Its been a long time but could be coming back!

karlp606 · May 9, 2023

Hi everyone,

Ive just reset my password for here after around 14 years away lol! First Lexus was a lovely is200 still see some about and smile to myself one I see one, still a great car IMO.

So since Ive had Audis, Nissan 350 and 370zs, BMWs, Land Rover Defenders! and now a Range Rover Sport L494, but Im looking at getting back into the Lexus game with a RC300H....

Ive had a quick look about and theres a few in my price range.

I just wanted to ask peoples honest opinions, Im looking for a nice coupe but bored of the usual A5s, 3 series etc and I don't want to stretch to a M3/4.

Does the RC300h feel like a sports coupe? What is the acceleration like and can you add a custom exhaust, remap etc to give it more boost or does the hybrid option stop any sort of modifications?

Also on purchasing is there anything specific I need to look out for suspension creaks, bad start ups etc...

Any help and info would be muchly appreciated and Im glad to be back on the forum :)

DavidCM · May 9, 2023

Hello Karl.I bought my RC about 15 months ago and am very pleased with it.It's not a sports car,more of a tourer and a very capable one at that.You'll find it very comfortable,quiet and relaxing to drive.

The performance and handling are adequate,but you need to use sport+ mode to get it at its best performance and tightest suspension setting.I don't know what your budget is,but if you can,go for a post facelift, early 2020 F Sport model, ideally with Takumi pack that gets you sunroof and the Mark Levinson stereo which is outstanding.

An all round great car, comfortable and stylish,relaxing to drive,and also relaxing to own with the warranty for up to 10 years.If you want to drive around like your trousers are on fire,it won't be for you...you'll need the 5 litre V8 RCF or the LC.Real world fuel consumption on short/local journeys about 44/5 and long runs very high 40's

Best advice is go and have a good long test drive..you should be impressed.

DavidCM · May 9, 2023

PS.

You asked about tuning etc..hardly anything,I doubt if you could get it to sound good with a new exhaust. It's only a 4 cylinder hybrid.Mine has an exhaust synthesiser thingy that sounds very very vaguely like a very muted and "cultured" V8 ...ish. I mostly haven't bothered after the first week..I must be starting to grow up.

karlp606 · May 9, 2023

Thanks David, budget of about £24k so I'll definately look for a 2020 facelift model with the stereo upgrade, Ive seen the takumi pack mentioned what extras does it include?

Also I presume the 10 year warranty is with the car not the owner and is it limited to 100k mileage?

Thanks again for your comments.

DavidCM · May 9, 2023

The Takumi pack includes ML sound,Blind Spot Monitor,rear Cross Traffic Alert,Card Key,Heated steering wheel,Sunroof and a textured/beaten aluminium trim.

The 10 yr warranty runs with the car,as I understand it, activated annually by a dealer service.See the Lexus website.I can't seem to attach my pdf copy of the RC brochure to this post.I,ll try again later.

DavidCM · May 9, 2023

I am sharing 'Lexus_RC_e-brochure' with you

Hopefully that worked

Las Palmas · May 9, 2023

Coming from Nissan Z series I do not think you will find much sport in a Lexus. Comfort yes. Lexus cars are well built and with lots of comfort.

I loved the Datsun/Nissan 280ZX, made a big mistake letting that go for a Supra 3.0L Targa (worst so-called sports car I ever had), went back to Nissan 300ZX.

Difference between a hybrid and a non-hybrid is something to get used to and for some adaption is easy. For us the CT is just the right size.

We expect to keep the little hybrid till hydrogen is available and we can have a fool-cell car. Maybe not a Mirai, hopefully something smaller as parking spaces are not big here. When hydrogen will be available, I expect to get a range between 400 and 600 km on a tank and that the price for fuel will be cheaper than gasoline is now.

karlp606 · May 9, 2023

Thanks David, havent seen many under the £25k mark with the above/takumi packs on.

