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The long term forecast (I know they haven't got a bl**dy clue) is for a sunny afternoon on the 16th. So despite the lower temperatures and the possibility of a bit of rain on the way up I've got this as a definite and look forward to seeing those who turn up.

I've owned my 1999 Lexus LS400 for 9 years now and in 47 years of car ownership it has probably been the best value for money out of any car I've had. It cost me 2600 pounds back then and is probably worth 1500 now, and probably going up in value, so depreciation of about 120 quid a year can't be bad. Consumables haven't been too many, and barring suspensions parts hasn't cost too much. Only problems I'm getting just now is corrosion above windscreen and some electrical components coming to the end of their life. It still polishes up well and provides relaxing transport anywhere. I suppose the only real comparison is with pre mid 90 mercs which were similarly bullet proof. I've never been a Ford man and like others here preferred the offerings of BL - particularly the Rovers. I had a really nice Rover p6B for 14 years with rust the main problem, but very similar to the Lexus in a lot of other ways. I think I may spend a bit on a general tidy up rather than getting a newer LS as I'd not get a 10 year old one now for what I paid for mine in 2009. Pete

Moved to 2013 450H Premier a month ago (from '06 400h), all the research I did on this site and others seem to show that there was a problem on the 2003 & 2004 RX 350 with many owners reporting air suspension problems / failures. It seems nowhere as common an issue outside of that time & for that reason I wasn't afraid of trouble with it. Am absolutely delighted with my 450h, after 12 years with 400h - the 450H feels a big step up - heavier, more solid and even more comfortable than the 400h - a joy.

Evening one n all, Ryo is organising a Mini meet at Tesla Oxford services, meeting will be at 1pm with some American F’ers who own a Super charged RCF, open inveration to one and all. hopefully see a few there. Paul

A new RCF will be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show. Sources say it will be a Track Edition with more power than any Lexus currently in the market. Teaser pic only for now. We'll have to wait till 14th January 2019 for the reveal 😎 But that carbon fibre wing looks mighty tasty.

Hopefully see u there, there are at least four “non” forum F owners going, GSF x2 ISF x2 and an SC430 plus those on here that’ll be coming, think they’re looking to hit a pub for a bit of lunch too, so wives n partners attending too. My “insignificant other” has even said about going🙄...😂🤣.....lunch n Vodka being her reasons. see u next Sunday

Thanks very much for the great comments. To answer one of the questions the interior is black leather/ alcantara. Car has done 12500 miles with 1 owner. I aim to be out and about next year so hope to run into some of you.

Have a look at the advert for RX450h 3.5 5DR AUTO PREMIER PAN - SIDESTEPS - TOWBAR - ICE in Mesa Red for sale at Lexus Tunbridge Wells. It's on the Lexus website used cars for sale at £55,950. Enlarge the photos a go through them one by one. I bet two of the photos will make you SMILE 😀

Poor kid who lost its teddy.

I did by our 2012 RX450h Premier 18 months ago. Had 27k miles at a time of purchase. My main criteria were light interior and a radar cruise control. Was lucky to buy it privately for a trade in price of £21.5k. It had extended warranty which I've transferred. Almost two years after I can get my money back. Obviously, I have purchased extended warranty when the transferred one expired. No problems so far. Only one parking sensor is playing up. But it is due to the damage to it. Need to replace it at some point. Brilliant car. Test driven New RX L and was not impressed. Mine drives as good if not better. No idea why air suspension was abandoned on a new version.

You will Always pay over the odds buying from a lexus dealer. I can't comment on that asking get price but my 2013 62 plate f sport with ML and 38.5k miles for 25k. That was since June. However if the dealer can't shift the car then they'll drop the price. My previous is300h was up for 22.5k now it's a nats over 19k.

