Lexus LC500: Black Inspiration

[Quickmoose]

Have ALOT of love for the LC
But this for me brings up the often ignored aspect of car ownership: the regional picture of road type and the larger issue of road condition.
Large (glorious) cars, don't fit rural Britain, and the physics and technical kit required to smooth out our roads makes a lot of the high end stuff unusable or quite unenjoyable on anything other than pan European roadtrips.
Smaller lighter stuff (sadly in some ways) is often the best way to enjoy the roads on our door steps.
I'm in Devon.
I wanted an LC for a long time
I didn't end up with one

[Deerfoot]

That`s a shame OP, whenever I`m fortunate enough to see one I always take a second look.

I also applaud the owner for ploughing his own furrow instead of following the herd..

[andy43]

Shame! I get the road thing - it’s quite wide and narrow country lanes aren’t its ideal habitat. The thought of dinking the wheels is absolutely terrifying. On wider sweeping stuff it’s sublime despite its weight - had mine since March and I’ve done 1500 miles in it - that’s a years worth of previous TVR or Maserati use. Looking at Portugal with it in the autumn too.
So… what’s next?! If it’s something similar to fit the same sort of size, use, design profile I’d love to know what you’ve picked - I can’t see anything that compares…

[SunsetZed]

Sorry to hear that it didn't work out as planned OP however better to have loved and lost.

One of these is definitely on my radar for the future so I'm really interested by your comment "Lexus' apathetic response to the theft issues." as I wasn't aware of any theft issues? Due to the smaller number of these cars I, perhaps naively, didn't have them marked down as a large target for thieves.

[andy43]

SunsetZed said:

Sorry to hear that it didn't work out as planned OP however better to have loved and lost.

One of these is definitely on my radar for the future so I'm really interested by your comment "Lexus' apathetic response to the theft issues." as I wasn't aware of any theft issues? Due to the smaller number of these cars I, perhaps naively, didn't have them marked down as a large target for thieves.

Lexuseseses and Toyotas have a vulnerability on the canbus system - pull the wheelarch liner or bumper off, hook up ten quids worth of dark web electronics and you can persuade it you're holding the key by flooding the canbus system. Gone in 60 seconds. This is why the RX450 is in the top ten most stolen list now. One LC has been stolen and recovered in the UK that I know of. With a tracker/immobiliser, ghost or plain old cutout switch you can stop the theft in it's tracks but not before your bumper/headlight are ruined as the thief can't see your ghost is fitted until it's too late.
Lexus are supposedly 'designing' a plate to stop this on the RX but my guess is they don't give a crap about it, same as Land Rover etc.
Bad publicity. They need to get a grip on it. Software changes could sort it, or just do a recall and fit a £200 immobiliser to each car.

[SunsetZed]

andy43 said:

SunsetZed said:

Sorry to hear that it didn't work out as planned OP however better to have loved and lost.

One of these is definitely on my radar for the future so I'm really interested by your comment "Lexus' apathetic response to the theft issues." as I wasn't aware of any theft issues? Due to the smaller number of these cars I, perhaps naively, didn't have them marked down as a large target for thieves.

Lexuseseses and Toyotas have a vulnerability on the canbus system - pull the wheelarch liner or bumper off, hook up ten quids worth of dark web electronics and you can persuade it you're holding the key by flooding the canbus system. Gone in 60 seconds. This is why the RX450 is in the top ten most stolen list now. One LC has been stolen and recovered in the UK that I know of. With a tracker/immobiliser, ghost or plain old cutout switch you can stop the theft in it's tracks but not before your bumper/headlight are ruined as the thief can't see your ghost is fitted until it's too late.
Lexus are supposedly 'designing' a plate to stop this on the RX but my guess is they don't give a crap about it, same as Land Rover etc.
Bad publicity. They need to get a grip on it. Software changes could sort it, or just do a recall and fit a £200 immobiliser to each car.

Thanks, I had no idea about that and certainly good to be aware of.

[BrettMRC]

andy43 said:

Shame! I get the road thing - it’s quite wide and narrow country lanes aren’t its ideal habitat. The thought of dinking the wheels is absolutely terrifying. On wider sweeping stuff it’s sublime despite its weight - had mine since March and I’ve done 1500 miles in it - that’s a years worth of previous TVR or Maserati use. Looking at Portugal with it in the autumn too.
So… what’s next?! If it’s something similar to fit the same sort of size, use, design profile I’d love to know what you’ve picked - I can’t see anything that compares…

I've gone for something a bit further down the food chain - a manual A90 Supra!

I did consider some other GTs but the issues would have been the same - my theory is that the Supra is a little smaller, and much less painful if I have to take to a hedge row!

[keo]

Please do a thread on your Supra! I think they look great. Shane you sold the Lexus but can completely understand why. It’s nice to try different things as well.

[BrettMRC]

Thread will get created once paint correction etc is sorted, but here is a teaser:

Edited by BrettMRC on Thursday 6th July 22:47

[Macron]

Looks badass with the black alloys! Looking forward to the new thread!

Can't believe so many manufacturers have weaknesses, saw an Alfa get lifted this week via a thing through the bumper or bonnet. Worse though that stty Britons can't just behave properly and fking well leave other people's things alone...

[ocrx8]

Sad you’ve moved the LC on but the Supra isn’t a bad replacement! Even better that sourced a manual.

[cerb4.5lee]

ocrx8 said:

Sad you’ve moved the LC on but the Supra isn’t a bad replacement! Even better that sourced a manual.

This. I'd absolutely love a manual Supra myself for sure.

[Matty_]

I've got an LC on my wishlist for a next car...prices have been rock solid for years.

What are you pros/cons of ownership? For those who don't live on farms, of course

[bolidemichael]

I’d like to know what colour the Supra is… I do like blue but really like yellow.

[BrettMRC]

Matty_ said:

I've got an LC on my wishlist for a next car...prices have been rock solid for years.

What are you pros/cons of ownership? For those who don't live on farms, of course

Pros:

Just look at it! Stunning in any colour, exceptional attention to detail inside and out.
Makes you feel a bit special even at walking pace.
Sounds amazing.
Exceptional value for money.
Running costs are very good. (Excluding fuel)


Cons:

Not easy to use on anything other than a UK A road or similar. (OK, it's a big coupe/GT so that's more of a Me problem!)
Literally more than the sum of its parts - the price of some of the carbon & CRP panels is eye watering, a low speed whack from the rear could easily be £30-50k of damage.
Has the same theft vulnerabilities as the rest of the Lexus/Toyota line up. Whilst aftermarket mitigations are available, a thief may not know that until they have ripped off the bodywork.


Overall there is nothing wrong with the LC500, I just should have used my head a little more before buying it!
Saying that - I have zero regrets, it was a wonderful experience. If you can stretch to one, do it.

[BrettMRC]

bolidemichael said:

I’d like to know what colour the Supra is… I do like blue but really like yellow.

As far as I can tell it is the exceptionally well named "black metallic"

[Mezzanine]

BrettMRC said:

bolidemichael said:

I’d like to know what colour the Supra is… I do like blue but really like yellow.

As far as I can tell it is the exceptionally well named "black metallic"

Looking definitively black from the picture, unless my colour blindness has really kicked in

[bolidemichael]

Mezzanine said:

BrettMRC said:

bolidemichael said:

I’d like to know what colour the Supra is… I do like blue but really like yellow.

As far as I can tell it is the exceptionally well named "black metallic"

Looking definitively black from the picture, unless my colour blindness has really kicked in

Oops! Didn’t spot the photo!

[BrettMRC]

bolidemichael said:

Mezzanine said:

BrettMRC said:

bolidemichael said:

I’d like to know what colour the Supra is… I do like blue but really like yellow.

As far as I can tell it is the exceptionally well named "black metallic"

Looking definitively black from the picture, unless my colour blindness has really kicked in

Oops! Didn’t spot the photo!

...and there I was thinking that there must have been some special, highly limited black pain called "Midnight bedroom" or something that I should have known!

[andy43]

BrettMRC said:

...and there I was thinking that there must have been some special, highly limited black pain called "Midnight bedroom" or something that I should have known!

I think I should quote that for posterity.
New car looks great, a lot more wieldy than the two tonne Lexus I'd imagine, plus it'll be narrower for those lanes