ihpj

This product is of any use if and I do mean if it has been applied in stages and correctly (as prescribed). Otherwise totally useless and seeing as it should really take a day to do...I can't really see any Dealer allowing their valeting people this time aside per day per car. Wholesale waste of money IMHO - if you reallyreally must have it, then get it done privately and watch them do it for peace of mind - but then again I am cynical! ;)

There's always one isn't there? :D Come to think of it we were given one when we bought our RX ...

I would suggest you ask them. Structure the conversation properly, saying that friends/family who recommend the car to you initially had these problems, can they please check the S/H to see if any of these problems exist and if so, have they been rectified? If not, then can they be looked at prior to your collection - be open and polite, but firm. Let them know that you know that they know that you know about these problems. Above all, good luck with the car - enjoy it :)

Well I'm not sure they did it totally out of the goodness of their heart ;) But good of them to comply with their statutory duty to have it repaired FOC. I don't find the plug shameful, it recognises their good work and deserves a mention. Quite a few people who I know have bought from C/G have always reported back good things about 'em. Glad you got it sorted.

That does sound unfortunate. I would have stood my ground and looked for some contribution towards the cost of repair as it must be a design flaw that allows stuff like that to work its way into the system...*ouch*

The penalty for having improper plates is £30 fine (no points)...repeat offenders get a Summons to Court (or thats where you might find yourself on 'strike one' if you are unlucky) where the presiding Magistrate (usually) will take a very dim view ;) Get proper plates and don't spoil the fun of having your car back. As for your whole experience, I think you got a very good result and the wait seems to have been worth it - although (and purely out of interest) was the damage recorded agaisnt the car at all?

Welcome to the Forums :D The illuminated LEXUS sills are quite something anre't they? :) As long as you have a interested Dealer, your Lexus experience should be nothing short of superb. I too have recently come to Lexus and have posted my experiences here for the benefit for others. Enjoy the car, it will have some features that you never knew you had (as standard) and they will also bring a smile to your face :)

I'm quite relieved that people can understand my points. I am sure under certain driving conditions the RX400h is the right vehicle for them - I love the concept and was sold on the idea. But having used it in my daily life's routine, I have (thus far) found it disappointing. I thought that my main concern would be battery life, but as it turns out, it has become handling. Being only front wheel drive I find a complete let-down. I think this is a costly oversight by Lexus as a vehicle of this size and weight should be AWD all of the time. I cannot accept it as a FWD vehicle only as the handling is patchy, at best. I still try to be impressed with it, but the battery technology in use (the metal-oxide-hydride thingy) is also a let down as it cannot hold the necessary charge for any period of useful time. I appreciate the technological barriers present today (Li-ion have heat issues) - but if Lexus do manage to crack the battery issue, then perhaps this vehicle has the potential to be better, which would then make vehicles like the current generation RX400h obsolete. I am amazed that in all the reviews I have read, no-one has commented on the fact that this is a FWD only vehicle with poor battery life. I still want to like the vehicle, but fear I am very quickly finding myself not only disappointed with it, but very little positive to mention...

TBH I'm not surprised that it costs that kind of money to fix, but a 2004 vehicle is just out of Warranty - I'd ask for your local Lexus dealership to contact Lexus GB and see if they can't get a Goodwill gesture/contribution at the very least. If they wont do it, go to another Dealer or even contact Lexus GB directly yourself.

...because the Thicko's can't count! ;)

Nothing wrong with modern day auto boxes! I think if you actually drive the Merc you will find it quite bland. I know people say the Lexus are 'soulless cars' the Merc should definitely prove the point. A car that is blandblandbland and perhaps sets a new level of blandness. At least the Lexus causes a stir with its styling - if you really fancy something 'fun' go for a 330d and have an absolute hoot! :)

