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I am at a loss to why this thread has descended into what it has. This is the second es that I have owned and I don't have any regrets at all. It's comfortable, reliable, has the tech and safety equipment that are important to me. This said, I am absolutely aware of all it's limitations and totally concur with linas that the es300h feels a little down market compared to a bmw 5 series. And before people react I can verify that my previous cars before my last 2 es300h we bmws. But times change, priorities change and now the es300h is absolutely right for me. And yes it's a compromise but I cannot question the value for money that this represents. I for one will not be returning to bmw ownership anytime soon.

For goodness sakes, Folks, are we not entering the realm of Geekdom here? I don’t think Linus will object if I suggest that - based on his many comments made here - his driving style might be most kindly described as “enthusiastic”! An anticipated mileage of 34mpg might even be optimistic. But does it really matter? I have no idea what my average mpg is - and frankly don’t care. It is what it is and I drive the way that pleases me. In any case, I do so few miles that consumption is pretty irrelevant. Now I do appreciate that such stats may be more important to others here, but to get into a tizzy just because someone claims different stats to one’s own may really not be the best use of your time - or this website. Indeed, I’ve refrained from saying so ….but I don’t even care if your Lexus is better than mine. There….I’ve said it! This is not only the first Lexus I’ve ever owned, it’s the first I’ve ever sat in and the first I’d ever driven. And it suits me just fine! And if anyone thinks their Lexus is actually a better Lexus, that’s fine too.

I completely disagree with you as I do enjoy Lina's comments. As I said in the discussion about the LBX I really still don't understand why people here can't have different opinions without getting offended and inviting that person to leave the Loc because nobody wants to read his comments. Well I am interested in Lina's comments because enrich the forum and make topics interesting. What is the purpose of the Loc? Pleasing and congratulating each other for the wonderful cars we own? And after? In the discussion about the LBX another member disagreed with me when I said that I saw ladies struggling to park their SUV and that if they are unable to park them, they should not buy them. The other member said that this happens with any car and not only SUV. I disagree, we have different opinions, no problem. If Lina's said that my GS is rubbish I would ask him why and I would like to know why he thinks so. I would not be offended because it's only his opinion but I would be very curious to know the arguments which support his opinions. And if his arguments are solid and I understand what he means and therefore why he thinks that my car is rubbish, I would tell him that I still love my car because it's perfect for my needs, it's a huge improvement compared to my previous Prius and yes I understand your point, but for me it's not rubbish, it's actually amazing. When I had the Prius, nobody liked it, everyone told me that it was ugly, slow, without any pleasure of driving, etc. I never cared about their opinions nor I was offended because they were looking for something in a car that didn't matter to me. One told me that the Mini he owned was a much better looking car than my Prius: faster, more enjoyable to drive, with a better handling and trendy. I replied that without offence all this was rubbish for me: I didn't need a faster car, I didn't care (at that time) about joy to drive, I didn't care about better handling as most of the time on my itineraries the speed limit was 50 km/h and especially I didn't need people to admire my car because it was trendy and actually when everyone considered my Prius ugly, for me was nice, not beautiful but nice. And unlike the Mini, my Prius was extremely reliable and this is what matters to me above all the aspects. I asked him if he could travel from Cork to Dublin (270 Kms) in the Mini with 5 people, 2 huge suitcases, 5 trolleys (hand luggage) and 2 rucksacks in the boot, because I had already done it with the Prius. I asked him if he could carry a 2 seater sofa bed in the Mini because I had already done it with my Prius. I asked him if he could carry 6 bags of 40 litres each of compost for gardening in the boot of the Mini because I had already done it with my Prius. No? You can't do all these things? Well for me your Mini is useless! This is to say that everyone has different needs and priorities for a car and when Lina's says that your ES is a rebadged Toyota, you should not care, because for you it is wonderful and suits your needs. But the fact that you find your ES wonderful doesn't mean that it's wonderful for everyone. Lina's finds the ES a rebadged Toyota but why you care about his opinions? Is he your dear friend? Your relative? Someone whose opinion is important to you? You can't expect everyone to find the ES wonderful like you do and I don't think that you should ask Lina's to leave this forum for what he said about the ES. I give you another example: each time I talk to my wife about cars she tells me that I wasted my money buying such a useless and unpractical car like the GS: with a tiny boot that I can't fit anything and we always need her Hyundai when we drive to Dublin and fly; with an exaggerated huge engine that I won't need because in my itineraries the speed limit is mostly 50km/h; with a huge fuel consumption compared to the Prius and to her Hyundai; too long and wide that I can't find a parking space; too expensive to maintain for servicing and motor tax; too expensive to fix: I have spent 2,100 euros in the last 4 months for rear shock absorbers, exhaust system and AFS sensor and with the sensor I literally threw away money by going to the dealer. Well my wife is right in every single point raised: they are all objectively negative aspects of my GS. But I love my car. I love looking at it. I love driving it. And there was no other car I desired more when I was looking to replace the Prius. The following 4 nights after buying it I could not manage to sleep much because I was too excited 😊. And I am sorry that my wife doesn't like it because it's my wife and her opinion counts for me. It's not just someone in the Loc giving a bad opinion as Lina's did for your ES.

