rayaans

sorry my assumption was what was the difference between the original 3rd gen rX and the latest model rx - gen 3.5... it does have a sport mode. Mine was bought September 2012.

Yep, mine has sport mode being a 2012 F Sport. Feels so much better with it on, dont really know what Id do without it.

Great in depth review. I found the ride in the IS300h to be softer than BMW's of all series. TBH im not a fan of the "v8" sound either, turned it straight off, so much better without it.

Of course the seats are all subjective. Personally, I thought the IS300h has the best seats in its class and im 6ft, big build.

Not really, owned an RX, second generation and currently on the third generation and driven a GS. Both are MUCH quieter and luxurious than the previous gen IS which has now become VERY VERY good indeed.

Things like the tyres need to be put into perspective, as well as the road that it is being driven on. Even a slight opening in the window could have lead to an increase in the wind noise. For example, if your car is running on a tyre which is rated at 65db, an RX riding on tyres with a 72db rating is going to make a huge difference.

Personally, I dont think there is a car on the road which is as smooth as the Lexus hybrids not including the CT.

I find it difficult to believe that a Lexus is harder than a BMW. Nevertheless, check that you arent running on RUN FLAT tyres. They have a hard ride and definitely need to be changed. Also, check the suspension and see if its been changed. Apart from that, not much you can do apart from reduce the tyre pressure

Yes found out its missing :-

Sunroof

Power Boot

Power Tilt Steering Wheel

Seat Memory

Rain sensing Wipers

Illuminated entry.

Sounds quite basic, think I'll give it a miss.

I believe the base RX300 has fabric seats and is pretty much basic. SE spec adds sunroof, power boot, memory seats, auto wipers, illuminated entry and other things. Se-L adds the Mark Levinson audio and the DVD players in the back and Sat Nav

running lights

4 parking sensors at front

updated screen graphics

new trim in cabin

better DAB reception IMHO

no longer has 6 slot CD in dash or HD storage of music

power socket and ipod port now at top of centre console not the bottom

power socket under dash/console

redesigned cargo cover - shorter but less rattly

redesigned menu options from the steering wheel which is also has new buttons

EV mode now has a button near armrest

sport mode

simplified voice control

internet search option - which I cannot get to work on Vodafone

Bluetooth audio option

Satnav has speed limits listed

The 2011 facelift does not have sport mode I believe. This is only available on the 2013 MY. Are you referring to the s - shift mode?

Sorry Rayaans, think we will have to disagree on the Alloy problem. It's not just a Lexus thing, most Japanese alloy wheels do not have the type of finish suitable for the British climate. Yes, of course in an ideal world you would clean your wheels frequently but that's not always possible, non-Japanese cars can put up with this but I'm afraid most Japanese cars will suffer. Maybe you've been luckier than most or your maintenance schedule is better than most.

I believe that the older models did have this problem, however, it was actually rectified in the newer model years. However, I still dont believe that it is the finish of the wheels that is defective, but the products used on the wheel. Acidic wheel cleaners get into cracks in the paint and bubble them up. No finish, be it Bentley or Nissan would be able to cope when the car is not washed for 3 months.

That is a pricy vehicle. I sold mine to Lexus Stockport exactly a year ago for £5500. It was an Astral Black/Beige RX300 SE with only 55k miles on the clock and Id had it since new.

Also wheel corrosion is not a Lexus problem. Its a maintenance problem. Someones been using acidic wheel cleaner too often. Mine was 8 years old with no corrosion and no marks at all and the wheels had never been repaired. If its been looked after properly, there will be absolutely no corrosion whatsoever.

Three times now we have frightened pedestrians as our IS300h it is so quiet. Two of those were in a multi-storey car park, people cannot hear this car when it is behind them. May have to start walking in front with a red flag, that's progress for you.

Fantastic car though.

I`ve had the same problem in my GS450h.

So,we have to be extra careful, perhaps by flashing headlights, (humans react well to such things even if the light is behind them),keeping lights on , by lowering the windows and turning up the volume on the radio and by reversing into parking places and driving out of them so as to maximise our view of pedestrians etc.

Just some suggestions that I hope drivers find to be helpful, but I am sure that there are other steps that can be taken.

Regards

John

Same with the RX450H too. People cant tell when the car is behind them and they're merrily walking across without looking behind them.

Ive resorted to using the horn now - helps when im in a hurry.

