Funkyboy

On 3/19/2023 at 8:22 PM, Old Sandy said:

I had the NX first five years ago and  it was when I took her in for some recall in 2020 , that when I collected  her she was parked next to a used RX for sale with very low miles, and I shouldn't have taken a second look, but there I was having a test drive in it two days later and the rest is history. I loved the NX except for the gear box which had noisy tantrums when you tried to push her a bit. Think they have modified them since. So I did a swap and loved most  everything about the RX , it was like stepping into a different world , more space, more comfort and more presence. Solidity and the CVT in the RX was completely different. Mind I had some problems with her that made me feel mistrustful in the end, so I had a brief love affair with a Touareg, and on Wednesday hopefully I'll be back to normal with the RX.

I did set out looking to downsize to the NX but at times it used to feel a bit cramped compared with the RX.

Really like the Blue on your motor, assume it's with Ivory interior. Did you  get her from Teeside Lexus?  I had my NX from them and they were excellent. 

What problems made you leave the RX?

4 hours ago, ganzoom said:

I cannot help but keep an eye on IS300H residuals as the temptation to swap out of it is strong and my wife has been softening her position on keeping the IS.

For fun I clicked on a random RAC link I saw, £20k seems to be suggested value. If ture, factor in the £34K we paid brand new, thats a deprecation rate of just £290/month over 4 years!!! 

Clearly sale price is different from suggested price, but never the less very happy with how the IS residuals are holding up - I hope Toyota/Lexus keeps going with their 'Self charging hyrbid' ad campaign 🙂

What did the likes of we buy any car value it as that is what you would likely get as a px

What did the likes of we buy anycar quote as that is the price you would likely get at trade in 

I had a new NX for a full weekend test drive. Was really taken aback how noisy it was. The road roar through the vehicle was totally unacceptable in my opinion. Make sure you take it for a motorway run (ask for a 24hr test drive) I had really convinced myself it was the car for me so was very dissapointed. 

When I gave it back the guys in the showroom said its a common complaint. Pity as it's such a good looking vehicle and really nice place to be on the inside 

On 24 January 2019 at 9:29 AM, Dealkent said:

I think the Lexus servicing costs are too high , i am Paying more to service my IS 300 h than i was paying to service a 3 litre diesel Jaguar XF . 

Your right Lexus service costs are ridiculous when you look at what actually gets done. In most cases it's an oil change and visual checks for £269 the next service is £449 and is you've guessed it an oil change and a few more visual checks. 

On 31 March 2018 at 10:13 AM, EssexGonzo said:

That ^^^^^^^^ is a very good point.

Just about every other car this size has a grumbly 4-cyl diesel engine in the background. The NX doesn't which exposes everything else. The road noise is no worse than most other cars of its type, actually quieter than an Evoque with silly sized tyres. 

My current car is diesel when on motorway there isn't any engine noise (though there wasn't in the NX either) it was the road and wind noise that I found excessive in NX my own car was substantially quiter 

On 30 March 2018 at 9:03 PM, Heanorboy said:

One of the problems with saying the road noise is bad is that unlike every other diesel I have owned you don't hear the road noise because of the noise the engine makes

the petrol engine is so quite (except when you put your foot down)

Never driven a Outlander PHEV but maybe to compare it with this on Electric only as some owners say it is more noisy under electric inside than when the engine goes.

AS said before it is all down to the tyres and I still have Yocos on so it does seem quite a lot of road noise 

Did the same trip after the test drive in my own car which is diesel. My car was so much quieter with road noise. You also can't hear the engine in mine though the NX engine was also very quite it was the road and wind noise that was dissapointing 

Just had the latest NX300 on 24hr test drive. The road noise was truly terrible. Really started to wear you out. When I took it back the dealer said the previous model was even worse!

Hi All,

I had a 24hr test drive of the latest NX300 over the weekend. The road noise was awful when I took it back the people in the showroom said the previous one was worse!

Has anyone tried the NX300 v RX450 and if so is it less noisy?

Thanks

Went to look at a mk3 RX450 but made the mistake of sitting in the MK 4. It's such a nice please to be. Only thing is it will be a while till one falls into my price range😤

Intermediate service is just a oil change and visual checks. Main service is just a oil change and a few more visual checks. If your lucky they may change the brake fluid and not charge you. When it reaches a certain mileage filters and spark plugs are changed at an extra cost.

£260 for a oil change (intermediate service) £460 for oil change and a few visual checks (main service)

if your car is out of warranty buy the correct oil and filter and get someone else to do it. Also an mot actually checks more things than they do on a service for £40.

Says 58% of claims where suspension and 17% air con no issues really with engine or gearbox 

Was looking on reliability index website before and was very surprised to see that they rate the RX450 as poor for reliability. This is based on the amount of issues after the three year warranty?