Steve is right, this thread has been somewhat interesting to follow. @rayaans, I hate to say it, but you are coming off as somewhat petulant. Linas is entitled to his opinion and I haven't read anything on this thread that I would consider going too far. For what it's worth, I consider myself Pro-Linas on this forum as I do find his posts quite engaging. Also, he is right in that it would be a boring place if everyone just agreed with each other on everything. Having said that, arguments are never fun, so I certainly don't encourage them! Lastly, can I say that there is a grain of truth in the idea that owners are inherently bias towards their cars since no one likes have their choices questioned. So, should this be the case, it will always be difficult for someone to have a negative view on them but that doesn't mean it shouldn't necessarily happen. In this example, comparisons to BMW's and other manufacturers are perfectly justifiable reasons why the ES hasn't sold too well, as per the original post's question. That in itself shouldn't be a problem, but when the comparison raises some questions about the ES as a car generally, things tend to start to get out of hand. Should this be the case? No, of course not. Does it happen often? Yes. Basically, you can have differences of opinions - for whatever reason! - on these things or you can bury your head in the sand and pretend that all Lexus cars are perfect.

And it's exactly what I have been trying to say in my comments: you are happy with your car, so why is important if someone doesn't like it! I can't believe what I am reading. It reminds me of children arguing who has the best toy.

The way it goes from 75mph to the said top speed must have left the two Range Rover drivers trying to hide their number plate from my rear view mirror totally in a "WTF just did that car do" state of mind. I digress here with a subject for another topic but people buy these big fat SUVs with turbo diesels assuming their vehicles will "go faster" than all other cars at all speeds. (Well again, I have a data point of one person I know personally who assumes his Range Rover Sport will do everything and anything which also recently spontaneously developed a check engine light which was "fixed" by an "independent" after three days in the shop) These buyers of big fat SUVs don't realise at 75mph the amount of energy needed to carve a 2mx2m hole through air to go even faster will send their pride-n-joy's ECUs into a tizzy trying to find the right shift point and get into the proper gear and to time it so that injectors match charge development from the turbo. The ES is one of the shortest cars (in terms of vehicle height not length) and I estimate the size of the hole it needs to carve through fluid at that speed is MUCH smaller already so it has an advantage. (In simple terms, obviously, ES is more aerodynamic than an SUV.. duh) By that time the ES300h's hybrid drive on kick-down has rapid discharged the traction battery and lurched the car forward and that "horrendous" CVT has held the revs at optimal point to take over and carry the speed all the way... try it, you will be surprised like I was how effortlessly it is able to carry higher speeds. The limit of 112mph is there to match emissions regulations (and the same applies to 0-62mph time which in practice is one of the most useless metrics pandered by "luxury" brands) And I wonder when I read all that what I have written above... I think it probably takes a certain kind of person to appreciate and go ahead decide with their money that that is exactly what they wanted. Most people will not realise or probably won't even care for the detail and hence be guided by the "reviews". In the end I think people buy what they want... what people want differs from person to person. Another friend of mine recently bought a Jaguar F-Pace and we were discussing about cars and he gently let it slip into the conversation that Toyota and by association Lexus is a "taxi" brand hence "someone" in his family won't let him even consider a Lexus product 😄 To each their own...

This might set off a tizzy. Is the ES too cheap? No. It's an overweight boring slow car that looks sporty but is not. But, it is certainly well made and reliable and good looking. I think some of us want a bit more excitement in our driving experiences. Could I recommend any new car at £40K ish today. No, they are mostly overpriced rubbish. Buy a five to ten year old ICE V6 or V8 if you really want some value for your money. A 5-10 year old Lexus will be better made than today's cars anyway. Please direct all abuse to my account. Thank you.

