USED Lexus GS Saloon (05 - 12)

My car

I have a 2007 GS Limited Edition (almost the same spec. as the current SE), bought new & have driven the car for over a year. In short, it's a real mix of the good and the bad. I think the car is great value for the amount of kit it comes with & considerably better value than the premium German cars, with the likes of air-cooled seats, sat nav & voice control as standard. The transmission is very smooth & the cabin is generally very quiet and comfortable. I have found the Lexus dealer in my area (Chester) very polite & accommodating & the price of the first annual service was a pleasant surprise. However (and this is a big issue personally) it seems that the GS has a real issue with build quality, in particular the dashboard. My car's dash rattles and creaks far too much for a £37,000 vehicle. Lexus have tried & failed to fix the problem, so now I have to live with it. I have been in 3 different GSs & they all suffered in a way that simply isn't apparent (in my experience) in a Mercedes E-Class or Audi A6. Would I buy another Lexus? Possibly, given the value & the level of dealer service, but it wouldn't be GS & I would take a long test drive!

My car

Same power as the V8 engine but still return 32mpg, this is incredible. Lovely to drive and live with and the best thing is you don't see them very often so you can always have that exclusive feeling.

My car

This is my fourth GS, having owned a mark 1 GS300 and two mk 2 GS300s from new. I bought this GS430 at 9 months old and 8K miles for £38K, it having lost £9K from new. Initially we had a number of problems with the car preparation through the original dealer but these were eventually sorted when a compromise was found. It is worth abouth £22K now at 32 months old (mega depreciation).

There was a major problem with the climate control and a smell that would not go away, plus dash rattles and driver seat squeaks. The car went to my local dealer 15 times in nine months and after much effort and apologies, they did finally manage to resolve all of the faults (including fitment of two replacement seats).This was NOT my tpyical experience and I believe that the interior was sub-standard on early versions of the new model. It ruined a great drive. It has been OK for 12 months and I will be getting rid soon.

My car

The GS 450h is a remarkable car. Although slightly on the expensive side compared with German rivals, I very much prefer it to a 5-series. The overall experience in the car is excellent.

Initially I thought that the 3.5 V6 and hybrid would not be very economical going by the RX400h, however even with my exuberant driving style, it still managed 30mpg. The power that it produces is phenomenal. When accelerating you can feel the 340bhp, although it merely seems that the outside is going faster. Cruising at 100mph seems the same at 50mph. The road and wind noise is almost non-existent and the ride, although slightly on the harsh side, is acceptable. The GS is okay on the twisty bits, but it is not up to a 5-series for fun. Overall the driving experience is top class.

Inside it is fantastic. It is a class leading interior, well set out with moutains of kit. Mine had sat-nav, reversing camera and sensors, climate control. You name it, the GS has it. I particularly liked the fold down thing with all the instruments on. It is very innovative. When driving it is incredibly hushed at all speeds and refinement is top notch. Quality is superb, as in all Lexii. I have also been assured by owners that the dealers are the best in the country.

Overall, I think that the GS450h is not the planet's saviour - that's the Prius' job. But it is definitely economical, fast, comfortable, good looking and great value for money.