I think I’m too used to RX ‘Business Class’

First_Lexus · August 30, 2023

Over the past few weeks, with insurance prices for the RX450h being what they are and with my VED ‘luxury car tax’ coming up in the Autumn, I’ve been mulling a downsize. It’s true to say I don’t need a car the size of my RX. I have no children and no pets, and my annual mileage is only about 5,000 pa. On paper a smaller car makes perfect sense. But…but…

Last week I had a UX250h for a day while my RX was having the headlight security plates fitted. This week I’ve test driven the new Honda HR-V. Based on my requirements they hit the spot. I need a higher seating position due to fairly significant mobility issues, so an SUV type it has to be. I’ve thought about going down the size chart as far as a Jazz / Yaris, but think that would be too great a shock in one move.

Anyway, what I’ve established / reminded myself is that the RX really is a great car. Wonderful even. The difference in road noise especially between it and smaller vehicles is remarkable. Yes, I’m sure I’d get used to it, but do I want to? I can only reference the difference between flying mid or long-haul in Business Class (actually my preference is Virgin Upper Class) and Premium Economy. I always fly that way when somebody else is paying, and it’s made flying any other way very difficult. The same seems to be true when driving my RX.

Both the HR-V and UX were fine. They drive very well, and are far more nimble than the RX as you’d expect. They are comfortable - the Honda has the edge both for seats and ride quality imho - and quality is good. The UX has a very slight edge here, but it is slight and I still don’t like the slab sided plastic door cards. The UX is quieter than the Honda, and quite noticeably so - but very much louder than the RX.

What I now need to decide is whether the financial savings are worth the change next Spring. It won’t be an easy decision, but for anybody else used to an RX all I can say is this - once you’ve travelled Business Class, going back to Economy is harder than you’d think!

Sybaris · August 30, 2023

I know exactly what you mean. I came from a line of Honda's to an NX and then an RX. I have since been in both the HR-V and driven the UX.

If I hadn't had an RX or NX the UX would have been great. I felt that once Honda stopped selling the Accord in the UK, they started to penny pinch on the quality of their cars and for me their cars are under powered, now aimed at economical minded people. I am still a bit of a petrol head.

I'm not going to say which one is better, that is your choice but I will say, take your time, test them thoroughly, see if you can get a 48 hour test drive and then you will have a better place to make a decision.

katabrontes · August 30, 2023

Why not keep what you have? My 2006 RX 350 is still going strong and has been trouble free. A little more petrol but a lot less invested. £60K in a two year fix at 6% would more than cover the extra VED.

Spock66 · August 30, 2023

23 minutes ago, First_Lexus said:

What I now need to decide is whether the financial savings are worth the change next Spring.

If you need to pay the rent / food then fine, otherwise how will you utilise any savings made?

The additional VED is not a huge sum of money in the grand scheme of things and will expire at some point (mine just has).

First_Lexus · August 30, 2023

8 minutes ago, Spock66 said:

If you need to pay the rent / food then fine, otherwise how will you utilise any savings made?

The additional VED is not a huge sum of money in the grand scheme of things and will expire at some point (mine just has).

It’s a fair question. I’m now at that stage in life when I’m planning for the time I won’t be able to work - which given my disability may be prior to actual retirement - so I’m pumping as much as I can into investments and pensions while clearing my mortgage.

Having a wonderful but expensive car sitting on my drive as an ornament most of the time doesn’t feel like a great use of that money, albeit I do understand the trade-off and the fact that a truly rational person would simply buy an older and even cheaper car that would do the job I need!

Spock66 · August 30, 2023

1 hour ago, First_Lexus said:

It’s a fair question. I’m now at that stage in life when I’m planning for the time I won’t be able to work - which given my disability may be prior to actual retirement - so I’m pumping as much as I can into investments and pensions while clearing my mortgage.

I hope that works out well for you, whether you keep the RX or not.

Malc1 · August 30, 2023

52 minutes ago, Spock66 said:

I hope that works out well for you, whether you keep the RX or not.

Higher and better quality in an older brilliant 2nd hand big big Lexus at greater £££££ savings over summat new might be the way to go

The potential added fuel costs with reduced mpg is probably comparatively insignificant in the £££££ equation doing 5k miles a year

Go for the better quality bigger car all the time I’d say !

