vrodman

Is there something about this car that makes it a good buy? If it's a 2011 car then I'm guessing it's going to be a good few bobs worth so, speaking personally, I wouldn't spend that kind of money on a car that is soiled and dirty, has a damaged interior and wouldn't start when you went to look at it.... unless it's a very good price! I decided I wanted a RX400h in October last year to replace my ageing Beemer and went to look at a few. I had the cash ready to go but I resisted the temptation to rush into a purchase and bided my time until the right one came up. I went to look at one in a Lexus dealers but was disappointed at how dirty and scruffy it was. It had been 'keyed' down the side and had numerous other scratches and scrapes. My patience paid off in the end and about a month ago I found a absolute minter. It's a low mileage, pristine condition, one family owned, full Lexus history, 2008 SE-l (private sale) and has just been serviced (Dec) and everything works perfectly. I've done about 500 miles in it now and it's an absolute peach !! I also managed to haggle the price down to about £3k less than I would have paid for a Lexus approved dealer supplied car Good ones are out there if you take your time and have patience. I know not everyone would risk buying private but I think the same applies to dealer cars as well - why buy one that needs to be 'duffed up' to make it look presentable? Just my two pennies worth anyways... Good luck

Simon any chance of a bigger view of that exploded parts diagram? I think I would like to check mine but I can't quite see from the diagram how it all comes apart. Or even, can you tell me if the parts diagram is available to buy or download anywhere? thanks Dan

They stripped the car of everything that was in the glove compartment and the centre armrest, their haul amounted to a set of caravan keys, a chamois leather and the felt bottom of the centre armrest compartment, I believe annoyance that there wasn't anything else worthwhile in there stealing. In reply to the question if they didn't smash the screen that would mean I did it for an insurance payout, the screen was working perfectly, if it hadn't been I would have been asking questions on a forum such as this about how easy it would be to replace it and where can I source the parts from.... This insurance company flatly refused to even consider replacing the caravan keys with an alarm fob on them as I should claim that on my 'house insurance' My parents do not have cover for items out of the home, but this insurance company didn't care, that is some insight into the minds of Hastings Direct insurance company. On a side note if anyone is ever thinking of using them, this claim was logged with them on the 22/12/2013 I have had to call them every day since about the 25/01/14 to push them along, their level of incompetence is staggering. there has been nothing in writing from them at any point, no phone calls form them and I only finally got wind that they will not out on damage to the interior yesterday, nearly 2 months after reporting it to them. The crash repairers sent them their report on 17/01/14 and they apparently never received it, Nor did they receive it the 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th times when I chased it and confirmed it had been emailed through. Not once did Hastings chase it up in 2 weeks that nothing was happening. I think it is important that you complain like hell over the service you have received from this insurance company. I am guessing that as you have posted here then you will also have written a reviews on sites such as Reviewcentre.com ? From what I can see they post replies on Reviewcentre with usually an email link to investigate your complaint. Also https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/making-a-complaint-about-an-insurance-company have lots of good advice on how to complain and about getting in touch with the Financial Ombudsman Service. An hour or two firing off emails and letters can work wonders - a squeaky wheel gets the grease! Keep us updated on the progress Dan

Yep, I saw this too http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Hard-Wire-Kit-for-Mini-0801-Dash-Camera-/350991156517?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item51b8b40525 Are you going to wire it in so it's on 24/7 and if so, what are your thoughts on leaving it fitted in a parked car ? I think I would be worried that the car will be broken into to steal it, as was the case when satnavs first came out ? It's a small unit but I'm not sure if it's inconspicuous enough to leave unattended ?

Thanks for that tip I bought it from here... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231143728258?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 .....and paid with Paypal - looks like a decent UK source with 100% feedback so hopefully its all genuine and above board - I'll keep you posted Dan

OK thanks I was struggling to find a search term to locate the threads but I actually managed to locate the discussions in the end. Interesting reading - I also studied various reviews and have decided on this one - it should be with me on Friday/Saturday, cost £109 with free delivery

I know there must be threads on fitting and using in car dash cameras in a RX400h but I can't just locate them - or has anyone fitted one and what is recommended? Thanks

On the subject of servicing - I have a Toyota HiAce van which I bought new for my business ten years ago and now has 107,000 miles on it. It has only ever been worked on (apart from replacement tyres) by the Toyota main dealer who I bought it from. They have been the epitome of what I would like to see from a main dealer - reliable, honest and affordable servicing with no problems at all, in fact, the only part that has failed in the ten years that I have owned it apart from normal service and wear items is the radiator, which they replaced for me at what I consider to be a reasonable cost. As I have just acquired a low miles (35,000) 08 RX400h, which I bought privately, I am wondering whether to take it to the Toyota main dealer for servicing. The car currently has full history with four Lexus main dealer stamps in the book - I suppose having Toyota main dealer stamps for future services is not as good as having Lexus stamps.... but better than indy stamps? I plan to keep the car for four three to four years then hopefully to move it on and maybe try a 450h. The question is, will Toyota servicing depress the re-sale value on a 9-10 year old car?

