Odysseus

Very cryptic of you John, and I like being tested, though I have to admit I've looked through the T&Cs and I can't see anything that suggests the warranty is indefinitely extendable, unless you're referring to part F of the 'Eligible vehicle' section, which states "is less than 10 years old and has less than 140,000 miles on its milometer at the start of the first Warranty Period" (emphasis is mine). Additionally however, the clarifying notes for that section include "We will not provide a Lexus Extended Warranty for any vehicle which is older than 8 years from the date of its first registration" which would seem to contradict the statement above it that I referenced. It must be stated that I'm not a lawyer so I'm very happy to be corrected on my interpretation on any of this. Lexus warranty Terms & Conditions: https://d3rvezpmgp265q.cloudfront.net/lexusone/lexgbenv11/Lexus-Extended-Warranty-Terms-and-Conditions_tcm-3157-1184113.pdf?_ga=2.261681546.649040480.1536137243-310123032.1535537556 Taken from the Lexus website: https://www.lexus.co.uk/owners/warranty/

Is this the kind of issue that Terraclean could help resolve? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Figuring I’d both entertain my four year old (who starts school for the first time next week) and give the Lexus some attention I thought today would be an opportune time to do the wheels. They had a thorough pressure wash, then Bilberry wheel cleaner and scrub with Autoglym shampoo , then Dragon’s Breath iron remover, then more scrubbing, plus heaps of pressure washing in between. All dried and looking pretty good. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I haven’t mate. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No problem at all. I've dug into my history and the seller was "procarmats1975". https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/procarmats1975 Also, slight error of recollection, my rubber mats were £21.99, not £20.

My experiences are based on my GS450 rather than a LS, but Lexus mats are usually over £100 from the dealers. I got a new set when I bought my car last year. When it’s getting wetter out I generally swap out my carpet mats for some rubber mats I bought from eBay. They did smell rubbery for the first week but are good quality and are exactly the right size and shape with the fitting eyes in the correct location. They were a bargain at about £20. Don’t rule out eBay for mats. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for this information. If this is indeed the case I can see me owning my GS450 for quite some time! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

