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AFAIK this should be a car memory option set by the Dealer only...

Copper cabling, manhole covers - they've always been thieving gypsy *&% favourties. Don't get me started on this... :megaangry:

The MKII 300 is a supreme vehicle - greta handler and chocked full of kit at any spec (we have the poor spec. SE ;) ). if you wnat to upgrade then the 350 seems like a contender. My thoughts on the (horrid) 400h are well known on this forum...

Key will need cutting and coding to the vehicle and the missing key decoded - which is standard practise. I would say you're looking at about £200? The key will turn up and its not something I would suggest you worry about too much just yet. If I am not mistaken, then the grey key is not the Master - it is the valet key.

Got the car back as promised properly cleaned and on time. I did enquire about what they did and was informed the labour time for the work was 3.5 hours. Lexus MK charge £99 +VAT per hour (which is cheap compared to BMW and MB who are circa £140 +VAT) but they could not give me a precise cost of assembly. All in all, for a very simple minor sunroof issue its cost around £500 all in - which is silly money IMHO. So, with the roof bars that were replaced earlier and now the sunroof, it seems as if we're 'up' on the cost of the extended warranty. Very satisfied with Lexus MK - oh and we got a 400h for the day to play with - I still don't like it...

Some of the toolkit accessories had come unseated from their pouch and were rattling - sometimes it can be something totally innocuous - just try to figure out where the noise is coming from and have a root and rummage. These cars are well screwed together - so its likely to be something simple. Do let us know how you get on :)

Good advice from the fellow above - from all accounts its not a complex job, bu with most things use a mechanic you can trust and I would urge you to use genuine Lexus parts for peace of mind. I think it is a good decision to get the belt done now, especially considering the price of the car. No matter how recent any service, just also get an oil/filter change done for added peace of mind. That is a cracking price for such a car - sounds like a fleet owned vehicle so if it has no S/H call the Fleet Co. and see if they can send you something through?

Buying an AUC should be safe as...well houses ;) Keep an eye on the air suspension though - but it should be a really cracking, cosetted drive. Get used to all that space (and luxury) as its one fine machine. Welcome to the dark side ;)

You are quite right :) It was bought as an AUC from Croydon, but living in MK it'll go to Lexus MK. I have a totally no nonsnse attitude with low tolerance for stupid - my Dealers usually learn that very quickly. It usually takes one phone call ;) Just be firm with your Dealer is what I can offer you as advice - you're the Customer, they are there to accomodate you.

Just thought I'd share the following: The sunroof on our RX started to play up today whereby when closing from the 'slide open' it would not do so because the anti-pinch function would kick-in just as it would reach the wind deflector. Managed to get it closed by manually holding down the deflector. Thankfully we have an [extended] Lexus Warranty and after one quick call to Lexus, car is now booked in for a new sunroof assembly on 4th June. I will post back the cost of repair just in case someone may suffer from this problem in the future, but not have a warranty, as an FYI so they will have an idea of costs. ...any ideas on what courtesy car I should ask for - I am thinking of an IS250? :)

Couldn't agree more Rob, well said IMHO. Afterall, this forum like many others, has a SEARCH feature that folks can use ...

When we bought our RX as an AUC from Lexus Croydon almost two-and-a-bit years ago, amongst the long list of work they completed, I was very pleased to note they had (as part of the 40K service) changed the ATF as well (stating on the invoice they used a 80W-90 oil). I'm not sure if the ATF change forms part of the 'usual' service regime given how proudly many manufacturers proclaim their gearboxes to be 'sealed for life' - I was certainly pleased to note it had been changed and that it is possible to check the levels of the ATF as Lexus provide a dipstick. Its always best to change the ATF more often that recommended - but it might be worth people checking to see if this has been done as part of the 40K service?

Welcome to the LOC :)

I think you have to appreciate that the RX is a big heavy vehicle and it can tend to go through pads/discs quite quickly if you brake a lot - I don't mean this as being sarcastic, just that given the nature of the vehicle and type of braking its not exactly ideal for (extended) brake life. I would take a look for myself to see how lipped [the discs actually are] and how worn [the pads are] before I commit myself to changing them. Perhaps get a second opinion from a mechanic I trust? I would add the caveat that you should not e taking any chances with the brakes on a vehicle of this size - if in doubt, change them for peace of mind. To try and help put things into perspective, our RX is still on its own original discs at nearly 50K miles and I do not forsee them needing changing any time before 70K miles (or even later). I did, as a precaution, change the pads all round at 36K myself for peace of mind. It isn't a difficult job TBH, but do put aide a good couple of hours to take it nice and slow :) Unlike BMWs, there are no fancy sensors or awkward nuts'n'botls to grapple with. Simple, straight forward calliper, clip, shim and pad. When it comes to matters like brakes, I will only buy genuine parts or OE (like Jurid, ATE and the like ... ) to ensure I get the quality - as with an unknown brand you never know how they will perform come crunch time. I went with a pre-paid Lexus Service Plan on my car to avoid the issues around phoning around dealers and costing each service. I fixed my costs and can now take it to whichever franchise Lexus dealership is closest and know it will get serviced without issue. I know this response doesn't help, but you might want to see if you could save money by buying a Service Plan for your car? I hope this helps?

