jumbojake

bit puzzled by the last bit "Once warranty runs out il buy quality part. " ....... if it is still in warranty, why are you fixing it? why not let Lexus or the warranty people do it?

That was my point about checking the history carefully.... My IS200d has clearly had some history the dealer denied... (salesman are salesman at the end of the day) ... as the years have progressed, I have seen more and more evidence of a N/S collision, bad re-spray (which they did re-do for me), new windscreen, tyres didn't match, paint on wheel is slightly different etc... I took the bumper off recently to change the radiator and the evidence was clear in there, some broken clips etc. However, regardless, the car has been fine... I suspect the radiator was a long term issue from it's history. So check carefully the window glass has same logo all around, tyres are all the same, shut-lines are all good (out of the factory, Lexus shut-lines are usually perfect) .. also check for signs of re-spray (usually obvious on surrounding rubbers and plastic). Accidents happen and some are only cosmetic, so providing Lexus acknowledge the history of the repair, then your corrosion warranty should remain valid.

it's funny how we all make a point of buying the most reliable cars we know of, then get nervous about not paying for value added warranties ... especially when the 12 month you get from the dealer is already really good to start with. Last time we faced the issue I remember my experience with a Renault... no amount of insurance would have saved me from that pain! .... if it is a Lexus dealer, check the history really carefully then trust the brand, there is a reason we all love it.

Toyota hilux will do the job, nothing will kill that

not sure any modern cars have rust issues... they all have multil-ayer protection on them . Hybrid will always be automatic and you wont find any smoother transmission. Also, the hybrids have higher concentrations of the rare metals in their cat's ... hence the increased thefts from Toyota/Lexus .. sadly little you can do to prevent this. depends on your priorities... if you want size, or worried about CAT theft, or have kids, then go for the Honda... if you are a smaller frame person and want luxury and comfort, go for Lexus... both will be high quality reliable cars, plenty of tech, neither will give you any trouble (for me, it is shame they discontinued the Accord.. that was the only car that would tempt me away from Lexus/Toyota)

both ultra reliable... for me, Id chose the Honda, purely as it's a bigger space. I had the CT200h as a loan car once, just felt like a baby Lexus, nothing wrong with it, other than very small space (I didn't fit into it!) I'd expect the Lexus to be quieter and more refined ride, but both will be high quality.

how did the old oil smell? it should darken over time as it collects/cleans impurities away from the engine I've read some mixed reviews about oil flush treatments.... my preference is always for more regular oil changes, 6000mile max.. now you have new oil, keep an eye, if it goes black after a month, then change oil again, that should help drain away the impurities it has picked up from the sump... don't be tempted to use any old cheap oil, always keep to the right grade (my preferred brew is millers oils).

I do regret not getting the IS250, but I only drive motorway miles and I have no complaints with my oil burner... quick, quiet and smooth... but most of all really reliable and simple to maintain better than any petrol car I've had before. Keen to know where this problem goes... I fear is it a long term maintenance issue.. no car survives well if not maintained.

yes, wasn't impressed and kindly reminded me of the same every time we backed off the drive. for the next month.. !

its a straight forward DIY job, especially if you have good ramps ... however, I made a bit of a mess of my driveway last time as my pump method wasn't good enough... for £69 could have saved me the weeks of 'discussion' with my wife about the stain on driveway!

For 4 Euro's, you can view official Lexus workshop manuals from their website (https://www.lexus-tech.eu/).... I tend to do this for all work on my cars, to ensure I have the proper procedures... . Especially worthwhile if you need to remove trim panels, as they show you where all the clips are. The website is difficult to get started (I suspect on purpose, they have to do it for EU rules, but not in their interest to make it easy!). but for 4Euro, you get an hour, which is enough for most jobs

the CPU will self regulate the engine idle speed, which varies depending on electrical load .. so if you have your air con running then it will slowly ramp it up to ensure the charge rate is sufficient for the load. I wonder about the fuel supply. One thing I have found difficult is the service of the fuel filter, in a really difficult position, took me the best part of a day to change. I would be surprised if many garages did it due to the time/effort.... but a clogged filter and/or saturated water trap might be a reason for poor supply resulting in an unstable idle.... sadly, there is no easy way to check, without draining the water trap and replacing the filter.

just a word of caution, I almost bought the service kit from them recently, only to find it came with oil for the petrol, not the specific one required for diesel (c2 grade)... a bit of a surprise, but may explain why so many people have issues with smoking diesels if they are not given the low ash mix! They insisted this is their usual practice (is, single grade of oil for all models.. they did agree to supply the c2 grade, but for an additional £65 As a result, I will continue to buy my oil independently, to ensure it is the right grade for the car (filters for sure from main dealer, but always double check part numbers!)

