Carl911

Good choice & enjoy. Remember, it's quite a different ride to a car so will take a while to adjust. Once you get used to it, it's just great.

Happy Christmas all. Carl

I fitted a next base to my gs450h. I bought the hardware kit which basically has a double fuse setup push fitting into the existing cigarette lighter /interior light fuse socket. Only thing I found is that the new fuse holder is quite big and meant I could not put the fuse box cover back on afterwards. The other Earth wire just needs connecting to a convenient nearby nut or screw of which there seem to be a few under the dash. I've not looked at the RX yet so don't know if space is as tight. The wires tuck easily behind the roof and A-pillar trim with no real force so very unlikely to do any damage. as has been mentioned, its a 10 minute job to fit. i intend to buy another for m RX shortly so I guess I'll be finding out.

I must admit I do like the under runs. There are a few on eBay for sale I noticed, from Lexus dealership. Think they were something like £700 for both so quite an e pensive plastic trim.

Lol, long as it's not just me. whilst on my the subject of SE-L with ML stereo I must admit I had a similar dilema. My GS is the SE but come with most the extras including the Mark Levinson. I personally think the ML has the edge and it's just that bit more accurate , not muddling the bass with the treble and keeping the music much closer to how it was intended. That said, I also have the 12 speaker premium system which includes the sub in the boot and it's still a pretty solid performer. I was finding that all the SE-L models that come up within my price range were always much higher mileage and the Ones that were not fetched a £2000 premium on the price. From what I have read the air suspension sounds complex and expensive if it goes wrong so I wasn't too concerned about that. My main criteria was that it had to have at least the premium system as this gives you Bluetooth connection to your phone for music as well as phone. I also wanted the satnav. I did try the panoramic roof which I really love but I found the rear headroom severely reduced with it. Ultimately I found an RX that only had one owner from new, full Lexus service history and in almost perfect condition inside and out. Even the driver lumbar on the seat is hardly worn which seems to be a common issue even on vehicles less that four years old. My particular RX also only had 39,000 miles from new so very low for a 59 plate. Again, the colour I chose wasn't my first choice but one has to weigh the overal package when buying. i have no regrets so far. carl

It might just be me but something knowone has mentioned. Just how lovely are the electric window buttons to operate, I mean they have this soft touch feel and the way the window starts to descend slow then speeds up before slowing again before it reaches bottom so that nothing ever clunks or rattles. It does the same on the way up. Even the way the button itself switches is just sublime.It's just one of the many rediculous engineering touches that set this car above the rest. Please tell me I'm not completely sad-lol. carl

I recently bought an rx450. But as others have mentioned, these RX do seem to get very abused when compared to similar aged saloon Lexus such as IS or GS. i looked at some RX that were only 4 years old in the forecourt of the Lexus main dealer at very high prices and the interiors were really quite poor, leather very worn looking and creased more like a car that had done 120.000 miles rather than the ndicated 60,000. Exterior had lots of scratches and some dents. More often than not the front and rear bumps would have scuffs on particularly on the corners. now I'd expect this if the car was a couple of grand but these were ten times that price. im very particular and like most here had to look at quite a few before the right one come up. Oddly enough the car I bought was slightly older and cheaper than most I had looked at yet in by far the best condition. I guess the point being, there are some real gems out there but it will take some searching but persevere and the perfect car is out there for you. good luck as when you find it you will wonder why you never bought one years ago. carl

Sorry Steve, they sold but yes they would if fitted.

I have a 2007 GS450h and 59plate rx450h. i drive both regular to work. its difficult to compare exactly as they are both very different beast. the GS is overal the better drive, better handling, quieter and quicker acceleration and top speed. In many respects it's way more performance then can be sensibly used on the road, I had a supra twin turbo before and I think the GS performs almost as well. My point is I spend most my time in traffic so average speeds of 20-60 mph. Even on the motorway you struggle to go much over 80mph unless you want to risk your licence and apart from that the pure volume of traffic these days pretty much negates any real need for high performance. Thst said I still love the power reserves available when one can use some of it. i bought the rx450h a few months back as I wanted something more practical and given my fondness for the gs450h engine the rx450h was a no brainier for me. at first I did find the Rx a bit willowy in comparison and quite bouncy over bumpy roads at lower speeds. obviously this was directly comparing to my GS. Also despite having the same engine it has been mildly de-tuned compared to the GS. It took me about a month to really appreciate the RX for its ride quality which now I appreciate is much softer and that added to the more padded seats really gives the feel of luxury. its a slightly more relaxed ride when compared to the GS but this is a good thing. If it was as quick it would destroy the ride, I don't believe you buy an SUV to race people off the lights and up motorways. Don't get me wrong, the engine has more than enough power when the foot is floored, after all this 2 ton lump still gets to 60 quicker then some hot hatches and it does it in a civilised manner. oddly enough the RX has a sportier note than the GS which my wife loves the sound of. both cars cruise lovely on the motorway and get you to your destination relaxed. the RX due to its slightly more reserved performance has better economy. In the reel world I get around 5mpg more driving the RX. Of course the RX is very practical and if like me you want to drop the rear seats to put your racing bike in without a the need to remove any bike wheels then this really does the job. the more I drive the RX the more I enjoy it. It's a car that grows on you. the problem with most Lexus is you grow fonder of them the more you drive them, a test drive, even for 24hours just doesn't cut it. i have no regrets buying either of my two cars. Both have been extremely reliable , I have owned my GS for nearly two years. ultimately, I think buying a car these days for performance alone rather pointless so buy the car that you actually need, if it's practicality then it's got to be the RX, if it's to have the best all rounder and you don't intend putting large objects in the boot then the GS. Either way, both cars are terrific and both have strengths and weaknesses but I doubt either would dissapoint. All that said if I had to get rid of a car and only keep one I'd keep the RX now and that's coming from someone that for many years modified cars and spent every penny to make them go faster. For me the RX just ticks all the boxes. carl