Malc

Spacewagon52 · August 30, 2023

I am a bit confused about the Luxury Car Tax - I thought you had to pay from Year 1 to Year 5?

That is on top of the "normal" VED. Ed, your car is a 2021, so two years old. I thought you would be paying from the start?

I must admit that was one of the factors in finally choosing my NX300h.

First_Lexus · August 30, 2023

38 minutes ago, Spacewagon52 said:

I am a bit confused about the Luxury Car Tax - I thought you had to pay from Year 1 to Year 5?

That is on top of the "normal" VED. Ed, your car is a 2021, so two years old. I thought you would be paying from the start?

I must admit that was one of the factors in finally choosing my NX300h.

Yes, I’ve paid it once already - first year was covered in the purchase price, November 2022 I paid it on first renewal.

From memory the total road tax comes to about £550 - the extra ‘luxury’ element is £400 or thereabouts with ‘normal’ VED on top.

Interested to note that EVs don’t attract this ‘luxury’ VED regardless of cost. Perhaps, given my mileage, I should investigate an EV. One for consideration tomorrow, especially as I already have a home charger fitted.

wivenhoe · August 30, 2023

£ 40k list price EV’s (almost all of them) will attract the luxury tax from 1st April 2025. As EV used prices have dropped it’s likely you’ll pay the £ 400 supplement on a car bought way less than £ 40k due to the historic high list prices.
If in the future the car market returns to normality, the supplement will become another stealth tax as they’ll leave the £ 40k list price threshold although inflation will increase new car prices.

Spock66 · August 30, 2023

33 minutes ago, wivenhoe said:

If in the future the car market returns to normality, the supplement will become another stealth tax as they’ll leave the £ 40k list price threshold although inflation will increase new car prices.

That's already happened as the tax was introduced in 2017, VED rates have increased each year, but not the £40k threshold.

Goodplan53 · August 31, 2023

I can empathise with your dilemma, Ed, as I too have an RX (and, a UX as a 'second car' too) sitting on my drive most of the time. Having lived like a monk to overpay the mortgage before rates went up (phew!), I feel I can justify the expense. Given my - and your - low mileage, it's not a massive impact on the planet, too, IMHO, and I intend to keep the RX for many years to come. As for the UX, that's my late-life-crisis toy and I just can't drive more than 10 yards without switching it to Sport mode - it brings out the big kid in me.

The RX is a no-brainer, being a 4th Gen V6. I would urge you to stick with it, Ed - it's a great car.

The UX was a replacement for a comfortable and sensible Honda HRV, which was very underpowered with a 1.5 CVT like a rubber band. In fact I nicknamed it 'My Boring Honda' or MBH for short. "Just taking MBH out to the shops..." Whereas the UX with AWD handles superbly. Pity there's no luggage space in the UX, but that's the only downside; we've got the RX for that!

Sybaris · August 31, 2023

When I changed my car, it took me months to decide what to do. For a smaller car, the UX is in my view a very good choice.

If it came down to the HRV and a UX, my choice would be on the UX.

katabrontes · August 31, 2023

Absolutely Malc1. The business case buying a new car doesn't stack up unless someone else is paying for it.

Spacewagon52 · August 31, 2023

18 hours ago, First_Lexus said:

Yes, I’ve paid it once already - first year was covered in the purchase price, November 2022 I paid it on first renewal.

From memory the total road tax comes to about £550 - the extra ‘luxury’ element is £400 or thereabouts with ‘normal’ VED on top.

Interested to note that EVs don’t attract this ‘luxury’ VED regardless of cost. Perhaps, given my mileage, I should investigate an EV. One for consideration tomorrow, especially as I already have a home charger fitted.

What other car do you run Ed? Plug-in hybrid?

First_Lexus · August 31, 2023

50 minutes ago, Spacewagon52 said:

What other car do you run Ed? Plug-in hybrid?

2004 petrol MINI Cooper!

The charger came with the house…😆

Spacewagon52 · August 31, 2023

2 hours ago, First_Lexus said:

2004 petrol MINI Cooper!

The charger came with the house…😆

Good incentive for a plug-in!

