Greetings!

Due to a very fortunate turn of events following my Suzuki Kizashi being totaled after hitting a deer last fall, I am now in a position where I can afford to purchase an LC. My first thought was to replace my highway cruiser with an IS 350 or an RC 350, but that went out the window the moment I saw the LC in the showroom! Because of the very large gap (40k in Canadian pesos) between a CPO and a brand new one, I am more inclined with purchasing a CPO.

- For those of you who have driven the 2018 and 2019 (or more recent), should I avoid purchasing a 2018 due to the "rougher suspension"? I'm 29 and the overwhelming majority of my time driving is either on highways or backroads, so I'm under the impression that I might just not feel or notice the difference?

- Sort of the same question, but what about the throttle/transmission adjustments? Anything very noticeable or major enough for me to favor a 2019 (and up)?

- I know a few members do drive the car during winter. Have you guys seen any kind of accelerated corrosion to the frame/drive-train/suspension components despite your efforts to avoid driving in conditions where abrasive might be present in large quantities?

- What summer tire option appears to have the most longevity? I can easily drive for more than 40,000 kilometers/25,000 miles in a year and as you all know, these tires ain't cheap!

- I am aware that this is a Lexus product, but I'd like to hear or maybe see some of your service/repair bills. I plan on doing basic maintenance myself, but I'm wondering if I should negotiate an extended warranty or set aside a certain amount of cash.

- Can the infotainment be upgraded for Apple Carplay on the 2018?

- Has anyone use the tire/wheels warranty offered by Lexus for road hazards? If so, how was your experience?

Thanks a lot for reading! I'm looking forward to be a regular on here

 

I'm still stuck in the part where you said you owned a Suzuki Kizashi. I think I've only ever seen one before in Canada. And I pay attention to every car I see!

Are you on the West coast by chance? I personally wouldn't use an LC as a daily driver here in Ontario.

Regardless it's a beauty of a car and I know you'll love it!

 

Basically, deer came out of the woods and I managed to dodge 2 out of 3. The hood was bent a little, the grille was destroyed, one headlight was a bit loose and one of the upper radiator mounts cracked. For some reason, they decided to total the car and gave me a fairly good amount in exchange. Fast forward a couple of months later and the insurance money I would have used as a down payment for an IS/RC has turned into 150k+.

The Kizahi was my daily driver, and I've been driving my 2007 SX4 since. I love the car for what it is, but it's terrible for long distances. My job requires me to drive between Toronto and Quebec City.

Kizashis sure are getting rare! I've been looking at purchasing another one, but 99% of them have the CVT (AWD) and I'd REALLY love to own a manual.

 

sweet! Crypto?

long drive!

29 with an LC, you'll be popular!

I've never heard of an LC owner of any year unhappy with it. I've also not seen the model years objectively compared but there's a couple of users on here who either own 2 or have upgraded from an early year to a recent year, although we only have 4 model years so far!

Edit: i was wrong about carplay and it CAN be added to 2018 and up... guess i was mixing up with android auto. android auto was added for 2021.

 

I think that was a 2020 addition, with android auto for 2021.[/QUOTE]

actually, apple carplay became available in 2019

 

I'll be using my car as a part time daily driver..


OP,
you're going from a suziki Kizashi to LC? That's a big change. Congrats.

 

No issues to my knowledge with upgrading 2018 model year LC's to the newer AV firmware with CarPlay, is working great for me. Versions can be validated against the service bulletin.

 

Yes, yes and yes!

The only thing I am not looking forward to is having people ask me the same questions whenever I stop at a gas station!

I'm sure the slight differences between the model years ultimately do not matter, but I figured I might as well ask in case someone might have something to say. If there was truly something wrong with the car, they would have probably done a recall. Nothing wrong with tweaking things between model years in my book!

