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That I think is the current advice from Lexus GB too.

You know those were my exact same thoughts when I read the article (as posted on this site)- the system just looks awful and then there is the theft issue. it might indeed be well anchored into the seatbacks - but the way it looks, an opportunist thief might try to steal it only to realise they cannot - but after many hundreds (thousands?) of pounds of damage to your car in the process.

Compared to a colleague I'm currently getting around 29/30mpg with a tight engine & am sure there's a little more to come, possibly 32/33 as a max, my colleague runs a Range Rover Sport 2.7 TD (not a real Range Rover, a Discovery in a party frock!) & is getting around 24 at best. Now take into account the difference in the fuel prices at the pump & you can see why I made the choice I did...

I plan to tow a large caravan (others on here already do it!) & the acceleration figures made for interesting reading too, compared to the competition.

Please don't think that this is a personal flame or an anti-Lexus post. I quite like the brand and own an RX myself. I find that I loathe the RX 400h and in your circumstances am surprised that you feel that the 400h is the better vehicle when compared to your colleagues Range Rover diesel.

If you plan to tow, then you are towing with, what is in essence, a FWD only vehicle. Sure you have a rear electric motor to power the rear wheels, but that only works when the main Hybrid Battery is charged and able to provide power to the motor. You will very quickly come to realise that you spend more time charging the Hybrid Battery rather than it discharging power. Especially under load, the Hybrid Battery discharges very quickly and when you are towing, will find that you are running on the petrol engine only. You will then get running costs associated with a petrol 3.3L V6 engine. A cost that will again rear its head when you are cruising at 'motorway speeds' - at these speeds you are 100% reliant on your petrol V6 for all of your power.

Then there is the handling. Whether or not you are towing, a vehicle of this size and weight should be AWD all of the time. But it is not. When towing you will always find it beneficial to have 4 driven wheels rather than 2.

So I am amazed to see that you think your RX is better value than your colleagues Range Rover diesel which offer better towing proposition than yours, better MPG on any distance driving and especially towing, better low down torque than yours and remember, the technology you are so proud of in your Hybrid can become obsolete over night the moment Lexus develop ad release the 'next generation' of Hybrids whose batteries can hold charge for longer and provide more power. The diesel engined vehicle will not run this risk and retain value better.

Just my 2p worth.

Service costs are mainly dictated by Labour Rates. Lexus are far behind their 'competitors' like BMW, Merc (dare I mention Audi too?) who charge circa £120 +VAT - Lexus might be slowly increasing their charges to reflect the market position. These costs will only go up, up and up. This is a reason why I believe the pre-paid service plans are a very good idea (if you cannot get to Lexus Hanley!) :)

IIRC the manual says to use 'B' when descending a steep hill to offer an effect similar of engine braking - yeah pretty much as what everyone else has posted - its just about offering more resistance when driving.

I think its about preference. But remember, there is an acknowledgement that the MKI was designed with the US market in mind and developed for there. It was sold here with some minor MODs to make it acceptable for the UK - and for me it just doesn't work. Looks all 'wrong' and never seems to fit on UK roads. The MKII is a totally different animal, very refined and totally geared towards UK market. I like the cutting edge looks and pretty much everything about the MKII - but it is about preference. Go with whichever one really ticks the boxes fr you as both being Lexus, you can believe the hype :)

Hi mate, welcome to the Forums.

If your budget will allow you to stretch to it, the RX will be a awesome SUV over any 'car' (estate or otherwise). You will love the flexibility of storage it offers and the load lugging versatility. It is a cavernous vehicle and once you get used to travelling like this you wont want to go back [to a car!].

To give you an example, we regularly travel overseas to see family. We have x2 adults and x2 children. The boot will take x4 full size suitcases with x2 hand luggage sized suitcases with ease. Strap the kids in their car seats, take my father with us also (so h can drive the car back from the airport!) so we're talking x3 adults, x2 children carp load of luggage and we all travel in absolute luxury there and back. AWESOME vehicle that offers great 'utility'. Let me see if I can post up a picture of one of our trips ;)

Yes the mileage can be shocking, and this and that - but this is an vehicle that is very easy to live.

I would always advise you buy the youngest model you can and defo. the MKII over the original which is (sorry to offend folk) just naff :( The face lift occurred from 2003/03 on wards. Trust the Lexus badge, buy a good one that has FLSH and has been very well maintained and you wont go wrong. You WILL love this SUV for everything it offers and then thats also not even touching upon the luxury aspect on top of everything else.

The SE spec. would be the absolute minimum, but the 'Limited Edition' might be a contender if budget is very tight?

Don't these cars have 'speed sensitie steering'? I'm sure the RX does.

I like these pictures, cutting edge design by Lexus again. Not sure I'd buy another RX though with the new Efficiency Dynamics BMW X5s. I think styling aside, Lexus really need to figure out how the RX will stand out from the crowd.

