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After reluctantly selling my ISF to a fellow member on here 4 years ago due to an overseas move, I’m back in the U.K. so I’m back in the ‘F’ fold. I bought the blue RCF that was up for sale recently with TVD and just 17k miles. It’s absolutely mint and I’m loving it! Great to be back 👍

The RX 400h looked really smart from a distance. My wife and I (she is good at spotting things!) gave the car a good look over. We were allowed to test drive the car provided we followed the dealer in his car. He uses the same route to review his cars on YouTube. John (Royoftherovers) knows my mantra about finding faults. “For every fault you can find …... there will be 3 or more others! The car had been cleaned but not valeted. The engine oil was as clear as a bell and the engine bay had been cleaned. We examined the car better than Inspector Morse and found three age related marks. The wheels, small mark on the plastic trim inside and a stone chip that had rusted a little on the door. Checked for water ingress in boot and footwells. Full service history, mainly Lexus plus another garage where the car came from. The car had been originally bought from Lexus Sidcup but had mainly been serviced at Lexus Croydon. The MOT history/mileage checked out and looked good. Well worth looking at that before buying any car over 3 years old. It can give an indication of possible issues caused by neglect. I test drove the car and was impressed how perky the acceleration was for such a heavy car – seemed far more spritely than my RX 300. Though I am not really interested in 0-60 times. All four tyres were the same make (Dunlop). Just under 50,000 miles. It was the SE-L which gave it ML sound system, illuminated Lexus badges on the door sills (?) - silver door handles and gold rear badge plus front and rear sensors. So we bought it and drove it home (200 miles) home. Tax was done on line and insurance on the phone. Managed to get a small discount which paid the train fare! So …. what do I make of this particular RX 400h hybrid? Give a me a few more days of ownership and I will tell you! HONESTLY!

I particularly like the blue on the RCF. Photo'd in its natural feeding ground too 🙂

Also, pics or it didn't happen Davey! Let's drool over it together! 🙂

Bart, Your ticket for life`s journey was stamped "single", so just do what you want to do, if you can afford it and so long as you are not upsetting anybody !

Quick update to complete this thread...the new heater core has restored heat to the passenger side of the cabin, so the mrs is happy 🙂

Be careful if you order a radiator from Rockauto. I don't know about the SC but on the LS430 the US setup is different, my coolant reservoir (being a Celsior) is attached to the radiator as in the US, but the UK setup is different so you'd need to check that.

You don't say what model RX cars you have driven and I would suggest you try at least the Sports and Advance models. The air suspension on the RX Premier can be problematical and the general view is that it is not markedly different in reality to the conventionally metal sprung models. (From reviews I have read on the Audi Q5, having air suspension on that car rather than not makes a considerable improvement by comparison). You are contemplating changing from a relatively small saloon in the A3, not just to say a Q5 but a high riding larger RX hybrid that drives very differently and indeed best requires to be driven differently. The RX is certainly a very comfortable car best driven in a relaxed fashion. Surveys show it is one of the most reliable cars but when major parts are needed these can be expensive. Even some moderately priced parts can work out expensive when you include the cost of fitting, replacing sparking plugs and water pump being prime examples due to the hours of work involved. A car older than 5 years qualifies for Lexus 'Essential Service' which is pretty much the same as a normal service but is called differently as Lexus want to keep your business rather than your taking an older car to a non appointed Lexus garage for service. Most people (including me) find the Sat Nav poor. I fitted a TomTom while others use Google maps etc.