Yes haha! I thought about purchasing a UX as a replacement for my SX4, but I was very disappointed by the cargo capacity. The NX/RX are way too big for my needs, so I might have to look at another make. The craftsmanship inside the Kizashi isn't even near the LC's, but I think it's a great entry-level "luxury" sedan when optioned out. I'm expecting the same reliability.

Thank you for taking the time to reply! I'll send an email to the dealership!

https://lexus2.custhelp.com/app/answ...dUElMjElMjE%3D

 

Olivr - sorry for bad info on carplay, wholeslab is exactly right... i was thinking of android auto.

but if 'cargo' capacity is needed... the lc is not the best.

 

Confirmed.

 

I'm very much aware of the LC's cargo capacity, I was just disappointed by the lack of cargo capacity in the UX! In retrospect, I think I might have been looking at the hybrid!

 

I recall reading a review (C&D or AutomobileMag) back when the Kizashi came out and it suggested it's the best car of the year that no-one will hear about or drive. I kind of wish I had gone in to test drive one new. But you'll love the LC! It'll be a great cruiser for the nice weather months between Toronto and Quebec City. And good to hear you have an SX4 for the other months! Feel free to drop me a DM once you get the LC500. I just put down a deposit on a 2022 Inspiration Series (provided it gets announced) so I hope to have an LC by next Spring. There's a couple from the GTA on here and we could do a meet up in ~9 months.

 

Toyota was selling more Corollas in a single month than Suzuki was selling Kizashis in a whole year. I'm being told the pricing wasn't aggressive enough, but I think it had more to do with a lack of advertising. The car only has one flaw and it's the CVT. Beyond 200k, it's a matter of time before weaker/cust-cutting transmission components go out. It is possible to upgrade those components, but finding anyone willing to work on this car's transmission is almost impossible.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Kizashis with a manual gearbox selling over MSRP in a decade or something. Obviously, I'm biased, but it was definitely one of the best sedans at the time.

///

Are you expecting a different interior combination? The lack of interior combinations really kills it for me

 

Yeah, the sales numbers for the Kizashi don't really surprise me. Also, both Suzuki and Mitsubishi seem to be an afterthought in the Canadian market, although I do see Mitsu making a small comeback these days. Regardless, good on you for getting the Kizashi despite it not being a strong seller. And on to bigger things now!

WRT interiors, while I've been a Toyota/Lexus fan my whole life, never been too impressed with their interiors. I did like my 2013 GS350, but that was the first year of the redesign, and while the car was red on red (a bit much), I liked it quite a bit. The seats and interior also held up quite well over 9 years of driving. Beyond that, I did like my 2001 IS300 too. But between the 3 LX my family has owned, the previous two gen (not latest) LS friends have owned, and my own 2021 GX, overall feel and design of the interiors has been lacking.

All that being said, I don't mind the LC500 interior, but the colours can make a big difference. I'm hoping the 2022 Inspiration Series comes in a darker combination. Not a fan of the Sephia/Brown, and the 2021 convertible LC500 (Inspiration) had this white/blue combination that made it look like a boat. This is probably my middle age (early 40s) showing, but I want an interior on the LC500 that doesn't fit the "old mans car" stereotype (the browns, whites, creams). With Lexus coupes the stereotype for the entire car is already there. No need to strengthen it with the interior colours.

All that being said I know there are many people here who have all the colour variations on the car, and they all do look beautiful. It's just the lighter colours and browns on the interior aren't for me.

 

I purchased a 2018 LC500 in December and upgraded the infotainment system to add Apple CarPlay from the dealer. It costed (I don't remember the exact amount) between $150-$350. I will say that the rougher suspension isn't really noticeable/important unless you're trying to wind out the car. With the way that you'll be driving the LC500, I wouldn't worry too much about chassis/suspension stiffness or transmission adjustments-If you really find that it's unbearable, just keep the LC500 out of Sport or Sport#. My older parents do drive the car and I have not heard a single complaint from them regarding comfort.