Thanks all.... guess it will live on the drive then ! I was just a bit worried having seen the effects that the weather can have on the Lexus alloy wheels .... but I know that this is a particular weak point on the car anyway..... I just hope that the rest of it is a bit more durable !! Wow...Pete, that Morgan looks a lot of fun..... and regarding the garage floor - you NEED to get it tiled! I put up with the bare concrete and dust and constantly trying to seal it for years before I saw the light and got it tiled. I was in B&Q one day and they had some ivory coloured floor tiles at the end of the racks which they were selling off for some ridiculous sum like £3 per metre.... so I bought enough to do the whole floor, I think for about £80 or so. I have a friend who is a tiler and by chance he wanted me to do a small job for him so we swapped and he tiled the floor for me. I also plastered and painted the walls and fitted central heating so now my garage/ workshop is always clean and very light - it looks just like a car showroom. As it is integral to the house I don't have to go outside to get into it, just from the kitchen through the laundry room and in to the garage so the tiled floor means that no dust and muck gets into the house from there (which also keeps the peace with the Boss... if you know what I mean) Cheers Paul

I hope to be picking up my 2008 RX400h soon - a nice low miles example in relatively pristine condition and am wondering whether or not to make room in my heated garage to help keep it in good condition. Unfortunately this will mean disposing of my lovely old Triumph TR7 DHC which I have owned almost since it was new but which is requiring a lot of renovating to re-commission it. I had in mind that it would be my retirement project to get it back on the road and re-live my younger days once more.... but in reality it will take a lot of work and money to get there. They were never a well made car and even thirty years after they stopped making them they are still only worth buttons so should I be keeping an expensive RX out on the drive whilst a few hundred quids worth of old Triumph sits snugly in the warmth? Do most owners leave their RX's out in the weather all year round and do they suffer for it in any way? (Incidentally, the Triumph would last about as long as a snowflake on a griddle if I put it out in the weather !!)

I am surprised too. I had a quick look at the extended warranty details but I thought it only applied to Lexus approved used cars - I could be wrong - but does anybody take it out anyway? Not cheap I think... Dan

Cheers. How come some previous posts seem to have disappeared from this thread?

Ok, thanks for the replies. I have been keeping a keen eye on what is available and been to see one or two cars. I am a little surprised that some dealers don't prepare the cars cosmetically before they put them up for sale. I went to look at one car (in a Lexus main dealer) that was a bit grubby and had been 'keyed' down the side at some point in its life - it didn't look more than a light scratch of the surface lacquer and the salesman assured me that it would polish out in the bodyshop but I can't understand why they don't prep them before prospective buyers see them. Looking at prices it would seem that buying private can 'save' me about £3k over dealer prices.... but of course without the warranty. I know some wouldn't even consider buying other than from a Lexus dealer, but with careful checking and perhaps an AA inspection, is it possible to insulate against risk when buying private? I know that any car may be perfectly fine at the time of purchase but could develop a costly fault months later, but it would have to be a £3k nosebleed just to bring the price up to the level of what would have been paid to a dealer in the first place. Worth the risk? Dan

Not mine Paul, I hasten to add - these were on a car that was for sale that I had enquired about. Dan

These are on a 2008 RX400h - under 50k miles.... not a pretty sight ! It would appear that when the lacquered surface gets broken eg. if the rim is kerbed then the resulting corrosion spreads like wildfire if unchecked.

Hi I am currently seeking a RX400h and am wondering how much the Lexus dealers will move on listed prices. I have a budget up to about 17k and would Ideally like a car no older than 2008 and with max 50k miles. I am scanning the dealers to see what they have in stock and most cars have the 'negotiate price' icon attached. For information, I have the cash sitting in a Santander 123 account ready to go and I have no trade in. I intend to sell my ageing BMW 3 series privately after I have bought the Lexus. Anybody any idea how much they will negotiate on say, a 15-18k car? Dan