But seriously?? I am astonished! Why don't you ask the moderators to put in terms and conditions that only positive and flattering comments about Lexus models are allowed here?

Honestly what is there to argue about the ES is a big comfy barge that can be purchased new for £32/33k. That is of course the Premium Edition if you haggle hard. It is a large amount of car for the money with a potential decade long warranty if you keep up the servicing. Let people look down on it all opinions are subjective....

This has been an interesting topic to follow. I don't necessarily agree with all the comments made by Linas, but he is entitled to his opinion & some of what he is saying is true. Some of his comments though you do have to take with a pinch of salt, but it does make for interesting reading none the less. I love my Is300h & I know Linas has a dislike for them, but I am the one who owns it & that is all that matters to me. As for the ES, I have only sat in one at the dealers so cannot really comment about how good or bad they are, all I know is that I wouldn't buy one because of their size.

Not that I need to defend myself for having an opinion and to be fair kind people above already said enough! But... The 34MPG is not an opinion, that is fact based on my own driving, and I don't only know, but as well I do care, so why would I say otherwise? Are you trying to tell me that 34MPG I got on my driving is not true? Am I lying about it? And that is very important to understand - I don't need to own IS300h to know what MPG I can achieve in it. So you can indeed say - "I get better MPG", but you can't say "you don't know because you don't own it". If I said "all IS300h only ever get's 34MPG and nobody can get better than that and owners are just lying to you and they don't achieve their stated MPG" - that would be an opinion and that would be wrong opinion. Whenever I was right or wrong to state the figure is debatable, but I am quite confident me owning the car would have made no difference. Just to be safe I even went back to the post to clarify that based on my driving style and type of driving I was doing I may have gotten lower MPG than average owner:

No Antony, I don’t think anyone would expect you to say that. And as I made clear, my personal indifference to such stats is why I haven’t made any such comment either. Well I may be mistaken here, but I thought he pointed out that he had driven examples. But he also makes the valid point that motoring journalists don’t own the cars they drive and yet have no compunction about citing performance stats. Now generally these will be lifted off the Press Releases, but if they’ve been able to wangle a loan car for a few days then they may justify it by publishing their stats. But of course the driving style of journalists in a free loan car that they haven’t bought and don’t have to maintain, may not compare with a normal owner for whom - as you rightly point out - such figures may well be important . If such figures were important to me, my inclination would be to look at the manufacturer’s claims as generally the best achievable under ideal circumstances and anticipate lower figures under real world conditions. The claims of ‘actual’ owners - if better - I would regard as interesting but tempered by the fact that I had no idea about their driving style. It’s a question of priorities, isn’t it? If I tried to emulate their stats, I doubt I would enjoy driving nearly as much! On the other hand, I too would expect to slightly improve on Linas’s figures. 😊

Yes I'm seeing a similar incremental increase with each charging cycle.

450h+ f-SPORT. VERSION 4.18.0, no updates pending. Andriod. Could this 4.18.0 versus 4.18.1 be Andriod / Apple related?

Groundhog day from Tuesday 58.4/57.8 Achieved 52 between top up.

I did my first longish drive last week - 240 miles. Motorway / dual carriageway all the way, driving at about 60 and in traffic (M6). Did the research on Zapmap and checked availability on it whilst driving. Stopped at Moto Services Rugby - tremendously clean and a real change from other service stations. Plenty of 350kw chargers available (only 50p / kw), hooked up with a slight difficulty due to the charge port on the car being where it is with shortish cable on the charger. Charged at about 30% to 80% in about 30 mins which was the time we wanted to stop for. Arrived and there was a MFG station with plenty of 150kw chargers (79p / Kw) and charged back to 80% in about 20 mins. Return journey was just a reversal, charged at Moto Rugby and arrived home with plenty of range. All in all, totally trouble free charge wise. I found the car to be very comfortable and the autonomous driving to be far better than in my previous Range Rover, BMW and Merc’s. I was surprised that whilst using Apple Maps, the HUD displayed the directions, never had that before. I am now much happier with the range as I am confident that it is displayed accurately (difference between consumption at 60 and 75 mph is much greater than I expected) and with research the occasional 240 mile drive is stress free (so far). I hope someone found this of interest !

