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So I promised a write up of my adventures into searching for a vehicle to replace my 3RX. Nothing wrong with it, just fancied a change and thought it was a good time to buy after 5 years. Initially, I was thinking of changing brands and spending the next few years with something new but I didn't rule out the vehicles from Lexus. There were 3 categories the replacement would have to fill: 1) Had to be an SUV 2) Had to be different to the norm 3) Had to fall within my budget of £45k From some quick research, the initial contenders were the Volvo XC90, Jaguar F-Pace, BMW X6, Mercedes GLE, Lexus NX and Lexus RX. I excluded the Porsche Cayenne as the interior was too busy and the Range Rover Sport as it was more expensive and had well known reliability issues. The Q7 was also excluded as I just didn't like the bulbous look it has even though a good example was available within my budget. Additionally, I deliberately drove the 4RX last so I got an idea of all the other vehicles before it and therefore I could compare better. The next step was to find any vehicles I fancied by trawling through Autotrader and Manufacturer Used sections of their websites. The Lexus NX was the exception here as I didn't find anything I particularly liked and it would have come within my budget new, so I would have taken the new option of Mesa Red/Red with Premier pack. Volvo XC90 The first vehicle I looked for was the Volvo XC90. I found one in Sunderland with the D5 2.0l diesel engine and in Inscription trim. I liked the colour and it was in my budget so went to test drive it. Initial impressions were that it looked classy but was also quite boxy. It looked great it the Luminous Sand colour but would have preferred another interior colour other than black but it wasn't a huge issue. The boxy shape obviously led to a huge amount of interior space and the boot was cavernous. The XC90 was also the only 7 seater I looked at - didn't really need a 7 seater but it would have come in handy when the in laws were around. Spec wise, it was OK. Didn't have many optional extras and no panoramic sunroof either but it had huge side windows so the interior was fairly airy. The interior quality was good yet there were some cheaper feeling gloss black plastics scattered around and whilst the infotainment screen was very simple to use whilst stationary, it was a nightmare whilst driving and I missed dedicated buttons from my RX for certain functions. Driving impressions - This is where the XC90 fell short. Yes the wind noise is suppressed well but the engine makes itself noticeable and being a 2.0l diesel, it does sound rough at times, especially compared to the buttery smooth 3RX. There is some road noise due to its wide tyres as well. The spec sheet also read 0-60mph in 7.4s or something like that - no chance! It felt heavy and realistically, it must have been around 8.5-9s as the engine seems to run out of puff over 3.5k rpm. The mid-range acceleration was pretty mediocre compared to the 3RX as well. Having said that, in town it was perfectly acceptable and if driven sedately, should be fine for most people. The handling was OK for a big bus, it did roll a bit in the corner but only slightly but this was the result of relatively firm suspension. The gearbox (an 8 Speed Aisin unit used in some Lexus vehicles) was jerky when pressing on a bit and overall, it just needed to be driven sedately to enjoy it. Conclusion - in the end, I felt the XC90 wasn't for me. It gets rave reviews from the press and I can see why - its built very well and suppresses noises from the outside very well. However, the engine remains its weakest point and ideally, it needs around 270hp. The fuel economy was dismal as well (30mpg) and when Volvo have downsized to a 2l for that very reason, it makes you think that Audi's strategy of "right sizing" is a much better option as it seems to get better fuel economy with a lot more power and refinement. Jaguar F-Pace After deciding the XC90 wasn't for me, off I trawled to Jaguar Preston to see this car! First impressions - a good looking vehicle - certain angles looked funny (the front looks odd IMO) but overall not bad and certainly not a vehicle you see everyday (although they are getting more common now). I haven't see one in Black yet so thought that was probably the one to go for if I did decide on a Jag. This particular example had two tone red/black leather as well but also had a 2.0l diesel engine. Spec wise, it was OK. It had a pan roof but it didnt open, tinted windows and memory seats (all optional extras). Apart from that I think it was fairly stock. This basically meant that there were no LED headlights, no reversing camera, no adaptive cruise control etc. The biggest difference when getting into the F-Pace after testing the XC90 was the reduced cabin space. There was less headroom and shoulder room in every seat and reduced boot space. The greatest problem was the rear seat foot space. Its probably the worst design Ive ever come across in an SUV - the footwell is extremely narrow and my wife's IS has a bigger footwell. The quality of materials in