Importing Ls600Hl From The Uk

[sota]

So I am trying to do the reverse of jonthetourist and restore balance and equilibrium to the Lexus universe! I live in Ireland and drive a '06 GS450h, and I'm looking for a '09 / '10 LS600h L to import as they are as scarce as hen's teeth over here.

It's going to be expensive, as I expect import duty (VRT) to be about €10,000 and the euro is not doing very well against Sterling at the moment, so I'm looking for the answers to a couple of questions to avoid expensive mistakes on my part:

1. We use kilometers for distance here, and the UK car will have MPH on the speedo - is it also marked in KM/H?

2. I doubt that the speedo can be changed to KM/H without considerable cost, but does the sat nav, odometer and cruise control allow the option using kilometers?

3. Did all LWB models come with the reclining rear seats and rear DVD player options as standard? I think this was called the Presidential Pack.

4. Was the sun roof standard? Basically, I want a fully loaded model, so I don't want to take delivery of a car and find that something I assumed was standard, is not included.

5. Is there anything else I should be aware of regarding common problems on this model, or differences on the UK version of the car. For example, i still have some random creaks and squeaks from the dash on my GS450h despite the dealers best efforts.

Thanks!

Pat

[Chris Skelton]

'avoid expensive mistakes'?

Seems to me owning a car in Ireland is just such a mistake?

£10K import tax?

You could get a whole other car!

[mick4545]

1. Yes.

2. Yes.

3. Yes\No. Some have a kind of writing table so only two rear seats. I think all the rear seats recline, Some have a massaging seat. DVD is an option.

4. Don't know. Mine has one.

[sota]

Mick, thanks for that which pretty much confirms what I thought. The writing table is part of the rear entertainment package that includes the reclining/massage rear seats, which takes up the centre rear seat.

Chris, the VRT is about €10k which is £7,200 in your currency. Then there is the €1,800 annual road tax on top of that! The VRT is applied to all cars in Ireland, but up until about 2008 you could get the VRT refunded for an "environmentally friendly" car like my GS450h! This saved me about €20,000 off the price when I bought it from new. As a result, there was only one model of 450h sold in Ireland up to 2008 which included every option available for the car except a sunroof.

[mick4545]

I didn't know you use kilometers. How long has that been the case/

[sota]

January 2005, so it's ten years now. Basicaly they spent a few months putting up new signs and then did a big unveil overnight if I remember correctly. I spent the first few months mentally converting distances back into miles, but I soon adjusted. Fuel consumption is a different matter, litres per hundred kilometers still means nothing to me!

[scythe]

Hiya, this is from 4 Jan 2009 - is this about the right sort of age that you're looking at? Be careful about the Irish Presidential version, it's specification wasn't quite the same, from memory, as any of the UK ones.

: o )

(By the way, I love Co.Galway. It's my favourite!)

LS600 BROCHURE.pdf

[sota]

Thanks scythe, that's exactly what I'm looking for. I believe there were only 2 or 3 Presedential model cars sold in Ireland. I just missed one about a year ago, which was snapped up by someone with quicker reflexes than me. I had it for a test drive, and the specification seems the same. Because the VRT rebate on hybrid cars in Ireland included factory-fitted options (see above), Lexus hybrid models came fully loaded.

Glad you like Galway, I live in Salthill right on the coast but just outside the city. Beautiful when the sun is shining, which usually happens on on the first Sunday in June each year!

[scythe]

Yep, June!

Just tried to upload a photo, but it's too hard.

: o (

[scythe]

For what it's worth!

[sota]

Very nice! I used to go hill walking up those peaks in the background. Fantastic view of Galway bay from up there.