But that just proves your decision was not rational. And that is fine it doesn't need to be rational, but that is exactly what I am talking about when saying that owners opinion poorly explains why car does not sell. It seems you bought it, because it was unusual and uncommon, but that is not the same as being better build and more luxurious. And this is not criticism of your choice - for you it was important that the car is uncommon and different... fine. But that can only last if the car for some reason is not appealing for majority of buyers. That is exactly the question - why the car is not appealing? Now when it comes to true exclusive Luxury cars - that answer is price... they are much better than anything else, but they remain exclusive because they are simply so expensive that many people would like to have them, but none can afford them. Lexus ES isn't that expensive - so exclusivity cannot be explained by price, perhaps it is just not good in some way and people don't like? Those reasons are exactly the point of topic.

You’re right to bring this point up again, Shapor, because it is a characteristic that crops up in many human activities. If one invests a significant amount of time, money and conviction into a subject, it can then be very hard to be dispassionate about it. This of course suggests that ownership per se may not be such a reliable judge of quality as might be hoped. That’s certainly the reasoning that keeps the motoring journalist in business!

You have no arguments, no basis. You saying I am an uneducated child but you didn't even read what I wrote so you can't judge if I am blabbering. You just insult me and Lina's because he doesn't like your car and I like his comments. So who is the child? I let others to judge.

I would gladly subscribe to this model - IS-F is good example... however at least in UK Lexus seems to offer opposite. 300h F-Sport (of any model) looks very sporty and nice and you would expect they are fast... except they are not. If we had ES350 AWD or maybe imaginary ES-F AWD then my opinion about it would be much more positive, it being Toyota Avalon is not a bad thing, it being FWD, underpowered and boring to drive is.

Flying under the radar is the sensible choice nowadays. We are all being watched by the system - HMRC DWP etc. They want to know where your money comes from and how much tax they can screw you for. The biggest danger is social media. Idiots showing off their cars, holidays, houses and so on. The thieves love all the info. The same with cars - wolf in sheeps clothing is the ideal. Garage the Isf and the harley fat boy 114. Keep the daily driver in the driveway. This truth is evident when you go to some European countries. Shoddy exteriors of houses, older cars outside but lovely house interiors with a few cases of Romanee Conti in the cellar.

I remember seeing an ES for the first time at the Paris cars exhibition in October 2018 and I thought that it was wonderful. I took a lot of photos and sent to my friends saying that maybe when I would retire I could own one. It was the third Lexus I sat inside after an RX in 2001 (do you remember that RX in 2001 pure petrol?) And the 2016 RX450H of my father-in-law which I have seen several times. We can affirm that I had neither clue nor knowledge about Lexus models. Even though I knew the CT which I liked very much, the RX400H, the LS600H and the MK3 GS450H which I felt in love since I saw it for the first time even though I don't remember when. Anyway all these models I barely knew because of reading or watching reviews, seeing them at the dealer, at the traffic lights, parked somewhere, ect. My knowledge was still superficial not because I didn't own one, but because if I didn't go deep in checking interior details, materials quality, doors, leather of the seats, dashboard buttons, noise proofing (is it called like this?), etc. When I discovered the LOC 3 years ago and I introduced myself saying that I was looking for a MK3 GS450H, I still had a superficial knowledge of this model. The only things I knew were that it had the same hybrid system as my Prius, the same MFD (actually identical) as my Prius, that it was 3.5cc and therefore very fast and powerful, that I loved the exterior and interior design. Little by little I read all the topics in the GS450H of this forum and my knowledge increased: I learnt of the different trims and specs, I learnt of the tiny boot which I didn't know (and spoilt by the huge boot of my Prius I had some doubts about buying it). Each time I read the comments of Lina's I learnt something about Lexus but not only from him. I often found him too harsh in his judgements but I appreciated that he was straightforward. And when I read his comments about the ES, not only in this discussion as he had already expressed his views in other discussions, I was really surprised because for me the ES was wonderful since I saw it in Paris. But remember that my comparison was my Prius, so of course the ES was another planet. If you today put me in front of my GS and an ES parked together, I am sure I would not be able to tell you the difference in details of the interior, doors, materials quality, noise proofing, dashboard buttons, leather, etc. And I am sure that I would find the ES a much better car than mine and when Lina's would disagree with me, I would ask him to show me the 2 cars parked in details and go deep in spotting the differences and why the ES is cheap. As for MPG I must admit that I have been misled by what owners of the GS said about the average MPG they can get with their GS. Probably I still have to learn how to drive my GS to get the best MPG and it's disappointing after driving a Prius for 12 years. And yet I didn't blame the owners here in the forum for giving me false and too optimistic MPG figures.

