Barry14UK

Now there's a thought! In the event of an accident Insurers often insist on new parts being fitted (pattern parts if they can get away with it but still much more expensive than buying parts from breakers). This results in the very high cost of replacement parts and of fitting them so many good cars are written written off or repaired at great cost. The cost of all this is reflected in the high insurance premiums we have to pay, so we pay again for sophistication. As regards the cost of a new headlamp for an RX, this was mentioned in this thread :- I did a search to find what was involved in replacing a headlamp and after extensive searching found a helpful video but failed to bookmark. It looked more involved than I expected. Unfortunately, I double posted this thread so have asked the Moderators if they would consolidate into one.

Yes the Sunbeam Rapier would have shared quite a bit of the Septre (range) components althogh it was a 2 door and was different in certain respects and I believe it had twin carbs and a bit more power. The Sunbeam Alpine was completely different being a 2 door sports car built to compete with MGA and perhaps MGB more so. Interestingly they installed a V8 in a few of them which I believe was a Ford unit and it was called a Sunbeam Tiger if memory serves me correctly. Must have been an innovation at the time. MG fitted a 3L straight 6 to some of the MGB's and the rivalry continued. I guess manufacturers have to think up ways to entice drivers to buy new cars and things become 'must haves' in subsequent models. Some of these things work their way downwards through the ranges and of course any significant improvements by one manufacturer have to be more or less adopted by other manufacturers. Another downside is that it only needs a few key parts to be damaged in an accident to cause a car to be written off due to complexity and cost nowadays. Unfortunately, I somehow double posted this thread and I wonder if the Moderators could consolidate the two into one.please?

I was reading the thread which mentioned the need to change a complete headlamp in the event of a bulb failure and the very high cost of doing so and also having looked into it the amount of work necessary to make the change. Furthermore, if we go back to cars of a few decades ago a failed headlamp bulb was something most people could readily do, even where it involved changing a sealed beam unit. Of course headlights have improved considerably over the years and this is most welcome and they have also become more stylish but all at considerable cost. This is true of other manufacturers too but I do question whether more uniformity and better standardization as well as easier installation/replacement and being able to just replace a bulb could be achieved if there was the wish to do so. But altering the shape of headlights and grilles is a relatively easy way for manufacturers to carry out a 'Face Lift', help sales until a much changed new model is marketed. Headlights are of course only one item and one can think of many things that have changed which have been of great benefit, improvement in braking systems, and to suspension systems, power steering, safety features of various kinds and to engine efficiency and management and transmission systems being the main ones. Also, air conditioning has become pretty standard along with ever more sophisticated infotainment systems. So if you want all this you have to expect to pay for it but why should parts that are essentially the same be so much more expensive now even allowing for currency depreciation and devaluation? It is understood that there are more components to house under the bonnet such as aircon compressor fan and radiator, ABS unit, power steering reservoir and pump although this can partially be offset by relocating the battery in the boot. Notwithstanding this, when it comes to replaceing a component, so many other parts frequently have to be removed to facilitate this. It is almost as if the car is designed to provide extra time for mechanics to do this. (I appreciate additional space is required to accommodate the hybrid system but the same applies to the non hybrid system when it comes to changing the rear plugs of the rear bank for instance.) Then there is extraordinary time and cost involved in replacing a water pump as discussed on another thread. I contrasted this with my experience on a MK2 Humber Septre I had about 46 years ago. We were about to go away on holiday and I had done all my checks the previous day. I started the car and noticed a small amount of water on the drive as a few last minute things were loaded. A slight trickle was coming from the water pump. Luckily Grimes at Coulsdon who stocked Humber parts were only about 15 minutes walk from where I lived at the time and I purchased a new pump and fitted it and was ready to go within the hour. I also got a allowance for my old pump in due course. My car lacked power steering, air con and electric windows and just had a radio. It was an automatic with solid rear axle and leaf springs. I replaced the standard carb with a Webber and it would cruise comfortably at an indicated 85mph, probably a genuine 80mph. (It had disk brakes up front). Apart from normal maintenance the only other thing I replaced was a noisy universal joint on the prop shaft. How simple it was in those days! My car was in a fairly dark metallic green. My father had the same model in maroon. It was an attractive car in it's day and still better looking than some even today. Here is a red example of the model when cars were so much easier to work on. It shows various aspects. Almost every car I have had since has become progressively more complicated and difficult to work on and require more tools. http://mrdarcysclassics.com/car-classified/preview.php?controller=pjListings&action=pjActionView&id=39