I just used my original circuit board. Just swapped the motor out. Wish I had done it a year ago when it started making a noise

I think the electrical connector is for engaging the pulley clutch. Have you tried switching the aircon off? Sent from my PSP7551DUO using Tapatalk

I've had my 2013 model (62 plate) RX450h Premier about 15 months now and still love it. My criteria were fairly particular (proper opening sunroof, black interior and anything but silver outside) which limited the options to Premier and Advance models, with only the premier having the air suspension. Like BlackCat, I did the research and concluded that the problems were much much less with later models, so went ahead. I got 3 years warranty with my car: 15 months in, I've not used it which probably isn't a surprise.

Made me smile.

Try - you should be able to you. But I think it likely that is what will have seized. Try the other pulleys, too. All but the crankshaft should be turnable. I wonder why it took a long crank to start. Could it be that the battery was low - possible question over the alternator?

Yes that is incorrect, Auto is now £305 if I am not mistaken, went up from £295 (bas.....). As for the car look clean, but pricey - nearly £5000 for very early model (2006) and average mileage. I have seen car with much lower miles and cheaper.

I imagine it’s more that winter is coming and people want SUV’s for OMGSNOWCHAOS! I got mine out the door for less than £18k including road tax, GAP & Smart Insurance from Stockport. Mine seemed quite highly priced at the time, so I think yours has some haggle room in it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks jumpingjehovahs. I too am thinking the price is a bit high, but are hybrid prices quite strong at the moment?

Yes. The premier comes with adaptive high beams which changes the pattern of the beam to stop blinding oncoming traffic The other grades come with auto high beam which just dips and undips

Can’t comment on the air suspension as I’m only 6 months into owning mine, however the price feels a little high to me. I bought my 2010 SE-L Premier, with 84,000 miles (at the time) from a main dealer with FLSH and the warranty for £17,495. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well after 4 weeks I’ve finally got my NX back! Whilst waiting for the warranty to be approved (formality as there was a defect in the paint) some tw@t in a large vehicle clouted my car whilst safely parked up by the office. The OSF wing was history (high up impact) plus gouges on the front bumper. Impact also broke the bracket holding the headlight unit in. Thankfully Lexus body shop took car in a couple of days later and warranty work approved too at the same time. The delay? The near side rear quarter light broke whilst removing it to do the warranty work. That was a 3 week back order. The only bonus was the car was sat in the warm body shop (covered over) after being painted so lots of time to harden up. NX now back home and looks perfect. (fingers crossed).

Before and after alignment, on a Hunter Hawkeye

This is sounding similar conditions to a/c compressor seizing. Hope you get to the answer quick.

It's probably more about managing expectations. So long as they're not approaching the minimum I'd guess you'll stay out of trouble so long as you're careful. Which you'd probably do with all seasons anyway. When I first got my WR3 SUVs I went out into Derbyshire and tried to get the car stuck, I didn't try anything daft like that the following year. But I knew I'd be OK getting about round Sheffield if it did come down.

After checking condition of belt and getting it out of the way check for any siezed pulleys or any foreign object that may have 'jammed' belt/pulley system. As above engine should start ( but don't run for long) without belt but you will have no auxiliaries. here's hoping it something as simple as a trashed belt and no major damage done! paul m.

The RAC are wrong. It's a belt driven unit. Turn the tensioner with a spanner and lock it with a 5mm drill or similar. Slip the belt off. Now try and turn each pulley by hand. One will be hard or impossible to turn. Viola! Sent from my PSP7551DUO using Tapatalk

Gimmick just like auto lights on makes other motorists think you are flashing them. On the lighter side buy a cheap car hire a chauffeur he'll do it all for you

I read on the forums about the whining noise and it sounds like aloof the manual cars do it and it doesn't sound like it's lead to any issues for people even after tens of thousands of miles! So I'm no longer concerned with that and I'm having the tracking done next week. New car paranoia is wearing off now.

The system works in a different way, as beam is not a single on-off one, but high lights are kept on except for the angles that cross vehicles coming: I find it very effective.

Good to hear results Richard - nice work!

Oh yes theres going to be plenty of that, i was dreading the whole fabrication side of this project, chopping and grinding but tbh im actually really enjoying figuring things out and making it fit

Cheers Farqui, yeh its all fun and games, its that old knock on effect. Really looking forward to doing the fuel system, wont be far away from trying to get this thing started

Never! It's not that kind of forum.

