MJB

Got my discount confirmation from TfL yesterday. Fantastic - that's me driving in and out of London every working day for the next year for a £10 outlay. Bet they knock the RX400 out of the discount scheme next year when they extend the CC zone... But for a year at least - fantastic.

I have now recievd an official letter from Congestion Charging London to tell me that the RX400 is NOT an approved vehicle for congestion charge discount. So much for that then. Still can't understand why Lexus GB think it is eligible and my Lexus dealer says he knows at least two people who have successfully claimed for discounts on the RX400. All seems most odd.... Martin

Hi, I can help with your first question only. You are quite right, I'm afraid. If you're doing more than about 2 mph the contacts in your phone book disappear from the screen and you cannot dial out until you slow down again. I often end up speed-dialling from the phone itself. Defeats the object somewhat, but better than not being able to make a call! Needless to say you can receive calls at any time. I don't know whether you can dial by voice. I guess that depends on your phone. My useless BlackBerry 7000 doesn't do voice-dialling under any circumstances. Whether something sensible like a Nokia can work with the Lexus system to voice-dial I don't know. Can't help with your other questions I'm afraid. By the way, I have had many, many complaints from people I've been speaking to from the car that they can't hear me very well. The microphone seems very poor, and I end up almost shouting (even when driving very slowly). Don't think it's adjustable, either. A real disappointment , if I'm honest. (Love everything else about the car, though!) All the best, Martin

According to my dealer (Lexus Park Lane) at least 2 RX400h owners have managed to get exemption from the congesiton charge. It's absolutely impossible to get a straight answer from the congestion charging people on the phone. They say all you can do is apply and see what happens. The RX400 is NOT listed as an exempt vehicle on the Energy Saving Trust site which holds the master list for congestion charging discounts/exemptions. So I guess the only thing to do is to apply and see what happens. Just wondered whether anyone here had had any luck? All the best, Martin P.S. Lexus GB took three days to call me back with a comment. they said they thought it would be exempt for the coming year, then not exempt when Ken tightens everything up and the zone is extended. But they won't be quoted on it, preusmably becasue they're terrified of being sued for misrepresentation. I have to say I'm very disappointed with Lexus for not getting a truly clear line on this.

Aha! I never even noticed the help function. Thanks very much Damian, I'll give it a try. Martin

Hi, Does anyone know where I might find a list of all the voice commands available with the RX400 (and I assume RX300) when you have the full Sat Nav etc. None of my manuals seems to have a list, and it would be really useful to know what the voice control is actually capable of so I can stop guessing. It's amusing at first but saying "increase volume" only to find that the machine turns down the air-conditioning becomes annoying eventually! Thanks for any help, Martin

Thanks for the reply Sami. I don't have access to the Sony over the weekend. Maybe I'll try doing the whole thing again from scratch on Monday, but I really don't think there was a different way of doing it from the way I used. Puzzling indeed.

Using my chum's Sony Eriksson, I have Bluetoothed my contacts into the RX400's phonebook - hooray! Problem: I can see the names in the Phonebook, but they're all 'greyed out' if you know what I mean. I can't actually accessed them. I am connected to my own BlackBerry by Bluetooth I have a good strong signal I am in stationary and in 'park' (tried engine off and engine on) Identical problem each time: can see the names - can't access them. Any ideas?!?!?! Thanks Martin

RX.300 you beat me to it! I have been searching round the web and come to exactly that conclusion: my SIM into a mate's Sony Eriksson, job done. (Well, in theory, I haven't actually done it yet...) Thank you. But why, oh why isn't there a manual option? How hard would that have been to build into the system? Martin

I’ve had my RX400 SEL for just three days and I absolutely love it. I'll happily write a long review at some point, but meanwhile I wonder if anyone can help me with a stupid phone problem:- My BlackBerry 7100 connects fine via Bluetooth but (as some of you may know) BlackBerries cannot send data via Bluetooth – only voice. So I can’t download my address book direct to the RX400. “Never mind”, I thought: “I’ll just manually enter names and numbers into the RX400 system’s phone book..” But I can’t!!!! I simply cannot find a way to enter a number, give it a name and store it in the phone book. Surely it’s possible? It must just be me being stupid, right? But I have spent about an hour on this so far, and have read the manual front to back. Please don’t tell me this can only be done via Bluetooth from a cell phone… Thanks for any help! Martin

Thanks guys. No I didn't notice that the rear seats are adjustable - good point! That could make a difference. John, I'd love to read a proper review from an owner. Lexus can only tell me that mine will arrive "in September", so I have time to consider To be honest, the list process here seems pretty shambolic! Lexus Park Lane (the dealer) say that Lexus UK took back responsibility for allocating away from dealers. Hence it's all gone odd and the dealers don't really know what's happening. That's their story anyway. Ah well. I'm really interested in the experience of anyone who owns/has driven an RX400. All the best, Martin

