2014 Lexus RX450h Luxury - Update 3yrs in

[Spottedlaurel]

Quickly glossing over the Advance that I had for a month before returning it, I've had my 2014 Luxury for just over three years now. I bought it on a PCP as a low mileage car (just under 24,000) with one former owner so it had all the signs of being a decent example and in brief that has proved to be the case.

It's my main work/family car, but with one or two older cars to use (or four, as it was until last year) I can keep the mileage down. Of course Covid lockdowns and spells of working from home have contributed to that.When I started the PCP I based it on 15,000 miles a year, but in reality it's been just under 10k. That works out neatly so I can get the MoTs and services done at the same time, which have all been carried out by Lexus Ipswich (part of Steven Eagell).

I'm now on 54k, when I should have been closer to 70,000. That means I have the big 60,000-mile service to come later this year, with the change of plugs etc.

My PCP has just come to an end, and it was an easy decision to buy it outright. I had a final payment figure of just under £10,000, but as we know used car values have gone the other way to what anyone could have predicted three years ago. I reckon mine would retail for around £23-24,000 at a main dealer. I accept that as a part-exchange I would now get rather more than £10,000, but the value of its replacement will have gone up too so I'd be no better off - if I was to buy the equivalent of my car now (i.e. a 2017 RX with 20-odd thousand miles) I reckon I'd need to pay at least £35,000.

A big reason for getting an RX was to provide capable, comfortable transport for the family holidays. In its first year with me it did that admirably, report here:

For obvious reasons, that didn't happen in 2020-21 but we've still managed a couple of family trips away and it's done a great job of carrying people and luggage. All being well it should be heading back to France this year, I'm looking forward to it.

The comfort is still much-appreciated. On long journeys Mrs SL likes the fact it's more like sitting on a chair than in previous cars with legs oustretched. As an overall luxury vehicle I still think my Mk1 LS400 edges it, certainly in terms of ride quality, but it's a close-run thing.

I've been driving big, Japanese estates for much of my motoring life. It's always handy to have something with plenty of room and the RX was the closest I could get to that (Mazda 6 and Subaru Outback were my other considerations). I hadn't planned on it being quite as useful as it turned out to be when we moved house last year.

It undertook numerous runs to and from the storage container, carting bundles of car magazines and brochures (I have a fair few thousand of each) along with loads of other stuff that we probably shouldn't have kept, but have done.

While the loadbay isn't quite as roomy as a 'proper' estate it was more than capable of carrying a lot of weight. It didn't sit too much lower and although the engine was working harder it still drove fine.

 

After the move I squeezed in around 100 flattened boxes to take back to the removal company.

Economy-wise I generally get 35-36mpg from a mix of local trips and cross-county A-road runs, dropping to 33-34 if it's mostly my 10-mile work commute. Over winter it dropped to low 30s, and occasionally I can get around 40 after filling-up when the car is fully warm and conditions are right:

I haven't found the change from E5 to E10 has made any significant difference. I enjoy trying to get along at reasonable pace but using anticipation and the car's momentum to keep rolling along with minimal throttle opening. It's amazing how it will still continue at decent speed with the throttle eased-off. Mid 30s for a heavy, automatic petrol V6 seems OK to me - I would have struggled to get that out of the manual Camry 2.2s I used to run. Driving it an economical manner also adds to the hush and refinement.

What faults and issues have I had? Nothing too major - the 12v Battery went flat in the first lockdown. Although it was OK once running again they said it had lost some of its life and I changed it as a precaution before I got too far into the following winter. I've suffered a squeaking brake for the last year or so, the dealership say it's a lipped disc and it could be skimmed as it still has plenty of materialleft on it, but I do wonder if it's the caliper sliders being a little sticky. It's only occasional so I've lived with it, but at some point I will get it looked at by a local garage.

Not long after purchase I replaced a couple of tyres with CrossClimates. The others were brand new Dunlops, so the intention was to replace them with a matching pair once they ran down a bit. That never really happened and after almost 30,000 miles they had all worn to the point where it was better just to get another full set fitted. It now runs all-season Continentals which were around £700 from a local place, as Michelins weren't readily available at the time. I'm very happy with them so far, they've been fine over the winter (albeit no snow encountered) and they have a chunky sidewall which should minimise kerb damage to the alloys. I had the tracking checked and the front needing adjusting, with that done and the new tyres it made a significant improvement to ride, noise levels and general feel.