I was reading the thread which mentioned the need to change a complete headlamp in the event of a bulb failure and the very high cost of doing so and also having looked into it the amount of work necessary to make the change. Furthermore, if we go back to cars of a few decades ago a failed headlamp bulb was something most people could readily do, even where it involved changing a sealed beam unit. Of course headlights have improved considerably over the years and this is most welcome and they have also become more stylish but all at considerable cost. This is true of other manufacturers too but I do question whether more uniformity and better standardization as well as easier installation/replacement and being able to just replace a bulb could be achieved if there was the wish to do so. But altering the shape of headlights and grilles is a relatively easy way for manufacturers to carry out a 'Face Lift', help sales until a much changed new model is marketed. Headlights are of course only one item and one can think of many things that have changed which have been of great benefit, improvement in braking systems, and to suspension systems, power steering, safety features of various kinds and to engine efficiency and management and transmission systems being the main ones. Also, air conditioning has become pretty standard along with ever more sophisticated infotainment systems. So if you want all this you have to expect to pay for it but why should parts that are essentially the same be so much more expensive now even allowing for currency depreciation and devaluation? It is understood that there are more components to house under the bonnet such as aircon compressor fan and radiator, ABS unit, power steering reservoir and pump although this can partially be offset by relocating the battery in the boot. Notwithstanding this, when it comes to replaceing a component, so many other parts frequently have to be removed to facilitate this. It is almost as if the car is designed to provide extra time for mechanics to do this. (I appreciate additional space is required to accommodate the hybrid system but the same applies to the non hybrid system when it comes to changing the rear plugs of the rear bank for instance.) Then there is extraordinary time and cost involved in replacing a water pump as discussed on another thread. I contrasted this with my experience on a MK2 Humber Septre I had about 46 years ago. We were about to go away on holiday and I had done all my checks the previous day. I started the car and noticed a small amount of water on the drive as a few last minute things were loaded. A slight trickle was coming from the water pump. Luckily Grimes at Coulsdon who stocked Humber parts were only about 15 minutes walk from where I lived at the time and I purchased a new pump and fitted it and was ready to go within the hour. I also got an allowance from Grimes on my old pump in due course. My car lacked power steering, air con and electric windows and just had a radio. It was an automatic with solid rear axle and leaf springs. I replaced the standard carb with a Webber and it would cruise comfortably at an indicated 85mph, probably a genuine 80mph, Top speed was about 96mph but I never had it flat out. (It had disk brakes up front). Apart from normal maintenance the only other thing I replaced was a noisy universal joint on the prop shaft. How simple it was in those days! My car was in a fairly dark metallic green. My father had the same model in maroon. It was an attractive car in it's day and still better looking than some even today. Here is a red example of the model from an era when cars were so much easier to work on. It shows various aspects if you click on main pic. Almost every car I have had since has become progressively more complicated and difficult to work on and require more tools. http://mrdarcysclassics.com/car-classified/preview.php?controller=pjListings&action=pjActionView&id=39

The subject of a Faraday cage has come up before. The cheap pouches may work for awhile and better ones for a lot longer. However, though expensive, the German made but with Italian sounding name Vonetti , is a precision made aluminium box to take most keys of most makes. I added just a small amount of foam to the upper and lower part to stop rattling. It should last almost indefinitely and certainly is very effective in blocking the signal. I bought mine through Amazon and have not checked if it is cheaper there now but this shows it well on ebay :-https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/293353184689 The corners are slightly rounded and the finish is smooth near matt black on this quality made product. Clearly it is a little bulky and takes only the one Lexus key/holderremote. NB I am just a satisfied customer and have no connection to the manufacturer or sellers.

