B1RMA

Thanks some helpful info for someone who may purchase a 500 in the future. As I mentioned on your last thread there is no way at this moment in time I'd buy a Hybrid, plus I didn't realise it had that CVT drive system. Many years ago I was looking to buy a long distance cruiser and looked at a secondhand LS 600h. It was very nice but I hated the CVT drive it just didn't suit me. I didn't realise the 500 Hybrid had it so that has definitely put it out of the running. As for the filler flap that really needs to be sorted and I'm hoping if an F version comes out they'll beef up the brake disc size too. I'm sure you will enjoy the AMG I've had two so far and enjoyed the N/A V8 in the SL63 then the breathtaking oomph of the CL65's V12 twin turbo engine. Just watch the dealerships though I had truly awful service until I switched to Brooklands.

I'm guessing a re-map will be a relatively inexpensive way of upping the BHP on the new model.

I agree, but having had my RCF for a while now (and liking it more as time passes) I find it can do wafting very well indeed. I've concluded it's the AVS system, the other day I had a 200 mile round trip which included a fair bit of dual carriageway etc so knowing that the roads were littered with camera vans I decided to take more time leisurely drive so set everything for comfort. It compared very favourably to my CL65 which was a real wafter. On the way back I took the scenic route put it in Sports+ and Slalom on the TVD felt the suspension tighten up and had a good blast. This car does both really well.

I agree with the N/A engines it's all about the sound and the fact you have to 'work' the engine. A few cars ago I had a SL63 AMG the one with the the N/A 6.2 litre engine it was wonderful to hear it going up through the gears, I had booked a four hour driving course at MB World in which I had the later twin turbo version of the SL63, it felt a lot more instant and brutal than my current N/A car but driving back after the course decided I liked the old N/A car more. I then progressed to the V12 twin turbo AMG which was ridiculously quick once on the move but again it took the 'fun out of winding the car up through the gears. I am obviously a dinosaur because I just love using all the revs on a N/A car. Plus having that 8 speed box and the paddles with the RCF/GSF is a delight compared to my previous cars. Makes you wonder with the PR generated by the Men in Black movie and the possibility of the V8 being phased out the RCF may become a bit more desirable.

Will this mean the end of the GSF/RCF or will they stay true to keeping a V8 N/A for those models. If not they mark the end of an era.

That's very unfortunate and must be disappointing for you. A good friend of mine and fellow Lotus Anorak has his Aston Martin softop for sale in the Hedge End dealership (it's on the upper floor of the Lotus section) at the moment and over our annual Lotus Christmas Dinner asked me about the LC 500. I said from my limited experience of Lexus they were very well made and pretty bombproof plus compared to the cars we usually run very cheap on serving. I would hasten to add that neither of us would entertain a Hybrid yet so it would be the full fat V8 model. I said go try it because as I found with my RCF the Jekyll and Hyde characteristics of these cars can altered to suit how you feel like driving at that moment in time and not many cars can do that. He will not thank me for recommending one if things like the filler flap play up because we have moved on from the days when bits kept falling off our Lotus cars.

Not the same vehicle but my Traffic van always has a blocked jet they did not fit a filter on the reservoir which I think is part of the problem. I regularly have to set to with a needle on the suspect jet then put my finger over the working jet to block it up completely this seems to work every time. I guess you have tried the obvious anyhow.

Sad I know, but I've just listened to the part of the trailer where they take off and it sounds like an RCF too.

That'll be good PR for the car. Hope to see some footage you can see the black RCF in the trailer.

Well that was a very pleasant gathering and nice to meet Jennifer and her husband too, also some new to me F folk, good food and company.

I agree, the reviews all seem to say the same thing, although Chris Harris a reviewer I have the greatest respect for did conclude that as a road car it was fine. In all honesty I'm not fussed about whether the sat nav isn't the best, I do like a decent hifi system in a car although being a hifi fanatic I know how limited you are with a car environment but it'll do. I chose the RCF because it's different and I like driving it and find it perfectly adequate on todays speed camera strewn roads despite its weight which I haven't really noticed.

The front light assembly was one of the things that attracted me to the RCF good distinctive design.

I've just had this fitted to my Mini Clubvan as part of hotting it up a bit. It is so smooth compared to the standard worth every penny.

