GS450H TO RX450H

[Shornw]

Hi and seasonal greetings to all,

 

I currently have a 2010 GS450h SE-L which I have owned for a couple of years and absolutely love but need more space now.  The logical progression (in my tiny mind anyway) is the RX450h.  There are a couple of things which I want on the RX but trying to sort out which model is a bit..... Confusing!!!  I DEFINITELY want Mark Levinson AND Adaptive Cruise control as I have these on my GS and am not prepared to do without either but a lot of Auto Trader adverts say 'adaptive cruise control' but they just have standard cruise control

Can someone help with advice on which model variants I need to look for please.

 

Many thanks 

Rob

[Spock66]

8 minutes ago, Shornw said:

Can someone help with advice on which model variants I need to look for please.

Would help if you could state which generation you are interested in and there are some sticky threads detailing the spec of each version.

[Shornw]

I downloaded a.pdf I foud on here but itwon't open 😔

I don't know much about year/generation of the RX - obviously I'd like the latest/lowest mileage possible with a budget up to 20K

[Spock66]

Ok that's likely to be a 3rd Gen in that price bracket, there's 195 RX450Hs currently listed on Auto Trader up to £20k, that's probably a good place to start.

[Spottedlaurel]

Main dealer 3rd gen models seem to hover around the £20k area (and Steven Eagell are offering £2500 off used cars for a week or so after Christmas). You should get a decent one for that.

To get the ML audio and ACC it looks as if you need to go for an F-Sport or Premier, and even then it appears that ACC was optional.

Premier has air suspension, which can be a bit of a liability.

I briefly contemplated a GS450 when I bought my RX, but the lack of practicality was an issue.

I like my 2014 model. It offers a different sort of luxury to my older LS400 (which I think would be more like your GS) but it's still very capable and satisfying.

[Barry14UK]

I have a 3rd Gen Premier which like most 3rd Gen doesn't have ACC. 

I think it is misleading that sellers just list what is a full lists of what can be had on the RX (or other cars come to that), without the car they are selling necessarily having all the options listed.  So be sure to ask about anything car must have before viewing. 

[Shornw]

8 hours ago, Spock66 said:

Ok that's likely to be a 3rd Gen in that price bracket, there's 195 RX450Hs currently listed on Auto Trader up to £20k, that's probably a good place to start.

now why didn't I think of searching Auto Trader for a Lexus RX450 with a max price filter of 20K - DOH!!!

[Shornw]

7 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Main dealer 3rd gen models seem to hover around the £20k area (and Steven Eagell are offering £2500 off used cars for a week or so after Christmas). You should get a decent one for that.

To get the ML audio and ACC it looks as if you need to go for an F-Sport or Premier, and even then it appears that ACC was optional.

Premier has air suspension, which can be a bit of a liability.

I briefly contemplated a GS450 when I bought my RX, but the lack of practicality was an issue.

I like my 2014 model. It offers a different sort of luxury to my older LS400 (which I think would be more like your GS) but it's still very capable and satisfying.

Thanks for this - I'll definitely have a look at Steven Eagell for one.

 

The air suspension did scare me a little 😬

 

When you say 'a different sort of luxury' how do you mean? I thought the later ones were even better than the earlier ones

[Shornw]

5 hours ago, Barry14UK said:

I have a 3rd Gen Premier which like most 3rd Gen doesn't have ACC. 

I think it is misleading that sellers just list what is a full lists of what can be had on the RX (or other cars come to that), without the car they are selling necessarily having all the options listed.  So be sure to ask about anything car must have before viewing. 

Thanks for this.... I know exactly what you mean regarding the misleading adverts with all options ticked - particularly when it's a trader. .. I've even been told on the phone that their vehicle had ACC but when asked if it had the distance setting button it turned out not to - all the more reason to go to a trader or main dealer who knows what they are talking about

[royoftherovers]

4 hours ago, Shornw said:

Thanks for this - I'll definitely have a look at Steven Eagell for one.

 

The air suspension did scare me a little 😬

 

When you say 'a different sort of luxury' how do you mean? I thought the later ones were even better than the earlier ones

Wont a Warranty cover AIR SUSPENSION problems ?