I have seen these though;

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202304246608057?advertising-location=at_cars&include-delivery-option=on&make=Lexus&model=RC 300h&postcode=hu52dh&price-from=18000&price-to=25000&sort=price-asc&fromsra

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202304186414799?advertising-location=at_cars&include-delivery-option=on&make=Lexus&model=RC 300h&page=2&postcode=hu52dh&price-from=18000&price-to=25000&sort=price-asc&fromsra

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303205423871?advertising-location=at_cars&include-delivery-option=on&make=Lexus&model=RC 300h&page=3&postcode=hu52dh&price-from=18000&price-to=25000&sort=price-asc&fromsra

DavidCM · May 9, 2023

The 3rd one ,blue,SG19... Is the facelifted model in F sport trim but otherwise no Takumi pack.1 and 2 are the "mark 1" versions.

Other members here have owned both older and newer versions and apparently some improvements were made to the suspension,as well as cosmetic and trim upgrades.

I'm not sure exactly when the facelift version was introduced,but I see some are 19 reg.The newer version has the DRLs integrated into the headlights and F spy and Takumi levels have 3 small LED headlight elements vertically stacked.The older version has the DRL seperate and below the headlights.

I would echo John's (LasPalmas) comments on performance and refinement.

Rabbers · May 9, 2023

1 hour ago, DavidCM said:

Other members here have owned both older and newer versions and apparently some improvements were made to the suspension,as well as cosmetic and trim upgrades.

I'm not sure exactly when the facelift version was introduced…

For one man’s comments on the two versions see my “2019 v. 2016 RC300h F-Sport - First Impressions” posted on the present Forum on 27 September 2019.

Linas.P · May 12, 2023

On 5/9/2023 at 11:32 AM, karlp606 said:

Does the RC300h feel like a sports coupe? What is the acceleration like and can you add a custom exhaust, remap etc to give it more boost or does the hybrid option stop any sort of modifications?

Also on purchasing is there anything specific I need to look out for suspension creaks, bad start ups etc...

Any help and info would be muchly appreciated and Im glad to be back on the forum 🙂

Very straightforward answer - NO. It is not sports coupe, it is relaxed and economical GT car... It looks fast standing still, but does not feel sporty when driving (although suspension in F-Sport could be set very tight and it stays flat and corners well), but engine is NON-EXISTENT. So it is a cruiser, not a sports car. Acceleration is - lethargic, car does not even like being pushed, not sure how to best describe it, but it feels good when you drive it in very relaxed way, almost coasting, pressing accelerator gently... then it is rather quiet and comfortable. But if you stab the accelerator then the car really groans and feels literally broken, the transition for hybrid system to engine becomes harsh and you really feel like it just doesn't have what it takes to go fast.

Can you remap it - NO. Generally true for any NA engine, but even more true for this particular economy focused hybrid engine. Not even sure what you mean about more boost - it is not turbo. RC200t is turbo, but you can't do it there either (different reasons and different topic).

Can you put customer exhaust.. well NO... you can, but what you expect to hear? 3500RPM drone? It is CVT... engine already doesn't sound good and when it stays at constant mid-RPM is pretty much the worst sound you can have. So yes you can put exhaust and amplify the worst exhaust note?

I would say you only need to look for full and good service history, regardless of the year or mileage. RC300h is reliable car, up-to 100k you have Lexus "Relax" cover as long as you service it with dealership.. so there are no nasty surprised. Although you MUST get car with at least "premium" audio or preferably ML, standard audio system is just unbelievably horrible.

If you want sports car you have to go RC-F. Now ... if like me and you think that you want something in between of boring 300h and mental RC-F... then sadly you will be disappointed, because no such car is sold in UK. I got RC200t hoping that will be it, but I was wrong, if anything RC200t is even worse than 300h as it is not good from any perspective, 300h is at least economical and cheap to tax. Obviously in the world RC350 exists, which is all around amazing vehicle, but we don't have it in UK.

