New RX 400h owner saying hello!

[rich1068]

Important RX 400h related news.

It seems as if the family bus replacement will not be here before we go on our jollies to Cornwall. The XC90 went back last month and a shiny new S-Max was supposed to replace it but delays on delays. I seriously doubt it's going to turn up at the dealers, be PDI'd, registered and taxed before close of play Thursday.

So it is with a heavy heart () that we must go away in the RX. All three children in a row and squabbling for 300 miles but we're going in the Lexus 👍👍👍 I've even offered to do mix cassettes for everyone while feigning ignorance of that Spotify or whatever it's called.

Don't tell Freda that I'm secretly very pleased about this. Hell, I'd take us all away in the IS if she'd let me.

[rich1068]

It's confirmed. The S-Max is still in Antwerp.

Road trip!

[sorcerer]

12 hours ago, rich1068 said:

I've even offered to do mix cassettes for everyone while feigning ignorance of that Spotify or whatever it's called.

Even better is to do six mix CDs and then play on Random so you really never know what's coming up next.

[foxy-stoat]

57 minutes ago, sorcerer said:

Even better is to do six mix CDs and then play on Random so you really never know what's coming up next.

May the force be with you and the Error Code 4 never appear (unlike mine!)

[rich1068]

1 hour ago, sorcerer said:

Even better is to do six mix CDs and then play on Random so you really never know what's coming up next.

 

32 minutes ago, foxy-stoat said:

May the force be with you and the Error Code 4 never appear (unlike mine!)

CDs you say? Not sure if they're a bit of a fad tbh.

[Silversalmon]

2 hours ago, sorcerer said:

Even better is to do six mix CDs and then play on Random so you really never know what's coming up next.

All very well Sorcerer, until you try that trick with a Sherlock Holmes audio book........

[ChrisM]

On ‎7‎/‎25‎/‎2018 at 11:52 AM, sorcerer said:

Even better is to do six mix CDs and then play on Random so you really never know what's coming up next.

They'll get copied to the hard disk in the 450H, not sure if that has a Random function. 

[rich1068]

Got back the in the early hours of the morning. 850 miles in total and the 12 year old RX never missed a beat 

[rich1068]

It turns out the service is due on my RX. I thought it was Feb/March but it appears that's just when the MOT is due. Anyhoo, had an interesting chat with Lexus Sheffield about the Essential Care services that Lexus offer. I hadn't paid that much attention up to now as this car hasn't had one up to now and the IS has just had the first I've had to pay for. I didn't realise that Essential Care (clue's in the name) is actually a reduced service for older vehicles rather than a reduced rate or charge for older vehicles. Without giving it too much thought I'd equated it to eg Sytner's older BMW service which I believe is a reduced hourly rate for older Bimmers. 

Upshot is that I'm going for the regular Lexus service rather than Essential Care. Regular is £278 and EC is £235. Apply the LOC discount to the regular service and it comes down to the EC price anyway. Interestingly they don't/won't apply the discount to EC products. And I need to double check but I think the regular service includes the Hybrid Health Check too. 

Cue everyone commenting on using a main dealer on a 12 year old car... 

[Spacewagon52]

On 6/4/2018 at 7:37 PM, rich1068 said:

Phew! Not just me then? It was actually my 10yo that pointed it out. Pretty much the first time he got in it!

One of those odd Lexus quirks maybe? Like the trip reset/display thing halfway down the dash and hidden by the steering wheel. Or the Open and Close buttons for the centre cubby. Or the dual control climate indicator that's lit when it's off and off when it's on. On my IS I always liked the button next to the clock that rounded up the time to the nearest hour. Why on earth would you ever want to do that? lol 

These thoroughly engineered quirks are one of the reasons I like these cars. Sod teutonic efficiency. It's boring. And usually not that efficient.

:edit:

As if by magic!

 

 

Wow! What a great tip! I have struggled for ages on this at times. Many thanks!

[rich1068]

On 8/10/2018 at 8:43 AM, rich1068 said:

It turns out the service is due on my RX....

Finally got around to booking with Lexus Sheffield. The previous owner should have had an Intermediate or Minor Essential Service carried out in February '17. Instead they left it until September '17 and had an Essential Major Service carried out. So strictly speaking I can get away with an Intermediate or Essential Minor Service. As they'll apply the LOC discount to the Intermediate and it also includes the Hybrid Health Check it makes sense to go with that rather than Essential. Still with me?

The price for this? £205.98 which I think you'll agree is not out of all reason considering I get the Lexus stamp and a courtesy car.

However, I'm also due spark plugs and a brake fluid change. That pushes things up to £564.83 

Just the basic service thanks...