I'm surprised this car has a cannister and not cartridge type of oil filter. I always thought the cartridges were 'better' as they could be fully immersed within the housing rather than be 'bolted on' as the cannister is.

I'm sure they are very slight and cosmetic. You could ask Lexus Customer Services or even phone round a couple of dealers to be sure.

TBH I've never actually seen a 'red' RX before. I am a [bIG] fan of this colour on cars like the IS and perhaps the GS (as commented above) - but on an RX I think it might be a colour too far. Not quite sure what it is - but I don't think this colour is best suited to a vehicle like the RX. I am in no way knocking Mesa Red - if I were buying an IS I think that would be a definite colour choice for me (its kinda like Imola Red BMW do for the E46). This is one of those colours that is suited only to a particular shape, design and model of vehicle and not to be ported across the range. Although I might change my mind if I see an RX 'in the flesh' in Mesa Red ;) But I am in no way that bold to 'risk' £45k on a gamble on this type of bold colour.

I posted back my experience in getting Lexus to attend to the issue of corroding roof rails on my 2003 (face lifted!) RX300 SE only recently. I found that Lexus did need some convincing but as I had elected to renew the extended Lexus Warranty on my car anyways, they supplied the roof bars FOC and I was very happy. You have to take a logical (but polite) stance with them, be firm but fair and you should get a satisfactory result. Not sure what the consumer laws are like over where you are, but we seem to have some very wide ranging (and useful) protection as consumers here in the UK.

FWIW the 350 seems to be the totally refined product the RX300 should have been. A 3L V6 petrol engine was always going to be optimistic in a body of the RX :) I think the 350 is a very capable product and wish one I could afford :(

Spooky :) As I just read the counter post on the BMWLand forum by you ;)

The best towing cars of the Year have been (most recently) the Passat 4Motion and then the Octavia 4x4. With a car you can (kind of) get away with FWD towing a caravan, but with an SUV you are talking about a much heavier vehicle that will respond to and behave very differently to a car (whether or not it is towing). There is no real substitute for proper AWD and even with the gadgetry in the Lexus, remains unconvincing. But all this gadgetry only works in the RX400h IF the Hybrid battery has charge. When there is no charge there is no power (to the rear). I am surprised that the diesel figures out equal to or less than what you think your Hybrid will deliver - I would always back a diesel over any petrol or petrol hybrid for this sort of work. But then again the RR Sport is a different type of beast altogether. A better comparator here might be an X5 3.0d? Anyhoo, good luck with your purchase. I really wanted an RX400h, but after living with the car for 4 weeks, I was left disappointed by it - and I didn't even ask it to do anything special.

Whereas I agree with (and am very pleased to see Lexus adopt a much more realistic oil change interval than the extended ones adopted by so many other manufacturers) the degredation of oil comment, I cannot agree with the other statement. For one thing, the level of protection on start up will be very different due to the actual make-up and viscosity of the semi-synth. over the fully synth. With modern engines being precise complex machines it is important they are properly lubcriated. Extended drain intervals aside, it is the properties o the fully synth. that make them better suited (I would say ideal) for use in these types of engines only.

Prepare to be disappointed then mate ;) It also doesn't have LW so I can't listen to TMS on Radio 4LW. Incredible 'aint it?

I'm sorry, but I cannot agree with semi-synthetic oil being used for servicing of these cars. It should only be genuine fully synthetic oil only. High performance engines are engineered to a high level of precision - they have certain characteristics that require the use of only the highest quality engine oils - semi-synthetic oils by their very nature cannot be suitable for such uses. Surely no-one here would be 'happy' to chuck in 15W40 mineral oil into their engine? Extended drain intervals aside or even condition based servicing that can prolong a service to circa 18 months between intervals, the use of fully synthetic oils should be an exclusivity for these types of engines. You can't see BMW, MB, Audi even advocating the us of such oils, then why do Lexus? To save money on service costs? Then cost savings should be sought elsewhere and not in the life-blood of a car's engine.

Thats one thing I miss in my RX - having a cracking set of rims (like the ones your car has). I know chunky sidewall tyres are needed for an SUV etc. and its not really a whinge, just that I miss the low profile tyres and big alloys - love those wheels mate (and car aint half bad either) :D