H3XME · May 12, 2023

100% Agreed with what Linas said above. I had that idea in my head after owning Toyota GT86 for a few years, so I test drove RC300h, utter disappointment in terms of anything sporty. Looks sporty, but isn't, drives just like IS300h. It really bugged me that it's so un-sporty like while looking so good.. so naturally I then went to test drive RC200t, (2.0l turbo petrol) and while it was a lot better than RC300H, it still wasn't quite what I expected.. It didn't feel much faster than IS250, didn't sound good either as it's just a 4 banger, and MPGs were shocking for a 2.0l turbo car. Honestly, RC350 from Japan would be the perfect car for me as I can imagine it'd be on par with 370Z that I had for a while BUT to import one you're looking at the same money as just buying RC-F in the UK so there's that. Go for a test drive if you don't want to take our word for it, you'll know what we mean. It's really upsetting because RC is such a stunning car, but it's not available with a sensible drivetrain in the UK unless you got the V8.. which is great, but you know.. V8 fuel costs, even though reliability is there so probably works out as the best newish V8 to own overall.

Linas.P · May 12, 2023

Absolutely, we can talk a lot here, but in the end it is your money and your expectations. So best is to go and try it yourself... ideally without sales person on the side.

DavidCM · May 12, 2023

4 hours ago, Linas.P said:

spective, 300h is at least economical and cheap to tax.

I agree with virtually everything Linas said,except tax.As mine was over £40,000 new,it gets clobbered for the extra tax for 5 years.This year was £510.

Linas.P · May 12, 2023

41 minutes ago, DavidCM said:

I agree with virtually everything Linas said,except tax.As mine was over £40,000 new,it gets clobbered for the extra tax for 5 years.This year was £510.

That is true... but it is more of the issue with any car after 2018 (and you can't get much without paying less than £40,000). I was talking more about pre-FL models - they are £20/year (maybe £30?). The new tax system really made hybrids like 300h pretty much irrelevant... at least from taxation perspective. Because after initial £2000 on RC-F one would be paying same tax as RC300h.

Rabbers · May 13, 2023

On 5/9/2023 at 1:57 PM, DavidCM said:

… If you want to drive around like your trousers are on fire,it won't be for you...

Or, as a journalist perceptively once remarked, the RC300h is not for the sort of buyer who drives around wearing a reversed baseball cap. Not that the trousers-on-fire comment isn’t equally apt, David. Indeed, so civilized is the car that even the heated seats are calibrated to gently warm rather than burn.

Linas.P · May 13, 2023

2 hours ago, Rabbers said:

Or, as a journalist perceptively once remarked, the RC300h is not for the sort of buyer who drives around wearing a reversed baseball cap. Not that the trousers-on-fire comment isn’t equally apt, David. Indeed, so civilized is the car that even the heated seats are calibrated to gently warm rather than burn.

This is talking cross purpose - the good sports car should set your trousers on fire (not from heated seats obviously), as well it has nothing to do with baseball cap (i.e. lack of maturity). It is not like for more "mature" or older people "sports" cars definition somehow changes and suddenly hybrid which barely reaches 60MPH in 9s becomes "sporty". There are simply basic expectations that "sports" car should meet and RC300h is absolutely unacceptable. Good "sports" car should be fast and they should accelerate quickly, and they should sound good, and they should corner and handle well. RC300h simply don't have what to takes to be "sports" car and should have never been marketed as such and it is simply not.

Is that really bad thing? No it isn't - if you want economical and comfortable car for commuting which just looks sporty then great! It fits the bill perfectly... in the end of the day RC-F would not be any faster, nor more exciting in traffic jam moving at 4MPH. But sports car it is NOT. It is two door tourer... and probably not even "grand" tourer... because to get that "grand" the car should probably have V12 - for effortless high-speed cruising without noise piercing your ears. RC300h max speed is like 102MPH you not "grand touring" anywhere at that speed. But in other hand "sports" cars makes horrible grand tourers - the last thing you want when doing 1000 miles across Europe is to have loud exhaust, engine and hard suspension. So each car has it's own strengths - RC300h is more like "city tourer", comfortable car to drive somewhere slowly, because you not going anywhere fast in modern traffic. It is not sports car and it is not a grand tourer either.

