Ben01

In the context of "public roads" the "fun" and "danger" refere to "driving" obviously (so y-axis is the difference between "fun driving" and "dangerous driving"). It was so obvious for me I ommited this. Sorry for your confusion. On the other hand: "Do you want to see proper 3D chart in the internet? Because thats have you get to see proper 3D chart in the internet". Aaaand next everbody complains they are not coming here for a maths and any charts, and moderator will has to delete this as unsafe content for potential advertising. I am kidding of course, who has time for all this. Not me.

These stickers were pretty popular a years ago:

I made a chart to easy explain my ideas "what is difference between drivetrains in all, but in the public road and safety context too". Scales are relative, but let's say, in my world and mind, the point the red FWD crosses "power axis" is about 200HP, where green AWD crosses x-asix is about 400HP.

If one front wheel it is probable seized anything (piston, pin(s), pads itself even), hot only, or cold and hot, very common problems on elder toyota/lexus. I struggle with same in both previous (but elder and worn) GSes. If it will be two or four wheels, you could be really sorry for your wallet funeral, as this marks up the brake valve unit/pump, etc. and that is I call expensive break down.

Welcome to LOC and I feel your pain. My area is the same, craters not potholes, and they have just cosmetic covered them here and there, but my GS suspension after a month was like after 10 years in the south. But fix this, screw that, and IMHO as yours - it is better floating over in lexus or similar, than pay a dentist bill for cracking teeth in normal car here.

I am not an expert on Lexus DVDs, but in my 2002 car there is this DVD and it works fine, with original DVD drive and panel I think. IIRC it is a last or near last (like a months to last) possible upgrade for this epoch lexus satnav. Just an info. edit: I found again the website I used to investigate subject, there is pretty good search engine for "what do you have in your lexus, and what is going on" (but not a good prices...), mine satnav is described as Generation 01 by this website: https://www.lexus-mapupdates.eu

First question, one wheel? all of them? rear? front? Second, if your guy has checked cold callipers, maybe it was fine, but hot calliper could seize piston or pins or even pads only. I have seen this before. Maybe it is worth to check hot brakes for seized parts, before other (and expensive) moves.

Maybe, but in very very theory. When and where and for what driver? For Stig on the track on sunny day? For Sabine on Nurburgring? In what other circumstances me, you or any normal human being need "greater control of the car" gears than any modern AT provide (plus any sport mode etc. if the car has any). And in which part of Argyll exactly? (I am serious, maybe I missed any great road here) I hear this "I need MT for sporty control" all and all in rants on AT. And most funny was friend, who was totaly unhappy with his first AT, and next we have recognised he NEVER EVER pressed pedal to the metal enough to proper switch on the kickdown, in 150HP auto... 🤣 And don't get me wrong - if MT makes you happy, fine. But why make up any strange rationalisations and "facts". Do you like vibrating stick in your hand, or love to slide pure mechanical stuff like proper rifle bolt? admit it without shame. BTW other comments - you could not abuse engine too much with MT these days, modern ECU cuts your stupid ideas first. You could abuse tranny and clutch, axles, etc. but to really abuse engine you have to put good ol'lovely carburetors back. With manual choke for "greater control". I my very humble opinion if AT is weaker link than tyres/grip, fix the car, find better one, etc.

"Lexus - killin short distance air travels since 1989"

Yeah, it is possible, but I may suggest some design of this first. Like, find the proper diagrams for your car, make a new one modified, think about all issues like this bulb monitoring. And as I mention above - even if you or anybody proper design this vs. this particular GS450 SE-L electric, STILL it is a lot of "simple" electric works, access to harnesses is unfriendly, it is easy to ruin or snap something, etc. you need tools and skills. And last but not least, it should be a very neat job IMHO, the car with messy electrics under the bonnet will have price tag defined by scrapyard, if you ever try to sell her. If you are not a pro, I may suggest to find any in your area, for proper design your IDEA, and manyfacture it neatly. IMHO it is not worth to full training yourself for a pair of DLRs and with complex car like GS450.