the Jag was also poor in comparison to the Volvo. The main bits that I noticed was that some of the stitching on the dashboard was not straight, some of the buttons felt a bit cheap and components moved more i.e steering wheel, armrests etc when giving them a vigorous shake. The door panels had a tinny sound when tapped too (something I just do in all cars I see now, sounds stupid but gives you a good idea of how the car is built). The infotainment was easier to use on the move compared to the Volvo but overall, just a slower system. The audio system was crap compared to the ML in the 3RX so this was off-putting. Im also not sure on the leather - it didn't feel like real leather. Driving impressions - what the F-pace lacks in interior quality, it makes up for in driving experience. It handles very well and feels connected to the road. Again, the weakest link is the diesel here. For a great handling car, there's just not enough power to exploit the handling characteristics. The engine is also less refined than in the XC90 and there is more tyre roar and wind noise. Of course, the 3.0l is available but this was out of the budget! Conclusion - The F-Pace left me feeling cold. Whilst the F-pace is a brilliant handling SUV, I realised I would hardly exploit its handling capabilities and therefore, preferred the more refined option which was the XC90 after testing the Jag. The XC90 had better interior quality and was ultimately, a more solid feeling vehicle and at this point, the XC90 had gone to the top of the list. Now I realise that the F-Pace was cheaper than the XC90 but it feels that way - the real question is, would I rather have a newer, cheaper feeling car or a 1 year older, expensive feeling car for similiar price and I would go for the older, better quality car everyday of the week. BMW X6 Off I went to BMW in Rochdale to see a Flamenco Red X6 M-Sport. Initial impressions - Personally thought it was a great looking car. I loved the colour and quite a rare one too with only 15 being sold in the country in Red. This particular one had a decent spec with a heads up display, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats and surround view. It was also the 40d version. Interior quality was very good. Everything felt solid and was functional but it was slightly boring in that the same sort of interior has been used on BMWs for the past decade. There was enough interior space although rear headroom was limited due to its sloping roof line. This car also had the nappa leather which was very nice to the touch. This particular car was missing tinted windows but this could easily have been sorted. The infotainment system was the easiest to use IMO, even on the move and the car itself felt solid on the road. Driving impressions - This is where the BMW shines. Its a very good handling car. Its not as good as the F-pace but it has an extremely potent 3.0l diesel engine and every time my foot planted the floor, there was a huge smile on my face. Having said that, it fell short in other areas. Whilst wind noise was well suppressed, there was a huge amount of tyre roar from those massive tyres and the engine still sounded slightly gruff despite being a 6 cylinder. Smoothness of the engine however, was exceptional and the torque was very addictive. Conclusion - I really liked this one. The road noise was a problem but I think the current tyre choice wasn't helping. This was now on the top of my list followed by the XC90 and then the F-pace. Merc GLE The next vehicle to test was the GLE350d. I'd seen a white one on the road a few weeks earlier and it had huge road presence and is a fairly rare sight so it was on the shortlist. Initial impressions - yes, huge road presence from that front end. The vehicle itself is very large. I thought it looked brilliant in white as well. Interior space was not an issue although it had the same problem as the X6 with the rear headroom but it wasn't too bad. Same with the boot, it was bigger than the X6's. Interior quality - This is where the Mercedes was let down. The interior is extremely aged. The centre console seems to have been lifted straight from a W204 C class with the addition of a modern screen. Just looks odd in my opinion. This car also had the nappa leather which was nice but the seats were poor in both support and comfort in comparison to the X6 and Volvo. Driving impressions - The Mercedes felt the most tank like to drive. The way it drove just felt solid - it was genuinely like driving an indestructible behemoth on the road with the added benefit of everyone just moving out of the way. The ride was firm, almost jarring and the handling was rubbish but it was quick in a straight line. Nothing much to say here apart from wind noise was fairly well suppressed but road noise, again due to massive tyres was the biggest thing upsetting the refinement. Lexus NX This one was tested at my local dealer. Nobody had a Red/Red NX300h with the Premier pack to see or test so it would have been ordered new as it fell within the budget but my dealer had a white/black F-Sport with Premier pack. Initial impressions - Sharp styling and I liked the DRLs separated