Leaderboard

Yesterday I tackled the scrape on the driver's door which I hoped was superficial, although my friend, the original owner, did manage to take some paint off on the front of the door, as well as the front and rear wings. First I went over it by hand with a pad of 3000 grit wet and dry, although I was careful not to get too enthusiastic because I didn't want to go through the lacquer coat. This is what it looked like afterwards: The mark is still there, but less pronounced. Next I went over the area, again by hand, with some Farecla G3 Professional scratch remover, which got rid of the scratches very effectively: After that I used my polisher and went over the whole door with the 3 in 1 product I have been using. The mark is still there, but much less noticable, especially when standing up!

Might be worth looking on the Honest John website. There is a guy on there who specialises on giving advice on Insurance matters. Drop him a line from the 'Ask HJ' link. He appears always to be up to date and very knowledgeable.

Talking of model cars Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Spare a thought for all the F's on lockdown too. Looking forward to blowing the cobwebs away when this is all over, quite literally.

Hi I have Lexus RX 400h I can play rear screen Dvd but I cannot find the option to play in both screen ? also how can I uses rear videos sound in car with out using head phones

I could have bought a silver IS on a 2015 plate from Ford's of Winsford for less than I paid for mine, it's still on their site now if you take a look. The car is literally 8 miles from me but ... It was MOT'd last September, on an Isle of Man number plate, then it arrived at Fords in October with very few miles on the clock since the test. It has sat there for months at the same price. It may be a good car, but Fords only give a 3 month warranty and with it sitting around for so long? I know it'll be bullet proof, but the Isle of Man to Cheshire thing screamed "auction" to me. As you know, once you've dealt with a good Lexus dealer, you don't go anywhere else! Lexus Stoke are deservedly very highly rated, so I paid a bit of a premium for mine, but I sleep soundly at night and I've just had the 12 month warranty extended by 3 months by that nice Mr Lexus. If you're going to buy into a premium brand, and I honestly think Lexus currently occupy the position that Mercedes enjoyed in the 1970's, which is just about the pinnacle of quality, then why scrimp and save on a few quid? By the way, as I've previously stated on here, Crewe where I live is the home of Bentley and previously Rolls Royce. That factory has been bought, sold and horse traded more than the average corner tart. Their quality (Bentley) is about 20% above the car they're based on, the Audi. Mercedes and BMW are run by accountants these days, long gone is the engineer in charge. Take your pick, but if I'm spending a lot of my cash, I know what I'm doing.

Or buy an Apple 😀

Back to the original question, timing belt and spark plugs. I'd also have a look under the cubby in the boot floor (remove it) and check if everything is nice and dry. If it's not just dry it (paper towels) and keep an eye on it. Lots of terrifying chat on here but if it's not getting any worse then don't worry. Just to get in there before forum paranoia sets in.

Like this one? https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1201529 Have to say I have a soft spot for the 1st generation too.

See if you can identify whether either of your options has had any bodywork repairs. You could ask the dealers but they probably won't know unless it's a car they've handled since new. Instead, you can check for VIN stickers on the bodywork. Every body panel should have a VIN sticker. These are sticky labels, not the main identification panel. There should be one inside the boot lid, inside the bonnet, inside rim of each of the doors, on each of the side panels (from memory these are on the pillar between the doors and on the wheel arch when the rear doors are open, though my memory could be wrong on these locations!.) If any are missing it means that paintwork/bodywork has been repaired. A Lexus approved bodyshop will take the trouble to replace the VIN sticker but as they cost around £100 just for a sticky label, non-authorised bodyshops probably won't bother. If you find that either car has missing VIN stickers, I'd be inclined to give it a miss unless there are other factors that persuade you to go ahead (a big discount?!) Mechanically, these cars are very reliable and as they're computer controlled it's hard for even the worst driver to damage the mechanics. But bodywork is another thing entirely, If you can identify that the body is probably pretty much as it left the factory, or at least that any repairs are Lexus approved, that for me would be a big selling point.

Personally I'd look at both and check the condition and service history. I would certainly be looking to get a car with a Lexus warranty, but you might be able to put that on the non Lexus supplied car. If pearlescent white make sure the bodywork is tip top as the colour is expensive to repair properly.

