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I had to drive for 35 miles with the b.... thing beeping at me everytime i went over 20. Don't ask me how I did it but i managed to set the speed limit alert at 20 when i was fiddling around trying to change the disc that was playing on the USB. I know my other half always tells me to read the instructions, but where's the fun in that? I thought women were supposed to like a man with a sense of danger! :D :D :D

In my experience all dealerships tend to offer poor value for money regardless of car brand. That's why we hunt around for a good independent garage. For example, I remember once at a local Honda dealers paying £28 for some ATF. The next time I re-ordered the same (not too long after), it had gone up to £42! Their lame excuse was that "the price of oil has gone up". Yes,it had gone up some, but nowhere near as much as to make that price difference. I think the words 'rip-off' describes this scenario pretty well actually.

Nice post, power is more accessible in manual as you can keep the car in lower gears if you want for a more instant response. Stu

GS450h produces instant torque at relatively low speeds from the batteries so long it has full charge i believe it can discharge it at relatively any speed. i guess thats why you can plant your foot at lower speeds and the GS takes off having a CVT transmision might also contribute to this since there are no flat spots like a normal transmission might have when gears are changed. .. with the IS-F not having batteries to give it that instant shove when you plant your foot at lower rpm might give the sensation of being sluggish at lower rpm but based on performance figures of both cars the IS-F might not be as sluggish as you might think. for starters it generates more torrque than the 450h battery and engine. and most VVT-i engines are capable of generating 80-90% of their overall torque from around 1500rpm lets just say the enigine makes 80% of its overall torque at 1500rpm thats still 400NM of torque which is still higher than what the GS450h's battery discharges on its own at lower speeds. if 90% OF 500NM of the tourque comes in at when the secondary valves open to allow more air which i believe is 3600rpm thats makes it 450NM being generated by the engine. so long as the right gear has been selected at lower speeds/rpm in M mode, the IS-F will out accelerate the GS450h in pretty much any situation..you might not feel it as much but you are accelerating pretty quickly.. if it does 0-60mph in around the 4.6 sec mark then the torque is there at lower rpm.. :)

Colin Yes it is interesting and simply put they are admitting the ls430 has inherent faults which we all know about .The fact they won't cover them shows they have decided some of the components are badly made products and cannot be trusted. As for the reference to business use and chauffer driven they are red herrings, the LS range prior to the ls430 was more of a buisness car than the present range as the brand image spreads. My car and a few more besides were privately owned with low mileage and have passed the test of time ,on high milers it is consumables that need replacing not fabrication components. It is a fact of life that we don't get it right every time and the ls430 is an example of that. I posted a long analysis sometime ago on why I opted for the ls400 mark4 when replacing my Mark1 and my decision was wholly based on longevity and relability as I intended the replacement was to see me out. After two years of the mark4 ownership so far that decision as proved the right one.

I do take your point and there are probably jobs on my Lexus that I will choose to entrust to a Lexus dealer. I still consider their rates to be poor value for money. Interestingly, I got an identical quote from a Toyota dealer. All that being said, they lost this job and no doubt many more due to what I view as extortionate charges. I imagine the majority of their customers are business users who are less concerned with cost. The one point you are not taking on board and the main point I was making, and which is mentioned in your last sentence was that I got quality and paid much less for it. I feel like a mug for taking it to the main dealer for the previous work, almost £200 to change a gearbox sump gasket. Two technicians training at Porsche Leeds and Porsche Sheffield this time around. I can do without the fancy front of house and coffee.

I will acknowledge that main dealers will have higher overheads in some areas, although premises expenses will be offset a little by sharing premises with the sales showrooms etc. Small operators still need the same tools and up to date diagnostic equipment, lifting equipment which needs statutory testing, employers and public liability insurance, rent, rates, NI contributions etc. etc. Many of the costs involved will be on a par. Small operators will also have to spend far more on marketing and advertising because they are not provided with a steady stream of customers from the sales side, as are main dealers, in effect a captive audience. They will not have an income stream from warranty claims, which the main dealer will also have. I estimate that a main dealer will earn well in excess of £230,000 per annum from each mechanic, if they are almost fully occupied. They will also have a healthy mark up on all parts they use, as they charge full retail price. I don't know about negotiating a price, I don't feel comfortable haggling as if in a Moroccan marketplace. The last time tried it, earlier this year, I was told I already had a discount rate of £90 per hour because it is an older car. I did not use the word rip off, as you say, but I did use the word extortionate and would stand by that word, to be honest. I would be interested in the actual profit generated by my local dealer. I understand that I drive a luxury car but it is about getting reasonable value for money

Mine has done this since I got it, It used to annoy me but I'm over it now, it only does it when its cold and as I always say, if it aint broke (properly broke I mean) dont fix it. :)