from the headlights. Wasn't a huge fan of the rear, felt it looked too upright TBH. Would have liked some larger wheels - 19"s would have done nicely but the diamond finish on the F-Sport was nice. The interior quality was great. It was closer to a GS than an IS but overall, the interior space was quite compact. It felt more like the IS whereas my 3RX was more open. Rear legroom was similiar to the 3RX but the headroom was reduced slightly, especially with the panoramic sunroof. The quality was definitely better than the F-pace and GLE but not at the same level of the other vehicles which is understandable due to the price tag. The tech on this car was amazing - it beat the spec of every other car I'd tested. It had the pan roof, head up display, mark levinson and the surround camera system. It also had the adaptive cruise control etc. The spec was genuinely impressive when equipped with the Premier Pack. Driving impressions - The NX handled well enough. It was flatter than my RX and rode less firmly. However, road noise and wind noise were certainly more evident, albeit only slightly. The car felt much more agile than my 3RX and didn't exhibit the same bouncy behaviour at the rear axle. I also preferred the size, much more manageable in town than the others that I tested. Having said that, the drivetrain was the weakest link. Whilst adequate in the IS, the NX needs a more powerful engine. It felt slow in almost every situation apart from in town and at low speed. The engine would make itself heard almost all the time when going up hills near where I live so it was a disappointment. If only the 200t was available with the Premier pack - thats what I would have gone for (despite @Linas.P's views on it being trashy ) Lexus RX Left the most familiar option to the end so that I could compare it to the rest of them. I was initially looking at the one in Cambridge which was White/Black with Pan roof and HUD. It was also slightly out of my budget. Anyway I couldn't be bothered going 130 miles just to test drive it so I had a quick test drive with my local dealers demo - a Black/black F-Sport with pan roof only. Initial impressions - Looked impressive. I liked the angles but the black paint didn't work on it as the wheels blended in etc. The first thing I noticed was that the panel gaps were very tight and paintwork, extremely smooth - none of that orange peel stuff you get with the German brands. I also noticed that it demanded a lot of attention from pedestrians - they all seemed to be working out what it actually was! The interior quality was great - up there with the Volvo. The weakest link was the infotainment system - more complicated and something you have to learn to use rather than use straight away unlike the Volvo or BMW. The seats deserve a special mention. They fit me like a glove and are very supportive, yet also comfortable. This was an issue on the NX which had narrower seats. The infotainment screen is impressive and the panoramic roof let lots of light into the cabin despite the interior being black. The spec list was great too apart from the absence of the HUD which was fitted as standard to the 3RX F-Sport. It didn't have the ML but this didn't bother me as the standard sound system is as good as the ML in my 3RX. Driving impressions - It felt familiar to the 3RX but improved in every way. The ride was more composed (non of that rear axle bounciness of the 3RX). Its better than the NX F-Sport in terms of ride comfort and the AVS did a good job. Its firmer than the XC90 but then, it handles better as well. Its not a car which you can throw into bends like the X6 or F-pace but it handles well, better than the 3RX but you always know that the weight is there. Wind noise and road noise is NON EXISTENT! I found myself on the motorway thinking I was doing 60mph, looked down and it was doing 90mph (oops). In terms of the drivetrain, I don't care what the journalists are saying but for me, its great. Its refined all the time, even when flooring it, its relatively quiet compared to the diesels in other brands. There's also nothing that compensates for the V6 burble in the background too. Oh and lets not forget, this drivetrain is very quick in the mid range. Conclusion - In the end, it was a fairly simple decision to make. The 4RX has very little in terms of flaws and a part of me knows that it would sell like hotcakes if it had a German badge on it. Through 4 generations (ive owned 3 of them now) its been improved constantly and it shows. Yes, it has some annoying characteristics but overall, as a package, its absolutely brilliant. In the end, I didn't get the car from Lexus Cambridge. I eventually bought from Lexus Cheltenham who had exactly the same spec as Lexus Cambridge but with 1500 more miles and the red leather instead of the black for almost 10% less. Having said that, Lexus Cheltenham did offer the lowest P/X value from anyone. I was offered £18k for my 3RX whilst BMW, Volvo and Jaguar offered £19.5k. However, my local dealer also offered £18.5k so I think its mainly the book that Lexus dealers use (Ive consistently found they offer the lowest p/x value of any main dealer).

