I've had my 2004 GS430 for a week now.
I've had many cars and have grown a custom to things that I would call standard.

Illuminated Clusters Stalks for the turn signal and wiper blades?
Why aren't these lit so you can see them at night?
Yes I have the "Auto On” Lights feature, but I would like to see the stalk illuminated so I can see them at night.

Fog Lights "ON" light? At night I have no way of knowing if my fog lights are on or off. I have to turn them on and off to see if there is change.

Illuminated Mirror Adjustment switch, another area that needs some illumination.

Remote Auto up windows. Why can I open my windows with the remote but I cannot close them? I have to use the key? The function is there it’s just not on the remote.

Why can’t I turn off my navigation system? If you turn off the screen you cannot see the other functions like, the Climate Control or Radio features.
You can turn off the guidance but not the map. It’s always on. (You can switch it to the other features but the Nav is still on)

There is no mute button for the radio?

These things just seem odd to me.

Here are a few things that should be on the car but aren’t
Rain Sensors, for the wipers and windows
Head Light Washers
Tire Pressure Sensors
Three position seat memory (I only have two)
18” wheels (17” is the largest OEM wheel option available)
Rear fold down seats for the occasional large item.

Any thoughts on this?

 

ACK...too much illumination is distracting and dangerous for night driving. Your suggestions are good but just reminds me of my folks Olds Toronado...too many illuminated buttons...why, because there was no way to learn all the button positions. I've had Toyota's, and now Lexus, for years and find the instruments very easy to use...even with my eyes closed. I don't have Nav for a good reason. I can tell my fogs are on only at night. I don't like the rain sensor idea...just more stuff to fail and drive ya nuts. Wider 18" wheels I like. I don't think wipers will work on the curved headlight lense, but good idea. A tire pressure sensor would be tough to do considering changes in temp and pressure when driving...IMO. Not sure about the remote window up feature.

 

I've never owned an Oldsmobile, so I’m not sure about all the buttons.
However the high-end cars I’ve owned, 2001 996 Porsche Twin Turbo and my 2002 Mercedes CLK55 AMG, and all of my Corvettes have had simplified illumination for driver information. It’s just something I’ve grown accustom to.
Tire pressure sensors will be standard on all USA registered vehicles in 2005. Thanks to the Ford/Firestone escapade. Several vehicles already have it.
The wiper rain sensor is quiet nice when your drive in light rain or mist. The wipers clean the windows when it’s needed you don’t have to keep turning them on and off. And it also automatically closes all the windows and sunroof. (Unless you decide to stop it)
The headlight washing systems don’t uses blades anymore. They use high pressure washing fluid. Don’t be in a cross walk when some one turns them on. They soak everything!
There are a few nice features on the car that I do like the Tilt Telescopic steering wheel with exit feature. The car is extremely quiet. And the Stereo is nice for OEM.
Just my 2 cents worth,
Tim

 

Yes I remember the press release about Ford/Firestone. Let's hope the new feature will save lives.
A builtin super-soaker washer...that's funny

 

> Illuminated Clusters Stalks for the turn signal and wiper blades?
> Why aren't these lit so you can see them at night?

Would be nice, but not having it has never bothered me.

> Fog Lights "ON" light? At night I have no way of knowing if my fog lights are on or off. I have to turn them on and off to see if there is change.

Again, would be nice perhaps, but it's never been a problem for me. Ask yourself do you want them on or off? If you want them off, try to rotate switch toward you, if already off you can't turn it, otherwise they go off. If you want them on, try to rotate the switch away from you, if already on you can't turn it, otherwise they go on. Don't know if you want them on and off? Then who cares?

> Illuminated Mirror Adjustment switch, another area that needs some illumination.

Perhaps Lexus considers it a bad idea to be adjusting mirrors while moving when it's dark, but regardless, the controls are so easy to 'feel' in the dark, this certainly isn't needed.

Methinks you just want the car to look like a NASA control panel.

> Remote Auto up windows. Why can I open my windows with the remote but I cannot close them? I have to use the key? The function is there it’s just not on the remote.

This is almost certainly a safety issue that they don't want you closing everything from afar when the car may not even be in sight.

> Why can’t I turn off my navigation system? If you turn off the screen you cannot see the other functions like, the Climate Control or Radio features.
> You can turn off the guidance but not the map. It’s always on. (You can switch it to the other features but the Nav is still on)

I don't understand this one. If you're not looking at the map, who cares if the car is keeping track of where you're going behind the scenes?

> There is no mute button for the radio?