Mines from stockport. They have a metallic black is300h i think

holy hell, dont use t cut! its like the most abrasive thing ever! tar spots need to be taken off with a tar remover. Youll be going through the paint with t cut in 2-3 applications

Thanks for the concern - Locally our roads are often sprayed tar and granite chipped over time as the will to wash and polish declines a significant build up can arise particularly on the near side wing behind the wheel and along the sill. Also stone chips as well, Tar remover just doesn't work some times.

Spray tar and chip is a blight.

I only T cut or T cut wax on stubborn tar spots, scratches and any bloom, I did say "T cut for stubborn tar spots later as car gets older." Accent on the older.

I have no association with it but there are some modern style products about, also you can use the original cut with 3 part polish it is mild, in both cases it is an infrequent use product.

I have yet to go through the lacquer or the paint.

Tcut is awful. If youre looking for a strong tar remover try autosmart tardis. Literally melts the stuff off. Really really good but just dont get it on plastics or it melts them too. Best thing to do is use a cloth to wipe it on the whole panel and the tar WILL melt.

well atleast Lexus is working on it unlike Audi who seem to blame damn MMI crashes on me scrolling through too fast :/

holy hell, dont use t cut! its like the most abrasive thing ever! tar spots need to be taken off with a tar remover. Youll be going through the paint with t cut in 2-3 applications

Thanks for the replies guys. At least mine will be a rare old beast. Really frustrating that there are not more options of solid colours. At first I thought the white would be but alas its pearlescent.

Haf yeah, I've read your thread. I test drove the car back in the middle of our heat wave and the ventilated seats were a delight. The colour was stunning too! Still get the same display etc without the sat-nav (which looked a bit naff if I'm honest) although will lose the rear view camera, DVD player and a couple of speakers. Gaining the electric steering column, easy access/egress, memory seats, auto-folding and electrochromatic wing mirrors which suit my particular needs. Another factor for me was that an all black interior on all balck car is a bit much. The rose colour breaks things up. Of course this is all down to individual preference. Hate the Merc though, although very quick it's certainly not a great car

Looks like my wife will be in for a treat then, seen as though she has a C220 CDI right now!

Looks very nice! I saw one. The solid black has a shine which is unbeatable when its clean. Make sure you get it protected properly with a hard coating, otherwise the stone chips will kill you if youre anything like me.

Hi again Rayaan, I also notice that it is a 30ml bottle. How much is needed to treat the car? Thanks, Simon.

Theyre both sealants so no, either apply one or the other. Not a lot is used and I would say you could do 1 car with the 30ml bottle. Only 3 dabs is needed for one panel as it goes a long way.

However, I would say that Wolfs Hard Body is really good and in reality, theres not much point in trying the c1. I only tried it to see if it was any good and yes it is better than hard body but its bloody expensive too. In the end, you wont go very wrong with both of these products.

Hi All, thanks again for your feedback. Well, I placed my order today for my Ultra blue F sport! So now the wait until 1st March 2014 begins! I've been driving Audi's for the past 15 years so this is a big step for me. However, my experience so far of everything lexus has been positive. I'm looking forward to the F sport experience and the fact that both I, and my company are saving money by switching to the F sport is a real bonus. Regarding paint protection, the advice seems to be the application of hard waxes. I've read about paint protection films on the internet but they appear very expensive. I'm happy to apply wax on a regular basis if this can really prevent stone chipping.

No wax will prevent stone chipping. Only a good ceramic sealant will do that as it becomes very hard when it sets. Wolfs hard body and gtechniq c1(the absolute best ever product IMHO) are both sealants which become very hard and hence prevent minor stone chips and marring.

Hi All, many thanks for all your comments regarding colour choice. I agree that it's very subjective! However, good news! Yesterday evening I e-mailed Lexus Head Office to ask the location of my nearest dealer with an ultra blue F sport in the showroom. This morning I received a reply and today I visited the dealer to see it for myself. I agree with Wicksy, ultra blue really does suit the styling of the F sport. I was very impressed, so much so that tomorrow I am going to place my order for my ultra blue F sport with sat nav. I have to say that I am very impressed with the Lexus customer service, and the dealer personnel I have encountered have been friendly and knowledgeable. I now have one remaining point - just what is the best and most cost effective method for protecting the paintwork? Thanks again to those members that have posted replies to my original question. It's good to be on board!

Great news! Firstly, although Autoglym hi definition wax is a good wax, albeit expensive for what it actually is, it wont protect your car from stone chips and marks which is what you seem to be most concerned about.