[royoftherovers]

9 hours ago, Barry14UK said:

I have a 3rd Gen Premier which like most 3rd Gen doesn't have ACC. 

I think it is misleading that sellers just list what is a full lists of what can be had on the RX (or other cars come to that), without the car they are selling necessarily having all the options listed.  So be sure to ask about anything car must have before viewing. 

Report Trader to Trading Standards.

[Bluemarlin]

3 hours ago, royoftherovers said:

Report Trader to Trading Standards.

I imagine that woud be an exercise in futility, and they'll probably just tell you to check the car in person before buying.

I'm not familiar with adaptive cruise control, so I may be talking nonsense,  but isn't there a visible button for it? If so then you could look at the pictures on Autotrader to see if it's there or not. I did similar when looking to eliminate cars with air suspension before going to view.

[royoftherovers]

5 minutes ago, Bluemarlin said:

I imagine that woud be an exercise in futility, and they'll probably just tell you to check the car in person before buying.

I'm not familiar with adaptive cruise control, so I may be talking nonsense,  but isn't there a visible button for it? If so then you could look at the pictures on Autotrader to see if it's there or not. I did similar when looking to eliminate cars with air suspension before going to view.

Thanks Bill. I know what I would do. If one imagines for too long one never achieves one`s objective.

My experience tells me that many Autotraders are to be avoided as if they acknowledge and accept their responsibilities it will cost them too much money. Hence "Buyer Beware."/"Caveat Emptor."

As you imply, it is always necessary to do one`s homework /due diligence, prior to buying.

[Bluemarlin]

51 minutes ago, royoftherovers said:

Thanks Bill. I know what I would do. If one imagines for too long one never achieves one`s objective.

My experience tells me that many Autotraders are to be avoided as if they acknowledge and accept their responsibilities it will cost them too much money. Hence "Buyer Beware."/"Caveat Emptor."

As you imply, it is always necessary to do one`s homework /due diligence, prior to buying.

This is true John. Although with dealers you do have have some reasonable legal recourse after purchase.

I think there's an element of laziness too in checking specs, as I think Autotrader might autofill specs for a given model when placing an ad, and the dealer then can't be bothered to check the specifics. It's similar on eBay when you list an item and eBay populates the specifications, which you then have to  check and edit.

So yeah, it can be a bit hit and miss.

[Barry14UK]

ACC is shown on stalk as variation to normal CC

I  have noticed it is widespread practise for dealers to show all options cars have in general description of a car for sale, some say it does not necessarily apply entirely to vehicle they are selling and may just emphasise certain attributes separately. I do agree description should precisely match the vehicle.  It has to be said that there are so many features on a car nowadays that understandably not all of these are mentioned but this is different to giving the impression that a car has features it doesn't have. 

[Spottedlaurel]

23 hours ago, Shornw said:

When you say 'a different sort of luxury' how do you mean? I thought the later ones were even better than the earlier ones

Sadly I didn't try the GS that was available when I was hunting around, I didn't get beyond the fact it didn't have a folding rear seat so there was no point. I can only imagine it to be more like my LS, in that it's purpose-designed as a RWD luxury saloon. The RX is certainly luxurious and refined, and I wouldn't be planning to keep mine for so long if it wasn't, but it doesn't ride quite as well as the suspension feels like it is fairly stiff to keep 2+ tonnes of weight on the road. It's essentially FWD, with occasional help from the rear motor when AWD is required.

It is very practical though, I like the height of the boot floor for day-to-day use and it will take a lot of weight - I carted huge amounts of magazines and books back and forth when we moved house last year and it was barely noticeable.

It's also been a mighty fine cruiser on trips to France with 4/5 passengers and luggage, but is equally capable on the filthy country roads where I live, both circumstances where the higher seating position and visibility are much appreciated.

