Advice For Prospective 400H Owner

[jevansio]

Hi,

I'm hoping someone will be able to give me some advice for my quandary. I've just sold my XJR (due to no 4wd, no luggage space) and am looking to get something more practical.

I have shortlisted to 2 cars RX400h & Landcruiser 4.0 LC5 (I do not want a diesel on any account).

As I see it the 400h has interior quality, gizmos (hybrid) & economy on it's side whereas the LC5 has superior 4wd & more luggage space.

I test drove a 400h today (122k miles but the closest to me) and although it was well worn I loved the drive and can see myself loving a nice 50k mile example.

My main problem is I'm concerned (after reading on here and various RX forums) about the dependability of the 4wd system in snow. The last thing I want to happen is to get stuck in one of our usual UK winters. But I do understand that I'm hardly a hardcore user and that I won't be driving over ploughed fields. I'm quite willing to run winter tyres (all year as I only do 4k miles tops). Have any of you guys found that you've been unable to complete a journey on normal roads where a proper 4x4 would have gone. I've seen the video on YT of the Prius trying to get up an icy drive cutting the power when the wheels slip, please assure me that the 4wd system on the 400h would at least be able to manage such banks as that with ease?

I'd also like to hear any comments from any who was considering the LC5/400h and why you bought which ever.

Thanks

Jay

[Duncan Roberts]

Perfectly fine in reasonabe snow (7"+) in Cumbria - hils and all, better with winter tyres doubtless. What it is not is an off roader but fine otherwise.

[jevansio]

Thanks Duncan, that eased my mind, I doubt we get Cumbria levels of snow in Durham lol

P.S (I have searched for this) but what does an SE-L get over an SE, is it just the rear entertainment?

[Duncan Roberts]

Thanks Duncan, that eased my mind, I doubt we get Cumbria levels of snow in Durham lol

P.S (I have searched for this) but what does an SE-L get over an SE, is it just the rear entertainment?

I seem to recall snow of the same calibre as Cumbria when I attended the University of Durham in the early 1970s.

[ColinBarber]

P.S (I have searched for this) but what does an SE-L get over an SE, is it just the rear entertainment?

This depends on the age as the specs changed with the facelift in 2006. For the pre-facelift the SE-L got you Sat Nav, rear entertainment and ML Audio, the first two could be specified as options for the SE but you couldn't get the ML audio system as an option.

[jevansio]

I seem to recall snow of the same calibre as Cumbria when I attended the University of Durham in the early 1970s.

Yeah we can get the odd bad spells, that's why I wanted to be so sure about the 4wd performance

This depends on the age as the specs changed with the facelift in 2006. For the pre-facelift the SE-L got you Sat Nav, rear entertainment and ML Audio, the first two could be specified as options for the SE but you couldn't get the ML audio system as an option.

That's great Colin, I think I'm going to hold out for an SE-L as I really like a quality sound system more than anything else

[jevansio]

I'm looking at this model and have a question, I've read on here that the 400h does not have air suspension, but the lady at Lexus tells me the SE-L does have air suspension, is this true?

This is an SR with the audio upgrade, some things it's missing are sunroof & auto-tailgate which I would really like, but it is a 2007. Anyone have any comments on this particular car? I'm prolly going to test drive it next weekend if it's still available. My head is telling me it's a buyers market and I should hold out for the perfect car, but I know as soon as I test drive it if it feels great my heart will start telling me to buy it lol

Linky http://www.autotrade...201233482266249

PS I also asked about the last cambelt date and she said they have chains so don't need doing, this isn't correct is it?

[Unity]

I'm looking at this model and have a question, I've read on here that the 400h does not have air suspension, but the lady at Lexus tells me the SE-L does have air suspension, is this true?

This is an SR with the audio upgrade, some things it's missing are sunroof & auto-tailgate which I would really like, but it is a 2007. Anyone have any comments on this particular car? I'm prolly going to test drive it next weekend if it's still available. My head is telling me it's a buyers market and I should hold out for the perfect car, but I know as soon as I test drive it if it feels great my heart will start telling me to buy it lol

Linky http://www.autotrade...201233482266249

PS I also asked about the last cambelt date and she said they have chains so don't need doing, this isn't correct is it?

I believe that no RX400's have air suspension. It was never an option on this model.

Also, they do have Cambelts that should be changed at 100,000 / 10yr according to the service schedule.

I would treat the advice of this salesperson very sceptically! Sounds like she is making it up as she goes along.

U

[jevansio]

Thanks Unity, it wasn't like she responded with the answers straight away either, she went off to get tech advice before coming back with responses.

They seem REALLY keen to sell this car, I said I would view this weekend, and she is saying is there no chance I can come down this week, can't see what difference a couple of days will make TBH.