Jgtcracer · May 13, 2023

21 hours ago, Linas.P said:

That is true... but it is more of the issue with any car after 2018 (and you can't get much without paying less than £40,000). I was talking more about pre-FL models - they are £20/year (maybe £30?). The new tax system really made hybrids like 300h pretty much irrelevant... at least from taxation perspective. Because after initial £2000 on RC-F one would be paying same tax as RC300h.

Yup, even 2018 RCFs will be paying something less that £200

Jgtcracer · May 13, 2023

5 hours ago, Linas.P said:

This is talking cross purpose - the good sports car should set your trousers on fire (not from heated seats obviously), as well it has nothing to do with baseball cap (i.e. lack of maturity). It is not like for more "mature" or older people "sports" cars definition somehow changes and suddenly hybrid which barely reaches 60MPH in 9s becomes "sporty". There are simply basic expectations that "sports" car should meet and RC300h is absolutely unacceptable. Good "sports" car should be fast and they should accelerate quickly, and they should sound good, and they should corner and handle well. RC300h simply don't have what to takes to be "sports" car and should have never been marketed as such and it is simply not.

Is that really bad thing? No it isn't - if you want economical and comfortable car for commuting which just looks sporty then great! It fits the bill perfectly... in the end of the day RC-F would not be any faster, nor more exciting in traffic jam moving at 4MPH. But sports car it is NOT. It is two door tourer... and probably not even "grand" tourer... because to get that "grand" the car should probably have V12 - for effortless high-speed cruising without noise piercing your ears. RC300h max speed is like 102MPH you not "grand touring" anywhere at that speed. But in other hand "sports" cars makes horrible grand tourers - the last thing you want when doing 1000 miles across Europe is to have loud exhaust, engine and hard suspension. So each car has it's own strengths - RC300h is more like "city tourer", comfortable car to drive somewhere slowly, because you not going anywhere fast in modern traffic. It is not sports car and it is not a grand tourer either.

It’s worth considering that even the RCF isn’t a sports car in the same way a GT86 is, it’s also a tourer with some dynamic ability and the ability to sit at high speed effortlessly.

Linas.P · May 13, 2023

31 minutes ago, Jgtcracer said:

It’s worth considering that even the RCF isn’t a sports car in the same way a GT86 is, it’s also a tourer with some dynamic ability and the ability to sit at high speed effortlessly.

GT vs. Sports is really minor differences. I would say that faster accelerating, sharply handling car will more likely be classed as "Sports" and usually the lighter it is the better. GT car could really be any luxurious car with big engine which can effortlessly cruise long distances at high-speeds. And for GT car it does not matter if it is heavy or if it does not have the best handling.

All in all, RC as a car model is more of GT cars and less of the Sport cars, because most of them are too heavy to really be slung around the corners... it really only by the time they have 5L V8 with 470HP they can hold their own and be Sporty. That said I would already consider RC350 a decent GT car, as it is already comfortable and could easily munch miles at 155MPH. RC-F could probably be considered as both.

In BMW range that is much simpler - M4 is Sports car and 6-Series (or so called 8-series now) are GT cars. Obviously, that doesn't mean BMW 420d is sports car... or perhaps it is just shaite sports car. But then again - who is to say one can't "GT the M4". I guess same could be applied to Lexus where LC is GT and RC-F is Sports, but because there is no real lineage and minimal overlap it is kind of hard to say. Further complication that LC has the same engine and is about the same size as RC-F... so defining them in difference niches is hard.

andrey77 · May 13, 2023

I just input my 5p in this discussion pls.

I sold my 911 GT3 not a long time ago only because the buyer unexpectedly offer me full asking price, same way I bought 300h while bidding for newer 911 and found Lexus ok for me, comfy, well looking tourer. It just like you seat in the sport car but without sport power. Im 51.