In the RCF I use the cup holders one for the key and the other for my phone. I don't think I've ever used a cup holder in any of my cars, probably too afraid of the mess any spillages could make.

The long term forecast (I know they haven't got a bl**dy clue) is for a sunny afternoon on the 16th. So despite the lower temperatures and the possibility of a bit of rain on the way up I've got this as a definite and look forward to seeing those who turn up.

Very nice, great choice of colour.

Did that include spark plug replacement then? Mines only had an annual service/10,000 mile service due to only having 5000 miles at the time which was just over £200.

Both the Porsche and the AMG were astronomically higher, the next big service for my AMG would have been in the region of just under £3K mind you on the V12 car there are 24 expensive plugs to replace at this service. Even normal services for both cars always seemed to be £800-£1500 plus per year. It was very refreshing to be told by Lexus Hedge End what the cost of servicing the RCF would be. Knowing this drew me to buying an RCF with every extra I could get knowing that Lexus reliability and reputation for replacing faulty items would give me piece of mind having a complicated car with AVS and TVD. Plus the servicing costs compared to most of my past cars are as 'cheap as chips' good old Lexus I say. Now if they were to make an F version of the LC I don't think I could resist. Meantime my RCF grows on me the more I use it. I know I have said this about every car I've bought at the beginning of ownership but always land up selling it after a year.

Guess I was just lucky then, as I only kept the car long enough for two services. Both times I thought what a smart marketing idea.

Lexus could learn a trick or two from Porsche with this. Whenever my Porsche went in for a service they would always give me a top of the range car, I had a Panamera Turbo, a Macan Turbo as complimentary cars for the day and it did sow a seed of me thinking 'i wouldn't mind one of these'

Look forward to seeing some photos.

I must admit I agree with your approach, I know a chap who is a very well respected detailer locally, he uses a lot of Swissvax products and some of his clients with Lambo's etc have him apply eye wateringly expensive waxes to their cars. He introduced me to the Swissvax Leather Milk, at first I thought nearly £40 for a dinky little bottle of leather cream was plain stupid but you use so little it actually lasts quite some time and the results are superb. I have brought up the subject of films and nano coats several times with him and I've drawn the conclusion like you that provided the preparation work of removing swirls etc is carried out properly first a decent wax applied on a regular basis is my preferred route. Although my last car did have a film on the front and it worked very well and I may still go down that route later. I've won a few awards at car shows for shiniest car (and still have the engraved piston and other bits as proof) and the wax I've been using for the last 10 years is the Pinnacle Souveran wax, when I first bought it it was about £40 for a tub it is now £80+ per tub but still a lot cheaper than a lot of others. It goes on like butter and comes off with a wipe and despite its rather high price does the car at least 5-6 times. Having invested in a DA polisher many years ago I quite enjoy the whole scenario. As I haven't ruined any of my cars yet I'll still stick to the current regime of regular waxing.

I think you have to consider where in the UK you live, down here near the South Coast it rarely gets that cold that you would benefit from the better braking/handling in cold/wet conditions that winter tyres give. Plus there are the gritters, when I first bought my Porsche I loved using it all the time. But one evening I took it along to my Lotus Anoraks gathering and bugger me if I didn't get well and truly showered by a gritter on the way there, I caught it on the way back both times it was on the other side of the road so couldn't avoid it. My new cars bonnet was peppered and after the winter noticed underneath how it had collected in crevices really horrible stuff. So I'm a bit reluctant to use my RCF in the winter if I'm honest.

I'm not a fan of the stuff they put on the roads these days either, far too gritty.

I'm just about to put the winter tyres on my Mini, this got me thinking about whether it's worth putting them on the RCF. These days tyre places charge you £80 a time to change over so each year you fork out £160. So for my Mini I bought a secondhand refurbished set so as I can change straight over with no more additional costs. I've just done a quick couple of figures for the RCF a set of 4 Pirelli Soto-zero 3's will cost £954 from Camskill who are always good on price. If I were to buy a set wheels for the RCF say a set of Bola's for £800 it makes the whole project a bit costly although it will only be a one off cost. I'm sort of tempted to put the RCF away for the winter as our roads do get a bit hectic when the weather really turns, of course living down near the South Coast I only put the winters on for about three months at the most so I'm more tempted to put the car away. Anyone else put winter tyres on their F car?