Life With An Rx300

[PhilGV8]

I have been meaning to put a few lines on here for quite some time now.

After last Christmas I was looking for another car, as I frequently do. The target was to replace a 540 BMW used for work, a P38 Range Rover used in snow, and be as reliable as a Honda Shuttle, used as a general runabout. I know, there is no such vehicle, so compromises would be made!

The shortlist included the Landcruiser, X5, XC90, ML270 and the RX300, with the Touareg as an expensive outsider. Major mechanical problems ruled out the X5 and XC90, American build quality issues spoiled the ML270 (as well as the X5), and the Touareg was just too complicated and expensive, with reliability issues. Having had a Landcruiser, it is an impressive vehicle, but better suited to an overland trek to Casablanca than a trip to Tesco’s.

So we looked at a couple of RX300’s. One was a one owner dealer serviced immaculate SE with 59,000 miles at a reasonable price (in fact just 20% of its retail price when new), so in early February we became Lexus drivers. Having researched the model beforehand, I had found out about all its faults and weaknesses – the alloy wheels corrode and the front passenger’s seat can vibrate when unoccupied. That is it! On an X5 you will probably need a new gearbox, on the XC90 you might need a new engine, but on a RX300 you will just need to get the wheels refurbished.

True to form, after 10,000 miles, I can report the passenger’s seat can vibrate, and I am looking to get the wheels refurbished. One service, one set of wiper blades, one set of rear pads, that is it. Oh, and she came with a new Battery on purchase. Usually after 6 months I get bored with a car, but after 8 months the RX is still very much a keeper.

Soon after she arrived a trip home up the M11 in a blizzard confirmed her abilities in snow, certainly as capable on-road as the P38 Range Rover, which meanwhile was sold to a new owner to live with its reliability issues. The BMW had been sold some months before, but the RX compares surprisingly well in real world driving. OK, the BM has supercar performance, but it was also twitchy over poor road surfaces, and the auto gearbox would get confused if you drove it hard and revert to failsafe mode. The Honda only went a few weeks ago, such a good vehicle at everything, albeit with bland efficiency. The Lexus has much of its qualities, but does it all in a much more luxurious way, with the exception of the Honda’s MPV role.

So the RX has fulfilled its intended role in broad terms, there are just a couple of things we did not contemplate. The reason behind buying a hatchback was to accommodate our German Shepherd. So far she has been allowed in the back once, and the rear seat well twice – white hairs and black interiors do not go together. In fact I have become quite anal about the RX, and spend the hour it needs with the Hoover removing every last hair after her trips, so we almost always use the Discovery (we still need a true off-roader) when she comes along. I find myself picking up individual stray hairs and putting them out of the window. I have also developed the worrying habit of walking around the car checking for scratches (there still aren’t any!). My partner has also developed a habit of taking the RX everywhere, leaving me the Discovery, which is much better suited to the roads around here, and can be left without worry about trolley damage in Tesco’s car park. The RX also has to go to visit her Mum, a 150 mile cross country round trip. On her last return late one evening she exclaimed she had managed to get back ‘in less than an hour’. I spent the next day removing the 5 million bugs from the front of the car!

Road tests when the car was new found no real purpose to the vehicle, and to some degree criticised the handling and fuel consumption. We use the 4 wheel drive every day in pulling off the tarmac to pass other cars on our single track roads, as well as keeping us mobile in the snow. The Disco covers the serious off-road stuff, but the RX leaves it for dead in snow. I have found the handling exemplary, and on a par with conventional cars. It is in a different league to both off-roaders and soft-roaders. A slight roll on sharp low speed junctions transforms itself into stable surefooted handling on corners at speed. I am still exploring its limits, but have not found them yet. You enter a bend thinking you are going too fast, to come out wondering why you did not go faster. Ride is also excellent, coping admirably with our country roads around here, always remaining composed and comfortable. Fuel consumption ranges from 22mpg on fast hard runs, to 30mpg given heavy traffic, with an overall 26mpg. My choice for a Trans Continental trip would still be a 7 series, but the RX would be a very close 2nd.

