Am I Mad?

[Chris810]

I am a newbie and this is my first post so so be gentle with me

Hi

I have been following posts and lurking with interest as I am considering changing my current car and am looking at the rx 400h or 450h

Just a bit of background I work for a wind turbine company and cover about 40,000 miles a year I need a high ground clearance and occasional 4 wd, I am currently running a Nissan Murano 3.5 v6 petrol which is doing 23 mpg and I have covered over. 40,000 in 12 months, but as the car is now over 9 years old and my company will not pay for use of a car over 10 years old I need to change it.

So I would like a quiet and comfortable vehicle with reasonable fuel economy ( currently 23 mpg), above 30 would be nice, 90 % of my driving is on motorways between 70 and 80 and I need I pod connection and a decent Bluetooth phone, I think a 400h or a 450 h would do me fine

Am I mad?

[nelmo]

Why mad? You're on a Lexus forum, what do you expect us to say? :-)

At those motorway speeds, I average about 32mpg. Generally, I average 29. I'd imagine the newer 450 might be a bit better.

Comfort is, IMO, the best part of the RX. Supremely quiet at all speeds although I have no idea what the Murano is like to compare.

There are others to consider (Volvo XC90, BMW X5, Audi Q5 for example) but I'd be surprised if you'd get anything much better than an RX.

[Boxbrownie]

Have to agree with most of that, RX a fine car for what you require, but also consider some other luxury 4x4 like the MB ML for example, I just sold ours a 350BE 2010 diesel, very comfortable and pretty economical at average of 37 on a run and 32 around minor towns, the BMW X5 can be just as nice and the right one more economical.

But I guess for your job the RX gives the correct message also!

[Chris810]

Thanks for your replies in the past I have run a discovery 2 ( big big bills ) a BMW X1 ( horrid car put me off BMW for life and I was always having to defend it to our clients, an XC 70 ( 175000 miles still going strong ) a passat ( why ? ) I was looking at another Xc70 but having run the Murano for a year now I like being high up again.

Comparing the two the Rx 450 is a bit quieter a bit faster more modern and hopefully a hell of a lot more economical as the funding would have to come from the fuel saving on the murano. I currently spend £1000 a month on petrol so I am hoping it will be self funding, I looked at an ML but reliability and image was a problem don't fancy anything else and the more modern Murano is £450 per year to tax so I just don't know

[Boxbrownie]

Well it sounds like you have already whittled it down to the RX anyway..........so go for it.

[Paddy Dzell]

I drive an RX400H , average 33.8 mpg on mixed driving, costs £225 road fund licence and it's faster than an RX450H if figures are to be believed. Cost £17K for a 5 year old model... :-)

Paddy

[Isee]

Thanks for your replies in the past I have run a discovery 2 ( big big bills ) a BMW X1 ( horrid car put me off BMW for life and I was always having to defend it to our clients, an XC 70 ( 175000 miles still going strong ) a passat ( why ? ) I was looking at another Xc70 but having run the Murano for a year now I like being high up again.

Comparing the two the Rx 450 is a bit quieter a bit faster more modern and hopefully a hell of a lot more economical as the funding would have to come from the fuel saving on the murano. I currently spend £1000 a month on petrol so I am hoping it will be self funding, I looked at an ML but reliability and image was a problem don't fancy anything else and the more modern Murano is £450 per year to tax so I just don't know

Ex BMW 330i, M5 and M6 owner here. Then an RX300 and now Rx400h, reliability-wise Lexus has been an eye opener. It completely changed what I think is an acceptable rate of breakdowns. To give you a small clue, Neither the RX300 nor the 400h have ever been to the garage outside of scheduled servicing.

[rudders]

Petrol consumption is an issue for the RX400h, but with a 3.3 litre engine I guess I'm happy with my 29mpg on mixed country roads and M25/M4 commute.

I had a Volvo XC diesel when the RX was in for crash repairs and it was lovely to get back to the refinement of the RX. (Which reminds me, the RX comes off much better in a collision with a BMW!)

But surprisingly the thing I miss most when I drive courtesy cars is the Mark Levinson sound system. It's the best I've ever heard in a car costing 5 figures!

Reliability is also a big plus, after my nightmare of a BMW 5 series. If you make sure you've got a new auxiliary Battery (e.g. Bosch £60 from Euro) then you'll be very unlucky to ever need assistance.

At 40K/year you'll be getting a service every 3 months, so plenty of opportunity for preventative checks.

Handling on the RX450h is definitely better and the lack of sports mode on the RX400h makes overtaking something to plan carefully for.

[Chris810]

I am going to look at a few 400h at 40 to 60 k miles so I'll report back when that's done, just drove a Subaru forrester and top of the range brand new and not as nice as the murano I am needing to change ( and too expensive for what it is

[Roybus]

Thanks for your replies in the past I have run a discovery 2 ( big big bills ) a BMW X1 ( horrid car put me off BMW for life and I was always having to defend it to our clients, an XC 70 ( 175000 miles still going strong ) a passat ( why ? ) I was looking at another Xc70 but having run the Murano for a year now I like being high up again.