This is a very cheeky request but is it possible if you could photo your installation stages and share your experiences on here once you’ve done it? Those (like me!) who are mulling over and um-ing and ah-ing over a VLine may have our minds made up by your experiences, and your honest assessment about the device’s capabilities, and limitations. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I tend to agree with John on this one. As I said in my opinion at the beginning of this thread I think a standard GS450 is an extremely capable tool and with the adjustable dampers provides a very tight ride with limited roll which allows better cornering speeds in the right conditions. This coupled with the throttle set to ‘Hybrid Power’ gives you a very pokey point to point machine. All that said the steering is a bit lifeless, the chassis doesn’t really tell you what it’s doing at the limits and there’s very little sense you’re in something that wants to be thrown around, regardless of how well it might dynamically cope with such treatment. I don’t think any of this would be ‘better’ by lowering the suspension or adding firmer springs even if your ‘virtual fastest lap’ might be 0.5 seconds improved. I’m not really knocking the GS for this incidentally, and based on experience I do think the equivalent BMW might be more rewarding at this kind of thing, even though the same BMW would lag behind in terms of refinement, reliability, driving serenity and so on. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for sharing your VLine experience. It’s certainly helpful as I’m tempted by one of these for my 2008 GS450. Sounds like it might be worth waiting until the latest Android software is available and (more) bugs have been ironed out. In terms of apps I’m assuming Google maps is excellent for navigation, but has anyone seen a car-optimised version of Amazon music? I’ve ended up paying whatever it costs per month for full blown Amazon music for my in-home Echo devices and it would be nice to think I could use easily it in the car. Than and an Alexa app would be great. Something that could read out emails might be nice too and would allow otherwise dead time in traffic to become potentially semi-productive! I’m guessing the installation of a Grom mic is necessary for voice commands despite having the Lexus mic already hidden somewhere in the overhead console? If I was to go ahead I’d definitely buy from the UK. In a similar vein, I think the import duty might have more to do with Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs than it does Trump... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you! I get so much from forums like this and it seemed the least I could do to give something back, so to speak. To answer your question the service history of my car is 100% Lexus main dealer, with a reassuring quantity of entries in the MyLexus history to show previous owners used Lexus dealers for any quibbles. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Some pictures as requested. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It’s been around a year since I purchased my GS450h. I figured it might be useful to others to do a review of what a year of owning one of these cars is like. My Car It’s 2008 (MKIII) GS450h SE-L, with ACC (adaptive cruise control), PCS (pre-collision system), and a sunroof. This means it’s the top model, with every option ticked. It’s black with light grey leather, and piano black wood including wood inserts on the steering wheel. At the time I bought the car it had approximately 58,000 miles on the clock. It’s now on about 72,000. I bought it from Lexus Edgware Road. Driving Experience I’ll get to the point, it’s fast. When the battery has charge and the 3.5 V6 is warmed up it’s very quick, especially above 50 mph. The rate at which you can gain speed when you floor it once you’re already moving is incredible. Off the line it’s quick without being ridiculous, and if you find yourself in a situation where the battery is depleted (say, having crawled through slow traffic for a mile or two), outright full bore acceleration is blunted as you’re relying purely on the V6 to haul 1900 KG of car and driver up the road. While undeniably quick, I wouldn’t describe the GS as ‘fun’ to drive on a twisty road. It’s certainly competent, and between point A to point B is probably just as rapid as the obvious competition, but I do have the sense that you’d be having more fun in a BMW 5 Series. The handling is predictable, grip is good, but you do get the sense the car would rather you stopped being silly and drove properly. The flip side of this is that it’s outstandingly comfortable when driving at 7/10ths, and is quiet, comfortable, and competent. So, it’s fast, but it’s not sporty. I also find myself missing the soundtrack of a car accelerating through the gears, but that’s mostly because I’m immature. The rest of the time when you’re not driving like you're qualifying it’s a very smooth and comfortable drive. The radar cruise control is absolutely excellent, as is the stereo and infotainment system. Following a few weeks of driving brand new Lexus courtesy cars I was glad to leave their garish graphics and contrived menus behind and get back to the simplicity and elegance of my decade old GS450. I’m half considering a GROM VLINE to bring connected apps into the car, but at £500 there are more pressing uses for my money. I do with the car had a bigger fuel tank. With my fuel consumption (see below) I'm generally needing to refuel after about 320 miles. An 80 litre tank would make my trips to the forecourt far less frequent. The silent running when stuck in traffic (as I frequently am in Cambridge) is really enjoyable, as is the feeling of cruising along burning no fuel. This is an addictive quality of hybrids that is hard to appreciate if you’ve never driven one before. Obviously subjective, but in terms of looks I think it looks best from the rear three quarter view, and overall it’s not as good looking as a Mercedes CLS or properly specced BMW 5 Series. Maintenance Since I bought my car from Lexus, it came with a 12 month warranty. In the 12 months I’ve owned the car the following things have been replaced under warranty (remember this is a relatively low mileage car with a full Lexus service history, bought from a Lexus dealer). TPMS sensor Water pump Offside rear shock absorber Driver side washer jet Passenger side washer jet Driver’s door mirror Front passenger seatbelt and mechanism I’m not quite sure what this lot would have cost had I been paying myself, and to be honest I probably would have sorted the easy ones myself, but I’d say it’s comfortably in the £1,200 to £1,500 range. I had an issue with my brake light switch which was resolved by the AA (cover included as part of the Lexus warranty). I’ve had the car serviced once in my ownership, that was relatively cheap at around £250, including the Lexus Owners Club discount. My next service at 80,000 miles will be a bit chunkier at around £500 but that’s some months away. Last October I bought four new Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres to replace the budget tyres Lexus sold it with. The Michelin PS4s were around £650. Tyre wear is predictable and I expect the Michelins to last about 15,000 to 18,000 miles. I’m perfectly happy with this as this as the PS4 is a high performance tyre and they’ve barely lost traction in the entire time they’ve been fitted – money well spent. I’ve had one wheel refurbed following a close encounter with a kerb, which was £85 from Lexus. I bought a front wiper blade at around £20. I’ve not spent anything on the brakes since ownership, though I will need new discs and pads front and back in the next few thousand miles, for which I’m looking at £700 ish. I’ve taken the two year Lexus warranty which is £1095, which I’m paying off at 0% over 12 months. This seemed like a no-brainer given the relatively high number of issues thus far, plus for peace of mind. You don't need much to go wrong on a decade old £50K Lexus before you comfortably cover the warranty outlay. Fuel Consumption This is where Fuelly comes into its own. Every time I’ve refuelled the car I’ve (very anally) entered the details into the app. Screen shots below. In terms of outright fuel consumption it’s not what you’d call economical, but it is pretty good relative to its size, weight, comfort and especially performance. To put the 28 mpg of my GS450 in context, over the same sort of use in my BMW E46 330i I was getting 23 mpg, in a Toyota Prius 1.8 I get 46 mpg, and in a Volvo S80 D5 I was getting 38 mpg. It seems I have a heavy right foot, or I’m just a rubbish driver, or maybe both. As stated above I wish it had a bigger fuel tank. 320 miles between fill ups isn't ideal. Owning my Lexus My local Lexus dealer - Cambridge - is also essentially the same as my local Toyota dealer so I see them a lot between warranty claims on my Lexus and regular servicing on my 20,000 miles per year Prius. I’d say they are pretty good, but hardly exemplary. The staff are lovely when you’re there, the coffee is good, and they have the option of collecting my cars from my office and dropping back, which is really convenient. I have needed to escalate and push to get things done in a reasonable time, and I’m not sure they are really that switched on when it comes to customer retention. I’ll carry on using them but I’m not sure I’d chose a car because of them… Will I keep my Lexus? In short, yes. I certainly plan to run my GS450 for at least another two years while it’s still under warranty and potentially more if it seems to be holding up well. I’m not entirely sure on what to replace it with anyway. My experience of modern Lexuses have left me a bit cold, and aside from a MKIV GS450h not much else appeals. I’ve looked with interest at the Infiniti M35h but an E Class convertible appeals despite the diesel engine. Thoughts on Lexus as a brand I’m not sure I necessarily see myself as a dyed in the wool Lexus owner. I really like my car and appreciate its virtues but the current range of Lexus cars doesn’t really stir me, and the absence of non-SUV Lexus estate means when I need to replace my family transport Toyota Prius with something bigger I’ll end up looking at E Classes and 5 Series which is annoying as something like a GS300h Estate would be ideal. As a Lexus driver there is a slight feeling of being in a Toyota with better quality materials and finish, which isn’t really surprising but may not be what everyone wants from their luxury motoring. Would I recommend a GS450? Hell yes! Brilliant car and if you buy well/have a warranty/are lucky then it’s also very cheap to run. In my view I’m running a £50K car with almost all the peace of mind of a new car but at a far reduced cost. Thanks for reading.