The way I got round these type of scratches was to get down on both sides of the scratch to the primer which is were yours is then feather in the base colour with a scratch pen until it was just proud of the original lacquer.Then sand down with the 3000 grit or a very thin 3M compound,then lacquer and compound until it blends then polish. I did ok on the Mark 1 which was Burgundy, fortunately I have'nt had any scratches on the Mark 4.

There's no way the front screen could be angled to the passenger only so there's no chance of being able to play a DVD on the go or it would be a distraction to the driver. This is why the screens on dashcams have to blank out within a couple of minutes - it's illegal for the driver to be distracted in such a manner. I'm not even sure a DVD can be played on the front screen at all anyway, let alone on the move, but I've never had a 400h so I'll let an owner confirm that or debunk it.

If you do a search on here for catalytic converter theft you'll find lots of info.

Hi Roger, as far as I'm aware the RX is the main target as access is easier due to the height. Also it seems the Toyota Prius is another favourite.

You have statutory rights for 6 months after purchase regarding faults and who is responsible for repairs so paying £200.00 to the dealer is a waste of money when they are responsible anyway. https://www.theaa.com/car-buying/legal-rights The fact that they are time pressuring you to take it out says it all really, don’t pay it and use your consumer rights should something go wrong in the same six months. Personally I would wait until Lexus dealerships reopen then get it in for a free health check which will certainly highlight any problems then get the dealer to rectify these, if any, under your consumer rights, especially the misting struts. Most warranty companies will only cover cars up to a certain age and mileage and they also generally insist on a FSH, given the age of the car it may not be viable

Yes I feel your pain! I have that prob before and asked Mods for advice but to no avail!

The damper problem is common with the “light misting” many have been replaced under warranty because they’re not cheap to replace. Most Lexus dealers will provide a print out for the Lexus Service History on production of personal ID and the V5C in the same name. Lexus UK have electronic manuals but unfortunately only from 2012 for the RX but may help with your sound system operation. https://www.lexus.co.uk/forms/manuals/owners-manual There is a separate section on club for audio but you may get more responses asking on this thread.

Pic of the interior

Check your exhaust is not blowing

Hi Con and welcome to the LOC. There are things that need checking but these are generally done before you purchase the car. Did you buy from a dealer or private seller, you have more protection with a dealer should defects arise. Service history is a good indication as this normally includes hybrid health checks, did you do an MOT history check as this provides useful information and shows anything likely to cause problems in the advisories section. Main places to check are the air suspension struts known to leak, suspension components as these are heavy cars and hybrid problems with batteries, inverters and cooling system. Feel free to post up a picture of your new car, we like pictures 😀

that sounds as if it's in limp-home mode - are there no warning lights on the dashboard? How long have you owned the car? Have you got a diagnostics code reader - if not I'd recommend you get one, the bluetooth types that link to your moblile phone are less than a tenner, that will give you an indication of what's wrong

Hi guys, I'm Michael from London, I'm the owner of 2001 Lexus IS300. I enjoy fishing, traveling, reading books.

Unboxed the model and it is made of metal (the body) and looks and feels expensive and I am glad I have it. Couple things that are a little upsetting apart from none of the doors, bonnet do not open, the wheels do not have suspension and do not even rotate and the windscreen with rear screen is made of very thin plastic, very thin. You easily bend it by placing your finger on it, I would expect it to be a thicker plastic. Anyway, a few more photos of the model everyone! I hope you like it too!

if they have house insurance or a member of the AA or such, then there might be some sort of provision in that policy to put them in touch with free legal advice Malc

Hi Conor, welcome to the LOC. You may be ok under the current conditions but you may want to find a way to protect your catalytic converter as the RX400h is a prize target.

I expect many close up pictures once it is all unpacked Least you can do after getting so lucky

If you purchase an extended warranty from Lexus without an existing policy in place then they may charge you for an inspection fee to make sure there are no pre-existing faults. That is normally waved if you get a service done at the same time so if the FCA dealer is going to get the service done, speak to the Lexus dealer and let them know you want a warranty once you purchase it, within a few days or the service, or get the FCA dealer to purchase the warranty at the time of service to avoid you having to pay the inspection fee. If the dealer is smart they should know the Lexus warranty is for two years, so they may only allow for £400 for just one year - be prepared for that discussion. Brake calliper (sliding pins) sticking is a common issue, and probably won't be covered under warranty so check discs are free from corrosion. Ideally you would want them to remove sliding pins and grease up (5 minute job x 4 corners), and resolve any seizing/corrosion as required.

