B1RMA

Thanks, I’ve been pondering lowering for some time and now that a few owners in the USA have had it done I’m happy with the idea. The chap who does a lot of work on my other cars will do it he’s more than capable

Just an update, I've never been happy with the way the RCF sits, it's just a bit too high. Having been in conversation with our fellow RCf owners in the USA I have decided to buy the lower Swift springs. I'm only going for an inch and a half lower which I think will give the car the proper stance without looking slammed. My main concern was whether it would mess up the AVS settings but I've had enough replies from owners to allay any concerns. For owners of non AVS cars I'd still say wait until Tein bring out the very excellent EDFC active system for your cars. My 'hotted' Mini Clubvan still rides like a limo then at the press of the throttle tightens up like a track day car and not a single issue. The Tein coil-overs in the EDFC active system can be adjusted for height too.

I agree with you, perhaps Lexus put a bit more effort into the RC range of cars because I certainly wouldn't have bought one without it. Perhaps it just suits some cars better, on both my AMG's it adapted to driving behaviour perfectly and I really liked it both in a sporty model and a more luxury model. My only concern was the expense of it going wrong, but as I mentioned with Lexus it's not an issue.

I had forgotten about the Armytrix but did mention it later.

Fair enough, I'm a hifi fanatic too and have a nice system at home. You're right specifying the Mark Levinson as an extra, I'm currently using Amazon HD music streaming and in the Lexus it really does sound good, in fact short of the Burmeister system in AMG's it's really up there with the best. I did look into upgrading but the guy I go to said short of a mega expensive Focal upgrade it wasn't worth it.

If I could suggest a GT Haus or Armytrix exhaust for the RCf with the switchable facility a few owners on here have them and I should have really bought one. But at the time I was offered a Quicksilver at a really, really low price and I just couldn't turn it down. If I were to do it again I'd buy a switchable exhaust, don't get me wrong the Quicksilver does bark on start-up and I don't have any really close neighbours and by the time I get up most are at work anyway. But the switchable has another advantage, when you are cruising along the motorway at the legal limit with the Quicksilver you can adjust your foot on the throttle to make it a quiet bubble which still sounds nice, with the switchable you can just carry on without the faff of throttle positioning. Just a suggestion.

Apart from the odd scammer/buyer I would also warn you about E-bay themselves. Just recently I sold a large guitar collection some of them were advertised on e-bay. I sold a couple to scammers and as soon as I learned pulled out of the sale. E-bay sent me an invoice for £500 for the sale of two guitars, I very quickly contacted my e-bay concierge ( I'll say no more on that) who assured me the invoice was voided. Well and behold come the end of the month they took £500 from my bank account. I was incandescent when I called them and how I didn't shout a stream of profanities at them is a lesson on my part of self control. Anyway 3 weeks later they give me my £500 back and a £50 voucher for goodwill. I'm not going to ever sell anything on e-bay again, as they now take money straight out of your account

Excellent, do you have any plans for an aftermarket exhaust?

If I may just chip in here, when I was in the process of buying my RCF I had read about AVS and liked the idea. I can only give my experience of driving both a non AVS and and AVS equipped car on the same day. There is absolutely no doubt that the AVS car in normal rides 'softer' than the non AVS car it was so obvious I made my mind up that moment despite it being a much more expensive later car. What I also like is the active part of it's set-up, if you drive smoothly it's softish and very comfortable nearly on par with the CL65 I had at the time. But when you get a move on it tightens up. If you set the car (an RCF) in Sport + it feels almost like the non AVS car comfort wise perhaps just a shade stiffer. Second concern I had after having cars with active suspension systems was cost, but it's a Lexus so it won't go wrong and if it does there's the excellent warranty. I had no hesitation in specifying AVS and TVD because of this. I would also add I can only express my findings/opinion on an RCF

Ry Cooder, proof that some white men can play the blues.

I had a Greeves 250 too must have been a popular 2 stroke to have. The thing is back in those days we rode our bikes everywhere including the QE Park that was Forestry Commission property at the time. We all believed nobody could catch us anyway (and they couldn't) so really enjoyed the country roads/tracks around our area. I'm sure it helped to keep us out of trouble too. I bought the Giant Trance E+1 pro with the 650 battery and in all honesty after the latest update it's really like it has an engine. I was subject to budget creep with it though but 3 years interest free credit persuaded me as I couldn't buy it cheaper anywhere else.

He is a lot braver than me riding a bike on today's roads. I gave up riding motorbikes a few years ago as I had one or two too many close shaves, I guess with so many driver distractions these days cycling along the roads is a bit risky. In fact two days after I ordered mine at a junction just along the road there was a cyclist looking very much worse for wear and a young lady driver in tears. I thought that's a bad omen. Anyway these days I put the bike in the back of one of my vans and drive to where I ride. When I first got the bike I took it around the blue route at the QE, 7 months down the line I do the same route in less than half that time so I guess it has helped with a bit of fitness for me. Specialized e-mtb's are very expensive at the top of the range bikes.

