RX400h potential purchase.

[Tom24]

My wife is after a new car this month and one of the options is an RX400h.

Seen a few 2008/2009 models with under 70k miles and full service history that are in our budget. 

What should I be looking for when viewing? Any particular problems that these have had or work that should of been carried out at this age/mileage?

Thanks in advance. 

[Spacewagon52]

Hybrid Battery check from Lexus?

[Tom24]

Should they have these every year when serviced? Viewed a GS450h last weekend and he had certificates from Lexus for the hybrid Battery checks. 

[Farqui]

Yes, the Hybrid health check is included as part of regular Lexus servicing but can be requested separately for around £70 if you service elsewhere.

The Hybrid system can be warrantied annually up to 10 years.

[dergal]

Got to say I love mine, had it about 6m and it has been excellent throughout! It drinks petrol when compared to some others, but no other issues..... 

Sorry I can't help with what to check. 

[Hitby]

I've had mine for 8 months, bought with 67k and going in for another service next week at 77k. It's an 08 SE-L and despite it's fuel economy - I'm getting about 27mpg at the moment - it is the best car I've ever owned. 

It had a full Lexus history so I'm keeping that up (£31 a month for the service plan) and other than a sensor that popped (which the dealer I bought it from replaced) it's had nothing wrong with it at all. I can't think of an option I'd like that it doesn't have (other than maybe apple CarPlay). 

I'd definitely recommend one.

[chesterman]

You are looking at cars almost 10 years old and need to bear this in mind when carrying out all the usual checks & inspections.   Plenty of advice already recorded on this forum for potential owners which you should research, including rear brake calliper corrosion/sticking, water ingress at the rear & inverter recall if applicable.   The cars are not faultless and repairs, even outside the dealer network, are expensive.  ( As they are on any premium car.   You will be paying sub £10K for a car which originally cost £40K !)   All of that said, they are probably the most reliable vehicle in this class and a joy to drive.   Having now owned mine for 12 months I have absolutely no regrets or wish to try anything else.   Hope this helps to inform.

[Tom24]

Thanks for all the info. Trying to find one with the right spec, she wants black with cream leather, and could do with the rear tv's too with a 7yr old and a 1 year old to keep occupied. 

Good selection on autotrader but most are miles away.

[rayaans]

Things to look for-

Sunroof models - damp smell or floor. Check under mats and all electrics. The drop lines can get clogged and leak

Rear brake calipers can stick

Hybrid health checks and services 10k/1 year from last service

Tyres for any abnormal wear. Thet tend to do this on the front. Likewise check for alignment issues when driving

[sorcerer]

16 hours ago, Tom24 said:

Good selection on autotrader but most are miles away.

Sometimes you have to travel to get the best. We got our RX300 from an independent dealer 200 miles away and even then we could have found a better example if time was on our side but it wasn't. Our previous car had become very unreliable and every morning was a guessing game as to whether it would get us to work or not so we needed to change quickly and we got the best we could find at that moment in time.

[DanD]

If you want the rear screens, you will need to find a SE-L model.

Otherwise, since you are looking for a 2008-2009 car, I would recommend you look for the "Executive Limited Edition": it will have a badge saying so under the RX400h badge at the back. This was the outgoing limited edition, with all the toys, including the splendid Mark Levinson audio system. However the only extra missing from this model was the rear entertainment system.

Having said this, you may want to think carefully about buying a car with a 8/9 year old rear entertainment system. You will need to check that the DVD player is working properly, that the remote control is not missing and also that the headphones are in working order. And clean! It may make more sense to buy some after market players with attachments. The other advantage of separate players is that both your kids would be able to view different DVDs. With the Lexus system they would have to watch the same one.

[Hitby]

Hi DanD, 

The Lexus entertainment in my car has a DVD player in each screen along with an aux in and an SD port (in each one). I'm pretty sure it's factory standard although I don't know if it was an extra option.

You can watch a separate film on each one or pipe the same film from either one to the other. The headphones have a switch to decide which audio to listen to, left or right screen.

 

Hope this helps, 

Edited March 7, 2017 by Hitby
More info.

[Assa1974]

Those don't look like the standard rear screens. The standard ones are in the headrests of the seats with the DVD player under the driver's seat. These look like (better) after market players. IIRC the rear entertainment system was never a factory fitted extra, it was installed by a 3rd party when the cars arrived in the UK. I viewed a lot when searching for my car and the quality of the installation was variable.

Personally I avoided the cars with rear screens (I was looking at the same age of cars) because the quality of the screens compared with today's tech is poor, most had some sort of issues and they generally went hand-in-hand with less-than-prestine interiors in the rear. Portable DVD players are cheap anyway. 

 

[Hitby]

Thanks, you've encouraged me to give it a quick google 

http://www.carpages.co.uk/lexus/lexus-rx-ice-27-02-08.asp

Apparently these were the standard items fitted to SE-L versions of the 350 and 400h from about Feb 2008. They were also a £2,200 option on other models in the range. Either way, they're worth looking for as the quality is great.