DanD

Hold on a minute!... I was always told that, when driving a Lexus on the continent, you do not need to apply any stickers (even though they are available) on the basis that all recent models have a "flat" beam, as opposed to one that kicks up on the passenger side. This certainly is the case for the RX300/350/400h/450h and IS an GS models. Therefore, on the premise that you do not need to apply stickers when travelling on holiday, why would you need to change the headlamps at all? To my knowledge, the way the lights are setup on the CT is no different to that on other Lexus models. Is it?

I have been driving a CT Sport Plus all week while my RX is in the body shop (sigh). Sonic Titanium with the black roof/mirror caps/wheels. It does look the biz, and I like the Sonic T more and more and the way the colour changes under different light. The car also has sunroof and reversing camera wit the basic satnav that works well enough. Took a while to get to grips with the tuning of the DAB radio though (I am the second person to drive the car I believe!) I like the fact that you can change the satnav graphics from the colour scheme we all love to hate to a different colour scheme called... wait for it... Modern! I still really like the car, especially its go-kart ability and the seats that are very comfortable. I do not mind the firm suspension, but I must say that the road noise is tiring after a while. Ian... I am pretty sure the seats are not real leather, but what Lexus call Tahara. Still very nice, soft, and comfy though.

As a matter of curiosity, why are you selling it?

Not an expert in these things, but I assume you have started the car OK? Does the alarm still sound with the car in "ready" state and being driven? Does the alarm still sound when the car is unlocked?

Another source of noise is the cup holder within the armrest itself.

I have the same issue and have not found a satisfactory solution... apart from having someone permanently seating in the back! - It is definitely coming from the largest of the two backrests, the one that includes the armrest. Keeping the armrest down, and moving the seat slightly forward from its rearmost position alleviates the problem to some extent... but not completely. You can also play around with the angle of the seat back. I did mention it to the dealer and they confirmed that it is a common occurrence. One thing to check: if you lift the carpet immediately behind the seats, there are some bolts down there that, if not fully tightened, can cause some noise.

Interesting, given that the boot is not that deep in the first place. I guess the rear seats will be rather cramped and the boot even more shallow when the seats are folded.

It is also my understanding that the GS will be replaced with the ES. Maybe boring was a little strong and pejorative... let's say anonymous. So... today's car is a NX300h, F-Sport in black with dark rose seats, the Premier pack and the pan roof. I have to say I really like the car. I wish it had the sliding rear seats of the RX, but this is not a biggie. It certainly has plenty of toys to keep you busy, comfortable and entertained!

Lexus Hedge End are my local dealers and they are brilliant. It is thanks to them and their excellent service that I remain faithful to the brand. Our RX is booked in for its MOT tomorrow so I'll take a look at the LC. Maybe they'll loan it to me as a courtesy car... not! They once gave me a GS300h F-Sport in white as a courtesy car for a couple of days and was very impressed with the car. At least I was very impressed with the interior, the build quality and the level of comfort. I would agree that it is superior than the NX in a lot of ways but, and it is a big but, it is such a boring looking car!... although the facelifted version is a little more interesting. Their rarity is probably due to the fact that Lexus have pushed the car hard, with rare demo cars, meaning that only Lexus die-hard know that they exist. I think Lexus France must have had a different approach than their UK counterparts because the GS300h is a very popular choice as a taxi in large cities! Still, it is now discontinued, so I guess there will be good deals on the few cars that are left in the system, if indeed there are any. I also suppose that they will make good second hand buys.

I was in Paris last week and was amazed as to how many Teslas are run as taxis over there!

You also may need to let your insurance know!

I replaced the original Denso with Bosch Aerotwins on my RX a few weeks ago and I am very disappointed. They are both smeary and noisy. Grrr.

Whoaa... looks like a transformer! Their version of the RX is not much better...

Back to Tim's original query: you mention 09-15 RX.... I would recommend that you go for the facelifted model that came out in 2012. Better specc'ed, a little more fuel efficient. easy to pick out... it has DRLs whereas the 09-11 model does not.

I did take a look and it does not sound that the noise is coming from where you suggested. In fact, I have now found that it comes from the rear backrest, and from the wider side of the seat (the one with the armrest). I happened to drive along an un-tarmacked road yesterday evening, and the noise was very obvious. When I looked in my rear view mirror I noticed that the seat was vibrating in tune to the noise. I played around and found that the noise is worse when the armrest is up. I have drive along that track before, but with rear passengers, so did not notice the noise... which would make sense because the passengers would have preventing any vibration from the backrest.

My main dislike applies to the whole of the Lexus range: the satnav graphics, while clear, are horrid, and the system is far too complicated to use. Yes, you do get used to it, especially if you are familiar with the brand, but why have to trawl through menus to achieve the simplest tasks!

Love the colour, and you do not see many around. My car was running on Michelin Latitude Tour HP, and now runs on Latitude Sports. The Tour HP were very good to start with, but the Sports are better in many ways, except that, unfortunately, they are a little more noisy. I hear the new Cross Climates are excellent.

A colleague of mine has covered 280,000 miles on his GS300... does that count?

Unfortunately you cannot turn it off. You have to click "I agree" every time. To my knowledge, only dealers have access to the maintenance screens... and don't tend to update them.

Things you didn't know you didn't know!

Thank you for this! - 2 years on, and the rattle is still there, so I will take a look...

Bobby... I like Just Park... thank you. Will look into this further. Rayaan, you may well have a point there.

Unfortunately, these will not polish out... the damage is too deep.

Thanks for all the suggestions. The insurance (Lexus) you are talking about would not cover this because of the size of the damage... see pics. Parking on someone's drive is a good idea, and one that we will be looking into. I run the cheaper car because of the mileage I do. It would not be economically viable to use the RX every day. I am also thinking of approaching the car park owner (not sure whether it is council-owned) and highlight my - and very possibly other's - plight, suggesting that the bays should be made bigger and that CCTV is installed.

For the 6th time since last November, our car has been the victim of a hit and run. My wife works part time at a local medical centre and has no choice but to use a local public car park that is used by visitors to both the medical centre and the local library. Unfortunately, the spaces are rather narrow, our RX is rather wide, and the locals generally very elderly.... not a good combination. The fact that there is no CCTV does not help. So since November, when my wife started working there, there have been nasty scratches and dents twice to the front bumper and once to the rear (repaired at a cost of £450 + £250), and alongside BOTH sides of the car (not yet fixed, but it will be £100's!). One very obvious one along the front AND rear doors on the drivers side, the other on the passenger's side. PICS to come. Yesterday, it happened again, although FOR THE FIRST TIME the culprit was kind enough to leave his details. The corner of the front bumper is damaged where it had been repaired before, which means that a replacement rather than a second repair may be required (other driver's insurance will pay this time). I have never been keen on witness cameras, but I am now forced to consider them. I do not want any DIY solution (the thought of any DIY scares me!), and I would prefer a fully installed solution. Recommendations anyone? Recurring car park dings are one of the reasons I will not be replacing this RX3 with a RX4, but downsize to an NX.