jasonco

So much time?

What was the problem, finaly, did they say?

Good question. They swapped everything (including rewiring the whole car) - no success. So they took it down to Bristol to the people that fit them when they come into the country. They tried 10 different sets of headphones until they found some that worked. This is apparently what ended up fixing it.

Lexus GB have offered me the next two services free as compensation and the dealer is going to book my car in for a free full valet + tank of petrol at my convienance. They did lend me a GS300 during my RX350's absence so I guess you can't ask for much more from a dealer/manufacturer.

Got it back after 7 weeks - seems to be working now.

Thanks for the tip.

Update...I took my car to the local dealer three weeks ago and they have had it since. After trying all the normal things they are now rewiring the car to see if that will make the sound spring into life. I will let you know what fixed it when I get the car back.

Kids don't know their born now-a-days!

Just wondering if anyone else has suffered with a loss of sound with the inbuilt DVD system on the RX350 SE-L. My kids are having to watch silent movies in the back! I have done all the obvious things without success.

still happy ???

Yes very much so!

Thanks very much for the list. I notice that whilst all the list works only the Sony phones can copy the complete phonebook via Bluetooth.

Hi all

Yesterday I swapped my 53 RX300 SE-L for a new RX350 SE-L, just wanted to highlight some key differences from my brief ownership:

- Looks

Very little to distinguish them apart, tyre valves are silver on the new one but I guess unless you were looking at the badge you might struggle to notice. I did opt for exactly the same exterior colour and leather combination.

- Power

The RX now feels like to has the right amount of horses under the bonnet. I was never happy with the RX300 when it came to putting the right foot down, I was always left somewhat disappointed.

- Interior

I asked my very kind Lexus dealer to swap the wood for the brushed steel (as in the RX400h), again I was never happy with it in the old one. Of course a big difference in the back is the rear dvd system (ICE as they call it), lovely picture coupled with wireless headphones. The sat-nav is more superior, seems much more precise also encompasses the live traffic feed so it can automatically re-route your journey. You can always (whilst stationary) play dvds on it. Add to this it's ability to play mp3's and wma's (only on CD though, would have been nice on DVD too) and it's much more of what you'd expect on a high end SUV. I very easily got my phone to connect to the inbuilt Bluetooth although I seem unable to copy the contact list from it to the car - but I think that is due to my phone's inability rather than anything to do with the car. You can also save different drivers setting on the SatNav/Audio system, not really looked into much but I have come across it. The Mark Levinson is great again, my ears are good enough to be able to tell if the audio output from the new one is better or louder than my previous but it's at least as good.

- The ride

Not sure why but it seems a little stiffer than my old one, maybe just because it's still new. I don't mind this anyway as long as this new one doesn't keep having the same old air suspension troubles like my last. I think I had 3 or 4 new sensors on the RX300, I became paranoid that it was always tilting! Also thankfully no lunging with the new one, it moves much smoother through the gears - no sudden jerks and your off.

- The economy

Too early to say but if you believe the blurb it is more economical than the previous model, OK not by much but it's better.

- The sale

As you'd expect with Lexus, namely the Reading dealer (special thanks to James R + Steve O), they made it easy, smooth and fairly painless (would have been better if it had been a free upgrade!) for me to change vehicles. It is without question the main reason I choose another Lexus, the dealer coupled with the after sales service. I wandered into the odd BMW dealer in recent months but you just don't get the same feeling in there - more quantity than quality. I like dealing with Lexus, they have a great product backed by an even more important resource, the people.

So in summary was it a good move upgrading my perfectly good RX300 SE-L with 31k miles on the clock? Well the sensible thing to have done would have been to have kept the RX300, banked the money and I am sure it would have kept me happy but the RX350 doesn't just keep me happy it makes me very very excited! :D :D Yes I am glad I upgraded, thanks again to Lexus Reading but especially to my long suffering wife who finally agreed to sign off the new purchase. :)

Jason - just off to burn some more mp3's to play on that wonderful stereo...

OK sorry for answering my own post...

