Parrot of Doom

Hi Phil, take the car here:

http://www.drurylaneservices.com/

I've used them on two of my cars, they're an excellent outfit. They sorted out my Mercedes so it went from wandering all over the place to literally driving on rails - the difference was enormous.

They're the only people around here I trust with alignment. Price is usually just shy of £100 or so.

That front grille is offensive. It screams "I'VE GOT THE BIGGEST GRILLE EVER AND THEREFORE ALSO THE LARGEST *****".

I thought a Lexus like this was all about class, refinement, sophistication. It appears with this RX that they're just trying to out-***** Audi.

> overtime the stress has caused the plating to sheer away around the retaining bolts.

Just get some great big washers and fix it back in place with the original bolts.

Just get an oil extraction pump and change from above. Much, much easier than fiddling beneath the car.

http://www.cargasstruts.co.uk/

That's who I got the replacement bonnet struts for my LS400 from. They were absolutely fine.

First thing I'd do would be remove the fancy bits around the motor that operates the tailgate and check to see if there's any voltage across it's input. I've never actually even looked at the tailgate though, does it have struts? I think mine just has a hidden motor that pushes/pulls the door.

http://drivers.lexus.com/t3Portal/document/om/OM48761U/pdf/sec_04_03.pdf

Try page 362.

You will feel the engine start and stop when the vehicle is stationary. For instance, if you're in a car park keeping warm, the car will shudder slightly as the engine starts or stops. But in normal driving you will feel almost no difference between electricity and petrol.

Probably downloaded a maintenance manual off the internet and followed the instructions.

I thought people might find this interesting. This guy's Battery failed, so he took it apart himself. Needless to say his solution was far, far cheaper than Toyota's:

https://imgur.com/gallery/j8Bcp/

I had the MOT done on my 400h yesterday and was thinking about this thread. The MOT tester didn't do an emissions test though, after all, how do you force the 400h's engine to run?

Passed with flying colours btw.

I replaced the front shocks on my old Mercedes E300TD (then aged about eleven years and 200,000 miles). The difference was quite amazing - the front nearside shock had very little resistance left, presumably because for years it had been taking the brunt of manhole covers, potholes, kerbs etc. The new shocks were very, very noticeable when turning right - the car was very level, whereas before, it had always leaned slightly.

I would imagine that despite the packaging, the wattages of the new bulbs are not the same as the old bulbs. The vehicle has probably detected that your new bulbs are drawing a different amount of current than expected. As others have said, put the proper ones back :)

Yeah it will improve in the summer just like most other cars. I've found that when the car and batteries are cold (the batteries are under the rear seat) it's difficult to get it to run on Battery. If I've been driving an hour or two and the interior is nice and warm, it uses the batteries more often. I guess there must be a temperate sensor on the batteries.

Blue is for a medium-range amount of charge. Green is when the Battery is nearly fully charged. You should see green bars if you've been descending lots of hills without using the accelerator.

Well an easy way to find out would be to shove something stiff but flexible down the filler hole, get to the bottom and see if it's wet/smells of fuel. But I'd be surprised if there wasn't some manner of theft protection built in, a gauze or labyrinth perhaps.

You're paying for the coffee machine, marble floor tiles and glass walls - none of which you use when you're out and about, waiting for your car to be serviced.

Find the permanent live on the back of the car radio and via a separate fuse, connect it directly to that.

Was that including VAT?

Can anyone advise on the average cost of a cambelt service for an '05 RX400h? It's coming up, Christmas is my quietest time of year work-wise, so I might as well get it done. There's a couple of Lexus dealers I can choose from, or a Toyota dealer too. I'd just like to know the average cost so I know I'm being quoted correctly.

/edit - can't remember if it's at 80 or 90,000 miles so ignore that, but the belt needs replacing anyway due to its age.

Make a list of when the car vibrates and when it does not. That way you should be able to eliminate factors that couldn't be the cause.

If there's a transmission mount, check that. The vibration may be coming through the vehicle's floor. But if you can get the dealer to agree there's a problem, I would recommend they have a good long look at the gearbox and its internals, since that would appear to me to be the source of the issue.

http://www.vibratesoftware.com/html_help2014/2011/Diagnosis/Reference/Hybrid-Electric_Vehicles.htm

If the windscreen is dirty then chances are so are the headlights. Clean headlight lenses is important with HID lighting - that's why the washers work together.

I suspected as much. My cambelt is due next spring, I certainly won't be taking it to a Lexus dealer (not after Manchester tried getting out of paying for the knackered exhaust they sold me). There's a Toyota dealer not too far away, I'll see what he charges.

I've always done my own oil changes, I may get them to change the transmission fluid but following this service, I'm not sure I'll bother with the dealer network - not on a nearly ten-year-old car.

£745 for this:

Change oil and filter (Toyota say mineral oil is fine)

Rotate tyres (not necessary if your car is aligned)

Replace aircon filter (in the glovebox, 1 minute job)

Replace engine air filter (easy DIY job)

Tighten CV joint boots (what, a 10 minute job?)

Inspect brakes (5 minute job)

Road test (not necessary if you know your car)

Check ball joints (5 minute job with a pry bar)

Check body (for rust?)

Check brake lines and hoses (fair enough)

Engine valve clearance (ditto)

Engine/inverter coolant (ditto)

Check exhaust (not necessary if you know your car)

Check fuel lines, tank, vapour system (fair enough)

Check fuel tank cap gasket (1 minute job)

Check rear diff oil (I doubt they do anything other than look for weeps)

Check steering (not necessary if you know your car)

Check transmission fluid (look at dipstick, yep it's still red)

Honestly, I don't see how that is worth £745. Most of it is simple inspection - if any work needs doing on the inspected parts, that'll add to the bill.

japanesebob you should consider Worsley Autogas, in Salford. I had my LS400 done there, it worked perfectly, saved a lot of money on fuel and gave me no issues whatsoever.