Roybus

Thanks Gliderpilot - it's exactly as you describe. Is the fact that it sometimes feels like it "lets go" as it changes from one kind of braking to another (and the TCS warning lamp comes on) something that needs looking at though?

I'll search "friction braking" - thanks. This is in normal D mode.

When braking gently to a stop sometimes when I get to below 5mph, I get the feeling like engine braking suddenly disappears so the car seems to stop slowing down at the same rate so you have to push the brake pedal a little harder to stop. Imagine in a manual, you kept your foot off the clutch as you braked to begin with and then, with your foot still on the brake, you quickly pushed the clutch down fully. At the same time, the traction control warning light briefly flashes on. I'm certain that the wheels aren't actually losing any traction whatsoever when this happens. This happens more often when coming to a stop down a hill, but it doesn't by any means happen every time - maybe only 1 time in 5 or 10. Any ideas what's happening?

Wow this is exciting! Hope no-one draws a cartoon of an all season tyre. It's snowed a couple of times, but not heavily, and been a bit icy on and off. The original Potenzas have been OK. We'll see if we get a real wintry spell I suppose. I've decided I'm still happy to wait until the back ones really need changing, then go for all season and keep them all year round. Changing and storing wheels is such a faff, not to mention the cost of buying a new set of wheels. If all season are better than summer tyres in winter, and not much different to summer tyres in summer (and this is what I'm expecting), then I'll be perfectly happy with that. One thing that did occur to me is that everyone who tests proper winter tyres tends to do so in Sweden or Northern Canada and the like. I can imagine that they make a big big difference to all season if the temperature is minus 20 or something and you're driving on 100% snow, but I would hazard a guess that in northern a English conditions, the difference is less pronounced. All in all I get the compromise argument, but I'll settle for 'slightly better than summer tyres' and an easy life.

RX400h, Bridgestone Potenzas all round, front ones are pretty new but the back ones are getting to the end of their life. I do a small amount of off roading (2 mile track, 500 feet difference between bottom and top, made up of some muddy stretches but mostly loose stone as it's a disused quarry). We're in the Pennines and it's generally colder, wetter, icier and snowier than average. I'm not into the idea of changing to winter tyres for the 2 months a year they'd be really worthwhile so I'm thinking all season is the way to go. So the big question is, do I change the rear tyres now to all season type and leave the 'summer' Potenzas on the front until they're ready to change?

Cheers Colin.

I've noticed the last couple of times I've started it up that the engine has kicked in immediately after the ready message has appeared on the dash, even though the battery is showing as a.most fully charged. Aircon was set to 21 degrees inside while the outside temperature was 13 to 15. Also, even when it doesn't fire up immediately, the engine always seems to kick in at about 10mph. Is this normal behaviour or should I expect it to be, well, 'hybrider' that this?

Sounds good to me. Thanks for the replies.

Yeah I'd looked at ebay and seen they were all American. Thanks for pointing out the manual's the same so I'll probably plump for one of them unless anyone pops up on here in the UK in the next day or two.

It's the base spec model, 57 reg and no manuals were included when bout second hand, so I don't know what's missing. It would be nice to get whatever was included with the car when new though, including a wallet or whatever it was packed in.

"001 Nearside front (rear bush) Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement 002 Offside front (rear bush) Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement" Ta!

Advisories on the MOT for two suspension arm bushes. Does anyone know how much they cost, and approximately how many hours' labour to change these on an RX400h?

Right we've taken the plunge and will be picking up Mrs Roybus's 400h tomorrow. Dealer has fitted a new battery. Thanks for everyone's advice. Just to be clear, if the key is turned to start, the battery is less likely to drain but if it's not, and a door is left open or whatever, that could spell trouble? Also, regarding solar chargers, do you just plug them in to a fag lighter socket, or is there more to it than that? Now to see if I can get an NX as my next company car!

Great info Colin. I've just been perusing other threads and found the Bosch battery - 444771587 I believe. I'm going to ask them to charge it up tomorrow morning then pop over there at lunchtime to give it another look over, test the electrics etc. So is there nothing I csn learn from the multifunction display? If the drive battery is fully charged, how far should you be able to travel, and does it have an eco mode or whatever, where you can force it to run on battery power alone?

Wow. Speaking as a Manchester City supporter, I'd like to thank you for the massive contribution you're making to Sergio Aguero's wages!!

Hello all, this is my first post here. My wife's on the point of buying an 08 RX400h but before she does, I wonder if anyone can answer these questions: 1) is the starter battery's life reduced by going flat? this one had been parked up for a month and needed charging, so is there any benefit in replacing it with a new one, rather than just charging this one up? 2) how can I test the main drive batteries? This is the more basic spec model, without the big screen etc. Can I do anything with a multimeter or is there anything I should be looking at specifically on the dash that would indicate whether they're in good order or not? 3) the solar charger thing: do you simply plug it in to a standard fag lighter socket or does the socket need to be modified somehow? Ta!