Easy - just press the on/off ****. Pressing again comes right back where you were, so it's the same as mute.

>Here are a few things that should be on the car but aren’t
>Rain Sensors, for the wipers and windows

I agree... the car release is now 6 years old though and this feature hasn't been available on any car very long. The newer LS and GX (and maybe LX) have it I believe.

> Head Light Washers

GS models sold in Canada, Europe, and probably Pac/Asia have this feature. I assume in the U.S. Lexus believed it didn't need the feature to sell the car.

> Tire Pressure Sensors

Would be nice but VERY few cars have them today.

> Three position seat memory (I only have two)

Would be nice but again, some concessions have to be made for cost reasons. One thing I miss from my Acura Legend is variable temp heated seats. Lexus cheaped out by giving the GS only on/off.

> 18” wheels (17” is the largest OEM wheel option available)

I agree. Lexus has sold 18's on the GS in some markets, but unfortunately not in the U.S. Could be due to the very poor quality of roads in many places.

> Rear fold down seats for the occasional large item.

Structural integrity issue. BMW 5 series (its direct competitor) doesn't off this either.

Bottom line on all this - next gen. GS will no doubt add some of these things, but some are market-driven.

Oh and let me point out some things on the GS that others usually don't have:

- auto down AND UP on ALL windows
- 300+HP and impeccable smoothness from a normally aspirated 4L engine
- no park brake messing up the center console providing clean look and lots of storage space
- a nav system that's useful, easy to use, and well integrated with other controls. Acura's is similar but no touch screen

 

Thats funny you mention that about the side mirror ajustment because i was looking for it for 20 minutes at night whe n i first got my GS.

 

For some reason I can live with out them in the GS..now if it were the Porsche I would be pretty upset..

 

Timster
I went from a 5 series to the GS and the first thing I noticed was the lack of lighting for the interior on the GS. The Germans do it with two red lights in the headliner pointing down (but you know this already)- lights up everything you need and doesn't blind you. The worst thing on the car is that the garage door openers are not illuminated - I'm always fumbling for the right button.

The lack of fog light indicator is an annoyance and I do miss the auto wiper feature.

If you lived up north, you would also complain about the single stage heated seats - although I admit they work pretty well for having only one setting.

Bit, the 5-series does come with fold down rear seats (at least the E39 did)- it’s an option however.

 

The Nav in our MDX is touchscreen.

 

Timster, good points on a number of issues. But as bit pointed out, we are 7 years into the model run with a freshening in the 4th year (2001).

Since my wife's 04 RX has variable heated seats, rain sensing wipers, 18" wheels (from 16"), and more (subtle) interior lighting (though not all of those items you'd like to see illuminated), and headlight washers, I think it's safe to say that at least some of those issues will be addressed with the model change. Tire pressure sensors are available now on the current LX.

It really comes down to design cycles and T/L lags (or waits to evaluate the competition, depending on your point of view) behind Mercedes/BMW/Audi a year or two.

 

Forgot to add:

the mirror adjustments on my 01 are lighted.

 

just my quick thought on the headlight washers. they are a waste. we also have a bmw 5 series...and it has headlight washers. it doesnt do anything for us. even during the winter. i sprays the headlights..but i find it as a nuisance more than a necessity.

 

One thing i would realy need is second-start prevention mechanism. The benz has this, preventing you from cranking your engine while it is on. I've done this numerous times cuz i couldnt hear or feel the damn engine! My friend was standing right outside my car and couldnt hear the engine either. Well, now, I just put it in gear to check if it is on. If it isnt on, it wont move right?? heheh

 

Yeap forgot about the single stage seat warmers.
I just need to drive the car more to get use to the differences.
I haven't programmed my Homelink yet.

I will say the car is comfortable and quiet!
Tim

 

This is the last year of the GS product cycle. I am sure the next GS will have a couple of these features you request (which are on newer model cars). Canadian GSs have em.Aftermarket Slap some Volks or HREs on there. Weird. None of those cars have won any kudos for easy to use interiors like the GS. Not many people understand that Lexus does studies with the human brain on interior hues, positions, feel etc.That is why so many magazines say they feel at ease or bored inside. They are designed to be that way. The cars you mentioned are very HIGH horsepower cars, with more concentration on performance than interior.

Lastly, all Lexus interiors mimic each other. This helps with multiple Lexus families. Going from one car/SUV to another is easy b/c things are similar.

Fog light indicator? I dunno but I have never had any problem in any Lexus with this. Pull it back to be off, push it foward to turn on. It turns off with high-beams, you cannot have fogs on alone with side markers unless you re-wire it.