yet.

did find it not changing gear a bit different 

Then you should have 1 year lexus warranty + one additional year every time you service it at lexus until it is 10 years old or 100000 miles. Even after that you can buy warranty if you want to at an extra cost.

These cars do not have a traditional automatic gearbox. What it has is a hybrid transaxle or powersplit device or e-cvt. No clutch or torque converter. Essentially its just 2 electric motors and a planetary gear set mated to the engine. So there are no gears to shift. This system is designed for efficiency as opposed to performance and power delivery is linear. It suits the GS very well as it is more of a relaxed luxury cruiser as opposed to a sports saloon like the IS or 3 series. Also the simplicity of this design makes it super reliable.

I had an is300h before the GS and while that was great and was very sporty. I find the GS is something more up my alley its very smooth and has a softer ride and everything is more luxurious feeling. If you want sporty perhaps try the is300h and see if you prefer that but it still wont "shift" and will have a similar linear power delivery but is a bit faster than the GS.

[petergordon4]

I was more looking for an IS300H not a GS , but thought as both have same engine and hybrid they would drive the same (almost).

Found the GS near me that I liked, most IS I have seen have been the sport trim that I'm not that interested in   

[Notamech]

1 hour ago, petergordon4 said:

I was more looking for an IS300H not a GS , but thought as both have same engine and hybrid they would drive the same (almost).

Found the GS near me that I liked, most IS I have seen have been the sport trim that I'm not that interested in   

They do drive quite similar but the IS did feel a bit quicker to me also the IS was more compact, agile and had a sportier drive overall e.g i could throw it around a bend and it was very predictable and confidence inspiring also on roundabouts it was quick and this is in normal mode. In sports mode it was even quicker.

I have a GS premier with adaptive suspension and in normal mode it rides soft you dont feel like throwing it around bends also im a bit more cautious at roundabouts as it feels big and a bit slower than the IS. In sports mode though it does feel very similar to the IS with regards to handling. The main issue i had with the IS was that i found it to be a bit low on cabin space which is a bit of an issue if you ferry around your family. The GS is a bit more spacious not as good as a german equivalent but acceptable to me. Where the GS wins for me is it feels like a luxury car the overall interior experience is far more luxurious than the IS. And the best part is it is still the same reliable drive train that i grew familiar with when owning the IS.

Ofcourse all of the above is just my opinion and experience. I recommend test driving both before deciding which one is for you. Either way it should provide many years of trouble free motoring with only regular maintenance.