The interior has stood up to daily life pretty well. Most of the time it's just me and the boot liner has been good at containing muck and debris from my site boots and carting stuff. Like the outside, I'm sure a good valeting and detailing session would make it look very smart. After a winter of driving around on filthy country roads I do need to give the underside a good clean.

As previously mentioned, I plan to keep this car for the long term, maybe until it's 15-20 years old. It would be different if I was 5-10 years younger with more of my working life ahead of me, but I'm now focusing on clearing debt and reducing outgoings. Owning outright a good quality, practical and comfortable car like the RX with known history and inherent reliability that will last me for quite a few years feels like a good thing to do in these uncertain times. Also, I'm not really sure what I'd replace it with. A 4th gen model would undoubtedly be a lovely thing to drive, but I don't know what it would do that mine doesn't. I'm not sure if I'm ready/able to go full electric yet, although I did enjoy my go in a UX300e. The new NX450h will probably be a good option for me, maybe that's the way I'll go in a few years when used examples are within my budget.

[royoftherovers]

28 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Quickly glossing over the Advance that I had for a month before returning it, I've had my 2014 Luxury for just over three years now. I bought it on a PCP as a low mileage car (just under 24,000) with one former owner so it had all the signs of being a decent example and in brief that has proved to be the case.

It's my main work/family car, but with one or two older cars to use (or four, as it was until last year) I can keep the mileage down. Of course Covid lockdowns and spells of working from home have contributed to that.When I started the PCP I based it on 15,000 miles a year, but in reality it's been just under 10k. That works out neatly so I can get the MoTs and services done at the same time, which have all been carried out by Lexus Ipswich (part of Steven Eagell).

I'm now on 54k, when I should have been closer to 70,000. That means I have the big 60,000-mile service to come later this year, with the change of plugs etc.

My PCP has just come to an end, and it was an easy decision to buy it outright. I had a final payment figure of just under £10,000, but as we know used car values have gone the other way to what anyone could have predicted three years ago. I reckon mine would retail for around £23-24,000 at a main dealer. I accept that as a part-exchange I would now get rather more than £10,000, but the value of its replacement will have gone up too so I'd be no better off - if I was to buy the equivalent of my car now (i.e. a 2017 RX with 20-odd thousand miles) I reckon I'd need to pay at least £35,000.

A big reason for getting an RX was to provide capable, comfortable transport for the family holidays. In its first year with me it did that admirably, report here:

For obvious reasons, that didn't happen in 2020-21 but we've still managed a couple of family trips away and it's done a great job of carrying people and luggage. All being well it should be heading back to France this year, I'm looking forward to it.

The comfort is still much-appreciated. On long journeys Mrs SL likes the fact it's more like sitting on a chair than in previous cars with legs oustretched. As an overall luxury vehicle I still think my Mk1 LS400 edges it, certainly in terms of ride quality, but it's a close-run thing.

I've been driving big, Japanese estates for much of my motoring life. It's always handy to have something with plenty of room and the RX was the closest I could get to that (Mazda 6 and Subaru Outback were my other considerations). I hadn't planned on it being quite as useful as it turned out to be when we moved house last year.

It undertook numerous runs to and from the storage container, carting bundles of car magazines and brochures (I have a fair few thousand of each) along with loads of other stuff that we probably shouldn't have kept, but have done.

While the loadbay isn't quite as roomy as a 'proper' estate it was more than capable of carrying a lot of weight. It didn't sit too much lower and although the engine was working harder it still drove fine.

 

After the move I squeezed in around 100 flattened boxes to take back to the removal company.

Economy-wise I generally get 35-36mpg from a mix of local trips and cross-county A-road runs, dropping to 33-34 if it's mostly my 10-mile work commute. Over winter it dropped to low 30s, and occasionally I can get around 40 after filling-up when the car is fully warm and conditions are right:

I haven't found the change from E5 to E10 has made any significant difference. I enjoy trying to get along at reasonable pace but using anticipation and the car's momentum to keep rolling along with minimal throttle opening. It's amazing how it will still continue at decent speed with the throttle eased-off. Mid 30s for a heavy, automatic petrol V6 seems OK to me - I would have struggled to get that out of the manual Camry 2.2s I used to run. Driving it an economical manner also adds to the hush and refinement.

