New ownership, plus other "stuff"

[Happy John]

I'm a month into my ownership of my RX400H. - happy days

I'm still feeling ( slightly ) guilty over buying the car ( 2010 model ) as my mileage isn't that great at present - I still have my Jaguar XE company car  to hand back next month. First and foremost the choice of RX has been fully justified from comments of my wife and friends who find the access and driving position a real boom. Their comments kind of offset my guilty pleasure emotion have having bought arguably an over-spec car - retirees like me should perhaps be in the "toodling around town in a Yaris" mode.

My second observation apart from the comfort and driving position - its a different world up there - is the night driving - my Jaguar doesn't have halogens but the light spec added to the driving height / headlight height/angle makes for a whole new vista of viewing at night, its totally different.

The car goes in for a belt change ( 59K - 9 1/2 years old ) Monday and I'll be sorted. 400 miles into the ownership and every time I get in it it's a joy.

1 issue to consider: the rear door access worked off the key fob when bought, now doesn't. I'll mention this to the servicing garage on Monday but its what? A key re-boot? Hardly a warranty claim unless it's a spendy fix, any thoughts? 

I've had and got a classic car over the years and similarly the comments and feedback from everyone is different - as with this Lexus, even the lady in my local Halfords was drooling over it as she fixed a new wiper. Until you've sat in one and driven it you just don't know how good they are. ( I might not be saying that after I've coughed up for the belt change !!)

Maybe it's an age thing but I happily watch the blue boxes amass over a journey showing power generated. I wonder, being a simple bloke - and having not read the manual fully (!) just when does all this generated power get used? Is it gradually fed back into the petrol fueling system to reduce MPG averages? Is there a level to aim for? When does Pac Man drop into the screen to eat them all up? 

Happy motoring.......

 

 

[Herbie]

First of all, regarding the belt change. If it's going into a Lexus dealership they will ONLY do the belt - unless you specifically ask for (and pay extra for) they will NOT change the idlers/tensioners or water pump.

It's considered 'best practice' to have everything done together which is why you can buy cambelt kits that contain all the necessary components and it's also cheaper to do everything at once. Because the water pump lives in almost the same place as the belt, to change it at the same time may add £40 or £50 to the job, but if you do it later then you'll end up with another £300+ bill because 90% of the work done to get at the belt will have to be done again to get to the pump.

I had belt, idlers/tensioners, water pump and 10 litres of Toyota Super Long Life Pink coolant changed, including labour and VAT, for about £460 on my 2005 RX300 when we had it.

The power is used to supplement the petrol engine and so give you more mpg than just straight petrol would. The secret of driving a hybrid is to not baby the car (which I did at first). Accelerate briskly to the desired speed then just ease back ever so slightly on the throttle so that you're just maintaining that momentum. Unless there's impatient traffic behind you, let it coast downhill and you'll see the power meter drop into the 'charge' zone and the petrol engine cuts out, so no fuel being used at all - and if you're lucky you may even get away with it just using electricity to climb the hill at the other side 😉

[Happy John]

My grateful thanks Herbie,

 

Indeed, to answer your first point, it's an "all in" with the pump and tensioners being replaced at the same time. Circa same money too. Japanese Specialist who come recommended so hopefully all will be well.