Barry14UK

It's interesting to imagine what our transport will be like in the future but much may depend on Government carrot and stick approach. Expect self driving vehicles to become common place. For those, (probably the majority), who just want to go from A to B for relatively short journeys, dialing up for a self driving car to take them to their destination(s) might suit. No need to to have your own car, thereby saving on initial cost and depreciation and being off road while parts were awaited, as another automated car would come along. For those wanting to travel further afield, perhaps there might be a larger, more comfortable range that again would most probably be battery powered. When needed the car would take itself to a power point and recharge. Those who still wanted their own cars and particularly those still with petrol/diesel power might have to subsidize the 'hire a car' users. Indeed we are beginning to see some of this happening already in road tax difference, low emission zones etc. I saw a very short film about how hydrogen was being used used on a small scale. It showed it being used to power cars as well as to provide power for heating. This might become b an alternative rival to electric. Interestingly, an airplane powered by Hydrogen was shown on TV today and it was hoped that this would be the forerunner of a small commercial plane. I am sure we are going to see some quite radial changes in the next 20 years and beyond. Many enthusiasts will reminisce about the days when they drove their own petrol/diesel cars.

you would have thought they would have least have cleaned the drivers seat which would have helped considerably.

Going back to what was said earlier in this thread concerning the 'lost' but later found wheel nut key, should you actually lose it, Lexus can remove nut as they have a master key to do so they tell me. Might be worth remembering.

Good Lexus (or should it be Lexi?) seem to go very quickly, I saw one that had extras that don't even come as standard on a Premier - viewed it one evening, slept on it, then next morning when I rang the Lexus dealer it had been sold. Wish I had stumped up the extra £1,500 or so as haven't seen same spec one since. So if a car really ticks all the boxes, you sometimes have to act quickly if you are picky over certain aspects and don't want to keep searching.

I do prefer the smaller grille of the earlier models to the overblown one on the 4th Gen. But beauty in the eyes of the beholder. Best looking SUV I think is the Stelvio. The Quadrifoglio version must be one of the fastest ICE too if you are in a hurry. Question is how they will stand up over time.

Interesting thought but I don't think they would buy that and would argue I did not mention retaining parts in sufficient time.(I was at lunch and failed to request retention). They did provide the parts at cost and were helpful to get car ready so I could drive home. I think this would only serve to sour relations and worn out parts are of no use to me. Furthermore, CRL are not questioning the fact that the struts were worn, they just say this happens some times so an owner needs a warranty, so made no difference whether or not I had the parts on this occasion.

Took delivery of car on 30th October 2018 showing 34,369 miles. It had previously last been serviced by Cheltenham on 10th May 2018 at 31,652 miles and correct intervals before that. Serviced 23rd May 2019 at 37,688 miles. New Cross Climates fitted by Cheltenham at my expense as Dunlops serviceable but stepped and noisy on 27th Sep 2019 (they did match best price I could get elsewhere) at 39,150 miles. Serviced 14th Sep 2020 at 41,202 miles when replacement struts and top mounts fitted. I have done few miles in the car for various reasons, mainly due to isolating. So that the history.

Update. In brief, Lexus Customer Relations declined my request for some 'Goodwill' on the low mileage struts as I don't have an extended covered by extended warranty. They said they thought the discount on replacements offered by Lexus Cheltenham was a fair result. I have replied that I have no complaint against Cheltenham but reiterated that the struts should not have failed so early on a 'quality' car. LCR also said that I had declined an offer to take out an extended warranty but I was told if I did so it would not cover the existing claim, so would not be relevant to current claim. In fact I did not decline taking out the extended warranty but was given 30 days to make a decision on this and I told Cheltenham that I would respond within this time frame one way or the other. I made a couple of further points and have asked LCR to reconsider but I am not optimistic about getting any Goodwill from them. I do like the car but it is concerning that without an extended warranty, I might have to pay out heavily for another premature failure. Furthermore, the warranty is only for two years so it becomes necessary to pay for another in two years time and so on. Another option would be to sell and go for a Kia Sorrento which has a 7 year, 100,000 mile warranty, gives about the same mpg and is very inexpensive to service with reliability close to that of an RX according to some surveys. My daughter has one and I have been on quite a number of comfortable journeys in it. Of course being a diesel it does rattle at low revs, particularly when idling and hers is not as nice inside as the RX, although they have since been considerably upgraded on newer versions. I will update after further response from Lexus and perhaps taking a closer look at some later Kia's, Covid restrictions permitting.

