I have an '08 RX350. I can certainly relate to your complaints about
the nav system, don't have the other add-ons you describe. The nav
system on the Lexus is enough to make you tear your hair. For instance
on a trip to Dallas from my home in Hurst (25 miles) the three options
given me were all ridiculous - ignoring the freeway route direct to my
destination, even tho I chose the freeway option. One was straight
south for 7 miles, then the freeway from ft. worth to dallas. One was
straight east for 5 miles, then south to the freeway mentioned above.
The third was by back roads to the north of the direct route. Coming
back from Dallas, it gave me three choices that again were outrageous,
not giving one a chance to re-direct the routing to the straight
through freeway. When I was in Nebraska some months ago, I programmed
it to go from a business to my motel. It showed a route to Chicago.
Surely they can come up with a better system.
On Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:13:09 -0400, "DanO"
<dancanspam15470@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>The Lexus LS 460:
>
>A beautiful, well-engineered, and exquisitely built luxury car to which
the
>joy of using is almost totally destroyed by horrible software.
>
>
>
>"Software" you say in a car review?? Let me explain..
>
>
>
>I used to judge a car simply by its build quality, ability to run well,
>provide road feedback while still providing comfort, and reliability at a
>reasonable cost. I believe the Lexus has all of this to a degree few
>vehicles can claim. The BMW 7 series may be more of a driver's car and
the
>Mercedes S series may be more luxurious, but the Lexus met my personal
needs
>quite well at a price point hard to ignore. But I drove all these
vehicles
>more than once when shopping for my new Lexus and I believe they all
qualify
>as "well-engineered and exquisitely built luxury cars".
>
>
>
>When you think about it, all luxury cars represent the best the
manufacturer
>has to offer so the preceding criteria should be reasonably well met.
>However, what can really distinguish a luxury car today are the added
>features that each manufacturer uses to claim bragging rights. In a
Lexus
>LS 460, nothing proves that point better than the tag line "The car that
>parks itself". Likewise, this feature is a perfect example of how Lexus
>software disappoints the buyer.
>
>
>
>I have tried to use the self parking feature for 6 months now and I must
>regretfully acknowledge that I have never so horribly wasted a thousand
>dollars. To explain all the steps required to 'Program' the vehicle to
park
>itself would take more time than I am willing to take; but you can read
all
>the pages required in the vehicle manual yourself to get the full
picture.
>Anyone considering this option owes it to themselves to force the
salesman
>to train you on how to use it to park the car in less than a minute. You
>will quickly see how long it takes to use and how foolish the whole
concept
>is. If you lack the skills to park your car, how could you possibly
master
>the steps to program the system to park the car for you? A $500+
>inconvenience system.
>
>
>
>But believe me, that small bit of software is far from my biggest gripe.
I
>think I would have to classify the music software in the car as the
single
>most frustrating aspect of the Lexus owner****p experience. Now let me
>preface this by saying the sound quality of the Mark Levinson system is
far
>and away the best I have ever heard in a vehicle. IMHO, there is no
equal
>in the automotive industry. However, using the required software to
listen
>to your music selection is far and away the most poorly designed I have
ever
>had to tolerate. Again, let me explain...
>
>
>
>The Mark Levinson audio system in the Lexus has a great variety of
flexible
>media options. It allows radio, XM, CD's, DVD's, ****table media player
>interface and mp3's (either CD's you can rip to the small hard drive or a
CD
>you have burned). With all this flexibility one would think that the
Lexus
>was the iPod of luxury vehicles. Imagine, thousands of your favorite
songs
>at your fingertips while driving cross country! Nothing could be further
>from the truth. There are so many ways the interface software hobbles
your
>use of the audio system I don't think I can even list them all, but I
will
>detail the worst ones:
>
> 1.. Inability to play, im****t or create Playlists..duh?
> 2.. Inability to download to the Hard Drive (HD) any of your favorite
mix
>CD's (courtesy of Digital Rights Management incor****ated into the system)
> 3.. Most search and view options not available while driving - imagine
a
>list of 200-300 artists, albums, whatever. Then, WHILE DRIVING, look for
>one of these by moving up or down the available list option 1 item at a
time
>to find your selection. And you thought cell phones were distracting!
> 4.. Display of Folder names from CD's limited to 13-15 characters
>displayed in a font so large the driver of the car next to you could read
>it.
> 5.. Inability to play mp3's from DVD's
> 6.. Fairly long delay to read TOC from each mp3 CD in the 6 disc
changer
>whenever you load it - does not retain TOC when you switch to another
disc.
> 7.. CD/DVD's in changer not identified by Title or Volume Label; Simply
>labeled 1,2,3, etc.
> 8.. Labeling of ripped music to HD is from an old Gracenote database so
>forget labeling that newest CD you just bought. Must update database at
the
>dealer. There has got to be a simpler way to update!