I have so much wanted to like the RX400h. So much ha already been written by experts and reviewers alike that it is not possible to write something about it without going over the same material. It is, without question, a very good car; very well specified and equally well put together. Then there is the technology that has allowed Lexus to prove the paradigm that has been the mantra of the Tree Huggers - Hybrid: Good for you and The Environment. But is it truly, really all that? Sadly, in my view, no. I am a first time Lexus convert., having bought a RX300SE (MKII) recently in February of this year after an idle query. Superb vehicle. So, logically, with an eye on the RX400h, I wanted to fall in love with it; I wanted to believe the dream Lexus were selling and so desperately wanted it to be so. So much so that I avoided the RX400h while I got used to the Lexus Experience with my own RX300. I wanted to get a feel for the car and appreciate the ever so clever gizmos and gadgets before muddying the waters with the (again) oh so clever RX400h - hoping that way to have an undiluted experience of Lexus pinnacle. But having had one for the last 48 hours, it has got me thinking. When the unfortunate owner of a Merc C Class nudged the rear of my RX300, I was given an RX400h SE NAV + MM as a replacement (well he was at fault and this was a non-fault claim against the Third Party so why not?) that I was very eager to see how my love affair would play out. With great anticipation I took the vehicle to do with as I pleased over the next ten (10) days (or so). The vehicle is brand new, a 2007 '07' plate with only 700M on the clock. I immediately felt at home with the car and made myself at home very quickly. It took me some time o get used to the 'new display' screen (mine does not have the NAV or MM or ICE) and familiarised myself with the key controls, namely the Hybrid output displays and SatNav system. The reversing camera too is a joy to use with its varied parking assist modes (you can configure it to help you drive 'into' a space or help parallel park or even help identify how much you are turning as you reverse) and of course the MM. There is something quite magnificent in turning the key and being greeted with the 'Lexus Hybrid Drive' display and 'ready' light illuminated and simply driving of (under batter power). Like a predator the vehicle wafts away froms standstill, totally silently - and to the total amazement of others around you :) Unfortunately the RX400h experience for me doesn't get better than that, its all very much a disappointment after that. Why? Well allow me to elucidate: 1. When running on battery power, and having ample charge (graphic showing green) th vehicle doesn't seem to want to run on battery for too long. How long is too long? Well about 5 minutes as a general rule. Should you have the Climate Control on as well as the radio then that reduces the time to no more than a minute or two before the engine kicks in. With all the gadgets switched off and keeping to a steady 25MPH (or below) the car insists on switching to engine power all to quickly with the readout panel showing me that the engine is powering the (front) wheels and also charging the front motor, which in turn is charging the battery. No good to me really as I want to travel on battery for as long as I can and save fuel. 2. The electric motors seem to spend a disproportionate amount of time charging the battery and very little time running on the battery. Yes it charges the battery when I'm going down hill and braking and rolling with inertia, but the battery life doesn't seem to me to be all that at all. And no Lexus Dealer will give me an answer as to how long the battery should run before engine kicks in (with all things being equal). I fully appreciate that its down to driving style and terrain etc. but on a flat road, in straight line, the engine seems to kick in all too soon even at a steady speed of 25MPH or < - so where is my fuel economy? 3. Yes the car is quick and it feels so - to me noticeably more so than my humble RX300. But that comes at a price. You see the engine only drives the front two wheels and the front electric motor kicks in to hurry you along - but again acting on the front wheels. The rear electric motor only drives the rear wheels when needed. This for me compromises heavily the handling of the vehicle. My RX300 feel very planted and firm on the road and on corners - thats because each wheel is a driven wheel...I know exactly what its doing. But with the RX400h, take straight line acceleration, the vehicle acts like any front wheel drive car, you feel the power going to the front wheels and you feel the car want to 'go' - but the front wheels can have trouble gripping the road as too much power is going to them and they aren't gripping too well (traction control kicks in etc. etc) and the when the rear electric motor kicks in you feel a definite bias to the front and straight line acceleration isn't as smooth and 'planted' as you would expect. This then leads onto my other point, the RX400h is really a two-wheel drive vehicle. In my driving thus far I have only rarely seen the rear wheels 'driven' - 90% of the time the vehicle is front wheel drive only and it behaves as such. IMHO, a car as heavy and as large as this should be all wheel drive all of the time...not just some of the time. And this is why I feel the standard petrol RX handles better. 4. Driving the same journeys at the same speeds in almost similar weather conditions, I have averaged around 30MPG in the RX400h - compared to the 23-25MPG I get in my RX300. I appreciate that my RX400h is 'new' and the engine is perhaps yet to 'bed in' fully, I am however disappointed by this figure...and before anyone says, it is a proper brim-to-brim figure and the Computer is about 5% inaccurate in its readout (which is very good in my experience). I am yet to trial it in a Town only driving environment but I reckon it wont be too far of what my RX300 returns either because the engine (on the RX400h) seems to kick in too soon. 5. The battery technology therefore does no seem to me to be perfected yet. It simply does not seem to hold enough charge for long enough to power the vehicle even on a short journey in town. I appreciate using the A/C puts a load on the engine, but even without this I cannot get anything more than 5 minutes drive time out of the car - to the extreme that I have tried to drive at 10MPH (constant) to keep the engine off. It comes down to the battery type. I know reviews rave about the RX400h, and rightly so. But having used it in the 'real world environment' that I inhabit, for my uses, it doesn't stack up. That is why I feel that I will always be an admirer of what Lexus have achieved [in the RX400h] but not a buyer. I think come upgrade time, I will want a RX350SE with NAV + MM instead of a comparable RX400h. Thank you for reading my contribution, comments invited :)