What car review points out wind noise is excessive 

The servicing price for Lexus  is truly shocking when you look at what actually gets done. It's even worse when you look at what is actually changed. Apart from the oil and filter everything else is just a visual check. Air filter and pollen filter is very rarely changed so how can the second service be £460 when I asked I was told they 'inspect' more items 😄

I think if people actually knew what was done for these prices they would be horrified

45 minutes ago, marrat said:

I have a question for the people who went from IS to GS, concerning driving and handling. I've test driven both, this is obviously not nearly long enough to get to know the cars. Driving the GS300H after the IS300H, I lost all sense of dynamic driving. The car felt a lot bigger and drove like a boat (an exaggeration to make a point). Did you guys have the same experience?

Yes I thought the Is300h drove much better than the GS300h. Also felt more screwed together than the GS

I test drove a GS300h and was really dissapointed with the ride quality. I found it quite unsettled except when on a motorway.

I had convinced myself this was the car for me ticked all the boxes low tax, petrol good fuel economy but wouldn't have been able to live with the ride quality.

final nail was the servicing costs both the A and B service was only an oil and filter change (brake fluid on B service) and visual checks. For this Lexus wanted £269 and £469!

When I asked about the B service I was told it's a full service? When I asked but what actually gets changed it was oil and filter and brake fluid?

while I was there a guy was telling me his car was in for a service and they where doing it while he waited. They did the B service in 60 mins including a wash and vac but still charged him £469? Obviously a lot of dealers are the same but I think people would be shocked if they knew what actually gets done on their cars while they are having a 'full service'

On 29 January 2017 at 8:11 PM, Cruiser459 said:

We run a first gen 02 plate with 122k on it, our 3rd Lexus, and 2nd RX

We get it serviced, put fuel in it and point it in the direction we want to go. Without missing a beat it goes there and back at pace, we've just completed our 6th 500 mile round trip in 9 weeks (due to a bereavement and needing to sort things) on top of normal stuff - and it's been faultless.

Aware of its age and rust being flagged up on the last mot (a previous owner had a boat) we've begun to think about "the future" but the forum comments that seem to appear frequently about battery and hybrid and air suspension faults are a concern.

We're not going to be looking at a £15k plus thing when the time comes so do we just run the current beast till it drops (we can cope with its thirst and the need to get the air con compressor bearings done some time) or is there a model out there that that can be left in airport car parks for weeks on end and start, for example, or won't want some serious money for air suspension pumps etc

We love the seamlessness of the good old V6 and it's ability to transport loads and cover ground with ease. So the question is ... what next?!

Are there years and RX models to avoid once you move into the "more modern" era?

Keep hold of this one. Sounds like you've got a very reliable car. Spending more wont get you anymore reliability 

Wow that's really poor MPG when you consider the purchase price and ongoing service costs that's going to be a really exspensive car.

4 hours ago, GSLV6 said:

Well, after a good look at an E350 Merc Estate, I was left mightily impressed by the power and handling....it has no right to go round corners the way it does!  However, must say that in spite of the glossy photos, I was left a little underwhelmed by the finish and the ride on the Sport model is just too firm for me as are the seats. It was also ridiculously long!  I never thought I'd say this, but I hankered after the more relaxed and serene drive and comfort of the "more boring" RX, so decision made and I'll hopefully be the owner of a 2014 F Sport next week, fingers crossed.  I will be having a final test drive Tuesday and take it from there.

How did you find the suspension on the f sport?

10 hours ago, GSLV6 said:

HI Ja, no not yet. Truth is, we've put it on hold because of membership of this forum.  It's a lot of money at over £30K and the more we read, the more unresolved reliability and running cost issues Lexus seem to have. We're reconsidering a low miles used E-Class and are weighing up the pros and cons of each model still.  Having posted over on the GS side of the forum, you'll appreciate where we're coming from given the issues that we've suffered with Lexus, so I won't be handing over £30K until such time as I'm sure it's the smart move.  It's simply too large an investment.  Having test driven other vehicles, the RX doesn't handle, go, stop or drive as well as an E Class, costs more, has less kit as standard, and less load space.  I found the RX more comfortable though and prefer the higher driving position.

Forums are interesting places to spend some time around as you'll pick up many years of feedback from people with no axes to grind and get honesty, not becoming of dealerships.  The decision so far has been GS450H = "forget it!" and RX450H = "definite maybe".   I want to be sure that the paintwork issues, some of the rust issues, suspension and engine issues that I've experienced with the GS will NOT be repeated on the RX. I want to do some more reading first.

We also considered the new F-Pace but load space is pitiful by comparison, the drive is noisier and fit and finish not as good.  The RX ticks a lot of boxes and I am test driving one particular 2 year old RX next week that I am interesting in buying, but am also still considering an E Class. The test drives plus owner's club feedback, plus the views of my local independent garage mechanic are all things which will heavily sway my decision.