[rich1068]

So now I'm not entirely sure whether my plugs need doing at all.

 

[royoftherovers]

2 hours ago, rich1068 said:

So now I'm not entirely sure whether my plugs need doing at all.

 

Why complicate matters Rich? Just do what the Handbook says?

Problem solved.

[rich1068]

Why indeed. It's just when you hear more than once X years or XX thousand miles you start to believe it!

I'm sticking with the basic service and that's that.

[rich1068]

Mods: please delete if you think this is overstepping the mark re: selling.

First world problem of the day.

I don't like the idea of not having a single car on the fleet that can handle any bad weather we may have. So I'm thinking of putting either all seasons on or winters permanently. The Scorpion Verde All Seasons I had on my XC90 managed perfectly well on snow, the Nokian SUV3 winters obviously performed brilliantly but also didn't wear too badly running all year round. Which I plump for isn't too much of a problem.

The problem I have is what to do with the OEM Potenzas that are currently on the car. I don't like the idea of just leaving them gathering dust so is there anyone on here that might be interested in having them? Last service in October had them at around 6.5mm and even wear across the tread.

Again, not a specific sale thread. Just wondering if anyone would be interested?

Unless of course someone is going to pop up and say that the Potenza though technically a summer tyre, actually handle the slippy stuff pretty well?

[rich1068]

Came out to find a lovely scrape across the bumper this morning. You can even see where they've given it a rub to see how bad it is. Obviously either too bad or not bad enough to leave a note. But at least they cared enough to get out and have a look. Cheers guys!

[rich1068]

Turns out it was a neighbour! 

He's offered to pay for the damage.

[royoftherovers]

57 minutes ago, rich1068 said:

Turns out it was a neighbour! 

He's offered to pay for the damage.

A neighbour Rich ?

Did you hunt him down or did he come forward of his own volition ?

Did you suggest he cough up or did he offer without duress ?

We await the next thrilling episode !!

[rich1068]

I'd gone through in my mind all the places I'd parked Monday and something just didn't add up...

The damage only made sense if it had in fact been my neighbour across the road. He has a tight drive and with cars parked either side a scrape was perfectly possible...

But he'd parked his work van on the street the night before and his precious A3 was still in the drive. There was nothing else for it. I had to confront him...

He spilled the beans immediately. But what I couldn't work out was just how he'd done it...

Anyhoo, I've run out of Columbo jpegs so it turns out he had to turn round in the road in the van because there was a taxi waiting to pick up and he clipped my RX. He was going to tell me but all this happened at 6am. We've decided it's all the taxi driver's fault.

I don't doubt he'll pay because he's straight up and he paid when he dropped a ladder on my wife's Touran 

[royoftherovers]

I smell a Box Set coming up via Netflix. :):):)

[rich1068]

Unfortunately a change in circumstances necessitates me getting rid of my RX.

Mrs rich1068 is changing jobs, she doesn't need a car, the RX is surplus to requirements. I'll put it in the ads section when I get a second and leave it there for a bit before I put it on eBay or Autotrader <shudder>

[Farqui]

Sorry to hear that Richard, did mrsR enjoy the RX?

[rich1068]

Everyone enjoys the RX but we also have 3 children and a 2018 Ford S-Max. There really is no need for the RX.

I can use the S-Max most days and on the odd occasion my wife needs it back there are [ahem] Saabs a plenty.

I should add that even though my IS300 is currently in the hands of my father, it's a keeper and I'm not going anywhere 

[welland]

I had an smax before my rx400 and I like the rx much more.  True, the smax had some nice features,  but it really felt too big, width in particular.   We found it difficult to judge the kerb position when parallel parking.  

[welland]

On 11/22/2018 at 10:22 AM, rich1068 said:

Mods: please delete if you think this is overstepping the mark re: selling.

First world problem of the day.

I don't like the idea of not having a single car on the fleet that can handle any bad weather we may have. So I'm thinking of putting either all seasons on or winters permanently. The Scorpion Verde All Seasons I had on my XC90 managed perfectly well on snow, the Nokian SUV3 winters obviously performed brilliantly but also didn't wear too badly running all year round. Which I plump for isn't too much of a problem.

The problem I have is what to do with the OEM Potenzas that are currently on the car. I don't like the idea of just leaving them gathering dust so is there anyone on here that might be interested in having them? Last service in October had them at around 6.5mm and even wear across the tread.

Again, not a specific sale thread. Just wondering if anyone would be interested?

Unless of course someone is going to pop up and say that the Potenza though technically a summer tyre, actually handle the slippy stuff pretty well?

What did you decide to do about tyres?