As regards roof rails - From previous thread on same subject:- Posted September 16 Somebody on the forum mentioned that he got a heavily discounted pair from Lexus Birmingham in June. When I finally got though to them on the 3rd occasion in July and a week apart, having been told they would ring me back but didn't, they said the offer had ended and the rails were at a much higher price, I contacted 'Lexus Direct' (who sometimes put in an appearance on this forum) and they agreed to post a pair to me for the inclusive price of £300. and it hopefully stil on their website This is quite a bit cheaper than the normal price. (Lexus Exeter have them on ebay for circa £350 pounds for example. If you do get a pair, here are a couple of tips. The instructions are all in symbol form and these suggest you bin certain parts you have to remove but I suggest you retain these. If the next purchaser of your car does not wish to have these rails, you can then easily remove them and reinstate the original bits you removed, as so many people want these rails.you will find a buyer. Another tip is to fit the undersides of the plastic - yes plastic, (cheap skates) end covers before offering up to fix, as trying to spring these in after bolts could stress the plastic. The tops then snap into place

I agree, adding weight to the exhaust system is likely to cause unwanted effects. The answer has to be a way of encapsulating the cats allowing some tolerance for movement so the exhaust system does not come into contact with more than present fixings. Whilst alterations to the floor pan could be made to enable this on new cars, it would be much more difficult to do this on existing cars

See also https://bestreviews.co.uk/headlight-restoration-kits/

Meguires do a kit (which I believe Halfords do - discount for Gold members?) Here is link to video and there is also a lot about this if you Google Meguires Headlamp restoration kit.

Another reason why owners may turn to all electric cars as new models come on the markets and charging stations increase. Think I may consider doing this in 3-4 years time as more used electric SUV's become available. Also as most of my journeys are short, I can use more of my own pv solar produced electricity.

The discolouration happens on the lights of all cars with the plastic type lens rather than glass, particularly in parts of the USA where cars are subjected to strong sun this happens sooner. I had to polish up the headlights on a 2001 BMW. A special transparent film is applied at the time of manufacture so try to avoid going through this. If you do, you can still get a reasonable job but it won't last so long before needing to be done again. Some people were subsequently spraying aftermarket films themselves or paying for it to be done. In the USA the problem is so great that there are a lot of people doing this and some go from one dealer to another performing the service.

I don't know if Lexus make their own headlights but should be able to answer any questions about defective parts and replacements. My BMW xenons were made by Hella who also do the halogen ones. Hella used some type of plastic connector on the part that alters the elevation. These connectors break after a few years and BMW expect you to replace the whole headlamp. Some guys found that they could melt the glue that attaches the outside acrylic like material to the headlamp body and replace the broken connectors with aftermarket ones. However Hella/BMW must have got wise to this because they subsequently changed the glue to a kind that could not be melted without damaging the headlamp. So agree, manufacturers want to maximize return on replacement parts.

Been there a couple of times with other car clubs and enjoyed the day including the off road circuit which I trust is still available. Will attend if other commitments allow.

Didn't like the Dunlops my RX came with and very pleased with Crossclimates fitted this year, including sound level.

I have not had head up display on any vehicle before but like this option very much so would always want this on any further vehicle if an option. I set the display just above the bottom of the screen and do not find it disconcerting. I find I can't see it with my normal sun glasses on which are the darkest permitted for drivers according to my Optician, so I have had to get some that are not quite so dark. There are after market HUD units which are placed on the dash and project onto the screen but I can't say how good these are or how suitable for the RX. I just use my HUD for speed awareness but if you use the Lexus SatNav this is also shown on the screen but I much prefer my TomTom. The LED's are very good on the RX but I am led to believe you have to replace the complete headlamp at considerable cost in the event of failure.. Don't know if you can just replace the bulb on the Xenons so an aspect you might check on. I would say the LED's on my RX are marginally better than the Xenons on my BMW which do have replaceable bulbs but you need somebody with experience of both types on RX models. (It's not just a matter of brightness but pattern and coverage). As regards MPG, this has been extensively covered in a thread within the last 14 months. In, short there are many factors that affect MPG,one of the biggest being the duration of normal driving and how much of this is on motorways and in town. Best I have seen is 37 on a long easy run in summer. Used only for a round trip of 3 miles to supermarket in winter it shows about 19.7 which soon improves on longer journeys. If you do 10,000 mpa I would say an overall average figure of about 30mpg would not be far out for most people. Certainly worth carefully checking alloys where some report probs. Mine are fine on my 2015 3rd Gen RX.

I note it is on passenger's side (assuming car is RHD). Think I will stick with my bottle!