Is it in the manual? I didn't look. 😄

Well, after trawling through many posts on here, regarding buying from Franchise Dealerships, Warranty, Extended Warranty, Service Plans, I decided to take the plunge and purchase my next Lexus. Here are my initial thoughts and observations on my search. After weighing up the pros and cons I decided to go “cheap” and buy an RX 400h. My initial plan was to go for the 450h or possibly an NX. The 450's work out about £5,000 dearer than an equivalent age/mileage to a 400h. Before you start typing, I do realise there is a difference in technology and refinement! Yes, I would have preferred a 450h but the Memsaab put in her views! I view the 400h as a........... stepping stone ….. alas stones that are far apart! (Don't tell the wife!) I have come to the conclusion that I enjoy the chase more than the purchase! Once the purchase has been made the sphincter muscle begins to twitch! Questions flood into the brain! Did I do enough research? Is the dealer dodgy? Is the MOT history dodgy? Is my judgement dodgy? Calm yourself sir! Well, as I have explained in a previous post, I try to observe due diligence. I found a 2008 RX 400h SE-L. No 400h's have air suspension, so those not in the “know” don't panic for me! It had less than 50,000 miles – full service history (mainly Lexus dealership) – No major issues on the MOT history AND the dealership had 36 x 5 star reviews on AutoTrader. Good photos and description sounded ace! DOWNSIDE - The car was 200 miles away. Fearing a Boris lock down, I contacted the dealer on Saturday, who was away for the weekend and would not be back until Monday! Monday looked like a Boris LOCKDOWN, according to the news! RULE 1 - buying a car – NEVER, EVER be pressured! My wife came to the rescue (you can guess my age by my not using the word partner!). “Why not go down on Sunday and IF there is a lock down, we can say we are travelling home!” I truly LOVE my wife! She understands my needs! Off to the South-West on the GWR! (With wife!) - Premier Inn booked, SINGLE ticket (yes I expected to buy the car). The plan …..... stay at hotel as near to dealership as possible …....... phone dealer at 9 am and ask to arrange a viewing. Taxi to dealer ship ….. test drive car …... buy and then tax and insure over the internet! Arrived at the dealers “house” in a 2013 BMW 5 series taxi, who the the owner said, he bought at auction for approximately what I was going to pay for a 12 year old Lexus! This really boosted my confidence! The car was waiting on his drive................. What happened next? What did I find? Please wait for the next episode, as I am too tired and drunk to continueeeee …..........................................

Interesting read of the new 'README' file in the download - I particularly like this part: "This Retrofit Software is intended and made available only to technicians who have the necessary professional and technical skills, knowledge and qualifications, as well as the necessary equipment and tools." So I'm guessing my degree in Computer Science and working with computers on a daily basis is less 'skilled' than a mechanic who has been on a half-day course on how to plug in three USB sticks. Whilst I appreciate that it is more likely the technicians/dealers will have access to more specialised equipment to potentially 'fix' a failed update, the issue remains that it shouldn't fail in the first place. In my opinion a software upgrade should always be user accessible - it's not like we have to get a Microsoft engineer out to install Windows update is it? Apple don't insist on a Genius Bar appointment to install an iOS update. Hiding behind a warranty and threatening to make it invalid really isn't cool - all the cars that the update is valid for are less than 3 years old. Apple CarPlay should have been standard on these cars years ago (The Toyota Aygo got it in early 2018) - Lexus just chose to delay implementing it. If they don't want 'users' installing updates then why are they available to anyone who is happy to pay the €4 fee to access the site for an hour. The whole README is pretty strong wording from Toyota/Lexus overall for something that apparently isn't official. My family say that if you chopped my arm off it would say 'Lexus' through the core (just like Blackpool rock) as I've been such a big fan of the brand since getting my first IS in 2004 - I'm now on my 6th vehicle from the brand. This whole update fiasco (even though it worked for me) along with other things that just don't work right are really putting me off the brand for my next car. A real shame as the cars are fab - they just can't get the technical integration right.

I totally agree Phil. And just to add to what you said, they also charge you to download it. How can it not be "official"?

Wow - really strange response. If it isn't official (from a site that has Lexus copyright notices all over it), what exactly is it? Sounds like some back-peddling is going on after finding their (Lexus) testing wasn't thorough enough. I've said it before and I'll say it again - Lexus make damn fine cars and the service from the dealers is amazing. My biggest complaint with them has always been the poor implementation of the tech and poor use/communication using the internet. They just don't seem to be able to get certain things right. If Lexus.eu isn't 'official' then why does it exist and why has it fixed so many bugs in my system to date!

