I put a GoPro on my head and talk to myself in my car, while driving on fun back roads, throughout the Bay Area.
Join me as we explore various roads in 4K POV driving videos, showcasing the best driving routes throughout the Bay Area. On this channel, you'll experience exciting drives through scenic landscapes and winding roads from a driver’s perspective.
But that’s not all, my videos go beyond just driving. I offer insightful commentary on the latest trends in the car industry, share detailed reviews of mods I’ve installed on my car, and provide honest ownership insights. Whether you’re a car enthusiast or someone who wants to see things through the POV perspective, I hope you’ll find something to enjoy and to connect with here.
Definitely wrong car for this road... drove it in 2020 in an old miata that I absolutely beat the piss out of and drove up and over all the way to modesto. The drive on the far side of Hamilton is AMAZING because almost no-one goes there and its not quite so winding and narrrow and in better condition. If you can stomach a 3 hour round trip and coming back on I5 its well worth it. I made a whole day of it and visited the aircraft museum in Atwater too, which has some really rare aeroplanes if you are into aviation.
100% a roughly 4,000 pound GT coupe is not at home on Mt. Hamilton road 😭. It’s been ages since I’ve driven on the far side of the road towards the Central Valley, but I may have to check it out if the road is in much better shape.
I don’t think I can put links in a comment, but here are the part numbers for the OEM Lexus mods if this helps: Front brakes: 47730-24120 and 47750-24120 Rear brakes: 47821-24090, 47822-24090, 47830-24090, and 47850-24090 Lowering Springs: PTR07-24150 Rear Spoiler: PT29A2415002
Ride quality is typical Lexus; smooth on good pavement. But when the road quality is bad, as is the case throughout the Bay Area, that is when the ride quality becomes harsh. The car doesn’t seem to soak up large bumps as well as I’d like, and I attribute that to the 20 inch wheels.
Great review show how quiet the RZ is. My RX450h+ is super quiet in EV mode, and I would use that for any long trips, but this RZ would easily handle over a week’s worth of my normal daily driving, so I’m interested in the RZ.
It seems like range won’t be an issue for you then, so the RZ would make a lot of sense for your needs. Were you able to get the RX plug in at MSRP? We were actually looking to purchase and RX450h+ before the RZ, but the lack of availability and markups pushed us away from it.
@@bayareadrives I was able to get my RX450h+ at sticker price, without any dealer mark up. I was able to get the first one sold in this area, so perhaps there isn’t the demand (and therefore markup) here as in other areas.
This vehicle would be perfect for my wife’s needs. I know it’s a glorified BZ4X/Solterra, but she works from home and drives to the grocery store, vet, hair appt, nail appt, and into work once a month. etc. This is the perfect low cost lease for a Premium trim. No gas costs, no oil changes, no transmission fluid changes, no tires in three years. Monthly payment and go! Unfortunately, you cannot find the Luxury trims anywhere. Only 2 Premiums left in my entire area. We test drove the Tesla and I hated it.
Exactly, in my opinion the RZ is a lease only vehicle. The lease deals are amazing, plus new battery tech like solid state batteries are going to make these current gen EV’s obsolete.
Have 1 year w a 2021 blackline 350 Bad gas mileage Slow-ish Super comfy Awesome AC/seats The trackpad is awesome you don't have to move your body Smooth I got lexus racing aero stabs Rear wing Trunk won't open on its own w lexus wing Car shoves in corners Oil change every 16000 Ppf helps Lights are amazing
@gabriellopez7184 I went for my first one after 8000km (bought used 22000km) I thought i was very late already. I do motorcycles and cars at 7000km. Then the dealership said we'll see you at 16000km. I was surprised. But the oil and schedule literature says so.
I was thinking about trading my 23 GR86 SE manual for this. I went to a dealer but RC just didn't do it for me. It would be a step down in fun for sure. Love the looks of RC and that its a better daily but I would never be able to do in the RC what I can do in my GR86. GR86 is my 2nd car so it works out great because it can be a little tiring driving slow in traffic and the GR Exhaust make the car even louder lol. If you have just one car RC is probably a much more comfortable option. GR86 is amazing at high speeds a true sports car experience, low to the ground and light weight makes it an amazing handling vehicle. I tried a Supra and a 230i but they felt boring to me. GR86 is actually faster than people give it credit and is amazing to push in 3rd and 4th gears. I'd try to get the highest trim possible of GR86 the special edition one that's coming out if I were you.