I said on another thread that although I found the brakes on my RX 450h quite satisfactory around town, that at motorway speed they did not perform quite so well as on some cars I have driven, my BMW for instance. I believe this is largely due to the heavy weight of the RX and because the lighter BMW has a top speed of 150mph (if not a realistic one on our roads) is therefore fitted with slightly larger discs/pad combination that are more commensurate with stopping from higher speeds. Some people track day BMW's and other performance cars but I don't think many (if anybody) would track day an RX so super high speed braking not a requirement.

At one time there was a cream in a tube one could buy that claimed to help stop misting on spectacles and could also be used on the inside of windscreens, although would probably be expensive for use on the latter. Then there were other suggestions like cutting a potato and rubbing it over the screen - never tried that one! The mist is caused by breath and increased when carrying passengers and is only a problem for initial 5 mins or so. Carpets and interior not damp so I don't think that is a problem. Micro fiber cloth helps. I have a telescopic rod an d may check whether the micro cloth attached to this will enable me to reach the passenger's side of the screen if after optimizing system problem persists. I take the point about having a clean screen to reduce surface area for the mist to take hold. I am also a believer in leaving the air con on always even if the does slightly reduce mpg.

Thank's for your thoughts. I will check I have everything set up correctly before doing anything drastic. I'm not a snowflake but driving with front windows open for first 10 mins I might get covered in them.

Original purchasers have the advantage of choice in respect of colour and trim so we purchasers of used cars are more limited as to what is available when we need it and for some like Olliesgrandard, colour becomes of secondary importance. Then there is fashion and white has become very fashionable in the last few years and there are also more grey cars now (though not my cuppa) Another thing is that some colours suit certain models more than others but of course attractiveness is in the eye of the beholder. Not aware whether it is true of the RX but remember reading an article about car colour which said certain colours were not very popular so more difficult to sell so sold for less while very popular colours were easier to sell and could command a premium.

Hi, On my previous cars which have been non hybrid, I have been able to dispel the early mist which forms inside the front screen by a combination of directing heat and using air con while car idles. (I know this is now probably regarded as non PC but it did the job and was in any case recommended on some cars of yesteryear, being almost mandatory on some Italian ones). Indeed on my Fiat 130, there was even a lever to hold the throttle speed higher beside another for operating the choke which enabled the oil to warm and circulate and the screen to clear. However, I find it takes sometime for the screen to clear on my RX and I notice some slight abrasions possibly left by a ringed finger of the original owner. It is also a long way to reach over to wipe the passenger's side a couple or so times. I have been considering fitting a small flat electrically heater fan on the dash. Also, I find it takes quite a time for the exterior mirrors to clear after an initial wipe. I would be interested in how others like me who can't garage their car find this and deal with it.

Not all the colours on the RX 450h have been offered for every year so you might prefer a colour from an earlier model or one only available on a model later than yours. My choice as being most consistently offered would be silver. Not only do I like silver very much as a colour but it arguably shows dirt less than others and absorbs less heat from sun than darker shades. Furthermore, silver can be more visible to other motorists than others. (Had a large dark blue car once and was hit by somebody who claimed not to have seen me, so prejudiced). Having said that, I like the red on the 4th Generation very much (not seen on the 3rd Gen I wanted). So it will be between silver and red if I update to the 4th Gen in due course depending what available used at the time along with interior option.

Mike, that USA jobbie looked interesting. The potential warranty issue aside, I would have thought electrical specialists in the UK could sort out the electrics. However, it's fitted to a left hand drive vehicle, so before anybody buys one it would be prudent to establish there are no differences that would pose problems in fitting to a right hand drive car.

John, Sensible use of a horn is something most of us try do I am sure, as well as anticipate potential hazards. Also, there are times when it is illegal to use a horn as you will be aware. Furthermore, drivers of hybrid vehicles will know that at times they proceed in a silent way and will be inaudible to pedestrians and to road users. So with respect, your suggestions do not adequately address the vulnerability of oblivious pedestrians and how they can be made more aware. This is seen as a problem sometimes beyond the control of drivers, so the obvious answer is some sort of sound being emitted by silent vehicles, although you make no mention of this. In fact there are already requirements for lorries backing up to have bleepers and they are also used on fork lift trucks for example. In view of this, I think it was perfectly reasonable and pertinent to add the final sentence to my previous post to which you seem to have taken exception. Now found this - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48815968

I take it you have checked all respective connectors are not corroded and are making good contact, also that battery is holding it's charge. What happens when headlights are turned on, do these die quickly?