I'm going cold on this particular car as time passes. I think I'm going to miss some of the SE-L spec options, I have a feeling that I need the electric tailgate (quite why I don't know as I've never needed one before lol)

[MickGriff]

I have an RX400H, 57 plate with 60k owned for just under a year. Great car and I will keep it for a long time. Only complaint I have is the Sat Nav which is well out of date. Lexus won't sell the UK update disc on its own but insists on selling the full European set which is expensive. It doesn't do full postcodes so it is actually cheaper to buy a sat Nav from a retailer with greater functionality, large screen and free mapping updates. I have written to Lexus pointing out they are missing an opportunity to sell UK discs and make a small profit and are encouraging owners to buy substandard upgrades on the the Internet or separate sat navs. They won't relent.

If you are buying from a dealer try and get the latest discs as part of the deal.

[ColinBarber]

Nav discs are around £120. You can find last years version now and again on eBay if you want to save some money. Back in the day of the CD based system it only had room for one country - the cost wasn't that much lower than the DVD full European versions. Other than the screen size the in-built units aren't a match for the latest smartphone nav applications.

[DanD]

Jevansio,

I'd recommend that you look for a Executive Limited Edition, which was the going out limited edition before the 450h came out. It has everything in it, including the Mark Levinson audio, satnav, adaptive Xenon lights, sunroof and power tailgate and only misses out on the rear seat entertainment package.

[jevansio]

Many thanks guys,

Dan, I don't think my budget will stretch to a Limited Edition, I think a 60k SE-L is going to be the one, just gotta play the waiting game now :(

[Boxbrownie]

I am more than likely wrong, but I thought the 'L' designation indicated it had the air suspension, certainly when I was looking for a Mk1 RX all the SE-L Mk2s I saw had it......

[MandCandK]

I got mine from a Lexus dealer and it was advertised as an SE (MM). it has everything except the rear screens but a couple of tablets and some headrest clips solve that problem

[DanD]

To my knowledge, the air suspension was never available on the 400h, only on the 300 and 350.

[jevansio]

I'm keeping my eyes peeled on autotrader, pistonheads & eBay, if anyone knows of any other good 400h for sale sources id be grateful :)

[MickGriff]

http://www.lexusteesside.co.uk/

I got mine from here.cant fault the service and after sales. Treat your purchase as a new car and don't accept faults. They bend over backwards to sort any niggles.

400h models can be sourced through them nationally so if you tell them what you want they should be able to find it.

Happy hunting

[ColinBarber]

I am more than likely wrong, but I thought the 'L' designation indicated it had the air suspension, certainly when I was looking for a Mk1 RX all the SE-L Mk2s I saw had it......

No, air suspension wasn't available on the 400h at any trim level, only on the non-hybrids.

[jevansio]

PS Whats the easiest way of spotting if a car has the 11 speaker upgrade (both from autotrader photos and in person), some models I'm looking at don't make any mention and I bet if I ask the dealer he'll say "yes it does"

Thanks

[ColinBarber]

PS Whats the easiest way of spotting if a car has the 11 speaker upgrade (both from autotrader photos and in person), some models I'm looking at don't make any mention and I bet if I ask the dealer he'll say "yes it does"

Thanks

There will be Mark Levinson written on the head unit, however the easiest way to tell is looking for the centre front speaker which is directly above the central LCD display on top of the dash.

[jevansio]

Brill thanks Colin

[DanD]

Obviously this is a personal choice, but I would suggest that you approach a Lexus dealer. You may have to spend a little more (although I am sure you will be able to negotiate some discount), or indeed may have to settle for a model with slightly higher mileage or one that is a bit older, but I think it is worth the peace of mind of the comprehensive 1 year warranty, recovery package, service plan and general customer service. I dithered for a long while and at the end went for a personal lease/PCP and found that could afford a more recent model that I thought I could.

My local dealer could not have been more helpful and I am glad to say that their service continues to be of excellent quality months after the deal was completed.

[Britanniamover]

Just to add some hopefully helpful comments. I love the Lexus and started with a secondhand RX300 which I upgraded to the new body shape and I was very pleased wth both cars but always really wanted the hybrid. I was able to upgrade recently to a 400h with the Mark Levinson Speakers - fantastic, The fuel economy is about 20% better than the RX 300 and the ride is smoother and the acceleration fantastic.

I tow a caravan and the RX300 was superb as a tow car and the 4 wheel drive great on grass and mud. I have yet to check out the 400h in all conditions but I cannot see that it will differ much.

My ONLY criticism of both models is that the reversing lamps do not give sufficient light to see properly through the side mirrors or especially the reverse camera - I am trying to get some fitted by an auto electric specialist. I wrote to Lexus UK but they said there was no plans to improve the situation. I was recommended to try brighter bulbs but other advice was that the Lexus 400h was not suitable for these.

Other than this - a very happy and contented bunny - my passengers and even grandchildren in their booster seats feel they are in a very special environment.

[jevansio]

Thanks for all the comments, I'm still on the lookout at the mo, hoping it won't be too long before i'm in one