Dislikes: The lack of memory seats, more functions on the computer, the ridicules speed limiter at 112mph (120mph on the clock, true 110mph).

Likes: Build quality, design, function, discreet image, feel good factor, a fine blend of attributes. You find yourself using switches for the satisfaction of their operation and shutting doors just to listen to the satisfying clunk – there I go getting anal again!

So sorry this few lines have turned into war and peace. But there are few cars that combine such a broad range of qualities.

[Valkirk]

Very nice review!

I love the RX ability in icy and snowy conditions just wish my other car was usable in the same but always end up wishing for two 4 wheel drive vehicles!

Biggest complaint I have about the car is the poor paint strength - it really picks up scratches easily; made even worse by the light coloured undercoat with the dark colour paint. Haven't noticed passenger seat vibrating - wheels yes very poor (How come all other manufacturers can develop alloys that don't fall apart with our road salt/grit levels?!)

Guess you generally use the RX on country roads as I am lucky to get 30mpg on a long run being very gentle; any form of urban driving and this generally sits between 18-20mpg.

Still is a superb car and can't think of anything that would replace it - 2nd Hand Range Rover would be nice but as hate unreliable cars that would have to go; the new RX would be a good contender of course but with the new £50k prices (How they jumped up by that much no idea?!) that definitely won't be on the cards.....have to see how the hybrids hold out over the years; if they don't then in the end the 300 and 350 will be very much sort after cheap cars in years to come!

Dislikes: Paint, No auto lock on drive off, No MP3 CD playback on mine, Sat nav that keeps telling you to "Go Straight" on motorways......yes yes just tell me when I need to get off please :)

Likes: Everything else!

[PhilGV8]

Four wheel drive in isolation in snow I have found to be a bit of a misconception.

A few years ago I chose to take my old Range Rover to work in the snow, it had A/T tyres & obviously 4WD. After a mile I turned back and took the Shuttle I had at the time. Despite the road tyres, I found the ABS far more useful than the 4WD.

Last winter I had a 110 Defender as well as the P38 Range Rover, so I tried them both back to back in the snow. Floored the accelerator on both, and panic braked on both. The P38 just accelerated and stopped as usual, the Defender just headed for the nearest ditch in both situations. The Defender had A/T tyres, the P38 Pirelli Scorpion M&S. The contrast was amazing.

Importance is ABS, FWD, Traction Control, then 4WD in that order IMHO.

My paint seems resistant to everything, certainly almost free of stone chips - maybe the silver is better?

I can get 30 on a 40 mile run in traffic on a particular slow country road with no opportunity to overtake. Overall on a run to work using A12 & M25 daytime with traffic will return 27-28, but a night run drops to 25 given clearer (faster) roads. Usually sit around 80, give or take a bit, but have got a light foot 98% of the time.

[Valkirk]

Interesting the Defender wasn't as good, would have expected it to have no problem - the other car for me is a Merc SLK 350 so 300 BHP rear wheel drive....not nice in snow lol :)

I would prob add ESP in there as a def wish list for snow and Ice (The SLK has it but think you need more than driver aids for that combo to work in snow....proper snow tires would be the way to go but given the number of days/weeks affected it really would be a lot of work)

The lighter colours with Lexus definitely seem to be better for either resisting scratches or just not showing them.

Forgot to say you get memory seats on the SE and SE-L models so if you ever trade in for another they do exist.

Also have found the engine starting to be a bit reluctant compared to other cars. It's more like going back 10 years to where you really have to turn the key, hold and wait 4-5 seconds of starter motor - don't get me wrong it still always starts just feels like you are dragging it out of bed :)

[ihpj]

The RX is a phenomenally easy car to live with. Pleasant to drive and will waft you +5 passengers + luggage in total opulence. Very competent car and as you have said,pretty much reliable and faultless product.

It is also very easy to service (like brakes) and easy to live with. Why can't all cars be this good?

We do miss ours from time to time :(