The insurer has to pay out against the third party as per the road traffic act - some policies will cover the driver too, other won't and may even sue the driver to recover costs of the third party. Being a lease shouldn't make any difference, other that who you are dealing with if the insurance was part of the lease deal or if you get it independently.

Very nice @gb1600e. I always wanted a white ISF when we had our IS250. I still think it really suits the car.

After years I just got round to adding a profile picture. So while I'm at here are a few more from life before lockdown.

Genuine Toyota here, concentrate too so only need one and mix with water. If you have a dehumidifier use the water from that or buy some distilled.Delivery early next week. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Toyota-Long-Life-Red-Coolant-Antifreeze-Concentrate-5-Lts-0888980014/264710198296?epid=654172571&hash=item3da1f51418:g:iigAAOSwOKlcba8l

When I changed my water pump, I need some coolant to top up the system and I bought this from Halfords. https://www.commaoil.com/passenger-vehicles/products/view/351 Not showing on their website at present but they do sell it. I found it my inputting my car reg on the Comma website.

Lexus say you can use similar high quality ethylene glycol based non silicate, non nitrate, non borate coolant, with long life organic acid technology. Ring Halfords, and ask. I see no harm in using it for a short period as long as your not mixing the two coolants. But the Lexus coolant is designed to last 10 years so I would change it out within one year for the correct fluid. I was able to get 5ltrs of genuine fluid delivered from Ebay within 2 days. Providing it is only for a short period plain water can be used as long as it is drained before refilling with the correct fluid. John.

I'm guessing no (as in, don't ask somebody who's gone through this [emoji2959] to take pictures [emoji16]), but I'll ask anyway: Any pictures? A few, I will do a how to a little later Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I've not looked at the links because I'm firmly of the opinion that you should use the correct Lexus stuff. I have no qualms about using non-Lexus parts when talking about batteries, wipers and suchlike, but fluids go into systems that have (mainly) rubber seals and other mission-critical stuff and the system and its fluid have been chemically matched. Yes, a substitute may be to all the required specs for the system to work, but if even just one chemical is a different strength or maybe 'an equivalent', then although it may do its job of cooling, it may also be either not protecting the system or possibly even attacking it. Maybe I'm just paranoid, I don't know, but I'd never substitute fluids.