How is the GR exhaust? I’m assuming this is the one that Toyota sells as an option for the car. Specifically does it drone a lot and does it improve the sound of the car? I’ve seen various videos on the GR86 and the boxer engine just doesn’t sound good to me. I do have to say that I prefer the sound of the car with the sound tube/enhancer removed, so I’d definitely do that, if I were to own one. If I do get a GR86 I think my first mods would be sound tube delete, OEM GR exhaust, and maybe an intake to enhance the engine sound from inside the car.
unplug the module in the dash, takes 2 seconds it disables the piped in fake engine noise. GR exhaust sounds great. It’s loud on cold start but after 10 seconds it’s programmed to go quieter. I have no issues with noise while cruising on the highway because the car is quick enough to just stay in 6th gear. Once in a while if you go crazy and hit the red line that’s when the fun starts lol.
Oh wow, I didn’t think it would be that easy to remove the fake engine noise lol. That’s cool though, how Toyota provides a nice sounding exhaust with the warranty perks.
i agree the 2gr platform can feel unspirited compared to other cars in that price range but consider getting yourself a nice pair of coils, and maybe supercharge the car eventually. it would eliminate the negatives you're talking about and you would have something more unique
I think coil overs maybe my next move. The F Sport lowering springs have definitely stiffened up the car, but I still find there to be little to no difference in normal and sport + drive modes, in terms of suspension stiffness. I feel like once I need to replace the dampers, I will switch to coils, since I’m assuming the OEM electronic dampers are going to be very expensive to replace.
Really love what you did to your RC. I actually own one too, it's a 2019 model and it's AWD and lacks the triple beams. IMO the triple beams look ok but I think the stock lights on the refresh suit the car much better. Bought it certified used for 38k at 62k miles and it's been a year and I'm now at 78k miles on mine. It's been paid off completely and I'm gonna keep this as my daily until it won't run anymore. The only reason I went with AWD is cause I live in Illinois and AWD makes winters much more bearable. I've driven 6 speeds my whole life so I don't know how much I would've missed having that 8-speed like the RWD version. I was actually in the same boat as you regarding the 86. I originally wanted a GT86 then GR86 but I just didn't know if I could live with the Subaru engine. No knock at Subaru but I'm paying extra for the Toyota badge, give me Toyota hardware damn it. Your review is basically spot on. This is no sports car and people looking at this car as one will be disappointed. But for a reliable GT car that is comfortable and unique, this is a solid option. And again, the 2GR-FKS for a V6, it sounds great and gives me enough power to get into some trouble. If anything this car cemented my love for Lexus and made me realize GT cars fit my preferences and I'm looking forward to the day I can finally own a LC500. I love driving my RC because how often do you see a 2-door Lexus on the road? Looking forward to where you go from here, 100% imo keep the RC as the daily and get the Miata.
That’s awesome! Have you had any issues or major repairs that’s been needed to the car, during your ownership? I’m curious what to expect in the future, once the car is at 60k-70k miles. I’ve never driven the 6 speed version of the car, but most of the car reviewers who have done videos on the AWD RC, have mentioned that the 8 speed is quicker shifting. Given the area that you live in, AWD makes the most sense. I definitely am planning on getting a sportier car in the future. I especially like the new ND3 Miata. The slight changes to the exterior, and the new infotainment screen, make it a bit more live-able/modern. It would be an amazing garage to have both a RC and Miata; GT car for cruising and sports car for back road fun.
@@bayareadrives There was a rubber seal issue near the windshield that the dealer replaced for us for free only because we've been Toyota/Lexus customers for so long and I did have to have a pressure valve replace and it was thankfully covered under the certified warranty. Other than that my RC has been bulletproof. I think the pressure value replacement was just a freak thing. My next service I do need to replace my rotors, that's a grand I am not looking forward to dropping but I knew what I was getting myself into when I got this car. As long as you do the basics relatively on time the car will last. And yeah the RWD version is a bit quicker, I think about 5.8 sec for the 0-60 compared to the AWD's 6 second 0-60. I do want to ask have you tried Android Auto in yours? I missed out on it by literally one year which bums me out since I am an Android and not Apple user. I'm thinking about retrofitting a new screen so that I can have Android Auto and touchscreen.
@@bayareadrives One more thing I forgot to mention, the RCF rear cupholders do retrofit perfectly in the RC350. You might run into a slight issue if you do fold your backseats down where one side will go only 95% of the way down? But the extra slots to hold 2 extra drinks and whatnot more than makes up for it. It's the best 200 bucks I spent to make the RC that much more daily-able since I find the front cupholders are always occupied. If you do decide to retrofit the RCF rear cupholders, order some spare clips, because they will break when you remove the rear seat.