Thanks Adam, I have the same year RX 300 as you. It is a fantastic car and I am sorry, in many ways, to lose it - but you do crazy things for your kids! I should have kept my big mouth shut! The ONLY downside running the car (particularly short local journeys) is the high fuel consumption. My annual mileage using the RX is relatively low and I can afford the costs. It is mainly psychological when you fill up and find you get 22 mpg, even when driving like Miss Daisy. I have two Lexus dinosaur cars on the drive - 3 litre and 4 litre petrol engines. Tightness, I am half Yorkshire, and plainly just not wanting to waste money would prevent me buying a newer RX like the RX350 by purely having to pay £580 a year Road Tax. If you rack up the miles, then MPG is very important but for low mileage peeps, depreciation, repairs and servicing are a much larger factor. Depreciation being the main one for younger Lexus cars. I will post the conclusion to my tale, when I have had more sleep!

The autobox fluid is supposed to last a lifetime, it's not an immediate or major concern but it is well worth doing and always use the correct fluid from Lexus. Nicnac on here and LW did an excellent piece on it.

My car fits the description but it clearly wasn't me as I don't have a dog. 🤣 I can't think of anyone we know resident in that area but WiL44 might have been coming back from Le Mans. (Not sure if he went) If it was, then that would have been a rare sighting of a very special car. Low mileage, air-ride, wide wheels, private plate, custom V8 growling exhaust, dark blue with a distinctive silver roof. Lots of subtle mods. I could just ask but it's worth speculating for an excuse to post the picture.😎

I've just come across an app called Tire Assistant which shows the individual pressure readings for each of the wheels on the IS300h. It's always been a slight irritation that the TPMS system on the IS300h is only partly helpful. The TPMS warning light tells you there might be a problem with one or more of your tyres but it doesn't tell you which tyre. When it's dark and raining it wouldn't be the best time to have to try and find out which tyre is losing air. This is especially irritating because, as far as I can tell, the car knows which sensor is reporting low pressure. It just doesn't display this information on this car. So I thought I would try the Tire Assistant app and it seems to work fine. It needs an OBD device and an Android phone. You start the car and then start the app and it looks like this: The pressure display is initially in bars but it can be changed to psi. Initially, the app doesn't know which sensor is on which wheel but as the pressures are adjusted at a garage you can identify each sensor by the change in pressure reading. Then each wheel image can be dragged to its correct location and renamed with its location as shown in the video above. It looks quite useful and saves having to get your hands dirty checking the pressure manually. Here's the webpage for Tire Assistant.

I don't disagree. All the more reason not to assume an update will work correctly. 😞

I think the one with 6k miles was from someone on here but mine was on A/T for a couple of weeks as a private sale.

True. I used to have 3GS450h, I once achieved 614 miles from a tank with avg MPG 43 on a journey from Manc to LDN when I was going to HTC HQ to review HTC Vive, but obviously I could get around 22MPG when I was chasing C63 and BMW M5s on motorway. Heck, I could get 35MPG out of my LS430. I never treated 3GS450h as something that will save me moolah, but more of a performance hybrid. Not sure where RX450h slots, but being faster than Evoque HSE and returning better MPG is a win for me. I believe Porsche Cayenne 4.5 (non-turbo) 0-60 time is similar to RX450h, but returns 18 MPG so that's that. One of my customers today (I'm a Virgin Media Tech), had 3RX450h in I think luxury spec (no sunroof, life pack), with standard non-advance/f-sport grille and he was over the moon with it.

Not withstanding your seemingly near addiction to Waxoyl, that looks pretty good in there!

With photos? Possibly!

I am not certain but I think you will find the 450h is more economical than the 400h, as the technology has improved. MPG is very difficult to work out on an individual basis. Weather, roads, hills, heavy right foot. Peeps living in Norfolk will get better mpg than those in the Yorkshire Dales ! Hybrids are not meant to be good on mpg, on long motorway journeys at 70 mph+ My experience WAS interesting .... await the next instalment!

