Barry14UK

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,

when you have let your battery go flat it will certainly reduce its life and may even kill it. What can sometimes work it to couple your flat battery to one that itwell charged (so as to give 12volt rather than 24volt/) and connect to your charger which can sometimes bring the flat battery voltage up after a long charge, even a CTEK but will depend on how far the flat battery has deteriorated. The NOCO may have performed better in other models but the GB40 performed poorly compared to others tested here. *This guy has good reputation for testing products.https://www.google.com/search?q=consumer+product+testing+on+boost+starters&sca_esv=573826436&ei=cYQtZa6zAauChbIPjtaPkAQ&ved=0ahUKEwjur5bRnPuBAxUrQUEAHQ7rA0IQ4dUDCBA&oq=consumer+product+testing+on+boost+starters&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiKmNvbnN1bWVyIHByb2R1Y3QgdGVzdGluZyBvbiBib29zdCBzdGFydGVyczIFECEYoAFIzKkCUIodWIDuAXABeAGQAQCYAYgBoAGJDaoBBDEzLjW4AQzIAQD4AQHCAgoQABhHGNYEGLADwgIKEAAYigUYsAMYQ8ICEBAuGIoFGMcBGK8BGLADGEPCAgcQABiKBRhDwgINEC4YigUYxwEYrwEYQ8ICBRAAGIAEwgIIECEYFhgeGB3CAgYQABgWGB7CAggQABiKBRiGA8ICBxAhGKABGAriAwQYACBBiAYBkAYK&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:6e5b03b1,vid:JN8A2nIMUWA,st:0

Access to NHS can take on greater importance as you get into retirement. A reason why many move back to the UK. My wife and I moved from a house in Surrey to a bungalow in Devon to help support our younger daughter and her 3 children following the break up of her marriage. I have since had to go back to London for specialist treatment, scans etc and check ups because there is not the capability or expertise in Devon, especially in the north of the County, a factor I didn't take int account at the time. With the rising cost of property in the UK, disproportionately high in the South East, I couldn't afford the cost of a property like I had in Surrey previously let alone selling up a property in Portugal and paying inflated property prices to return to the UK. I think you have chosen very wisely with all that you have close by and being near to friends. Hope you have a long and happy retirement in your new bungalow.

I did most of my 2 year National Service in Malaya as it was then and as it was active service got General Service Medal (like all my fellow NS and Regular Soldiers in the campaign). Do you think that makes me a veteran and qualifies for a discount? Worth a try at some point perhaps.

kitchen roll can vary in coarseness. I tried to soak and wipe some birds poo off my car and it didn't scratch it but did mark it. I used several applications of a good polish to remove the slight abrasion and it is now indistinguishable from elsewhere. Due to our location we get a lot of birds bombarding cars, particularly Sea Gulls and at times Geese, so cleaning off is a regular thing. Generally I used to use the old trick of applying wet newspapers to help soften before washing off but with news now on line, no longer have newspapers.

Well it does not seem such a major concern that legislators have required old cars with black and white/silver plates to change inthe UK.

Unless you can easily afford to pay extortionate rates of insurance anybody about to purchase a high performance car should get quotes as part of basic research and selection cos some people are going to be disappointed and change their choice.

Well apart from a very few days in early September when it was about average down here in North Devon (while in London it was very hot), it's been a pretty poor summer. We have had so much rain I can't cut the grass or get much needed weed killer down. Yet only this week has South West Water lifted the hose pipe ban. Managed a water bucket wash of the RX recently only to be subject to a wall of wash from a Lorry coming the other way. Well at least I can hose it down next time ..........no blow it, it's due for a service next month, I'll let them do it at dealership.

Says LHD.

The peasants are revolting! https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/crowds-gather-to-protest-against-wales-20mph-law-as-petition-opposing-the-new-limit-tops-400-000-signatures/ar-AA1hbG6l?ocid=mailsignout&pc=U591&cvid=639d4e6b57a04d2aa986be6212b3aac3&ei=32

Another aspect of the growing 20mph limits is that battery cars apart, vehicles will be operating even more at well below optimum efficiency, thereby using more fuel and producing more emissions. I agree that due largely to the density of traffic on our roads nowadays,there is a need for speed limits which are widely accepted as reasonable, so drivers will largely respect them. Maybe certain roads could have higher limits at certain times especially at night when there are far fewer cars and particularly lorries about but weather conditions can be a factor. I remember driving along a motorway once at about the legal speed limit when a fog bank rolled across with little warning and like others in front of me I braked to a stop. Because I always leave a good a good gap between myself and the car in front when in lane, I was able to do this by moderately hard braking and the driver behind me was also able to stop in time. However, cars behind him scattered all over the motorway as they ploughed into each other. Had I been travelling at another 10 mph I think I might have been rear ended too. It's a horrible feeling when you think for an instant will the following car be able to stop or slow sufficiently as may be the case before hitting you. One of my pet hates is drivers that overtake me and then immediately cut back in in front of me so that my braking space between me and the car in front of me is so reduced that if that car in front of me slows for some reason I might well hit the overtaking car so I have to brake to regain the space, as apart from being dangerous I have to reset my cruise control if in use at the time.