That’s great to hear, that the car has been bulletproof besides some one off things. The brake pad and rotor replacements are something I am not looking forward to as well lol. At my last service, my brakes are at 8 or 9mm so I should be ok for some time. I have an iPhone, so I haven’t tried out android auto. I have seen some people on the Lexus RC subreddit as well as the ClubLexus forums, where some owners have retrofitted the new screens onto their RC’s. Some owners have also bought third party adapters/software to enable CarPlay and Android auto, so that could be an option as well. I recently saw a write up of someone installing the RCF cup holders on either Reddit or ClubLexus, it seemed pretty straightforward. I don’t think I’d do it on the car, as I rarely have anyone sit in the back seats, I either drive the car myself majority of the time, or I only have 1 passenger who rides shotgun.
@@bayareadrives Gotcha, I don't have an iPhone so i always wondered how the CarPlay experience is. I've been doing fine with just bluetooth and that gets me through the day. My rotors are I think at 4mm??? now so yeah they're due for a replacement soon. And yeah I only did the cupholders because I kept running out of storage for cups and whatnot. It's really nice having that extra storage in the back since I can just toss a water bottle back there and not worry about it too much. Surprisingly the back seats have been usable and I've been able to carry people around for short trips.
I think the Genesis is a great car, in terms of value proposition and the features it provides. It’s just that I don’t really like the looks of the car. Especially the rear end, it looks a bit strange to me.
PPF has certainly helped my car out, especially in the Bay Area! Parts of the 580, 880 and 101 all feel like rally special stages with the amount of rocks that get kicked up! Surprisingly few punctures in the film even after over 5 years, though I still get annoyed when it happens lol
I despise driving on 880, it’s like an actual war zone with terrible road quality and aggressive drivers. At least they finally are repaving parts of it, but I usually take the side streets most of the time to avoid 880 hahaha.
@@bayareadrives haha so true, I always avoid 880 if I can help it. It feels like Caltrans has been working on it for years, but it's still just as crummy as ever, and yeah the drivers there are something else lol
I think so. 311 hp is a healthy amount of power, even though the car is heavy. This isn’t a drag race car or even a dedicated a sports car, so you have to keep your expectations in check that this is a grand touring car. But at the end of the day you will be faster than most regular traffic you see on the road.
That was my thought too with the original springs. These F Sport springs really tightened up the suspension, and now the car handles a lot better. I have more confidence in corners now.
Love your videos. I drive a 2015 Lexus RC in Nebula Gray Pearl, not as new as yours. Do you have instagram page for your car? I live near Burlingame, I would love to link up and do a drive with you on a nice mountain road. Plus I don't see many RCs on the road, it's always nice to talk to other RC owners.
Right now I don’t have an IG page for the car. I’ve thought about creating one, but I am not the best at car photography, in terms of getting the right angles lol. I guess by making one I’ll be able to promote the channel on IG, so I’ll reconsider it again.
I'm driving a 2012 G37 coupe RWD all stock, thinking about buying a 2024 rc 350 f sport AWD. Living in NYC I will have to pass on the lowing springs. The wheel gap bugs me but the car is beautiful... thanks for the heads-up about the lowering springs.
I loved your story at the beginning. I’ve been thinking about starting my own channel and forget I need to just… start. I hope you get through it have gotten through your difficult things. Sending prayers <3
So cool to see you still making videos a year later. It's respectable that you stuck with the hobby. Great production value right off the go as well. Good work man!
Why are you driving these roads so fast without knowing them or the conditions is what I would like to know. Nobody should be taking that corner at 5:16 like that or your other video. Do you just video yourself driving roads like pescadero without ever taking your time first to learn them? Bizarre.
Maybe I’m misunderstanding your point, but I just rewatched my other Pescadero Creek Road video, and there was no unsafe driving in that video as well, even at this same hairpin. Both sequences in both cars were safe and under complete control. Neither of the cars were driven at 10/10ths, which obviously should only be done at the track. These cars weren’t even driven at 7/10ths for that matter. I guess in this video with the Integra, I exaggerated my point of “slamming on the brakes,” which was a mistakes on my end, as it maybe caused some confusion. If you watch the video with the RC, there was no slamming of the brakes, yes I got on the brakes, but thats a normal use case of brakes there was nothing unsafe about it.
Hi, been debating between a 2023 rc350 red, or a new integra ASpec, my big thing towards the Lexus is looks, but everything else it seems that the integra is better? What are your thoughts between the two? How does reliability and maintenance cost compare? I wish they had a integra coupe, would get that for sure.
