Laura_Lexus

My 2003 RX300 with 60,000mls on the clock will return 28-31mpg on the motorway / A road, this is driving between 50-70 m.p.h. measured over a distance of 240 miles with 4 rest breaks in between. In town the car is often used for short hops to the supermarket and shops these approx. 2-4 miles. Starting from very cold during this winter the car has still managed between 20-24 mpg. The readings are taken from the cars computer with a full tank of petrol.

Hi, I purchased a Clarke Heavy Duty Jump Start 4000 from "Machine Mart", as my RX300 battery drains after not using the car for a week in very cold weather. It is heavy duty and specified to start petrol engines up to 6 Litres, the battery capacity is 37 amp/hour and peak power is 1500 amps. It also has a safety on/off switch to allow connections to the battery before turning the unit on, hence no chance of sparks. This is not cheap at £106-00 but well worth the investment. You can download the instruction manual from the Machine Mart site, so no surprises if/when you purchase. It is fairly heavy as the unit does contain a large capacity battery unlike the cheaper brands. The unit is great insurance for cold starts or restarting after a prolonged period of inactivity. Good Luck.

The air conditioner should be run at least once a week to ensure the seals do not dry out and hence leak. Car air conditioners do however require re-gassing every few years as a small quantity of refrigerant will leak gradually over time. Lexus charge around £65.00 to re-gas which should include a pressure check of the system, this will identify any leaks.

I have just fitted the 2nd battery to my RX300 within 12 months. I am concerned the battery may be draining while standing unused on my driveway for a period of 1-2 weeks. Since installing the new battery I have checked the voltage after a reasonable journey (12.68v Perfect). If left for a few days the voltage drops to 12.4v, if the key is placed in the ignition and turned to ACC the voltage is 12.2v. I have scanned the internet and believe the battery may be reading a lower voltage due to the cold weather, currently 3C. Has anyone checked there battery with a multimeter and taken past readings when the car is left standing? Would appreciate any advice / feedback as I don't wish to buy yet another battery and need to check why it is draining if that is the problem. The car is currently starting OK ( used every 3-4 days), just need to gain confidence that my car is not suffering from parasitic battery drain.. Thanks

Had a similar problem with my RX300 a few months ago, my neighbor installed a wireless weather forecast station in his garden which transmitted on the same frequency as my RX300 remote. It took a few days to identify the source, he changed the frequency on the system and immediately my remote worked again. A multitude of wireless devices, home alarms, DECT phones etc. can be a source of the problem. You may introduce yourself to the neighbors whilst finding the problem.....

Bought my 2003 RX300 SE Navigator in January with 53000mls on the clock from a Lexus Main Dealer, paid £10,400, inclusive of Service, RAC Cover and one years full Lexus Guarantee. The car is amazing, really comfortable and a pleasure to drive, money well spent. On mixed driving I get about 26 m.p.g and 32 m.p.g. on Motorways.

As ColinBarber stated, check the pollen filter behind the glove box, mine was almost blocked when I purchased the car and the quantity of air was minimal even on high fan speed. Once changed the air flow increased dramatically and the heating and cold air was much more effective. The Air Con appears effective in the current UK climate, but notice the air flow is often on high or the next speed down with outside temperatures of 24C and full sunshine. I set the cabin temperature to 21-22C. I have had my air conditioning regassed so it should now be working at it's best.

Congratulations on your anticipated arrival. I purchased a 2003 RX300SE Nav with 52,000mls on the clock 4 months ago, it is without doubt the best car I have ever owned. Amazing comfort and being slightly higher than a conventional car gives excellent visibility, whilst still providing very good handling for a large car. Have had no issues to-date and see this car as a long term friend, which has already been named "Lexie" The one item I did change was the cabin air filter which is located behind the glove box, this was almost totally blocked, including a few leaves which had been sucked in. Thie air con system is now a 1000% more efficient and I also feel comfortable that all air is now being filtered cleanly and pollen free. Best of luck with your purchase.

Thanks for all the responses, now need to find a suitable temperature probe for testing.

Hi, Does anyone know the expected temperature readings obtained by measuring the central air vents with a temperature probe, whilst the air conditioner is running. Thanks, Laura....

Please can anyone assist with the following questions. 1. The Bonnet of my RX300 is covered in stone chips, any idea on the cost of a respray for this, I live in the Wiltshire area UK. 2. When the Air Con is running there is some noise behind the dashboard of the gases circulating, is this normal? Also, how often should the system be re-gassed? 3. What is the best way to clean the Sat Nav screen to remove those finger marks. Thanks Laura

Sadly, Black Ice/Snow and a slight decline will create a ski run for a 2 ton car traveling at 15mph. This is not due to a failure of the car but a lack of grip, only caterpillar tracks or an anchor wrapped around a lamp post will stop progress. Deep snow will at least give some grip, but predominantly we have had several compacted inches with ice as the base. On a positive note it sounds like you are safe and no worse for the scare, I do not use the car in hilly areas when icy conditions are present, stay in and stay safe. Laura

I have the OEM boot liner, it does protect the trunk area very well, the mat fits perfectly and has raised edges (several inches) all the way round. If any liquid spills, it is a simple matter of removing the liner, wiping and refitting. A worth while purchase to protect the trunk, not sure how good the ebay bargains are, do they have raised edges? Laura