fluff34567 makes the case rightly IMHO. The question you should as is, if the water pump were to fail, then how much work would be needed to get it fixed? If you're removing anywhere close to (say 70%) the same components as the cambelt, then it would make sense. Otherwise I wouldn't bother. Incidentally, who is suggesting this? If it is your friendly Main Dealer, ask them to quote for both jobs, with and without, if you will to see whats the difference. if is negligible (£100 or so?) then I would say negotiate them down (get a bigger discount) and get it done for peace of mind. Else, see how you go.

I'm surprised that the programme options on UK cars are very limited when compared to (as example) the US market. I would have thought there'd be little/no cost saving in employing a different control module. I would like the 'self locking' option with 'selective unlocking' as well as key operated memory setting, rather than the current set up in the car. If these cars don't have the 'follow me home feature' then I am disappointed that Lexus have not given thought to these. I am sure the US Lexus have many customiseable options available.

Sorry, but no matter how I phrase my reply to this, its going to come out wrong :P But here goes: If you stamp your service book with a genuine Lexus service stamp - but the car has not in actual fact been serviced by that Lexus Dealership - then I would say you are not being totally genuine. As a Buyer when I call the stamping Dealership to see if they have any associated Service Records, I would wager their system will be blank as they never did the work and thus no supporting invoice was generated...which in turn makes the stamp worthless. Also, by suggesting (with the stamp) that Lexus themselves have done the work, when they have not, is not being totally honest. In my interpretation, the stamp of service is for a service conducted by the garage - which is clearly not the case here because you are doing it yourself.; and there is little (or no) connection with the 'stamping' Dealership. Not sure about manufacturers warranty being voided if car is serviced by NON VAT person/mechanic/garage (as with Third Party Warranties) - but I would (from a common sense stand point) agree with the above commentator...its simply not worth it. At this point in time it worries me that you are DIY work on you Lexus, but have access to a genuine Lexus Service stamp. This should serve as an example to people buying cars with 'stamped' S/H to check the validity of the stamp before parting with their cash. I know I sound alarmist and judgemental, but I felt I should put forward some constructive concerns in the spirit of assisting a fellow Lexus Owner.

What it is worth and how much a Dealer might give you are two separate figures ;) My guess is that it is about £20,500.

Just as an aside, keep the record of the service sheet/inspection sheet as well as the invoice to include in the history binder for the car as the stamp alone might not convince any future buyer it has FLSH. Labour rates on the Continent are very low (when compared to those here in the UK) and that is especially true for BMW/Merc and no doubt many other manufacturers too. You should be pleased at your luck :)

In the UK I think they have always been sold as the AWD option - USA is the only other place I have seen them being sold as 4x2 or 4x4 drive train option. Although Ours is the MKII - I'd guess it'd be the same for the MKI. I am sure someone will be along shortly to clarify.