To be honest, it’s tough to compare both cars because they are in completely different segments. One’s a coupe and the other is a hatchback. It all depends on what you are going to use the car for, and if you have kids/a family to drive around. In terms of reliability, the Lexus will be more reliable than an Integra. It’s a naturally aspirated V6 that is bulletproof, and a traditional 8 speed automatic. The Integra is pretty reliable, but it’s got a turbocharged engine and a CVT, which needs on time transmission fluid drain and fills. If I were to put money on what car will last 15-20 years, I’d bet on the Lexus. Maintenance costs on the integra is going to be much cheaper. Brakes and tires are super expensive on the RC because of the staggered wheel setup. You’ll need to replace tires every 15-20k miles depending on how you drive. If this is your only car, I’d get the Integra. Especially if you have kids or if you will use the extra seats/big trunk a lot. If this your second car/weekend car, and you already have a family car, then the RC would make sense.
I did not get the calipers painted, these are an OEM accessory that Lexus sells for the GS, RC, and IS. I bought them from a dealership in SoCal and had them installed by my local dealer. They have the door stabilizers for the IS as well. You can get them from Lexus Boutique, which is a JDM parts reseller.
I have the RC part numbers, but not for the IS. I just went to the official Lexus parts website and put in my cars vin number. I then searched up brakes, and I looked for the brakes which said “orange painted” in the description. But ya these brakes are orange, Lexus only sells orange calipers as an option, or the flat black calipers which come stock on the FSports. Once you get the part numbers, paste the part number on Google. I found that a lot of east coast and SoCal dealers, sell Lexus parts for a lot cheaper than Bay Area dealers for some reason.
As much as I love it, I'm thinking about selling my Mazda soon since it's starting to fall off the depreciation cliff, but I can't for the life of me decide between an RC350, IS350, used RC-F, used IS500 or used LC500 for around the 50-60k range 😅 Also agreed, La Honda is S-tier, but I tend to only go very early in the morning (6am) just so I don't have to deal with cyclists and have M3s and Ferraris on top of my bumper. Ending with breakfast at Alice's right as they open is just the perfect weekend morning :)
This is interesting because I owned a Mazda before getting the RC. I had the Mazda 3 Turbo Premium Plus, which was an amazing car for the price point; but I had the oil consumption issue where the car would get a low oil warning every 3k miles. I traded in the car after getting that issue/warning twice. I think it all depends on your needs, but I personally would recommend the RC, either V6 or V8, or the LC; if you and your family don’t need a sedan. They are just so unique and rare compared to the IS. At least to me, it gives me a unique feeling that I am driving something special.
Just subscribed! I wanted to ask though, what percent tints do you have? I have the same car, I dont like my current tints. Cant see at night too well.
In this video I have 50% ceramic tint all around except the windshield. In more recent videos, the ones from after June/July of 2023, I took these off and went even darker to 25% ceramic tint all around, except the windshield. You can see the difference if you see a newer video on the channel. What % tint do you have? I don’t really have issues with the darker tint I put on at night, unless there are no street lights. It’s usually only an issue when street parking, so I just roll my windows down to check the curb and it’s usually fine.
The black spoiler looks really nice. It should go well with the body kits. It's the first time I spotted the TRD door stabilizer on your RC. What's your opinion about it?
I had it installed for about a week before installing the FSport lowering springs, and I noticed little to no difference in handling characteristics, with the door stabilizers on its own. TRD claims it makes the chassis stiffer, which I believe because the function and theory behind how it works, makes sense to me. But I can’t 100% say it was a very noticeable improvement, besides that it is a unique mod and that the door close sound is a bit more solid.
In the old days whenever I modified something on my 70 Camaro SS I was often disappointed. Most of the time I wish I should have left it all stock. Some mods worked out for me but more thought should have gone into other mods. Now I have a Lexus RC 350 F sport AWD and I won't change a thing because of the lessons I've learned. It's usually better for resale anyway.
That makes sense. I don’t anticipate this cars resale value to take any hit really, since all that’s been installed are Lexus accessories, by Lexus dealers. But who knows, the used car market has been weird ever since Covid.
hell yeah i like those roads. definitely try claremont ave going uphill, and then turn right on grizzly peak blvd, super fun road with lots of sweeping turns, you can literally just make a u-turn at the end and run it back the other way!
First time seeing this car and I have to say for a 2022 it has a really nice interior. I'm not huge fan of some of the modern interiors these days with the big tablets that stick out even to a degree on my own car but yours is quite nice and it looks very elegent, feature rich and spacious.
Your point on todays modern interiors with screens everywhere, is partly the reason why I really like this car. It has all the modern features one would need, yet it still has some old school charm.
