Faults:

Nothing much. Front bumper came a bit loose, transmission a bit rough on hard acceleration.

General Comments:

Amazing attention to detail on the finish. Interior is a very nice place to be. Have sat in the car after work for a few minutes to unwind. The engine is sublime, with a lovely engine note from 3500 RPM upwards. Pictures and reviews don't do it justice; you just have to go and drive one. From looking at some reviews I expected it to be like an upmarket Avensis, but it is far from it! Very well refined, lovely comfortable seats, and the LED lighting must have been ahead of its time, being 12 years old.

Bad points are few, but I have had many Lexus over the years and although this is well made, it just doesn't feel as solid as the previous models (1995-2004). I have owned older GS and an 2001 LS, and they just felt better built. I feel like if I drive the GS hard, I'll break it! Older models were not like that.

Faults:

Scrubbing noises (HALF RATTLE/HALF SQUEAK) from the dashboard when cold. Rectified by Lexus F.O.C. Known problem and modification fixes it.

Fuel line modification applied under recall.

Bubbling lacquer on front alloy wheels. Not spoken to dealer of this yet.

Inconsistent radio reception quality. Dealer couldn't find any fault but agreed to exchange the unit if it persisted.

General Comments:

It took some time for me to take to the car after my Audi A8 Quattro Sport. My criticism of Japanese cars has always been that they are not "driver's cars" in the same way that Audis and BMWs are. They're not as engaging and feedback from the engine, suspension and steering is vague by comparison.

However, having now acclimatized to the car's driving characteristics, I do now look forward to getting behind the wheel of it and driving it. As much as it is an executive cruiser, it can also be a very responsive and spirited sprinter and keeps pace comfortably and assuredly on twisting A and B roads. I like it!

It is well equipped and has many toys, half of which I shall never use. I especially like the bluetooth feature which allows me to automatically connect my mobile 'phone and contacts / address book. But, why do Lexus (and other manufacturers) still insist that a cassette player is a necessity. I'd much prefer to see a DVD slot and MP3 capability in its place.

One other point, although minor, which I feel is worthy of mention - my Audi had "lit up everything" when driving at night or with the lights on, right down to the button for opening the glove compartment. and the roof mounted sunroof controls. I'm surprised Lexus don't follow suit. The cabin lighting is not a match for the Audi.

Overall though, I like the car and feel it was good value for money and the build quality is sound - reassuring clunks when the doors are closed and not a squeak or a rattle. It is relaxing and comfortable on long journeys.

Would I buy anther one? I haven't got Audi fully out of my system yet...

Faults:

- strange noise and movement while braking on low speeds. I feel like somebody is hitting me from behind.

- smart key doesn't work sometimes. I have to push the keyless buttons to make it work. and sometimes it says "key not detected" when trying to start the engine.

- bad smells from A/C (for 10 seconds after switching it on)

- many False alarms by one of the parking sensors. it shows that there is obstcale however nothing is there!

General Comments:

The following I liked mostly in the car

- best price in it's class (versus E500, A6 4.2, 545i)

- acceleration.. very fast.. 0-62 in 6 seconds I've tested that.

- quickly pull up on high speeds.

- in term of consumption is car is very efficient for such big V8 engine

- engine noise is minimal

- parking assistance and rear camera (a MUST HAVE option)

- plenty of options (everything you need from a sport sedan)

- seats are very comfortable

- Excellent A/C, even at very hot weather (42+ Degree)

-smooth driving, smooth and excellent cornering/handling on high speeds.

-sporty driving experience

- reliable

- very stable on high speeds and on the highway.

-touch screen very helpful

- Navigation system is very practical and very easy to use, much better than Audi, Range Rover, BMW, Nissan and Porsche (I've used all of them)

-braking needs minimal physical work to stop the car...very nice.. at high speeds, it is really smooth and perform very well.

Things I didn't like

- Middle East version doesn't have RDS on Radio FM and doesn't have DVD Option

- you can only save 6 FM channels!!! REALLY BAD

- NO iPod integration for such expensive luxury car

- NO MP3 playback and NO DVD-Audio for such expensive car

- parking breaks doesn't hold the car unless if you pushed it to it's limit!

- barking is not very smooth at low speeds, however it performs very well.

- some Tire and Air noise at 120+ km/h for such expensive car (compared with BMW and Mercedes)

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

Did not want to buy a new GS, as my 1998 GS was still doing the job, and other than the radio dial fading on my first 2 Lexus, I have not spent a cent, and was able to get an exchange radio after 5 years, which was a plus.

My wife decided she wanted a new gold one, and it has turned out better than I expected.

A small point that no salesman pointed out was that when you opened up a door, the rubber strip on the bottom of the door stopped the door hitting the wall.