These are indeed important considerations but surely the first thing you need to establish is that the RX is the car and best model for you. As regards speed, they are all good for about 7.6sec 0-60mph from standing start and a top speed in excess of 120mph which is probably enough for people driving this type of vehicle. It is not the sort of car you take round the Nurburgring or demonstrate at Japfest. What may be an important factor for some is the type of automatic gearbox fitted which provides a continuous surge but to those unused to CVT seems like clutch slip with racing engine under moderately hard acceleration. This might be a deal breaker for some. I prefer the more conventional transmission but have become used to RX CVT type box. Brakes are generally pretty good and certainly adequate, although I have experienced better at high speed. The colour choice is not very extensive, black, white, silver and grey being most numerous followed by burgundy. There are a few other colours, particularly with older cars which included blue and a sort of beige but by looking only for one of these you would seriously reduce your choice. MPG for a large, heavy and comfortable car such is the RX hybrid is reasonable and depreciation is probably less than other SUV's in this sort of category.

You don't say what model RX cars you have driven and I would suggest you try at least the Sports and Advance models. The air suspension on the RX Premier can be problematical and the general view is that it is not markedly different in reality to the conventionally metal sprung models. (From reviews I have read on the Audi Q5, having air suspension on that car rather than not makes a considerable improvement by comparison). You are contemplating changing from a relatively small saloon in the A3, not just to say a Q5 but a high riding larger RX hybrid that drives very differently and indeed best requires to be driven differently. The RX is certainly a very comfortable car best driven in a relaxed fashion. Surveys show it is one of the most reliable cars but when major parts are needed these can be expensive. Even some moderately priced parts can work out expensive when you include the cost of fitting, replacing sparking plugs and water pump being prime examples due to the hours of work involved. A car older than 5 years qualifies for Lexus 'Essential Service' which is pretty much the same as a normal service but is called differently as Lexus want to keep your business rather than your taking an older car to a non appointed Lexus garage for service. Most people (including me) find the Sat Nav poor. I fitted a TomTom while others use Google maps etc.

About 12 years ago, in a weak moment I bought a highly advertised product called 'Cataclean', which made all sorts of claims including vastly improved engine efficiency but it made no difference for me. Maybe it is of more benefit where engines have been neglected. (I see it is still being sold with some people on Utube saying it made significant improvements whilst others say it did nothing.) I gave a bottle or two to a friend who owns a garage and he tried it to measure improvements but couldn't find any. However, he advocated a product called 'Forte'. This seems to have since been developed into a machine dispensed procedure, and looks rather more like 'Terraclean'. And no, unless and until an independently validated product is advertised, and I definitely need it, I prefer to spent my hard earned on servicing to a good standard.

Manufacturers have largely come out against the 'pour in' treatments saying that modern oils and regular filter changes mean these should not be necessary but nevertheless although minimized, there will still be some build up of carbon. In fact this has been a problem with some BMW (and other) diesel engines fitted with swirl flaps. These have become so coked up that they have been ingested and caused considerable damage to engines, so much so that aftermarket blanking plugs can be bought to prevent the damage but there is still a build up of coke. The Terraclean treatment seems to be different but whether this works better needs to be established by an independent body following extensive evaluation. With respect, I suggest the subjective views of a very few members who may have tried this treatment will not be conclusive. If independent tests showed it did all that was claimed and manufacturers approved it's use it might be worthwhile considering.

