GSLV6

Electrical of some kind, either a pump or motor. Doesn't sound like the fuel pump which leaves hybrid system, perhaps electric steering motor (although why it should run like that I'm not sure) or brake actuator pump motor as above. Low oil level would concern me but doubt that's the cause. Mine never seems to use oil but I check to ensure it's always above half way up between markers (it usually registers full between services).

I never run mine down much past 10 to 15 litres in the tank but on average in the hilly Cotswolds only ever see 375 miles before I top up so if I drove on until the warning light perhaps I could squeeze 420 miles to 430 miles from a tank max. I'm not heavy on the right boot, advanced driver trained and mine averages over a long run on A roads around 35mpg, if predominantly motorway and at a true 70mph (77 indicated) I get no better than 32mpg. Local trips of up to 15 or 20 miles sees closer to 27 to 28mpg, about the same as my old V6 GS300, although that was way better on long runs. I once came back with a full car from a family holiday in the lake district and with a roof box fitted and still returned 43mpg.

I agree with both of you. Compared with the cost of a new RX, I would FAR rather have a V6 GS300 SEL and be prepared to throw £10K at it replacing sensors, seals, suspension, attending to any auto gearbox issues and minor bodywork and ECU reflashing etc. My old GS300 V6 was hands down the best car I ever owned and to drive, I much preferred it to any of the newer models. Lighter, nippier, smoother, more compliant suspension, quieter, more comfortable and festooned with more buttons that Cadburys packs into one if it's chocolate packs. If I remember rightly, there wasn't enough space on the dash to accommodate everything so I had a drop down compartment to the right of the steering wheel, low on the dash that presented what looked like a remote control with more buttons to operate things like the rear rising window blind. It was a supremely luxurious car in every respect of the word and I often regarded it as the fastback V6 version of the LS with better road manners. I reckon you could by a good example with moderate miles for under £6K these days and invest another 6 to 10 K and have a car that would see you proud for another 10 years. I may just look into doing just that.

I think it's the same across the range with the newer models. A friend just bought a new Mercedes GLA which doesn't have a speedo. It's more like a Tesla inside, with one giant screen where everything is accessed and very few buttons except the usual steering wheel controls. It stopped working after 12 weeks and left her stranded because although she could start the car, she had no speedo, no fuel gauge, no satnav, no heater controls. It had to be towed for another fault anyway! It was with Mercedes several weeks and eventually they had to replace the whole screen. This is everything that's wrong with the way things are going with in car controls. I'm old and grumpy enough to realise that my next car will be my last in all likelihood as I tend to keep a car a long time. My RX is now 8 years old and I'll probably have it another 4 or 5 years. When I change, it will not be for some Euro6 compliant tinny overstressed disposable engined box, nor for electric and nor for a newer Lexus. I'll look for the lowest mileage RX4 I can find and that will have to see me out. It will be a nice under-stressed reliable V6 petrol....with buttons and manual controls (as far as they have them).

Yes, agree with all of that. Technology for technology's sake I am afraid is one of those "must have" fashion things manufacturer's seem to want to pursue as they see it as "keeping up with progress" and fear losing sales because the ipad and Apple Car Play generation they think would shirk at buying anything not fitted with it today. No-matter who tries to tell me it is progress, my own answer is "nope, you're wrong!". Progress is engine refinements, better suspension, longer warranties (😁), handling and reliability improvements etc. It is not in car entertainment updates to keep up with what others are doing. Sure, fit inductive phone charging shelves, more cup holders, better stereos, nicer interiors etc but leave our buttons and mice alone (?😆). I won't buy any car in future that has a screen remotely resembling a giant i-pad with everything gone touchy feely. It is a distraction, it is annoying having to muddle through on screen menus, it is a danger when driving and has no place in a car you need to keep control of. Nice analogue dials and a dash festooned with backlit buttons that access most controls "at the touch of a button" and the mouse control for everything else was all perfectly fine and tbh was the pinnacle of driver controls along with HUD which I wouldn't now be without. Looks as though I'm destined to slum it with an RX4 but I won't buy anything remotely touchy feely. I guess I'm just not a "touchy feely" sort of person.

