MosesMulenga

Do you remember whether you had your lights set to "auto" or not, as mentioned earlier in this thread?

Converse old chap, do you work for Lexus R&D? If not, please reassure us that you're not one of those pointless "transport consultants" paid for from our taxes, with a job description that involves making car ownership more difficult and/or expensive...? Time to come clean, old bean. For my part, I've now bought the RX400h that I mentioned before Xmas. Whilst I miss my RX300 (I'm too chicken to start jamming 8x4 sheets of ply into the back of the pristine 400, the way I used to...) I must admit that it's an impressive vehicle. The hybrid/petrol changeover is smooth, it's powerful, luxurious, plenty of toys. I'm looking forward to 3 years of ownership. Lows: reading that TFL are not accepting the V5C as "proof of conformity" despite it saying that it's a hybrid engine, and it being listed on the Powershift scheme & website." Bast*rd useless thieving bureaucrats. My application is in, and I'm waiting for a response. Highs: 1. Looking forward to 12 months congestion tax exemption. 2. Being given a free 12 month parking permit by Westminster Council, and 4 months' rebate on my old one. Pleasant, useful, helpful bureaucrats. Well done. Jury's Out: Fuel consumption - I'm currently getting 26 mpg, despite careful driving in urban/ extra-urban. Not yet impressed. And to answer your question, yes we should certainly trial/embrace new technologies that allow us to retain the personal freedom of the car, whilst impacting less on the planet, and not curtailing our basic freedom to drive and choose the cars we would like to own. It's a definite step in the right direction. But I can see that it will face strong competition from Honda's idea to use hydrogen fuel cells with "home generators". They have some clever ideas over there on Yakushima island.

I'm just about to change my RX300 for a RX400h. I live in Westminster so have to pay Communist Ken's Congestion Tax - £220 with residents' discount. So, for the last year, instead of using public transport I've driven everywhere to stick it to him. It helps keep me sane. From next year however, I read that Band G cars will have to pay £25 per day and that residents' discounts for Band G cars will be abolished - so my payments would be £6500 per year. So I'm trading in my 300 for a 400h before the Feb deadline and moving to Band F emissions - therefore future proofing myself somewhat until 2010 against further attacks. So to answer your original question: I need a 4x4 (I'm in the wine business, run exhibitions, so need the space and regularly do a lot of winter snow driving on the continent). I've been forced to swap my current 4x4 for another one similar. It bugs me because I've had to trade in an excellent car that I enjoy owning, just because of a pointless politician who hates the middle-class spending their cash on things that they want to own rather than State Sanctioned Transport. I don't buy the environmental arguments. The politicians are trying to convince us to pay up to save the world but the numbers don't add up. The UK's emissions are around 0.5bn tonnes of CO2 (equiv). China=2.5 bn, USA 2 bn, India 1.7bn, etc. The UK's target reduction is -0.05m tonnes. China, India, Russia's intended increase is +18billion tonnes over same period. It's clear that there is NO material impact the UK can have, apart from the fuzzy feeling that we tried to do something - albeit something pointless. And I don't like taking money from my family to pay politicians just so they can feel better about themselves but acheive nothing. Get a deal with China, USA, India et al and THEN come back to me to ask me to pay my part. Not before. Looking forward, when politicians make it too hard for me to own the cars that I like owning, I will close my business in London (with the inevitable redundancies) and move to somewhere where I can get on with making money, money that scumbag leaches like Livingstone enjoy taking out of my pocket, in peace. Anyone want to run for mayor? I'd vote for you. "Anyone But Ken". Pass it on.

Does anyone know of a hack to over-ride the annoying "safety setting" which prevents your passenger from being able to input destination data into the Sat Nav whilst moving? I have a RX300 SE Navigator on a 52 plate. As soon as I set off, most of the functions "grey out" until I stop again. Very annoying. Any advice gratefully accepted. This is the Nannies going too far.

I have a Lexus RX300 on a 52 plate, and won't be changing for a couple of years. The rear suspension is more "agricultural" than I would like - it doesn't so much travel over holes in the road as bashes the cr@p out of them. It sounds awful. Lexus have checked it out and say that the shocks are fine, so I guess I'm just picky. Does anyone know of any replacement shocks / rear suspension that would improve the handling and comfort? I drive 50% of time in cities, 45% of time on motorways (usually across Europe) and sometimes in snow, blizzards, and a bit of gentle off-road work (on slippy tracks rather than across fields) to reach clients. So the new suspenion has to be able to fit in with that. Any suspension company recommendations? Or, any thoughts on what to replace it with / how much it would be? Would I have to do further work, such as modifying the geometry? All input gratefully received.

I don't know exactly what your problem was, but I had to replace a front caliper (and disks) due to it being seized. Despite a RX350 loan (which was nice) it still cost me £700 (which wasn't). The car's done 65k.

Sorry about slow reply, but I have this problem too so have only just noticed your post. See other threads about this. Do get it replaced if the mirror is photchromic. The chemical inside can damage the paintwork if it gets out. So far I have not found a 3rd party supplier and so may have to buy from Lexus. It's around £170 I think. If anyone knows of a cheaper 3rd party supplier, could you let me know?