Barry14UK

Well thank you again for searching. As it happens I have been told by the NHS Disability people that they will be coming to see how well various equipment they have loaned is working and I will see if they have any suggestions. I know I could purchase a lightweight foldable wheelchair to take my wife to the car and stow it in the boot but that means my assisting her from the wheelchair and into the car helped a little by a small step I bought remains the problem. Unfortunately, her legs have buckled on two occasions as she was getting from the Zimmer Frame into the car and even with a wheelchair this transfer part would be the same problem. If I can find something better, I will post, as maybe somebody else might be in a similar situation some day..

Thank you. Yes I will try Mobility outlets but as this is probably a rare situation that few will have encountered for an RX thought it worth asking here.

Sadly my wife has advanced Alzheimer's Vascular Dementia and I need to be able to get her to part time day care and to her and my appointments. She is finding it increasingly difficult to use a Z frame and get into and out of my RX. It looks like I will need to use a wheelchair and I appreciate it's probably a long shot but wonder how any members here faced with a similar situation have dealt with it. I have seen ramps used and a hoist on other cars and there are of course specially designed mobility cars that will take a wheelchair but I don't wish to part with my RX, particularly as the mobility need could be for months rather than a year or so. I should be obliged to learn whether any other person has met this situation and overcome it in their RX.

I have a budget MIG welder which I have used for a few jobs and results OK if not pretty. I know I could do a better job with a better model and gas. You could fabricate all the steelwork yourself and fix in place with self tapping screws which is a method I have used, particularly where welding clamps can't be used. The self tappers can be removed later and and the holes filled with weld. You could hire a decent quality MIG welder and either do the job yourself or have a professional do that part of the job, which will save paying equipment hire as a Pro will have good equipment and welds will be better than a novice will achieve. When I did my last repair which was spot welding, I used 'weld through primer' so it could be worth asking a proposed welder if he wishes this applied before the plating is fixed in position.

There are a number of aspects when assessing reliability and I think a lot depends on what is included/excluded and the weight given to these. Perhaps the 'What Car survey' is not likely to be sufficiently comprehensive to be taken as fair. Nevertheless, a member pointed out quite recently that the 3rd Generation RX was reported as being the most reliable SUV, whereas here the earlier versions get the number 1 position for most unreliable. Quite a turn around! https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/most-and-least-reliable-older-electric-and-hybrid-cars/ss-AA1bMNn5?ocid=BDT3DHP&pc=BDT3&cvid=7f3653a999cc45bbdb28dd73e74962d1&ei=51#image=25

I think there is a rule about lorries having guards to help reduce the incidence of thrown up stones breaking following vehicle windscreens. This seems to be more effective in some cases than others. I would like to see it mandatory for ALL vehicles to have such protection. It would not completely stop damage but but would certainly reduce it,

But this car is sometimes referred to as an estate. What makes it so according to what I have read is having roof rails which the vehicle in question has. I understand roof rails were only fitted as an extra, so this may be correct.

It can depend how keen you are on a particular model,colour, trim, upper mileage and condition and how sales are going with a particular dealer. I was in this situation when I first seriously looked for a Premier RX450h 3rd Gen. I saw and drove a really nice car that met all I wanted. It had things like adaptive cruise, heated steering and a couple of other things that even few Premier models have. The asking price was circa £32K. I offered £30K cash on the spot. The sales lady said her boss would laugh at her if she put that to him. She came back to me offering about three hundred off saying someone else was enquiring after it. It was closing time and I said I would think about it overnight and get back to the main dealer the next morning which I did. However the car had been sold! I was very annoyed I didn't pay the asking price and have that car. If you are less fussy than me and more flexible on variables, you might be able to get a bargain as you will have more cars to choose from. How long you are prepared to look can also be a factor.

Aheeeeem! I recently spent £560 with a main dealer for a full service and that was with club discount and without plugs. I was charged a further £100 for aircon regas, the gas being a non standard one.

I think it goes to show it's worth having a good look before giving Lexus carte blanche to fit replacement parts particularly where these are costly.