I recently had one of my rear shocks replaced (under warranty fortunately) and it was crashing/thumping prior to this, but I couldn’t honestly say the ride was too badly affected, or dramatically improved following replacement. The thumping I experienced was definitely more noticeable if the suspension was under load, such as when encountering a bump mid corner and/or when the car was fully occupied by wife and children. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I have a real soft spot for a W124 E Class. I had a 1992 300E saloon in black with sportline suspension and 16” alloys. I remember that car feeling incredibly fast but it was ‘only’ 180bhp through a four speed auto. Thanks for putting the pictures up. [emoji846] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There’s definitely a trend that British cars are crap, from Marinas to Allegros to Jags to my own ****box Range Rover. And it’s telling that the main reason why they’re so poorly regarded is reliability and build quality. A terrible shame. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had a new CT200h when my GS450 was in for work recently and I didn’t think it was an impressive car in any regard. It actually felt inferior to my other car - a 2010 Toyota Prius. The CT has the same engine as my Prius so is no more economical nor quicker, and felt a lot more cramped than the Prius. The ‘sport’ affectations of the CT in the form of red hued dials etc were also a bit lame. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good for you! You’ve shown that persistence pays off. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looks great, and has acted as an additional motivator for me to consider getting the (stone-chipped) front bumper of my GS450 repainted. Yours is a lovely car and a credit to you attention to detail. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I’m not sure the OP is really fussed by millions of apps for thousands of purposes. It strikes me that the straightforward requirements he has would be easily satisfied by any device, so it comes down to personal preference/budget. All things being equal though I think there’s some logic having the same OS on your tablet as on your phone. Saves climbing that learning curve again.

Having recently had the use of an 18 plate IS300h as a courtesy car for two weeks while my 2008 GS450h was having some work done, I’d have to conclude that a ES300h (with presumably the same engine as the IS) would feel very slow compared to the GS450h. If this lack of relative performance doesn’t worry a buyer then my thinking is neither should which wheels are driven. While my use of the performance capability of my GS450h is quite infrequent, it’s very nice to know it’s there. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’d have more time for the fake engine sound if Lexus embraced the fact it’s pretend and gave you choices about what sound you wanted. V10 F1 car? AMG V8? Spitfire? Tractor? The list of possibilities is endless! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well spotted Lee. That press release was from Lexus USA. Do we have any clarity on whether UK spec Lexi are affected and if so whether our cars will be recalled? My own 2008 GS450 fits into the affected window according to the US press release. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Based on your needs something cheap and cheerful sounds like a good place to start. Tablets don’t have any moving parts so are quite reliable in my experience. My wife has an iPad mini which must be at least 5 years old and is still going strong, and is definitely up to light duty in line with your requirements, as would be a similar android tablet. Have you considered picking up something cheap on eBay? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sorry to be blunt but what a ridiculous thing to do to a car. The NX isn’t exactly Land Cruiser-esque at the best of times but you’ve robbed it of what little ground clearance or supple ride qualities it had and made it look like a should be amazing around a race track without presumably making any upgrades to the engine output and/or brakes? All show, no go. [emoji107] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk