The little things that annoy me about my IS 350 (or whatever model)

If there are enough people that complain about the bad design decisions, maybe Lexus will pay enough attention to fix them in the software (where applicable). I apologize in advance for the rant.

  1. The passenger seatbelt indicator - It is louder than for the driver's side. If my dog sits there, or I have my bag on it, it goes off uncontrollably and very loud. I end up buckling the seatbelt to shut it up.

Suggestion: Make it lound and obnoxious for the first 30 seconds or so, or so that you can turn it off. It's enough of a warning to make someone (or something) think twice about not wearing a seatbelt, but does not force it

  1. Disabling the Nav/Phone/etc controls while in motion - I support this feature for safety, but you have to be able to turn it off. I have seen ways to enable the options on a Prius, through pressing obscure combinations of buttons. However, the only way on the IS 350 I have seen involves opening the dash and clipping a wire, which will undoubtedly void the warranty. Lexus forgot one thing . . . the car can carry passengers!! The BMW iDrive is looking better every day.

Suggestion: Allow the feature to be disabled, and if necessary, couple it to the incredibly annoying passenger seat weight sensor.

  1. ID3/info tags for media files - The car has the capability to read ID3 tags for MP3s. Why would you want to see the file name when there is an MP3 tag? Does the track "Various Artists - Soundtrack - " strike you as being very descriptive?

Suggestion: Configuration option, choice between the ID3 or the file name. Debatable: ID3 by default.

  1. Auto-recirculate does not stay selected after the car turns off, other climate settings do - I do a lot of crowded, stop and go highway driving where the fumes get pretty bad. The feature is there to detect hydrocarbons and "automatically switch to recirculate", but it will never "automatically" kick in because someone has to put it to auto first. It's annoying, but I do see how it could be bad. Recirculate in cool and humid fogs up the interior easily. It's a not as bad a hazard to have a few fumes than it is to not be able to see.

Suggestion: Not software, unless the sensor is already there . . . add an interior humidity sensor to switch if it gets to foggy.

  1. Bad auto climate handling - At first I thought that the temperature calibration was off, but it was checked during routine maintenance. When I paid more attention, the switching between AC and non-AC is very bad. I turn on my car and the external temp is 50, then internal temp (set to auto) is usually ~74. It turns the AC on when it passes the internal setting. Cold air should not be blown unless it is much hotter in the car than it should be.

Suggestion: Wider temperature threshold when the auto climate control temp is reached. Use the setting as a "ceiling" and turn the air off. Do not blow cold air unless the car is X (5?) degrees hotter than it should be (and it's cold outside), and don't blow hot air unless the car is X degrees cooler than it should be (when it is hot outside). It doesn't sound like a good feature, but the point is you don't want cold air blowing on you if you are cold, and you don't want hot air blowing on you if you are hot.

I'm probably not thinking of everything, but I welcome anyone to post additional annoyances, or even to tell me that I am way off base and provide a reason why.

Thanks,

-b

Reply to
Brett
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You asked so here: You sound spoiled rotten, have too much time on your hands and I would never want to do business with you :-) there are you now happy ?!

Reply to
Neal Hudson

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 02:35:23 GMT, "Neal Hudson" graced this newsgroup with:

I say he should of just but an LS430. Everything he complains about is corrected in the LS (even overriding the Nav controls).

Reply to
amstaffs

The LS 430 being a bigger car has more problems. I could list them for a month. Lexus is not a luxury vehicle, but close. And it is cheap. As to whether or not you should complain about problems - YES YOU SHOULD !!!!!!

Reply to
mcbrue

On 22 Nov 2006 21:45:31 -0800, "mcbrue" graced this newsgroup with:

uh..I have an ES, a GS and an LS. I don't have problems with any of them.

Reply to
amstaffs

I'm guessing you have never done business with a Japanese company like Toyota. Every fault needs to be explained and in many cases apologies given to affected parties. Do I expect that, not at all.

The purpose of the post was to give full disclosure. Before I made a very large purchase, I did research and compared products. What I looked for was honest opinions of the cars I was comparing, not "oh, I love my car SOOOOO much. It's SOOOO much better than a BMW."

