RobinGBrown

Discs, definitely discs.

I had my front brake discs replaced 2 years and 20,000 miles ago and at this year's service they're apparently down to 26.8mm and need replacing soon.

Is it likely that the brake discs will wear out so soon? Surely I should get a lot more mileage out of them?

Any thoughts?

I'm going to try an RX330 air filter from K&N, hopefully that will fit correctly as it appears to have the same dimensions, will report back....

The indie specialists I usually use suggested greasing the bearing (it's not a sealed one) at a cost of £100. My car is up for service next week so I'll do that as a temporary measure. Apparently the squeaking can go on for some time before the arm needs to be replaced.

I didn't find any other option other than replacing the whole arm though.

I've got an RX300 SE-L with air suspension and the tyre fitters have never had to do anything about it, I also recommend the Michelin Latitude tyres, they're great

The only thing I ever had trouble with was a double bunkbed, couldn't quite get the door to close with all of it inside the car so I had to tie it down and listen to the open door alarm beeping all the way home.

I would have managed it if I didn't need to keep the drivers seat well back to accommodate my tummy!

I bought an SE-L for my wife too, even though I'm the one that drives it the most. She has grown to really like the car, the comfort, and the ease of driving it. She particularly likes the reversing camera so I would consider that a must have too.

Not especially, I'm quite happy with the power of the RX300, I just happen to like K&N filters and the minor boost is a bonus

I thought I had a rattle in the roof too but it was actually the air suspension bearing. Not that that's a problem with the RX400H but my point is that a noise that sounds like it's from the roof could be from somewhere entirely different.

I want to fit a K&N filter to my 2004 RX300 but the K&N website lists only a part for the RX330. Can anyone confirm if this is the right fitting for the RX300?

I'd post a link but the forum software seems to be wonky on IE and won't let me enter the url directly or via the dialog but you can check by going to the knfilters.co.uk website and end up with part no 33-2260.

Thanks

I've got a squeaking noise from the top of my nearside shock absorber when I turn the steering wheel and apparently the only option to fix it is to replace the whole shock assembly at considerable cost.

Is it possible to get it repaired/refurbished rather than replaced? If so, any recommendations as to where?

This might sound a bit silly and I haven't tried it myself yet but has anyone tried switching on the rear fog lights to get some low level illumination for the camera?

I usually get it serviced about a month before we go so it will have fresh oil. When I bought it the previous owner was running the tyres at 35 psi and they were worn down in the middle, 32 is the recommended pressure which I've left it at. Hard to know which is better save on tyres or save on petrol...

Its approximately a 2000 mile round journey so improving the mpg does have an effect.

Every year we drive to Slovakia in our RX for summer holidays. Last year, by waxing and polishing the car, I managed to get 27.4mpg on the motorway.

This year I'd like to improve it a bit more so I was thinking of ways to accomplish this and one thought was to fit a K&N filter. I have one in my Honda Accord coupe and that seems to do better with it.

Has anyone fitted a K&N filter and noticed what effects it has on the RX? Does anyone have any other ideas for improving motorway mpg other than switching off the aircon?

Thanks

When watching Marvel's Agents of SHIELD tonight I noticed they were driving a Lexus SUV. So I was checking out the US Lexus website to see which one it was (it's a GX) when I noticed something else:

New American Lexus cars are a LOT cheaper than new UK ones! The exchange rate is 1.6 dollars to the pound at the moment so...

US LS600h - $134K = £84K, UK LS600H £100K - £16,000 more expensive

US RX450h - $56K = £35K, UK RX450h - £55k - £20,000 more expensive!

US IS250 F Sport RWD - $42K = £26K, UL IS250 F Sport £31K - £5000 more expensive

Note that these are for the same top spec versions and that the US versions seem to have a much wider range of interior and exterior colours available and fewer and cheaper 'accessories' . Not only that but there are a far wider choice of cars in the US, with a huge choice of engines: IS350 F Sport with AWD anyone?