I would personally recommend WOLFS HARD BODY. It does help in stopping mild stone chips and scratches. You can find it here

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/sealants/wolf-chemicals-hard-body-nano-sealant/prod_1083.html

Its £30 but lasts about a year in my experience. However the best product is by far in my book is definitely gtechniq c1. This is a very very good product and can be found here

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=1254

Its expensive, no doubt, but it is worth it in terms of protection. BTW please DONT apply the supaguard protection. It lasts about 2 weeks and the dealers make a mess of the paint by applying it. Im sure they charge about £200 for application but you can get the supaguard products off eBay for £30.

I personally ask the dealers not to add any protection at all and do it myself in order to get the best finish as well as the swirls that dealers tend to put on as they are ALWAYS in a rush!

I think the best in terms of protection is probably a ceramic coating on the car. Lasts for ages and its rock hard. The expensive ones even make sure keys cant penetrate them. Believe it or not, there are even some clear bra solutions which will not key. They are very expensive and are actually more expensive than a respray and a full detail combined.

Another point to consider is to make sure you regularly wax the vehicle after getting it. White turns cream, red turns pink and blue and green become dull. Happens with all colours eventually but a good cheap waxes such as Meguiars #16 or collinite 476 last for about 3 months easily. FK1000p is easier to use than collinite or Meguiars and really lasts for about 5 months without much extra cost on the other two.

I drove all the Lexus range during an open day about six years ago and was very impressed with the then RX450 although I doubt it bears much resemblance to the one you have now.

I am going to get some winter (cold weather tyres ) for my GS and I have read more than once that these tyres fitted to a rear wheel drive car actually out perform a 4x4 in bad weather conditions. Can anyone comment on this?

The F Sport RX does feel different to the other ones. The others feel slightly mushy and dont handle as well. For me, its the right balance between comfort and handling however, some people tend to think its too firm.

At the moment, i have pirelli scorpion verde all seasons on. Took the dunlops off straight away as they were too hard.

I plan on keeping it for another 4 years at least. Having said that you can get 450h Lux's for less then £30k too.

Looking at equivalent E class's or 5's - they all seem the same to be honest. So it's not tat much worse currently.

I think Lexus are definitely selling the cars cheaper to shift them out of the lots to make way for the newer models. Obviously, they want to get rid of the older ones to make way mainly for the GS300h and the GS450h's in F sport white.

Ultra blue is an awesome colour, however, high mileage and a combination of lexus soft paint means it will be absolutely full of stone chips and they WILL show due to the colour being rather bright.

Sonic titanium is a pearlescent paint, rather than a metallic. It looks lovely and changes colour depending on the light and of course, stone chips are much more difficult to see on this colour.

Rayaan,

Yes I bought it from Stockport in June this year and had the roof and mirrors wrapped with carbon fibre.

Did you not like the GS or just prefer the RX?

I traded in an ISF and miss the performance, but this car is no slouch and it has far more goodies.

Dave.

Well I had an RX previously, and was initially going to go for the GS450h when it came out in May last year. Your car was the first to arrive at Stockport in F Sport guise and it certainly is a beast. I test drove it end of May and I loved it but then the RX F Sport came out in June just as I was going to buy the GS and I completely loved the look + higher driving position including the winter capability. I live in Yorkshire so needed a 4x4 to get through the snow, which the RX does very well. I actually ended up buying from Stockport as they gave me a better deal after stumbling upon the dealership while on a business trip.

Thank you Silver Arrow, extremely helpful and apologies to the OP for going off topic.

No worries, its still very relevant due to the car being rwd.

It's so disappointing, and I knew I was taking this depreciation on but it really hurts. My old BMW 525d M Sport with some choice options was listed at £41k new - after 5 years and 40k on the clock I got £14500 for it. My GS250 Lux/MLS was listed at £37600; it's now probably worth £20000 trade in, if that, in just over a year I've lost 45%.

That is bad news :/

It's OK power wise. It's plenty quick enough, but it's not a car for town driving. Even though it's exactly the same size as my old BMW 5, it feels so much bigger - very barge like - and with paint as soft as it is any dings and scratches will show so easily.

The plan is to keep mine 5 years, so the depreciation can hardly be any worse in the next 4 years!! As long as I get £10k for it in 2017 I'll be happy, but that doesn't look likely!

I think the dealers may deliberately be trying to sell them off hence the very low price to make way for the 300h. I think the 250 may have been a bit of a bad choice by Lexus. I would say that the depreciation wont be too bad in the next 4 years. Im sure it will slow down sometime soon.