I don't regret my choice, and I'm glad I have the car. There are little things that I can live with, but someone that travels a lot for business in their car and relies on their Nav system to redirect them may not purchase the car because of the design decisions. Out of everything on my list, not ever being able to use the Nav system while in motion is the only thing that may possibly prevent me from buying the car again or recommending it to a friend.

My post was very whiny, I'll admit that. I could have done it with a little more tact. However, in whatever way you do business, I hope for your sake that you listen to both sides of an argument when making a major decision.

The company where I do work, and the people that are willing to do business with me, monitor user forums very carefully. We discover product flaws, security vulnerabilities, and other things we could be doing better. The unfortunate fact of these forums is that the complaints of the alarmists are the ones that get addressed more quickly.

-b

Neal Huds> You asked so here:

Reply to
Brett

On 23 Nov 2006 11:17:25 -0800, "Brett" graced this newsgroup with:

..I think you can thank the lawyers for the restriction on the Nav system. I also believe that most, if not all, nav systems in other makes have this restriction as well.

It's all about the dumbing down of everything to the lowest common denominator.

Welcome to sue happy America.

Reply to
amstaffs

NAV is also disabled in motion, in all makes I have used on this side of the pond.

Reply to
old man

Well in this forum it seems that the users are all perfectly happy with their perfect little cars. And they darn sure do not want anyone pointing out the glaring imprefections of the marque. Something about the king or somebody wearing no clothing comes to mind.

In point of fact, the engineering on the Lexus is almost entirely for show. It sure is NOT engineering for go ! The Lexus Marque had two things going for it - dealer integrity and reliability. So far, it is reliable. Of course at 7300 miles, the trunk closer is squeaking. But that is not enough to leave me stranded by the side of the road. Merely requires one extra stop at the drug store to get some ear plugs so I won't go deaf next time I open or close the trunk. So ... still reliable as it jerkily accelerates and then bumps and grinds to a stop ... all just normal performance.

Reply to
mcbrue

Suggestion: Press voice command button on steering wheel. Press "help" button on nav screen display. Read through extensive list of over 100 voice commands such as, "input by address" or "dial by name" or "dial by number". Realize this will enable you to input/dial by voice while in motion.

Reply to
greg

Total bullshit.

More unadulterated bullshit.

I'm tired of your incessant whining. You sound like a 2-year old. And you make about as much sense as a 2-year old, too.

Reply to
David Z

On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 00:17:54 GMT, "old man" graced this newsgroup with:

..yup. For some makes and models, you can enter in a super secret handshake, spinning triple toe loop double combo key entry and override that (my 02 LS430 does for example).

Reply to
amstaffs

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 21:45:08 -0500, "David Z" graced this newsgroup with:

he's done nothing but whine like a jet engine since he's posted to this newsgroup. I can't for the life of me understand why he would continue to own a vehicle (and this isn't his first Lexus btw), if it's so "unlikeable"?

Do a little research and you'll find that he's done the same thing in the Mercede's newsgroup and *surprise!*, he's posted ad infinitum about how Benzes are better cars.

The gates are down, the lights are flashing but there's no train a comin'.

Reply to
amstaffs

DRAT !!!! Was hoping a train was a comin cause it mite have some oil for the squeaky trunk lid opener - ah well ...

Reply to
mcbrue

Run you over and we'd be done with your whiney little ass...

Reply to
David Z

Thank you David Z, shill for Toyota/Lexus.

Reply to
mcbrue

GO FUCK YOURSELF, MORON!

Reply to
David Z

I for one feel sorry for McBrue and would be willing to to help him out with this awful LS lemon he is stuck with. McBrue, I am willing to trade a 1998 Ford Escort with 28 K, runs perfectly , good on gas with no hint of jerky acceleration or trunk squeak. It has new tires and tie rods and is a one owner driven and maintained by a little old lady [ my Mom]. I would be willing to deliver it to you whatever your location and remove the pitiful LS from your premises. Your problem would be solved and you would not feel the need to warn the foolish members of this group any further. Let me know.

Reply to
Ice

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