DanD

PErsonally I would use the money you would spend on such a conversion (assuming it is even possible) to put towards a model further up the range! You will then benefit from other extras such as built in sat nav, reversing camera etc.

Mine is the Exec Limited Edition too, the last version produced before the 450h came out. It has all the toys, with the exception of the rear screens and DVDs. It also has illuminated door seals where "LEXUS" glows blue in the dark. Probably sounds horrid, but it does acually look very smart. Do all Exec Ltd Ed have these or was this an add on?

Service plan works out 10-15% cheaper and is inflation proof. You also know that genuine parts will be used, that you car will be cleaned, that you will have a Lexus courtesy car and that you will be treated properly by polite and professional staff. I also firmly believe that it will work in your favour if you intend to replace your car with another Lexus. These are details that may matter to some, and not to others I guess. Personally, I don't mind paying that little extra for the "experience" which to me is part and parcel of owning a premium brand car. Sure you can shop around, but is it really worth the hassle, when your dealer is offering you a hassle free, ready made solution? Of course you have to know what you are signing up for, and WRG1405 is doing the right thing in challenging it. WRG1405: I would ring or email a couple of dealers for an alternative, itemised quote. If the car has been serviced by Lexus, I ebelieve that all dealers have access to its service history.

Had water pump replaced while the car was in for the inverter recall. Cost me £375. If buying from a dealer, you can get a service plan that will cover all the servicing costs ovr an agreed period of time, based on expected mileage. It does make sense as it typically saves around 15% of the costs, and is inflation proof. It also ensures you car will be maintained within the Lexus network. Lexus also has maintenance packages and prices that are specific to cars over 5 years old... worth talking to your dealer. To look for... inverter recall... corroded wheels... and make sure the battery is reasonably new. Obviously check that all the gadgets work, like the CD changer, satnav, air suspension (if SE-L version), ICE (if SE-L version) etc. Also check for water ingress in footwells and in the boot. All these rarely go wrong, but when they do, they are costly to fix. At any rate, if buying from dealer, you will get a good warranty package that should put your mind at rest.

I gather that you have ruled this specific RX450h out, but should you have a similar choice again I would recommend the 450h for two reasons, based on the fact that your post implies that you will use the car only at weekends. - I would not worry too much about high mileage so long as the car is in good condition. If you are only going to use the car at weekends, the current high mileage will soon become average mileage - Importantly, if you use a RX400h only at weekends, it is likely that you will quickly encounter battery problems. I won;t go into the details here as there are endless posts documenting this. Note that this refers to the "standard" battery, not the hybrid system.

I am assuming that it's OK to post this on the basis that I am not affiliated to this company in any way. I am just impressed by their products and thought I would share with other members. If you are in search of car mats, a colleague of mine has recommended this company: www.carmats.com You can get a variety of carpet grades, from utilitarian ribbed carpets, to very plush and thick ones. You also get a very good selection of colours, and a better still selection of edgings to provide a combination that will nicely compliment your car. Prices are excellent and include boot mats too. All mats are made to order, and we received ours within 3 days of placing the order.

24MPG seems low. Have you tried resetting to zero since you picked up your car - which I believe was quite recently? It could just be that your average is impaired by the fuel consumption of the previous owner who may not have driven the car as economically as you are tryng to.

I am driving a gleaming black RX450h today, while my RX400h is getting its MOT done and brakes replaced. I tried the voice recognition and realised how good and efficient it is in comparison the one in my car. I have long given up on voice commands in my RX400h as I find that it rarely works, and when it does you have to feed it bits of info one at a time, and it's much quicker to just use the touch screen. Do any of you use voice control on a regular basis? - Does it improve the more you use it? - found an old post with a list of the commands that are available... http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic/26361-full-list-of-voice-commands-available-anywhere/?hl=%2Bvoice+%2Bcontrol

You should never leave the car in Neutral: as stated above, the battery will stop charging. Seems to me that, whether people drive an auto or a manual, they sit at lights with their foot on the brake. I have never thought of that as being an issue

Personally, I recommend the Dunlop Sport SP270. I'm on my second set and very pleased with them.

As mentionned by others, switch the gearbox to "B". It will prevent the car from gathering speed as you go downhill without having to keep your foot on the brakes. Don't forget the change it back though... otherwise your petrol consumption will go through the roof!

Update for you all, received from my local Lexus dealer: "Lexus now offer fixed price repairs on all models over 5 years, they are discounted 15-20% on normal retail prices. The cost for the front discs and pads is £295.00 inclusive of parts labour and VAT. And the rear discs and pads are £275.00 inclusive of parts labour and VAT."

Will you be kind enough to post some pics? Threads on running boards often generate a lot of discussions... they are a bit like Marmite! Would be good to see what yours look like.

Thanks for the input. Very useful.

My RX400h needs new brakes all round, discs and pads. Lexus have quoted me £630. Does this seem reasonable? (sorry for the two "should" in the title... can't find a way of correcting it)

Yep... ideal for long journey. Drove from Winchester to Leeds and back last week with overnight stay. Did not get stuck in traffic as such, but there were a lot of roadworks with speed limited to 50. Used cruise control as much as possible and averaged 32.3 mpg over all. Can't complain with that.

I would tend to agree with the last comments. By the time you take into consideration all the costs involved (including diminished resale value, insurance, fitting, maintenance, etc etc), and the inconvenience (reduced boot space) and mechanical risks (as documented above), does it still make sense? - I think I would rather put the money towards a 400h. Still, each to his own. Good luck with it. What is your budget by the way?

Used instructions provided by PofD... and it worked a treat: It took less than a minute to transfer over 200 contacts. Thank you very much!

Ah... I remember my dad saying the same about electric windows... and remote locking... wouldn't be without them now though...

I would argue with what Lexus UK told you. All cars at Southampton are valetted before they are put on display. Admittedly, they are in a maybe unique position in the sense that all their cars are kept indoors in a warm and spotless showroom. It makes it very easy to spot any dent or scratch!

Unfortunately the level of service you get does vary greatly from one dealership to another. I am always happy to recommend Lexus Hedge End / Southampton. One thing for sure: they would never have a dirty / scruffy car in their showroom. The fact that a Lexus dealer lets you view a car in such condition and the fact that they had not even bothered to check it started before showing it does not say much for their standards.

Car thieves? how so? Still need to have the key in your pocket and be within range of the transponder. It's no different to having to press a button on the tailgate, surely (from a security perspective I mean)

There is a new car on the market (can't remember which, sorry, where you can just wiggle your foot under the rear bumper to activate the opening of the tailgate. Now that's making the most of the keyless entry. Let's hope it gets adopoted by other manufacturers. You listening Lexus?... ;-)

PofD... I am having problems transferring my contacts using the app you have suggested. What is the name of the file where all the contacts are kept? Do I need anything else? Soz, not very technology savvy! ;-\

Thank you! Will try and report back!