New owner a few questions

[Djwbiker]

Hi to all

 

I have just acquired a 400h from a Lexus dealer with 12 month warranty; I have also added the 2 for 1 warranty giving me 3 years cover which gives me great comfort on such a technical car.

 

It has full Lexus stamped service book. It has done 130k and I was wondering as the gearbox oil change is not a service item I doubt it has been done. Would you think it’s worth getting done even though I have 3 years warranty? I may keep the car longer than 3 years. Is the same true for the front differential?

 

It’s SE-L so has the rear screens but no headphones or DVD remote. I can get a picture but of course no sound. Can I get a cheap compatible headphone (1 is enough) or can I connect a wired set to the red/yellow/white phono sockets in the pocket of the rear of the drivers seat?

 

Tyres, it has Iota Accelera on the front and Bridgestone Potenza RE03T on the rear, all with good tread. I think the Iota is at the budget end of the market so would it be worth having the better bridgestones on the front?

 

Thanks to all you knowledgeable owners your views and comments very welcome.

 

Cheers

Dave

 

[olliesgrandad]

Welcome to the fold Dave. I can't help re the headphones but like you my car was bought with new budget tyres on the front and original Dunlops on rear. I don't think OE tyres are always best and my 'go to' tyre guy has suggested Michelin Cross climates as best tyre. There is a Michelin offer on in October so will hopefully Change them then. 

[PCM]

Great!

Happy days.

When I bought mine I got 4 new tyres all round. Just seemed safer. And if you are going to, might as well do it sooner...

I had my gearbox fluid done to.

Headphones? Did the Lexus Dealer make you aware? If not, suggest they supply them?

 

[Herbie]

Tyre-wise I've got Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen 2s on mine and they are absolutely superb in all respects, and very quiet too.

As for the DVD, remotes are very difficult to get so whenever it's come up before, most people have bought a new player - including remote - for about £25 from eBay. If you search these forums I'm sure you'll find the details somewhere.

[BROUWERS]

It is often advised to run the best two tyres in the rear as it's easier to correct understeer than oversteer.

[PCM]

1 minute ago, BROUWERS said:

It is often advised to run the best two tyres in the rear as it's easier to correct understeer than oversteer.

Agree.

[Hangie]

I assume as car is over 10 year old it is not standard Lexus extended warranty but something else. Be sure to check all T&C.

As for the oil. If gearbox will fail due to the oil don't expect any warranty will cover new one. In general oil should be changed but at that age and millage if never done before you must take extra precision. If oil is in bad shape and you will change it, gearbox will fail shortly (could be just few miles) after change. If oil is still good but just old you should change.

In my GS which is younger but even with higher millage what I've done is on cold engine I've slightly loosen one house pipe between gearbox and radiator to take a sample of oil. Give it good sniff check consistency, and general state. Based on what I've seen I'm going to change the oil next month.

On my previous GS (2010) I've changed it at 120k miles.

 

PS. Differential/transfer box oil needs to be changed as all of them. There is no such thing like unchangeable oil. In GS rear diff oil change is part of the major service.

PS2. Changing an oil in hybrid CVT is not straight forward. Better to be done by Lexus dealership or some really good specialist of CVT hybrids. At Lexus I'm paying £160 all included.