You never know, the next owner might just Google their way to the LOC ;)

These cars have a regime of 10K or 12 months (whichever is sooner). The MM option is nice to have and we miss not having it in ours :(

You shouldn't be afraid to buy privately either - not only will you get a better quality of car, but possibly one that is much younger than off a dealer forecourt. If you buy one that has FLSH, has a Lexus Warranty (factory or extended) then you are pretty much safe. These are good cars in all honesty and with that budget she should really take the time and pick the best car.

Hi Mate,

You might find my post of the following an interesting read:

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...mp;#entry466928

Although not entirely helpful to you - best advice I would give is to pop down to a Dealer and test drive a couple. Push buttons, flick switches and see how you like the overall ride and feel for one. I'm sure it'll be very different to your GS - is it something you could live with on a daily basis?

Then if you're sure, phone around some Dealers for servicing prices (which vary) and go from there. But be prepared for circa 20'ish MPG in town and I guess 25MPG (w/cruise set @80MPH) on the motorway.

This red really suits the IS. Very nice.

Well since you paid (main dealer no doubt?) £258 to change just your pads, allbeit front and rear, that is one princely sum considering you could DIY the job and save [almost] £200. Sorry, but my sympathy for all your costs incurred this past week, Pheasant incident included, is tempered by this one fact.

When this issue surfaces, it can cause no end of grief. We had a courtesy RX400h which came with this set up and after a day or two of working, one side just stopped. We just lived with it as it wasn't our car. Kids just had to share the one working headset.

Glad you got it sorted though.

Well my only defence is that I mis-posted in the wrong Manufacturer Forum ;)

In the light of day, I don't think that was one of my better posts :P

Having read your post, I agree with some points but not others. You have owned the vehicle for a particular time period and completed 25,000KM - this will be the most important bearing on th value of a car. No matter what the reason for a buy-back, you cannot bend financial facts. With that kind of mileage and age, the car has a value. Faults develop with all cars of all makes. Some weird and wonderful, others just plain annoying. So your complaint about the fault having occurred in the first instance - well thats just life I'm afraid. With the number of vehicles built, its only a matter of time before there is a 'bad one'. Looks like your might have been it.

Where I do agree with your points is that you should have been provided with a Courtesy car and kept mobile. Lexus do care about their customers (as I have first hand experience when I had an issue). However to expect them to incur a financial loss just because your car has developed a particular fault just ain't reasonable.

Not sure what the consumer and 'rejection' laws are like in your part of the world but you might want to seek professional legal advice before you agree to a course of action.

Try GSF or Euros - anything from ATE, Jurid etc. will be fine as these are OE manufacturers. brembo if you're feeling a little flush (and fancy ;) ) otherwise stick to well known named brands and you'll have no problems.

I have been following this thread with some interest, but until yesterday, thought this recall was only affecting the IS. But as an RX owner we got ours yesterday: 1st Class recorded :P I wonder how much it cost them?

I doubt the recall will affect us as we have carpet trimmed Lexus OE mats and these are the rubber ones.

This in no way is meant or intended to sound judgemental or condascending...

This is an apt example of why I will never buy a car that comes with only one key. Any conscientious owner who looses keys/cannot provide at least two proper factory keys with the car raises a red flag to me. You can't expect to be happy with one key with cars of this calibre as the whole security system is complicated and complex should you loose that one key - also you don't know who (or where) the other key I and might be found?

Mate, seriously, you cannot (and should not) accept this.

You have just bought a Lexus AUC - it should be prepp'd to a high standard. That is totally unacceptable and amateurish at best. Defo. get Lexus GB involved as they do not tolerate such...well...nonsense. Although the Dealership is in Oxford, believe me, if you get Lexus GB on side they will be made to squirm and make it right. personally I would consider rejection (or at least threaten it) on the basis that the car has been re-sprayed, perhaps to hide some sort of botch repair and that it is potentially unsafe/been in an accident?

You must get Lexus GB involved and get this sorted. You are lucky if you are 'in the trade' and can get this stuff seen to. I am not in your position, so rely on Dealerships to d a competent job. And if it isn't done to my satisfaction, they do it again or I get Lexus GB involved. You have to stand up against this...shoddyness.

EDIT:

I know its easy for me to say that you should take this to lexus GB - you may be very busy - but please do cosndier it?

Personally speaking I wouldn't let the needle fall that far below into 'R' region - wont be doing the fuel filter any favours and straining the fuel pump as you dredge up allsorts of nasties from the depths of the tank. yes, OK sometimes its necessarily (cheap fuel across the border) but really, not something I would choose to put my Lexus (or any other car for that matter) through every time or frequently.

Not criticising folk, just contributing my 2p worth.

You're not going to accept that are you?

From what I've read on the LOC, the diesel does seem dire, but surely not to warrant dropping it completely? Perhaps Lexus under (over?) estimated the competency of their diesel engine, it is precisely such trials by fire that they can hope to improve it - surely dropping it sends the wrong signal?