Unfortunately, Lexus Cheltenham tell me that the parts went in the waste bin the same day which was collected and no prospect of receiving but they will support my request to Lexus Customer Services for Goodwill. Apparently, top mounts were needed and charged for as well as the struts which were worn and come as a complete unit. So I now await a response following discussions between Customer Services and Cheltenham. I can confirm the car has not been used off road during my ownership and I doubt the original lady owner did so. I should of course have asked for the parts to be set aside but the call came while we were lunching and I overlooked doing so until it was too late. Go to school on my oversight folks! I will report outcome. I am inclined to opt for the 2 year extended warranty, as it seems to me that although the cars are among the most reliable, some parts can and sometimes do fail earlier than expected and in such circumstances the cost of some are high when the labour element is added.

I am not a caravaner but am aware that some who are fit rear spring helpers of which there are many types. (If you Google you can do some research on this). A quick look at this thread mentioned a similar problem to what you are experiencing and one person who fitted assisters that could be inflated or deflated depending on whether towing. I would want to know my rear springs/shocks were in good order first and to ensure all was properly set up as has been suggested in this thread. However, this is nevertheless a problem for some as evidenced by correspondence of the Caravan Club. https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-together/discussions/information-technical-tips-advice/towcars-towing/mad-progressive-springs-for-sagging-suspension/

The person I dealt with at Cheltenham on this occasion was Matthew Hughes. I found him sympathetic and he did come back with the reduced price. I have since received a video which seems to show the rubber gaiters (outer air bag covers ?) not looking great but not possible to ascertain extent of problem from this. However, I think from the slight knocking previously they are right that the struts needed replacing. Certainly, the noise I heard was no longer there after the replacements had been fitted. My car was sold to the original owner by Lexus Cheltenham, from whom I bought it when it was traded in for a later car. All services have been done by them on behalf of the first owner and myself and I think from this and my previous visits they are competent and fair. I just need them to confirm details to Lexus UK to support a Goodwill claim. I will let you guys know what response I receive. I am sure that regular members of the club are aware of the potential cost and possible need for replacement of air struts on earlier models but this shows the problem may well apply to the 3rd Gen Premier too and even at relatively low mileage. So any new members or guests that are unaware, may find this of interest if considering buying a pre 4th Generation Premier.

Thank you for your thoughts John. I think the MOT garage here in North Devon should have picked this up and had they done so I would have had the opportunity of delaying my holiday and investigating the possibility of converting to conventional coils, taking the car to Lexus Exeter or driving carefully to Lexus Cheltenham if they thought the car did not need replacement struts imminently. I will certainly avoid that garage in the future. I really didn't notice this slight fluttering or slight knocking until I was on my way to a B&B in Cheltenham, the night before the arranged service, perhaps because I was listening to in car entertainment and the road surfaces had previously been more smooth. However, I thought it sensible to mention it when booking the car in. To be fair to Lexus Cheltenham, they did provide me with a loan car for the day and reduced what they might have charged me by some £400. Also, they did obtain and fit the parts immediately, so I was able to continue my journey home the same night. The car not long having been MOT'd, I suppose I could have insisted on driving it away but had I been involved in an accident and it was found that Lexus had deemed it unroadworthy, I could have been in trouble with my insurers. I just think Lexus Cheltenham were obliged to report their findings to me. I did ask the service person if I could have the 2 Struts but by then it was past 6pm and the workshop was closed, so he said he would see if they could be retrieved from the waste parts bin the following day. I will have to chase up on this and see whether they will retain them pending Lexus UK possibly wishing to view them, following the referral I will make to Lexus UK with a view to some goodwill. I now have to decide whether to opt for the 2 year warranty, although nothing might be amiss in that time but can then happen anytime after, so extending the warranty would be an ongoing exercise. Anyway, I will sleep on that one for a few nights. These days I only do about 5K miles a year and in need could use my old 5 series BMW which is less comfortable than the RX but in my case at least, has not proved expensive on parts. Maybe, I have just been lucky with replacement parts for various cars over the years.