Comparing the two the Rx 450 is a bit quieter a bit faster more modern and hopefully a hell of a lot more economical as the funding would have to come from the fuel saving on the murano. I currently spend £1000 a month on petrol so I am hoping it will be self funding, I looked at an ML but reliability and image was a problem don't fancy anything else and the more modern Murano is £450 per year to tax so I just don't know

Wow. Speaking as a Manchester City supporter, I'd like to thank you for the massive contribution you're making to Sergio Aguero's wages!!

[billgatesisaconman]

I drive an RX400H , average 33.8 mpg on mixed driving, costs £225 road fund licence and it's faster than an RX450H if figures are to be believed. Cost £17K for a 5 year old model... :-)

Paddy

So car tax on the 2008 Rx400 is £225 .. my 2005 Rx400 is £255 ... mmm .... I might look for a newer one ...

[Boxbrownie]

I drive an RX400H , average 33.8 mpg on mixed driving, costs £225 road fund licence and it's faster than an RX450H if figures are to be believed. Cost £17K for a 5 year old model... :-)

Paddy

So car tax on the 2008 Rx400 is £225 .. my 2005 Rx400 is £255 ... mmm .... I might look for a newer one ...

RFL varies with Co2, the later vehicles are more efficient and have a slightly lower Co2 rating.

Then again its only £30 a year.......if you were happy buying a 2005 model why spend maybe £4K more just to recoup £30 a year dring ownership?

Even the difference in consumption will be small.

[billgatesisaconman]

I drive an RX400H , average 33.8 mpg on mixed driving, costs £225 road fund licence and it's faster than an RX450H if figures are to be believed. Cost £17K for a 5 year old model... :-)

Paddy

So car tax on the 2008 Rx400 is £225 .. my 2005 Rx400 is £255 ... mmm .... I might look for a newer one ...

RFL varies with Co2, the later vehicles are more efficient and have a slightly lower Co2 rating.

Then again its only £30 a year.......if you were happy buying a 2005 model why spend maybe £4K more just to recoup £30 a year dring ownership?

Even the difference in consumption will be small.

Thanks for the info ... according to the Dvla website all Rx 400's 2005-2009 (regardless of year) are the same 192g Co2 ... & if you use their calculator they are all £255 p.a. tax ... I can't figure how you have £225 ? ... p.s. I get 35 mpg on the motorway & 29 round town if I drive like a nun ... lol

[Boxbrownie]

Had the issue before with a MB, turns out a year younger model alhough on the DVLA site it appeared to be a blanket band, in fact the later model had a lower Co2 rating on the V5.

Its what is printed on the V5 which is the deciding factor, if its the same then there has been a mistake made, but unlikely.

Not sure when the lower rating ended for high Co2 vehicles, mine is capped being a 2003 model, I have a feeling the cap ended at about 2005, maybe its to do with that?

2006 apparently........"Band K includes cars that have a CO2 figure over 225g/km but were registered before 23 March 2006"

[billgatesisaconman]

Yep your quite right m8 ... this is the way I read it

Petrol car (TC48) and diesel car (TC49)

up to 1 March 2001... 2 rates apply, low/high ...

1 March 2001- 1 March 2006 all tax bands apply (except bands L & M) ... *band K £285 being the maximum

1 March 2006 on ... all tax bands apply inc L & M (£475 kicks in)

Alternative fuel car (TC59)

1 March 2001- 1 March 2006 all tax bands apply (except bands L & M) ... *band K £285 being the maximum

1 March 2006 on ... all tax bands apply inc L & M (£475 kicks in)

I previously owned a 3.0 V6 24v shogun for 12 years & was looking at getting another ...

If I bought a 2005 it was £285 ... if I bought a 2006 it was £475 ...

I really looked into the (*band K) before I bought my Rx400, so I did 2 tax calculation's for Rx400's on the Dvla website 2005 & 2008 they both came out at £255 ... I just did them again & it still says £255 ...

so according to the Dvla, Band J (£255) is where all Rx400's sit regardless of year of manufacture ...

These tables do change every year though > https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-tax-rate-tables

[nelmo]

I drive an RX400H , average 33.8 mpg on mixed driving, costs £225 road fund licence and it's faster than an RX450H if figures are to be believed. Cost £17K for a 5 year old model... :-)

Paddy

So car tax on the 2008 Rx400 is £225 .. my 2005 Rx400 is £255 ... mmm .... I might look for a newer one ...

I imagine the 225 was just a typo :-)

[Paddy Dzell]

Ah yes Nelmo - didn't spot it at the time! £255 I guess!

Cheers

Paddy