Been an amazing read ploughing through this post, and having tried the ES at Cheltenham along with similary priced end of range Avenis, and at the time being a 15 year LS400 user, and now a E360 V6 desiel owner, I kind of concur. Nice the though the ES was (certainly felt nicer than the Avensis) it did seem to me that I was not sure as was not sure whether going for a 15yr old LS460 or a GS was what I really wanted to do if I was not going to buy a new car (for the first time in my life). I really like my cruising comfort, as I do not drive on the edge (used to many moons ago - nearly killed myself a few times) but I want a car that can can get me past 'Mrs Grady Old Lady' pootling in her Nissan Micra when I am a little late for work. The LS would give a fair burst when needed, and the E350 is even better, but the ES seemed to lumber, and the top speed only 112mph seemed to be a mental barrier, it bothered me that if I needed real welly then it was not going to do it. The LS and the Merc I have had at over 125 for those really squeaky moments (never with the family in the car). So I would say the ES (IMHO) seems nicer to sit in than the E350 (13 years old), but for sure most cars of the last 10 years seem to be built to a certain degree by accountants counting the cost of plastic versus something nicer. May the debate continue and maybe in 10 years time I will be looking to see if any ES300s going for a song, and I can be a slow old g*t pootling along.

Yes it really is hit and miss with trip recording. The my Toyota app which I used with my recent RAV4 is just a clone of this Lexus app and was just as unreliable. It appears Toyota/Lexus have not developed a robust enough infrastructure to support the functionality. My previous Volvo XC60 using an equivalent Volvo app was very reliable.

Good to know. You’re ahead of the game- at least my game. 🙂

Hello.... I live in Oxford also and from someone who has had Lexus cars for over 8 years and serviced / repaired only by Lexus may I suggest the following - 1. You never ever go to Jemca Reading for any work (I have very good reasons to state this) which has been mentioned on other areas of the forum 2. Apart from the one huge mistake of going to Reading I have only ever dealt with Lexus Swindon and they are absolutely SUPERB They have always tried to make the experience the best dealer service you will have. I have had probably 30+ cars in my life both personal and many business ones across most brands and averaged 45,000+ per annum for over 25 years. Lexus Swindon are the best I've ever dealt with they also operate the Lexus parts direct website that a lot of people across the UK use and you will se mentioned on this forum as their pricing for genuine Lexus parts is very competitive. The only one issue that i have is that their service department is closed at weekends but apart from that nothing else. They have always offered a loan car, lift to and from town centre whilst car being worked on or if I sit and wait an endless supply of drinks, biscuits etc.

Indeed, assuming the thief is packing cable cutters, it's a two second job.

Good point I have apple iPhone & iPad both with 4.18.1 (512)

V 4.18.0 is the only version available on the Android play store and covers all models - UX, NX, RX, ES etc irrespective of hybrid or plug-in.

Good suggestion. I am Apple and have 4.18.1

Todays figures are 46.4 and 45.9 as John said this seems to be the norm. Getting Steady small increments upwards. My first charge was 41.7

Recharged again tonight and it's marginally up to my new high of 55.2/53.6. Yesterday's predicted 53.5 gave an actual of 48 which included c16 miles of motorway travel.

I have an Is300h & wouldn't move to an ES, too big.

