rayaans

Going for the 20k service on Thursday! I need a couple of things doing to the car as well, one of which is the front wheel which was painted a different colour to the rest of the wheels after being kerbed on delivery! I have a free full valet included too!

I am also very excited to be getting an IS300h F Sport as a loaner! Will let you know how it goes!

kitlz

I thought the wheel issue was taken care of Oh well, enjoy driving the IS. Definitely post some pics since we don't have that model here. What's included with the 20K? Here it's a minor service - tire rotation, oil change, check fluid levels - so no loaner is given. Valet service, only did that once. It's pretty convenient if you don't want to be bothered driving to the dealer. Hope all goes well.

rayaans

Nope, the wheel was a different colour but its not too noticeable so I decided Id have it done at 20k service as the dealer is 30 miles away.

The 20k service here is a Full service. Our mileage intervals are every 1 year or 10k miles. Oh and by a full valet, i meant full cleansing and protection of all interior and exterior surfaces which is free of charge once every year with a service package. I can also get an LS F Sport free for a special occasion once every year so I may be getting that next month for my son's prom day.

kitlz

Ah, the differences. Valet here is having someone from the dealer pick up the car and leave a loaner. My dealer is 30+ miles away too but I prefer to drive there myself. Just did it last Saturday for minor service - basically a tire rotation, check fluids and alignment. They give you some nice perks over there. But I'm sure you pay for it.

Hope the wheel issue is fixed to your satisfaction. Enjoy driving the IS.

rayaans

Ok just come back. Firstly, the IS300h they planned to give me, got bought Secondly, they gave me a CT200h new model non F Sport. Thirdly the CT stinks! The seats are absolutely awful, the ride is awful, the materials inside are decent but the car feels slow and makes silly hybrid noises which my RX doesnt even though mine is a hybrid too.

Cant wait to get in my own car. Hence, im driving my wife's Merc C220 CDI to work tomorrow morning and she can have this CT200h piece of junk.

PS - the engine is actually rather smooth on the motorway, however, the car is still awful and I hate it!

dwlink

Agree that the CT200 stinks. Just like Merc's CLA and BMW's 1/2 series, these models have had way too many corners cut for them to really feel like a high quality finished product. Combine those models with others like the Hyundai genesis and its almost like these automakers are targeting a segment of people fixated on an image rather than a product.

rayaans

Of course its made to a budget and I expected that but it just feels like a toyota in Lexus clothing. Theres an awful lot of plastic everywhere, the infotainment system takes too long with the rotary **** thing and the seats have a very hard non adjustable lumbar support which gave me backache after an hour.

In all fairness, the drivetrain is perfect for city driving and its quiet for city driving too as it handles quite well, however, the ride is stiff, probably due to the low profile tires and just doesnt have a Lexus feel to it.

corradoMR2

^^^ Loved my CT but like anything else, it's all about setting expectations.

Did they replace the wheel or just repaint?

rayaans

Repainting the drivers side wheels, both of them. They said theyd get back to me on the kerbed wheel on the passengers side and will paint both too if I choose to have it done

rayaans

Update - dealer says my car should be ready on Thursday so ill pick it up. They also quoted me £85 + VAT at 17.5% per wheel to do the passenger side as they cannot match the colour exactly (after sales manager said this himself). I simply refused and decided I would live with the kerbing on one wheel as dirt has now found its way into it so looks the same as the rest of the wheel!

Updates on the CT200h - Ive found a new driving position which has now completely reduced back pain when driving the car. At first I thought it had very stiff seats but I have now become used to them.

The infotainment system is still playing up. Every time audio is switched on, it turns to radio and then I have to manually move to the USB drive. Im not a fan of the rotary **** on this car either, seems much more fiddly than the remote touch in the RX and it doesnt have haptic feedback which Im used to.

The car has the basic audio system, no ML but to my ears, it seems perfectly adequate. I wouldnt feel the need to upgrade to a better quality audio system.

The boot is plenty big enough for my wife. She said it swallowed all the shopping and there was still space for some more. However, she complained about water dripping onto the seat from the roof when the doors are open and its raining. Ive never experienced this on a car before.

Still, I find the car too small. Being 6ft, getting in and out of the CT200h with the steering wheel all the way up and the seat halfway up is difficult. Now im sure it would be better if I put the seat all the way down, but then theres a blindspot behind the navigation screen when looking out of the windscreen.

Also, we all know that the car ONLY has 136hp. The funny thing is, it feels much faster than that. It feels peppy and light and in town, the car can keep up with traffic easily. Out on the motorway, its a different story, the power disappoints and I miss my RX after a while.

Ride comfort - At first I thought it was bad, now I think Ive gotten used to it. The car doesnt jump over bumps and its fairly composed. It also handles very well with flat cornering even when pushing hard which is good.

Rear visibility is frustrating, the window is so tiny and this car has no rear parking sensors that its difficult to judge where the extremes of the car are. Its been 10 years since I drove a car without parking sensors!

Additionally, the car seems to be doing 54mpg. Its rated at 69mpg here so I guess its not too bad. Road tax is also free which is a bonus!

Oh, and did I mention that I really like the new CT200h's looks? I like the executive ones more than the F Sport ones as Im not a fan of the black accenting on the F Sport bumper and the polished wheels either, I prefer wheels which are one colour!

Ive also had quite a few colleagues commenting on the car, weird thing is theyre all men so I guess thats a reason for girls to get it . Over here in the UK, its the complete opposite to my RX450h which women seem to comment on all the time!

kitlz

Bummer about the wheel. Doesn't sound like it'll be a problem at least. And will you be trading your 450h for a 200h, LOL! Glad you're enjoying the ride more than before. Nice review.

rayaans

Apparently the new wheels are powder coated so will NOT corrode. I may be getting an NX200t F Sport next year when my RX turns 3 but I need to see it in person along with possible colour combinations.

And no way! The RX450h is too good, its a perfect vehicle for me and my families lifestyle! However, my wife's Merc is hitting 73k miles and turning 10 years old this September so an IS250 may be taking its place as long as we can find the right colour combo! Still indecisive about that one!

Oh and my car is finally ready! Collecting Thursday evening and will definitely post pics!

kitlz

Well it's hard not to like the CT. There's enough positives to it. I couldn't get one myself because I'd never make the hills in the winter. Heck, I might not even make it out of the driveway, LOL! Sure will be strange getting back in the 450h after a week. Hope all goes well tomorrow.

rayaans

Wow just returned from my dealer with my RXh! Damn, the car feels tight after the major service, better than new!

Also, the wheels have been done amazingly and I cant find a fault with them at all! The only bad aspect is that they put too much tyre shine on so now its all over the paint! Oh well, itll come off in the rain tomorrow!

And ill post pics of the before and afters of the alloys later on!

kitlz

That's great news, rayaans. Did you get an alignment? I know that always makes the RXh drive tighter to me. Or maybe they jacked up the tire pressure. Look forward to seeing pics of the wheels.