Mercedes are much more reliable than Lexus when you consider the volume they sell verses the amount of issues that do come up. There is also a huge independent Mercedes servicing infrastructure that will save an absolute fortune after the car is out of warranty. Main dealers main service £550 independent Mercedes specialist £300 using genuine parts. Also Mercedes allow independent specialists to update the online service history. 

Because Lexus is relatively small in the UK as a volume distributor there is no real independent network so you will have to use the main dealer network which is quite expensive. 

I would think very hard about spending £30k on a car that drive train wise hasn't changed for over 10yrs and wasn't a great drive even when new. A 3ltr Mercedes estate will be a considerably better drive and far superior on the reliability front. Checkout the Mercedes forums and you will see the amount of issues is relatively small considering the volume sold.

Don't forget the amount you have already spent on owning a Lexus which sort of dispels the myth of reliability.

7 hours ago, rayaans said:

RX reliability is not an issue. Most owners have no problems, I certainly haven't.  

The Merc on the other hand, well it had issues even though my wife took better care of it than me for my RX. 

She had it serviced on the same day every year for 10 years and it still had problems. Have to say merc dealers are the worst ive come across as well. 

I'd strongly suggest taking a look at E class forums as there's plenty of issues including build quality problems, wheel corrosion etc.

Also, if considering an E class, I'd consider a GS450h F Sport. It's a real cracker at handling with its rear wheel steering and goes like stink as well. Lovely to drive, I'd have one if I didn't need the bigger boot no question. 

I'm not sure whether the E class has more kit as standard either. I'm pretty sure they don't come with HUD, laminated windows, privacy glass and the previous gen has fake leather if not opting for the real leather. Comes with xenon headlights too, not LEDs and most don't have a reversing camera either

I have owned a Mercedes and a jaguar plus I was a member of both the relevant forums. I have to say on the Mercedes forum there is very little problems that get mentioned and on the ones that do have problems it seems to be on 10 year plus cars.

the Jaguar on the other hand was full of issues on 2yr plus cars. Both forums where excellent and the jaguar forum saved me a fortune on fixes. 

Mercedes are much more reliable than Lexus when you consider the volume they sell verses the amount of issues that do come up. There is also a huge independent Mercedes servicing infrastructure that will save an absolute fortune after the car is out of warranty. Main dealers main service £550 independent Mercedes specialist £300 using genuine parts. Also Mercedes allow independent specialists to update the online service history. 

Because Lexus is relatively small in the UK as a volume distributor there is no real independent network so you will have to use the main dealer network which is quite expensive. 

Just tell them it wasn't like that when it went in. You don't have to prove it. You don't have to explain why it wasn't your fault. They will fix it it won't cost them much.

if you don't get any joy contact Lexus uk and log a complaint against the dealer

2 hours ago, GSLV6 said:

It is marketing Jason, as you say but with their reputation, one thing admired about Lexus is that they never had to bow to the alter of ultra modernity or fashion to sell vehicles.  Most Lexus buyers valued them as much for their under-stated elegance as their reliability and engineering, so the modern aggressive spindle design one can argue is out of keeping with that image but is a mark of corporatism trying to sell more cars.  I don't see them as different.  Jag have their wide-jawed new look, Ford have stolen the Aston front end, Volvo have got sharper but remain understated, Beemers likewise, and Merc continually facelift their models and now are shaping up a similar corporate look, as with the others.  

Some see it as progress, but it's not.  It's fashion, designed to attract a wider demographic, which is entirely different to progress.  Unfortunately, they have managed to be striking but have almost entirely lost their elegance in the process.  Look at the lines of the lovely LS460/600 and the Mk3 GS300/430/450H.  The latter especially with its fast-back styling and unique front end to me is a triumph of understated elegance and a lovely side and rear profile of the car. It draws attention without even trying, it doesn't have to shout "look at all my aggressive lines and deep angular grille!".  One man's meat and all that...

What has in fact happened is that they've progressed their range to include a starter range, a family sized saloon, a school run mini SUV, an exec market saloon, a luxury limo and of course the jack of all RX crossover/SUT. They are trying to capture more of the market, hence need to steal a march on areas which frankly mattered less to them in the past given the relatively wealthy post '40 something demographic of 10 years and more ago.  I guess to do this, the appeal must also stretch to those appreciating the more aggressive styling, but to me, it has cheapened the looks of the cars without adding anything.  It simply becomes another mould which needs to evolve to stay fresh rather than a timeless classic as the older ones could be viewed.  They now dont look any more exclusive to me than  any other mainstream car. Shame really.  It's all subjective though and just my own personal opinion. 