Does anyone have an idea why the UK versions are so much more expensive and with so little choice? Or are we just paying extra because that's what the market will bear?

I've just discovered that the heating element on my nearside wing mirror isn't working and the replacement glass is £280 (plus vat I assume, I was too shocked to hear what the parts department said).

Does anyone know where I'd find a more reasonably priced replacement?

Well Kwik-Fit said the brakes were okay and I asked them to replace the brake fluid - still feels soft though, like it's got a small air bubble in the system. Is it normal for RX brakes to be fairly soft on the pedal?

So my original wheels are bubbling up rapidly and I'm looking into replacing them. I've noticed that Lexus are going to do 19" wheels on the new F Sport RX (and I'd give you a link if the Lexus site wasn't so over the top insistent on using bad Javascript) and I was thinking it might be nice to get 19" wheels but I don't know what the size is and anything I look up says 'does not fit'.

So does anyone have any idea what the exact wheel size, including details like offset, is for the 18" and 19" wheels? Or some suggestions for wheels?

Thanks

Has anyone here done this? I prefer the look of the newer RX that doesn't include them by default but I have no idea what would be required to remove them, if any parts are required to fill any 'holes' after removal, and if it makes any difference to MPG?

Little update on this: the car is a 2004 with 70K miles and a full service history, although the recent servicing was not Lexus dealer, and it came with a 3rd party warranty.

I've booked it in for an engine diagnostic at Toyotec and a brake check at Kwik-Fit. So unless both of those come back as perfectly clerar I'll be booking some work on it too.

No tyres yet as I've been saving the pennies, still interested if anyone has experience with Michelins on the RX. Also noticed that the wheels are bubbling in places so I'll need to get those sorted sooner or later too...

As far as I am aware the parking brake is just that and not designed to hold the car whilst stationary in drive,

I was wondering if this was the case, i'm used to using the handbrake on my Accord Coupe (3.0 V6 auto so similar in many respects) when stationary in traffic so I was expecting the RX to be okay with a similar technique. Looks like I'll have to adjust my driving style.

Thanks for the other items, I'll have the Battery checked ASAP.

Jasons - thanks for that I'll look into Toyotec, I'm not very enthused with the Lexus delaer in Purley so far when all I've tried to do is get an idea of costs for accessories and had to run back and forth between showroom and parts/service shop

I've been exposed to winter conditions in Slovakia where for several months a year the roads can consists of packed snow and gravel plus the occasional spot of ice. You are required by law to have winter tyres fitted from September to March over there and I was initially, having lived in the UK most of my life, highly dubious as to their likely effectiveness.

I was completely wrong. Apart from actual slopes of ice that needed a run up driving an ordinary saloon car on winter tyres felt perfectly normal. So I'd recommend winter tyres without hesitation regardless of the car.

Hello All

I'm the new owner of a 2004 RX300 and I've got a few questions and concerns if anyone would mind lending their ears.

Starting - my Lexus doesn't start instantly, I usually have to keep the starter going for a couple of seconds - is this normal? If not what should I look for? Battrery? Tune up?

Parking brake - I need to really push this down all the way to get the Lexus to hold while in gear at the lights - does it need adjusting?

Jemca - My nearest dealer is Jemca on Purley way Croydon, London, has anyone had any experiences with them worth noting? So far they've been not terribly useful

Roof rail cross bars - I've seen 'OEM' cross bars that appear to latch into the roof rails so they that are very low profile and aerodynamic and I was interested in gettign some for next year when we will be taking the car to Europe - are these available in the UK?

Tyres - my car needs new tyres very soon, I'm planning on going with Michelin Latitude Tour tyres - has anyone had much experience with them? Know anywhere in South London that's doing a deal on them?

Other than that I'm really enjoying the car, great to drive, great family car, very comfortable.

Thanks in advance

They look nice, two questions: which brand where they as the eBay listing is no longer avaiable, and have you noticed any difference in mileage i.e. is it better mileage with aircon off and deflectors fitter or with aircon an and no deflectors - or is it so close it doesn't matter?