Sorry, meant to edit instead of quote - guess this unexpected hit has rather upset me but have to take it on chin. On way home the main road into North Devon was blocked off meaning a mega diversion. I was later told that a motorist had broken down an a lorry driver had stopped to assist but that a second lorry had plowed into the back of the first driver killing the driver of the second lorry. Makes you put things into perspective! Thank you to others who have or might respond, much appreciated.

Thank you John. Just to amplify on my previous post, my car was due an MOT and service in May but as my wife and I had been isolating, the car had only been used about three or 4 times for small distances since March (I was still able to drive it legally as the Government permitted this for a period in effect extending the MOT). I decided I would get the MOT done locally at a nearby non Lexus garage as my nearest Lexus dealer is at Exeter, some 90 minuets drive from my home. I could have left the MOT until after my holiday break in Surrey but felt it would be a good idea to do this before starting quite a long trip to and around Surrey. On my return home from the holiday break, I diverted slightly to Lexus Cheltenham for a prearranged service. They loaned me a car so I could take the opportunity of visiting my sister in Stroud and then collect my serviced Lexus by 6pm on the same day. It was just as I arrived at my sister's property in the loaned car that Lexus Cheltenham told me that the car needed complete bags/structs as all only sold complete and should not be driven as was. They said that with service the cost would be some £2700 but that they could get the parts including new top mounts fitted so I could have this done and collect by 6pm. I said I would think on it over lunch but in the circumstances asked what they could do to reduce the bill. They got back to me to say they would replace the struts at cost and with my Gold Member discount, the all in cost including the essential minor service would not exceed £2,300. It felt like a carrot and a stick because, all our holiday cases, sleeping bags and numerous other stuff was still in the car which we were told should not be driven as was. I therefore told them to go ahead and indeed the car was ready when I returned the small loan car just before 6pm. The extended warranty of just under £1,000 offered would cover replacement of the rear struts if needed (and other guaranteed parts) over the next two years but as a known fault would not cover the front ones. I have been given 30 days to make a decision on this. I did ask whether it was worth me contacting Lexus UK as the parts seem to have failed at very low mileage. I was told that this was up to me but that they doubted I would get any help there. There are different rates of discount on various parts but it seems without individually checking items they have reduced the service cost and overall parts were £1463.43 with labour £431.52 all + VAT making a grand total of £2273.94 for the strut work and minor essential service.

The RX cars are nice as you are aware and also probably as reliable as they come but when they do go wrong they are expensive and involved to repair. My elder daughter and her husband have 4 children and are delighted with their Kia Sorento automatic with Pan roof which has a 7 year 100,000 mile warranty. As a diesel it gives very similar mpg to my RX although acceleration is a big slower. There are more hard plastics than on the RX but the seats are comfortable. Service costs are so much cheaper than Lexus so on budget and needing large SUV worth checking out. Like me with the Lexus, she and her husband prefer after market TomTom as sat nav. I did several journeys in it last week and although not as premium as a Lexus it's a lot cheaper to buy and run with good reliability and comfort.

