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The bodywork on my LS400 had a few knocks and i think it must have had a botched respray at some point on the near side. It's been bugging me for the last couple of years so I've just had a bare metal respray on both sides. It looks so good now, except the paintwork on the bonnet, roof and boot looks a bit lifeless in comparison! Here are a couple of photos my son took today

Gave the old girl a bath on Friday as she was rotten and I've not spent any real time cleaning the car due to the work I'm doing on the house. Cleaned wheels and topped up sealant. Snow foamed Washed Dried and topped up sealant. All glass polished with front and rear exterior glass given a coat of soft 99 window sealant. Hoovered interior and wiped plastics with ODK cabin which smells lovely. Tyres dressed. Not bad for a twelve year old car. Driven to Norfolk and back so the front end looks like a fly cemetery now so will need another clean this week. Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Lots of compliments, seems many Merc owners also run a Lexus as their daily driver. Everyone commented on the absolute reliability of the marque. Very telling and often mentioned, not a single MB hybrid to be seen at the show. It was a great day with close to 100 cars attending, all shining in the sunshine. They raised a lot of money for charity. A rose between two thorns?

James (fetchez la vache) dropped a bombshell in his write-up by stating that the upholstery is synthetic. He was gracious enough to follow this with an apology in case he has spoiled my intended purchase. I have not been idle since learning of this. I have had an ES F-sport Takumi Pack on order since February for July delivery. The options have been carefully considered and where necessary discussed further with the supplying dealership. The upholstery has not been discussed as I was in no doubt from Lexus' on-line brochure (there isn't a printed one) that leather is standard on the F-Sport - Pages 40 & 53 confirm this. I took this up with Lexus Customer Service. They referred this and came back within a couple of days to confirm that the seats are synthetic and therefore the on-line brochure is wrong. I discussed with them the option of changing tor a base model with Premium Pack (as SH20) and Rich Cream leather - they told me that I would have to have a brown fascia whereas I would wish for black; in doing this I would have to forego the Takumi Pack as ordered which includes the larger satnav screen. As a general point, many people would prefer leather on a premium car, some might prefer synthetic, others may not be bothered and there may be ethical views. Staining on light leather could be a nightmare. Certainly on a car of this stature and price I would expect no less than quality leather. I raised this issue on the US owners' forum and was told that their ES comes with synthetic seats however an upgrade to perforated leather is available. First-Lexus makes an interesting point that he would prefer suede. My 1998 GS300 SE has leather which has stood the test of time in the 20 years I have owned it. The non-SE version came with Alcantara - a super Italian suede-like material which was tactile, hard-wearing and as expensive per-metre as leather. In any event if the car was delivered with plastic seats contrary to Lexus published spec I would hand it back so I am indebted to James for his observations. So what am I to do? I've considered this carefully and decided that I am going to cancel my order this coming week and buy a Mazda. It's not a hybrid but it comes with quality leather upholstery, all of the goodies including Apple CarPlay and a powered trunk. It will be delivered in 2 weeks and costs £10k less than the ES. I have three Lexus models in the driveway and this will be the first non-Lexus I will have bought in the last 15 years. This is the first negative post I have ever made regarding Lexus.

Did and oil, oil filter, air filter, and cabin filter change today. Ramps made it much easier but needed the ramp extensions. Also fitted some rubber strip to the door edges.

Just a quick warts and all assessment of the first 1000 miles in my ES. All typed into my phone so please excuse lack of proof reading! The car is an Fsport with Takumi pack. THE GOOD Quietness - a very quiet and insulated cabin. once you are at cruising speed, its impressively quiet. Engine - the new 300H unit is much improved over the old one in my IS. It is now capable of cutting to electric power at high speed (circa 80mph) and in Eco mode this will combine with the active glide control so that you are gliding along without the regenerative system slowing you down. Although the power rating is similar to the old unit, it does feel abit quicker. Efficiency - also improved, 50mpg is easy to achieve on a journey, that’s impressive for a big car. Handling - I’m really pleased I went for the Fsport with the adaptive suspension set-up. Although it’s not the most advaced set-up, it strikes a very good balance. In eco/ normal mode it has a nice comfortable ride, with a nice degree of ‘wallow’, the 19inch wheels detract from this a little but it’s still good. Sport and Sports+ just tightens it up enough to give it a sporty edge. You would never take it on a trackday, but it feels a nicely resolved set-up. Front wheel drive is really not an issue in handling terms. Audio - the ML setup is fantastic, I’m a self confessed hifi geek and feeding Lossless Tidal hifi into the ML system sounds incredible. I’m going to play about with master quality files to really stretch its legs. The quietness of the cabin also helps the audio playback. Quality - everything feels really well screwed together, if feels a high quality product. Size - it’s a big car at nearly 5metres Long and the interior space is huge. You can stretch the front seats right back and there will still be ample room in the back. But it doesn’t feel like a large car to drive, I think this is a combination of a relatively low curb weight (1750kg?) and good front visibility. Exclusivity - it’s a little thing, but the number of ES’s sold will be tiny in the UK. You feel like Toyota have spent billions of dollars developing a car just for you. I think the chances of seeing another car on the road this year are very small. It’s nice to drive something a little different. Details - lots of nice little touches. keyless entry working on the back door handles as well as front. it’s a small thing but when you are parked in a car park it means you don’t have to squeeze your way to the front handle. Front radar is hidden behind the Lexus logo,so no unslightly black plastic square in the grille. If you have the sun blind up and reverse the car, it automatically lowers. It has a G meter! The Takumi pack includes a credit car key, pop it in you wallet and you don’t need your keys. Heads up display is massive and contains all sort of information such as audio track name, it will also just flash up with a massive red ‘BRAKE’ sign if it thinks you are going to hit the car in front....the front internal lights are touch sensitive. the auto function for the heated wheel and seats works really well. Adaptive led headlights are fantastic, they also include cornering lights. When you turn them on they go through some sort of lighting sequence, Again abit bling but nice. The front indicators are sequential led, again abit bling (but nice). If you get too close to the car in front in slowing traffic, you can temporarily mute the parking sensor with the ok button on the steering wheel. THE BAD Seats - although very supportive and look good, they are synthetic in the FSport. They really should be leather. The leather trim on the dash, wheel and gear selector is good quality but it’s a big omission for the rest of the cabin to be synthetic but I did know about this beforehand. No vented option on seats, this was great in my IS. Front wheel drive - it’s a very good set up but with the UK roads, when you hit a bad pothole it will loose traction and the TC will light . A really bad surface will leave the front trying to find grip and you will get a sideways movement on the front end. It’s a typical FWD trait, RWD is a more composed setup for poor road surfaces. Cabin - there are a few cheaper plastics on the bottom of the door trims, it’s a typical Toyota setup which is fine. However, the areas around the base of the centre console should be better quality materials. Exterior chrome. The chrome detailing to the front and back is smoked on the FSport. The sides of the car has unsmoked chrome. It’s a little thing, but that is just odd!! Rear privacy glass. It’s too dark, it’s basically black. Boot - Width and depth is good but the sloping rear profile robs it of height, it’s adequate size but not brilliant. infotainment - the 12inch screen is great, no problem using the trackpad, it actually works very well. The system feels under-utilised. There is an App Store but no apps? No CarPlay, only miracast? No idea what this is but not supported by Apple. 80% of it is good, it just feels like the last 20% is unfinished. cooling fan - the battery pack under the back seats has a cooling port at low level on the drivers side. I’m not sure if it’s on at all times but I parked up the other day and you can actually hear the fan working behind you. My impression of the first 1000 miles. In general, I’m a very happy customer.

Just seen this on eBay, over 200bhp over more https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F173895057485

If its an Executive then its the 6 speaker. I came out of a CT200h with the premium system and I was a little surprised how lacking the IS system is

I've got all next week spare so I'm going to try it at 33 and 36 just to see if I can feel the difference.

1d a shot.

I too washed the car today, nothing fancy as Lee above, just a snow foam and 2 bucket was after that. Also wiped interior and applied leather softener to the seats, I applied GTechniq 1 C2 last time I washed the car so it's still fine, never even had time to dress the tyres as my wife asked my to wash her car! Anyway, couple pictures below.

Will second that and same here in ultrasonic blue 👍😊

Ive always been a huge fan of that colour combo - bet it stole the show!

Yeah we've derailed this thread somewhat. I agree 200+ miles should not be a problem - if I were to go for a 3, it would the range extended version, but only because the long journey I do is around 210 miles (Watford to Southport) but with charging problems at the other end so would need to be able to get part back.

Apologies - could have sworn I read it on a legitimate news/motoring site or Pistonheads chat (from people who had ordered) but can find nothing (including wading through over 20 pages of Tesla lovers going to love, haters going to hate, and how can you get range anxiety with a proven 200+ mile range ...). If you're picking it up from their main place/garage/service centre in West Drayton/Yiewsley - wave at me on your way back if you're heading to the M4 as I work at Stockley Park, near by.

I am rather surprised at the figures quoted here. The placard on my door pillar gives 33psi all round except with five passengers plus luggage in which case the rears to be 39psi. This for speeds below 210 kph. Do any of us exceed that speed? Mine is a facelift 2004.

Yes, it did have lightning. I certainly noticed an increase in speed... downhill. And its beige colour added an additional finesse.

Firstly are all doors/bonnet/boot & fuel flap fully closed? Then the next no cost option I would perform would be an ECU reset ( dis-connect battery negative ( - ) terminal for approx 10 mins) Electric Windows will (may) need re syncing after, as per owners manual. paul m.

Hi, been reading something a little disturbing on the internet about tyre wear in relation to 'automatically-engaged 4WD systems' - specifically, the need to ensure similar tread depth front to rear in order to avoid breaking the 4WD system. The item referred specially to the Kia Sportage - does anyone know if this advice also applies to my recently-acquired RX450h?

I was talking to an acquaintance on Friday whose boss has a 3 years old Porsche Macan. That is on its third transfer box and a fourth is looming.....about to get rid of it before warranty expires.

As a matter of fact I do . . . . and a long memory!

Thanks! I'm thinking of getting the rest done, but will need to source a windscreen trim as the original looks damaged and the screen needs to come out for corrosion on the roof to be treated

It took me 18 Months to suss that one

What is disappointing is the brochure you have, that was released before the final spec of the ES in the UK was known, is still the current one, even though there are errors in it. Whilst there is a big disclaimer at the end stating that there may be errors and that the spec listed doesn't constitute a sales offer, it really should be withdrawn until a replacement has been published. We are seeing a lot more manufacturers going with synthetic leather, not just for cost savings but for ethical reasons where owners want an alternative and Telsa have gone to the extreme of not offering any real leather options in their vehicles. But what is odd is that the new Toyota Camry comes with leather as standard on both trim grades, on a vehicle that costs quite a bit less than the ES.

Wow, these Denso hybrid wipers are so quiet vs the cheap brand my car came with. No more flip flop, flip flop...just quiet [emoji106] I thoroughly cleaned the glass too, no doubt that helped.

On the LS the badge is secured by two screws and I imagine yours may be the same. However, as with most things Lexus, there's some dismantling to be done before you can access the screws, nothing major though.

A lot depends on whether the problem is mechanical or electrical. There is a known problem of the rubber boot over the unlatch switch cracking and the switch failing due to water ingress. So the first step is to investigate the rubber boot, press the button and see if the latch motor whirrs. If it doesn't whirr, the issue is most probably electrical. Possibly the switch has failed, but it will need investigation. Checking the motor gets voltage when the unlatch button is pressed is the first step, then work from what you find. If the motor whirrs and attempts to unlatch, then the problem is most probably mechanical, or there isn't enough power in the battery. Possibly the linkages have seized stalling the motor, or the battery can't deliver enough power to the motor , or the linkages have become disconnected. I did have this happen to me once and it turned out to be a discharged 12v battery. The battery didn't have enough power to drive the latch motor to unlatch the tailgate. But then it also didn't have enough oomph to turn the engine over either.

Just to confirm, did it have the lightening flash on it? It's only that type that made them go faster!

Thanks so much for the reply John, I think I’ll start looking for some now. I’ve seen plenty of posts suggesting the SE L but the SE L vs F sport which is better? Or is it more personal preference?