If your car is 'brand new' (and therefore only 4 months old) then you need to let the car (and engine) 'run in' more before you find the car has settled. This is the case for every brand new car - so don't panic is what I'd say to you - your figures should improve with time.

I fully intend to renew our Warranty when it comes up for renewal next year because the RX, like most other premium segment vehicles, it is choked full of technology (read: gadgets, gizmos, wires and thing-a-me-what-sits) which, like all machines, can go wrong. With Lexus labour rates @ 100BGP +VAT per hour, the cost can readily mount up for something quite simple. If I renew the Lexus Warranty then I get peace of mind and convenience built in - if it breaks, I take it to my nearest Lexus Dealer and get them to fix it - paperless and cashless process to claim as its all handled directly through the company. Totally hassel. With a Third Party company, the issue is always about the small print and the invariable wrangling you have to undertake to get a job done...which means time spent chasing/arguing/negotiating/form filling with them when I least have the time to do so. As an example, I had an E46 'covered' through Warranty Wise. The vehicle suffered two (rear) suspension coil failures. It had received a full MOT by the local BMW Dealer (where it had been serviced and maintianed) not two months earlier. WW flatly refused to pay the cost to replace both coils as they deemed it near impossible for both coils to fail simultaneously and would therefore only pay for one only - this was despite both having snapped. When my local Dealer processed the claim, WW stated that BMW were over charging the price of the part and would only pay 'wholesale cost' of the item (a figure they beleived the part would cost them if sourced from someplace like GSF or ECP). Now, which Main Dealer will agree to fit a non-genuine manufacturer part? BMW would not fit any non-genuine BMW part and WW would not budge from their position of the genuine BMW part costing too much. Thankfully BMW stepped in, met the difference and I was left no worse off - but I was lucky. The small print is truly a small print and you should really think thrice (or more) if money saved with these Third Party companies is truly worth it. I can't be doing with all this running around and when it comes time to renew my Warranty, will gladly renew my Lexus one - as also come sale time, it will be attractive to any prospective buyer.

I think its decent of them to notify you of the additional stuff it needs doing, especially the wheels being replaced without prompting. Make sure that they do everything when the car goes in :)

FWIW I think that does sound steep - however does that price include 'additionals' like Brake Fluid change perhaps? I have found that some Dealers include the price of such changes into their price while others quote only for the job and then add on such additionals.

Renault don't like giving out part # either (this is to prevent you going out and buying cheaper OE parts from people like GSF/ECPbut thats another matter all together) - just call around other dealers and you might get someone a little more co-operative. However, if your car has any receipts for previous Lexus servicing, look in their for the part # as they're invariably always listed in there. 38GBP sounds about right for a gneuine Lexus pollen filter (speaking as an RX owner).

You might want to post up a picture of the damage so we can get an idea, also might be worth seeing if any replacement 'L' badge might cover up much/most of the scratches?

First off, sorry to hear about the break-in. Glad to hear that y'all are OK and they just took the keys and vehicle. As to offering you advice, I think the question you should be asking yourself (and perhaps the company that insures your Lexus) is that if it were stolen off your drive tonight, would your Insurance pay out? No way as the vehicle's security has been compromised and therefore they wouldn't cover you fully, or at all. The Home Insruance is a good idea, you might be covered as there was 'froced entry' into your premises and they might then pay out. Otherwise, if the figures you calculate are correct, then I'd pay out of my own pocket. However, some Insurance companies have a clause whereby if the locks/keys on your car need repalcing they will pay you a upper limit of say 150GBP leaving you to pay the rest - BUT this claim would NOT compromise your NCB. This happened to us where my wife lsot the keys to my Golf VR6 once upon a time and it cost us circa 300GBP @ VW Main Dealer to change all the lcoks, keys and alarm (which was a pretty good price given everything) and we were able to mitigate our losses that way. If you have to pay, then pay up I say as by going down the recode the keys route, you leave yourself open to the risk of theft as having access is only one step removed from actually stealing it. You really need to act fast on this as you might find your Lexus is targetted next and your Insurance Co. wont pay out arguing you have not taken steps to mitigate your losses.