When you have had a 2ton hydraulic trolley jack fail and also on another occasion a near new 2ton Bottle Jack fail (the latter I recall when used on a 350SE Mercedes), it makes you rather careful. I actually welded additional bracing into my axle stands also plus put a spare wheel under the car for good measure when working underneath. I guess I am a bit paranoid about such things having had an uncomfortable experience with an up and over door many years ago. Another guy and I were entering a lock up with double width up and over door and it collapsed as we entered. Fortunately, we both threw up our hands which helped break the fall and I have never trusted the nasty things ever since, so replaced with top quality electric roller shutters.

It goes without saying that axle stands should be used but I had a situation recently where I needed to move a 'dead' car further away from a wall and used the front central jacking position to raise the car slightly while using a scissor jack suitably packed and sideways to thrust the wheel from the wall, then repeated the process for the rear end. Because of the side force exerted on the lifting jack it had to be frequently repositioned but it did the job. You can buy wheel movers that are placed under the wheels but not necessary for a single use. I remained clear of the car at all times so no problem.

Undoubtedly many cars saw little use during the Pandemic leading to a voltage fall that caused premature damage and shortening of battery life. if car is not used for a couple of weeks, particularly in winter, I would adopt the advice Lexus gave me during pandemic which was to charge car every 2 weeks, they said by exposing the 12v battery to the service battery as they specify. However, you can use a smart charger in AGM mode if indeed you buy the AGM (VRLA) one from Lexus Direct. Alternatively, some use a solar panel charger that you can put on the dash and connect to the OBD port but doubtful this would be sufficient this time of the year. Members who have just opted for a much more readily available and less expensive standard free flow lead acid seem to be happy with them but that's your choice.

Having had a fairly cheap trolley Jack collapse on me, I decided I would buy a high quality 3 ton long reach one from a highly regarded firm. I probably spent more than I needed to.but I have used it with confidence on a number of cars. the make is 'Compac' and I paid around £300 for but it's a bit more now. https://www.jbsequipment.co.uk/garage-equipment/351-compac-trolley-jacks-5-20-ton-truck-bus-equipment-jacks-presses.html

Thanks for replies. The 3 year extended warranty expired awhile ago. As regards Poly v Rubber bushes, this debate came up when I was an active member of a BMW forum. Generally speaking, the view was that Poly bushes were easy to insert, however, among other things they gave a stiffer ride. Some of the rubber bushes on my E39 are liquid filled and have to be pressed in in a precise position. In the end, as I did the work myself, as it was not very much more expensive buying the affected arms with correct bushes already inserted. Including Lemforder, which BMW generally use, there are replacements available from some other well regarded names so prices are more reasonable. So if I do feel replacement on my RX450h is called for, I will check what alternatives bushes are available separately and within arms and would appreciate any further info on what anybody has used. I think I could do most, if not all the servicing on my car, just as I have on nearly all my previous cars, but get a Lexus Dealer to do the service battery health check. It rather depends on how my arthritic back is and who I can find to do specific jobs in need, rather than a fixed price service.

Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder so I guess is view Technicians take about need to replace some components. Last year a local garage passed my RX450h without any advisory in MOT but shortly afterwards at service Lexus Dealership said the rear brake discs and pads needed replacing. (I did buy the replacements but didn't put them on yet for several reasons that I won't go into here). This year car again passed MOT without advisory at same garage and following service at same Lexus dealership there was no mention of the worn rear discs and pads (which had served another 4000+ miles in the interim), however an advisory was issued at service for replaceing the rear trailing arms due to bushes beginning to delaminate - this for in excess of £1300 as Lexus only supply bushes in the trailing arms they said and it took a long time to fit. I only do about 4K miles a year at present, although this is likely to go up a little more in future, so the car has only recently gone past 50K miles. It is however 8 years old, so I suppose some degradation of the bushes is inevitable. Anyway, I will take a look underneath in the spring. I believe it is possible to buy aftermarket bushes (don't want the poly ones), and get these pressed into the existing arms. I wonder if anybody else has done this?

I did ask of my Lexus Dealer when my car was serviced whether 3rd Gen were affected in a similar way to the 4th Gen and was told not - another reason to stay with my comfortable 3rd Gen for a few more years by which time there are likely to be advances in battery tech and more choice of EV, with better range and maybe more widespread charging.