Hi, Do you know if these protective plates are being fitted for free on the 3rd Gen cars and is this offer restricted to London area? Thanks.

I think age does play a part for many people. Certainly, when I was young I liked fast noisy cars and motorcycles and had them on roads and race tracks. Actually, I enjoyed doing off road motorcycle trials most where each 'section' posed a challenge and the occasional one meant you flew through the air following a jump rather like experienced in scrambles or motorcross. (I can understand the thrill competitors can get flying through the air on ski jumps, something I missed out on). However, as the years have gone by, I have come to enjoy more the serenity and comfortable ride of my RX and 'my music' rather than the sound of a noisy exhaust. Fast acceleration and high speed is no longer a great attraction, although I wouldn't mind a short blast like I enjoyed in a Ferrari some years ago and my v8 Maserati wasn't slow. If a current owner agreed to take me out for a nostalgic spin in it for a relatively short time, I wouldn't turn it down but wouldn't want it as an everyday car and I have no need to try and impress girl friends or neighbours. I do think that racing would lose something if all cars were only electric though. It must be frustrating to some to have a very high speed car, however powered, and be limited by speed limits and slow drivers in front and so many more vehicles on the road, so you need to 'track' your bike or car if you want to exploit it's potential, at least in the UK. Furthermore, apart from vague promises made some years ago to increase speed limits, the overall trend has been the other way, particularly if you drive in Wales! There are some who would wish current speed limits more strictly enforced without any tolerance which if implemented would mean the need to drive well within these limits. Also, I read that it is now proposed to introduce cameras with radar that will detect drivers slowing down a considerable way before them and after they are passed. I can see a future where 'the powers that be' will want us to travel in a way that speed and acceleration is determined outside of the control of the driver, so the rewarding driving experience is removed and no longer at the discretion of the driver, so less important how vehicles are powered. In retrospect, I am glad I had the experience of speed as a young motorcyclist when there were no speed limits on many roads so you rode as safely as you felt circumstances permitted, when crowd barriers at circuits were close to the track so you could get up close to the action. I don't go to race circuits any more but have noted at some that there is a more substantial barrier that has since been added further away from the track. Brands Hatch is an example, somewhere I spent many a happy visit. Of course, restrictions have improved safely but there has to be a sense of proportion and practicality on the roads, so except in exceptional circumstances further speed limits or more strictly enforced ones should not be imposed. Driving on the road is not a sport but I am sure regulators see it only in terms of statistics of safely getting from A to B. Deriving enjoyment or satisfaction from driving is not a consideration.

I agree with all you say Colin, I think the person I spoke with at Toyototec was rather piqued by main dealer price for the rear brakes being less than theirs and the comment about expecting the Lexus dealership being probably cheaper than them for service was probably a throwaway remark. They subsequently quoted £328-12 which is not bad for the 80,000 mile service. The discounted price from Lexus is £560. However, at main dealership a £60 health is included plus the Relax warranty, so when you take this into account and the cudose of a full dealer history, I think the extra cost is worthwhile, at least while there is still good equity in the car.

Time will tell how durable the 4 cylinder engine and set up is in the latest iteration of the RX but I have my doubts as to whether it will match the less stressed V6. Yes, the satnav is poor and the gear change lever is clunky in operation but I find it very comfortable and will be happy to keep mine for a few years. The fact that it is so reliable confirms my choice. I might take a look at EVs in a few years time when Lexus produce an equivalent with the solid state battery but there are other aspects to consider as appropriate at the time. Interestingly, it looks like the UK Government intend to extend ICE sales until 2035 but car makers will no doubt consider markets beyond the UK when deciding whether to do a face lift to existing models.