[GSLV6]

I went from a GS300 V6 to a 2014 RX 3rd generation F sport.  I bought that because I wanted an estate that wasn't a diesel and just couldn't find a decent alternative to the RX that provided the seats I needed for my back (spinal injuries).  Despite not being completely sold on " legendary Lexus reliability" which shouldn't be confused with "cheap to run" as they are after all fairly complex machines I decided on an F Sport because I didn't want the headache of air suspension (which is a case of "when" and not "if" it goes wrong) and wanted something with less body roll than the standard RX which I found a little too wallowy.  I didn't know that ACC was an option on those but bought a 2 year old model with standard cruise control but have to say I rarely use it as I prefer not being lulled into a false sense of security.  The car has been very practical, if a little thirsty (long term average is 28mpg) and the ride height means improved visibility, something I'd now find hard to give up.  It is a supreme long distance mile muncher and very very comfortable, more so than the harder sprung GS hybrids which I found rather uncomfortable on my test drives (both 2014 models).  I also considered a volvo estate but that was too spendy and diesel only at the time.

Another alternative which might for the bill is one of the newer Toyota RAV4 Hybrids.  They have quite a bit more room and larger boot than earlier models and are very economical but still offer the higher driving position and similar levels of comfort, although not quite on par.  I believe they come with ACC as an option.  A £20K budget is for an RX is RX3 territory and the F-Sport imho is the most practical proposition with slightly less to go wrong than premium models.  You'd likely be looking at a higher mileage one at that as low miles examples (say under 50K miles) tend to be still north of £20K.  Engine wise they're bomb proof, so mileage is less important than condition.  Bear in mind that Hybrid batteries and inverted are only warranted for 10 years (or were).  In terms of performance, don't expect the same shove as a 450h GS due tot he extra weight but they're still surprisingly rapid.

[John Walker]

On 12/21/2022 at 7:52 PM, Shornw said:

Hi and seasonal greetings to all,

 

I currently have a 2010 GS450h SE-L which I have owned for a couple of years and absolutely love but need more space now.  The logical progression (in my tiny mind anyway) is the RX450h.  There are a couple of things which I want on the RX but trying to sort out which model is a bit..... Confusing!!!  I DEFINITELY want Mark Levinson AND Adaptive Cruise control as I have these on my GS and am not prepared to do without either but a lot of Auto Trader adverts say 'adaptive cruise control' but they just have standard cruise control

Can someone help with advice on which model variants I need to look for please.

 

Many thanks 

Rob

Hi Rob, 

After owning a 2012 GS450h Premier and a 2016 GS300h I finally got into SUVs and bought the 2016 RX450h Luxury. The gs450h is such a treat, don t think there is any car in that price bracket that can match its performance, luxury, economy and of course reliability. The 2016 gs300h although it s not so powerful, but not too slow either, had its advantages. The economy was to another level and the few updates they added on the facelift made me very happy.

Now, the RX. That’s a total new experience in terms of comfort and space. The seating position is excellent, I simply love it. The 2016 (4th generation) i have comes standard with lane assist and active cruise control and it s a more refined car overall in comparison to the 3rd generation as i did try a few facelift and non facelifts models before deciding to stretch the budget and buy the one i have. 

At 20k i would strongly suggest to push your budget to 22-24k and get the 2016 model, you won t regret it. Or just buy the 3rd generation, facelift model (newer than 2012) ideally a Premier for maximum 14k, not worth more in my opinion. The air suspension is such a treat, probably the most comfortable car i ve been into and i been in quite a few cars (used to own a lot of Mercedes cars before including a CL500). It seems to be pretty reliable but the downside is that it won t feel very stable on curvy roads if you like to drive a bit more sporty sometimes. But once again at your budget stretch a bit more (or wait a few months) and get the 4th generation, it s a big improvement. 
 

A brief comparison when switching from a GS to an RX regardless the model : The RX won t be as economical and it won t be not even close as sporty as the GS. The RX can do everything good but it comprises a bit the driving experience. If you get to miss your GS just buy a small roadster like a Mazda mx-5 or the amazing Honda S2000 and you ll have a great pair. 

[John Walker]

Btw, i m averaging about 32mpg in the winter and 36mpg in the summer with the RX vs the GS450h 37mpg in the winter and close to 42mpg in the summer. 
 

PS : 3rd generation RX in F Sport looks the best indeed but it felt very stiff to me in comparison to the Premier and because of that a lot of plastic rattles inside, it was almost impossible to find a 3rd generation which doesn’t have any rattles inside so if you do buy one make sure you test drive it before on a bad road. 