Maybe I'm the odd one out, but I much prefer the older mouse control than either the track pad or the touch screen. It was changed, mainly it seems as motoring journo's hated it, but what do they know?😂

I won't be changing my V6 RX3 in any particular hurry. The driving differences between it and a newer RX4 are minimal to non existent. I wouldn't contemplate changing the silky smooth V6 for the newer Euro compliant 4cyl RX5 models, especially at the current pricing which seems to have taken new costs well beyond the means of those bar the wealthy but if the used price of the last of the V6 RX5's comes down sufficiently within the next 4 years I may have a look then. I don't feel hard changed or at any disadvantage at all. They have prettier interiors and a little more space but I dislike intently touch screens in cars and all eggs in one basket with LCD screens mean if they go wrong, you're stuffed. Much prefer physical buttons and real dials.

It may not be the motor, it may be the CANBUS system just not conveying the message for the motor to operate, which a reset should fix. If the reset doesn't work, then unfortunately, the motor seems to be the likely culprit. Mine was only done under warranty as the car's within the 10 year coverage period

Yes, because as we all know, a click tocking is better than a tock clicking, or an 'orse clopping.

They did the same to mine. I also moved 2 miles within the same geographical area and they tried upping my premium by £200 annually but refused to justify why so I cancelled my renewal and went elsewhere where I got fully comp with legal protection, breakdown cover and protected NCB for just under £300.

I'm afraid that any claim, even a no fault claim, often results in your premium increasing so it is an unfortunate fact of life that coughing up for minor repairs yourself is usually the cheapest longer term proposition these days. I see insurance as a legal obligation but not something I'd ever claim off for anything other than a major prang or theft. Even NCD won't guarantee no rise in premium following a claim unless it is protected. You always ending up paying one way or the other.

Suspension is the part that joins the voicecoil/cone assembly to the motor assembly and can be replaced if parts are available although it's not one for a diy enthusiast as it can be very tricky. The surround (which I think you mean) is the foam or rubber surround to the cone and these are routinely replaced for most hifi speakers where needed. Not all drive units will sound the same even if the same size (but from a different manufacturer...ie they are NOT the same designs) but replacing with a good used like for like speaker drive unit is probably the most practical proposition.

It was widely reported up to 5 years ago when the most stolen cars in the London area included Land Rovers, Range Rovers and the Lexus RX450h. The same vulnerabilities are still present as when a manufacturer combats one type of theft by upping security, the professional thieves always find a way around it....eventually. Best advice is don't make it easy for them. A steering lock has been mentioned but you will probably need more in vulnerable areas, so a wheel clamp adds another layer of security. These thieves won't want to spend more than 2 minutes trying the steal any vehicle unless it is well out of sight, so adding visible deterrents is usually a good way of making them think twice or not bothering. I remember when spates of Peugot sports hatchbacks were being stolen some years ago, Peugot proudly announced the addition of "thief proof" mobilisers on one of their Rallye or GTi models. It was parked outside a showroon. The first week it was on show, thieves stole it within 2 minutes by working our where the wiring was, and simply plugged their own pre programmed box of tricks into the loom to disarm it and drove it off the forecourt.

I think whilst longevity is indeed related to how we drive, there's no shortcutting the fact that grippier rubber usually means softer compounds, allied to a 2.2 tonne vehicle that is very torquey, so that recipe I think would result in fewer miles per set than on a lighter vehicle. They're really very good tyres, very confidence inspiring and very quiet at motorway speeds. I'm sure if I drove more sedately I could see 15K miles but probably not more than that. I think even if I could justify fitting tyres at twice the price I'd be changing them every few years anyway as rubber does age and harden. I guess if I was doing 20K miles/per year then I'd stretch to more premium slightly harder compound tyres. The only shame is that Avon no longer make tyres here in the UK as their plant closed down after they were bought out a few years ago. They made Cooper branded tyres also I believe. Avon AFAIK were the very last British tyre manufacturer left until they were bought out.

I usually get no more than 10K miles from the ZX7's but at £146 a corner I don't mind as this represents two years motoring to me and tyres ought to be changed really every 2 to 3 years, especially doing less miles as sat on the driveway they tend to craze quicker. During lockdown I hardly used the car and had to replace all 4 tyres a year later as the rubber had crazed in between the treads so it wouldn't have passed MOT. Used daily the rubber will stay more supple. I got rid of the OEM Dunlops very quickly as I found them harsh, noisy and they had awful wet weather grip. The ZX7's were a revelation. Better handling, a far more comfortable ride, significantly safer wet weather performance and braking performance. For the money they're the best I've so far tried. I also like the Geolanders a lot but they've now got a bit spendy.