Glover

Thanks Shahpor, that's really useful. Thanks for the tip I'll have a go with a new thread using tyre choice and pressures. I originally posted the tyre topic in wheels and tyres first and then the RX forum. Usually Rayaans or GSLV6 will know the answers to the technical questions so I thought maybe the title had thrown people. And people on the forum have been talking about the Cross Climates and giving them good reviews, which is why I thought somebody might know the best PSI (there are only two options on the RX as I don't envisage I'll ever be doing over 100mph!). I'll have another go with the servicing one too; I'm interested in feedback on main dealers and independents so maybe if I change the title I'll get some replies from people who use the main dealers. Thanks for your help

Hi all I wonder if I'm doing something wrong in naming topics. I've posted two topics recently one about servicing in the East Midlands, which got 3 replies and one about my experience with Michelin Cross Climates, which has got 9 replies; 5 of which are updates from me! With both of these topics I asked for help from members and if there's one thing I've noticed about the forum it's how helpful and knowledgeable the members are so I'm surprised how few replies there have been. I posted the servicing one in the general discussions and the Cross Cliamt in Wheels and Tyres and then the RX section. I'm fairly new to the forum and Lexus so any help you guys can give about naming topics and where best to post them would be brilliant. And specific advice about servicing in the East Midlands would be very useful as the annual service is only a couple of months off. I know the East Mids is a more limited audience but I've seen a few Lexus (Lexii?) around Notts, Derbys, N'hants, Leics and Lincs so either those owners aren't members or they do their own servicing, which in the past I've been happy to do but my days of fiddling with the oily bits are long gone! Also the Cross Climates, I'd love some advice on which tyre pressure to use from the handbook options (Eco 36psi or normal 33psi). I know there's loads of knowledge in the RX community so any advice would be greatly appreciated

Had my first proper run with the Michelin Cross Climates today. Mix of A roads, B roads, unclassified country lanes and fast dual carriageway. Horrible weather; wet/damp roads and mud on some of the country roads and lanes (agriculture and tractors don't stop for winter!). So a good test. Up to today I'd been doing the majority of my driving round town with a bit of dual carriageway and they certainly seemed quieter and more comfortable. After today I can confirm that they are significantly quieter than the standard fit Dunlops and appear to have better grip. I say appear because I'm not a press on type driver but they do inspire more confidence; there wasn't a single time even when I was negotiating some quite sharp bends in the wet that I felt them losing grip. Also very comfortable. I've been impressed with how smooth and quiet the RX is since my first test drive but the Cross Climates take it to a different level. So all in all very pleased with them. Now I need some help from forum members. Is it best to use the Eco (36psi all round) or normal (33psi all round) tyre pressures? Your experience/views would be greatly apprecated

Mine is pre-face lift. I've been out and about today on city streets with poor surfaces and speed bumps and haven't heard a thing. I wonder if it was ironed out in 2012 even for the pre-facelift cars like mine?

I've put them down to 36psi all round now (the ECO setting) but following comments on the forum I have turned off the ECO setting for the engine etc. Not sure what impact any of it has, I might try full ECO (settings and tyres) next time I fill up then try 33psi all round and normal settings for engine etc. Of course with the ECO engine setting you do lose some responsiveness and the air con/heating isn't as effective, which is a pain at this time of year so belay that idea I may wait until the warmer months to try the experiment! Maybe somebody else in the forum has already done it for us:-).

I bought mail order so must admit I don't know where they are in Birmingham although I may take a trip over one day as I was very impressed with the service from their parts people. If you want to compare prices you can always check on Ebay before you pop in just to see if it's worth it. They've got the bumper protector on at the moment http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Lexus-Birmingham-Parts/Lexus-Accessories-/_i.html?_fsub=723477013 I took a while to find my optimum position; the problem with seats with lots of adjustments I suppose:-) Totally agree about driving being a pleasure; for me it's no longer about how quickly can I get there; I'm happy to be in it for hours. Apart from the RX I've never driven another Lexus just sat in the showroom models but I've recently been following LS threads out of idle curiosity! From owners' descriptions and the interior photos they sound and look like the ultimate in comfort and luxury. If my local dealer ever has one in I'd be tempted to have a test drive!