Buying anything is subjective or we wouldn’t have choice. My wife is a dyson fan but I think the shark vacuum cleaner is better especially when taking price into consideration. I personally think the ES is overpriced. Am not sure what it is competing with. As a large saloon it is obviously in the same market as e class or 5 series but interior quality appears to be comparable to the class below. I tinkered with replacing my GS with an ES and took a takumi model for an extended test drive and came away disappointed. As a replacement for an IS it would probably be a good choice with regards to interior quality but compared to my GS there were too many cheap materials which meant it felt like a downgrade to me. My nine year old GS still feels new inside apart from some minor creasing on the outside drivers seat bolster. The GS still feels special with no rattling or any other signs of wear. It is more luxurious and comfortable than the ES and as mine is a premier it has all the tech I need and can be driven relaxingly or sportily in sport + mode. Obviously, and maybe objectively, the ES has a better infotainment system but that doesn’t bother me. In fact I have the screen off most of the time. For such a big and supposedly luxury car the ES just doesn’t seem to cut the mustard. The GS was never a big seller so I’m not surprised that Lexus didn’t replace it. To replace the IS and GS with the ES was a mistake. I think they should have replaced the IS with a mark 4 as the IS was a relatively good seller. Most people wanting to replace their IS mark 3 would find the ES to big. I have decided to keep my GS as I cannot find anything that feels so comfortable and special. And that’s my subjective opinion!

Sorry to enter your party... but isn't it strange that only ES owners thinks it is good value? And this is not wrong in the ES owners perspective - simply said you had certain criteria for the car, certain things which were important for you and ES matched that well and it works very well, hence you bought it. So you just can't understand or appreciate why other people don't like it, because it seems to work well for you. Yet if you want to answer the question why it failed in the market you need to look from the perspective of why it does NOT work for other people. The perspective on the market is different - at this level people want more power, RWD, actually more luxurious cars, some other options Lexus does not offer... ES is literally copy paste Avalon, I drove both and they feel like same car, Avalon is great, but it is not E-Class and not 5-Series and not GS. To anyone comparing it to BMW or MB or even upgrading from GS it just doesn't make sense. Too cheap?! Definitely not! Too expensive - to be honest it isn't either... Problem is brand image and massive marketing gaffe saying "it is BMW 5-Series" competitor and every single review has absolutely demolished it, to be fair you don't even need review, just sit in 5-Series and ES and it is obvious right away - it stands no chance against BMW 5-Series. They thought they could put Lexus badge on Avalon and say it is BMW 5-Series competitor - market looked at it and said "sorry... nope". So Lexus picked wrong battles, wrong marketing and lost. Lexus as a brand represent affordable premium car and slots just below BMW/MB (I know shocker, people do not know better, but that is what it is)... they should have built niche for ES separate from 5-Series, perhaps go after VW Arteon buyers (not that Arteon is massive sales success) and market it as it's own thing. Which to be honest either way I look at it would be losing battle - saloons are on decline anyway, so anyone buying one will be looking for classic premium saloon values e.g. quintessential BMW 5-Series copy, the thing GS tried to be and failed (although for different reasons). Second point - power and FWD. I know this was discussed million times and probably will be discussed million more times. Some say - it does not matter, but market consistently said otherwise. Lexus is not the first brand that tried and failed with FWD model in premium saloon space. Jaguar X-type was failure, in my opinion predominately because it was Mondeo FWD platform, Alfa Romeo tried and failed for decades, all French large saloons failed, Honda/Acura failed. Simply said for exec. saloon segment RWD is must, that is what differentiates the leaders and wannabees. I know Audi is exception to this rule, but that is because of their Quattro line and they were always that sort of AWD option and just sneak FWD cars on the perception of them being more premium than they are. Then we come to power - and obviously Lexus pulled their classical single engine option here. I know it sound counter-intuitive, because if we look at the stats majority of BMW and MBs will be E220d, 520i and so on... but that is not the point. Point is that they offer the option, that attracts the customer, that giver right brand perception, but then customers decides that it makes more financial sense to go with 520i... but make no mistake - they only came to BMW dealership in the first place because BMW offers 540i and M5, and they 100% gone for 520i M-Sport with badge delete, so now all their neighbours thinks they driving "fast BMW". And by the way 520i still performs despite it's 184HP and small engine. Lexus has fallen on the same issue over and over again - they think that by just offering the model which ultimately will sell most units they will sell the same amount of cars without the need of homologating 20 engines... NO! They have to offer all engines from 1.8L hybrid to 5L V8 and then let customers make that decision. Strangely enough I think new IS would have done quite well in the market, maybe even helped ES along. If they came here with their American line-up and marketing - IS300 (220t), 300h, 350 and 500 and for 10% less than BMW, it probably would have worked. So we talking about IS300 and 300h starting at ~£35,000. The point is - you have to have models that brings the customers to the dealership, what they ultimately buy does not matter, but they are required to build brand perception. Yes Lexus have some of them - LC and LS are those models, but they fail because LS and LC are out of reach for majority of buyers. Same story with LFA, so called "halo" cars, the success of "halo" car is based on it being both very desirable, but as well realistically affordable. Other brands have decades of building this and Lexus just consistently failed at that... BMW M-Series is perfect example, not everyone can afford M5, but it is not ridiculously expensive where people wouldn't even try and sure they can't get the latest one, but they can get previous model or one before. That bring their interest to the brand as a whole and that is how they end-up with BMW 520i, because they realise that instead of buying 15 years old M5, they can get brand new 520i on monthly payments.