BTW I had a fat deja-vu about this "MT vs. AT" arguments (not like "again", because it is again and again, but "I remember this type of discuss, but what was that?"), and just remember what was that: automatic A/C. 20 (or slightly less) years ago, what an ocean of kB was spilled over issues of automatic A/C in all corners of internet, "it's always wrong temperature, it blows into my face, blows not here, but there, I don't get how it works and why it changes this or that, it's costly gadget, it's all wrong and witchcraft, I prefer my oldie goldie "two knob and button" manual A/C". Today - automatic A/C is a standard, manual is for peasants and vans, and I don't think anybody seriously complains (except peasants, for the lack of automatic A/C 😉 ). So wait a moment, a decade or two, when CVT/AT will be de facto standard, and MT for motomaniacs and poor people only - public will forget all this "I would be happy with a manual". Exactly like US now... But I bet we will find something to whine about, maybe on "how dare they ban manual steering and cars without LIDARs in this city zone, safety-shmafety, AI-shmai, my old lexus is fine and I would be happy to steer and brake myself, like good ol'days" 😁

Sorry, I never fully understand this kind of sentiment. What ways exactly? And why people always grief about trannies, not about "I want my manual choke back" or "I'd be happier to set ignition timing manually". Disclaimer - last question is rethoric of course, I perfectly know why: because still there is a choice, MT vs AT, and it is enough to make an issue. And back to the topic - true automation, as "set the owner/driver free from chaffeur-like manual occupation", was always significant factor for premium cars, am I right?

"Go away, Satan. For it is written, 'You are to worship the GS430, and serve him only". Erm... for now? (it's 10 weeks only in the current GS, for Our Lady Enodia's sake!) 😝 But proper LS like above, is a thing of beauty and perfection, no doubts... 😍

Congratulations! (I don't need LS, I don't need LS, I don't need LS, I don't need LS, I don't need LS...) 😁

I think for flags they use mini-poles on the fenders, same position as for extra mirrors in Japanese cabs. This single pole on the bumper is probably "parking marker" as above described. Or, much less probable, retractable aerial for special communication (com-link or CB type), typically for cab, limo, etc. IIRC Mitsubishi Electric offered some systems like this. BTW and maybe in same context (comm devices) - what are these pieces in passenger leg room area?

You could start with: why in UK "third party only" insurance is typically three times more expensive than comprehensive (for same car and driver), opposite any common logic or other countries practices... 🤨 after this other practices like above "we don't like imports" will be piece of cake to understand.

Paul, "embarrassment" means "blood" and "a little wrong" means "a big crash", or did I misunderstand this code 😁

But what year/model GS and what rims (diameter) exactly? Maybe try to use: https://www.wheel-size.com/size/lexus/gs/ (and there is online calculator for rims/tyre swaps at this page)

Obviously. The best fabric upholstery I met was a ford top range velour, grayish-bluish (for "black" interior), not very interesting, but feels great and comfy and easy to keep pristine. If I would ever jump into madness "replace lexus leather with a tweed" or any fabric, it will be dark grey or smth, matches dash and wheel leather (this coffe-choco shade) not like a light beige over seats and carpets, it looks nice but obviously it's not practical at all.

Amen. Plus - typical automotive leather now, even top grade, is "ANY leather softened according to PO budget, very "smart" dyed, and next coated with heaviest industry grade PU paint/coating available". I help to design and built machines and QA for these processes at Scottish tanneries, and sometimes my thought in front of these machines was "why the hell anybody call THIS stuff, such dyed and painted PU, a leather". And they have a pretty premium customers, even above Lexus, as far as I could tell. Now I am sitting here and calculate if I could redesign and afford to refurbish my GS in wool tweed, maybe seats only. And guys, IT IS YOUR FAULT! 😜

But do you have a electrically folded mirrors, by button or smth?

True, I forgot this! most of Century and many Celsiors and Crowns were with wool option. Japanese are mental about wool in cars, not only for warm/cool feeling, but it is quiet compare to a leather... and this is I call luxury approach 😉

Back to the topic - I have dropped subject here and there for discuss, and it looks interesting conclusion, or consensus rather, somehow close to my feelings (but in other parts I was WTF): What is important for perception of the premium car these days, this place, in "my crowd" (perception of real car, not a badge, a price tag, a brand, etc): 1) performance - yes, not, maybe; in personal preferences 2) electronic and IT gadgets - minor factor, two for a quid everywhere 3) luxury materials & gadgets - in personal taste 4) reliability - in elder cars maybe, nobody cares in a brand new car 5) styling - minor factor (over my dead cold body!) 6) comfort, ergonomy - yes 7) quiet - in personal taste, but for normal non-petrolhead public, fat YES 8 ) size of interior - combined with p.6) KING OF THE HILL, literally nobody from family, friends, etc. judge small car could be really premium. Could be premium brand car, but not premium car itself. And it looks pretty valid - designers could deliver or marketing could fake anything and babling about CT or beema 1 series or A klasse as "premium cars", but it is impossible to squeeze big comfy 4 people interior into compact car (or solve any similar problem)... So common perception of space and of the cost of space look like very good points to judge what is real premium from what is marketing simulacrum. And there is some interpolation about what is the norm (squeezed diesel compacts) and what is above the norm. And in broader view it is very philosophical conclusion about modern world and what we can easy make/fake and how fool our minds (gadgets, bells, whistles, styling), what is more difficult (comfort, sound proofing, performance) and what is still a cost and impossible to fake (real living space in our cars, houses, gardens, etc).