Long post warning - but still featuring GSF content!! I’ve been a petrolhead for a long time - ever since my first Matchbox car I guess. Later, as a young teenager, my posters of semi-naked ladies were forced to share space with car pictures; I remember staring at both a lot. Another thing I remember, just next to my poster of Lindsey Dawn McKenzie (remember her??!) was an older picture of a Dodge Viper, a gen 1 car, in red - I’d had this poster since I was 8 years old. The Viper lacked some of the more refined design cues that Ferrari and Lamborghini boasted, but she seemed to have an evocative, outrageous and curvaceous style all of her own. There was nothing else quite like her - I was smitten! The car was nice too. (please excuse the grin... 😂) A couple of decades later, and after a track day driving one, I thought “why not?"; so here’s my new toy, a 3rd gen imported Viper that lived in Florida until very recently. The gen 3 is considerably more refined than the early cars and the original 8 litre V10 now displaces 8.3 litres, which is 14.6 pints. There ain’t no replacement for displacement so they say... Many people will remind you that it’s a truck engine, which is and isn’t technically correct. Originally, Dodge mooted using a big-block V8, but needed more power. The engine was duly handed to Lamborghini, who added two more cylinders and recast the block in aluminium, resulting in an engine both more powerful and lighter than the original V8. Its a relatively simple and old-school giant, 20v, pushrod and with no fancy turbos, cylinder deactivation - nothing. I’ve only done a few hundred miles in it so far, but here are my initial impressions; Firstly, just look at it - the Viper’s doing 150mph just standing still! The enormous bonnet, huge vents/slashes in the bodywork (all of which are functional, to expel heat - we’ll talk about this later) and massive fat tyres - 345/30R19s at the rear, 275/30R18s at the front all edge toward the superlative! The folding roof is manual, can be completed in about 10 seconds but unfortunately does involve opening and shutting the boot. Getting in, the driving position is a little unusual, aside from being a left-hooker, the pedals are offset slightly to the left. When cruising the below-waist configuration could best be described as ‘manspreading’. The driver is cocooned in a very comfortable seat between wide sills, which house the side exhausts, and the immense gearbox in the middle. The steering wheel isn't adjustable, but the pedals can be moved closer or further from the driver to fit. Visibility is a leap forward from the gen 1 cars (where, being 6’2” I couldn’t decide whether to look out of the extreme top of the windscreen or stretch and drive over the top of it!) The engine utterly dominates the car as you would expect. Physically, it’s massive, and from the moment the red start button is prodded, a huge bassy rumble of thunder splits the air, quickly settling into a surprisingly low 600rpm idle. The gearbox is probably the most truck-like of the drivetrain components - it’s heavy, a little vague and fairly slow, although it does deal with 505bhp but more specifically 525lbft (712Nm) of torque with ease. The gearbox almost isn’t required, however. Shifting into first and pulling away, I’d be surprised if you could ever stall it. Gentle driving activates the skip-shift mechanism, which will guide you straight from 1st to 4th if you change before 15mph for ‘economy’. A $30 plug in device can disable this, but I’m undecided for the moment. Torque is everywhere and in the lower gears at least, the Viper appears to have little inertia; you decide how many revs you want to do, and the car’s speed immediately comes up to match. On a motorway, the Viper is sprung fairly softly, the tyres aren’t ultra-low profile and the ride is at least as comfortable as my GSF; which surprised me. There is some tramlining, but it’s easy to drive around that. The cabin is typically American (plasticky), although reasonably refined with little wind intrusion with the roof down. In the ultra-long 6th gear, revs are barely above 1000rpm at 70mph. A country road blast really wakes the Viper up, although it’s a wide car and needs room to play. Above 3000rpm, the brute force of that mighty V10 pins heads firmly to headrests, like a modern day Cobra. It’s not traditionally sonorous - sounding more like a V8 with extras, rather than the wail of other V10s. It handles like a go kart, has very quick steering and ample visibility to create a very enjoyable hoon! A blast in it reveals the engine’s dominance in more than just noise and power however; the heat haze is plainly visible from the 10 slats in the bonnet, and the warmth from the transmission tunnel, and the sills (do not touch these when getting out!) works the air conditioning hard. It’s been my dream to own a Viper, and it was difficult to let my previous track toy, a Honda S2000 go. Let’s hope I did the right thing! I aim to keep this thread updated for as long as anyone is interested, any questions, ask away. Hope you enjoyed the post, and I'll get some more picturesque images once it stops raining!)

Today in a garage someone made a visual inspection of the exhaust and said that everything is alright. No exhaust leaks. One more thing to check is MAF. It's a simple device I cleaned it already. I'm going to check it using multimeter but when driving the car I can't see any issues and I doubt it's a MAF (errors could appear if it's faulty). Also, I doubt two o2 sensors failed at the same time. I would avoid use o2 spacers because I prefer to find the real source of the problem but in this case, is the solution. Maybe there is an issue in the intake manifold. Forgot to add that I had an emission check and it was alright.

No it isn't an issue as far as I understand it, the 4wd system is different to a conventional system having the 2 separate electric motors.