Totally agree. Think they need to work now on the hybrid system it's not really changed much for over 10 years. Infact as stated on here MPG wise 3ltr petrol engines can match it now on the NX/RX range.

Dont think Lexus thinks it can attract more users based on car being hybrid so is now going down attracting customers by the styling.

6 hours ago, GSLV6 said:

I took a test drive today in a two year old F-Sport.  The route was about 10 miles, a mix of urban and rural roads, varying between 30/40/50mph limits taking in a fair few bends, bumps and town traffic as well as some restricted A-roads.  It was a bit of an eye opener for a few reasons, but not for the reasons you (or I) might have thought:

Ride:  I was expecting a much firmer ride with less roll than the Luxury model.  I tried the AFS settings set to both "On" and "Off" and quite honestly, couldn't tell any difference at all between them.  The ride wasn't at all harsh, if anything, it felt more compliant than the luxury model which thumped a little more over the bumpy surfaces and really could do with a little fine tuning.  Tick.  What surprised me was on the whole, it didn't feel much different at all in the handling stakes.  Perhaps a little more responsive, but the differences between the F-Sport and the Luxury set up do seem subtle rather than marked.  The cornering confidence wasn't a heck of a lot better....just subtly better.  That came as a bit of a surprise.  Overall, I preferred the ride and handling of the F-Sport, however closely run,  although when doing the wheel-wiggle test, it still pitched a bit and you knew that there was over 2 tonnes of vehicle there.

Handling: As mentioned, not bad, with a little more feel and a little more control than the standard model (note the word "little") but with slightly improved ride.  Worth having?  Possibly, yes, but not a deal breaker.  The vehicle still pitches if you change direction rapidly although it never gets dangerous, the initial motion is there before it all gets controlled again.  Not unexpected in a large SUV.  I probably notice it more than most RX owners would because it's a new driving experience to me having come from a car with more sure-footed road manners.

Braking:  For such a large vehicle, the brakes are good.  What was weird though was the electronic jiggery-pokery going on under the bonnet.  When slowing in traffic, the brake feel seemed to very between one manoeuvre to another, requiring more or less effort on the pedal, for pretty much the same scenario (slowing for the lights from 30 or 40mph).  It never felt that consistent.  The Luxury model felt the same in this respect.  It's as if the energy recovery system and computers don't always react in a very predictable way in terms of brake feel when intervening with the braking system.  Something that you have to get used to I suppose, but it wasn't that marked; I noticed it where perhaps others might not give it a second thought.

Comfort:  As with the Luxury model, excellent.  Cabin noise on this one was, if anything, a little less, and that was, I suspect,  down to tyres that were a lot newer.  Acceptable and not too intrusive but still not as whisper quiet as the GS and the few times I did floor the pedal, the engine and drive-train noise was very apparent.

Performance: This time, I made sure to switch it to sport mode and whilst better than the Lux in Eco mode (which we'd left it in) it still didn't feel quick...more "adequate".  There's a reasonable 40-70 acceleration but without the punch in the chest that the older GS gives you, which almost pins you to the back of the seat in kick-down mode.   It picked up well enough and the turn of speed was more deceptive than "sports-quick".

Economy:  The test vehicle had a mpg meter set after the last re-fill, and in similar test drive conditions had averaged about 28mpg, which is about 1 or 2mpg more than I would have managed in similar conditions from the GS300.  I get an urban average of 25 to 26mpg in mine, and a combined average closer to 29mpg with extra-urban of about 35mpg.  I don't really think that the RX will do much better...perhaps a few mpg more but I wouldn't expect any more than that.

On the whole, the older GS drives better, handles better, performs better but is a little more costly to run, but I do like the RX which ticks more boxes than not.  None of the models have the "wow" factor for us as a driving experience, either for the interiors, levels of kit or drive.  However, they are a very practical family proposition, very versatile, very comfortable and very well screwed together and those things alone would probably win us over, so we'll be changing the GS in due course.

We have shortlisted two models, the F-Sport or the (Luxury) Advance, and will be looking for one fitted with a few options such as the premium Mark Levinson system which we already have and rate as a worthwhile option.  Nice to haves will be LED lights and HUD (I know std on F-sport).  It would also be good to have the roof-bars and rear boot savers too, so we're going to hold out for a late low mileage example.  It's a huge investment for us and not an easy decision.  Our nine year old GS remains to us anyway, the better driving car and probably the more comfortable one of the two due to the levels of kit and ride quality. 

Thank you to all those who have contributed to this thread, especially to Rayaans for your helpful observations.

Why don't you keep your gs300? As you say to change is a substantial amount of money for technology that is getting a bit old now. You know your car and is probably worth keeping till it won't go anymore. As you say on the MPG front there's not much difference.