Faults:

Nothing much. Front bumper came a bit loose, transmission a bit rough on hard acceleration.

General Comments:

Amazing attention to detail on the finish. Interior is a very nice place to be. Have sat in the car after work for a few minutes to unwind. The engine is sublime, with a lovely engine note from 3500 RPM upwards. Pictures and reviews don't do it justice; you just have to go and drive one. From looking at some reviews I expected it to be like an upmarket Avensis, but it is far from it! Very well refined, lovely comfortable seats, and the LED lighting must have been ahead of its time, being 12 years old.

Bad points are few, but I have had many Lexus over the years and although this is well made, it just doesn't feel as solid as the previous models (1995-2004). I have owned older GS and an 2001 LS, and they just felt better built. I feel like if I drive the GS hard, I'll break it! Older models were not like that.

Faults:

Slight lacquer peel on the bonnet and boot lid.

CD auto changer not working.

Slight rusting on driver's door.

General Comments:

This is my second MK1 GS300. I owed one as my daily driver many years ago and I loved it. I then traded it in for a newer car and regretted it ever since. I now own another as a second (weekend cruiser) car.

Despite being 18 years old, the car is still quiet, smooth and always starts straight away. I have bought it as a project and plan to sort the little niggles out. I bought the car with 2 months MOT remaining from a guy selling it as spares or repairs. I paid just £175!! And put it in for a MOT and it passed with no advisories. To say that I was happy is a understatement.

This is not a car to own if you want an economical runabout. I'm only achieving 24 MPG combined. I don't really mind as it's a toy for me, not my main car. Also the insurance is very cheap? Maybe to do with its age and sensible image, although it will cruise along still very happily at double the UK speed limit.

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

This is the best car I have bought ever. Everything works and it's so quiet. Drives great, no leaks or squeaks. Saving up for a GS430.

My car is the first generation GS, and apart from fuel consumption, there are no issues. 20 MPG around town, 27 MPG on a long run. It's good enough for me and there's no depreciation. And it's all paid for.

The spec is amazing:

Electric heated leather seats.

Electric windows, mirrors, sunroof.

Walnut wood trim.

Climate control with full manual override air con is the best ever.

Alloy wheels.

Headlamp washers.

Door courtesy lights.

CD player is a 12 disc changer and sounds awesome.

Everything works, and it's 17 years old, no warning lights on dash... Amazing.

Faults:

Rattles from dashboard and the 12v battery died.

General Comments:

This car has stunning performance, though when you hoof it, it takes a while for the petrol engine to start and provide you with the power you're requesting.

It feels like a heavy car and the ride is a little crashy. My dashboard has started to rattle, which is very annoying. Handling is good, but it is annoying that you have to retract the center arm rest and flick the suspension into sport and the engine into power mode when you want to press on - you have to take your eyes off the road when doing this! CVT transmission works well, but the option that looks like you can change gears manually isn't - it simply adjusts the force of the "engine braking" (actually the motor recharging the battery pack).

It has loads of toys, mine does without sat nav, but other than that it is well kitted out. However, they have raided the Toyota parts bin and it shares some common traits/parts with my previous Toyota Prius: column stalks are the same, touchscreen software is nearly the same, rear view mirror rattles with the bass from the stereo. Fuel filler cap is very cheap.

The boot is tiny, thanks to all those batteries!

Sound system is excellent - wonderful sound. However, there is no aux in so I have to use a tape adapter for my iPod!

Fuel economy is not that great, around 25 MPG in town, 32 on a run. Less than you would get from a 3 litre diesel, and I'm quite a careful driver! However, it's much faster than a diesel and silent when standing still. It is also exempt from London's congestion charge (though they are phasing this discount out).

Styling wise, I think the front looks fantastic, the rear less so. Alloys are good but starting to corrode.

Overall, this car doesn't bring a smile to your face like my previous e39 BMW 5 Series 525i. It is very fast, but lacks character.

Dealers are excellent and reasonably priced (if you shop around).

Overall, I'm going to sell mine soon because it just doesn't get under your skin as an excellent car can. I'm also concerned about the long-term longevity of the hybrid battery pack and potential replacement costs!