My RX is slightly younger than yours but not a rattle or squeak to be heard even over speed bumps so if it's an age thing I'd have assumed mine would have the odd one. I've been a member of the forum for about nine months now and can't remember anybody else mentioning rattles from the rear of an RX. Is everything in the tyre well secure? Also there are two storage? bins on either side of the boot just behind the wheel arch, is there anything loose in there. I say storage because one is small and the other one is even smaller; it's full with a credit card in it (unless I'm missing a secret catch that opens it up to reveal a picnic hamper!)

I should have gone to Specsavers! On closer inspection the higher pressures are for over 160kph, the lower for under 160 i.e. completely the opposite to what I've done. As I'm unlikely to be traveling at over 160kph (well not for long anyway I'm sure the boys in blue would want a quiet word if I did!) I'm tempted to try the ECO setting but wondered if anyone had any experience of it and whether it saves any fuel and is there a trade off with ride comfort, handling etc. Any advice greatly appreciated!

Looks a great car; I'm sure you'll be very pleased with it. I always look forward to taking mine out even if it's only a short journey; it's simply a great place to be. Definitely the most comfortable, relaxing car I've ever had but also great to drive with lots of go if needed. An example of how relaxing it is. I was stuck in a queue this evening, moved about half a mile in 30 minutes. In any other car I'd be thinking when will this end, in the RX I just sat back, relaxed in my heated seat and listened to the radio over the sound of complete silence! (except for the air con fan occasionally kicking in). How often can you say being stuck in a jam was relaxing and stress free!!! Glad you sorted the boot protector. If you're after other parts e.g. mats, bumper protector try Lexus Birmingham. Brilliant prices and great service; even with post and packing they were cheaper than local dealers.

Sorry for the confusion for 180 read 160!

Hi Daniel The plate on the inside of the driver's door (which I followed when they were being fitted) states for 19 inch wheels: Over 180kph: 33 front and rear Under 180kph: 38 front and 42 rear Eco: 36 front and rear All the settings for 18 inch are the same except that under 180kph the pressure is 36 front and 39 rear There is no way I would ignore the manufacturer's recommendations but as I don't go over 160kph (100mph), which of the two recommendations should I go for? Must admit the majority of vehicles I've had have had different recommended pressures for front and rear and for different speed and passenger loadings so it's not unusual but I've never seen an Eco setting before.

Might be; I'll have a look when/if it stops raining! Hope my experience with them is as good as yours; I'm hoping that once they're run in I'll get a chance at the weekend to try them on some dual carriageway and some nice twisty country lanes on the Leics / Notts border. Might even get a muddy stretch thrown in if the tractors have been out, which should test their grip!

Tyres fitted today. Only driven about 10 miles on them so still running in. I'll have to wait until the weekend to get a proper drive on some dual carriageway and country lanes, when I'll be able to report back on grip, ride, handling, noise etc. Before I do that I'd like to pick the forum's brains. I've had them inflated to 38 front and 42 rear, which is the up to 160kmh (100mph) setting. Eco is 36 front and rear and over 100 is 33 front and rear. Why is there such a variation and which is better Eco or the up to 160kph for handling, wear and economy? Dan. When I first bought the car last May I thought about what tyres I would get when replacing and had plumped for the Latitudes, which got excellent reviews and are OEM in the States but decided to buy the Cross Climate following good reviews on the forum and elsewhere.

Re EV mode. I've got a pre-facelift 450h Advance registered in May 2012 and I've got EV, which is accessed via the menu button on the steering wheel (right hand set of controls). Is this because my car is a 2012 model albeit pre-facelift?

Hi all Putting this on the RX forum as I think it may have been missed on the Wheels and Tyres site. Just ordered four Cross Climate 235/55/R19 101V tyres for my RX450h. £183 per tyre fitted (£732 for all four) from ExtraGrip, Nottingham. Went in because I couldn't get one of the chrome dust caps off the valve. This apparently is not uncommon, the chrome plated cap 'welds' itself to the brass valve stem (used to be brass but apparently it's now an alloy hence the problem). To cut a long story short when the tyre (standard fit Dunlop) was off it looked a bit close to the end of its life and it was (only had 2mm). I'm a bit of a tyre safety nerd, I don't usually like to go below 3mm so two new tyres please. I asked if they should go on the front or back but was advised that it's not recommended to mix different climate tyres e.g. summer and winter, all seasons and summer etc. as it can affect handling etc.. So option was stick with Dunlops, go to another brand of summer tyre e.g. Michelin Latitude or have all Cross Climate. Asked them to look at the front ones and they had 4mm in the centre feathering to 3mm at the outer edge. So as its only a little patch of rubber between the car and total disaster I ordered four new Cross Climates based on the very good reviews on this forum and elsewhere. I'll let you know how I get on with them (they ordered them today (Saturday)and could have fitted them on Monday but I choose to have them fitted on Tuesday). In the meantime if you're close to Nottingham and need any brand of new tyres I can thoroughly recommend Extra Grip. I've used them since the early 80s and although I check around on prices I've yet to find anyone beat them and on top of that and to me even more important they provide a brilliant service (e.g. you don't pay for tyres they order until they're fitted) and great advice. Hope I haven't broken any forum rules by recommending a company.