These are indeed important considerations but surely the first thing you need to establish is that the RX is the car and best model for you. As regards speed, they are all good for about 7.6sec 0-60mph from standing start and a top speed in excess of 120mph which is probably enough for people driving this type of vehicle. It is not the sort of car you take round the Nurburgring or demonstrate at Japfest. What may be an important factor for some is the type of automatic gearbox fitted which provides a continuous surge but to those unused to CVT seems like clutch slip with racing engine under moderately hard acceleration. This might be a deal breaker for some. I prefer the more conventional transmission but have become used to RX CVT type box. Brakes are generally pretty good and certainly adequate, although I have experienced better at high speed. The colour choice is not very extensive, black, white, silver and grey being most numerous followed by burgundy. There are a few other colours, particularly with older cars which included blue and a sort of beige but by looking only for one of these you would seriously reduce your choice. MPG for a large, heavy and comfortable car such is the RX hybrid is reasonable and depreciation is probably less than other SUV's in this sort of category.

Good luck keeping pace with it and it's probably got revolving number plates.🤣

I need to read that part of the handbook carefully! Just be ready for the examination old buddy !

Excellent thread. You won't regret the 400h. It's a great car. At a bit of a loss as to why I sold mine.

Thank you for posting the link. The latest answer (16. sept) from Lexus UK includes also LS: "The retrofit date for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is model dependent. UX, ES and NX retrofits are scheduled for October, with RC, LC and LS to follow at a later date."

"I cant find one anywhere. " Tony Banks in Leeds

i had no idea you could change the distance!!!

Google is your friend. Entering "Lexus P1349" (without the quotes) into Google brings back lots of results, none of which seem to indicate a cheap fix. It looks like P1349 is something to do with the Variable Valve Timing.

Drive 2005 Lexus is200 bought yesterday

Photos and comments on the car please?

A "C"? You cut me deep John! You cut me deep!

Could have been "Venetian Lucy" on her way to/home ? She was on this Forum briefly, but is now resident on Lexus World https://forum.lexusownersclub.com/, where many SC430 owners reside. You are awarded a C- David. Has potential !

I am smiling because I had that today, only 4 days driving my CT200h, it took awhile to see that it was the camera warning 🙂

Another vote for the Lidl bars---I purchased a pair some years ago when they were in store. Extremely well made and a bargain.

What is this scourcery I hear is he a wizard from lexus revealing there inner secrets .and before I hear it's in the manual men do not read manuals 🤡

Us Lexus owners are a bit different, we expect perfection......The dealer definitely did not appreciate this. Though he says he has 2 people he is confident will put down a deposit so we will probably see it drop off AT soon. He had the bonnet in for stone chips and bird poo staining.....upon inspection I found the bonnet to be misaligned up in the top passenger side corner. He explained that the bonnet came off for full respray which disappointed me. I mean it looked amazing with a fresh coat of paint, but didn't fill me with confidence that this body shop could not do better. Plus there was a dent on the passenger rear qtr which the dealer said he couldn't see. Coupled with higher mileage and no warranty.....I was happy to walk....the dealer was not happy at me walking that was for sure! However, someone will find it a home I am sure. I am just looking for a perfectly looked after one....and I think I might have just done that via the forum 😉 watch this space.

Useful info as owner's rarely read their handbook...

Thule was the OEM - nothing different from the ones they sell themselves other than Lexus logos on the side covers.

Ordering parts...

I think it's a characteristic of electric power steering. You'll get used to it. Sent from my PSP7551DUO using Tapatalk

do you need such a big car how about a RAV4 or a Toyota Yaris great little city car .or get another panzer with Apple car / android auto

It is now as it was moved, but not initially.

Steep price IMO. You can pick up good used examples of the genuine Lexus space saver, scissor jack etc for less than half the price. eg: Space Saver Scissor Jack