> 9.. Editing files names: No curser movement without deleting
everything
>from end of line to edit point.
> 10.. XM Built in; no Sirius option; no HD Radio. Lexus should pay me
for
>accepting this crap - I'm sure they get a kickback from XM. As an aside,
I
>once had XM on a truck I own; cancelling the service took over a half
hour
>of my time arguing with their representatives. Consequently, I refused
to
>activate this radio or ever do business with XM again.
>
>
>Imagine yourself on a multi-hour drive, knowing you have all your
favorite
>music at your fingertips to keep you company, and not being able to get
to
>it unless you pull the car over to the side of the road, stop and enable
the
>Lexus search options. 1st solution was to carry a bunch of CD's. My
>solution now: bought a dedicated iPod Classic for use in the car. Now,
>remind me to kick myself in the ass for spending over $6,000 for this
"Media
>System".
>
>
>
>OK, you get my point about software. Let me briefly describe a few other
>software annoyances
>
>1. GPS Software
>
>a. Similar menu restrictions as on the music system - I am just
appalled
>at the lack of usability here.
>
>b. Extremely limited routing flexibility, display and option
selections -
>a $300 Garmin ****table can do circles around this thing.
>
>c. Route choices are simply obscure; often taking excessively long
routes
>while ignoring direct paths - I cannot even figure out a pattern here.
>Frequently you can see a more direct route to your destination but the
>guidance ignores it?
>
>2. Telephone Directory - Similar menu restrictions as on the music
>system - I just continue to be appalled at the lack of usability here.
As
>insane as this sounds, it is possible to pick up your cellphone, use the
>cellphone's directory to find your party, dial on your cellphone, then
the
>Lexus will intercept your call and interface via Bluetooth. Can anyone
>explain that logic? (Just trying to demonstrate here how alternatives to
>using built-in menu's and screens are much less safe while driving;
however,
>I am sure the Lexus legal group has assured Cor****ate that they can deny
>responsibility in case of an accident. I can't wait to see that one
tested
>in court!)
>
>3. Voice Command? So limited and inaccurate even the salesman cringed
at
>trying to demonstrate it. Not surprisingly, the huge instruction manuals
>rarely mention this feature. Again, part of the $10,000 worth of
>inconvenience 'features' that simply don't work.
>
>4. Accessory ****ts all turn off when key is off - so forget charging
you
>cell, ipod, ****table GPS, etc during lunch.
>
>
>
>Other comments:
>
> a.. Bluetooth telephone interface works great and is seamless.
> b.. MPG is awesome! In town typically around 23-25 and on the highway
low
>30's!
> c.. Outstanding build quality - no flaws, issues or broken items after
>over 8,000 miles.
> d.. Lexus link a waste of $900. An excuse to sell you a subscription.
>Use the money to pay for your cellphone and a Garmin GPS.
> e.. Keys - If you have more than 1 car in your family, it is unlikely
you
>will carry this large, fat key often (very inconvenient). So, I
frequently
>find myself in the Lexus and my wife's key (which she keeps in her purse)
>actually operates the vehicle. Now if I let her out of the car to go
into a
>store or something and I go park the car, I find I can't lock it as I
don't
>have the key. A warning buzzer or something that the key is missing and
car
>is running would be nice. Now, if you have multiple vehicles, key habits
>for this one is unique so you've just added another 'inconvenience'
without
>any benefit (other than hype).
> f.. Trunk opener - So slow I find myself waiting impatiently for it to
>open almost every time I use it. Another inconvenience feature for $400.
> g.. Noisy as my truck at highway speeds; especially on a windy day.
>Forget about listening to classical music on the expressway.
>
>
>Now, I am not ba****ng the car here. I do admit I am ba****ng the software
on
>multiple aspects. That is my point. I love the style, finish, fit,
build
>quality, power and many other aspects of this vehicle. But the software
>that operates so many of the 'extras' is just so bad it detracts
>significantly from what would be an otherwise outstanding vehicle. If
you
>are considering a LS 460, I would take serious pause before I spent a
dime
>on the GPS, parking or stereo. Actually, I would buy a bare bones LS460,
>save $10,000 and put in an aftermarket Audio/GPS system (if this is even
>possible?). It probably would not sound as good as the Mark Levinson,
but
>the usability could not be any worse.
>
>
>
>Every car must have a market, and it appears this car was designed for
your
>grandmother. That is, a consumer who is clueless about technology,
afraid
>to drive over 45 mph, and wants the car to prevent her from ever doing
>anything that might jeopardize her safety and security. (My apology to
all
>the hip grandmothers out there who don't fit this paradigm.)
>
>
>
>So, next time I shop for a new car, I will spend a couple of hours in
each
>car determining exactly how each vehicle's software works. I suggest you
>carefully evaluate that as well before purchasing your next luxury
vehicle.
>Learn from my mistake.
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