I had a similar problem on my Yaris. I thought it was tappets or pump definitely something mechanical; I was with the mechanic whilst he was diagnosing he reckoned it was a worn belt so he ordered a steering pump belt as this was really worn and a water pump belt but this was only a year old so I thought it couldn't be that. He replaced the steering pump belt; noise still there. Water pump belt was slightly loose so he tightened that up. Noise still there so he replaced and tightened the belt and the noise went; sounds just like a sewing machine again:-) I know it's a different car but worth a look as it's a much cheaper fix.

Just ordered four Cross Climate 235/55/R19 101V tyres for my RX450h. £183 per tyre fitted (£732 for all four) from ExtraGrip, Nottingham. Went in because I couldn't get one of the chrome dust caps off the valve. This apparently is not uncommon, the chrome plated cap 'welds' itself to the brass valve stem (used to be brass but apparently it's now an alloy hence the problem). To cut a long story short when the tyre (standard fit Dunlop) was off it looked a bit close to the end of its life and it was (only had 2mm). I'm a bit of a tyre safety nerd, I don't usually like to go below 3mm so two new tyres please. I asked if they should go on the front or back but was advised that it's not recommended to mix different climate tyres e.g. summer and winter, all seasons and summer etc. as it can affect handling etc.. So option was stick with Dunlops, go to another brand of summer tyre e.g. Michelin Latitude or have all Cross Climate. Asked them to look at the front ones and they had 4mm in the centre feathering to 3mm at the outer edge. So as its only a little patch of rubber between the car and total disaster I ordered four new Cross Climates based on the very good reviews on this forum and elsewhere. I'll let you know how I get on with them (they ordered them today and could have fitted them on Monday but I choose to have them fitted on Tuesday). In the meantime if you're close to Nottingham and need any brand of new tyres I can thoroughly recommend Extra Grip. I've used them since the early 80s and although I check around on prices I've yet to find anyone beat them and on top of that and to me even more important they provide a brilliant service (e.g. you don't pay for tyres they order until they're fitted) and great advice. Hope I haven't broken any forum rules by recommending a company.

Totally agree Sorcerer and for exactly the same reason. I've been having my cars tested by a public body since the 70's first Leicester City Bus, then Nottingham City Council, then Ruschliffe Borough Council and now back to Nottingham as Rushcliffe's garage services transferred to them. Had two fails in all that time and both times they've taken me under the car to show me exactly what was wrong. Plus they also sort out silly things like headlights out of alignment free of charge rather than fail you.

I have an RX450h bought last May. Mpg in the summer averaged just over 38 with a best of 45.1 and worst of 36.8. Winter best of 36.2 worst of 29. My average since buying the car is 36.5. I commute 5 miles each way combination of stop start city traffic (about a dozen traffic lights), just under a mile of unrestricted single carriageway and a final mile of reasonably quiet 30mph industrial estate. Heating and heated seats on. Heater kicks in fully after about 3 miles or sooner if lots of stop, start. On that commute I get 36-38 in summer and 29-32 in winter. I do the odd 20 -100 miler at weekends, occasional 100-160 mile work trips and 600 or so miles on holiday. I'm pushed to get it much below 30 at motorway speeds in the winter; add another 6 or 8mpg in the summer. My driving style is a combination of Driving Miss Daisy and Vanishing Point! I'm also in my early 60s so I think you'll probably remember that classic road film. The car is supremely comfortable and relaxing; great for a sedate cruise, surprisingly nimble in urban areas, whisper quiet at motorway limit on smooth roads and goes like the proverbial if you need it. For a big car it gets up to speed very quickly but with no fuss whatsoever. I also considered the GS but having had a Qashqai I liked being that bit higher up so as soon as I sat in the RX I didn't bother with getting in the GS. Hope this helps