Went to Lexus today and they sorted out my phone book. Turns out they use a Sony Ericsson handset - they take your SIM card and put it in their phone to do the transfer.

It was a free thing, and I was very grateful, but am slightly concerned about keeping the Phone Book up to date with new numbers/changes etc.

Anyone got any bright ideas?

Bladgb

On this subject - does anyone have a list of UK supported phones for the RX400h and RX350 with Bluetooth connectivity.

I have just upgraded my 53 300 SE-L for a 56 350 SE-L and the garage kindly replaced the wood with the brushed steel as found in the 400h. The wood just makes me feel old, much prefer the modern look...

Jasonco

Veering from the topic - how much did the 300 to 350 upgrade cost you ?

Thanks

Tony

A considerable wad as they say! I managed to get ~18k (this was what glaces pitched it at..) for my 300 SE-L with 31,000 on the clock along with ~£3k off the list price (what car target price of the 350 SE-L). It works out at ~6k per year depreciation. Also as mentioned they have swapped out the wood and included boot liner, bumper protector. I know the sensible thing to do was to keep my old one but there is something very nice about a new car :-)

I have just upgraded my 53 300 SE-L for a 56 350 SE-L and the garage kindly replaced the wood with the brushed steel as found in the 400h. The wood just makes me feel old, much prefer the modern look...

Reading the thread with interest....

Any idea if the October date for the revised rx400h is still accurate? Does this revised model have an internal name? Just wondered how to make sure if you were to order one now you are getting the revised model.

Thanks

Jason

Just in the process of having all four of my wheels changed on RX300 SE-L with 29,000 miles on the clock - it is 3 years old in October. The guy told me it is to do with the salt that is used on UK roads during the winter months...

I only use CD-R's, I haven't actually compared the thickness but if this is a class problem with the RX / Mark Levinson stereo then they really should address it as the UK is no.1 in europe for d/loading music! Maybe people are just keeping it on the iPod and not burning CD's to play in the car.

Hi all,

I have an RX300 SE-L and have recently needed to have the Mark Levinson hi-fi completely swapped - it was coming up with ERROR3 and ERROR4. The garage think it is because I have been playing burned (d/loaded via iTunes) CD's - apparently these are slightly thicker than normal ones.

Anyone else had problems?

Jason

I had the same problem with mine last year. It was leaning to the left whilst driving and then once parked would go FULL tilt. They said it was a sensor that had got water in it. They didn't let me pay for the 1st service as compensation. Very good service from a very good dealer.

Good forum, hopefully someone in Lexus Marketing is listening. I would like a more powerful but economical engine for a start. I do feel that the current 3.0 litre is underpowered for such a heavy car - I find the gear box screaching a times just trying to maintain that 80mph on the motorway as you encounter a slight incline!

Also would love to be able to get rid of the wooden trip and get some Aluminium in there - I know it's cheaper but for me it is much smarter. Maybe at 34 I am too young to be driving a Lexus ;)

Anyway all in all I do like the car and will take a peek at the hybrid when it finally arrives to see if it responds to some of my minor critisms.

Well after two visits back to my dealer (the 1st time they couldn't find anything wrong) they finally fixed it. Water had leaked into one of the sensors and was giving duff info to the computer.

They (Lexus Reading) did a sterling job repairing it....

:D

My new RX300 SE-L seems to prefer making the passenger side higher than the drivers. I parked it up today, upon walking back noticed that the left hand side was 2 inches higher than the right. Started it and it returned to normal.

This got me thinking, over the last few weeks it has been not holding the road as well as it did previously + a feeling of boucy'ness (is that a word). I am wondering if it might be doing this whilst I am driving as well as when it is parked.

Anyone seen similar behaviour???

Hi all,

I have a new RX300 SE-L and have noticed that when it's laiden (2-3 adults and some luggage) it becomes very sluggish. I know that the extra weight should play a part but I am surprised that it seems to make quite a difference to driving it alone. If petrol wasn't so expensive here I am sure they would have released the RX330.

Maybe I will have to upgrade to the RX400....

Cheers,

Jason

Love the mats, where do you get them?