I've Got My New Rx400h

[fabben]

I picked up my new RX400h SE-L from Lexus Twickenham on Thursday 31May07.

Transaction went nice and smooth, because I owned an RX300 previously most of the controls were already familiar.

I love the way it drives, it’s much more responsive than the RX300 and quieter. It’s quieter in the back too, the DVD at the back for my six year and three old, sees to that. The SatNav, reversing camera and screen graphics up-the-anti over the RX300. Not quite sure about the “consumption” screen though, those 5 minute blocks, do they represent discrete 5 minute blocks or are the cumulative?

We’re getting around 28/32 mpg at the moment, which 10mpg over the RX300. But I’m missing the “miles to go” estimator that I had with the 300, which gave a good indication of when I really needed to fill up.

I tried to transfer some phone numbers from phone to car. My phone (an O2 XDA mini) only allows one number at a time which is a bit of a nuisance. But because it’s a PDA as well I managed to get some software that allows you to select phone numbers by category and send these as a block, via Bluetooth. Perfect! Not quite I enter my numbers into my XDA with embedded blanks. When I transfer these I just got the first number block transferred. (so 020 1234 5678 will transfer just the 020 part).

Reading through some of the posts here, I thought there might be a remote garage door opener but there isn’t, or least I haven’t found it yet. There was some big threads last year regarding setting Satnav and dialing while on the move and that this might be available sometime in 2007. Again I haven’t found it. Also the instruction manual mentions an overhead sunglasses holder, it was the same in the RX300 manual. But neither cars have this.

I tried the hidden options, the ODO and seat belt trick didn’t work. But I did manage to get into the secret menu with the “menu/info” and sidelight on/off combo. But this menu looked quite dangerous to me, I had visions of disabling the car, best left alone I think.

So overall I’m delighted with my RX400h, I got it almost within two weeks for £42k, a £4k saving over the list price. They took my RX300 for £18,300, £35k from new, that’s quite frightening how much it depreciated over three years. But I suppose that’s something you have to accept when you want all the new toys?

Fabben

[jbanfie]

Sounds like you are fairly happy! 4K - good discount.

The 5 minute blocks are discrete - MPG and energy regenerated in each 5 minute period. Can be both fun, and depressing.

Agree that range in miles would be a good thing, but can only assume that as the consumption on the car can vary wildly with driving style, the designers thought it pointless - I'd still have it anyway and let the user work out how useful it is.

Depreciation on the RX300 isn't that bad, but my calcs you lost 16,700 or 48% of the new value in three years. Isn't this typical of a large car? I managed to reduce 31K of jag x-type to 3,750 in 4 and a half years, but 112,000 miles.

Don't get me wrong, I'm hoping my 400h doesn't drop 48% in three years at 12,000 miles per year, but I'm sure I'll be disappointed.

I've heard of one 400h trade in, from my dealer, he said they gave him 10K less than he paid after 2 years. The car had done 10K miles and was immaculate.

Always interested to hear other such stories!

Cheers

Jon

[fabben]

Hi Jon,

So it's about a 5k a year drop on an RX spec car.

That is until the new version RX is launched in about 18 months time, I imagine that event will easily knock another few thousand off.

Fabben

ps Nasser at Lexus Twickenham is a great guy to deal with (this should help him when he negotiates his next pay rise) :)

[Rod]

I picked up my new RX400h SE-L from Lexus Twickenham on Thursday 31May07.

Transaction went nice and smooth, because I owned an RX300 previously most of the controls were already familiar.

I love the way it drives, it’s much more responsive than the RX300 and quieter. It’s quieter in the back too, the DVD at the back for my six year and three old, sees to that. The SatNav, reversing camera and screen graphics up-the-anti over the RX300. Not quite sure about the “consumption” screen though, those 5 minute blocks, do they represent discrete 5 minute blocks or are the cumulative?

We’re getting around 28/32 mpg at the moment, which 10mpg over the RX300. But I’m missing the “miles to go” estimator that I had with the 300, which gave a good indication of when I really needed to fill up.

I tried to transfer some phone numbers from phone to car. My phone (an O2 XDA mini) only allows one number at a time which is a bit of a nuisance. But because it’s a PDA as well I managed to get some software that allows you to select phone numbers by category and send these as a block, via Bluetooth. Perfect! Not quite I enter my numbers into my XDA with embedded blanks. When I transfer these I just got the first number block transferred. (so 020 1234 5678 will transfer just the 020 part).

Reading through some of the posts here, I thought there might be a remote garage door opener but there isn’t, or least I haven’t found it yet. There was some big threads last year regarding setting Satnav and dialing while on the move and that this might be available sometime in 2007. Again I haven’t found it. Also the instruction manual mentions an overhead sunglasses holder, it was the same in the RX300 manual. But neither cars have this.

I tried the hidden options, the ODO and seat belt trick didn’t work. But I did manage to get into the secret menu with the “menu/info” and sidelight on/off combo. But this menu looked quite dangerous to me, I had visions of disabling the car, best left alone I think.

So overall I’m delighted with my RX400h, I got it almost within two weeks for £42k, a £4k saving over the list price. They took my RX300 for £18,300, £35k from new, that’s quite frightening how much it depreciated over three years. But I suppose that’s something you have to accept when you want all the new toys?

Fabben

I bought my RX400H November 2006 March this year went on holiday for three weeks when I returned the car Battery was dead, had to jump start it, took it back Lexus who checked it over and said there is nothing wrong. and told me Lexus recommends that if the car is not going to be used within 10 days the Battery should be disconnected, yes 10 days and I have a letter from Lexus Southampton stating that, so dont leave your new RX400h standing for a two week when you go holiday.

Rod