Without reading what the other members have answered I figured I'd give you my thoughts on the car and your questions. First of all, the hybrid drive on the Lexus is very very clever. Its built in the way that you have to make very few actions on your own and makes its own decisions regarding battery charge, temperature, mileage and fuel consumption. My regular daily drive is 2km road of varied 60km/h, 6km highway varied 80-110km/h and finally 1km of 50km/h, and the reverse when going home from work. Usually the final drive after highwaydriving is about 90% electric. I live in Sweden so during the winter season the car takes some time to heat up and you cannot drive electric during this process. My avarage consumption during the winter was 6.7L/100km. Now in the summer, the heat of the sun (15C ambient) usually is enough to drive electric from the start. The petrol engine only starts if you make a high acceleration or if the charge is low. (Occassionaly I guess it would start if you havnt used the car for a while just to make sure its good to go if you need to punch in). During the summer season i avarage 5.8L/100km. Note that both of these numbers have other routes included but id say 75% of the cars usage is according to above. Now to your first question. I would say your driving route would most like make a good use of the Lexus hybrid drive. The thing to have in mind is that the hv battery will probaby not have enough charge for doing electric all the time and the petrol engine will run more or less each drive to keep battery level up. In my driving style I prefer to make a quicker acceleration up to the speed limit. If this limit is ~60km/h or less, once ive reached the speed i release the accelerator. This makes the car understand that you no longer need the petrol engine and if its not needed for any other reason it shuts down. Now I press the accelerator again and keep it withing the ECO zone of the tachnometer. This makes sure the car stays in electric mode. If bellow 50 km/h you can engage the EV-mode which forces the electric mode for as long as it can before the petrol engine have to take over, or you shut down the car. During this mode you can pass the ECO zone to some extent and you can actually accelerate quite fast without using the petrol engine at all. If the car thinks running EV mode would not be adequate due to low battery or any other reason, it will tell you so and prohibit the mode. With this said, I think the car is smart enough to last you a long time with the type of driving you do. From what Ive learned the actual worst scenario for a hybrid is long way commute where speeds surpass 70km/h and higher. This eliminates most use of your electric motor and you would probaby do better with a diesel or a regular petrol and save the money the hybrid would cost you. 2nd question: When initiating the ignition button the car starts up all the electric components and the electric motor. It does not start in EV-mode per se and most of the time you cant select the EV-mode at this early state as the car wants to control this until the car heats up. With this being said, you can still, if the car is warm when started, make a long way without the petrol engine starting up. You mustnt expect a hybrid of this kind to make your whole commute completly electric as its not how the drive is meant to be driven. If this is what you are looking for, a plug in hybrid is more for the job. However, the Lexus hybrid will make the best it can to keep your mpg down and as said you will barely have to mind it at all. No external charging, no need to put it in certain modes etc. Finally, apart from the petrol engine, the hv battery gets most of its charge from the ECB (electronic braking). This is probably the only thing you can do to help the hybrid do an even better job. Its hard to explain without trying it out but basically when you let go of the accelerator the car uses the momentum to regenerate battery. Even more if you press the brake to a certain extent, the ECB takes even more of your cars momentum and slows you down while charging at the same time. To this point the regular disc brakes havnt been used at all, and you can deccelrate to 0 using the ECB if you start pressing the brakes very early before a traffic light for example. You can see this process on the technometer where there is a charge zone. If you keep pressing the brake after the technometer shows its charging at maximum, the regular wheel brakes engages and you slow the car down even further (although losing the potential charge you could have recieved and losing it as heat just as regular cars). Apart from this, i feel ive already answered this question above. Your third question is about reliability and although i am the third owner of my Lexus and dont have a complete knowing of the cars history, I do know that the cars feel very sturdy and ive only noticed a few problems so far. You can check my other active forum topic regarding my two issues, one being a weird AC related noise and the other being a strange handbrake behaviour. However these are in my opinion only minior issues and dont bother me. Reading through the mechanics and service history, nothing strange has happened. The HV battery was replaced when the car reached 5 years. I think the 300H is just as reliable as any other Lexus, or Toyota for that matter - but I guess only time will tell as im still quite new with the car. I hope I could give you some insight with the car and please ask me if I didnt answer anything clearly.

I agree, the only political topics to be discussed on the LOC should be right wing, left wing and the bonnet in the centre. As such I have locked this post.

Hi Steve - yes they help a great deal. Certainly help me contemplate leaving Car when I can leave home again As I stated earlier I am a complete duffer mechanical / diy wise and being under my car I see exactly that with the TPF (or GPF) only accessible at one end with the other end mostly inside below the engine. I was led to believe that there were 2 "Cats" and this drawing seems to disprove that. I know you were reprimanded in your op for using the word "petrified" but I can relate to that. My NX is 16 days old and I was worried too so (I bet I will get flack for this but I dont care) I am going to have stickers made stating "CAT inaccessible / Vehicle fitted with Tilt Alarm" and fit them inside each rear Door window. Just need to hope the low lifes can read Thanks again for all the help

You really don't need to worry about any kind of warranty on these cars, its the USP of Lexus/Toyota. If you want to see what kind of cars/brand you need a warranty on here is the list of things that I've had done on warranty on our Tesla. The Tesla is currently still only 2.5 years old and done just over 35K miles. Our IS300H doesn't have much competition on the need for extended warranty front :). 1: Boot not shutting without alarm. 2: Steering wheel damaged needed to be replaced. 3: Drivers seat 'rocking' needed to be replaced. 4: Very loud rattle from drivers A pillar needed A pillar rebuild. 5: Wipers not aligned. 6: Door sensors not the most uptodate, prevented software updates, needed to be replaced. 7: Both sun visors rattled and needed to be replaced. 8: Front suspension failure - both front upper control arms failed and needed to be towed for recovery/repair. 9: Front driver door lock actuator failed - couldn't close/lock main drivers door!! 10: Both main media computer and instrument display LCD panels failing, needs replacement. 11: Wipers wash hose corroded needed replacing.