As previously mentioned, 'crabbing' is usually more often associated with front wheels when fair amount of steering lock is applied. It can be a combination of degree of lock, type of tyre, temperature, speed and road surface. Not sure what the present situation is but there was a class action against Mercedes Benz for this on certain models. (pages on it if you search google.) MB were offering alternative tyres. It was more prevalent on certain right hand drive models than LHD models being put down largely due to a different differential with RHD models. It also caused premature tyre wear. There are videos where a camera actually shows the skipping or crabbing and the noise it makes. Not sure how much of this is relevant to your car but at least shows this can happen.

It would certainly be a courtesy to those who offered suggestions and assist others with similar problem if originators of queries came back to say what cause was.

Have to hold my hands up and say I spent the majority of my full time employment working for a Bank, although in several Head Office Departments. So that's another added to the list. Goodness knows how I tolerated the early years but the last 20 or so were in the Premises Department which I found interesting, gave me the opportunity to visit branches and work with Architects, Surveyors and other disciplines on projects. Only a small number of staff were were highly paid, although it was a reasonable living with the added attraction of subsidised house loan and good pension. Also, there was the sports possibilities such as playing cricket and tennis if like me you were based in the London area, a number of the Banks having their own sports grounds. Some of these grounds have now been sold including the one owned by the Bank I worked for. When potential employees were interviewed the men were asked what sports they played and doing so counted in your favour. Nowadays they couldn't care less what, if any sport you play, and instead of being a member of staff, you are a 'Human Resource', one of many changes that have taken place in the Banking Industry.

Yes, great player and Gentleman Sir Bobby, RIP. To the list of change we could add jet planes, package holidays or travel to countries as never before and Cruises on enormous ships. Then fantastic advances in medicine and medical procedures, even heart transplants etc. Then another major achievement, actually landing an Astronaut on the moon something that used to be considered fantasy. So many changes and innovations, many of which we have had to come to terms with. One thing I highly valued was progressively longer holidays from the two weeks I started with my first job and the few pounds I saved to buy an old motorcycle. (A car was out of the question then but I made up for it over the years with a succession of motorcycles and cars). PS There was decimalization and entering and leaving the EU for we Brits too.

You are correct in what you say. Cryotherapy comes under the umbrella of 'Focal Therapy' and is used more in the USA than in the UK. In the UK they more frequently use HIFU (High Intensity Focal Ultrasound), provided it can be focussed where the tumour is located and calcification does not make HIFU ineffective. Both forms of treatment can be used as primary treatment or as salvage treatment for failed Radiotherapy. Another relatively recent form of Focal Therapy is often referred to as 'Nanoknife' which uses shorts bursts of electricity to blow holes into the tumour via needle probes to destroy cancer cells DNA. It is called Irreversible Electroporation and as yet is only available in a very small number of hospitals. There are also other forms of Focal Therapy for suitable patients at an embryonic or trial stage in the UK and FLA (Focal Laser Ablation) in the USA. Some men just have an enlarged Prostate referred to as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia or BPH leading to their having a PSA higher than their age range. However, men can have an enlarged Prostate and some cancer. Prostates grow with age, some at a faster rate and there is the possibility that this will impinge on the Ureter and restrict flow, although there are other reasons why flow and voiding can be affected.

Gave up using the Lexus SatNav on my car a long time ago as several times it took me way off route and even one close to my bungalow. My 6200 TomTom is much better and has fee updates and cameras. I do have a large book of road maps just in case a problem should arise or to help preplan a trip but can't remember when it was last used. Paper Maps mean stopping if you don't have a navigator and can be difficult to read at night, Tried Google maps but didn't like. Individual preference.

Thanks for the heads up Jamie. I have noted details and will try when time comes to part with my RX450h which will be hard to part with. As to the quip by Stephen about the free sun tan, you can have too much of a good thing! It led to skin cancer in my case and skin having to be removed in two operations, so not so funny.

Of course engines as they age and the miles are piled on can suffer from carbon and burnt oil build up and even with modern oils. So a good flush now and again can be beneficial. However there isa risk of blocking an oilway with unfortunate results. II had a Camry 2.5 v 6 some years where a head gasket failed resulting in overheating. A knock on effect was for hardened oil,carbob deposits peeled away and blocked the mesh on the oil strainer. Had the engine not overheated I am sure this would not have been a problem. It was not like the sludge found with old type oils. In my case the engine was flushed at least twice. but I wouldn't do it in normal use,