I had a close call when I nearly bought an Aristo many years ago. It was a very nice car with a better spec than the equivalent UK Lexus as I am sure any Aristo owner will confirm. However, several things rang alarm bells. It had been imported from Dubai from whence a number of stolen cars, (particularly Skylines but not exclusively them) had made news at the time, even on TV. There was a problem with the driver's door or window, possibly through forced entry and the grey colour where the vehicle identification number was stamped under the bonnet was very slightly different to elsewhere. The seller had bought the car from an importer some time previously and it had been serviced at a Toyota/Lexus dealership in the UK without comment. I checked the aforementioned stamped identity and registration with the Police and DVLA and they said nothing was untoward. Finally, I checked with Lexus/Toyota who got back to me saying that there was no such identity number! I don't know whether the seller knew this was not a legitimate car - he was selling it to fund extension of his business, he told me and appeared to be genuine. I told him the situation and left it with him to decide how to proceed as no way was I taking this on. Perhaps in hindsight I felt sorry for the man who I think decided to just keep it but with the benefit of hindsight perhaps I should have told the Police. Anyway, just goes to show you need to take care when laying out your hard earned.

Do you mean by a forum member as I would think a minority of owners are members and it would be nice but difficult to ascertain. Even Lexus doesn't service them all so doubtful would know unless somebody came forward with a verifiable claim. You could invite members of high mileage cars to respond so there is a winner among our members which would be interesting.

Thank you for your responses. Hopefully. discs will come off without too much of a problem but am aware this can happen from my days when my rear brakes only had shoes. It was really precautions that have to be taken to avoid so as to avoid adversely affecting the car's electronic that was my concern. Colin has kindly provided the answer. As the weather is now deteriorating and I have to work on my drive, I thought I would get a price for supplying and fitting with new pad shims from Toyotech at Redhill, a forum recommended independent, as I am due to spend a few days fairly near there shortly. I was surprised that the quote was for just over £400 which is a little more than what a Lexus main dealer quoted. I also asked for a price for an 8 year service and was told that they would also likely be more expensive than a main dealer for this too. I was under the impression that independents were significantly less expensive than main dealers! This was certainly the case with my BMW where the labour rates were half of those of a main BMW dealer. Anyway, my car has just passed it's MOT with an advisory on the rear discs and pads but tester thought like me immediate replacement was not essential. I have therefore ordered the discs and pads from Lexus Parts Direct who have an offer on them for £184 at present. I think you will have great difficulty in getting a lower price for genuine parts unless you have a trade account. I also ordered the shims as when I replaced the fronts, I found the inner ones had corroded into holes. This was an extra £29 or so. So all I need will be a fine day!

Looking for a bit of advice from somebody who has done this or definitely knows what is involved. I replaced the fronts last year having watched several videos where some suggested just pulling two relays or disconnecting 12v battery and keeping key fob in Faraday cage. Some suggested doing all of these things which I did, although others say it was not all necessary. I did not bleed the brakes and did not use Techstream. I now need to do the rears and again there is some conflicting info on some of the videos. Generally these refer to the 400h and are from outside the UK. I understand that Techstream is needed to change brake fluid and bleed the brakes and I will get Lexus to do this at the next service but I would be grateful if somebody could confirm whether I can do the disc and pad change without Techstream and if there is a prior requirement to disconnect 12v battery and or relays. Lastly, are the pistons in the rear cylinders the wind back ones as fitted to some cars or can they just be compressed like the fronts? Many thanks.

Are you sure you will still get Lexus 'Relax' warranty if Plugs not changed at specified time/mileage? Lexus Cheltenham told me I couldn't pick and choose items to leave out. Consequently, due to age, my plugs were changed at just over 40k miles, much too early!

Interesting comparison of old and new plugs. Did you think to measure the respective gaps? I asked Lexus whether they were able to defer the plug change on my car as they had done less than 50K miles by the set time. Unfortunately, they declined, so were changed prematurely at service. I have had v8s and v6s with plugs aligned front to rear that could be changed in minutes and having the rear bank so involved to get at is a pain. I would assume the 4 cylinder engine that replaced the v6 is easier to work on?

I am sure there are quite a number holding off buying in order not to just see how this car compares with competitors but how the expansion of EVs is affected by charging facilities and whether battery advances mean that existing EVs take a more heavy knock from later battery powered models. I can't see hydrogen powered cars being a challenge for many years due to need for infra structure. I think it would require something better than the RZ to tempt me out of my RX and feel many others would feel the same. Time will tell whether Lexus produce an EV SUV to compete with more up market models from competitors.

Can't remember just where it was but there were pics and detail of a member who modified his seat in a lateish RX because it was uncomfortable but wish you luck finding it on search facility. I have a back problem but have to say the seats on my 3rd generation are the most comfortable I have experienced and I have owned and driven many cars over the years. Out of interest, what were the other reasons you found for dismissing the 4th gen RX and what do you think beats it as a comfortable and reliable SUV?