Yeah I know what you mean 🐀, I'm pleased with how mine turned out but took all weekend... 👍

Pretty sure I'm free then, if I am then I'll be there 🖒

Its not bad - been raining here today! And dont expect anything more than 15mpg here, too many hills!

Just thought I'd provide an update on this post. I managed to find another micro sd card on eBay (the latest version) for £60 and this time it worked fine - result. I didn't receive a response to my email complaint so phoned the dealer over the weekend and, after a bit of toing and froing, they've now agreed to reimburse the money I spent on the card - double result. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread, it was very much appreciated.

So I was right all along!!! Good choice.

I agree, I very much bought my ISF because of what it was, rather than because it was a Lexus. Admittedly, I have since started to appreciate the brand more but can't say hand on heart that my next car will also be a Lexus. I like cars that are different and I was after a V8. I need to be sure I'm not going to see another one whilst driving to work and back every day, lol Marcus

Wittering 44 year old man here. Brilliant cars. Had it four months and can't see myself parting with it. If I am feeling wound up I head out in the old girl and even through London traffic the car relaxes me no end. Planning a European journey in August in the Lexus instead of the Soarer which would normally be our go-to for long journeys. Even contemplating some panel work to get the bodywork up to scratch.

They are like rocking horse droppings, David, I looked on ebay for ages before getting mine, which also fits some earlier cars, and there is an issue with legality, which you should look in to before fitting one.

Oh, another full english breakfast, count me in

Well, I was on a bit of a budget because reasons and it just caught my eye as a reliable luxobarge in my price range. Once I starting reading up about the 2JZ engine, and the gearbox and the overal quality of the car I knew I had to have one. Nothing else came close at the price I paid. I found the best looked-after example I could and got the deal done. This car has had everything: timing belt, ATF fluid change, diff fluid change, catback OEM exhaust 2 years ago, you name it. So far, love it. Wanted to get back in an auto after having an E220 auto as a company car a couple of years back. Needless to say I was delighted to find the familiar foot-operated parking brake had made its way into this 'Japanese Mercedes' 😂😂😂 Then engine is wonderful, the gearbox excellent, it's just a pleasure to drive and I look forward to many years of happy motoring with it. I could even see myself going to a newer one in a couple of years, and that's after 3 days of ownership!

Well, in my case at least, I didn't have to disconnect the battery. Lee is right, the main difference for me was that you can now input destinations on the nav while moving (although mine doesn't care how fast I am going).

I just bought mine because it looks like a Toyota Avensis, meaning it would be reliable..........

Have crossed the Milleau Bridge 4 times and still am most impressed. Regards John

I still miss my RX300, brilliant car. Only down side was it was very thirsty. ~20mpg on average but that wasnt a problem when the company payed for my personal fuel. I have an is300h Premier at the moment but am toying with a change. Maybe an NX, which I having for 24 hours whilst mine is being serviced but after reading Rayaans latest mini review I think I will wait for the RX to drop a bit more as I now have to have the Premier (I like my toys) and cheapest I can find is 46K I will report back on impressions of the NX vs my is

Excellent summary Rayaan. Enjoyable and informative read.

Medics are on the way!!

@NemesisUK Yep Big Rat

I'll never get back the precious moments lost trying to understand that post

If its GU10 on the reg plate, or its got tinted rear windows and blacked out badges on the back..... Then yes it was my old car. Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

@NemesisUK See that's what I like to hear an understanding forum member who has the ability to recognise the needs of another, I suffer greatly at the hands of others on here who do appreciate my witty personality my warmth as a human being My readiness to assist them at anytime, but most of all I retain the ability never to mention their failings or short comings. There it is ah well........ 😂 Big Rat

My oldest son has just called me on his bike ride. Looks like we've found Dr Ricks car ! Only five minutes from me. How many more black isf's can you get in one area! I'll go and say hello next time I'm out in mine, tell him about the forum.

You looked like you needed feeding up ..

Yep, easy to drift and control in most cases. I remember one particular roundabout that mine seemed to like taking sideways. Nothing major; modified intake, boost controller and gauge. Ran around 16psi boost if I remember right. Was fast enough for most occasions! Always planned to do more, but didn't before it was time to sell. Oh, and apologies to Iain for hijacking your thread.

Looks nice. It is shame if it did come to a bad end, but unfortunately, due to their tale happy nature, I suspect a lot of them have now disappeared. Speaking of which, my old one also seems to have vanished around 2010. Anyway, he it is back in the day: Did you mod yours at all?

Nice one Forums can tend to be a bit doom and gloom since a lot of posts are about problems, so it is always nice to hear of a positive outcome.

Hi, it's great to see you have come full circle back to Lexus. Fantastic cars. Nothing beats them. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

............... hey, we're proposing doing another tour of Scotland this end August/early September for two weeks. We did this in 2012 and travelled 2800 miles in 15 days, home and back ( Kent ) and had a fantastic tour.... mixed weather, a few midges and brilliant B&Bs along the way including a couple of YHA stops ........... BRILLIANT First overnight in Yorkshire then into Scotland, up the west coast, along the top and back down and around and our final overnight in Northumberland near Lindisfarne. The Ls400 is the best Grand Touring car ever. Can't wait for the day to approach, just stuff all we need in the boot and off we go, another adventure. Malc

Yes I think you're right (in fact I know you're right after my research). I've managed to source a Samsung Galaxy S4 with a cracked screen that should work while I wait for my wifi OBD2 reader!