What faults and issues have I had? Nothing too major - the 12v battery went flat in the first lockdown. Although it was OK once running again they said it had lost some of its life and I changed it as a precaution before I got too far into the following winter. I've suffered a squeaking brake for the last year or so, the dealership say it's a lipped disc and it could be skimmed as it still has plenty of materialleft on it, but I do wonder if it's the caliper sliders being a little sticky. It's only occasional so I've lived with it, but at some point I will get it looked at by a local garage.

Not long after purchase I replaced a couple of tyres with CrossClimates. The others were brand new Dunlops, so the intention was to replace them with a matching pair once they ran down a bit. That never really happened and after almost 30,000 miles they had all worn to the point where it was better just to get another full set fitted. It now runs all-season Continentals which were around £700 from a local place, as Michelins weren't readily available at the time. I'm very happy with them so far, they've been fine over the winter (albeit no snow encountered) and they have a chunky sidewall which should minimise kerb damage to the alloys. I had the tracking checked and the front needing adjusting, with that done and the new tyres it made a significant improvement to ride, noise levels and general feel.

The interior has stood up to daily life pretty well. Most of the time it's just me and the boot liner has been good at containing muck and debris from my site boots and carting stuff. Like the outside, I'm sure a good valeting and detailing session would make it look very smart. After a winter of driving around on filthy country roads I do need to give the underside a good clean.

As previously mentioned, I plan to keep this car for the long term, maybe until it's 15-20 years old. It would be different if I was 5-10 years younger with more of my working life ahead of me, but I'm now focusing on clearing debt and reducing outgoings. Owning outright a good quality, practical and comfortable car like the RX with known history and inherent reliability that will last me for quite a few years feels like a good thing to do in these uncertain times. Also, I'm not really sure what I'd replace it with. A 4th gen model would undoubtedly be a lovely thing to drive, but I don't know what it would do that mine doesn't. I'm not sure if I'm ready/able to go full electric yet, although I did enjoy my go in a UX300e. The new NX450h will probably be a good option for me, maybe that's the way I'll go in a few years when used examples are within my budget.

Thank you Nigel. I do enjoy reading your comprehensive reports in which you set contexts which enable the reader to have a good understanding of your actions. I think that your decision to buy at £10k was a no-brainer, although plenty might have been tempted to buy another one.Continue to enjoy.I look forward to your next Continental journey as I`m sure you do.

I return home in  four weeks time in the old Merc, via Madrid, Bordeaux, Rouen and Calais.

[Barry14UK]

Interesting John.  The 4th Generation RX would be nice and I have considered it as a replacement for my 3rd Generation but my present car does all that I need and it's slightly more compact than the later car which is a consideration with some of the narrow lanes we have in North Devon.  Yet it remains comfortable, which I find is further enhanced by having the tyres at slightly below recommended pressures, unless heavily loaded.  In due course, I might replace it with an all electric car.  However, it's early days for these and I feel there will be improvements, particularly in Battery technology that will cause heavy depreciation in early models.  So I will probably wait two or three years before taking the plunge.  There will also be greater choice of such vehicles by then.

[Malc]

On 4/23/2022 at 8:39 AM, Spottedlaurel said:

I still think my Mk1 LS400 edges it, certainly in terms of ride quality,

and had you still kept your Mk1 Ls400 it would have probably lasted this long mechanically etc'wise and saved you lots and lots of capital ££££££ AND you would still have a brilliant serviceable comfy reliable economic to run ......... 4 ltr limo  ......  the envy of evryone around you too ( if that had any importance , probably not eh ! ) 

AND you could have done all those monster transporting loads using a  " hire van "  at little ad-on cost 

just a thought 

Malc

[Spottedlaurel]

1 hour ago, Malc said:

and had you still kept your Mk1 Ls400 it would have probably lasted this long mechanically etc'wise and saved you lots and lots of capital ££££££ AND you would still have a brilliant serviceable comfy reliable economic to run ......... 4 ltr limo  ......  the envy of evryone around you too ( if that had any importance , probably not eh ! ) 

AND you could have done all those monster transporting loads using a  " hire van "  at little ad-on cost 

just a thought 

Malc

Ah, but what if I had the best of both worlds, i.e. ownership of RX and LS at the same time? Like I do!

That being said, the LS is currently on SORN as it needs an MoT and I fear that it won't be a cheap/easy exercise, and I have other financial commitments at the moment in getting the new house sorted.