I'm not sure about the latest shape but with the last gen is, GS, Rx & ls the screw thread was the same on all so you could swap knobs. id be surprised if they changed it on the new model and if they have then it will most likely be the same through the range again. Carl

Perhaps the gs450h fills the gap better, it's big, luxurious, 3.5litre, 0-60 under 6 seconds and capable of sitting at three figure speeds all day with ease. I have always thought the GS is the best compromise in the range between sport and comfort. carl

I read a few reviews on the Infiniti and owners complained of noisy cabins. If you get to drive one it would be interesting to have your comments.

Sadly the poor motorway surfaces do cause a fair bit of road noise. I think if you drive a Bentley you'd still hear it. I had the is250, GS450h and rx450h and of the three cars the GS is by far the most quiet. Tyre choice certainly plays its part but you also get very used to how quiet the car is then it starts to sound noisy again. just drive around in a Ford Focus or something similar for a week then see how quiet the GS is. its a bit like driving a performance car and you get used to the acceleration and so it gradually starts to feel slower. guess we get used to it very quickly.

I suspected that it probably was the regenerative braking effect but I have to say that my GS450h is silent. I know the GS is rear wheel drive and the motors are also on the rear so maybe being further back it's better sound proofed. i guess having them at the front in the RX makes them more noticeable. Carl

I was wondering if anyone else has noticed this on there rx450h. when driving slowly below 40mph and braking lightly I hear a very distinct noise which clearly comes from the electric motors. It sounds like a faint whistle both in light braking and light acceleration. sometimes it's been loud enough to notice in the cabin with the window closed going down hills slowly with the radio off. its a little like a rubbing disc but it's not as it only happens when under light braking or acceleration. If I coast the noise goes completely hence know it's not disc noise. i don't have any motor noise this audible on the GS450h. i also notice under harder acceleration I get what I can only describe as air intake noise rather like a turbo car and that often follows by what sounds like a dump valve when I let off the gas. I know these motors are normally asperated so I'm curious what this is. Carl

I know slightly off topic but I have both rx450 and gs450 so both have same engine although it's slightly de tuned to make the RX slightly more economical. So despite the RX Being heavier and less aero dynamic it still manages to be about 6-8mpg more economical than my Gs. All things considered I think that's pretty good. that equates to about an extra 80miles per tank. carl

I have to say I have had similar experience with my main dealer. they blow hot and cold, sometimes exceptional service to other times not calling back after I have been unable to get through to the right department. id say this has happened to me on several occasions so I would agree that there level of customer service quality is shaky at times. im always torn as haven used my main dealer many times and I have come to know a few faces well,and they are genuine helpful people but like all businesses there are always a few weak links in the chain and it is those that can tarnish the dealer as a whole.

As has been mentioned, the gs just takes the drive to the next level of effortless. i also fnd the GS450h slightly more economical on all the same journeys compared to my is250 so its win, win. carl

To be honest I have found that even with a light throttle in my rx450h engine cuts straight in at the moment. the only way I can stop it doing it is by switching EV mode on which then holds it in battery mode longer. thst said, I'm returning 35mpg start stopping through town and A-roads so I'm pretty satisfied given it's a heavy SUV. carl

I had the same issue with mine on the gs450h. i took it into Lexus and two days later two brand new wing mirrors were fitted thanks to warranty. carl

OEM gear knob, come off my is250 and is about 2.5 years old and has little wear. i believe these are same fitment for IS,GS or RX. £40 delivered in UK

Thanks rayaans, i just come in the house from sitting in the car looking and by accident noticed the little arrow. I didn't realise there was two pages. Anyway, thankyou for your response. At least I know where to look next time. cheers Carl

I thought that you could use full postcode on the rx450 but I can't seem to find how to do it. Can someone confirm and perhaps give me a few instructions. cheers carl

Brockworth, Gloucestershire

They are good I must admit. Turns out the RX I just bought already has one in so that will save me a few pounds. Hopefully someone will be along shortly to buy this one carl