johnc201

I bet you could come up with way to integrate the SBS-1 and get the radar on the satnav screen :winky: [Apolgies to those who have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about!]

Just had 20k service at Lexus Stockport - £450 (after discount) including new front brake pads. Front pads were 90% worn, rear only 20% ?! :duh: Also informed that there was a recall for the brake light switch, which they had done, and I was given a bottle of champagne for my "co-operation and understanding". And for good measure, they filled up my tank! Thanks, and well done Lexus Stockport :D

I saved over £600, yes six hundred pounds, by moving from MoreThan to Lexus Insurance (which is administered, but not uderwritten, by MoreThan's parent RoyalSunalliance!

My RX300 has a kick-down feature, although the throttle resistance at the kick down point is not all that marked. In fact, the kick-down is one of the contributors to the lurch. Depressing the accelerator through the kick-down (in a low speed high gear situation) can produce a double downshift (the first caused by the demand before kick-down and the second demanded by the kick-down). This was also a "feature" of the Tiptronic gearbox in the Audi Allroad I had before the Lexus, in a couple of overtaking situations I managed to get the gearbox to downshift to the point where the engine could not cope with the road speed and gear requested, and it simply stalled! Not funny when you're overtaking on the wrong side of the road. Back to the RX. I acquired mine in February, and experienced the lurching and delayed response on a few occasions. I have since done just under 10k miles, nearly all driven by me (the wife gets a go if I'm in a really good mood and she has been very good!). In that time the problems have totally disappeared. So, has the gearbox adpated to my driving style, or have I adapted to the gearbox? As a result of reading this thread I have been consciously monitoring my driving habits to try and find out. I find that I am being less aggressive with the throttle pedal, depressing it somoothly, and pausing when I feel a downshift beofe deciding whether I need any any more throttle - and I don't go past the kick-down point unless I really need to! Do I have problem with this? No. Like every other car I have owned in the last 30 odd years, I have modified my driving style in order to get out of the car what I want to get out of it. Its not something that has happened consciously, or with great effort, but, driving the car verey day, it just happens. Like, I suspect, the vast majority of RX300 owners I think its a great car. It does what I want it to do supremely well, with high quality, and in great comfort. If it doesn't do that for you then: a you got a lemon or b the car just dosen't suit you If you have had more than one and you're still not happy then "b" probably applies. In which case do a reasonable deal with Lexus to hand it back and get your money back, go buy an X5, and be happy. But please, stop trying to paint a great car as bring intrinsically flawed - it aint!. IMHO Cheers, John

Like the look of these! Please let us know how you get on. Cheers, John

Thought about the Murano before buying my SE. Quickly discounted it though as it has an absurdly low (for a 4x4) towing weight limit.

[.............but the oil is going to run out in 15years ................] Didn't somebody say that in about 1960?

Ah, yes, but will the electric only reverse (or "back-up" as the Japanese so quaintly put it) have the torque, and grip, to push my caravan uphill on a grassy wet slope???

I am now sitting happily in my van in a farmer's field not far from the West Wales coast, admiring my slightly muddy RX300SE through the window, having now completed 196 miles with 1400kg of caravan on the back. So far the RX has proved to be a superb tow car, very smooth and stable, despite some strong winds, and with plenty of power to keep up with the traffic. I miss the low down torque of a diesel, (my perfect vehicle would be an RX300 with Audi's superb 3.0TDi engine) but that's easily compensated for with a slightly heavier right foot. Reversed the caravan uphill on wet grass with no problem at all. Towing MPG averages 15.7, on a mixture of motorway (cruise control set at 70,GPS indicating 65), dual carriageway, and rural roads. (I get 21 - 22 solo). Cheers, John

Lexus Stockport tell me that there is a stick on kit, I need to take the car in a couple of days before the trip and they will do it for me. So ...there you go! John

If you can wait that long, ask me again after Easter, when I get back from Wales on my first trip in the RX ('02 SE) with the van on the back! Cheers, John

Thanks, I guess they're not needed, but I'll check with the dealer. Cheers, John

Sami, Did you need to adjust your headlight beams for driving in France? On every other car I've had, you needed to stick a beam deflector to the lens cover, or flick a lever to activate built-in beam deflector, to block out the left hand end of the dipped beam which oints upwards to pick out signs, pedestrans etc. On the RX, the dipped beam looks to be flat-topped all the way across, there is no in built-in deleflector, and there are no markings on the headlamp glass to aid the application of a stick-on deflector. Anybody know the answer? Thanks, John.

Thanks. Audi was a 2.5TDi Tiptronic. Best MPG I got was 27, but I did hear of others who did better - my heavy right foot again (tubro doesn't help either!) Cheers, John

No, I'm having a fixed bar fitted. Problem is that, on the RX they have to cut the bumper to fit any tow bar, so even if you have a detachable you will still be able to see the mounting point. It can never be totally invisible. Don't be decieved by the price on the web page you quoted, that is just for the detachable bit. As you rightly said, there is a big chunky bar, about four feet long, running behind the bumper. On balance I've decided I might as well have the tow ball showing all the time, but that's a matter of personal choice, like they say, you pays your money and you takes your choice! Cheers, John.

I am having a fairly ugly, but cheap, Witter bar fitted for £295. my main worry about the US bar would not be whether it fitted or not, but whther it was legal. There are quite strict EU rules around towing and towbars, and its illegal to use one that isn't "E" approved - could give rise to all sorts of problems if have an accident (warranty, insurance etc.). Sorry to be a wet blanket, but I wouldn't risk it myself. Cheers, John

Hi guys, another lurker coming out here! Took delivery of a June '04 SE with 9k on the clock a couple of weeks ago, trading an Audi Allroad that had given 50k of service without missing a beat. Lexus dealer is in the same group (and just across the road from) the Audi dealer, very happy with the trade-in. Comments on this, and a few other, threads: I have the dashboard creak, sounds like its coming from the passenger side air vent, only when cold - goes away quickly as the car warms up. Suspension is harder than the "air-sprung" Audi, but its not that bad that I won't get used to it. MPG currently about 22.5 on a mixed motroway (including queueing), rural and urban road commute. Not had a prolonged m'way run yet (32 soubds very optimistic, but then my right foot is quite heavy!). Can't wait to get the caravan on the back! No issues with the Audi dealer, first class service at all times. Wife has a Reanault Megane cabriolet (she'd love a TT, but I spent the wedge on the RX!) No stone chips - yet! (Had a puncture on day 2, working out the spare wheel storage, in the dark, not yet having read the handbook, was fun!) Oh, and the RX is Aleutian Grey with Pembroke leather.:heart: Cheers, (oh no not another) John