No I haven’t yet but I’m a keen wildlife photographer so can put the camera in a backpack and head into the wilds. I’ve been learning how to handle the bike properly as I don’t want to hurt myself. In my younger days I rode trials bikes for a few local clubs but these days I value my well being/bones much more to take too many risks but I do plan to start taking snaps soon

Just wondered if anyone has taken the plunge and bought an electric powered mountain bike. Last year I bought a Giant Trance E and took it along to the Queen Elizabeth Park for a run, it's a great way of some exercise plus the air is nice and clean. Having spent my life riding Trials and Moto X bikes I love the idea of freedom you get as you can take it to places motorbikes aren't allowed.

I aspired to reach Carlos Fandango heights with my Ford Anglia which was my first hotted up car (I digress but it had 1650 engine and lightweight flywheel and Koni's) Looks like you have the right idea because dealing with Lexus dealers for me trying to get a discount was like getting blood out of a stone. Even paying cash all I got was a few hundred pounds off and a bloody Lexus insulated cup.

The only problem I have found with the Track Edition (whoever came up with that name should be sacked) is that it looks like a 'Whoopie car" with that spoiler. I've always thought that for the extra money it costs you could buy a decent late RCF and have enough money left to buy yourself a proper little track day car like I had with the VX220 Turbo or a Caterham. Plus you can get insurance for it to do a dozen or so track days, and if you drive beyond your talent you're not binning an expensive car, just my take on things of course. I have also found that it's more a case of pub bragging rights about what this and that car can do on track as I have rarely found any of them on a track day, again it could be just me not going to every track event. One person who tested the RCF Chris Harris summed it up beautifully, the RCF is not a track day car it's too heavy, but when you take it out on the road it has an appeal that grows on you and I absolutely agree with that point. I'm a serial car changer and have never kept a car more than a year, although my AMG was kept for 14 months but I've had my RCF for coming up for 2 and a half years now. Pebisit I think you have hit the nail on the head there, although the demise of the V8 is inevitable the engine in the RCF is a peach. If it doesn't have enough power you can always do what the Americans have done with the RCF and that is Supercharge it and get about 650 BHP.

To me as opposed to sheep munching the bark/roar of an RCF with either a Quicksilver or GT Haus exhaust is what I consider the sound of a V8, most AMG V8's seem to sound about right straight out of the factory, even with the addition of turbo's the V8 AMG engine sounds guttural which may not appeal to all I guess. The RCF just doesn't sound very good with it's standard exhaust in my opinion.

Believe it or not before I bought the RCF I had a CL65 AMG that's the V12 twin turbo Luxo Barge and a highly modified VX220 Turbo for track days, between the two it satisfied all my needs. Before the RCF I tried a very special V8 BMW M3 it was a factory order special with all sorts of extras, it was very nice and I loved the way it seemed to shrink around you, but after driving it for 10 minutes I got the overwhelming feeling that this car needed to be driven fast all the time. No real comfort mode as such, which is where the RCF came in. On the test drive I liked the fact you could rev it out (not sure the salesman did though) but then you could put it in comfort mode with a decent autobox and get a decent quiet comfortable car. I wouldn't personally wouldn't bother with an RC and wait and try a full fat RCF. The LC is great but it is a big car.

I think if you test drive one you'll know if it appeals to you. Just a tip on driving the car on the test drive which I think is important, once warmed up set it into Sport or Sport+ and move the 'gear' lever into manual. You'll find the sport adjustment in the central tunnel it's a round dial. You can then use the paddles to change gear I think it's fair to say most RCF owners use this and I find it very satisfying to play with. In standard form the cars sound far too castrated and you need to fit an aftermarket exhaust to draw out the proper sound of the V8. For your budget you'll be looking at AVS equipped cars which again in my opinion have the choice of very comfortable setting or stiffer if you prefer. I drove both and paid the extra for a later car.

In my quest to buy an RCF I was fortunate enough to be able to try both the pre 2017 and the later car with AVS on the same day. In the normal setting the car rides so much smoother whereas in the non AVS car the ride was significantly firmer. Having said that of course I'm guessing Tein will bring out an EDFC system for the RCF as they have for there ISF in which case the pre AVS car would be a better choice as you'll be able to lower it easily something the RCF desperately needs, I have this system fitted to my Mini Clubvan and although expensive it gives a limo like ride to a Mini. So it should make the RCF/ISF a nice ride if it comes out for the RCF.

Spot on, there is a price to pay for Compare the Market type competitiveness, as I mentioned when the DVLA messed up the registration of my car and motorbike I had to change my details four times and incurred a £30 fee for each one. It was of course in their terms and conditions so I had no choice, and of course getting any re-dress form the DVLA was futile.

I've sent the Vsc off today having read through the DVLA's information. Wraps are now considered not to be a temporary colour change and DVLA need to be notified. As space was limited I put Red/Bronze/Green I'll leave it to the DVLA if they just class it as multicolour.

I'm going to call the DVLA tomorrow, don't want to take any chances.

I always use Compare the Market, although the logging system of your quotes leaves much to be desired. Each year the insurance for my wife's Yaris comes through at a real premium hike, I go on to CTM and always get much lower quotes, she then goes back to her original insurers and gets it down to near CTM's prices. It's a pain but it does save quite a wedge.

I guess that's always a problem for anyone with a half decent car, I suppose one can only hope that it isn't subject to mindless fools.