[John Walker]

PPS : The warranty on the hybrid Battery it goes to 15 years without mileage restriction as long as you get the hybrid health check at Lexus every 12 months or 10.000 miles. The warranty for the whole car goes up to 10 years or 100.000 miles as long as you service your car at Lexus every 12 months or 10.000 miles. 
 

Also i wouldn’t buy from a dealer as you get to pay a big premium and you don t get much. If you grab a bargain if you buy privately just make sure it has full Lexus service history (a Lexus stamp in the service book every year or 10.000 miles) and also very important it should give you a Hybrid Health Certificate with PASS written on it not older than 12 months or 10.000 miles, this way you make sure the hybrid system is still in warranty. 
 

I ll give you an example, my friend bought a 2016 RX Premier end of 2019 from Lexus Twickenham for 35k. Two years later he sold the car back to Lexus Twickenham with 28k (and 20k miles more) and they advertised it for 35.500). It was there for a couple of months but eventually sold. This is just to make an idea of the profits dealerships are making. 
 

I would encourage everyone who wants to sell their cars to do it privately. It will be a win-win situation. 
 

Rob maybe you should post an advertise here on the forum stating that you re looking to buy an RX and you might have a nice surprise. 
 

Good luck! 

[Shornw]

On 12/22/2022 at 1:49 PM, Bluemarlin said:

I'm not familiar with adaptive cruise control, so I may be talking nonsense,  but isn't there a visible button for it? If so then you could look at the pictures on Autotrader to see if it's there or not.

this is precisely what I did - I narrowed the search to SE-L (adaptive was only an option  fitted to SE-L Premier up to 2014 and not all sellers know that they have the Premier variant)  then trolled through each advert checking piccies for the little 'farting car' button on the right hand side of the steering wheel and the ML logo on the audio system.  Not all had clear piccies of the steering wheel but I managed to identify several that did and identified the below as the likely candidate..... full dealer history, immaculate condition  and never failed an Mot - plus it's considerably less than 20K so makes a good test, tht way if I get on with it I can look later for a lower mileage model, although to be honest, the mileage doesn't scare me with the service history and the fact that these are often seen with 200K miles on them.  I had no choice regarding air suspension if I wanted ACC....nearly all Premier variant had it but the dealer won't sell it without a warranty as the law has changed and you can now take a vehicle back long after purchase and they have to put it right so that's a bit of comfort.

 

I figured I could see how I get on with the SUV thing without spending loads - it's done most of it's depreciation and if we get on, I'll look at a later one in the future 

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211241961755?make=Lexus&radius=1500&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used&aggregatedTrim=SE-L&maximum-mileage=90000&model=RX 450h&postcode=rh123xh&advertising-location=at_cars&include-delivery-option=on&sort=price-asc&page=1

 

[Shornw]

On 12/24/2022 at 1:14 PM, John Walker said:

PPS : The warranty on the hybrid battery it goes to 15 years without mileage restriction as long as you get the hybrid health check at Lexus every 12 months or 10.000 miles. The warranty for the whole car goes up to 10 years or 100.000 miles as long as you service your car at Lexus every 12 months or 10.000 miles. 
 

Also i wouldn’t buy from a dealer as you get to pay a big premium and you don t get much. If you grab a bargain if you buy privately just make sure it has full Lexus service history (a Lexus stamp in the service book every year or 10.000 miles) and also very important it should give you a Hybrid Health Certificate with PASS written on it not older than 12 months or 10.000 miles, this way you make sure the hybrid system is still in warranty. 
 

I ll give you an example, my friend bought a 2016 RX Premier end of 2019 from Lexus Twickenham for 35k. Two years later he sold the car back to Lexus Twickenham with 28k (and 20k miles more) and they advertised it for 35.500). It was there for a couple of months but eventually sold. This is just to make an idea of the profits dealerships are making. 
 

I would encourage everyone who wants to sell their cars to do it privately. It will be a win-win situation. 
 

Rob maybe you should post an advertise here on the forum stating that you re looking to buy an RX and you might have a nice surprise. 
 

Good luck! 

thank you for some great detail, thoughts and opinions - I really do appreciate it

[John Walker]

Either way let us know with your choice:)