I've got an RX400 SEL on order from Lexus here in London - probably due to delivery in September - but last week I took one out for a test drive. I am not familiar with the RX300, so don't know how it compares, but here are a few reactions. Sorry, don't have time for a proper, detailed review:- Extraordinary driving experience. Turn key. Brief (and not very attractive) beep. Great screen graphics show battery in operation. Then silence. Pull away in silence. At about 15mph, petrol engine kicks in - but I was unaware of it till I saw the screen display! Remarkable technology. Performance - very nippy. Plenty there when you put your foot down. Petrol engine shuts off again as you break - but you still don't notice it. Seamless. Amazing. Very comfortable, but I worry about the leg-room in the back. How do you guys feel about space in the back of your RX300s. Liked the new grill and light clusters. Will I still buy it? Yes, I think so. It's very expensive (£45k for the SEL) yet I feel that Lexus may have cut one or two corners to keep the price "down". E.g. Interior aluminium trim is tacky compared with the wood in my SC430... Great Levinson hi-fi but I felt that money had been skimped on the DVD and rear-mounted screens. Very cheap. I could be partly swayed by the result of the London congestion charge decision. I really liked the hybrid experience - the sense of driving something 'new'. But is it enough... Couple of months to make up my mind. Hope to see more reviews! All the best. Martin

Ah yes, wouldn't it be nice if it were that easy... Why not? becasue the UK front-end unit has no on-off switch for reverb! It transpires that before removing the faulty Japanese 'front end' of the audio system, the engineer had accidentally switched on the reverb effect which only the Japanese system seems to have. When he fitted the new UK-spec front end, the inner workings of the system still had a reverb switched on, but with no capability from the new front end to switch it off. So.... the engineer had to re-fit the Japanese unit, turn the reverb off, then re-fit the English unit again. All is working perfectly and at last I can use all the functions of the FM and AM radio to perfection! Phew. Just as well, considering the whole exercise has cost me well in excess of £1000 !!!! Thanks, Martin

It's one of those daft and pointless 'sound enhancement' features that lets yuo put a wash of various types of horrible reverb over whatever you're listening to (not that uncommon on many car hi-fi systems). Usually settings are given names like "concert hall", "speech" etc. Never seen the point of them. I take it you don't know how to control it on the SC430, then!

I finally bit the bullet and replaced the original Japanese audio unit in my imported SC430 with a UK-spec Lexus model. All seems wonderfull but I cannot for the life of me work out how to turn off the silly reverb effect on the FM radio. Any suggestions?? (In case you're wondering, yes I will ask the workshop that fitted it, but they've all gone home for the long weekend!) Thanks for any help, Martin

Thanks guys, Yes the supessor thing crossed my mind. I just don't know what technology there is dealing with this in the SC (and I don't think the dealer does either!). Also agreed about the corrosion/earthing. I think I have to make the dealer check everything all over again - but he will complain, say he already has and charge me a fortune. Really annoying! Thanks for the replies, though. Martin

Hi all, I drive an imported Japanese spec SC430 here in the UK. The radio was fitted with an expander to pick up UK stations when I first got the car (almost 3 years ago). For the first 2.5 years, all was fine. FM reception was not perfect, but definitely acceptable, while AM reception was excellent. Over the last 6 months, however, there has been a gradual deterioration. FM is now un-listenable - so full of crackle and pop. Only one BBC station - a particularly high-powered one - can actually be enjoyed 'properly'. Some AM stations are OK but most are swamped in background hiss. I have had the system inspected 3 times now by different people (Lexus dealers and independent audio specialists). The expander and the aerial have both been replaced, and the problem is no different. The friendly Lexus dealer (who didn't charge me for the new aerial) is completely baffled. His only suggestion now is to replace the entire head unit, which would cost me £975 (about $1700 PLUS LABOUR). And even then, he says he is unable to guarantee that this will fix the problem. Does anyone here have any ideas? How can radio reception just gradually deteriorate? And why wouldn't a new aerial and expander fix the problem? Is there anything else I can try? One more piece of info:- reception is OK when the car is stationary with the engine off. Any ideas?!?!? All the best, Martin

Hmmmmmm. My 'repair' by Jem failed to fix the problem. First time I drove it I could hear that it was still there - front offside wheel, clicking very loudly in rhythm with the speed of wheel revolution when on hard left lock. Maybe this is the 'known fault'? In whihc case it's certainly not known by Jem!

Well, Mine was a stone in brake pad, apparently. £83 well spent to have it diagnosed and removed! :o At the same time Jem (where I always take mine) tell me the rear bushes have to be replaced...

I can't explain it, but I get it too, now. Only on hard left lock. And it's a bloody loud clicking too. Don't like it at all.....

Hi everyone! Great to see some new names here! KC, I have to take issue with you: I got my SC430 (a Japanese import) in August 2001. And I know I wasn't the first in London, but very nearly! All the best, Martin

I trust you're joking! Either that or your parents have far more money than sense. Nobody should be 'given' a car like this. They should have to work as hard for it as I did! So there....

Hmmmm. No I haven't changed the tyres, which are some kind of low-profile Dunlops - can't remember the model numbers. It never crossed my mind as an issue, to be honest. And I haven't noticed a problem so far (had the car since last August). Surely our temperature range is often less extreme then Japan's isn't it? You've got me worried now! Martin

Jenners and Ricky, Private driveway? If only. Wish I had yours! No, the Sat Nav doesn't work over here. Apparently I could get it sorted for £1,500 but that's a lot of money and I'm not that bothered. Otherwise the spec is pretty much identical as far as I know. I've never been in a UK model, so I can't be 100% sure. Martin

Because you liked that front-end shot, I thought I'd add one from behind, too. Martin