Thanks for the advice!

I'll get it started. Here we have Vin Diesel & his twin, our very own 'Diesel Van' ( @Big Rat) (all credit to @emjay82)

Probably not a helpful response, but I got into Lexus ownership because of the ISF not because it was a Lexus (although I appreciate the brand's production quality, values etc). I have driven other Lexus models (including th new IS and RX) as loan cars and can't say I have been smitten. To illustrate, I was at Goodwood with my son at the weekend and we saw the brilliant new LC (deffo one for me in a few years when second hand). He asked me if I would buy one new. I said for £88k I'd want to look at a lot of other cars before deciding on an LC, but second hand very positive about it. I guess my point is we all get into ISF ownership from different directions and for some the Lexus part is more of the deal than for others. For me the ISF is a very unique car that ticks a number of boxes, it being a Lexus IS more of an aside.

@Flytvr Free tea and butties at the builders merchants I'm just going to make sure those I'm working with only have one each 😉 🐀

I will be there, might bring the Yaris, just got a couple of marks to polish out and she will be like new.................................

Never heard of a builder being up so early!!!!

@NemesisUK I'll sit next to you again just in case you can't manage it all .... again 😂 🐀

@Rusty Crobar Our Russ being told not to mod his ISF ever again 😂 Big Rat

When I bought my car 18 months ago I negotiated a good price because the suspension pump was tad noisy. I finally got around to having one from a breakers put on, easy job, £70 part and £40 labour. When I picked it up afterwards the steering had a slight wobble at low speeds. I took the front wheel off today and found it binding, but not all round. When you take a wheel off the front you also release the disc. I little bit of crud had got behind the disc, only a tiny bit, but it prevented the wheel from sitting flat on the hub. So it confirms what we all know, always make sure the mating surfaces are clean, it's amazing how just a tiny bit of flaky rust can have such a bad affect on it. Wobble free now!

Glad you found the issue. Any tiny adjustment between the surface will have a huge effect as you noticed its like fitting an off balance shimm

@Flytvr @emjay82 Ah yes very good, now it's my turn soooooo here we have @emjay82 better known as Danny Dyer here being told he messed up the last house deal 😂 Oh and here's @Flytvr being told that Lexus have banned him from ever entering there dealerships for eating all the biscuits and drinking all the coffee 😂 Big Rat

Interesting Stuart. I plan to cross by Shuttle in early September and meander down to Spain via Rouen, Bordeaux, San Sebastian and into Andulcia in the old Merc.I`ll keep my eyes open for you. Regards John

Linas as you apparently cannot find your pick in the current Lexus range and feel they are underpowered overweight mediocre cars with cheapo materials please try to find a make and model that suits your tastes better, buy it and move on.

Buy a BMW and make yourself happy... looks like BMW are not using good plastic then cus I am not hearing of plastic part failures on Lexus cars. and when i say plastic i meant engine parts not interior parts. orrautosport.com/bmw-cooling-system-repair-recommendations/

Moved the making of some trays for my 460 to the finished stage but prior to installing them into my front seat backs. Using the scrap donor seat back allowed me to get to the finished stage 2 point. Have to decide now to actually install them. Chose grey vinyl to match the grey around the doors and dash and beige vinyl to contrast against the grey. Completed these two trays some time ago but too busy looking for another house put this project on the back burner for a while. New house found so thought I would post these photos. Used aluminium sheet wrapped in a carbon fibre effect to avoid marking the wood veneering. As to if or when I fit them I haven't decided yet but I was happy to make them. Once I started I just wanted to get to this stage before I decide to complete the job. Photos attached.

just because

Wouldn't it be best just to check and clean regularly?

Even though the system was designed without such a filter? Would the airflow be restricted, enough to force the fan to run more quickly than otherwise required?

The battery cooling fan works on a number of speed steps dependent on temperature. Ar the lower speeds it is all but silent, but still acts as a vacuum cleaner for the air around the rear seats. It is not uncommon for the fan to become completely blocked with pet hairs where owners carry there pets either on or behind the rear seats. The result unless cleared can be a failed battery. Unfortunately there is no check or clean the fan in the service schedule even at 60,000/120,000 mile big services. It can be a good idea to remove the intake grill, and fit a piece of vacuum cleaner filter cloth trapped behind it when re fitting. This can be seen and cleaned easily as it changes colour when becoming blocked. John