First_Lexus · August 31, 2023

6 hours ago, Goodplan53 said:

I can empathise with your dilemma, Ed, as I too have an RX (and, a UX as a 'second car' too) sitting on my drive most of the time. Having lived like a monk to overpay the mortgage before rates went up (phew!), I feel I can justify the expense. Given my - and your - low mileage, it's not a massive impact on the planet, too, IMHO, and I intend to keep the RX for many years to come. As for the UX, that's my late-life-crisis toy and I just can't drive more than 10 yards without switching it to Sport mode - it brings out the big kid in me.

The RX is a no-brainer, being a 4th Gen V6. I would urge you to stick with it, Ed - it's a great car.

The UX was a replacement for a comfortable and sensible Honda HRV, which was very underpowered with a 1.5 CVT like a rubber band. In fact I nicknamed it 'My Boring Honda' or MBH for short. "Just taking MBH out to the shops..." Whereas the UX with AWD handles superbly. Pity there's no luggage space in the UX, but that's the only downside; we've got the RX for that!

I’m moving in the direction of keeping the RX, at least until next year. However, the past few days mooching around car dealers and driving different vehicles has been useful for a number of reasons.

- I’ve decided that a smaller petrol or petrol/hybrid simply won’t do the job after the RX. The sacrifice in driving experience is too great. But…

- A smaller EV would do the job very well in terms of driving, if I can make range in Winter on the motorway work for my 1-2 times each month 200 mile round trips without charging during the journey. The new VW id3 was a pleasant surprise (don’t laugh!) as was the new KIA eNiro. Both have c300 mile WLTP ranges and should do the Winter motorway trips with range to spare.

- Part-ex prices for the RX are excellent. I was concerned about the impact of theft on prices - similar to insurance impacts - but see no evidence of that based on offers made.

- However, despite all that I still love the RX experience. Savings are relatively small, unless - and this is the big one - insurance next year rises significantly again. I’m simply not prepared to pay £1000 or more to insure a car, however much I like it. So, come Feb-March I’ll get some renewal quotes and decide from there.

The good news is that if I do decide to change the KIA (especially) gives me a really good route to a smaller car with the features I want with insurance (based on a quick comparison quote today) of only £280 per year. Combine that c£400 annual saving with the c£500 saving on VED and I can start to make a case. However, if my RX insurance starts to recede back to the £350 pa I was paying in 2021/22 then that case diminishes again.

Malc1 · August 31, 2023

And you’re ok compromising with losing the comfort you get from your RX ……. and, maybe as a side issue, the ££££ money in the bank from not changing ?

Malc

First_Lexus · August 31, 2023

47 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

And you’re ok compromising with losing the comfort you get from your RX ……. and, maybe as a side issue, the ££££ money in the bank from not changing ?

Malc

@Malc1 FYI the cars I’m looking at are cheaper - not by much but a bit - on a monthly PCP than the RX. No great shock there - they are £35-40k (list) whereas the RX was £60k (list). Actually based on discussions this week, I could be as much as £1500-£2000 per year in credit if I change (less than that depending on insurance costs as per the above).

I do know - as has been pointed out - that running an old car is financially more prudent. I’ve got a 2004 car in the garage. My choice - because it is what I like - is to have a newer car. I’m prepared to pay a price for that, to a point. Some people like holidays, some like expensive watches, some buy bigger houses than they need. I like a new car, but if my insurance is going to be £1000+ next year then it won’t be an RX.

katabrontes · September 1, 2023

I hate new cars. I have only had three I'm my lifetime and all were troublesome. My secondhand cars have never been a problem.

Spacewagon52 · September 1, 2023

An option might be an excellent late NX300h? You would not be compromising much on quality but saving on fuel, insurance and VED - provided you find one under the 40K list price.

Just another thought?

First_Lexus · September 1, 2023

7 minutes ago, Spacewagon52 said:

An option might be an excellent late NX300h? You would not be compromising much on quality but saving on fuel, insurance and VED - provided you find one under the 40K list price.

Just another thought?

Having owned two NX300h prior to the RX - and having loved the car - I can see the logic but wouldn’t want to go back. If I do change it will be for something different, and the whole CanBus theft issue combined with a large insurance premium increase has left a bit of a sour taste.

Still, at this point I’ll be keeping the RX until Spring and reconsider options then based on insurance renewal quotes. If they come back down towards the £350 I used to pay then the RX probably stays. If it goes up to £1000 or more then it goes!