I've had plenty of main dealer advisories over 13 years of F ownership. Most can be comfortably ignored. I'm still on original brakes and pads after 54,000 miles. I find anticipation, and carrying speed through corners, reduce the need for the left pedal.

I think it's a fair point that Lexus have limited the appeal of the ES through not offering a wider engine range. There's so many great things about lexus vehicles in general but the biggest flaw is that you need to go up to a full fat 'F' car, if you prioritise performance over economy. Sticking a 350h engine into the ES wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. But not sure whether there's a business case for that. In fact you'd probably argue whether theres a business case for lexus to be selling any non SUV vehicles.

I saw that too Ken. They even mentioned the DCM connectivity in the car and the Lexus Link app being integral to this potential new insurance offering. I'm not sure either of these components are stable enough to be relied upon just yet. For anyone interested, this is what we are referring to:- https://youtu.be/hTXpLyp7c40

While my car was being serviced, the Sales Rep.took myself and another customer on a tour of the parking lot, trying to interest us in a couple of ES. We both had the same reaction as yourself, to his disappointment. Obviously, size being the main problem, our reaction wouldn’t have been confined to a Lexus. But I did get the impression that the tour was being conducted more in hope than expectation.

Just a quick question any idea which 12v battery shock be fitted for example Halfords £81 a local battery centre £160 would you trust Halfords

I’m now reading the policy docs just emailed over and OMG ! the underlying insurer is Trinity the Adrian Flux Group owned insurer that cockedup awfully well with my Honda Legend claim all those years back ….. aaaagggghhhh God Help me if I ever need to make a claim 🤣 Then I remember Markerstudy and the replacement windscreen debacle all those years back on my 1991 Ls400 …… unbelievable really ….. they own Autoglass ( is it ) and had to agree to me using a local Indy windscreen coy coz they couldn’t get the new screen for weeks and weeks ….. next day from 1st Call a local coy …… Markerstudy insured me then too also ……. fiascos going forward might be avoided with God’s help hopefully …… fingers xd OR simply 3rd time lucky 🍀 Malc

Maybe this summer bank holiday will be a god time! Is there a risk of breaking any of the clips?

Its a 1 hour job if that.. & the hardest part is removing the plastic push clips for the trim panels. 26k is low but whats the age of the car? I'd give it a once over & then forget about it for a couple of years. Although it will warn you cooling performance is low if it was blocked anyway. Heres one from a Prius guessing its had hard life with mega miles.

I think that kind of sums it all up 🙂 For a majority of people, status and some kind of statement that "they are doing well" matters a lot. To me it doesn't tbh. I would love to fly under the "social radar" as much as I can.

I used Classicline when I had my LS. Pete

Interesting Malc, especially as Saga was always billed as being for the over 50s lol. In the UK I use LV (for my 24 year old 400) £196 fully comp. In Dubai they wont insure my 400 fully comp and it's the equivalent of £128 pa.

No. I am now experiencing missing trips again! Only getting about 7 of every 10 trips recorded. The Lexus Link is very disappointing. It has improved from a low point 4 months ago when even the date, miles recorded and location of the car was incorrect but having been almost perfect in the past weeks it's now reverting to this inconsistent performance. With Lexus looking at offering "full hybrid insurance" where owners will be given discounts on insurance based upon the time that the car is driven in ev mode then the Lexus Link technology will need to be up to the job!!!

Try to email Lexus UK first to request for installation instead of going straight to the dealer. You don't need to pay for the installation.

I still see a lot more of these around (ES) compared to any GS from any year. I had a look at one in the showroom at Hatfield last week & thought I could live with it interior & looks rise. Been FWD it would go against some of my engineering beliefs.

It's because it doesn't have an Audi/BMW/Mercedes badge. Was it Clarkson who said that if you put one of those badges on a plate of sick, they would fly out of the shop?