I got to admit I love my GS450h Sport F.. there ain't many cars on the road that can top it on style ,frontal features and performance ..The MPH is very good for the size of the engine..

Have one of these a 2007 model, slightly lower miles....got it for £4200 with a years warranty. This has more toys than mine. Superb car. Smooth, easy to drive, has a bit of go when needed. Get all 4 brake calipers checked by the garage, the exhaust needs a good check as well but it looks in very good condition. Looks well looked after too which is always a good point. Over a year I have averaged 37mpg over all sorts of journeys....long, short, town, motorway. Never had a problem. Had exhaust replaced in first three months under warranty...could have been £3k from Lexus but got a stainless steel car back done for £700 which the garage paid for. Have also had one rear brake caliper replaced in the year but they are known problems....caliper was £75 and had them replace all the slider pins etc at the same time. Joy to drive, not expensive to own and maintain. Suggest trying to get a years iron clad warranty so any problems are fixed but I suspect the old adage that a Lexus never goes wrong is most probably correct.

sheer size and bulk .............. I balk at the intimidation I feel sat up against a mini clubman estate at the traffic lights .............. I'm positively tiny in my Ls400 Malc

The S Class of the era pricewise bottomed out a few years back. The W140 model pre Suspension upgrade was a cheaper car to run than the Lexus in terms of parts. The S320 was a bit more thirsty probably than the V8’s. What I liked, and which Lexus never despite their incredible outlay on research, got wind of, or really appreciate in the European and US market, was Soft Close Doors, Car Cabin Height and Car width preference. The LS400 seems small inside compared to the W140 but is suited to the average Japanese frame. Though designed for export they couldn’t perhaps face too much space around them Japan being what it is. I always feel it was designed specifically for Women in the US market. That’s not to say “its a Birds Car” if I may be politically incorrect. Later Models have covered these few areas I believe? Or does anyone else have to have an anti static bag stuck to the headliner on newer models? Time has shown that the LS has outlasted its rival. Proportionately import numbers and existing road numbers I’d wager hands down the Lexus wins the ratio. Well, a £1 on that statement anyway!

Been using Lexus Edinburgh for the last 4 years and they have been very good at all times.

+1. Waze is just better than most when you need a nifty way thru snarled up city traffic in particular, where both the beemer and the Lexus sat navs have a tendency to stick to main routes. There’s a reason loads of cabbies use it. Also as mentioned above, Spotify works well in the 300h, full functionality, solid connection.

I have now owned my NX 300 Luxury for 8 months. Having looked at various alternatives including Range Rover Evoque and Jaguar E-Pace I decided to go down the Hybrid route. A 24 hour test drive convinced me and I ordered a NX 300h in Graphite Metallic with cream (ochre) leather interior which is a great colour combination. Also added the panoramic roof, protection pack and powered tailgate. Dealership (Lexus Edinburgh) was outstanding - the handover experience amazing!. The car is quiet, extremely comfortable and well equipped, The build quality is absolutely superb . MPG is not as good as is claimed but in over 6000 miles of mixed driving I have never recorded lower than 41mpg which is still good for a heavy car. The only minor criticisms are the boot capacity which isnt great and the much quoted awkward infotainment system. Still to experience routine servicing but expect the quality will be high. An outstanding car which is a delight to drive and one that I can only recommend.

Owning a Lexus says I value quality build and reliability I don’t need to point and squirt to get from A to B fast, relaxed does the trick I value comfort and luxury I “get” what a hybrid is and does, plus I don’t do diesel I love the pre and post sale service offered by Lexus, making me feel valued to them I can think for myself and don’t aspire to 10 a penny German cars I can feel a bit smug knowing all these things and still the British populace, apart from an enlightened few, want BMW, Audi and Merc. It gives me a more special car that I might see one or two of in a day, rather than hundreds of the others.

Owning Lexus says that you have tired of sitting around in your BMW or Mercedes waiting for recovery...

Thanks for the detailed pointers, very much appreciated

Thats why you don't leave your wipers on Auto in the winter.