Skinnyman · May 24, 2023

Given the abysmal state of the roads these days, given that everyone with a dashcam is being encouraged to send in evidence of anyone enjoying themselves on the public road and given the number of speed cameras there are everywhere, I’ll take comfort over speed these days. I sold my 911 because there was nowhere I could use it to anything like its potential without risking a jail sentence. I sold my Lotus Elise because I like my fillings in my teeth, not in my lap. I do regret selling my 350z - that was a great GT car - and I sold my F Type because it was just so shouty and look-at-me loud and I hardly used it so it was really just an expensive weekend toy.

I love the refinement of the RC. I love that I can use it every single day and that it’s the only car I need in my garage. I love that I can spend 8 or 9 hours driving on A and B roads and not need a chiropractor when I get out. I love that, when I really want to, I can stick it in Sport+ and “make progress” but get the sensation of speed at sensible speeds that won’t see me in jail or upside down in a ditch.

The other cars I listed above were all great “sports cars” - great when going fast on an empty road in ideal weather, not so great the rest of the time. The RC works for me at all speeds on all roads. OK, the exhaust note is nothing to write home about but when you’ve spent 6 hours in an Elise with the engine roaring by your left ear, you really appreciate the finesse of the RC.

To the OP - if you want a car you can remap and tune and stick a loud exhaust on, you’re not ready for an RC yet 😁

Las Palmas · May 24, 2023

44 minutes ago, Skinnyman said:

Given the abysmal state of the roads these days, given that everyone with a Dashcam is being encouraged to send in evidence of anyone enjoying themselves on the public road and given the number of speed cameras there are everywhere, I’ll take comfort over speed these days. I sold my 911 because there was nowhere I could use it to anything like its potential without risking a jail sentence. I sold my Lotus Elise because I like my fillings in my teeth, not in my lap. I do regret selling my 350z - that was a great GT car - and I sold my F Type because it was just so shouty and look-at-me loud and I hardly used it so it was really just an expensive weekend toy.

I love the refinement of the RC. I love that I can use it every single day and that it’s the only car I need in my garage. I love that I can spend 8 or 9 hours driving on A and B roads and not need a chiropractor when I get out. I love that, when I really want to, I can stick it in Sport+ and “make progress” but get the sensation of speed at sensible speeds that won’t see me in jail or upside down in a ditch.

The other cars I listed above were all great “sports cars” - great when going fast on an empty road in ideal weather, not so great the rest of the time. The RC works for me at all speeds on all roads. OK, the exhaust note is nothing to write home about but when you’ve spent 6 hours in an Elise with the engine roaring by your left ear, you really appreciate the finesse of the RC.

To the OP - if you want a car you can remap and tune and stick a loud exhaust on, you’re not ready for an RC yet 😁

We all get older and correct is it that having a fun auto is not as much fun today as when we were younger. Speed limits everywhere and poor roads many places make a Lexus not a bad choice. Even the little one we have is comfortable and has so many gadgets that none of the far more expensive and sportier and GT cars we have had can match that.

Linas.P · May 24, 2023

46 minutes ago, Skinnyman said:

great when going fast on an empty road in ideal weather

But isn't it a big shame when once in a year you get that perfect moment and it is your car that is let down?!

I do agree with you regarding constantly deteriorating driving conditions in UK - it seems that goverment has declared war on motoring as a whole and the heard of mindless sheep just follows whatever. The celebrate every time when somebody get's fined for going even few miles over the arbitrarily low and unnecessary speed limits and just trying to stick it to the drivers.

As well I agree that RC is great tourer, especially in UK where you not going to get anywhere fast. Hybrid is as well relaxing to drive, there is no real urge to even try going fast, because it just isn't a fast car, so that leaves more time to relax and simply cruise around.

That said - OP asked if it is sports car... I think the answer is - NO it is not.