My father was a mechanic, changed his oil every 3,000 and oil and filter every 6,000 (this is going back to the days of British motor manufacturer's). Never had any problems with his engines and when he took the rocker cover off to adjust the tappets (halcyon days!) the head positively shone. So with that upbringing I use whatever the manufacturer recommends so if it's a 0w30 I'll usually use Castrol Edge fully synthetic or Mobil 1 providing they meet the manufacturer's spec and change it at the frequency stated. My 2001 Yaris does about 3 - 4,000 every year and has a service every year with oil change, brake fluid every 2 years and coolant every 3. Touch wood it runs like a sewing machine! The secret to any car and your safety is the best tyres and brakes you can afford, the right oil in the engine and stick to the manufacturer's servicing. Sorry I've gone into grandma and egg mode!!!!

Definitely take your own oil, I've done this for years with lots of different garages and makes and dealers and indies have all accepted it. The only one I didn't do it with was Nissan as their oil was cheaper than I could buy it retail. If you're a Costco member you can get the correct grade and spec Castrol Synthetic for approx. £30 depending on what deals they have on. Technically providing they are the right spec you can (and on occasion I have) take other parts e.g. plugs; filters

My pleasure Rob. Hope you can eventually find a good setting for the passenger seat; I'm not sure what the CT has but the RX has squab back and forwards an tilt, seat back angle adjust plus lumbar. Sometimes takes ages to find the right position. I worked with a guy who had taken his Mini in for a service; they'd changed the seat adjustments and he couldn't get it right and was planning on selling it as it was giving him back pain (it was that bad). In desperation he asked me if I could help him (part of my job is assessing computer work stations). I adjusted it for him and probably more by luck than judgement it worked. So keep persevering. Hope you solved your misted up windscreen issue (I think it was you but apologies if it was another member!). An assumption but if the CT climate control is the same as the RX then try what Rayaans suggested to me. Switch the last button on the left to auto (you can toggle the sensitivity of automatic recirculation too but off the top of my head I can't remember how I did that but it's either in the climate or settings menu). then switch the last button on the right to auto. Use the demister function but don't touch anything else apart from the temperature controls. Works brilliantly! Cheers Geoff

Hi Rob. It bugged me too! Go into Setup, General, Auto Screen Change and toggle it to off. Works on the RX so I assume it's the same on the CT. Now how do I stop hitting italic when I'm typing!!

Thanks Paul I was beginning to think I was the only forum member from Notts:-) That's great information. Must admit my buying experience from Nottingham wasn't great but sounds like servicing is better so as they're just down the road I'll give them a try (and must join the club too that's a great advert for the benefits) Incidentally if you're close to Nottingham you might want to try the local authority for your MoT. I've always taken my car to Nottingham City Council (Eastcroft or Woolsthorpe depot) for my MoT. They don't repair cars so you know they are giving an honest opinion not finding fault to generate business. I've had two fails in 30 plus years of using public sector MoT services! Most recent the trusty Yaris after 13 years of negotiating Nottingham's speed bumps decided to break a rear spring but not let me know. The tester showed me the crack and they retested for free. Geoff

Hi Rob Brilliant first post and welcome to the forum. I haven't been a member for long but I can vouch for the members being a friendly and very knowledgeable bunch. Your car sounds wonderful and looks great; I haven't seen that colour before but it definitely suits it. I've got ivory leather and it certainly makes the car lighter and I think it also gives it a wow factor . Ok it doesn't like denim but the dye comes off easily and mats on the floor and the boot keep the carpets tip top. The dealer sounds excellent too; if I ever decide to change (not for a few years yet!) I'd definitely look at buying there as I could combine it with a trip to Donegal:-) I had the same problem with my front screen demister; Rayaans gave me some tips on setup and no problems at all now so it's worthwhile playing with the settings first. Finally you've made me jealous. Bizarrely considering I drive an RX one of my dream cars and a complete contrast is a 2CV (also love DSs too); never had one but who knows, maybe in the future I'll get one to keep the RX company! Keep the posts coming Geoff