I can still get my older car fix by using my 1980 Datsun Laurel (free tax, MoT-exempt!), and I also have access to these two Toyotas plus Mrs SL's 2010 Auris:

Yaris 1.0 is daughter's first car, but here for us to use when she's away at uni, and the rare Avensis SR was recently purchased with 270k miles on the clock for her and boyfriend to drive on a student rally to Dubrovnik this summer.

[Malc]

2 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

the LS is currently on SORN as it needs an MoT and I fear that it won't be a cheap/easy exercise,

for your encouragement only ....  when you can part with some more cash . ............ and in the Ls section here there's a white '92 Ls400 mentioned for sale at @£17k  .....  yours looks the same colour as my first Ls400..... a white 1992 car some22 years ago with which I parted company at 180k miles and quickly followed by my Mk2 and then immediately followed on by my present Mk3 now at 238k miles ...........  which I've had for 11 years now and about 115k miles too   ....  they've taken me over much of europe and Ireland and all the UK just about ....  fabulous and immensely reliable and comfy  driving cars for sure ....  wouldn't know what to get to improve on performance etc tbh ...  she's so so quick and fast when needed ........  my dear old V8 4ltr limo 

.......... also have other cars too but nothing quite comparable although all of greater value I'm sure 

Good luck choosing which cars you're going to keep for your future 

Malc

[PeterI]

@MalcI still miss my old LS400, the front suspension strut spring snapped, the bodywork was a bit tired with dings and scratches, and the final straw was the ULEZ getting expanded and the thought of spending £12.50 every time I wanted to drive meant I was going to replace it soon.

The BMW X3 I inherited from my dad had the ULEZ issue so that had to go (I got a decent part ex on it as it was still a year to go before the ULEZ kicked in), but it did make me appreciate the higher driving position of an SUV these days.

I suspect LS400s are going to turn into proper classic vehicles in way that more modern cars won't.

[Spottedlaurel]

My LS turns 30 this year. Back in the early-mid 1990s I built a Tamiya model of a Celsior, little did I think that I would eventually own one. Mine would be a very challenging/expensive restoration, but if it dramatically fails its MoT then I'll mothball it until I can afford to give it the attention it deserves.

It'll be interesting to see how long I can keep the RX going if it doesn;t get changed for anything else. Maybe 20 years?

[Malc]

11 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Mine would be a very challenging/expensive restoration,

Nigel .,........maybe, maybe not .  depending how restorative she needs to be ......... mine's worth very little tbh .  had many dings and bumps over the years and yes, quite tired bodywork .  but hey, she's a very daily useable car ........ there's a few issues that could do with attention BUT I'm happy for her to just plod along giving me joy every time she goes out and about .....  air cons iffy .  the wheels are desperately overdue a refurb ...  one door mirror electrics are kaput ( most of the time ) and the temp gauge needs the pixels sorted ..  none of which individually are of huge cost if indeed I was to ever want her to be " perfect " . ( oh and the front exhaust needs a specialist " fix " for the downpipe that's got nowt left on it to weld to stop the emissions bad reading for the next MOT )  ...........  but I don't coz if she was then I know I'd have to be 20 years younger myself to worry tooooo much about dings and bumps etc ..... 

Peter .......the ULEZ is an issue when we go to visit friends and family in London area ( as Sadiq is expanding his reach ) ...  so the 2006  3.5ltr  Honda Legend does the trick for those trips .  a not quite comparative to the Ls400 tho'

Handed my 1932 Triumph Southern Cross Sports Tourer to my nephew to look after and USE .  and he does almost every other weekend trotting thru' the Norfolk and  Cambridgeshire countryside with the kids ..  visiting pubs for lunches etc .  wot a life eh   ( he's nr. Newmarket ) 

BUT at 238k miles I know she's ( my Ls400 )  a little in " unknown territory "  ..  would I just jump in her for another 4k mile trip across and around Italy, up the Dolomites again, well yes I would .  check the oil, water and tyre pressures afore I go and fully expect to be getting back in one piece a month later .............  when covids banished tho' methinks

If she breaks down, well .  I can always continue my trip by just buying anohther car whilst I'm there and some garage somewhere try's to sort out any issues with the Ls400

 

16 hours ago, PeterI said:

the ULEZ issue so that had to go

  Nigel .........Go get your Ls400 back on the road, you won't regret spending comparatively very little to enjoy the daily pleasure it could bring 

No point having any spare dosh just lying around for when you go ...........  if you don't spend it you know someone else will .....

Malc