My 3rd Gen RX450h passed it's MOT test here in Devon on 3rd September without any advisories, so I felt confident to visit my daughter in Surrey and after a few days stop at Lexus Cheltenham en route home for a minor service on 14th September. That was about 550 miles after the MOT and with the mileage at 41,202 miles. I mentioned to Lexus Cheltenham that I felt there was a slight fluttering of the suspension which I could hear as well as sense so asked if all was as well as it should be. I had just arrived at Stroud in a new loan car I had been provided with and was about to collect my sister and her husband for lunch when I had mobile call advising me that one of the front struts needed replacement and the other was almost as bad so both needed to be replaced. I was told that the car should not be driven without these struts being replaced - just what I needed to put the dampeners on my lunch! I expressed my surprise and disappointment that this should happen on a top spec Premier with only 41K miles, particularly as the car had been well cared for and serviced by them for the from new previous lady owner. I had also taken care of it , especially over speed humps and the car had continued to be serviced by them. I mentioned this was a known problem with air struts on earlier generations but believed 41K miles would be early replacement even for them. I was told that replacing with coil overs would detract from the superior ride being provided by the air suspension of the 'Premier' model and that a car so modified would become less valuable. I was told that the rears were OK (at present) but that I could get a 2 year extended warranty which would include replacing these for just shy of £1,000. In the circumstances, I was told the struts were provided at cost and I got various rates of discount on different things being a 'Gold Member' (and probably sympathy!) which they reckon saved me just over £400. The all in cost including the minor service was £2273.94. I think Cheltenham have been fair with me but feel one should not have to pay for new air struts at this sort of mileage. Maybe this is why they were dropped for the 4th Gen cars. Since the new struts were fitted, I noticed on the drive home that the car seems to pitch more from front to rear as evidenced by the the head lights tending to cover shorter and longer distances. I really wished I had sampled an RX with normal coil springs before going for the Premier model and suggest anybody else looking for an RX does this. It's just that I have always bought the top model of previous cars although these have always been a few years old.

"or go with SE-L and risk Air" You might be interested in a post I will be making later today having first got a bit of shut eye and got details to hand about my very expensive visit to Lexus Cheltenham yesterday!

Just a thought that may be of interest. When I bought my car it had to have HUD and indeed I found this very good from the point of view of being able to check speed with the slighted lowering of my focus. However, I found the Lexus sat nav very poor so I fitted a 6 inch TomTom slightly to to right and above the steering wheel and this shows actual speed limit next to the speed you are doing and only requires a slight momentary glance to the right as it's in peripheral view. I still use the HUD as as a speed check but have to say it would not have been such a 'must have' had I realized the TomTom would serve almost as well for checking speed and far better as a sat nav.

If nobody can answer your question, you may be able to get an answer from Lexus if you give them your VIN number. This is what I did with a BMW dealer for one of their cars and I received the full spec so similar approach may work with Lexus.

Hope insurers look at it this way Herbie, for the benefit of those that have done modifications. Some are more flexible than others and Insurers sometimes hedge their risk and refer to underwriters for their opinion, particularly when a car is modified. Setting aside adding value, they are particularly concerned that changes to brakes, suspension and engine performance may be used to enable a car to be used to drive the car harder or in competition. (The latter would of course be extremely unlikely with an RX). Another insurer told me that changing the grill in front of my radiator would have to be reported because it increased the air flow and power to the engine. I had to point out that the air supply for combustion came from under the side of the front wing in that particular car, where it was fed directly into the standard unmodified air cleaner box, so nothing to do with air passing through the aforementioned grill. The reason I asked about insurers reaction, was because my car has air suspension and it is likely that I might change to springs eventually.

Whether it it makes little or no difference is not the point, as what is material are the terms and conditions you agree to and upon which a policy is issued. My policy is with Ageas, a leading insurer. I quote from what they say in their document. "Vehicle changed in any way from the manufacturer's standard specification? This would include changes to the bodywork (such as spoilers or body kits), changes to suspension or brakes, cosmetic changes (such as alloy wheels or paint), changes affecting performance......all changes made from the manufacturer's standard specification must be disclosed......) Such requirements are typical of many Insurers. Another policy I had was with LV on my BMW. I had to report the fact that I had fitted the small boot spoiler and the front bumper from the sport version of my E39 to my standard car. BMW give identical speed for both so really more cosmetic. I also reported I had fitted the later wheels from an E60 but keeping the standard tyres. I was immediately charged an increase in premium. Had I not told them and the car had been in an accident, they could have wriggled out of a claim or reduced the amount paid out. It's always worth checking your policy as some Insurers will not even provide standard cover if alterations are contemplated to suspension or performance enhancing.