I used to Grandas Scorpio, I still has soft spot for them. First we had a few 2.0 OHC low-end, next a few 2.9 non-cosworth auto, bulletproof engine and transmission fits (not like cosworths and 4.0, A4LD family transmission was too weak for them). Last one I scrap a year ago (ok, she has left in garage for 2 more years), with mileage like 300k and more than 10 yrs with us. And this fleet included Merkur Scorpio, unique "double bullet-proof" version. Except rust after 15+ years they were pretty good and loaded for these range and prices, and easy to keep on the road for decades. And one huge selling point for me - interior space, like from another planet. It was unbeliveable for normal people (and merc or audi owners...) how big was scorpio 86-92 inside, even my GS is smaller, I am not sure if normal LS from that era was comparable. Typical joke was "put an audi guy in front, after a minute tell him to set up seat full back, he is a bit shocked by leg room, and next told him to look how much room is still behind front seat and you could learn from a guy new bad language instantly". There is a great story behind these Grandas and Scorpios, with main designer Uwe Bahnsen as main character, but it is another topic. And many friends were same with Sierras, Scorpios, people have moved now to volvo, audi, me - into lexus, but still a few of them keep roadworthy Scorpios and Sierras, just for fun and sentiment, even as daily ride. And my yankee fords were fine too, thunderbird 5.0HO was the nice coupe, with better suspension than any factory mustang same era and engine, she flew like locomotive (OK, and she was thirsty like one), only problem with her with this torque and limited slip diff and no any traction control, she was a really tyre-eater 😎 Ford Explorer 1gen. was a bit less reliable with a-bit-too-much-bore 4.0 and transmission a-bit-to-weak, and rust above average, but as a daily solid SUV, on the proper frame and with american gadgets, 4x4 and load/volume, it was a nice workhorse too. As above comments, from all medium level brands (ford, opel/vauhall, VAG, etc.) Ford always looks for me "honest" and "you got what you pay, no less, sometimes a bit more". Not like European GM "you got much less for your pay" or VAG "you has to pay much more what you got (if anything good at all)". But on the other hand, I am biased, because I never tried any distantly possible troublesome version from Ford (or in broader view - from any other manufacturer too). I never owned private diesel, turbo, or any oversofisticated or powerfull as "HP per litre" stuff. Probably this is a reason I am mostly happy with my old bangers. If I would tried Ford with infamous VM diesel, or fine but costly cosworths, or any one with detoriated modern electric/electronics, probably I would have different memories. Closer to VW 2.0 diesel or many vauxhall owners experiences.

It could be disputed there are no more fog lamps but DRLs, and retrofitted DRL could be manual operated, so sort-of fine. But if we are on legal stuff: "Some of the guidelines state that only two DRL are needed (no more and no less), they must only emit white light to the front and positioned between a height of 25cm and 150cm with a 20 degree outwards and inwards horizontal angle of visibility and a 10 degree inwards and upwards vertical angle of visibility. " (and IIRC wide no less than 60cm?) means fog lamps are not fit for the purpose, they are too low. Probably nobody cares in UK, but on the continent in some countries there is no space to discuss with road police about this issue, if lamp is too low, it is not DRL but fog lamp (or anything and call it Susan), in best case switch off please, in worst case ticked. On the other hand, any idea for home grown DRLs (powerful LEDs, hibeam half-light, fog lamp conversion) is not stricte legal in EU, if lamp has no RL/E4 marking (means proper certificate). And it is maybe unprobable, but still possible issue with MOT or road police. I have once this issue "combined", with barely legal height DRLs ("blue" retrofitted DRLs on photo, 25cm in axis), when I was "oh f off, this is 25cm and it is ok" guy was "Yeah, maybe, so let's look for marking" (it was here, so I won this part). They pulled me for missing plate of course, but you know the drill, "if we stay here, let's play here".