I usually buy my oil on ebay, but from a genuine store, who use ebay as a sales outlet (like opie oils) ... often they are free postage on ebay, but pay for postage if you goto the same people via their online shop!

I did my IS220d recently.... I chose a genuine rad, from lexuspartsdirect as I just didn't want to grief of a copy part being wrong, wasn't much more and piece of mind. I fit it in a day, but took my time... had to take the front of the car off, but it was pretty straightforward, just followed the procedure and all good.

essentially the 12v battery powers the computer .. once that is up, the traction battery can then charge the 12v.... if the traction battery is low, the computer will fire the engine to keep the traction battery charged... all very cleaver, but ultimately need the 12v to start it all. before our new 12v battery arrived, I was sitting int he car for 30mins each night, so it could keep enough charge for another day (it's a real pain if it goes totally flat, as you have to open the boot from inside).... to be honest it was 30 mins in a closed space on my own with none bothering me... bliss!

I recharged the one in out Rx... got the car started, but it wouldn't hold the charge (the deep discharge had caused irreversible damage to an old battery) .. the battery was dead. I couldn't find a replacement, so had to get a genuine one.. about £200 from lexus part direct.... 10mins to fit

conclusion to this.... purchased new genuine battery from Lexus parts direct ... about £200 with delivery.. good service as before. Car now ok. lessons learnt for me - the car will start with about 9.5v on the battery (in my case that was 2 days after re-charge.. (dead one for sure, needed replacement) - only early sign of failing 12v battery is the engine immediately firing up after car is started (ready) ... with new battery it didn't fire until we put it into gear - despite some good research by Barry, I couldn't find any alternative which gave me reassurance it wold fit and be safe ... so purchased genuine.

just out of interest.. when you 'unlock' the drivers door, do you actually open it, or just touch the handle? I know the car locks itself if unlocked and not opened ... I wonder if it that logic is specific about a front door, and you just exceeded that timer for self-lock again?

if your using that type of source, need to make sure it is about 14.5v.. or better, connect with a diode ... otherwise connecting a brand new car battery might cause a large current spike into your AA batteries (acid/fire risk). Don't underestimate the power in a car battery, a slight potential difference could unleash a large current spike.

my Rx dropped to 6v, but responded to a slow charge ok ... that was enough to start the car and let the DC-DC charging start.... I can see it losing charge, but just need to do that every couple of days to ensure it doesn't go to low, it would probably live like that until we're back on the road on a daily basis. For me, I need to know it will last a week without use, so replaced... plus my car is a keeper.

I had the same with our Rx450h... I found the batteries are very hard to find equivalents, mostly because non standard sizes, plus they need extra specifications to live inside the car, as opposed to behind the firewall. As a result I ended up going to Lexus (lexus parts direct) .. about 2x what I wanted to pay, but piece of mind it will not only fit, but also safe in an accident, if I am ever rear ended

Yes, I decided the same... it is an AGM, so can take low charge levels, but after a re-charge it didn't hold it, so bitten the bullet and ordered a new one. Until that arrives, I'm starting the car daily which is keeping it breathing until then.

I took the plunge and bought one from Lexus direct (£195) .... seem to be really hard to find. One in Japan, and one in the US, neither can ship to the UK... prices about the same. I felt I needed it sooner than later and given the unusual specification,I would never be sure an alternative is right.. piece of mind more than anything. I get hybrid has different 12v battery needs, just wish they would standardise a bit more.... it used to be the Toyota way to use compatible parts.

yes, my IS200d also has a temp sensor.... but the Rx450h battery only seemed to have a vent pipe (rubber tube). The battery is pretty easy to replace, lots of room, only gripe is a fiddly bolt on the securing bracket, but really straightforward. Due to is size not as heavy as the one I had for my IS200d.